A Roman-Inspired NA Fantasy
I had the privilege of reading an ARC* of Fates Defiant by Brigitte Cromey and C.M. Banschbach. This novel was excellent. I was engaged the entire time, moved by what our protagonists faced, and the friendship they formed.
It’s different than my typical picks, with more of an emphasis of friendship and brotherhood over romance, but I loved it!
A Summary
I’ll simply share the book blurb provided by the authors to their ARC readers:
What I Liked about Fates Defiant
- Writing style: The authors wrote with a clear, effective style that was not too flowery or too barebones.
- Well-paced/structured: It was a swiftly moving plot that was well-paced. I never felt lost or like we spent too much time in one part of the story versus another.
- Characters: The novel alternates POVs between protagonists Cyrus and Bastian. Both of these young men were so worth rooting for! I loved their character arcs, how their friendship developed, and how they grew to lean on each other in a thankless world. I also found myself particularly attached to Bastian, as he is the same age as my husband and we share a young son like Bastian does with his wife.
- Supporting characters: Lyra, Callista, Atticus, and more were all well-developed and added to the story perfectly. I found myself loving who I was supposed to love and hating who I was supposed to hate. So, good job, Authors!
- Setting: The ancient Roman-inspired fantasy setting was awesome. I am a long-time fan of Ancient times settings, but I haven’t read it much since my Percy Jackson days. I certainly haven’t encountered it in more adult novels, so this was a delightful discovery. I loved how seamless the authors wove fantasy elements (gryphons, anyone?) into the familiarity of the Roman scene.
- Themes: I loved the emphasis on brotherhood and loyalty. I thought morality and faith was weaved in very well, without being in the reader’s face.
Content Notes for Fates Defiant
The authors include their own note at the beginning of the novel. But this is solidly a new adult book.
It is void of:
- Swearing
- Spice/Explicit sexual content
- Gratuitous gore/violence
However, it does explore some very heavy themes. The characters face some very painful (but realistic) realities, including sexual abuse.
Final Thoughts
I rated Fates Defiant 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5. There was very little I disliked about the story, and I think the authors brought something new and refreshing onto the scene.
I would definitely read more books by these authors or more stories set in the world (or with the characters) of Fates Defiant. There’s a lot to explore here!
Fates Defiant releases next week September 10th! Preorder now!
*Thank you to the authors and Borderlands Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts expressed above are freely my own!
Content Rating: Moderate
for thematic elements, including abuse
Copyright Brigitte Cromey and C.M. Banschbach and Borderlands Publishing. Images provided to me via the authors.