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Twelve Houses #5
Fortune and Fate
For the Rider Wen, peace in Gillengaria has only brought despair. Plagued by guilt for failing to protect her king, Wen has fled the royal city and given herself the penance of a life of wandering, helping strangers in need, making sure they remain just that: strangers.
Until the day she helps a terrified young woman abducted by an overeager suitor. The girl, she discovers, is the daughter of one of those who rose against the dead king, and is now heir to the great estate known as Fortune. Once she has delivered her safely home, Wen wants nothing further to do with the girl or her family.
But fate has other plans...For behind the walls of Fortune, Wen will find her future - and she will finally confront the ghosts of her past.
Until the day she helps a terrified young woman abducted by an overeager suitor. The girl, she discovers, is the daughter of one of those who rose against the dead king, and is now heir to the great estate known as Fortune. Once she has delivered her safely home, Wen wants nothing further to do with the girl or her family.
But fate has other plans...For behind the walls of Fortune, Wen will find her future - and she will finally confront the ghosts of her past.
403 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2008
57 people are currently reading
1106 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Shinn
58 books2,281 followersI’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative writing, so I pursued a degree in journalism at Northwestern University so I’d be able to support myself while I figured out how to write fiction.
I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.
I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")
I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.
I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.
I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")
I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
June 22, 2023
This Fifth Installment of the Twelve Houses series has turned out to be my favourite, though I loved Books 1-4 before.
This book, this book ....
It was the perfect read for me: I loved every page. I wanted to finish it in one reading and yet I kept stopping so that I didn't finish. :) It ended too soon anyway.
It was actually a makeover story and I am a sucker for makeover stories.
Former King's Rider Wen, leaving Ghosenhall after King Baryn's death and trying to deal with her demons (survivor's guilt & having failed) finds her way to Fortunault lands. She inadvertently saves young Karryn Fortunault, to-be-marlady of the land, and agrees to build a guard for her upon her guardian's request. Good thing too, as it seems, someone wants Karryn dead to seize power for themselves.
In the meantime, Cammon, consort to Queen Amalie, decides to tour the Southern houses to see how the land lies, in company of his closest friends.
First the 2 stories run in parallel, switching POVs, and toward the end they become intertwined.
It is good to learn what exactly happened after the war the Southern houses waged on the Crown (that was a kind of question mark for me at the end of Reader and Raelynx ). It is lovely to meet the circle of friends again.
But surprisingly -for me- the most satisfactory storyline was Wen's: how she is building up the guard, how her relationship with the guardsmen/women, with Karryn, with Jasper (uncle/guardian to Karryn) is developing. How she finally learns to forgive herself and puts her demons to rest. How the world in general is put to rights again.
I found it so easy to relate to Wen as a character. I loved her loyalty, determination, bravery & her vulnerability.
I just did not want the story to end and would happily read a 6th/7th installment to this series any day.
This book, this book ....
It was the perfect read for me: I loved every page. I wanted to finish it in one reading and yet I kept stopping so that I didn't finish. :) It ended too soon anyway.
It was actually a makeover story and I am a sucker for makeover stories.
Former King's Rider Wen, leaving Ghosenhall after King Baryn's death and trying to deal with her demons (survivor's guilt & having failed) finds her way to Fortunault lands. She inadvertently saves young Karryn Fortunault, to-be-marlady of the land, and agrees to build a guard for her upon her guardian's request. Good thing too, as it seems, someone wants Karryn dead to seize power for themselves.
In the meantime, Cammon, consort to Queen Amalie, decides to tour the Southern houses to see how the land lies, in company of his closest friends.
First the 2 stories run in parallel, switching POVs, and toward the end they become intertwined.
It is good to learn what exactly happened after the war the Southern houses waged on the Crown (that was a kind of question mark for me at the end of Reader and Raelynx ). It is lovely to meet the circle of friends again.
But surprisingly -for me- the most satisfactory storyline was Wen's: how she is building up the guard, how her relationship with the guardsmen/women, with Karryn, with Jasper (uncle/guardian to Karryn) is developing. How she finally learns to forgive herself and puts her demons to rest. How the world in general is put to rights again.
I found it so easy to relate to Wen as a character. I loved her loyalty, determination, bravery & her vulnerability.
I just did not want the story to end and would happily read a 6th/7th installment to this series any day.
January 2, 2013
I think this is my favorite of all the books in the Twelve Houses series, which is unfortunate because I had to slog my way through several I didn't much enjoy to get to it. Fortune and Fate nicely inverts several of the usual romance genre tropes -- instead of the hero being a brooding ball of angst over a mistake in his past, here the heroine suffers from some pretty serious survivor's guilt. Additionally, it is the hero who is the nurturing, empathetic one, who waits for the heroine to get herself together. It is a seriously refreshing use of character traits not based in gender stereotypes in romance, and for that I am deeply grateful. And that Wen is short and not some towering Amazon -- even better!
I also appreciate that both the hero and heroine aren't, well, young and stupid, so they approach having a sexual relationship with a sort of understanding directness, rather than flying off into the clouds with every touch of a hand. There's still passion there, but they don't let it make them stupid.
