The Untold Tale

The Accidental Turn #1

by J.M. Frey

Forsyth Turn is not a hero. Lordling of Turn Hall and Lysse Chipping, yes. Spymaster for the king, certainly. But hero? That’s his older brother’s job, and Kintyre Turn is nothing if not legendary. However, when a raid on the kingdom’s worst criminal results in the rescue of a bafflingly blunt woman, oddly named and even more oddly mannered, Forsyth finds his quaint, sedentary life is turned on its head.

Dragged reluctantly into a quest he never expected, and fighting villains that even his brother has never managed to best, Forsyth is forced to confront his own self-shame and the demons that come with always being second-best. And, more than that, when he finally realizes where Lucy came from and why she’s here, he’ll be forced to question not only his place in the world, but the very meaning of his own existence.

Smartly crafted, The Untold Tale gives agency to the unlikeliest of heroes: the silenced, the marginalized, and the overlooked. It asks what it really means to be a fan when the worlds you love don't resemble the world you live in, celebrates the power of the written word, challenges tropes, and shows us what happens when someone stands up and refuses to remain a secondary character in their own life.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Contemporary

572 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2015

About the author

Frey is an award-winning author and lapsed academic. She spent three years as the entertainment contributor on AMI Radio's Live From Studio 5 morning show, and was an occasional talking head in documentaries and on the SPACE Channel's premier chat show InnerSPACE. She holds a BA in Dramatic Literature and an MA in Communications Culture, and has lectured at conferences and conventions all around the world.

Her debut novel TRIPTYCH was nominated for two Lambda Literary Awards and garnered a place among the Best Books of 2011 from Publishers Weekly, and TIME AND TIDE was named one of The New York Times’ Best Romances of the Year.

She lives in Toronto where she is surrounded by houseplants, because she is allergic to anything with fur. Like her main character in NINE-TENTHS, she is also allergic to chocolate. But not wine.

Reviews

[Aneela ♒the_mystique_reader♒ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 4 stars
In one word: Surprising!
Review:

"The Sigil that Never Fades
The Quill that Never Dulls
The Cup that Never Runs Dry
The Parchment that Never Fills
The Blade that Never Fails
The Desk that Never Rots
The Spirit that Never Lies

With these tools our world was born,
And with them can be broken.

Or born again"

A magical tale of a realistic man and an enthusiastic woman! Great read for fantasy lovers!

Forsyth Turn is a lordling of Lyse Chipping and spymaster of king. But he is not the hero of the story!

One day, his men brought a brutally tortured girl to Turn Hall. She doesn't belong to his world and can't go back to her world on her own. But she is not a damsel in distress!


This story reveals twists after twists that grip the reader and make him want for more. Loaded with adventurous quests, this is a surprising story of a realistic stuttering protagonist and a feminist girl.

Would he be able to help her?
Would she accept his help?
Would she make back to her world?

The Untold Tale is full of surprises and fun to read. The magical world is well described. The writer paints a perfect picture with words of all the magical places and creatures. It seems like you are looking everything with your own eyes.

Character development is good. All the characters are well introduced and writer gives a good insight to their mind so the reader can connect to them.

The only thing that kills the fun was redundancy of Forsyth's self pity words and thoughts. And trust me there were many such moments that I wanted to skip those lines.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

[Neil Cochrane · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do I love this book? Let me count the ways.

First, characters. Forsyth Turn is incredibly realistic, and I know this because he is almost literally my husband. (And I mean that in the best way, dear.) The juxtaposition of competence and insecurity that is so baffling to those of us who don't experience it at such a level is perfectly, achingly rendered in Forsyth, as is, in Pip, the frustration of those on the outside of it. The choice of Forsyth as a POV character goes a long way toward deconstructing expectations of fantasy protagonists--not only the idea of the Kintyre-esque soldier-hero, but also the unruffled wizard type that has gained more popularity in recent years.

Pip is interesting in many, more extrapolative ways, because she is not given POV time and because she remains largely inscrutable to Forsyth for much of the novel. In his early adoration, he tries to put her on a lovely-maiden pedestal, but she constantly demands that he remember that she is a person on his level. Her frustration with her lack of adventuring skills resonated a lot with me, as both a fantasy fan and a fantasy writer, because how often have we imagined being part of our favorite adventures? We might imagine that we would be powerful and useful members of the company, but honestly if I were pulled into Lord of the Rings right now, this very day, the most I'd have to offer is, like Pip, my runner's stamina and speed, haha.

Another major thing to love about this book is the world-building, and the flip-side, the way the world is scrutinized and questioned by Pip. It's a reminder to us as creators that we should be deliberate about every thing we write, considering the message and the experience of each aspect of the world our characters inhabit.

Technically speaking, the book is masterfully executed. Forsyth's voice is consistent throughout while remaining adaptive to his character growth, which can be a difficult thing to achieve. The pacing is controlled, allowing this to be an engaging read without necessarily pushing the reader through the plot. While a can't-read-it-fast-enough book is fun from time to time, this book invites you to savor each word, even as you somehow read two hundred pages in a single sitting.

This book took some dark turns that I wasn't expecting, but those developments were not entirely unwelcome; I won't say more, to avoid spoilers. The narrative walks a fine line between deconstructing classic fantasy tropes and employing them, and I look forward to seeing discussions on the topic.

Overall, my biggest disappointment was that Forsyth and Pip were not lesbians.

[Bailey Skye ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 Stars

Fantasy is easily my favorite genre and this book is a breath of fresh air. The Untold Tale is a completely unique take on the genre, blending both fantasy and reality into one epic story.

Forsyth Turn is lordling of Turn Hall and younger brother to Kintyre Turn, the most heroic and loved legend in the lands. While Forsyth has his own set of strengths as a swordsman and a scholar, he fails to see himself in a positive light whilst constantly comparing himself to Kintyre.

When Forsyth's men rescue a damsel in distress, Pip, from the dreadful Viceroy, Forsyth takes the opportunity to learn more about the girl while nursing her back to good health.

Turns out this damsel is not so distressed.

The more he learns about Pip, the more his world is turned upside down. Pip is a reader, pulled unwillingly into the story by the Viceroy who holds a grudge against the Great Writer for making him always lose in their story. To get Pip home, Forsyth must accept the role of hero on a quest he'd never dreamed he'd take.

There is so much that I love about this story. Frey writes so eloquently. The language in this book really pulled me along through the story, and there are so many beautiful metaphors. The characters feel so lifelike and I became attached immediately. Forsyth is the underdog in all of us and you can't help but cheer him on. Pip is this incredibly strong young woman who tries to bring some feminism to this misogynistic world that the writer has built. She is constantly proving that she is not a woman who needs to be rescued or coddled. She is a complete badass all on her own.

"'I'm not a thing to be kept,' she scolds, but it is soft, and sad, and kind."

This novel also holds an incredible romance. Probably one of my favorite romances that I've read in the last year. It's not cheesy, it's simply beautiful. The things that Forsyth feel and understand about Pip really enforce his perception of the world around him. The two are, quite literally, written for each other.

"Sometimes, I forget that the Viceroy has torn her from everything she holds dear, from everyone she loves, and that Turn Hall and I will always, and only, be that place where she seeks to hide from the misery of missing her old life."

The Untold Tale is a fascinating story that will have you wishing that you, too, could be drawn into such a fantastical world in which you realize you are the unlikely hero.

[Adam Webling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This feminist fantasy pulls apart the classic fantasy quest and exposes it for what’s really going on - a lack of diversity and a mountain of clichés. With a innovative plot about Pip being brought into her favourite book series and realising how misogynistic the author has created the world, The Untold Tale turns fantasy on its head. We get to follow a different kind of protagonist, Forsyth, who is used to being overlooked and downtrodden, but must step up when he is called to be the hero he doesn’t think he can be.

As a reader and writer, it was so fun to see the well-used fantasy plot tropes laid out and analysed along with the standard characters that usually make up such a world. It was also fascinating, and humourous, seeing the modern world contrasted with a classic fantasy world, and as someone who has done this in my own writing, I enjoyed seeing it done brilliantly.

This book had everything I want from a story: humour, entertainingly diverse and well developed characters, a plot that keeps you guessing and twists that will play with your emotions. I was so invested and definitely found new characters to ship - the main couples in this book are so cute together.

Thank you again J. M. Frey for letting me read your book early :) I can’t wait for the prequel comic and sequels!

[Sara (thebookwitchscauldron) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, this review is going to be divided into two sections. The first will be a non-spoiler bit discussing as much of the story as possible. However, the element I want to talk most about cannot really be discussed without major spoilers, so I will put that at the end so you can avoid it if you wish. To be upfront, this element is almost entirely the reason for my low rating, and relates to the sexual abuse depicted in the novel, so please avoid if that type of discussion will be triggering for you.

