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A review by waywardsky
Forsaken Fae: Book One by R.A. Steffan
4.0
Unwilling to wait, I began book 2 before reviewing book 1 and have now finished the sequel in one day flat (a rare feat for me).
While book 1 is all about the groundwork, and is, therefore, wandering at times, book 2 brings it all together and makes every minute of book 1 worth it.
Ok, now that I've raved for a hot second, on to Book 1's review.
Trigger Warnings for Forsaken Fae: Book 1 at the bottom of the review
While Forsaken Fae: book 1 started out with a bang, the excitement waned quickly, leaving the characters somewhat adrift from time to time. This, however, did create a lot of little spaces for the beginnings of character shaping and development where we learn a lot more about Len's past in bits and pieces through his relationships with his friends as well as his own thoughts. Meanwhile, the plot was slowly becoming more and more unavoidable.
As for the romance, there were a lot of characters in this book, and Len, the main character, wasn't ready to be in what will come to be his love interest's, Albigard's, orbit yet, especially since Len and Albigard have a mild distaste for one another for much of this book.
Which is an interesting concept - a romance novel in which zero romance happens the entirety of the book. This is really more a slow burn series as, so far, this trilogy seems more like one giant book that's been sliced into three. Which I actually love. One continuing, thrilling story that picks up exactly where the last left off, for the overarcing plot is too much and too big to be solved in one or even two books.
While it was unexpected that the main characters showed little more than tolerance towards one another - in the rare times they were actually in the same room together - I didn't mind the slow burn, and was curious how characters with a minimum of chemistry would grow in the second book. I was not disappointed.
Len and Albigard actually have a lot more interactions with the other characters in this book, of which there are many, than with each other. While at times it felt a bit overwhelming and an interesting challenge to keep track of everyone, they're all wonderfully developed characters with lives, pasts, and motivations. I've rarely seen an author, especially a romance author, build such life-like people that feel real and react in believable ways. They remain true to their characters, while growing throughout this book and the next, especially Len and Albigard, in an incredibly life-like and beautiful way, to the point I feel like I know them and I definitely adore them.
I honestly have no idea how Steffan can create so many strong characters with entire lives and keep track of them all. It's a wonder of character study.
Which is just part of why this book is so well written. It feels as though Steffan writes dialogue as easily as she breathes, with conversations that flow effortlessly. Characters talk in ways that make sense for them, and through their conversations you can feel them slowly forming bonds.
Not only am I impressed with the way Steffan writes, she is now one of my favorite authors for her ability to make an entire world with people living in it and the tandled web of their relationships while somehow, somewhere, despite all odds, two of them manage to fall in love with each other.
While The Forsaken Fae: Book 1 had a couple of soft spots, it set the foreground for an incredible, 5-star sequal that made it all worth it and then some.
Absolutely in love with these characters now and can't wait to get into book 3. Even without yet having read the 3rd book, I already couldn't recommend this series enough to anyone who enjoys a plotty fantasy with M/M romance. If you're patient, in for a story and prepared to wait through the slow burn, you'll find the wait pays off.
The Forsaken Fae: Book 1 Trigger Warnings (possible mild spoilers ahead):
~Past suicidal thoughts
~Past drug addict/recovering drug addict
~Muarajuana
~Past homophobia (Len was kicked out by his dad when he was 16 for being gay)
~Destruction of a neighborhood, including the deaths of many people, off-screen
While book 1 is all about the groundwork, and is, therefore, wandering at times, book 2 brings it all together and makes every minute of book 1 worth it.
Ok, now that I've raved for a hot second, on to Book 1's review.
Trigger Warnings for Forsaken Fae: Book 1 at the bottom of the review
While Forsaken Fae: book 1 started out with a bang, the excitement waned quickly, leaving the characters somewhat adrift from time to time. This, however, did create a lot of little spaces for the beginnings of character shaping and development where we learn a lot more about Len's past in bits and pieces through his relationships with his friends as well as his own thoughts. Meanwhile, the plot was slowly becoming more and more unavoidable.
As for the romance, there were a lot of characters in this book, and Len, the main character, wasn't ready to be in what will come to be his love interest's, Albigard's, orbit yet, especially since Len and Albigard have a mild distaste for one another for much of this book.
Which is an interesting concept - a romance novel in which zero romance happens the entirety of the book. This is really more a slow burn series as, so far, this trilogy seems more like one giant book that's been sliced into three. Which I actually love. One continuing, thrilling story that picks up exactly where the last left off, for the overarcing plot is too much and too big to be solved in one or even two books.
While it was unexpected that the main characters showed little more than tolerance towards one another - in the rare times they were actually in the same room together - I didn't mind the slow burn, and was curious how characters with a minimum of chemistry would grow in the second book. I was not disappointed.
Len and Albigard actually have a lot more interactions with the other characters in this book, of which there are many, than with each other. While at times it felt a bit overwhelming and an interesting challenge to keep track of everyone, they're all wonderfully developed characters with lives, pasts, and motivations. I've rarely seen an author, especially a romance author, build such life-like people that feel real and react in believable ways. They remain true to their characters, while growing throughout this book and the next, especially Len and Albigard, in an incredibly life-like and beautiful way, to the point I feel like I know them and I definitely adore them.
I honestly have no idea how Steffan can create so many strong characters with entire lives and keep track of them all. It's a wonder of character study.
Which is just part of why this book is so well written. It feels as though Steffan writes dialogue as easily as she breathes, with conversations that flow effortlessly. Characters talk in ways that make sense for them, and through their conversations you can feel them slowly forming bonds.
Not only am I impressed with the way Steffan writes, she is now one of my favorite authors for her ability to make an entire world with people living in it and the tandled web of their relationships while somehow, somewhere, despite all odds, two of them manage to fall in love with each other.
While The Forsaken Fae: Book 1 had a couple of soft spots, it set the foreground for an incredible, 5-star sequal that made it all worth it and then some.
Absolutely in love with these characters now and can't wait to get into book 3. Even without yet having read the 3rd book, I already couldn't recommend this series enough to anyone who enjoys a plotty fantasy with M/M romance. If you're patient, in for a story and prepared to wait through the slow burn, you'll find the wait pays off.
The Forsaken Fae: Book 1 Trigger Warnings (possible mild spoilers ahead):
~Past suicidal thoughts
~Past drug addict/recovering drug addict
~Muarajuana
~Past homophobia (Len was kicked out by his dad when he was 16 for being gay)
~Destruction of a neighborhood, including the deaths of many people, off-screen