This is such a satisfying read, and I'm a little disappointed that there hasn't been another book following it, since there are some suggestions of things to come plotwise that it would be nice to see resolution to. But four years have passed since it's been published and no new book appears to be forthcoming, so I suppose that's not going to happen. It does, however, function very well as a standalone novel, and there is enough detail given of events in previous books that it's not really necessary to read them to enjoy this one. So, I recommend it to fans of fantasy romance. Without caveats, even!
I also appreciate that both the hero and heroine aren't, well, young and stupid, so they approach having a sexual relationship with a sort of understanding directness, rather than flying off into the clouds with every touch of a hand. There's still passion there, but they don't let it make them stupid.
This is such a satisfying read, and I'm a little disappointed that there hasn't been another book following it, since there are some suggestions of things to come plotwise that it would be nice to see resolution to. But four years have passed since it's been published and no new book appears to be forthcoming, so I suppose that's not going to happen. It does, however, function very well as a standalone novel, and there is enough detail given of events in previous books that it's not really necessary to read them to enjoy this one. So, I recommend it to fans of fantasy romance. Without caveats, even!
November 19, 2008
I am a huge Sharon Shinn fan. Archangel is one of my very favorite comfort reads and so is Mystic and Rider--the first in Shinn's Twelve Houses series. Her characters become friends so quickly I forget what life was like before I read them. That's why the Twelve Houses series is so much fun. It follows a disparate group of six travelers who, despite differences of rank, temperament, and fundamental beliefs, become first allies and later friends. Shinn tracks this six of them through four books, eventually wrapping up each thread of the overarching story. Or so we thought. FORTUNE AND FATE is a companion novel to the Twelve Houses series. An unexpected and delightfully welcome fifth volume.
Wen was a King's Rider, one of fifty elite guards dedicated to protecting the king with their lives if necessary. Until the king died. On her watch. Shortly after, Wen resigned her post and rode out of the capital city forever. Two years later she is still roaming the countryside, searching for people to save in a futile attempt to atone for her sins. For failing to save her liege. Determined not to connect with anyone ever again, Wen finds herself reluctantly accepting a post as captain of the guard at House Fortunalt after saving the young serramarra's life. Answering to the serramarra's guardian, the bookish Jasper Palladar, Wen promises to stay for a month at most. Long enough to train a rough guard. Not long enough to form any attachments or find any reasons to stay. Meanwhile, the queen's consort wends his way through the southern Houses on a journey to sound out the new Thirteenth House nobles as well as the upcoming generation of marlords and marladies.
The story alternates chapters between Wen's sojourn at Fortune and Cammon's journey through Gisseltess, Rappengrass, and Fortunalt. But this is essentially Wen's own story. And I was pleased to find myself soon attached to this tough young woman so intently bent on self destruction. It was naturally extremely pleasant to spend time with Cammon, Senneth, and Justin again as well. But Ms. Shinn does a good job of extending her readers' affections to Wen and her particular set of troubles. The secondary characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, especially Jasper, Karryn, and Ryne--the young lordling from Coravann. This is a quieter, more self-contained novel than the previous Twelve Houses books. It unfolds slowly as Wen struggles to retire her ghosts and maintain some distance from those who would try to keep her. As Jasper quietly works to rebuild a house in disgrace and extend Wen's stay at Fortune. As Karryn learns who she can trust and how to differentiate herself from her parents' failures. A very fine coda to a simply wonderful series.
Wen was a King's Rider, one of fifty elite guards dedicated to protecting the king with their lives if necessary. Until the king died. On her watch. Shortly after, Wen resigned her post and rode out of the capital city forever. Two years later she is still roaming the countryside, searching for people to save in a futile attempt to atone for her sins. For failing to save her liege. Determined not to connect with anyone ever again, Wen finds herself reluctantly accepting a post as captain of the guard at House Fortunalt after saving the young serramarra's life. Answering to the serramarra's guardian, the bookish Jasper Palladar, Wen promises to stay for a month at most. Long enough to train a rough guard. Not long enough to form any attachments or find any reasons to stay. Meanwhile, the queen's consort wends his way through the southern Houses on a journey to sound out the new Thirteenth House nobles as well as the upcoming generation of marlords and marladies.
The story alternates chapters between Wen's sojourn at Fortune and Cammon's journey through Gisseltess, Rappengrass, and Fortunalt. But this is essentially Wen's own story. And I was pleased to find myself soon attached to this tough young woman so intently bent on self destruction. It was naturally extremely pleasant to spend time with Cammon, Senneth, and Justin again as well. But Ms. Shinn does a good job of extending her readers' affections to Wen and her particular set of troubles. The secondary characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, especially Jasper, Karryn, and Ryne--the young lordling from Coravann. This is a quieter, more self-contained novel than the previous Twelve Houses books. It unfolds slowly as Wen struggles to retire her ghosts and maintain some distance from those who would try to keep her. As Jasper quietly works to rebuild a house in disgrace and extend Wen's stay at Fortune. As Karryn learns who she can trust and how to differentiate herself from her parents' failures. A very fine coda to a simply wonderful series.
December 12, 2020
Seri devamı değil bu, bildiğin yan karakter kitabı...
