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The Fated Sky: Transgressor Trilogy Book One (Fortune's Fools 1) Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 76 ratings

One man's fight against fate shapes the destiny of an entire world.
“If he lives, perhaps we shall find out what kind of fighter he is, this man from the stars.” From the moment he wakes up in the caravan of the merchant-princess Alexa the Fair, Avilon Revid has to fight simply to survive in a world where he is seen as alien and dangerous. Battling to obtain his freedom, Avilon must push his skills and resources to the limit, if he is to find a way off-planet before his enemies can track him down.

Temsevar is an insignificant Periphery World on the very fringes of Coalition dominated galactic civilisation. Settled long before the rise of faster-than-light technologies and left isolated for hundreds of years, its population have degenerated into the barbarism of a medieval culture. This primitive world has nothing the wealthy planets of the Coalition could want, until it becomes unwitting host to one of their most dangerous enemies - Avilon Revid. But Temsevar has its own brutal conflicts being played out against the backdrop of its harsh and unforgiving climate. The society is dominated by a ruthless Warlord, intent on subduing the entire continent to his will and whose brilliant general - Jariq Zarengor - has earned a reputation for callous bloodshed. And then there is the enigmatic Durban Chola, trading information to whoever pays him for it, while playing his own, highly dangerous, game with fate.

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01FKY8EBM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ E M Swift-Hook; 1st edition (May 11, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 11, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 388 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 76 ratings

About the author

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E M Swift-Hook
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In the words that Robert Heinlein put so evocatively into the mouth of Lazarus Long: 'Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.' Having tried a number of different careers, before settling in the North-East of England with family, three dogs, cats and a small flock of rescued chickens, I now spend a lot of time in private and have very clean hands.

If you enjoy my books, please let me know by leaving a review, it encourages me to keep writing!

I hope you will keep in touch to find out more about future titles in both Fortune's Fools and The Dai and Julia Mysteries through Facebook. Do take the time to enjoy a daily coffee break read with me and my co-author, Jane Jago, at workingtitleblogspot.com. You can also find me on twitter @emswifthook

BOOKS

The Dai and Julia Mysteries (all co-written with Jane Jago) currently available:

Dying to be Roman

Dying to be Friends

Dying for a Poppy

Dying as a Druid

The First Dai and Julia Omnibus

Dying for a Vacation

Dying to be Fathers

Dying on the Mosaics

The Second Dai and Julia Omnibus

Dying on the Streets

Dying to be Innocent

Dying to Find Proof

The Third Dai and Julia Omnibus

Dying for a Present

Dying as a Spy

Dai and Julia short stories:

'Dying to Alter History' in Tales from Alternate Earths III from Inkling's Press

'Dying to be Cured' in 'Gods of Clay' from The SciFi Roundtable

Fortune's Fools books currently available:

Transgressor Trilogy: The Fated Sky, Times of Change, Dues of Blood

Haruspex Trilogy: Trust A Few, Edge of Doom, A Walking Shadow

Iconoclast Trilogy: Mistrust and Treason, Not To Be, A Necessary End

There are also a number of short stories set in the Fortune's Fools universe:

Midwinter Miracle with typographic art by Zora Marie (also available as an audiobook)

'Changeling Child' in 'Tales of Wonder' from Inklings Press

'Tongueless Caverns' in 'Tales from the Underground' from Inklings Press

'Wondrous Strange' in 'The Quantum Soul' from The SciFi Roundtable

'The Invisible Event' in 'Challenge Accepted' a charity anthology.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
76 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story complex and detailed with a well-developed world-building. They appreciate the interesting characters with unique personalities and motivations. The book is described as fast-paced and a page-turner. Readers appreciate the vivid, three-dimensional illustrations. Opinions vary on the language quality, with some finding it well-written and accurate in the medieval style of speaking, while others mention grammar, spelling, and word choice errors.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

13 customers mention "Story complexity"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story's depth and world-building. They find the plot complex and character development interesting. The book is described as an epic adventure with imaginative world-building and intriguing characters.

"...are flawed to one degree or another; though they also have very real good qualities, some of the things they're willing to do can be quite off-..." Read more

"...The characters are dimensional, the environment rich, and the prose fast-paced...." Read more

"...Overall, this is a wonderful adventure and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series...." Read more

"...The story is complex, particularly at first, but everything makes sense, and once it settles onto a few main characters, it’s much easier to follow,..." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and strong. They appreciate the unique personalities, voices, motivations, and likability of each character.

"...The characters are dimensional, the environment rich, and the prose fast-paced...." Read more

"...One thing I particularly like is the characters getting to know one another...." Read more

"...Lots of action and intrigue and plenty of interesting characters, not all of whom are likeable...." Read more

"...than anything, there's a patience to let the story and characters develop organically...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's pacing good. They say the prose is fast-paced and the plotting is good. The book takes readers on an epic journey across a foreign world, making it fascinating for new readers.

