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Fate
Death and Beauty, Magic and Lord Francis Damory’s Quest for the Elixir of ImmortalityIn the brothels and debtors’ prisons of Georgian London and the gilded salons of the Ancien Règime...Through love affairs and deadly duels, among courtesans and castrati, alchemists and anatomists, visionaries, monsters, charlatans and spies...From Paris to Venice and across the pirate-infested Mediterranean to Egypt, Cyprus and distant Constantinople in pursuit of his mysterious ancestor Tobias the Alchemist, who may yet still be alive.
Hardcover
First published July 1, 2012
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93 people want to read
About the author
L.R. Fredericks
3 books21 followersL.R. Fredericks’ New Jersey childhood was rural and idyllic, if somewhat unconventional. Raised by parents of European background and Bohemian disposition, she was educated at Quaker schools and later earned a degree from the University of Chicago, where she worked interdepartmentally on myth, poetry and shamanism. She frittered away her youth in frivolous pursuits - modelling, acting, performance - before she got serious about art and the nature of reality. Based then in New York, she took up painting and sculpture, which, until she started writing five years ago, was her main occupation. She also began what would be a lifelong study of the esoteric traditions of east and west. Training in transpersonal psychotherapy and Egyptology further expanded her horizons and conceptual vocabulary. She has lived in London for the last 20 years.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Did not finish
November 12, 2012I hate giving up on books when I've paid full price for them and bought them on (more or less) the day of release. I wasn't a huge fan of the author's previous novel, Farundell, but there were enough good things about it to make me interested in what she would write next. As soon as I saw the beautiful cover of this sequel (prequel?), as well as the intriguing tagline 'death and beauty... magic and science', I was sold. Fate, it turns out, is set in the same world as Fredericks' debut, but takes place earlier, and focuses on a character who appears as (what seems to be) a ghost in Farundell. Fate follows this character, Lord Francis Damory, as he embarks on a quest to attain immortality.
The only way I can describe what's wrong with it is this: if you imagine a really good book as an amazing cake, this book is like someone's taken all the ingredients for that amazing cake, but instead of putting all the ingredients together and actually baking the cake, they're just standing in the kitchen and throwing them all at your head. Repeatedly. There's all these really interesting themes, philosophy and magic and suchlike, as well as big old houses and collegiate environments and adorable little bookshops, and countless sumptuous descriptions of landscapes, decor, clothes, food... But nothing's done with them. They're just chucked in, apparently for the sake of it. Also, one of my main problems with Farundell was the obnoxious main character - I was delighted when I found out he wouldn't be in this one (I wouldn't have bothered with it if he had been) and hoped that problem would be eliminated. Unfortunately, Francis is no more likeable. He's empty, spoilt and selfish and that robs his character of any sympathetic aspect whatsoever. Why would you care if a character like that finds out how to live forever?!
It's such a shame: the cover really is gorgeous, and it really does sound fascinating, but I tried and tried and I just couldn't get into it at all. Maybe other readers will find the mish-mash of themes glorious rather than annoying and unappealing. Maybe it's much better if you don't constantly want to punch Francis. Maybe I'll give it another go one day - but whenever I say that, I never, ever actually end up doing it.
The only way I can describe what's wrong with it is this: if you imagine a really good book as an amazing cake, this book is like someone's taken all the ingredients for that amazing cake, but instead of putting all the ingredients together and actually baking the cake, they're just standing in the kitchen and throwing them all at your head. Repeatedly. There's all these really interesting themes, philosophy and magic and suchlike, as well as big old houses and collegiate environments and adorable little bookshops, and countless sumptuous descriptions of landscapes, decor, clothes, food... But nothing's done with them. They're just chucked in, apparently for the sake of it. Also, one of my main problems with Farundell was the obnoxious main character - I was delighted when I found out he wouldn't be in this one (I wouldn't have bothered with it if he had been) and hoped that problem would be eliminated. Unfortunately, Francis is no more likeable. He's empty, spoilt and selfish and that robs his character of any sympathetic aspect whatsoever. Why would you care if a character like that finds out how to live forever?!
It's such a shame: the cover really is gorgeous, and it really does sound fascinating, but I tried and tried and I just couldn't get into it at all. Maybe other readers will find the mish-mash of themes glorious rather than annoying and unappealing. Maybe it's much better if you don't constantly want to punch Francis. Maybe I'll give it another go one day - but whenever I say that, I never, ever actually end up doing it.
January 9, 2013
"'Thesaurum non aurum intra celatum.' A treasure not gold is hidden within."