December 1, 2008
I've liked Shinn's books in the past, for the most part. Some more than others, of course. But this one felt like she just wasn't ready to let the world go. I can understand that. So often, fantasy stories end with the huge conflict. There is no sense of what comes later; the rebuild, reassembling of lives, fortunes and nations. This novel does do that a bit, which is interesting.
But. You can call me a prude (and you wouldn't be the first, and you won't be the last), this trend of increasing the amount of sex action and sex description is one that I can live without. Porn is just as damaging when it is descriptive in print as it is when it is visual images.
I'd have liked this book better if Shinn had kept things out of the bedroom (those things come with doors for good reason).
But. You can call me a prude (and you wouldn't be the first, and you won't be the last), this trend of increasing the amount of sex action and sex description is one that I can live without. Porn is just as damaging when it is descriptive in print as it is when it is visual images.
I'd have liked this book better if Shinn had kept things out of the bedroom (those things come with doors for good reason).
June 11, 2019
Awesome end to a great series! These are Adult fantasy, adventure, romance books that are fun, fast paced and an all around great read! These are some of my go to reread books when I just want something I know I love and want to just enjoy. Read the whole series many times. Another good one is the Truth series by Dawn Cook
March 7, 2020
I wasn’t sure if reading this book would be worth my time since it didn’t follow one of the main 6 but I am so glad I read it! Wen’s story was so good and we still get to have a reunion with our old friends and hear what life is like in Gillengaria two years after the war! I really enjoyed it and think it is worth the read!
Read
December 5, 2023SO sorry this series ended.
I'm going to have to go find her other series now.
I'm going to have to go find her other series now.
March 4, 2013
This is one of my favorite fantasy novels. I love it and have read it at least three times. The protagonist Wen is on the run from her private demons. Two years ago, she was a King’s Rider, a respected member of the elite palace guard, until a disaster struck: during her watch, the king was assassinated. Despite being gravely wounded while protecting the king, Wen feels that she had failed in her duty. Afflicted by the survivor’s guilt, she abandoned the Riders and her own self-respect. Now, she roams the country aimlessly, trying to atone.
The entire above paragraph is a back story, which the author dishes out skillfully in bits and pieces. The story starts two years later, when Wen helps a sixteen-year-old girl Karryn escape kidnappers. Karryn’s guardian Jasper, impressed by Wen’s military skills, offers her the position of the Captain of the House guards. Wen grudgingly accepts but warns her employer not to rely on her. She isn’t worthy of his trust. Or so she thinks.
Thus starts an unlikely romance between Wen, a professional soldier who never read a book in her life, and Jasper, a soft intellectual who reads non-stop, writes historical tractates, but never held a weapon. Their contradictions attract each other, underlining the writer’s original approach to a love story.
To lift Wen’s self-esteem, Jasper recites poetry to her. She, on the other hand, plans defensive strategies and dreams of Jasper’s bed. She also asks him the meanings of longer words. He is glad to explain, while the reader smiles and avidly turns the pages.
With the country’s political intrigues in the background, the woman soldier and the man poet are trying to discover ways into each other’s hearts while attempting to keep Karryn safe. Multiple little skirmishes, kidnappings, and betrayals dot the storyline, as the tension mounts, but nothing can detract the happy reader from the writer’s mastery of language and her subtle, wry humor.
Enriched by the reverse gender roles – a tormented female warrior who can’t forgive herself and a complacent male scholar who never knew doubt before, except in the academic sense – the story develops quietly, typically Shinn, defying the genre prescriptions. Instead of bloody battles or incredible fits of magic, two lonely souls grope for healing and understanding, finally finding both in each other’s arms.
Densely populated by many colorful secondary characters, some of whom fans have known since the introduction of the series, the novel is in essence a love story of Wen and Jasper, a romantic fantasy at its best. Highly recommended.
The entire above paragraph is a back story, which the author dishes out skillfully in bits and pieces. The story starts two years later, when Wen helps a sixteen-year-old girl Karryn escape kidnappers. Karryn’s guardian Jasper, impressed by Wen’s military skills, offers her the position of the Captain of the House guards. Wen grudgingly accepts but warns her employer not to rely on her. She isn’t worthy of his trust. Or so she thinks.
Thus starts an unlikely romance between Wen, a professional soldier who never read a book in her life, and Jasper, a soft intellectual who reads non-stop, writes historical tractates, but never held a weapon. Their contradictions attract each other, underlining the writer’s original approach to a love story.
To lift Wen’s self-esteem, Jasper recites poetry to her. She, on the other hand, plans defensive strategies and dreams of Jasper’s bed. She also asks him the meanings of longer words. He is glad to explain, while the reader smiles and avidly turns the pages.
With the country’s political intrigues in the background, the woman soldier and the man poet are trying to discover ways into each other’s hearts while attempting to keep Karryn safe. Multiple little skirmishes, kidnappings, and betrayals dot the storyline, as the tension mounts, but nothing can detract the happy reader from the writer’s mastery of language and her subtle, wry humor.
Enriched by the reverse gender roles – a tormented female warrior who can’t forgive herself and a complacent male scholar who never knew doubt before, except in the academic sense – the story develops quietly, typically Shinn, defying the genre prescriptions. Instead of bloody battles or incredible fits of magic, two lonely souls grope for healing and understanding, finally finding both in each other’s arms.