The Untold Tale is a self-aware fantasy that attempts to examine the genre tropes that often become invisible to us as readers and expose them for what they are, purposeful choices made by an author. Fantasy worlds don’t just magically appear with ingrained sexism and horrible racial diversity; they have authors who have made choices, and we as readers have the right and duty to examine the choices that are made.

Lucy Piper, or Pip, is one of the novels’ main characters (although we never read from her POV). A Chinese-American, biracial woman in her mid-20s, Pip is currently doing her PhD on her favorite fantasy book series when she is pulled from her world and thrust into the world of those very books. It is there that she encounters Forsyth, the younger brother of the books’ protagonist, but the other main character in our story and our POV for the novel. Forsyth is very much like a typical YA girl main character in some ways, constantly talking his looks, abilities, and general worth down, when in reality he is good-looking, very intelligent, an incredible swordsman, and apparently a spy, although honestly I never encountered any evidence in the book that would substantiate the idea that he is some sort of super spy.

Many elements of the story follow a similar trend: existing to point out a flaw Frey sees in fantasy literature. In a way, I think meta-literature may not be for me. I applaud the idea of pointing out invisible tropes, prejudices, inequalities, and flaws in fantasy literature; I think it’s a very important task. However, I prefer novels that do this entirely from within a fantasy world. The fact that Pip is dropped into one of these ‘flawed’ fantasy worlds means that any criticism of that world must happen in a forced way, instead of organically happening when, for example, an author simply creates a fantasy world populated by POC. I’m not saying that this type of criticism (using meta elements of storytelling) is wrong or ineffective, but it doesn’t click very well with me, as it constantly kicks me outside of the story, making it harder for me to feel engaged with the plot and characters.

I think Frey’s world-building, characters, and plot suffered from the mode of storytelling. I didn’t find the meta-criticism to be very effective (like I’ve said before, I would have much preferred simply a fantasy world that exhibited the changes Frey would like to see in fantasy stories rather than one that perpetuated the things she is critiquing) and I didn’t find the other elements of the novel to be very strong. It felt like a plot and characters built to communicate Frey’s criticisms of fantasy literature instead of an organically built story that also carries social commentary and has something to say about the genre it is part of.

As I approached the big twist (which we are informed is about to happen by Pip, who is using her knowledge of the books and the author’s style to guide them through their quest, which was one of the elements of the story I really enjoyed) this novel was sitting at probably 3/5 stars for me. There were things about it I enjoyed, particularly at the beginning, when the plot and characters felt more natural and less like props, and I knew that many of my qualms were down to various personal preferences, which are by no means universal. However, the big twist tanked both my enjoyment of the novel as a whole and my rating, and the discussion of that will be below. I wanted to mention again that this discussion will contain both major plot spoilers and, more importantly discussion of the depiction of torture and rape that are contained within the novel, so please be aware of that before reading the rest of this review.

For those of you who do not want to read the rest of the review, for whatever reason, I will say that honestly, I do not think I could recommend this novel, and that is entirely down to events that towards the end of the book. From the Goodreads reviews I have seen of the novel so far, I can see that my opinion of the mode of storytelling is in the minority, so if the summary and premise sound interesting to you and you would like to read this book, all of my other points aside, there is graphic, long-term rape and abuse depicted in this novel that I do not think was handled well. It is obviously possible that my opinions on this are incorrect, or will not be shared by others, and that’s fine, but I want to be honest about why I do not feel I can recommend this book to others.

One of the things that I wasn’t a huge fan of as the novel progressed was all the sex scenes. Don’t misunderstand, I love a good love story in a book, I am someone who LOVES a good ship. I am also someone, though, who doesn’t necessarily like a sex scene almost every chapter, especially when the characters are in the middle of an epic quest. I found myself rolling my eyes and wishing they would just get back to the adventuring. But again, that’s me, that’s my preference. That changed, however, when the twist reveals that Pip was not under her own control through the entire course of the novel. I was sort of expecting that the bad guys had let her go on purpose, and I was ready for them maybe having put a spell on her to be able to glean the identity of the kingdom’s spymaster, or even blackmail her into telling them who he is, etc. We learn that this is true, but in addition, the spell allowed them to control her entirely, which they used to force Pip to seduce and sleep with Forsyth in order to glean as much information out of him as possible. This means that every sex scene, which there are many, are rape scenes. I cannot begin to express how gross it all made me feel. I do think the author was trying to make a point about rape in fantasy literature and how it is used, how it makes women into agent less plot devices, but I don’t think it was done well, and it, in my opinion just perpetuates harmful depictions of rape. Yes, when everything is revealed and Pip is released from the spell, there is anger, pain, and disgust on her part, and she removes herself emotionally and physically from Forsyth, who is understandably extremely conflicted in his emotions, thoughts, and actions. However, when Forsyth has his “love” for Pip, a person he doesn’t actually really know because of the spell, magically removed, Pip is outraged, because she has feelings for him, and then suddenly at the end of the big confrontation they have this moment of staring into each other’s eyes, and then somehow Forsyth’s love is back, and they’re in love, and making out, and Forsyth goes with her back into her world, and by the end of the novel they are married and expecting a child.

I just….WHAT. The emotional and physical aftermath of the torture and long-term sexual and mental abuse Pip suffered wasn’t dealt with at all, in my opinion. She is given a couple of chapters to react, but then it’s just…done.

I said at the beginning of my review that this book was mostly about examining the sometimes invisible hand of the author, how their choices mold the shape the story, and thus the genre that story is a part of. Yes, it is possible that the aftermath of the abuse will be dealt with more in future books, but that doesn’t negate the fact that in this novel, it was not. I also do not see how raping a character as part of a, at best, flimsy plot point somehow critiques raping a character as part of a flimsy plot point. Yes, some authors include the rape of women as plot device with absolutely no thought or understanding as to why this is problematic, but just because Frey obviously does see this as a problem and wishes to critique it doesn’t make it ok in my opinion, for her to do the exact same thing to her own character.

I’m going to end this review here, as it is already quite long, and I do not in any way want this review to begin to sound like a bashing. I think Frey’s desire to comment on the problems in fantasy literature is an important one. We must be critical fans, always seeking for the literature we love to be better than it was before.

To me, however, although Frey does hit some positive and great notes about what it means to be a fan and the power of fans in creating better stories, I also think she fell short in some areas, and rather than holding up a mirror that highlights flaws, some plot lines, most specifically the rape of Pip, simply perpetuated these problematic elements.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can definitely say, I didn’t see this one coming and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world! J.M. Frey’s THE UNTOLD TALE contains a surprising number of quirky turns, endearing characters and some fascinating action, all barreling toward an ending that feels like another beginning!

Forsyth is not your typical hero, which he will attest to over and over, he is a scholar with a less than sexy stutter that shows up when he is on edge or out of his comfort zone in the fantasy world he lives in. Actually, that works out quite well, because the battered and beaten girl his men bring him is no damsel in distress, she is a feminist with a streak of raw steel running through her bones!

Pip is nothing like any person Forsyth has ever met, from her unusual way of speaking to the mystery of where she came from. Her world is actually where Forsyth’s story was born, yep, he is part of a tale about his hero brother, Kintyre, a legend to all. But Pip needs to go home, back to her world and this is the tale of two souls on a quest who find love and attraction along the way.

At first, I had a hard time deciding if this was a young adult read or more, until clearly, this is directed at a much older audience. Although much of this tale reads with a young-at-heart manner, J.M. Frey was not afraid to toss in some spice, as well as the realistic side of having sex which became quite humorous! Definitely quirky, told with a sense of adventure with endearing characters and some very contemporary twists, it is an easy read to get lost in and enjoy! Three cheers for the feminist damsel and her under-valued hero!

I received this copy from J.M. Frey in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Accidental Turn Series- Book 1
Publisher: REUTS Publications, LLC. (December 8, 2015)
Publication Date: December 8, 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 572 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble 
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Zori Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

So when I first started reading The Untold Tale I wasn’t sure what to expect. My biggest fear, knowing that many other reviewers have called it a feminist book, was that it was going to unnecessarily hit me over the head with feminist preaching. Though there were definitely very open feminist moments, it was well written, well timed, and well said. Did it cover every aspect of the feminist spectrum? No, but covering everything is honestly a lot to expect for one book to do and the fact that The Untold Tale is part of a series means more opportunities to cover areas that weren’t part of this book. I did really like that Pip – the main (and only) female of color character dragged from the real world to another world based on the books that she grew up reading – did bring up the representation of people of color in fantasy genre/media in general.