I really, really, really loved L.R. Fredericks's debut novel Farundell . I loved it so much that I pre-ordered Fate, the next book in her Time and Light series, months before its release and did a giddy little dance (in the privacy of my own home, natch) when it arrived last July. And then I set it on my bedside table, admiring the cover art, and waited for the mood to be right.
[...]
So December rolled around and Fate caught my eye as I was packing for our Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere holiday adventure. It's quite a large, heavy book. I decided to save luggage space by buying the Kindle version, began it in a hotel room in Los Angeles, and completed it last night around 1.30am. It's been, long a long time since I stayed up late just to finish a book, and it felt marvelous.
This is the story of Francis Damory's life, his loves and losses and his enduring obsession with alchemy and an ancestor whose death seems to have been greatly exaggerated: his great-great-grandfather Tobias. It's also the story of fate, an intricate tale balancing serendipity and happenstance, chance and destiny. "What is fate, then, if not the accumulation of choices?"
Francis is an engaging first-person narrator, open and honest about his foibles and achievements. He's supported by a rich and varied cast of friends and family members who, like the rest of us, love deeply and foolishly and ultimately remain enigmatic as the pages turn and years pass. Set mostly in the eighteenth century, Fate takes us from England, where we learn how some some of Farundell's more unusual landmarks came to be, across Europe to North Africa and the Middle East. It draws inspiration from the Rosicrucian manifestoes and tips a hat coyly to Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Zanoni (note to self: read this). We bear witness to alchemical experimentation and obfuscation, both of which Fredericks handles deftly; I recommend having a look at the bibliography provided at the end and taking to heart the balance she maintains between metaphor and practice. We meet pirates and a Cyprian prince, attend dissections and séances. We even learn the recipe for mithridate.
Like its predecessor, the book moves slowly without dragging, and the pay-off satisfies and delights. Fate is thoughtful and solemn and substantial, but it's also clever and hilarious.
And utterly beautiful.
After a brief lull around the mid-section, I found myself highlighting more and more as my enthusiasm increased: for its eccentricities, its discussions of the natural and unnatural, its passion and sensuality. The way it gets the past right, at least from this historian of science's limited perspective. And for the knowledge that there's more to come. I can't wait.
Though it didn't — couldn't — catch me by surprise like Farundell, I'd argue that Fredericks's second book is more accessible, blending adventure and philosophy in an irresistible way that rewards patient readers. Highly recommended, especially if, like me, you read Katherine Neville's The Eight when you were fourteen and thought it was AWESOME. Imagine if it had been well-written and -researched, and crafted with love and wisdom — that's Fate.
I really, really, really loved L.R. Fredericks's debut novel Farundell . I loved it so much that I pre-ordered Fate, the next book in her Time and Light series, months before its release and did a giddy little dance (in the privacy of my own home, natch) when it arrived last July. And then I set it on my bedside table, admiring the cover art, and waited for the mood to be right.
[...]
So December rolled around and Fate caught my eye as I was packing for our Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere holiday adventure. It's quite a large, heavy book. I decided to save luggage space by buying the Kindle version, began it in a hotel room in Los Angeles, and completed it last night around 1.30am. It's been, long a long time since I stayed up late just to finish a book, and it felt marvelous.
This is the story of Francis Damory's life, his loves and losses and his enduring obsession with alchemy and an ancestor whose death seems to have been greatly exaggerated: his great-great-grandfather Tobias. It's also the story of fate, an intricate tale balancing serendipity and happenstance, chance and destiny. "What is fate, then, if not the accumulation of choices?"
Francis is an engaging first-person narrator, open and honest about his foibles and achievements. He's supported by a rich and varied cast of friends and family members who, like the rest of us, love deeply and foolishly and ultimately remain enigmatic as the pages turn and years pass. Set mostly in the eighteenth century, Fate takes us from England, where we learn how some some of Farundell's more unusual landmarks came to be, across Europe to North Africa and the Middle East. It draws inspiration from the Rosicrucian manifestoes and tips a hat coyly to Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Zanoni (note to self: read this). We bear witness to alchemical experimentation and obfuscation, both of which Fredericks handles deftly; I recommend having a look at the bibliography provided at the end and taking to heart the balance she maintains between metaphor and practice. We meet pirates and a Cyprian prince, attend dissections and séances. We even learn the recipe for mithridate.
Like its predecessor, the book moves slowly without dragging, and the pay-off satisfies and delights. Fate is thoughtful and solemn and substantial, but it's also clever and hilarious.
Agnes sighed. 'I apologise for Mother's strange behaviour. She has an unfortunate affliction.'
'An affliction?'
'She despairs of my matrimony.'
'Surely not.'