Densely populated by many colorful secondary characters, some of whom fans have known since the introduction of the series, the novel is in essence a love story of Wen and Jasper, a romantic fantasy at its best. Highly recommended.
January 30, 2025
Reread this, and my dim memory of “not very good” feels a little unfair. This is a different sort of book than the previous books in the series. Those are earth-shaking, with impactful characters and massive political upheavals; everything leads toward war. This isn’t a typical last-in-series book: it’s a quiet coda in which one not-especially-central character gets her own story. It’s quieter, more personal and insular, and a little too glib about the consequences of . It’s neatly written. It’s fine.
Shinn’s strength in worldbuilding is what makes this worth the time of day. As a character journey, it isn’t particularly notable.
Shinn’s strength in worldbuilding is what makes this worth the time of day. As a character journey, it isn’t particularly notable.
January 24, 2025
5🌟 rating for the series as a whole.
Some of the best character writing I've read, especially for what is basically an ensemble cast of characters. I loved my time with these books!
Some of the best character writing I've read, especially for what is basically an ensemble cast of characters. I loved my time with these books!
December 12, 2015
This is the last book of Twelve Houses series by Shinn sensei and I am so sad my adventure with all the characters has ended. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The audible version of this book has an introduction by Shinn sensei in which she states that this is actually one story made into separate books. I didn't appreciate what she said until I've read all the books in the series.I thought in first book the characters and the plot weren't developed as much as her other books. I am sorry and happy to find that I was very very wrong! I loved the character development as well as the deepening bond between the characters as I proceeded to read the books.
In each volume one character is the focus and his or her love story unfolds. The characters are from all walks of life which makes their stories more interesting and their interaction with each other enjoyable. The best part is the story of the companionship and the Kindom of Gillengaria that started in the first volume continues to develop throughout the 5 books. I love that the last book was kind of a coda, describing what happens after the big war and its consequent peace. People who love reading what happens after HEA will love it.
Again it was a wonderful ride! and I am sure I will reread the series in the future. highly recommended!
The audible version of this book has an introduction by Shinn sensei in which she states that this is actually one story made into separate books. I didn't appreciate what she said until I've read all the books in the series.I thought in first book the characters and the plot weren't developed as much as her other books. I am sorry and happy to find that I was very very wrong! I loved the character development as well as the deepening bond between the characters as I proceeded to read the books.
In each volume one character is the focus and his or her love story unfolds. The characters are from all walks of life which makes their stories more interesting and their interaction with each other enjoyable. The best part is the story of the companionship and the Kindom of Gillengaria that started in the first volume continues to develop throughout the 5 books. I love that the last book was kind of a coda, describing what happens after the big war and its consequent peace. People who love reading what happens after HEA will love it.
Again it was a wonderful ride! and I am sure I will reread the series in the future. highly recommended!
March 13, 2011
I've been a fan of Shinn for a while now, but she definitely has this habit of staying where she's comfortable, and, as a result, she usually ends up grinding each of her long-running series into the ground. She did it with the Samaria books, and now she's done it with the Tweleve Houses. Fortune and Fate departs from the "original crew" of characters that forged the bonds of friendship in Mystic and Rider (because all their stories have already been resolved with true love and marriage) and for this fifth book she delves into the tale of a secondary character, a former King's Rider named Wen, who, ever since the end of the war, has been running from the pain and tragedy of her failures and ghosting around the country trying to save random strangers in your typical atonement-seeking byline. And, as per the Shinn Romance Formula, Wen meets up with someone who is her complete and total opposite (and thus, her Soulmate), and the powers of love, duty, and friendship eventually provide the balm that soothes her wounded soul. Yawn.
February 6, 2025
This entire series is *chef's kiss* and apparently a new one is due this year according to the author's Facebook!! Ahh
"I have been used to the beggar's friendless portion.
I have been used to the gods' unstinting wrath.
What wild chance, what fair or fickle fortune
Flung you like redemption in my path?"
"I have been used to the beggar's friendless portion.
I have been used to the gods' unstinting wrath.
What wild chance, what fair or fickle fortune
Flung you like redemption in my path?"
May 13, 2024
Loved this. I think maybe this is my third time reading about the king’s rider who left, Wen. Super!
March 17, 2012
For some reason, although I have some really good and expected new books and manga around, I really needed a comfort re-read this week and Fortune and Fate really fit the bill.
The Donato Giancola cover looks a lot like I would imagine Willa/Wen to look like, although you really need to ignore the way she draws the sword ^^.
Except for the first Twelve Houses volume this is my favourite of the books in the series - I like Senneth and Tayse's love story best - because it happens after all the big revolutions and fights are over and is for a large part slice-of-life new ordering of the country with a particular focus on Fortunalt.
Wen/Willa never came much into focus for me in the other books, because she wasn't part of the core group of the companions, just another Rider, albeit a female.
So it's easy to emphatize with a depressed, PTSD former professional soldier without superpowers (mystic magic) trying to find some sense to her life or at least a honorable death, when she failed to die before the liege she was defending (very samurai-ethos I thought here).