“Ah, yes; pirates and savages, harems and harlots,” Pip mutters bitterly. “Spice merchants with pet sandworms. All exotic others, and never the hero, eh?” – Pip, The Untold Tale

(I literally clapped at that, which is kind of sad because it shouldn’t be that profound but sadly it is.)

Though Pip is definitely the realistic, feminist voice in the story, the main narrator of the book is Forsyth Turn, who is known to the outside world as a side character in his famous hero brother’s story. There have been so many times where I’ve read a book told from the perspective of one character and wished that I was reading about the perspective of a much more interesting side character. If the Tales of Kintyre Turn – the book that is within the book, The Untold Tale; yeah, I know pretty meta – were actual books, I would bet that this would be a prime example. It’s kind of weird knowing that Forsyth is only just a side-character in his brother’s, Kintyre, story because from right off the back you see that he has his own life that doesn’t circle solely around his brother and he’s not just sitting on his hands until his brother arrives in the room. He’s actually a pretty awesome spymaster for the king called the Shadow Hand – something that Forsyth works hard to keep secret. Despite a super awesome second job, Forsyth still sees himself as the inadequate younger brother to Kintyre. By having Forsyth be the main narrator, not only does the reader sees his response to Pip’s “strange” beliefs but we also see his growth as a character too.

I really just enjoyed all the elements of The Untold Tale even how Frey was also able to weave in some good and some not so good aspects of what it means to be a fan of a series as well as the idea of a non-traditional hero. It was really refreshing to read a book that tackled elements of sexism, racism, and a variety of other elements that apparently are too “taboo” to really address or even acknowledge. Also, the characters are really great. I loved Pip and Forsyth and many of the other characters. If you want a book that pokes at some issues of the fantasy genre but in a way that still makes you love the main characters and their character development then I really encourage you to read The Untold Tale.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

https://extrajesus.wordpress.com/2015...

[Vippi · Rating 1 out of 5]

~I was provided this book for free on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review~

DNF @ 50%
I started this book with great expectations... but sadly it disappointed me.

In my opinion, these are its greatest flaws:
1. the first chapters are a bit confusing and the general pace is quite slow
2. the main character, due to his painful inferiority complex towards his brother - Kintyre, results too whiny for my liking

I resent him because he is out there being marvelous. And I am here, doing his job, when I have something of my own, something that I should be doing out there, being marvelous myself. But I am lanky, skinny, and somehow, at the same time, growing to fat. I am book-smart, but life-stupid. Father always said so. Kintyre always said so, and he is a hero. He doesn’t lie.
*eye rolls*

3. the Author tells rather than showing... and it doesn't help the reader to get attached to the characters, to root for them and overall to feel involved in their adventures.

[Natasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange of honest review. I apologize, if the review ended up too honest.

The book is written from the first person perspective. Of course it is, most Young adult novels are, don't they? Certainly there are many books from every imaginable genre that uses first person point of view, but in YA it is somehow ubiquitous.

My biggest issue with this book is the characters. We have the main male character, Forsyth, who is the point of view character, and the female character, Lucy.The protagonist is a strange person. As it turns out, by design, but initially he confused me. He is a spymaster of some kingdom, lord of a large chunk of land. When you think about a head spy, do you imagine a stuttering guy, who gets very upset when he doesn't know something, who blushes and gets lost when in the presence of a girl? No? Nevertheless, that's our hero. And what wonderful things we find out about him instantly:

Who better for a spymaster than the man who becomes physically agitated when he feels ignorant?

Honestly, I can imaging many better men for a spymaster.

I fidget until the kettle hisses, welcoming the excuse to duck out from under her odd gaze.

The head spy gets flustered by a woman just looking at him?

I understand. No woman enjoys my touch.

Come on, why does the guy have so many issues?

The girl, Lucy, who makes our protagonist so uncomfortable, is also weird.
As soon as we met her, Lucy swears a lot, uses modern slang ("cool!") and knows about the main guy's secret spy work, though she is not supposed to. And instead of interrogating her to find the source of her knowledge, our guy is just mildly interested of the fact. Really! Fine head of local intelligence he makes!

At this point I began to have a sinking feeling that for the first time I encountered the American example of the infamous "popadantsy" genre, so widespread in Russian romantic fantasy - namely a story where a person (most often than not a girl in her twenties) from "our world" miraculously ends up in some magical medieval-ish society, which might or might not exist in a book. Usually she saves the world or marries a prince or teachers everyone how to "live their lived properly". As I read further, I realized that that I, sadly, was right. Lucy was summoned from "other world" and she is a so-called Reader, having immense powers and prior knowledge of the characters. Hello Mary Sue. The protagonist is already in love with you. And you will save the world or something... Oh, bother!

Even if the intruder from our world tries to lampshade and make fun (or use) of the genre cliches in her new world, it still never ends in a masterpiece. Some of those are entertaining, so I gave the book a chance.


Over the course of next chapters I was reminded why I hate when female YA writers try writing from male POV. Granted, I am not male myself, but I have a feeling that men, especially noblemen-turned-spymasters do not swoon like teenage girls whenever an attractive member of an opposite sex smile at them or calls their names. Even Stephenie Meyer managed to spook away even her fans (who already have very low threshold of expectations, if they like Twilight) by being equally bad in writing male perspective in Life and death. OK, maybe the author was trying to make the protagonist a whiny guy, worrying about his hair, figure and looks, and full of inferiority complex as a kind of grotesque satire on the girl-centered YA books? I can only hope...

Skimming other reviews on this book on Goodreads, I found that it is supposed to be "feminist". I am not sure why though. Because Lucy is disgusted by embroidery, saying "I don't do that useless lady stuff"? That's not feminist. Handcraft is not useless and shaming a woman enjoying embroidery is as sexist as telling a woman that she can't have any other interests past "lady stuff". On the very next page I see the main guy thinking about "the image of trousers stretched deliciously over the plump bottom" (of Lucy's). That's feminist?!? Shameless objectifying of a female by the view point character? Right... Again, maybe it is supposed to be subversive and ironic, but I'm too dumb to get it. Sorry.

I was happy to discover that Lucy was half-chinese though. Yay for diversity!

After I braved through about a quarter of the book, things peaked up a bit. At least Lucy started to make fun of how some of the characters are "written". I guess it was an attempt at subversion after all. Problem is, it doesn't make the main character more likable or the language better. Honestly, if I hadn't felt an obligation to read the book and write the review, I would have never stuck around to even get this far into the novel.

Just as I began warming up to this novel, I came across the following sentence : "Maybe you’re just a frigid bitch,”. I don't mind the swear words so much (though Lucy us dropping f-bombs left and right). Problem is, while it's pronounced by a character who is supposed to be a dumb chauvinistic "typical hero" of a fantasy novel, it sounds jarringly like some hateful internet comment and not kind of words the character in question might choose. It seems that the author had an aim to discuss the issue, but she didn't manage to fit the story around the topic gracefully. Instead, the episode very obviously sticks out.

Admittedly, the fact that Lucy uncovers the in-universe gay relationship behind the usual ho-yay is rather funny.

“I’m not a maiden in distress,” Pip snarls,
“I’m a woman, and I am damn well capable of rescuing my own damn self”.

Nice sentiment, but way, way on the nose. Sounds ok in a Hercules cartoon, but not so much in a novel. Again, message us too plainly obvious.

As I read on, I realized that Lucy is less a character and more of a plot device. Someone who speaks in mottos and slogans.

It's not right to keep you a slave here, alone and unable to communicate to others that you're not here by choice.

People don't talk like that!

There is hardly any chemistry between the two protagonists. For at least half of the book he behaves as a horny teenager who have never seen a girl before and she gives mixed signals, like asking the poor guy to wash her hair and then telling him that she will kiss him if he works on his self esteem, while coming across rather cold and manipulative.


As the story progresses, suddenly Lucy needs to go on a quest in order to return home. There's no strong explanation why that has to happen, but it's really convenient for the plot. Moreover, there's talk about spells and summonings, which Lucy known plenty about, because she read the series of books describing the world he ended up in, but I don't, because I haven't and the author doesn't explain the magic properly. It's annoying.

Then there's a plot development that had a potential to be interesting: instead of physically going on a quest in order to discover the identity and location of necessary magical items, the heroes just do research and infer the needed information. Problem is, we don't see their thought process at all. We are told that Lucy went over a bunch of documents, made a table and then came to some conclusions. What happened to "show, don't tell"?

