Fated by Benedict Jacka
Narrated by Gildart Jackson
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: December 24, 2013
Date Read: February 27, 2019
Length: 10 hours 33 minutes
Source: Purchased
★★★★☆
Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex’s own powers aren’t as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future-allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success.
But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever’s inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none…
This was a great start to the series! I am always on the lookout for new urban fantasy series to try so when a group of friends decided to read this series, I was eager to join in. It turns out that it was my kind of book and I think that my decision to listen to the audio version increased my enjoyment quite a bit. I am glad that I decided to give this book a try.
I thought that the world-building in this book was very well done. I like the idea of a secret world that is hidden in plain sight. I thought that Alex’s abilities were very interesting and very useful. Alex is a diviner which means that he can see all the possibilities of the future. Alex is a bit of a loner since he does not interact with other mages but he does have a few people that he trusts like Luna and Starbreeze.
I thought that the story was pretty exciting. It definitely kept me guessing to the end and I was eager to see how things would work out. There is some action and excitement in the story but also a lot of outsmarting the other party. I did like how everything came together and was pretty satisfied with the ending.
I believe that this was my first experience with Gildart Jackson’s narration and I was quite impressed. I think that his accent worked very well with the story. I think that he was able to bring Alex to life and also did a great job with all of the other characters in the story. He has a very pleasant voice that was easy to listen to for long periods of time.
I do recommend this series to others. I thought that this was a very well done introduction to an interesting cast of characters and I look forward to reading more of the series very soon.
About the AuthorBenedict Jacka is half-Australian, half-Armenian, and grew up in London. He’s worked as a teacher, bouncer, and civil servant, and spends his spare time skating and playing tabletop games. He’s the author of the Alex Verus series, including Burned, Veiled, Hidden, and Chosen.
i bet he took the job, because it wouldn't be fun otherwise
Glad you had a good time with trying out this Urban Fantasy. I struggle with this genre because of the level of romance in them but I do appreciate well done writing in world building.
I really enjoyed the start to this series which I read years ago. I so need to read the rest of the books as there is a new one out this year!
Nice review. I like a good urban fantasy.
I do like the thought of a secret world that is hidden in plain sight. I have read something similar and enjoyed it, so this may be a good fit for me.
sherry @ fundinmental
A world hidden in plain sight. I always liked that in a book.
Magic shop? Did not expct that
I know Anne enjoys this series. Glad to see that you had a good time with the first book. I've already added these to my list.
I just listened to Gildart Jackson do a different book and thought the same thing. 🙂
I'm so glad you like the series. It would be horrible to do a whole read-along and have people hate it. It's many of my favorite things – magic, UF, a group of misfit friends. I have listened to Jackson on a few other series, including the veeeeeery long Deathstalker audios so I'm most comfortable with him. lol Excellent review. I can't wait to get your take on each book as we go along. Anne – Books of My Heart
I need to read more fantasy this year. I feel like I've been slacking big time. Great review. Sounds like an interesting story.
I just read another post that featured this series and I'd never heard of it before today. I do love good UF so I need to check the audio for this one out. Great review, Carole! 🙂
I've actually read an urban fantasy in the last few months and really enjoyed it. It's definitely a genre I want to continue with and this looks interesting.
I love urban fantasy and have been hearing great things about this one. I am glad you enjoyed it.