"...Plotting and pacing here are also very good; this is a compulsive page-turner...." Read more

"...The characters are dimensional, the environment rich, and the prose fast-paced...." Read more

"...It is epic in scope and takes the reader on a long journey across a foreign world...." Read more

"...Things can change very fast, when they should, but there's a variety of pacing, and that I do enjoy, quite an awful lot, it turns out...." Read more

4 customers mention "Color"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the vivid, three-dimensional, and believable artwork. They find the world well-drawn, with vibrant colors and ornate details that add depth to the tale.

"...are well-drawn and complex, and evoked genuine interest in their well-being and safety..." Read more

"...that journey Swift-Hook weaves an intricate tapestry rich in color and depth...." Read more

"...I loved getting immersed within this well drawn world and happy that the next installment is available...." Read more

"...And all of them are well painted, ornately clothed and adding depth to the tale...." Read more

6 customers mention "Language quality"4 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed views on the language quality. Some find it well-written with a medieval style and no bad language. They appreciate the author's unique voice and writing style. Others mention grammar, spelling, and word choice errors, as well as overuse of certain words.

"...the plus side, however, there's no explicit sexual content, and no bad language.)..." Read more

"There's a school of writing you don't see much anymore that I have always enjoyed...." Read more

"...Each is unique in their personality, voice and most important, their motivation. That motivation is key because of the Machiavellian politics...." Read more

"...My only negative comment is the typos and missing words. There were quite a few, but nothing a good proofread wouldn't fix...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2016
    At present, none of the books of my Goodreads friend E. M. Swift-Hook's Transgressor Trilogy are available in paper format (though the author's intention is that they eventually will be). Ordinarily, I don't read e-books; but I got this one when it was temporarily offered for free on Kindle (an offer that's since expired), in the hopes of liking it enough to support a friend's work with a review and to put it on my list of books to eventually buy as a paper copy. As my review indicates, those hopes were abundantly fulfilled!

    This tale is set in a far-future, human-colonized galaxy, dominated (but not universally occupied and ruled) by a self-serving, oligarchic empire, the Coalition. The more immediate setting is Temsevar, a backward non-Coalition world circling a red sun, settled millennia ago by colonists before the days of FTL space travel, who've had little contact with the rest of the galaxy since then and have regressed (technologically and socially) to a medieval-like culture with a stratified, slavery-based socio-economic system, not much high technology, and an ingrained "might-makes-right," "dog-eat-dog" ethos. Swift-Hook uses a variety of viewpoint characters to tell her story (and those she starts off with won't actually be the main characters --though I'm guessing they'll play important roles in later books of the trilogy). Our protagonist (I think) is Avilon Revid, a high officer in the armed resistance movement against the Coalition, whose spaceship, damaged in battle, crashes on Temsevar; he's the only survivor. When he's found by the locals, injured and helpless, he's promptly enslaved. But intrigue is afoot in this world, where a brutal warlord who uses mass murder as an instrument of policy has set out to conquer a continent; and Avilon doesn't intend to give up on finding his way off-world and re-joining his revolution.

    Some of the basic premises here have been used before in the genre; but Swift-Hook essentially re-vitalizes them and makes them her own. There are affinities to Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom novels; but the author's prose stylistic skills are a considerable cut above his, and her world-building both vastly more detailed and vastly more plausible. Her characterizations are top-notch --vivid, three-dimensional, and believable. While she doesn't offer incessant action, there's a fair amount of it, and she handles those scenes well. SF of this type --incorporating action, and with "space opera" characteristics-- is readily dismissed by snob critics as shallow and lacking in really serious thought content. Like other tales of its ilk, though, it doesn't truly lack serious thought content; it just thinks seriously about topics snob critics prefer to ignore: kindness vs. cruelty, loyalty vs. treachery, concern for others vs. sole concern for self, honor vs. self-serving expediency. And the look at a very unhealthy kind of society necessarily prompts readers to think about what a healthy one would look like, and what kinds of attitudes would engender one. Plotting and pacing here are also very good; this is a compulsive page-turner. (The nearly two and a half months I took to read it was solely do to the format, which doesn't lend itself to reading on the stationary bike where I do my main, regular reading. In paper format, I'd have blazed through it pretty quickly.)