I will not even go into the longish sex scene in the middle of the book. Definitely not something I want to see in my fantasy novel.


One plot development that really infuriated me was when Lucy realized she was mind-controlled and forced to have sex with Forsyth. Obviously she is very upset. Especially considering she was tortured previously. But wait, let's listen to her complaints:

I have been proved wrong! Do you know what that means? I have been proved an idiot by the world I love most.

So, she is not angry and hurt by all the bad things happening to her, only by the fact she misunderstood the book she ended up in?!?


My favourite part of the book is when after yet another lecture by Lucy, Forsyth finally calls her out on it:

You are so full of self-righteous ire that you never once so how much my love for you hurt me.

And that's true. Lucy comes across throughout as an annoying, one-dimensional bully. Forsyth actually grew on me, but he couldn't save the book for me.

[Jason Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.M. Frey's The Untold Tale is a rare balancing act: a gripping adventure reflecting on both the joys and frustrations of classic fantasy in modern times. Born of an obvious love for the genre and tempered by Frey's wry sense of humor, The Untold Tale inverts high fantasy tropes to weave a story that's just as grounded in the charm of its characters as it is in the controversies of speculative fiction. It's sincere yet subversive; as sexy as it is sexually progressive.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved an ARC from REUTS Publications in exchange for an honest review. Review can also be found on *Milky Way of Books*

When I read the summary from this book, I swore I would obtain it. I think I had a small Gollum episode but now I am fine! For true!

So, in this new fantasy novel we have Forsyth. He is a lord in Turn Hall and Lysse Chipping, areas found in the magical kingdom he lives in, as also secretly he is the spymaster of the King. He is a decent guy with love for books as also quite smart and strategic. (there is also a nice map at the beginning of the book, so you can't get lost)

But when his Men bring in a wounded woman who not only looks foreign but also knows about his identity and his life, Forsyth will have to rethink not only his role in this world but also the idea he has about his self.

Now brace yourselves: Pip is not just any damsel in distress. She is a Reader! Meaning that she got sucked into Forsyth's world, which is none other than a book! The details are quite a spoiler so, if you know evil mini-me, then you have to read the book in order to learn more.

The whole story is an adventure which actually takes all the stereotypes we have about high fantasy novels, deconstructs them, reforms them and then we have the author adding new, more exciting details about everything and everyone! If you are a good YA reader then I can assure you that Frey can deliver a story with critism but also with romance, fighting and humor.

The character I liked most was Forsyth. He is the main POV of the book and through his eyes we learn about Pip, who has dedicated her life reading the book series Forsyth is in. He is always surprised about the way she thinks and silently he falls for her, which I found quite cute. It was nice to have a noble man in a story who did not have the caveman attitude and actually cared about the female character.
Although Forsyth is quite a strong character he always doubts himself, has low self-esteem and self confidence since he had to endure his life under the shadow of his older brother who is the type of the alpha-male knight. His brother also is a jerk, but I will bypass it for now.

What makes even more amazing the plot in this book, is the faint feeling I got when reading it. It felt like I was watching "The Princess Bride" both the movie and the book, not to mention the reference of the phrase "As you wish" in the story. Adding to that the fact that Ivy was transported into a bookish world and you have me recommending the book to every person I know!

There was also a small fantasy of me traveling to the world of "Throne of Glass" series but after seeing what Pip got through, I did rethink about it. Not always do you get to become who you think in a bookish world and the evil guy can be even more sadistic than he looks like.

"The Untold Tale" is a three book series and after reading the ending I have quite high expectations about the sequels. I am sure that J. M. Frey will blow my mind again and I am crossing my fingers wishing for more adventures for Forsyth and Pip!

[Kisa Whipkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the moment I heard this book described in passing by the author’s agent that I was going to love it. I could just tell, like an instinct. And I was right. Frey’s tale is bold without being preachy, innovative while still being familiar, classic with a modern twist, and is easily among my all-time favorite reads ever.

Forsyth Turn is a swoon-worthy hero, though he is admittedly not what one pictures when they think of the leading man in an epic fantasy-adventure. Insecure, flawed, and adorably awkward, he’s real. But he’s more than just the point-of-view character, he’s the lens through which Frey paints her extremely relevant, extremely important message. Through him, we meet Pip, a woman who epitomizes what it means to be a fan, and who’s been literally pulled into her favorite fictional world. And through him, we watch as all the prejudices — intentional or otherwise — of the fantasy genre (and fiction in general) are brought to light.

The beauty in this book is that yes, it does challenge the tropes of the genre, and yes, it does give power to those who are too often overlooked, but it does so without sacrificing a single shred of expert storytelling at the altar of “message.” This isn’t a book with an agenda — it’s an example of what great literature should be: unabashedly inclusive and a reflection of reality. It is most definitely thought-provoking and an intelligent discourse on the state of literature, but at the end of the day, it’s the story of two people learning about themselves, facing down their personal demons, and falling in love.

The Untold Tale is written in a modern first-person present tense, and yet still somehow manages to evoke the spirits of literary greats (it has an Austen-like quality to me, though the author disagrees). Raw, often dark, and powerfully real, this is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you’ve read it, and I could not recommend it more.

**Disclaimer: I was the acquiring editor for this title, however all opinions stated are my own and were not influenced by bias or compensation.**

[Mike Perschon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying, for those who are of the "TLDR" persuasion, that I think that J.M. Frey's The Untold Tale is the most important work of fantasy written in 2015. It may be the most important work of fantasy written this decade, but I'll have to get back to you on that in 2020.

I was excited when I first received an electronic copy of J.M. Frey's The Untold Tale, as I loved both Triptych, her breakout novel and one of the best time-travel tales I've ever read, and Dark Side of the Glass, her funny and smart metafictional response to Twilight. When I learned that The Untold Tale was going to be fantasy, I felt like it could be her literary hat trick in speculative fiction - science fiction, horror, and fantasy.

I'd also heard this was another work of metafiction, but given what Frey had done with Dark Side of the Glass, I was curious to see what she'd do with a secondary world of wizards and warriors, swords and sorcery, dungeons and dragons. It turned out to be very intriguing: The Untold Tale begins with an unlikely hero, Forsyth Turn, a stuttering, intellectual lordling who moonlights as a fantasy Zorro/Batman in the employ of the King. He's not Conan or Aragorn or even Elric. He's a nice guy. His servants and subjects really like him. But he lives in the shadow of his awesome brother, who is more cock-sure than Conan and more arrogant than Aragorn (and I mean Tolkien's Aragorn, who's pretty arrogant when compared with Viggo's Aragorn) without even a smattering of Elric. He's a young version of Zemeckis' Beowulf. Add the mystery of a woman who's been exquisitely tortured turning up on Turn's doorstep, and our story is off to an engaging start.

I expected metafictional commentary on fantasy, and I got it. In addition to Forsyth Turn being an unlikely fantasy hero (though only insofar that he's not a hobbit - Tolkien's hobbits and Forsyth Turn have a few things in common in their unlikeliness), Pip the mystery woman is not your typical fantasy heroine. She does not swoon - she swears (like the proverbial sailor). She is not powerless, she is empowered. I could go on, but you likely get it. She is the heir-apparent to Princess Leia, Ripley, Sarah Connor, Buffy, et al. Part of my brain said "hey, neither of these things is really all that original, but I appreciate reiteration, since women are still fighting for positive representation in geek narratives. It's still meta, even if it isn't so fresh (for those who read no further, this is part of Frey's game - she knows none of this particularly fresh. This was all just preamble).

Then there was the quest itself: instead of just going the way of Voltaire’s Candide (or even Tolkien’s hobbits) stumbling into situations, Pip makes a plan based upon standard fantasy narratives (I would explain this further, but there are both spoilers and a great joke in the name of this plan which are best experienced first-hand). Imagine fantasy roleplaying characters who not only how to achieve their quest with the least amount of violence and suspense, but WANT to achieve their quest in that safe and sensible fashion, because it leaves more time for sex.

Lots of sex. And with that salacious teaser, I want to make clear who should and should not read this book.

First, who should not read this book:

People who don't like sex. If you don’t like explicit sex scenes, you will not like this book. You might say, “Well I’ll just skip those bits,” but the absence of those torrid moments of passion will weaken the emotional impact of the book’s big reveal. Unlike so many other works of fantasy, this book needs its sex scenes.

People who don’t mind sex. You’re still going to think, “Son of a bitch, that’s a lot of sex.”

People who don’t like swearing. If you were just offended when I said “Son of a bitch, that’s a lot of sex,” then there’s a good chance you’re going to think, “Son of a bitch, that’s a lot of swearing.”