'I reveal what should be concealed, and conceal what should be revealed.'
When I looked perplexed, she sighed again. 'Too much learning, not enough bosom.'
And utterly beautiful.
A cat appeared, sniffed at us cautiously, then seized one of the fish heads, dragged it under a shrub and began gnawing. Soon another cat appeared, and another, twelve in all. When every scrap of fish was gone, they washed themselves, then sat staring at us. The first cat, a skinny black female, came and rubbed her head against my knee. I scratched behind her ears; she climbed on to my lap and began chewing the leather buttons of my coat. When I tried to lift her off she dug her claws into my arm.
'You have made her love you,' Philippe said. 'That is never without consequences.'
After a brief lull around the mid-section, I found myself highlighting more and more as my enthusiasm increased: for its eccentricities, its discussions of the natural and unnatural, its passion and sensuality. The way it gets the past right, at least from this historian of science's limited perspective. And for the knowledge that there's more to come. I can't wait.
Though it didn't — couldn't — catch me by surprise like Farundell, I'd argue that Fredericks's second book is more accessible, blending adventure and philosophy in an irresistible way that rewards patient readers. Highly recommended, especially if, like me, you read Katherine Neville's The Eight when you were fourteen and thought it was AWESOME. Imagine if it had been well-written and -researched, and crafted with love and wisdom — that's Fate.
January 31, 2013
My review of Frederick's first novel in the Time and Light series, Farundell, ended by suggesting, `it'll be interesting to see what Fredericks comes up with next'. Well, now I know. Having been less than wildly enamoured of her first effort I took this Amazon Vine choice almost reluctantly and with no great expectations. I have to say that reading it has been a joy and now, somewhat ironically, I await the third instalment with a certain degree of trepidation as, almost inevitably, it will not live up to my revised expectations!
It has been criticized elsewhere for appearing to be a whirlwind of action and I can understand this to a certain extent. Although I thought the writing in the first book had moments of magic not a lot seemed to be happening and I finished it thinking it rather lightweight. Well, the same certainly cannot be said of the second: almost from Page 1, Francis Damory, whose story this is, and who crops up as a kind of phantasm in `Farundell', finds himself, initially, with the connivance of his elder brother, Sebastian, in a rapid series of escapades contrived to enable him to find out something about the `world'. It begins, proper, in 1717, when Francis is 17 years old and continues on through a somewhat hedonistic maelstrom during which our hero is seduced by a mysterious contessa, with whom he becomes besotted, who sends him a book before completely disappearing. The book is authored by Francis's great great Grandfather, Tobias and appears to be an alchemical treatise and connected with Rosicrucianism. Francis decides, there and then, to dedicate his life to finding all of this forebear's works, particularly in view of the fact that he receives, in several ways, hints that Tobias, although potentially 200 or so years old, may actually still be alive.
However improbable, Francis becomes gradually convinced that Tobias, as a result of his alchemical dabblings, has found the Philosopher's Stone, and gained immortality. Thus we follow him through a series of romantic and erotic encounters and relationships that take place in exotic locations throughout Europe and the Middle east on his mission to track down his elusive ancestor.
Along the way Francis eventually gains a kind of wisdom and some insight into his own character finally settling, at least for a while, in his now inherited family seat, Farundell.
The book is indeed long and there is a vast cast of characters and web of relationships upon which it is difficult to keep tabs. However, it really does repay persistence. It is rich in imagery and the prose appears effortless, effulgent and elegant; it is a kind of `Tristram Shandy' meets `1001 Arabian Nights' and there are definitely similarities, too, to Elizabeth Kostova's `The Historian' although the narrative of the latter is much more uneven.
All in all a marvelous, fantastical concoction to which you will almost certainly want to return.
It has been criticized elsewhere for appearing to be a whirlwind of action and I can understand this to a certain extent. Although I thought the writing in the first book had moments of magic not a lot seemed to be happening and I finished it thinking it rather lightweight. Well, the same certainly cannot be said of the second: almost from Page 1, Francis Damory, whose story this is, and who crops up as a kind of phantasm in `Farundell', finds himself, initially, with the connivance of his elder brother, Sebastian, in a rapid series of escapades contrived to enable him to find out something about the `world'. It begins, proper, in 1717, when Francis is 17 years old and continues on through a somewhat hedonistic maelstrom during which our hero is seduced by a mysterious contessa, with whom he becomes besotted, who sends him a book before completely disappearing. The book is authored by Francis's great great Grandfather, Tobias and appears to be an alchemical treatise and connected with Rosicrucianism. Francis decides, there and then, to dedicate his life to finding all of this forebear's works, particularly in view of the fact that he receives, in several ways, hints that Tobias, although potentially 200 or so years old, may actually still be alive.