Not being a fighter I can't judge how well Shinn's fights works, but the book doesn't focus on the fighting but the creation of a new guard to help secure a future for Karryn Fortunalt the teenager daughter who, together with her mother Serephette, were among the innocent victims of the marlord of Fortunalt's greed and excesses.
But the book would only be half as interesting - after all for creating a working army and the daily training I could just as well read the first Paksenarrion book by Elizabeth Moon again - if Wen didn't have the foil of the genteel, poetic, bookish uncle of Karryn's who is a man of honour but not of martial valor and has to run the country until Karryn comes of age.
Jasper Peladar is probably in his mid-forties, where Wen is in her mid-thirties and he had the luxury of never having to deal with physical danger or challenges up to now. His wife, deceased five years before the events in the book, helped him with his scholarly pursuits and enjoyed them just as much, his grown daughter has become a teacher. He is fascinated by Wen from the first and he is a very good judge of character.
So the interplay between the two, with Wen reluctantly deciding to build Karryn a guard that she can depend upon and only leaving when that is done and Jasper trying to carefully find out more about her person and becoming emotionally fascinated as well... that's what makes the book for me. And I think it is the main focus intended by the author as well.
It's not all easy - Shinn is really good at exploring the way two totally differently inclined personas might develop a fascination but also misunderstandings and upsets on their way to better understanding. Both Wen and Jasper ALWAYS respect the other, even when they can't understand them at all.
There's another plot thread with an excursion that Cammon is making to the former revolutionary counties, but really that is just so we can see some more of the old group (we even get some Kirra and Duncan, although they don't play into the eventual meeting with Wen) AND so that Wen can finally articulate her new-found peace with the fact that she didn't die before King Barryn and that she has found a new home.
The Donato Giancola cover looks a lot like I would imagine Willa/Wen to look like, although you really need to ignore the way she draws the sword ^^.
Except for the first Twelve Houses volume this is my favourite of the books in the series - I like Senneth and Tayse's love story best - because it happens after all the big revolutions and fights are over and is for a large part slice-of-life new ordering of the country with a particular focus on Fortunalt.
Wen/Willa never came much into focus for me in the other books, because she wasn't part of the core group of the companions, just another Rider, albeit a female.
So it's easy to emphatize with a depressed, PTSD former professional soldier without superpowers (mystic magic) trying to find some sense to her life or at least a honorable death, when she failed to die before the liege she was defending (very samurai-ethos I thought here).
Not being a fighter I can't judge how well Shinn's fights works, but the book doesn't focus on the fighting but the creation of a new guard to help secure a future for Karryn Fortunalt the teenager daughter who, together with her mother Serephette, were among the innocent victims of the marlord of Fortunalt's greed and excesses.
But the book would only be half as interesting - after all for creating a working army and the daily training I could just as well read the first Paksenarrion book by Elizabeth Moon again - if Wen didn't have the foil of the genteel, poetic, bookish uncle of Karryn's who is a man of honour but not of martial valor and has to run the country until Karryn comes of age.
Jasper Peladar is probably in his mid-forties, where Wen is in her mid-thirties and he had the luxury of never having to deal with physical danger or challenges up to now. His wife, deceased five years before the events in the book, helped him with his scholarly pursuits and enjoyed them just as much, his grown daughter has become a teacher. He is fascinated by Wen from the first and he is a very good judge of character.
So the interplay between the two, with Wen reluctantly deciding to build Karryn a guard that she can depend upon and only leaving when that is done and Jasper trying to carefully find out more about her person and becoming emotionally fascinated as well... that's what makes the book for me. And I think it is the main focus intended by the author as well.
It's not all easy - Shinn is really good at exploring the way two totally differently inclined personas might develop a fascination but also misunderstandings and upsets on their way to better understanding. Both Wen and Jasper ALWAYS respect the other, even when they can't understand them at all.
There's another plot thread with an excursion that Cammon is making to the former revolutionary counties, but really that is just so we can see some more of the old group (we even get some Kirra and Duncan, although they don't play into the eventual meeting with Wen) AND so that Wen can finally articulate her new-found peace with the fact that she didn't die before King Barryn and that she has found a new home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2015
Wen has cut herself off from everything she ever knew and resigned herself to wandering and performing acts of kindness for strangers as penance for the sin she feels she has committed. However, a chance encounter lands in a situation that could really use her unique skills, but is Wen herself ready for the feelings and issues from her past the situation will force her to face?
I am currently experiencing a number of feelings brought on by this book and I don't think I am dealing too well. First of all, I went in with medium expectations. While I have come to love Sharon Shinn as an author and am thoroughly invested in this series, I just figured this was a last ditch effort to keep going after book 4 since the ending seemed to tie up most loose ends already (and especially since I knew this was the last one going in). As I read the book, I couldn't believe how invested I was in the story and the main character Wen. I really thought she would be too distant from the stories and characters that I love, but that was not the case. Wen is an incredibly complex character who is a complete departure from what we have had over the course of the first four novels. At some point, every character before may have felt lonely or despaired of a certain situation, but they knew that they had a support network and they had at least one person who always supported them in some capacity. Wen feels that she has no one and she can only find peace by continuing to wander and do random good deeds for people who truly need them. As per usual, I loved all the characters. I would have loved seeing more of Karryn, especially interaction between her and Wen. It was a good plot with a nice cameo from all of our old favorites. Finishing left me more satisfied than I thought I would be, but even more disappointed than ever that are no more Twelve Houses books. I zipped through this in less than 24 hours. It is necessary to read the rest of the series first but I found this to be an excellent conclusion!