Double up your offended sensibilities if you think women shouldn’t cuss.

People who think that modern Sword and Sorcery should still read like Robert E. Howard's "Vale of Lost Women," (to be clear, I love Howard - but "Vale" is sexist and racist and is, by consensus, one of the man's worst stories). Not only will you hate this book, but you’re the reason this book was written. And for the record, if the Sad Puppies are right, there’s a conspiracy going on right now to see this book win the Hugo, because if it does, Vox Day is going to transform into that Dagon monster at the end of Conan the Destroyer and he’s going to go on a rampage. So if that’s something you want to see happen, then you’re probably someone who should read this book.

People who think that rape is a smart motivation for a female character. Or torture. Or unbridled desire for the male lead as governing purpose. If degradation of women seems like a traditional fantasy trope to you, and you think that’s the way it should be, you’re going to hate this book. Which is sad, because if you could just see your way to reading it, you might change the way you think.

People who want their fantasy to have a lot of action and creatures and violence. If you’re looking for a dungeon crawl to read, go somewhere else. You will not enjoy the easy pace Frey takes in the first half. This is a book where the heroes ponder, not pound their way out of a crisis.

People who are homophobic. Not only is there a lot of sex, there are many positive references to progressive sexuality. Westboro Baptist will picket this book the second it gets famous.

I’d really like it if all the types of people who I just mentioned would read this book, because it’s worth the journey, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you. In fact, all the more if it makes you uncomfortable.

People who should read The Untold Tale

People who like sex. Now, you might say, “isn’t it enough that I can endure or just appreciate the sex scenes?” Yeah, it’s enough. But if you’re like me, and they get you a little hot, then the moment when Frey pulls the rug out from under you will have way more impact. I haven’t felt that manipulated since my Salsa dance teacher trotted me around the room to give me a sense of the steps. And in a way, that’s what Frey is doing also.

People who want to see smarter writing about women, people of colour, and LGBTQ characters: who are tired of writers mistaking the nostalgic impulse of fantasy for reifying outdated ways of treating the Other, whomever the Other may be.

People who read for more than “what happens next.” People who enjoy a turn of phrase as much as turning a page.

By now, you should know whether or not you want to read this book, and I can move on to spoilers. Go away and read it, then come back and read my analysis of the back half of the book.

MAJOR SPOILERS, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

Halfway through the book, after that passionate sex scene, after Pip and Forsyth are apparently deeply in love, we discover that she’s been under the control of the villain since page one. A sharp reader might see this coming, but even if they did, they might miss the full implications of that plot device. You see, it means more than just “the villain can see through Pip’s eyes.” It means that Pip might not really love Forsyth. And it means, horror of horrors, that every sex scene you’ve enjoyed thus far was effectively a moment of rape. Obviously, Forsyth had no idea what he was doing, but the evil mastermind behind Pip’s eyes did. And here’s where the really serious metacommentary engages. Everything to this point is, to a degree, prelude. And so The Untold Tale not only requires brave readers, but patient ones as well. I do not think this is a failing of the book. Too long we’ve been told by publishers (and elementary school librarians) that a good way of assessing if we want to read a book is to read the first three pages. I’d have never read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Out of the Silent Planet, or Lord of the Rings by that standard. J.M. Frey is an amazing writer, and most people won’t ever find this out because they haven’t been trained to be patient (or brave) with their reading.

Now think about Pip’s rape from a meta-perspective. A force controlling her has made her appear to love and want to unreservedly fuck Forsyth. And while I saw that there was a force controlling her, it didn’t occur to me that this extended to the sex scenes. When I did, it was like being slapped. I’ve enjoyed Conan since I was a kid. And I’ll readily admit, I enjoyed it (and still do) for those moments when the female lead throws herself at Conan’s feet. It’s a male power fantasy. Now, if that was but one of many sexual fantasies finding space in fantasy novels, it wouldn’t be an issue. But it’s the primary one. It’s the one that gets the most play and results in the greatest successes. Look at the marketing for most fantasy games online – some buxom elf or warrior woman. Frey is responding to this overused, terribly tired trope, and body slamming it.

Like many critics who appear to have never finished the book, I was emotionally charged enough to want to stop reading. I was angry. Angry at Frey for making me face that male power fantasy and interrogate it. Angry at Frey for taking what I took for love between Pip and Forsyth (a character I identified with very closely) and telling me it hadn’t happened. Angry on Pip’s behalf, because what was done to her was wrong. And that’s when I realized this was the most important work of fantasy in 2015. Suddenly, I didn’t just want Pip not to be raped. I wanted a lot of fictional women who had been thrown at the hero’s feet by their controlling mastermind to be vindicated.

It’s the same thing John Scalzi did with the lazy writing of Trek-style episodic narratives in Red Shirts. He wasn’t saying, “Trek sucks.” He was saying, “Trek could be so much better. And here’s how.” It was a call for better writing.

The Untold Tale does for fantasy what Redshirts did for SF. It addresses a particular area that needs to see change. And before you say that writers like Frey are just placing feminist shackles on everything, make sure you read the rest of The Untold Tale. Because Frey doesn’t just slap the guys with the male power fantasy. She slaps the self-righteous voices that ignore a partner’s “right to desire.” In the case of The Untold Tale, that partner is male, because it is Forsyth who calls Pip out on this. And this is appropriate, because it’s likely mostly men who will feel the full brunt of Frey’s chastisement. I breathed a sigh of relief when I read those words, because I’d been arguing that very thing in my head for chapter after chapter. The metacommentary had felt very one-sided to that point. And Frey doesn’t stop with that. She takes a few more turns (all puns intended) with her meta-conversation before the end of the book, concluding in a fashion which is exceedingly satisfying.

In his essay “On Fairy Stories,” Tolkien talks about the eucatastrophe, which is effectively the consolation that emerges from the darkness near the end of good fantasy. Something terrible must happen before the hero can win out, or the stakes aren’t high enough: if the stakes are high enough, the happy ending, as Tolkien put it, “ pierces you with a joy that brings tears.” But this cannot come without Frodo at the edge of the Cracks of Doom, overcome by the Ring. We as the reader must despair, or the victory will not feel worth having. Frey takes her reader on a very dark journey – one that is primarily internal and emotional in terms of darkness. Forsyth and Pip perch at the edge of a volcano, but it is a relational one, not physical. And the book took its darkest turn for me when Forsyth gave his love as a sacrifice so they could complete their quest. It’s my favourite moment of the book, though when I read it, it was just painful. The idea of giving the love you feel for someone because that love causes you pain was incredible.

And this is the best reason to consider reading The Untold Tale, and why it's one of the most important works of fantasy from 2015. Because it isn’t just smart metacommentary--a book with nothing but a social agenda usually makes for crap reading, because isn't a story, it's a sermon. Beyond what it has to say about the genre of fantasy, The Untold Tale is a wonderful fantasy story set in a beautiful secondary world: one I look forward to journeying through again.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Untold Tale, the first book in the Accidental Turn Series by J.M. Frey, is an altogether lovely deconstruction of epic fantasy, portal fantasy, and traditional romantic fantasy - and one that is delightfully entirely self-aware. While other reviewers have labeled it as feminist fantasy, I think that is a mistake. Such a view is simply too . . . well, simple (for lack of a better word). Yes, there are feminist elements within that deconstruction, but they are only a part of the story.

This is such a fun tale, and one that delights in twisting tropes and stomping all over stereotypes. Our hero, young Forsyth, is the traditionally younger, weaker, plainer, stuttering, less heroic brother. An oft-neglected noble and secret spy, he lives in the constant shadow of his stereotypically heroic (and barbarian-bimbo) brother. Really, it is Kintyre who would traditionally be the hero - he is, after all, who the women swoon over - and Forsyth expects his story to be usurped at any time by the warrior, but denying that literary rebellion is the whole point.

Our window into this world is a young woman named Pip, and that is where things get really interesting, She is a Reader from outside the story who made her way into the novel and survived brutal torture to arrive at Forsyth's side. She is a fan of the The Tales of Kintyre Turn, and is constantly surprised at how little she knows about Forsythe - since, of course, he has never been the main character. The whole world-building mythology here of a civilization that exists in literary terms is just marvelous. Frey has a lot of fun with that portal aspect, and even has Pip drop other literary references throughout the novel that only we, as Readers ourselves, have any chance of recognizing. At the same time, she presents us with a medieval fantasy world that is very real - as full of poverty and disease as it is magic and heroism.

