Fortune and fate

Fortune and Fate is part of Sharon Shinn's "Twelve Houses" series, set in Gillengaria.  This novel takes place two years after the end of Reader and Raelynx and tells the story of Wen, a former King's Rider who exiled herself after being unable to save the king's life.  She's tortured by guilt and believes she must travel the country helping strangers to atone for her failure.  She thinks she is unworthy of friendship and cannot be trusted with anyone's life, so she keeps moving from place to place in order to avoid building relationships.  Fate intervenes, of course, or this would have been a terribly boring novel.  :)

Shinn does such a fabulous job of blending character development and plot into a seamless story.  I admit I did guess the villain before Wen figured it out, but that in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the book.  I especially loved the way Jasper Paladar teaches Wen to appreciate books and reading--that warmed my librarian's soul.  And I was glad that parts of the book also focused on the ongoing story of Senneth and Tayse, Cammon, Justin, Kirra, and Donnal--the series' original leading women and men.  I wasn't ready to let these characters go after the end of Reader and Raelynx, so it's a relief that the story continues.

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. Too, the one great love of her life married another. 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 great 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 hopes to marry her [against her will] and become head of this once great 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 captain of the 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 Web and 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 mean 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.