Shinn, Sharon ~
Fortune and Fate ~ Ace, 2008 ~ 403 pages ~ adults, teens.
“Karryn was so grateful to step out of the coach that her legs practically buckled under her as her feet touched the ground. Only Tover’s hard hold on her arm kept her more or less upright.”
This is the fifth volume in the “Twelve Houses” series.
While understandable to those who have not read the earlier volumes,
Fortune and Fate will make more sense to those who are familiar with the larger story.
Wen, feeling that she had failed to defend her King as a King’s Rider, chose not to serve his daughter when she became Queen. Instead, she left her colleagues and decided to go where-ever her horse took her — dedicated to helping those who needed help. She remains haunted by the death of the King and wishes that she had died with him. Nevertheless, she remains a fierce and talented warrior.
At one time, Rayson Fortunalt was one of the most powerful men in Gillengaria. Under his leadership, some of the twelve houses attempted to overthrow the King. The revolt failed and he was killed. His daughter Karryn will become head of the house in just a few years when she is of age. Now, she is a teen and has been kidnapped by a noble who plans to marry her [against her will] hoping to become head of her house. His scheme is destroyed when Wen encounters and frees Karryn and returns her to Fortunalt.
Although Wen typically stays in one place for only a few days or a few weeks, she finds herself appointed to be captain of the Fortunalt house guard and responsible for Karryn’s safety. Wen also finds herself in a surprising relationship with Karryn’s scholarly guardian who is responsible for the house until she is of age. At the same time, some unknown enemy wants Karryn dead, but Wen does not know why or who the enemy might be.
The major thread in the story is Wen’s inability to forgive herself for the King’s death and her strong desire not to put down roots anywhere. At the same time, she has given her word to protect Karryn. The growing relationship with Karryn’s guardian enriches the self-discovery process and adds a romantic interest. A secondary thread is the characterization of the kingdom after the revolt and the problems faced by the new Queen and her consort. This is also an opportunity for the major characters from the earlier volumes to appear at least briefly.
While there are some action scenes and dramatic sword play and just a bit of magic here and there, this is primarily a story of self-discovery by Wen and to some degree by Karryn. The larger political-social-economic context has been well-established and is nicely handled here. The plot is straight-forward but contains a notable surprise at the end.
Recommendation:
Sharon Shinn is an accomplished fantasy, and science fiction, author. The “Twelve Houses” series has received most positive reviews. The stories are well written. The world-building is excellent. Main characters are strong, persuasive, and appealing with real problems to solve. The strong romantic elements means that there is considerable cross-over potential for female readers who will appreciate women who are challenged and respond well to difficult situations.The series should be a good choice for most heroic fantasy collections. The cover illustration by
Donato Giancola shows Wen sword in hand in front of the Fortunalt home. The print is easily read with reasonable white space and dark type.