However improbable, Francis becomes gradually convinced that Tobias, as a result of his alchemical dabblings, has found the Philosopher's Stone, and gained immortality. Thus we follow him through a series of romantic and erotic encounters and relationships that take place in exotic locations throughout Europe and the Middle east on his mission to track down his elusive ancestor.
Along the way Francis eventually gains a kind of wisdom and some insight into his own character finally settling, at least for a while, in his now inherited family seat, Farundell.
The book is indeed long and there is a vast cast of characters and web of relationships upon which it is difficult to keep tabs. However, it really does repay persistence. It is rich in imagery and the prose appears effortless, effulgent and elegant; it is a kind of `Tristram Shandy' meets `1001 Arabian Nights' and there are definitely similarities, too, to Elizabeth Kostova's `The Historian' although the narrative of the latter is much more uneven.
All in all a marvelous, fantastical concoction to which you will almost certainly want to return.
October 9, 2012
*REVIEWED FOR PUBLISHER*
If you enjoy elegant characters in an eloquently told tale of mystery, magic and timelessness, then this is the novel for you!
The pace is necessarily slow and reflective, yet the plot unfurls in a deceptively swift manner, so that one never feels bogged down or sluggish. The characters are at once mysterious, complex and simple, which helps ground this fantastic tale with a sense of realism, and the blend of magic and science in the setting of the 1700s makes for a sensationally engrossing read that never dumbs down for the readers’ benefit, but assumes a certain level of intelligence on our behalf without becoming lofty and grand in approach.
This is actually the sequel to the earlier novel, Farundel, but I never once felt lost or confused whilst reading Fate, and might never have guessed it was anything other than a stand-alone novel if I hadn’t already known that, so even if you have never read the first book in the Time and Light series, don’t let it put you off picking up this sublimely enjoyable book that will leave you filled with wonder and thinking about it long after you have closed the cover.
If you enjoy elegant characters in an eloquently told tale of mystery, magic and timelessness, then this is the novel for you!
The pace is necessarily slow and reflective, yet the plot unfurls in a deceptively swift manner, so that one never feels bogged down or sluggish. The characters are at once mysterious, complex and simple, which helps ground this fantastic tale with a sense of realism, and the blend of magic and science in the setting of the 1700s makes for a sensationally engrossing read that never dumbs down for the readers’ benefit, but assumes a certain level of intelligence on our behalf without becoming lofty and grand in approach.
This is actually the sequel to the earlier novel, Farundel, but I never once felt lost or confused whilst reading Fate, and might never have guessed it was anything other than a stand-alone novel if I hadn’t already known that, so even if you have never read the first book in the Time and Light series, don’t let it put you off picking up this sublimely enjoyable book that will leave you filled with wonder and thinking about it long after you have closed the cover.
May 28, 2017
This book achieved a magically rare balance for me. Generally, if I hate the main characters, then I don't care what happens to them and lose interest in the book (like in JK Rowling's A Casual Vacancy - who cares what happens to those awful people?).
And If I like a character too much, I hate seeing bad things happen to them, like people in their lives falling ill or serious reversals of fortune.
However, with our poor Francis Damory, he seemed JUST inoffensive enough that I was interested in his story, but enough of a turd that I didn't care that his life was a grand parade of people dying on him (and him having sex with people who always turned out to be the VERY wrong person).
Very interesting travel tale, and I loved the bit about how he didn't mind bangin' dudes as well, though he was a ladies' man in general. Very open-minded.
For a book that's ostensibly about the philosopher's stone, it takes almost the entire book to even mention it, but there's enough science and magic and random chance (called "fate" in the book) to keep the reader interested.
And If I like a character too much, I hate seeing bad things happen to them, like people in their lives falling ill or serious reversals of fortune.
However, with our poor Francis Damory, he seemed JUST inoffensive enough that I was interested in his story, but enough of a turd that I didn't care that his life was a grand parade of people dying on him (and him having sex with people who always turned out to be the VERY wrong person).
Very interesting travel tale, and I loved the bit about how he didn't mind bangin' dudes as well, though he was a ladies' man in general. Very open-minded.
For a book that's ostensibly about the philosopher's stone, it takes almost the entire book to even mention it, but there's enough science and magic and random chance (called "fate" in the book) to keep the reader interested.
May 2, 2014
"Fate" is the second book in the "Time and Light" series. I quite enjoyed the first, Farundell, which I’ve read and reviewed three years ago and so I was looking forward to see what this one was about. Both of these books can also be read as standalone novels.
