The Fragment of Mind

The Shattered Soul #5

by Ben Hale

A fragment of Draeken has fallen. As the remaining fragments cope with the devastating loss, Mind embarks on a journey to discover Serak’s past, a trail that will lead to shocking secrets about friends, foes, and himself. But the trail of truth is not of his own make, and Serak has laid a path right to his door. With winter settling on Lumineia, the kings and queens start building an army to destroy Serak. Many are quick to join the budding alliance, but one soldier struggles to choose a side. Cast adrift, Tardoq is friendless and hunted. The powerful dakorian is a warrior without a war, until the oracle extends a surprising invitation, one that could turn the tide. As battle lines form against him, Serak fears only one, the Hauntress, protector of the shattered soul. Three times he’s failed to kill her, and when the fragments begin to disappear, she will prove that nothing is as dangerous as a desperate mother. All lines converge on the hidden fortress of Blackwell Keep, where the final trap awaits its prey.

Genres: Fantasy

324 pages, Paperback

Published May 27, 2019

About the author

As an avid snowboarder from Utah, Ben grew up with a passion for learning. This thirst for knowledge led him to sports, music, and academic endeavors. After a year of college, he did volunteer work in Brazil and became fluent in three languages. Graduating from the University of Central Florida, he started and ran several successful businesses before publishing his first novel in June of 2012. By the end of the year he'd sold almost ten thousand copies of The Second Draeken War, and he began writing full-time. Now spanning 10,000 years, ten titles, and two series, The Chronicles of Lumineia represents a sprawling YA series that has sold over fifty thousand copies, and continues to expand its readership across all ages. Each of his books has been inspired by his wonderful wife and five beautiful children.

To contact the author, discover more about Lumineia, or find out about upcoming novels, check out his website at Lumineia.com. You can also follow Ben on twitter @ BenHale8 or on Facebook.

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

21 books in and I'm still in love with this world. The only thing I want to talk about in a review would be major spoilers. So I'll just say it's bittersweet.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this tale & I look forward to wrapping up this portion of the world with the 6th book.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

His best work so far

The ends these stories work towards is usually pretty obvious, but the means by which we're taken there always leaves me waiting fervently for the next. This book is no different, plans that you can't see coming right next to some that you can which leave you amazed. Following Mind is unlike with the others, particularly at the beginning, since there are only three of his brothers around now. But the fragment with the plan always has something new for us.

[lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eagerly waiting!!

I've been an avid reader of sifi fantasy books for over 25 years, and I just want to say that I haven't been so excited to get to the next book since Drizzt and the companions laid claim to mithril hall!!! Or Rand embraced his destiny as the dragon reborn!!! Thank you Mr. Hale for sharing this epic adventure with us!!!!

[Raqual Humphries · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely loved this series...it was heart warming. heart breaking. thrilling. cannot wait for the next book...🥳

im guessing this is like a prequel series to the chronicles of luminae in which the dark horde was the enemy ?

[Justin doolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book to continue the story, can’t wait to read the fragment of power and see how this ends. The story of draeken has been a interesting journey, I like the fragments and can’t wait to see this journey full filled.

[Deryk Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it would be hard to beat the last book in the series
(The Fragment of Fire) for action, adventure, and just great story telling, but this one has surpassed it, fantastic from start to finish, and that ending, wow!!

[Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a great series with each book slightly overlapping, yet still moving forward and past, the previous book. All of this has been leading to an event that all Hale readers knew was coming; the First Draeken War. The genius of the way Hale has set this up is that, even though we know the ultimate destination of this era, even the most avid Hale reader can't know what events precipitated the war or how it ultimately was won. Hale has been working towards this since the Age of Oracles series with the introduction of guardians and Draeken, but there is certainly a web of plotlines that are skillfully woven between almost all of his books. But we are still learning more about Lumineia and the universe in which it resides.

This book was full of tension throughout as the reader, at this point, understands that the Fragment of Mind is the key to understanding how Draeken goes on to fulfill the Oracle's prophesy and start the War. And that is truly the theme of the book; the choice between ambition and duty/family. Mind, as the POV character for this book, is determined not to be the architect of the dark prophesy that he saw, but we know that he is also intrigued in the way that only one who has been weaker than his brothers his entire life can be. And this has been the tension of the entire series thus far - how do the Fragments, who we've seen are, for the most part, good people, become the Draeken we know has to come into existence in one way or another?

Hale continues to do a masterful job of engendering the readers' (at least my) buy in to his books even though the broad strokes of his world's history are known. This is an example of his fine writing and, as always, his fantastic character development.