    While the major characters (Avilon, nobleman Jariq Zarengor, and secretive information broker Durba Chola) are well-drawn and complex, and evoked genuine interest in their well-being and safety on my part, I can't actually say I liked any one of them. All three are flawed to one degree or another; though they also have very real good qualities, some of the things they're willing to do can be quite off-putting (and even chilling at times). Surprisingly for a female writer, Swift-Hook's important characters are almost all male (of course, Temsevar is a very sexist, male-ruled society). None of the characters here display any scruples about using members of the other gender as playthings for sexual gratification, and even Avilon thinks nothing of using slave women for that purpose. Granted, he doesn't violently rape them --though raping their social "inferiors" seems to be a pretty standard practice for the planet's not-very-noble "nobility"-- but in a situation of slavery, constricted options and cultural brainwashing, their "consent" isn't worth very much. (On the plus side, however, there's no explicit sexual content, and no bad language.) This also isn't a work of great spiritual insight; Christianity is totally forgotten on this world, what passes for religion is a vague polytheism, and Avilon and Jariq both view life from a standpoint of atheistic skepticism.

    Although I've had to read this (at least for the moment) as pretty much a stand-alone, that isn't really the optimum way to read it. There are a lot of secrets and unanswered questions here about the characters' real motives and agendas; some of these questions will be answered, but not all --and the answers to other questions may simply give rise to new ones. And readers should be aware that this trilogy opener ends in a total cliff-hanger (though no spoilers here about what it is!). But this and some of the factors mentioned above may not bother some other readers; and I really liked the book overall. That's a testimony to how genuinely well written it is!

    Memo to the author: the paper version, when it's published, could really use a map of Temsevar's Western Continent. The verbal geographical clues in the text provide a basic spatial orientation, but for me they're no substitute for a map.
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2018
    Not a science-fiction fan, I was extremely surprised by how gripped I was by the story as it began to unfold; so much so that I think it is the first novel I've ever recommended to others. The characters are dimensional, the environment rich, and the prose fast-paced. I'm fairly confident that anyone inclined toward this genre will not be disappointed.

    In a primitive future land ruled by those born into privilege and their brutish male warriors, we're initially introduced to Alexa -- perhaps the only woman who wields power in this land, it was endowed through paternal lineage. The social caste system includes slaves, warrior tribes, peasants, and honored leaders structures and, as in our own society, nonhuman animals are given no consideration -- surely lower than the lowest slave. It was painful for me to read about the horses and ponies that were, in my eyes, abused as their only value was to transport people for days and weeks throughout the book. But still in the opening chapters, the sole survivor of a crash from the outer world is immediately taken to be of service as a slave. His name is Avalon.

    Avalon's home is an advanced society where he was a wanted terrorist. I'm not certain if the comparison was intentional, but these world's and Avalon's role in struck me as analogous to our current climate of globalism where those who challenge capitalism are also deemed terrorists; in fact, Avalon is a freedom fighter who seems to have waged his own war against injustice at home. But in order the get back there, he will war with, be befriended by, and ally himself with an assortment of characters that are any combination of savage, unhygienic, or duplicitous. And here is where this author is adept in keeping the reader guessing about these individuals' motivations and agendas.

    Ultimately, Avalon will form an alliance with a handsome warlord whose war crimes are legendary, as well as an unsavory character I can only compare to a paid informant -- his only allegiance to the person who'll pay the highest price for his services. While I was engrossed in their journey, I can't say I found any of them particularly likable with the exception of Avalon who it is difficult to not respect or admire.

    Since this first book in the trilogy ends in a cliffhanger, I can only expect that the next book will not miss a beat in picking up on the action, fighting, intrigue, and betrayal with which Fated Sky was very rich.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Garfield Whyte
    5.0 out of 5 stars not because I was bored but because the story took me by surprise as ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2017
    The Fated Sky is without a doubt a heavily fantasized story that is well written and exceptionally thought out. I thought it strange at first to have a story kind of set in old/medieval times yet to bring in a space ship story side of it. A blend of fantasy and science. How did the author think of this? To blend the two which kind of seemed opposite ends of the spectrum. Very creative and imaginative. Yet in my view the “old world” didn’t really compliment the sort of “new world”.
    The author reversed a woman’s role particularly in those days (though fantasy) in that a woman was the leader of the caravan and was in charge when we are accustomed to leaders being male. A very interesting twist to traditional expectations.
    The characters were interesting and made you anxious to reach the end, not because I was bored but because the story took me by surprise as in my case in particular this is not my genre of choice BUT I hasten to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the turns and twists along the “winding road” to the end. Hence, why I was anxious to see how it turned out. It took me a good while to figure out the title. I think I will read more fantasy novels voluntarily and not just when I am assigned one in a review group. A good read!
  • PLB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well written fantasy/sci-fi filled with fascinating characters
    Reviewed in Canada on June 6, 2016
    Don't be fooled by the awkward title, this is a well crafted fantasy/sci-fi filled with wonderfully Machiavellian characters that will make you long for the next volume in the series. In fact, the real only complaint I have with it, is that it is not available in a print version, it certainly should be!
  • Audrey Driscoll
    4.0 out of 5 stars Stranger in a Harsh Land
    Reviewed in Canada on June 27, 2022
    The story is set on a planet called Temsevar, a world with a red sun and two moons. The culture is medieval, with warlords, slaves, and merchant caravans travelling through a landscape similar to that of Central Asia or the US Southwest. A spaceship crashes on a mesa. Its cargo is salvaged, along with the sole survivor, a man named Avilon Revid. He is a rebel with a cause, who wants desperately to rejoin the struggle against an interplanetary Coalition. But first he has to free himself from slavery and get to a distant city with a spaceport.