"What am I?
Not a ghost, though that is what most people believe. I am, and it looks like I shall forever be, Lord Francis Peter George St John Damory.
I was born more than two hundred years ago and although I am not strictly speaking alive, I am obviously not dead. My appearance is as I choose, though usually I resemble my old self. I was a handsome man; I enjoyed it then and I enjoy it now. I am not beyond vanity, nor any other trick or trap of earthly existence. My body is a simulacrum, as is my study, my fire, brandy, pen, paper.
I am an artist of the aether."
*
It’s 1717, London, and young Francis Damory and his brother Sebastian are out on the town for a night of enjoyment to celebrate Francis’ 17th birthday, when they are attacked. As Francis lies in the gutter, he remembers the night of his eleventh birthday when he went sleepwalking through the rooms of Farundell and had a brief conversation with his great-great-grandfather, Tobias, whose life he knew very little about except for rumors that were quickly hushed up. Tobias had died a long time ago. Or did he?
So begins a lifelong obsession, as Francis sets up to find the elusive Tobias. As thread after thread unravels in his hands, Francis becomes more and more convinced his ancestor is alive. But how is this possible? Is he immortal or just a product of too many tales embellished over the years? And if he is still alive, where is he?
Mysterious books with a rose and a cross on the cover, an enigmatic Contessa, a piece of paper leading to a secluded villa on a small island, and a key that would fit a special door, are just a few of the clues that lie scattered throughout the book like the famous crumbs in the forest. Picking them one by one, Francis travels from London to Paris and Venice, to Cairo and Constantinople, he buries loved ones, has children, encounters pirates, meets a sultan, and his life becomes interconnected with a variety of interesting characters - a friend who becomes an enemy, a famous castrato whose voice is the toast of Europe, a trusted servant, a string of lovers, distant relatives. And with each adventure he is getting closer, his curiosity driving him on, his need to know the single most powerful force in his life. Like a magnet, the elusive Tobias seems to be always one step further, his presence almost tangible, and Francis never stops pursuing him. His quest does end, only to be replaced by another, even more powerful, and Francis seems to never find peace, to always run after something only to discover yet another ramification at the end of the path he’s taken.
Most of the characters are endowed with beauty and great wealth; they flaunt a sexual freedom unrestricted by the rules of society. They live their lives passionately and some die violently – Fredericks does not shy away from killing likeable characters.
Descriptions of detailed anatomical procedures may be a bit graphic for some readers but I found myself fascinated by the details – the preserving of bodies, autopsies – the author writes about them not with a rough hand of someone seeing the cut flesh but with a certain respect and reverence for the receptacle of the human soul. The cravings of the body and the yearnings of the soul are on display and behind the many adventures of Francis Damory, lies a quest for something far more greater than himself. What he wants comes at a high price and there is no undoing.
"Farundell" was an interesting book but it felt a bit dispersed, in the sense that there were a few characters whose stories mingled together, while "Fate" follows Francis Damory and his ancestor Tobias, giving the narrative a more precise focus.
Reading this book reminded me of the "Arabian Nights" (from adventure to adventure, never ending) and "Dracula" (the quest for finding the immortal one, although there are no vampires in the story), and also of Anne Rice’s "The Mayfair Witches" series (experimenting with the purpose of creating an immortal being), all of them books I loved. There are also references to Greek and Egyptian gods, cats and temples, pyramids and elixirs, a séance session complete with fortune telling cards – it helps if you’re familiar with mythology but is by no means a requirement to enjoy this book.
What I liked most about it was the sense of adventure – it had a good pace and an ongoing sense of mystery and the ending which is both satisfying and also made me want to find out more. I’m very curious to see if the third installment, The Book of Luce, will pick up where this has left off or if it’s just loosely connected to it.
Some of my favorite passages:
"The wine tasted strangely of roses; the cloth covering the table was embroidered with roses. As I watched, they twined and blossomed, releasing a sweet fragrance. I heard a sound like bells ringing, though the bell tower was long fallen. Isabel reached out and took my hand. Her gloves were embroidered with roses, alive and growing. I shook my head; the ringing faded and the roses stilled."
I took another bite. Yes, now I could taste the peach, the apricot. “It’s wonderful,” I said. “I didn’t know it was possible to combine two fruits in a single tree.”
“Oh yes, possible. Many things are possible if one has the time.”
"Precisely how I came to be stranded in this state is something I have not yet entirely understood, but there is no doubt that, as an experienced chemist, I should have known that the application of intense heat to a substance (my body) whose nature I did not fully comprehend was likely to have unexpected consequences."