I am currently experiencing a number of feelings brought on by this book and I don't think I am dealing too well. First of all, I went in with medium expectations. While I have come to love Sharon Shinn as an author and am thoroughly invested in this series, I just figured this was a last ditch effort to keep going after book 4 since the ending seemed to tie up most loose ends already (and especially since I knew this was the last one going in). As I read the book, I couldn't believe how invested I was in the story and the main character Wen. I really thought she would be too distant from the stories and characters that I love, but that was not the case. Wen is an incredibly complex character who is a complete departure from what we have had over the course of the first four novels. At some point, every character before may have felt lonely or despaired of a certain situation, but they knew that they had a support network and they had at least one person who always supported them in some capacity. Wen feels that she has no one and she can only find peace by continuing to wander and do random good deeds for people who truly need them. As per usual, I loved all the characters. I would have loved seeing more of Karryn, especially interaction between her and Wen. It was a good plot with a nice cameo from all of our old favorites. Finishing left me more satisfied than I thought I would be, but even more disappointed than ever that are no more Twelve Houses books. I zipped through this in less than 24 hours. It is necessary to read the rest of the series first but I found this to be an excellent conclusion!
May 12, 2009
Sigh. I guess I went into Fortune and Fate with high expectations, and was kind of disappointed. While I was reading Reader and Raelynx I knew that Wen would be the main character of Fortune and Fate, so I tried to pay a little more attention to her in R&R, and was kind of curious to see what her story would hold. This story picks up two years after the final war in R&R, following Wen on her journey of self-discovery. She has passed her time saving anyone she comes across on her aimless travels. That is how she meets up with Karryn, a serramarra who has been kidnapped. Once Wen saves the day she soon takes up a job working as Karryn’s professional guard.
Wen’s character just didn’t do anything for me. She was too manish, and had no famine qualities at all. She was all business all the time and for me was a bit too harsh. Senneth, Kirra, Amalie and Ellynor all are powerful, strong women and still they are women. You can see that they each have their own charm and still maintain a certain amount of femininity. Wen is just too much a tomboy for my taste. I just couldn’t relate to her. And as for her relationship with Jasper, I have only one word…yawn. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two, and frankly I don’t really see what he sees in her.
I love the Twelve House series and will probably consider R&R the final book in the series and this more of a companion novel. I just didn’t really see the point of this book. Maybe if she had placed the story way in the future with all new characters it would have been different, but for me it was missing the magic of the other books.
Wen’s character just didn’t do anything for me. She was too manish, and had no famine qualities at all. She was all business all the time and for me was a bit too harsh. Senneth, Kirra, Amalie and Ellynor all are powerful, strong women and still they are women. You can see that they each have their own charm and still maintain a certain amount of femininity. Wen is just too much a tomboy for my taste. I just couldn’t relate to her. And as for her relationship with Jasper, I have only one word…yawn. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two, and frankly I don’t really see what he sees in her.
I love the Twelve House series and will probably consider R&R the final book in the series and this more of a companion novel. I just didn’t really see the point of this book. Maybe if she had placed the story way in the future with all new characters it would have been different, but for me it was missing the magic of the other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2014
This book is my favourite of the series despite having much less political and kingdom wide goings on. I loved the story of Wen, hurting and healing, and I fell in love with Fortune and all it's inhabitants. This was very character driven, but at times I wished the other 6 characters from the series would bugger off so we could get back to Wen and Jasper. I truly get why other people call this the weakest in the series. To me, it has a quiet sneak up-on-you charm.
March 20, 2018
It's possible I got old between the other Twelve Houses books and this. I remember the Twelve Houses as charming old-school fantasy novels with great character growth and setting development. Fortune and Fate feels like a fanfic of that: Wen is a character who has been totally present all along, don't you remember she was Justin's BFF? And the Queen loves her so much she won't replace her even though she went missing? So, since she's totally a central character we know and love, here's her story, with ample name-dropping of the (actual) main characters and a side plot about the actual main characters that's completely unrelated. So, yeah, as a Gillengaria novel this fails -- and there are more loose threads than I could handle on that end: "there's so much more crime in the Southern lands than there has been, let's investigate." That ended up being completely dropped. "What if people aren't still loyal to the queen?" Oh well, everyone loves Cammon, so should be fine.
On the other hand, Wen's story was sweet, if predictable. There's room in my life for a cozy old-school fantasy about female warriors.
On the other hand, Wen's story was sweet, if predictable. There's room in my life for a cozy old-school fantasy about female warriors.
June 30, 2025
As a story that exists outside the main continuity of the Twelve Houses series, I wasn't sure whether I cared about it at all. I put this book off for years, and I'm glad I did. I think if I'd come into this straight from the previous book, it would have been a let down. Wen is fine as a main character, but there wasn't a whole lot happening here. There are so many chapters of mundane happenings as characters to get to know one another and it was fine but lacked the suspense and other engaging qualities of the main series. Her story would have been a decent novella.