Despite the fun, playful elements, and in start contrast to the clever rewriting of fantasy tropes and stereotypes, this is often a very dark story. Do not let the oddity of it fool you. Yes, it is often laugh-out-loud funny, but it is just as often cringe-and-shudder horrifying. Frey demonstrates a true passion for the genre, as well as a deep understanding of what comprises it. The Untold Tale is odd. It can often be unsettling. Once in a while it is even absurd. Yet, it can never be accused of being over-the-top, is never boring, and manages to delight as both an entertaining read and a clever skewering of the genre.

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks]

DNF @ 25%

I read in another review that this book was supposed to be a critique of genre tropes. A lot of things make much more sense now. I'm sad to say I just don't enjoy meta-literature, and I wish I had known this when I grabbed this on Story Cartel for free in exchange to an honest review years ago.

One problem is that I simply don't read fantasy. So exploring typical tropes and criticizing to me just looks like... Actually using these tropes. It's sad to DNF a review copy, but man, I am not ready to read 600 pages of tropes, even if it's a critique. I don't know what I was thinking when I grabbed it. Must've been because I was a newbie blogger and knew squat about my own preferences. It sounded good from the blurb.

Originally, I stopped reading because of, I guess, the first critique. How the central female character is being depicted as strong but is secretly a damsel (now I see that was probably intentional, although you could have fooled me), and how the narration clearly disapproves of sexualizing women, and yet it also clearly sexualizes the same central female character. I mean, yeah, it makes sense if it's a critique, but I'm sorry for all those readers who go in without overanalyzing the blurb. Like me, in this case.

The writing is fluent and nice though! I have to give it that. But other than that, this novel is just not for me, and life's too short to keep reading what you're not too interested in.

I received this book for free from the publisher through Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

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[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story! So well written and a unique premise, I was pulled in and didn't want to leave the world of Hain, the world of Forsyth Turn. Pip is fantastic. I can't tell you how many times I wished to be inside her head, but to see her through Forsyth's eyes was a great way to get to know her. A fantasy quest. Heroes. Villains. A great twist and an ending that left me smiling.
As a teen I wanted so much to jump into the fantasy books I loved, and this book gives me my dream. More than that...it shows us that we need to be heard, but we also need to listen. That maybe our dreams can go wrong, but with understanding it is possible for everything to change.
That we can live together... all of us... in peace.
Thanks, J.M. Frey!

[Robin]

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Did not finish this one. From the get-go we have a protagonist getting all hot and bothered every other minute. Faced with an unknown woman (and therefore a mystery) who's been severely tortured, he's sexually aroused. Not a great start, but the character is interesting primarily for the dichotomy he presents. First, he's the mysterious Shadow Hand, the king's spymaster. But then he's this awkward, self-denigrating character with a story of abuse by his older "heroic" brother.

The protagonist is so in lust with this woman that the first third of the story focuses almost entirely on healing her and figuring out how to get in her pants. Never mind that he's the king's spymaster and presumably has a job to do, or that this woman was abducted and tortured by someone still gallivanting around the countryside—someone who is trying to topple the king.

The woman not terribly upset about the new carvings she's sporting. She falls apart when she even thinks about trying to return home.

Crass language and an attempt at making a social statement devolve into explicit sex, where I stopped. Along the way we see an attempt to cover as many of the politically correct bases as possible: a kick-butt woman/"heroine," a minority race, the token gay guy (who, incidentally, did not fare well in the part that I read), and forced moral issues.

The description called it giving "agency to the unlikeliest of heroes: the silenced, the marginalized, and the overlooked. It asks what it really means to be a fan when the worlds you love don't resemble the world you live in, celebrates the power of the written word, challenges tropes, and shows us what happens when someone stands up and refuses to remain a secondary character in their own life."

It could have done that. It has the potential to do that, and the author's style is clever and descriptive without being verbose. It's disappointing that the premise and the promise took such a dive into the gutter.

[Ruthanne Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn. So let me tell you about this book.

No, that's no good, I'd spoil it. Let me wax philosophical about this book.

It isn't what you expect. When you think you have it figured out, it isn't that, either. And all the things you expect because you've read other books? It especially isn't that.

This is probably the most intelligent and lovingly critical (or critically loving) treatise on fantasy I've ever read, and yet it isn't actually a treatise at all. It's a story. No, hear me: this is a STORY.

STORY. It follows the story to the real end, beyond where fantasy books usually stop. It's terrifyingly practical, and the middle bits get so dark that I said, "Damn, she can't fix this!" in the middle of our local Big and Tall store while my husband tried on swimsuits.

Hear me, reader, book-lover, story-collector: Frey fixes it. The right way. The only way. When you hit that dark part (believe me, you'll know), keep reading. (You may need a break to curse in a department store, but that's excusable.)

Read to the end. In fact, that quiet, gloriously non-climactic last few pages are solidly some of THE most satisfying I have ever read. They're like a sweet ocean sound after the boom and crash of a terrible storm.

So, there: I did not spoil it. I wouldn't dare. Get your thinking cap on, steel your heart (it's gonna hurt), and thank the author. This Story is a hell of a ride, and I, a lifelong fantasy-lover, am deeply glad I read it.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Voracious Reads for a free ebook of The Untold Tale. All opinions are my own.

This book is unlike anything I've read before. It has a NeverEnding Story/Princess Bride vibe to it and, while Fantasy is not my usual genre, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to readers of all genres.

The book begins with an injured woman being brought by cart to Lordling Forsyth Turn's manor. The woman, Lucy Piper, has been tortured by Bootknife and "artistic tendrils of bloody ivy are torn into the vellum of the young woman's flesh." Mother Mouth, a healer, and Forsyth Turn do not know where this woman has come from or why she was tortured but they care for her and help her heal. As Forsyth spends time with Lucy, he realizes what a brave, intelligent and interesting young woman she is and begins to wish for something more. However, he is resigned to the fact that nothing more will ever happen.

Forsyth is not the hero of his family. His brother, Kintyre, is. In fact, the tales of Kintyre's adventures are known far and wide. Forsyth runs his manor and takes care of those under his care. The residents and staff all adore him for his kindness but he resents the fact that Kintyre is always the celebrated hero. Forsyth asks Kintyre and his sidekick, Bevel, to help Lucy get back to her home. He knows that they are the ones suited to the job and whatever obstacles should arise along the way.

However, due to certain events, Forsyth is the one who has to take Lucy on the adventure of a lifetime. Can he be the hero of the story this time? And how will he be able to say goodbye to Lucy if and when their journey comes to a successful end?

This story has adventure, romance, family relationships, dragons, fairies and magic in a fantastically written tale. The writing is so descriptive that I feel like I know the characters and can envision every step of their journey. This is an enjoyable fantasy read that takes the reader into a richly developed world.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and compelling story. I will be looking for more books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

[Brooke Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy to review from the publisher. This does not effect my review in any way.

I know I severely slacked on writing and posting this review. I'm sorry! This is not one of those "I read it and forgot it" books. This is a "Holy fuck, I need a minute to digest it."

Of course, I couldn't only sit there and ponder it. Life goes on. Life is busy. The Untold Tale never left me. Every time I stopped to try and write this something else would pop up like a wack-a-mole.

Trigger Warning: Rape, Assault, Child Abuse,

First sentence:

I am upstairs when I catch sight of the approaching cart and its cargo through the thick glass of my window.

The Untold Tale immediately hooked me. Forsyth is smart and witty and a survivor. He makes me want to hug and squish him and make it all better. Of course, he’d be wildly embarrassed and insulted due to the toxic masculinity his world was built upon, which makes me want to do it more.

Lucy is a strong character, female. She’s an academic proving her thesis, a fan girl living a nightmare, an independent woman on an adventure. She’s snarky and daring and oh, so relatable. Growing up and loving fantasy is fraught with pain as an insider. She illustrates the problematic aspects of the Euro-centric heteronormative toxic white masculinity fantasy and changes this world for the better.

Kintyre Turn and his sidekick are disgusting and stupid as you’d think. At first. The ending brings surprises, progression, and redemption.

It’s impressively weaved, especially being self-aware. Lucy being a reader from our world, knows the tropes and formulaic plots. So how does a white guy fantasy world keep Lucy, and consequently us, on our toes?

There are several sex scenes throughout their travels and I found them enjoyable. It’s sweet and romantic, with one party an infatuated, bumbling newbie. The sex is still perfection, obviously. Which is eye-rolling-ly fitting.

The Shocking Twist is disturbing. Creepy enough to want to quit almost, but I was too involved in the story. I had to know how they moved forward, how it resolved. Was it all [redacted]?!?!

In the beginning I was very happy with how Lucy was given room to experience the aftermath and PTSD from the Villains. Towards the end though it rushed her forward to a split second decision that didn’t seem fair to anyone. Which makes the resolution a tad jarring.