"What am I?
Not a ghost, though that is what most people believe. I am, and it looks like I shall forever be, Lord Francis Peter George St John Damory.
I was born more than two hundred years ago and although I am not strictly speaking alive, I am obviously not dead. My appearance is as I choose, though usually I resemble my old self. I was a handsome man; I enjoyed it then and I enjoy it now. I am not beyond vanity, nor any other trick or trap of earthly existence. My body is a simulacrum, as is my study, my fire, brandy, pen, paper.
I am an artist of the aether."
*
It’s 1717, London, and young Francis Damory and his brother Sebastian are out on the town for a night of enjoyment to celebrate Francis’ 17th birthday, when they are attacked. As Francis lies in the gutter, he remembers the night of his eleventh birthday when he went sleepwalking through the rooms of Farundell and had a brief conversation with his great-great-grandfather, Tobias, whose life he knew very little about except for rumors that were quickly hushed up. Tobias had died a long time ago. Or did he?
So begins a lifelong obsession, as Francis sets up to find the elusive Tobias. As thread after thread unravels in his hands, Francis becomes more and more convinced his ancestor is alive. But how is this possible? Is he immortal or just a product of too many tales embellished over the years? And if he is still alive, where is he?
Mysterious books with a rose and a cross on the cover, an enigmatic Contessa, a piece of paper leading to a secluded villa on a small island, and a key that would fit a special door, are just a few of the clues that lie scattered throughout the book like the famous crumbs in the forest. Picking them one by one, Francis travels from London to Paris and Venice, to Cairo and Constantinople, he buries loved ones, has children, encounters pirates, meets a sultan, and his life becomes interconnected with a variety of interesting characters - a friend who becomes an enemy, a famous castrato whose voice is the toast of Europe, a trusted servant, a string of lovers, distant relatives. And with each adventure he is getting closer, his curiosity driving him on, his need to know the single most powerful force in his life. Like a magnet, the elusive Tobias seems to be always one step further, his presence almost tangible, and Francis never stops pursuing him. His quest does end, only to be replaced by another, even more powerful, and Francis seems to never find peace, to always run after something only to discover yet another ramification at the end of the path he’s taken.
Most of the characters are endowed with beauty and great wealth; they flaunt a sexual freedom unrestricted by the rules of society. They live their lives passionately and some die violently – Fredericks does not shy away from killing likeable characters.
Descriptions of detailed anatomical procedures may be a bit graphic for some readers but I found myself fascinated by the details – the preserving of bodies, autopsies – the author writes about them not with a rough hand of someone seeing the cut flesh but with a certain respect and reverence for the receptacle of the human soul. The cravings of the body and the yearnings of the soul are on display and behind the many adventures of Francis Damory, lies a quest for something far more greater than himself. What he wants comes at a high price and there is no undoing.
"Farundell" was an interesting book but it felt a bit dispersed, in the sense that there were a few characters whose stories mingled together, while "Fate" follows Francis Damory and his ancestor Tobias, giving the narrative a more precise focus.
Reading this book reminded me of the "Arabian Nights" (from adventure to adventure, never ending) and "Dracula" (the quest for finding the immortal one, although there are no vampires in the story), and also of Anne Rice’s "The Mayfair Witches" series (experimenting with the purpose of creating an immortal being), all of them books I loved. There are also references to Greek and Egyptian gods, cats and temples, pyramids and elixirs, a séance session complete with fortune telling cards – it helps if you’re familiar with mythology but is by no means a requirement to enjoy this book.
What I liked most about it was the sense of adventure – it had a good pace and an ongoing sense of mystery and the ending which is both satisfying and also made me want to find out more. I’m very curious to see if the third installment, The Book of Luce, will pick up where this has left off or if it’s just loosely connected to it.
Some of my favorite passages:
"The wine tasted strangely of roses; the cloth covering the table was embroidered with roses. As I watched, they twined and blossomed, releasing a sweet fragrance. I heard a sound like bells ringing, though the bell tower was long fallen. Isabel reached out and took my hand. Her gloves were embroidered with roses, alive and growing. I shook my head; the ringing faded and the roses stilled."
I took another bite. Yes, now I could taste the peach, the apricot. “It’s wonderful,” I said. “I didn’t know it was possible to combine two fruits in a single tree.”
“Oh yes, possible. Many things are possible if one has the time.”
"Precisely how I came to be stranded in this state is something I have not yet entirely understood, but there is no doubt that, as an experienced chemist, I should have known that the application of intense heat to a substance (my body) whose nature I did not fully comprehend was likely to have unexpected consequences."