HOWEVER. A big chunk of chapters were from my beloved characters' points of view (mostly Senneth), serving as a sort of epilogue to the main series, and THAT was worth the price of admission. I will never be sad to spend a little more time with those six.
HOWEVER. A big chunk of chapters were from my beloved characters' points of view (mostly Senneth), serving as a sort of epilogue to the main series, and THAT was worth the price of admission. I will never be sad to spend a little more time with those six.
December 11, 2018
At first I didn't like this one because it wasn't about one of the main characters. But as I got into it it has become my second favorite, just a smidgen behind Reader (#4). It's a beautiful story of redemption and love.
July 15, 2021
I don't know what makes Sharon Shinn's stories so compelling. The plot could probably be resumed in three phrases and the romantic development is so lacking in drama the book barely deserves the "romantic novel" title. And yet, I kept coming back to "Fortune and Fate" and I finished it in less than four days...
November 21, 2024
okay I'm sorry for reading (NON-SMUT) pulpy fantasy but these books are honestly so good
June 6, 2018
I just started listening to my new audiobook of Mystic and Rider, the first book in this series. It included a brief introduction by Sharon Shinn herself, in which she states that she conceived of this five-book series as a single story, and that the central theme is friendship. This description fits the feeling I got as I read the series’ final volume, Fortune and Fate. After being disappointed twice by Shinn’s other work (Heart of Gold and Wrapt in Crystal), it feels so good to fall back in love with the Twelve Houses.
My favorite aspects of this book:
1) Its hero is a female warrior, and her badassery is shown rather than told. Yet this book avoids one of the common pitfalls of today’s female-warrior stories, namely the supremely annoying “Not Like Other Girls” trope. Wen isn’t the only woman who can fight, and she doesn’t have any blanket contempt for those women whose strengths don’t lie in fighting. It makes her a more satisfying hero to root for.
2) The “girly” heroine, Karryn, grows by leaps and bounds as the book progresses, and her developing friendship with Wen is given nearly as much time as the love story. I love the way they save each other at the climax!
3) Speaking of the love story, Shinn’s romances sometimes let me down (Wrapt in Crystal, Dark Moon Defender), but when she’s on, she’s really on. This time, the love plot succeeds, as Wen and Jasper Paladar come by degrees to like and respect each other before they at last become lovers.
4) Senneth and Company return! So good to see them again. One regret: Kirra bails from their journey early, and I would so have loved to see her interact with Karryn.
The journey is done. Senneth, Kirra, Donnal, Cammon, Tayse, Wen, Jasper, Karryn (and Orson, Moss, and Bryce), it’s been a privilege.
My favorite aspects of this book:
1) Its hero is a female warrior, and her badassery is shown rather than told. Yet this book avoids one of the common pitfalls of today’s female-warrior stories, namely the supremely annoying “Not Like Other Girls” trope. Wen isn’t the only woman who can fight, and she doesn’t have any blanket contempt for those women whose strengths don’t lie in fighting. It makes her a more satisfying hero to root for.
2) The “girly” heroine, Karryn, grows by leaps and bounds as the book progresses, and her developing friendship with Wen is given nearly as much time as the love story. I love the way they save each other at the climax!
3) Speaking of the love story, Shinn’s romances sometimes let me down (Wrapt in Crystal, Dark Moon Defender), but when she’s on, she’s really on. This time, the love plot succeeds, as Wen and Jasper Paladar come by degrees to like and respect each other before they at last become lovers.
4) Senneth and Company return! So good to see them again. One regret: Kirra bails from their journey early, and I would so have loved to see her interact with Karryn.
The journey is done. Senneth, Kirra, Donnal, Cammon, Tayse, Wen, Jasper, Karryn (and Orson, Moss, and Bryce), it’s been a privilege.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2010
This was my least favorite of the Twelve Houses books. I re-read the previous four leading up to this, and when placed back to back like that their similarities began to wear on me. Four romances with class distinctions as their primary conflict got tiresome, especially when so few people actually seemed to care about the class issue in any other setting. Perhaps it is true, what the British say, that Americans simply do not understand class the way people with a history of an aristocracy do -- certainly Sharon Shinn does not. The book felt very odd, coming, as it does, after the major political and religious conflict in the series has already been resolved. It also would have been stronger if it had followed Wen solely. Shinn spent a great deal of time getting all the principle players in the previous novels together again and then to Forten city, but none of them had any real stake in the matter. They are all happy, and while I am happy that they are happy, there was no conflict in any scenes with them. I found myself even disliking Senneth a bit, reduced as she was to grousing about ball gowns and travelling -- totally out of character for her, as in every other book she has wanted nothing more than to be on the road. Wen's heartache never connected with me on anything but an intellectual level, and there was virtually no jeopardy to anyone through vast swaths of the book, despite all her vigilance. I understand that that is the usual lot of a bodyguard, but it does not make for dramatic reading. Still, Shinn does have the trick of making you care that her characters are happy, and the book reads quickly enough that it did not feel like an imposition. I only hope that she is now done with this series and can turn her imagination to something new.