Am I happy with it? Yes. My heart would have broken otherwise, TBH. Would I like more wiggle room to launch a defense of these events, which I cannot talk about specifically without major spoilage? Yes.

This along with the Turn’s abusive childhood home being brought up as the one defining thing, was rather annoying. Abusive childhoods have long reaching consequences in ways outsiders don’t understand. Forsyth’s problems and mindset is all surface expectations and nothing that sells it for me, as someone who’s been there personally.

If you like self-aware books, meta critiques, smart fantasy, fantasy that crosses with contemporary life, or just want a well-written, surprising fantasy, I highly recommend The Untold Tale.

I only warn away because the smarmy sexism and retroactive rape scenes. It’s not pretty or easy to read as they explore the damage of this disgruntled white man’s world, so if you’re looking for escape, find another book. But if you’d like to show ‘em up and dig in, The Untold Tale can be cathartic.

I will absolutely be continuing the series. I wish I could read it right now. But with the commitments and being exhausted all the time, I just don’t have the wherewithal to do anything right now.

So it’s on the very important list of books like #THUG and the Assassin’s Quest series, but oh god, I’m so tired.


QUOTES:

“What I wouldn’t give to have a spy network as efficient and quick as the grandmothers of Turnshire,”

(More than once I have brought my Shadow’s Men to such evenings and told them to observe the spying techniques of those with more experience than them.)

like a particularly finicky cat: not sure if she should enjoy the sensation or not, but clearly desperate for the experience of it all the same.

I’ve imagined myself in places like this for years, wanted to be here, wanted to hear the stories and laugh and clap along, but I . . . there’s no place for me, because I’m not a white face, because I’m a woman, because of the kind of world that Elgar Reed wrote.”

[Corrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I finish reading a new J.M. Frey book, I send her an initial thought before I sit down to write my full review. (Okay, that’s a lie, first I cry a little and wonder why I keep letting her play with my heart like bubble wrap, but after that I message her.) For Triptych I told her “I hate you a little for killing my favourite character. But thank you for not bringing him back.” For The Untold Tale I told her that it was “A horribly uncomfortable story that everyone needs to read. And yes, that’s a compliment.”

Forsyth is…familiar. He is the voice in your head, telling you that no matter what you do it will never be good enough. That you aren’t pretty enough, smart enough, charming enough, working hard enough, resourceful enough, considerate enough, talented enough. That those whom you care for regard you with pity, not love. That you are tolerated, not respected. That the Other–your sibling, parent, friend, peer–is so much greater than you are, and that all who know you both compare you and find you lacking. That whatever you try, you will fail. Forsyth is depression and fear and insecurity. And then he meets the mysterious Pip, who he loves without feeling worthy of her, and she says such strange, wrong things. That Forsyth is handsome, that he is clever, that he is responsible and loved by his people. That his brother Kintyre is not better than him. Things he would love to believe, but just can’t.

And Pip, who has loved the books for so long, and who is starting to realize that sometimes fantasy worlds are better as fantasies. That they can be incredibly problematic for people who don’t fit the dominant narrative–that people of colour, or who are queer, or who don’t fit nicely into little gender role boxes, or who are anyone other than the brawny hero and those in his direct orbit, don’t really get their stories told. That maybe the brawny hero is pretty darn tired of sleeping with random maidens and getting soaked in blood, and sometimes just wants to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. That the love interest has a story, and the sidekick, and the villain, and the innkeeper, and the maidservant. That the story that the Author tells about the characters is not necessarily the story that the characters wish to tell about themselves.

There are other things I could talk about–the romance that does more than merely nod towards the concept of consent certainly comes to mind, and the way that Pip and Forsyth navigate their way through both rape and rape culture and how it affects them both, and not in a superficial way. They suffer, and they think, and they (eventually) talk to each other.

And as a fangirl, the thought of a fictional character attending a convention and seeing what fans think of their world is…both delicious and cringeworthy. There is a scene where Forsyth, dressed as Forsyth Turn from the Elgar Reed books, meets a female cosplayer in a genderbent Kintyre Turn costume who proceeds to hit on him, not caring that a) Kintyre and Forsyth are brothers and Forsyth is clearly not into incest, and b) Forsyth says no. Cosplay is not consent people… Well, read it.

Frey has a knack for writing books that are incredibly hard to describe properly. It’s a fantasy, but a very real and aware one, which examines the tropes and both celebrates and criticizes them, and thus proves it’s love. You can’t really love something if you only love the good parts–you have to look and know the bad, and acknowledge it, and love it anyway without washing the bad away. I recently read A Game of Thrones for the first time (yes, I’m behind, my to-read list is in the triple digits at this point). I posted on social media when I finished that I thought it was compelling yet highly problematic for the female characters. I raced through reading it–it was one of those books that you just can’t put down. But in my opinion there wasn’t a single well-rounded female character. Frey comes from an academic background, and she’s a fangirl through and through. She’s used to analyzing her beloved fandoms and figuring out why she loves them, but also where the problems are.

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rage-finished this book. No, seriously, I finished it by dreaming of the angry Goodreads review I would write when I was done because it wasn't enough to be angry silently, I had to explain what was so wrong with it.
And I wanted so badly to like it. I loved the idea of deconstructing the tropes of fantasy by merging book and reader, by bringing in the "real" to analyze the text and it's all there, but it's all wrong.
Also, where the hell did Pip go to university where she could write about trope laden, contemporary fantasy as her dissertation without moving into a larger feminist or new historicist reading of fantasy as such?
But I digress. The biggest problem I had, the character that fundamentally ruined the book for me, was Forsyth Turn, whose point of view I had the distinct displeasure of sharing. He's the worst.
In attempting to deconstruct the trope of the uncouth adventurer—one version of masculine supremacy—Frey introduces us to the intellectual polymath who embodies the other main expression of masculine supremacy that has dogged society for ages. Instead of the entitled asshole, she gives us the man child for whom women exist as balm to his lack of self esteem. Instead of the jock, we get Forsyth Turn, male nerd extraordinaire.
In the beginning, he's written as a character with serious anxiety, but without the actual emotional and situational ramifications that having anxiety brings. It is never disabling. There are so few protagonists with actual mental disabilities and you could have given us one.
But no, instead we get another variation of the man for whom women exist only insofar as they better his life. He wants to love, but he had an amazingly hard time of conceiving of love as anything beyond "you make me feel good". Love is broken when it hurts him and only acceptable when it makes him feel good. His low self esteem is fixed by falling in love, which is NOT how that works in the real world.
Which brings me to Pip. In an attempt to deconstruct the treatment of women in fantasy, Frey subjects her female protagonist to EVERY SHITTY FEMALE TROPE in the genre. And Pip points this out, but a bit of acknowledgement does not a deconstruction make. The text doesn't do anything with those moments and the really insidious ones, the way that women in fantasy lack narrative agency and are treated as the prize for the protagonist, remain integral to the story.
There are lots of moments, but there is one in particular I HAVE to call out
After it's revealed that Pip has been under mind control, Forsyth the ever-entitled is unable to step back and appreciate why she doesn't want him near her. He kisses her without her consent and she flips (I cheered). To cope, he then sacrifices his love for her to move along the quest, which she also finds hurtful and the goddamn narrative sides with him!!! Her refusal to open up to him after she's been grossly violated is equated to his pain at being rejected. The narrative privileges the experience of male rejection over her experience of rape and violation and later has her FUCKING APOLOGIZE for hurting him and then demanding he not hurt her. No. Just no. Context matters. Experience matters. Her trauma is not the same as his and it's one of the most dangerous expressions of patriarchy in our culture that rejection is considered as bad as if not worse than coercion.
The Untold Turn entirely fails in its project to upend the tropes of misogynist fantasy. It leaves behind the overt misogyny of the jock and revels in the misogyny of the geek, creating a character whose worship of women as unattainable and inability to love her beyond how she makes him feel makes me want to vomit. By the end of the book, I was so disappointed that Frey couldn't have managed the really radical story and had Pip just punch him in the face and leave with naught but the cry of good riddance. Or just given her a voice at all.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

Forsyth Turn is a minor lord, brother of the famous hero Kintyre Turn, and the Shadow Hand to the king. When a young woman is rescued from the clutches of the evil viceroy, she is brought to his home, so she can recover in safety and secrecy under his protection. While very willing to help her, Forsyth is mystified by this woman. Lucy Piper is an enigma: she has clearly lived a life of luxury, but is not a noble; she knows things about Forsyth’s work as spymaster that she should have no way of knowing, and yet is ignorant of things that should be common knowledge; her appearance, speech and behaviour are startlingly different. Though he knows it’s nonsensical, Forsyth suspects that she may be one of those mythical beings: a Reader.