October 8, 2017
This was an intriguing read and compelling in a way and adventurous. It was an epic, and the author cleverly covered a huge time span. It really gets you thinking about immortality, and alchemy, and whether different dimensions of living are really a possibilty. It is well written and the voice of the hero is strong and convincing. The ending got a little fragmented as if the author did not want to stop but felt she had to end the story somehow. Worth a read if you want to experience something different. The intention of the book took a while for me to grasp and I guess the theme, fate, is why so much bad stuff happens.
April 6, 2018
what can i say that even comes close to describing this alchemist journey, so many new avenues to explore i find myself taking notes to look into what things means or books and places mentioned. yet again i find myself blown away by this author
July 11, 2012
Time Taken To Read - dipped in and out for over a week
Blurb From Goodreads
London 1717: on the day of his seventeenth birthday, Lord Francis Damory stumbles upon a book - a family heirloom - that will change the course of his life, linking him to the mysterious great-great grandfather Tobias, an alchemist who may yet still be alive... So begins Damory's quest for the elixir of immortality:fro the gilded salons of decadent nobility to the brothels and debtors' prisons of Georgian London; across the Alpine passes to Venice and the pirate-infested Mediterranean Sea; through love affairs and deadly duels, as Damory encounters courtesans and castrati, alchemists and anatomists, Rosicrucians, visionaries, monsters, charlatans, spies and assassins.
My Review
Lord Francis Damory is the main character in this weird and wonderful tale. Francis comes upon a book from his families past that they would rather forget which opens up a world to him that you can only dream/hope and pray about. What follows is a quest for immortality, love, murder, deceit, loss and secrets.
To be honest, much as I enjoyed some of this book there were parts I didn't love so much or became bored by. It is a huge read at 512 pages and it splits into two main parts, one follows Francis's life outside the quest. His love life, struggles, family issues and travels etc and the other part follows his quest for the truth and his work as an alchemists and the colleagues and trades he comes upon. I would be getting into the whole quest when it would go off on a personal tangent as Francis got caught up in life and love as you do then I would get into that and it would fall back into the quest.
I found myself having to look up lots of words(which is always a good thing) and read up on a bit of history to clue up on some of what was happening in the book. It is definately enjoyable and the chapters (which, as you know I love) are only a handful of pages long so you can dip in and out as you please. If you fancy something a bit different that is set back in the 1700s with a bit of science and mystery (with some brothel visits, duelling, murder and a bit of everything really) then this is the book for you. 3/5 for me this time and thank you to John Murray Publishers for introducing me to this author and giving me the chance to review this.
This book is available from all good retailers (published on 5th july 2012)
Blurb From Goodreads
London 1717: on the day of his seventeenth birthday, Lord Francis Damory stumbles upon a book - a family heirloom - that will change the course of his life, linking him to the mysterious great-great grandfather Tobias, an alchemist who may yet still be alive... So begins Damory's quest for the elixir of immortality:fro the gilded salons of decadent nobility to the brothels and debtors' prisons of Georgian London; across the Alpine passes to Venice and the pirate-infested Mediterranean Sea; through love affairs and deadly duels, as Damory encounters courtesans and castrati, alchemists and anatomists, Rosicrucians, visionaries, monsters, charlatans, spies and assassins.
My Review
Lord Francis Damory is the main character in this weird and wonderful tale. Francis comes upon a book from his families past that they would rather forget which opens up a world to him that you can only dream/hope and pray about. What follows is a quest for immortality, love, murder, deceit, loss and secrets.
To be honest, much as I enjoyed some of this book there were parts I didn't love so much or became bored by. It is a huge read at 512 pages and it splits into two main parts, one follows Francis's life outside the quest. His love life, struggles, family issues and travels etc and the other part follows his quest for the truth and his work as an alchemists and the colleagues and trades he comes upon. I would be getting into the whole quest when it would go off on a personal tangent as Francis got caught up in life and love as you do then I would get into that and it would fall back into the quest.
I found myself having to look up lots of words(which is always a good thing) and read up on a bit of history to clue up on some of what was happening in the book. It is definately enjoyable and the chapters (which, as you know I love) are only a handful of pages long so you can dip in and out as you please. If you fancy something a bit different that is set back in the 1700s with a bit of science and mystery (with some brothel visits, duelling, murder and a bit of everything really) then this is the book for you. 3/5 for me this time and thank you to John Murray Publishers for introducing me to this author and giving me the chance to review this.
This book is available from all good retailers (published on 5th july 2012)
November 8, 2012
If you enjoy elegant characters in an eloquently told tale of mystery, magic and timelessness, then this is the novel for you!
