Review & Guest Post! Taming Fate by Amalia Dillin

Title: Taming Fate
Series: Fate of the Gods 2.5
Author: Amalia Dillin
Published: June 24, 2014
Publisher: World Weaver Press
Paperback: 175 pgs

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In 15th Century France, Eve would have burned as a witch if it hadn’t been for the too-timely arrival of the Marquis DeLeon to save her skin, but their hasty marriage is off to anything but a smooth start. As tensions in the town grow and plague threatens, Ryam DeLeon knows if he and Eve cannot find common ground, their first Christmas may be their last. 

Note: This book is a novella meant to go between books 2 and 3, Fate Forgotten and Beyond Fate. I have yet to read either of these, so my review is based on this novella as a standalone.

When I first picked up this novel, I had no idea what to think of it except for the one short description above. But from that alone, it definitely sounded worthy my time. And honestly, I really enjoyed this novella. Overall, there were a few parts that were lagging to me, but for the most part, I was thoroughly engaged and interested to find out how everything would turn out in the end.

Eve is my absolute favorite kind of character. She doesn't take crap from anybody (not even her husband) and always stands true to her beliefs -- even when the whole world is asking her to change. Her commitment to serving others is extraordinary and I believe it to be truly authentic to her character. She's lovable and strong-willed. Her husband, Ryam....not so much. He spends a lot of time caring about what other people think and how his honor will be affected. He has a lot of ideas on what a "wife" should and shouldn't do, and let's just say, he should've thought of that before he married Eve! Watching their relationship grow and change is so fascinating to me.

I guess the reason parts of this book are just "okay" for me is because I don't think it should be read as a standalone. There were bits and pieces that I'm positive would have made a lot more sense had I known the background of all our characters. That being said, I would absolute recommend reading the entire series (I certainly plan to!). I think the idea of Adam and Eve being brother and sister, the idea of Thor and other Gods running around, the idea of the Catholic Church trying to force everyone into their own way of thinking -- all happening at the same time -- there's so much going on! I can't wait to read more by Amalia Dillin. Definitely worth the read!

4 out of 5 stars!

GUEST POST! AMALIA DILLIN'S TOP THREE FAVORITE HISTORICAL PERIODS!

About the Author:

Amalia Dillin began as a Biology major before taking Latin and falling in love with old heroes and older gods. After that, she couldn't stop writing about them, with the occasional break for more contemporary subjects. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, and dreams of the day when she will own goats--to pull her chariot through the sky, of course. 

1) The Greek Bronze Age

I cannot tell you how much I love this period. There’s just enough of an historical fog to allow for the writer to take a certain amount of creative license, and just enough information to frame the period in a fascinating way. Not only that, but there’s so much room for mythology and legend, for great heroes like Theseus and Herakles to ramble through the world. It’s the age of the Trojan War, the age of the Minoans and the Mycenaeans, of Linear A and Linear B. It’s the age right before the historical record goes dark. But these weren’t backwards peoples – the Minoans and the Mycenaeans were both advanced civilizations with incredible works of art and highly organized central government. There’s evidence of trade and association with Egypt as well as the Eastern Hittites, which makes them pretty well-traveled, as well. And I just love playing in that sandbox.

2) The Nordic Bronze Age

Did you know that once upon a time, it was warm enough in Scandinavia to grow grapes? That the temperatures were comparable to modern day Southern France? For the climate shift alone, this period captures the imagination. And not to be confused with the Greek Bronze Age, the Nordic Bronze Age extends several hundred years beyond the end of Mycenaean Civilization. It’s another period where we have a tantalizing amount of information, but not too much, so as a writer, I’m not terribly boxed in. Some of the coolest stuff about the Nordic Bronze Age comes from old burial mounds and oak coffin graves – and if you’re interested in dipping your toe in the Nordic Bronze Age waters, check out this video from the National Museum of Denmark, discussing the Egtved Girl!

3) Pre-Christian Scandinavia/Iceland

I’m a sucker for the Norse gods, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has read the Fate of the Gods books! This is a period where I need to do a lot more research, and a lot of sifting through sources is necessary, because most of our written records from Scandinavia are stories belatedly recorded in a post-Christian world. Some of the most fascinating? The Saga of the Volsungs, for one, and the story of King Gauti (who doesn’t get his own Romance, but he is SUCH a boss, he should have.) The Sagas and Romances themselves are often considered to be semi-historical – and in my humble opinion, they’re roughly similar to Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, if more focused on individual family histories than the entirety of an un-unified Greece.

You’ll notice that 15th Century France didn’t make the list – sorry! After that business with the rats and the fleas, I’m not sure I ever want to go back. But overall, Taming Fate was still a lot of fun to write. Every time I get a chance to dig a little deeper into the history of the House of Lions, I find it that much more fascinating, and I hope you will, too!