Path of Fate Trilogy (Series Summary)

An Epic Fantasy Series Summary

Author: Diana Pharaoh Francis
Series: Path of Fate Series
Genre: Epic Fantasy, 16+
Publisher: Roc
Book Reviews of: Path of Fate - Path of Honor - Path of Blood

This is a story of difficult choices, self-sacrifice, and a reluctant heroine. The main protagonist, Reisel, is an orphan and essentially raised by the entire town. In her society, orphans are passed from one household to another so that no one family is "burdened" with their care. Fortunately, Reisel discovers that she has a talent for healing, a talent that will finally give her a firm place within the town that raised her. This sense of belonging is the one thing she wants most in the world, her heart's desire. But, the Lady has other plans for Reisel and soon she will be forced to make a choice. Can our heroine give up on her heart's desire to become chosen of the gods and save her kingdom from destruction? Not as easy a decision as you might think. Ahalad-kaaslane, the Lady's chosen, are a solitary breed, roaming the world as spies, assassins, peacekeepers and judges, and roaming, much less being solitary, is the last thing Reisel wants to do. There is one benefit however, each ahalad-kaaslane is bonded to an animal blessed by the Lady, a special telepathic bond filled with love and affection, but is the reward worth losing all that Reisel has worked for?

This is a good series, maybe not awesome or even original but it is well worth a read. Especially if you like strong female heroines with bonded animal companions as I do. I also like stories where the author challenges her main protagonist; not physically, not magically but emotionally. I enjoy scenarios that make me question how I would handle the situation. Could I make that decision? Could I handle the consequences of that action? Could I have handled things better considering the circumstances? Give me challenges in my reading and I can ignore minor flaws in other areas.

I generally prefer characterization to be a bit more intense and the writing style varies widely over the three books, which was a bit disconcerting. Book 1 was fairly light, book two was much darker and book three was very uneven in pace, the conclusion seemed rushed and the PoV jumps around alot. However, this was a debut trilogy, and one that shows great promise, I was far from disappointed by it. Reisel makes the whole story worth the read. Diana Francis throws everything but the kitchen sink at this girl, including the allure of unlimited magical power and yet, our heroine never lets this go completely to her head. She agonizes over her decisions, struggles with making the right choices and deals with tragedy, betrayal and her greatest fear, isolation. This series is all about self-sacrifice, conquering your fears and doing your best in the face of terrible odds. There is also a bit of adventure, romance, and mystery to help move the story along.

Content includes depravity, torture, rape, famine, disease, and other uncomfortable scenarios. Definite adult themes but if it was a movie, I would rate it as 'R', meaning that older teens could handle the material just fine. They may even find some hidden truths within the trials and challenges that face Reisel. As always, that is my opinion and as such should be taken with a grain of salt. What I can say with confidence is this is a good series and well worth a read (or two). I have not read her newer books, but I am looking forward to it now that I have read and enjoyed this trilogy. I hope that you will too!

Read an Interview with Diana Pharaoh Francis Similar Reads from LibraryThing Author's Web Presence Website - Blog - Old Website - Myspace Could not find any Ebook or Kindle versions See the individual reviews for more purchasing options