And he's right. Pip has been a fan of The Tales of Kintyre Turn ever since she was a little girl. She read them over and over again, and even wrote her thesis on the series, and now she’s become a part of it. With her genre savvy and intimate knowledge of the books, she must set out on a quest to find a way back home.

This book is awesome! I was completely swept up. It’s a biting send-up of fantasy tropes, and at the same time a loving homage to the genre and a damn good fantasy novel in its own right. Pip reacts to finding herself in a fantasy world the same way I imagine most of us would: a complicated mix of disbelief, joy, fannish squee, fear, outrage, disappointment, love and homesickness. After all, when you’re right there instead of reading off a page, it’s harder to ignore the misogyny, poverty and lack of modern medicine. It’s always the Hero of the story who gets to be the badass adventurer, even if he’s a misogynistic jackass, while women are more likely to be cast as love interest or damsel in distress. But the story moves through cynicism and out the other side to a more critical and nuanced kind of appreciation. This land is a magical place, adventures are pretty fun even if you’re not a typical adventurer, and while Pip’s childhood hero may be an asshole, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s nothing good in him.

I adore the characters. Pip felt so real - it’s like she’s someone I met at uni, or follow on tumblr. I was charmed by her, and empatised with her, and saw her faults without resenting her for them. Forsyth is lovely, a far better man than he realises. As someone with anxiety issues, I loved the fact that he’s a spymaster who suffers from severe anxiety that actually makes him better at his job, but at the same time makes him rather miserable a lot of the time. His character development was very satisfying. (And, since I know people who hate the trope where a stutter marks weakness of character and goes away by the end of the book, let me note that Forsyth does not stop stuttering as he grows as a person, and isn’t magically cured either.) And Kintyre and his loyal companion Bevel are kind of dickheads (mostly Kintyre), but I couldn’t help loving them by the end. I liked the fact that the homoerotic tension between hero and sidekick wasn’t just left as subtext, but brought out into the light and ackowledged, and even analysed (Pip’s a fangirl, she knows what’s up).

In conclusion, I loved The Untold Tale and highly recommend it for fantasy fans, especially the kind who like to get meta. It was fun, exciting, full of feeling, and hit me with a twist that had me rushing back to reread a bunch of passages armed with this new knowledge. I’m thrilled that it’s the first in a series, because I want more!

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
I did a lot of flip-flopping while reading this book. I thought it started out well and then I figured out the schtick (twist) and groaned. It's cheesy, it is, but I got used to it I accepted it and enjoyed the book for a bit. Then, Pip started in on her lectures and I groaned again. I HATE didacticism in my fiction. Hate it, even when I agree with what is being preached. I mean, I love this quote, it verbalizes something I've long wanted words for (and it largely sums up the novel),

I spent my whole goddam academic career championing female character agency, fighting against lazy writing that falls back on epic fantasy gender stereotypes and utilizes rape as a back story excuse, against the half-assed conflation of strong female characters with violent female characters, screaming myself horse about visible minorities in fiction and the normalization of queerness, and what does the world I love best go and fucking do the goddamn millisecond I get here? Slaps me in the face and ties me down!

but the book frequently stepped over the line into lectures and I started to twitch a bit. They are no fun and I read fiction for fun.

I adored Forsyth and his fussiness, but thought his internal dialogue got repetitive and old. I hated K & B and then they suddenly showed up all lovely and contrite and I was supposed to forgive and like them; a swift transition I wasn't quite able to make.

I appreciated the critique of rape of female characters, even the subtextual suggestion that it is frequently presented as consensual, but there was far too much sex. It was gratuitous to the point or plot, serving no further purpose. I liked that Pip had emotions and anger, but it disappeared too quickly. I like that it was him who gave up his life, when it's usually the female, but disliked everything from that point forward. The book goes on for ever.

I went back and forwards between loving this book and disliking this book again and again. I 100% applaud the author's intent (which I saw as a feminist critique or subversion if epic fantasy), but I don't know that I necessarily enjoyed the journey.

[Denny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantasy is not a genre I often read. My experience has been coloured by poor writing, shallow characters, and contrived and inconsistent worlds.

The Untold Tale turns all my preconceptions upside down. This is a cleverly written feminist fantasy in which the female protagonist exposes all the myths of honourable and bold heroes rescuing simpering damsels unable to live without their manly protectors. The unlikely hero is knowledgable rather than aggressive, modest instead of arrogant and respectful rather than boorish. The female protagonist is strong, fearless, fierce ... And furious that she needs a hero to aid her in her quest. If this sounds like a cliched feminist fantasy, it most definitely is not. The two main characters are complex and interesting.

Frey tackles subjects such as sexism and racism that are taboo in the cliched fantasy novels. Her observations are insightful and provocative. These are themes that would usually be found in literary fiction And I was impressed how well Frey set up and explored these themes.

The plot was exciting and twisted and turned as you would expect in a fantasy novel, but with layers of humour and irony. The dialogue was delightful, with each character having their own distinct voice.

This is so much more than a fantasy novel. I would encourage readers who enjoy good writing regardless of genre, to read The Untold Tale.

[Saffyre Falkenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many things to love about this book. It’s not a regular, stereotypical fantasy book. The Untold Tale plays with a lot of well-known tropes and openly acknowledges and pushes back against them. For someone who reads a lot of fantasy, this was delightful. The book also explores the idea of story itself, and the relationship readers share with stories. It handled this in a really unique and fun way. The book also openly talks about important topics such as consent and privilege, which I’ve never seen in a fantasy book before.

The characters are all wonderfully realistic and they are all diverse. The two main characters are academics, which makes for a whole new way of going on a stereotypical fantasy quest. The romance is a delightful slow-burn. One of the main characters has a speech impediment, and the other main character is half Chinese and struggles with PTSD. There is also a male/male relationship between two of the prominent side characters.

This book is like Inkheart for adults. I could definitely see myself teaching this book in class about fantasy or even narrative theory. This story is so fresh and unique; it definitely deserves more attention from fans of high fantasy. There are also a lot of fun popular culture and nerdy easter eggs that made me happy to find, that I think any reader would find fun.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Untold Tale is the first book in J.M. Frey’s 'Accidental Turn’ Series.

If the characters don’t draw you straight into this book, then I don’t know what to tell you! The main character, Forsyth Turn, is absolutely adorable. He’s super realistic in this fantastic world; he’s flawed, he’s got insecurities. He’s not a 'hero.’

We go through the story in Forsyth’s point of view; through his trials and tribulations, through his somewhat misogynistic world. We meet Pip, a fan who is pulled into her favorite fictional world. Together, Forsyth and Pip, 'dismantle the patriachy’ so to speak.

The Untold Tale is refreshing for the fantasy genre. Light is brought to the minor characters that are always looked away from in general in this genre. The true heroes are finally given their chance to shine, and boy, do they.

If you’re a fan of the fantasy genre, and want something resfreshing and totally feminist, this is the book for you.

Have a great day!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Frey sets up her fantasy world by introducing a protagonist, Forsyth Turn, most people can relate to who has a guarded secret about his true duties to the kingdom. Frey's plot starts to pick up with the sudden introduction of a mysterious woman, Pip, rescued and brought to Forsyth's home. Pip is adamant about not needing anyone to rescue her but she's evidently placed into a world that she's unable to fully immerse herself in. In a lovely turn of events for Forsyth, he is able to offer company to help Pip return to her own world. Along the way, Forsyth and Pip have an interesting dynamic that comes to a head at the end when reader's learn how Pip came to Forsyth's world and what her assignment was. The side characters add some needed comic relief to balance out Forsyth's secretive habits and Pip's larger than life attitude. The Untold Tale follows through with its twist of an ending.

[Dale · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but I couldn't.

The writing is mediocre. The characters are the most basic caricatures imaginable, even as the story progresses the characters only shift from one caricature to another.

The author routinely mocks tropes and cliches while still being utterly beholden to them. If she was playing some deeper game it completely slipped by me, as everything seemed to be "Oh, this is a cliche! That's awful! But it's still going to play out in a completely cliched fashion!"

The story itself is nearly nonexistent, with no real tension or intrigue, largely just being a vehicle for the author to throw the most ham-fisted feminist rants at the reader possible. Rather than explore the issue in any meaningful way, the author merely has her character stand on a soapbox and proclaim feminist things, lopsidedly. She does eventually provide some reasonable character moments, but not for about 500 pages.

I do not recommend this book.