Review + Giveaway: Feast of Fates

Welcome to my tour stop for Feast of Fates by Christian A. Brown. This is a new adult epic dark fantasy. The tour runs January 11-22 with reviews only. Books are available in ebook formats worldwide for reviewers.

Title: Feast of Fates
Author: Christian A. Brown
Publisher: Forsythia Press
Release Date: December 2014
Length: 523 pages
Series?: Four Feasts Till Darkness #1
Genre: Epic Dark Fantasy

Find the book: Goodreads | Amazon

Morigan lives a quiet life as the handmaiden to a fatherly old sorcerer named Thackery. But when she crosses paths with Caenith, a not wholly mortal man, her world changes forever. Their meeting sparks long buried magical powers deep within Morigan. As she attempts to understand her newfound abilities, unbidden visions begin to plague her–visions that show a devastating madness descending on one of the Immortal Kings who rules the land.

With Morigan growing more powerful each day, the leaders of the realm soon realize that this young woman could hold the key to their destruction. Suddenly, Morigan finds herself beset by enemies, and she must master her mysterious gifts if she is to survive.

* Review *

The Skinny

There are a tremendous number of characters in this book, perhaps the most characters of all the books I have read. This is an epic fantasy that follows Morigan, a handmaiden. One day while searching for a particular shop owner, she meets her soulmate. Caenith is not quiet the man most would think. He is only half man, and his other half allows him magical powers that have allowed him to live for centuries.

While two immortal kings – brothers, no less – are at odds due to an unknown evil force that has taken hold. The two worlds they inhabit and lead, Eod and Zioch, are on the precipice of a brutal war.

In Menos, the character Mouse is drawn into the fates and prophecies when she is deemed to have very clear destiny. She is saved by the one man who could ruin her.

The Quote

As she went, she basked in the beauty of Alabion; her eyes drawn to dewy leaves glittering as if scattered with diamonds, her ears to the music that echoed through the pines, her nose to the earthy pungency of the mulch beneath her toes.

The Highs and Lows

This is most definitely an adult book. It contains very mature content. This book might contain triggers for some people.

List of Characters. There were PAGES upon PAGES of characters with short and lengthy descriptions. It was daunting. I felt I was already losing ground with the plot before I ever got to page one.
Prologue. The prologue was confusing to read. I didn’t see right away how it connected to the first chapter. I had to read several chapters before it started sinking in and I could see some of the connections.
The writing. From the very beginning there is a beautiful style of prose that is so sensory and profound. It is elegant and smooth, free-flowing. I found myself highlighting so many quotations to potentially use in my review to illustrate the artistry of the craft.
Morigan. She is an ethereal being with marked looks. It is what craws Caenith to her. However, she soon finds herself suffering from “the bees” as she calls them, that are relentless in inundating her mind with everything happening in the city.
Caenith. He has a heartbreaking story, and he is more than a man. He has lived far longer than humans. I found him so interesting.
Plot. The plot is very intricate and complex. Combined with the beauty of Brown’s writing style

The Take-Away

The writing. It is long and eloquent and poised. Although it slows down the plot at times because you just want to get on with it and see what will happen, I couldn’t help but admire the writing style.

Recommendation – Buy, Borrow or Skip?

If you’re a die-hard epic fantasy fan, definitely buy this one. If you are interested, I’d recommend borrowing.

* About the Author *

Bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Feast of Fates, Christian A. Brown received a Kirkus star in 2014 for the first novel in his genre-changing Four Feasts Till Darkness series. He has appeared on Newstalk 1010, AM640, Daytime Rogers, and Get Bold Today with LeGrande Green. He actively writes a blog about his mother’s journey with cancer and on gender issues in the media. A lover of the weird and wonderful, Brown considers himself an eccentric with a talent for cat-whispering.