January 8, 2023
I always really enjoyed this one. It's definitely a sleepy book, but sometimes I think Shinn is at her strongest when she writes those kinds of stories. The romance here is also unique compared to Shinn's other romantic pairings, which is nice. I remember the last time I read this that I enjoyed Ryne's character, and I did so again this time around. He was a great foil for Wen, and his journey also complements Wen's very nicely. I almost wish there had been more scenes with him. (The only thing I thought was weak about this book was Wen's supposed infatuation with Justin. That element always felt forced to me. The lines dedicated to it could have been excised completely, and nothing would have changed about Wen's character development.)
And so ends my Sharon Shinn binge of 2022 :'( It was so good while it lasted. This is one of my favorite classic romantic fantasy series, and I always end it wishing there was yet another book set in this world. The Thirteenth House, Dark Moon Defender, and Fortune and Fate were my favorites this time around, and I remember that being the case when I first read the books as well.
In my opinion, the 12 Houses and the Samaria books are Shinn's strongest series. Each book within them is of relatively equal strength to its counterparts, and whether someone loves an individual book or not is heavily dependent on that reader's personal preferences. (Different from, say, the Troubled Waters series, where only the first book was incredibly strong.)
And so ends my Sharon Shinn binge of 2022 :'( It was so good while it lasted. This is one of my favorite classic romantic fantasy series, and I always end it wishing there was yet another book set in this world. The Thirteenth House, Dark Moon Defender, and Fortune and Fate were my favorites this time around, and I remember that being the case when I first read the books as well.
In my opinion, the 12 Houses and the Samaria books are Shinn's strongest series. Each book within them is of relatively equal strength to its counterparts, and whether someone loves an individual book or not is heavily dependent on that reader's personal preferences. (Different from, say, the Troubled Waters series, where only the first book was incredibly strong.)
January 9, 2012
I'm a little shocked that I didn't like this novel. Normally, I love Shinn and I think she's a great fantasy writer.
Ultimately, I think that this novel failed for me because the main character, Wen, just didn't have a very compelling "demon" chasing after her. She didn't die protecting the king? So what? Neither did many of her fellow riders, but she still seems to respect them...
The simplicity of her self-torture simply makes Wen appear childish. In addition to that, her interaction with the extremely bookish Jasper, such a "contrast" to herself, makes Wen appear ignorant as well. At one point, she questions the meaning of the word "metaphor" and her inner monologue in general reveals that she doesn't understand the majority of her conversations with the man.
Immature AND ignorant? Maybe if Shinn had left one of these traits behind, I could have jumped on board. Maybe if she had set Wen up with a more likely hero closer to her age (and less patronizing, however sweetly), I could have jumped on board.
As it turned out, I like my heroines a bit more intelligent and a bit less obvious than this one. A definite disappointment.
Ultimately, I think that this novel failed for me because the main character, Wen, just didn't have a very compelling "demon" chasing after her. She didn't die protecting the king? So what? Neither did many of her fellow riders, but she still seems to respect them...
The simplicity of her self-torture simply makes Wen appear childish. In addition to that, her interaction with the extremely bookish Jasper, such a "contrast" to herself, makes Wen appear ignorant as well. At one point, she questions the meaning of the word "metaphor" and her inner monologue in general reveals that she doesn't understand the majority of her conversations with the man.
Immature AND ignorant? Maybe if Shinn had left one of these traits behind, I could have jumped on board. Maybe if she had set Wen up with a more likely hero closer to her age (and less patronizing, however sweetly), I could have jumped on board.
As it turned out, I like my heroines a bit more intelligent and a bit less obvious than this one. A definite disappointment.
November 8, 2008
Sharon Shinn is always a good storyteller, but it seems that she has eeked every bit of creativity she can out of her Twelve Houses series/Gillengaria world. As the fifth book in the series, we have seen it all before. The book has two subplots woven together: Wen, the de-moralized King's Rider struggles to find inner peace after failing in her duty to King Baryn in the last novel. Meanwhile, the original cast of six from the previous four books travel on a tour of the southern houses to drum up goodwill towards the new Queen. Although it is nice to see Wen's character development (she was very much of a peripheral character in the first four books), the second subplot is utterly unnecessary and really just a reason to get all of Shinn's original characters back together. However, they have nothing new or interesting to add to the plot and I found that these sections dragged. Hopefully this is the last book in the Twelve Houses series and hopefully Sharon Shinn finds a new creative spark with another world.
December 2, 2008
This latest book from Sharon Shinn in her Twelve Houses series tells the tale of Wen, A king's Rider who did not die when her liege was killed and leaves the Riders to help other people in need. She aids Katyrn, the seremarra of one of the portions of the kingdom that was in revolt. Later she rescues Bryce and his sister. Bryce, who is ten is a reader and Wen decides that his talent can be of use to Kathryn's holding. Wen is eventually hired by the Guardian of Kathryn, to head the household guards to protect Kathryn. Told in Shinn's style this tale of Wen's leadership of the household guard, her relationship with the Guardian and at the same time a tale of Cammon's growing role as the King is a fine addition to Shinn's series. It does not solely revolve around the other characters although they are all there, but it is light easy reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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