The pace is necessarily slow and reflective, yet the plot unfurls in a deceptively swift manner, so that one never feels bogged down or sluggish. The characters are at once mysterious, complex and simple, which helps ground this fantastic tale with a sense of realism, and the blend of magic and science in the setting of the 1700s makes for a sensationally engrossing read that never dumbs down for the readers’ benefit, but assumes a certain level of intelligence on our behalf without becoming lofty and grand in approach.
This is actually the sequel to the earlier novel, Farundel, but I never once felt lost or confused whilst reading Fate, and might never have guessed it was anything other than a stand-alone novel if I hadn’t already known that, so even if you have never read the first book in the Time and Light series, don’t let it put you off picking up this sublimely enjoyable book that will leave you filled with wonder and thinking about it long after you have closed the cover.
The pace is necessarily slow and reflective, yet the plot unfurls in a deceptively swift manner, so that one never feels bogged down or sluggish. The characters are at once mysterious, complex and simple, which helps ground this fantastic tale with a sense of realism, and the blend of magic and science in the setting of the 1700s makes for a sensationally engrossing read that never dumbs down for the readers’ benefit, but assumes a certain level of intelligence on our behalf without becoming lofty and grand in approach.
This is actually the sequel to the earlier novel, Farundel, but I never once felt lost or confused whilst reading Fate, and might never have guessed it was anything other than a stand-alone novel if I hadn’t already known that, so even if you have never read the first book in the Time and Light series, don’t let it put you off picking up this sublimely enjoyable book that will leave you filled with wonder and thinking about it long after you have closed the cover.
February 18, 2015
For the first 100 pages of this book I thought it would be a four or potentially a five star novel. Unfortunately it didn't live up to the early promise. Love, love, love the historical set up, the magical realism, the discourses on alchemy, anatomy etc. Then my interest began to wain. This is in part due to Lord Damory's wallowing self pity and the fact he basically sleeps his way round his entire extended family network with impunity. The ending also dragged on far too long. Yes, it's a quest but it felt curiously unresolved in 2 of its key points - finding Tobias and finding / using the elixir / stone of life.
I'm glad I read this book, and would read more by the same author but this one fizzled out a bit damply for me.
I'm glad I read this book, and would read more by the same author but this one fizzled out a bit damply for me.
March 30, 2013
For a person that Loves mystical and magical books, this book hit the spot. It engaged me so much at the beginning telling me of the way that Fate brought about what he would become at the end of the book. It talks of a magical potion that can grant eternal life.
I must give one bit of advice if you will read this book though, stick with it through the middle section. It does get a little tedious but it is worth it more towards the end of the book.
I recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in the strange, and is also not too squeamish.
I must give one bit of advice if you will read this book though, stick with it through the middle section. It does get a little tedious but it is worth it more towards the end of the book.
I recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in the strange, and is also not too squeamish.
December 6, 2013
first time i read this author. he had written another one but i think this can be read on its own without detriment. it is an interesting premise, finding the elixir of youth and what happens after. it means having to engineer your own death, every 20yrs or so, as u dont age, and people will be suspicious. but i can imagine leaving family and friends to start anew elsewhere and never seeing them again, is not something that one can like. i think living a long time means u will be very lonely.
August 5, 2016
A thrilling adventure into 18th century life and science.
A sensual quest into the ultimate meaning of life that leaves you spellbound, and hungry for more.
The life of Lord Francis Damory felt unusually tangible and familiar, thanks to the author's careful descriptions and inspiring choice of words.
The final few chapters are intellectually stirring and the pain and hopelessness of the character echo into our modern beliefs.
A sensual quest into the ultimate meaning of life that leaves you spellbound, and hungry for more.
The life of Lord Francis Damory felt unusually tangible and familiar, thanks to the author's careful descriptions and inspiring choice of words.
The final few chapters are intellectually stirring and the pain and hopelessness of the character echo into our modern beliefs.
November 4, 2014
I loved this book. How drunken chance would take a young Francis Damory on a quest across Europe and the Middle East in search of near-impossible secrets and maddening puzzles. Coming across such wonderful, eccentric and often tragic characters.
This is definately a must for those into contemplative first-person narratives,adventure and magic.
This is definately a must for those into contemplative first-person narratives,adventure and magic.
June 18, 2012
4.5 stars actually...
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...
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September 27, 2012
Cant wait for her next book. Read it in about four days. Quiet different from Farrundell, the author waw transformed to an other narrator.
Read
July 30, 2014Had to give up, sounded great but I just couldn't get into it.
May 12, 2016
Not as exciting as I had hoped...
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