    I was acquainted with Avilon from Trust a Few, the first book in the Haruspex Trilogy and the fourth in the overarching Fortune’s Fools Series. This book, therefore, is only the beginning of a really big story. Before writing this, I revisited my review of Trust a Few and concluded that much of what I said about it can also be applied to The Fated Sky.

    The world and people of Temsevar are described in vivid, fulsome prose. It’s a harshly beautiful world with harsh inhabitants, and the reader is not spared the gritty details. The story is told in third person from different points of view. I found the barbaric splendours of the setting and the overall situation more engaging than the characters. To be honest, I didn’t like any of them. They are a selfish, greedy, power-hungry lot. Everyone is trying to cheat, deceive, or control everyone else. While the various plots and deceptions are interesting, there was no one I cared to root for.

    Things change at the 50% point, when Avilon escapes captivity and goes on the run with a disgraced nobleman, Jariq Zarengor, and a slippery character named Durban Chola. Durban is a master manipulator, spy, and purveyor of information. His style injects a degree of humour to the often grim scenes. The three form an uneasy alliance. Their common cause is eluding capture by Warlord Qabal Vyazin, but of course no one trusts anyone else.

    While the three meet a series of challenges, I got to know them better and a bit of sympathy developed as I learned more about what motivates each of them. Fine, except there’s no Mr. Nice Guy here, not even toward those who help you out. All lives are expendable. One scene in particular left me feeling betrayed as a reader, but I admit it showed me how the characters must feel at various points.

    An overarching theme is the role of people within and without a society, suggesting that outsiders are better placed to observe and learn. In the final chapter, two of the characters discuss various weighty matters and reveal more about the big picture of the trilogy. Nothing is resolved by the end of the book; in fact, it ends with something that might be termed a cliffhanger. Several important characters simply disappear. I found this lack of conclusiveness less than satisfying in a book that’s fairly long.
  • Claire Buss
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sci-fi Fantasy Mash-Up
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2021
    Reading the author's description confirmed my thoughts about The Fated Sky - it's a proper sci-fi fantasy mash-up. You've got spaceships with FTL crash landing on a planet with limited tech, nomadic caravanasi and a greedy overlord. At first, I thought this was Caer's story, then Avilon's, then Durban's, then Jariq's which left me feeling a little confused as to who I was meant to be paying attention to. I also know that this is the first book in a 9 book series so the planting of multi-protagonist storylines makes sense. There is a lot of rich worldbuilding here with well thought out cultures and how they interact and we move through Temesevar taking a peek into recognisable tropes such as the nomadic horse tribe, the cruel yet clever warlord and his court and the peace-loving gypsies/entertainers. These well known and much-loved fantasy aspects make you feel like you are reading an old friend despite the characters being new to me. I will definitely read the next book, I want to see how the introduction of the sci-fi elements are handled and explored. Plus I know things about much later on in this series and at the moment, I cannot see how the reader gets from here to there and that is a compelling itch I must scratch.
  • BEEJ
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great adventure spanning worlds and cultures
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2016
    eview of The Fated Sky by E.M. Swift-Hook
    A faster than light space ship crashes on a backward planet and only one man survives to be taken as a slave by the barbaric inhabitants.
    The story follows the intertwined threads of the only female caravan head, her captain of the caravan guards, the off world slave, a warlord and his best general, These protagonists are pushed and pulled often against their wills and against their natures by a smilingly dishonest gatherer and trader in information and rumor. The author has created a totally believable backwater of intergalactic space peopled with characters which are carefully drawn and true to their culture and the society they live in. There is plenty of action and gripping intrigue as life for the players twists and turns at fates whim. These are not instantly lovable people they have faults, tempers and political loyalties which govern their actions, but as the story progressed I found myself wanting to know more about them and a developing interest in what would happen to them.
    This is a world and culture spanning fantasy and a page turning adventure. I was sorry when I reached the last page but reassured to find that there are another two books in the series. I am now off to buy the next one.

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