Fated

Alex Verus, Book 1

By: Benedict Jacka

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Camden, North London: A tangled, mangled junction of train lines, roads, and waterways. Where minor celebrities hang out with minor criminals and where tourists and moody teenagers mingle.

In the heart of Camden, where rail meets road meets leyline, you might find the Arcana Emporium, run by one Alex Verus. He won't sell you a wand or mix you a potion, but if you know what you're looking for, he might just be able to help. That's if he's not too busy avoiding his would-be apprentice, foiling the Dark, outwitting the Light, and investigating a mysterious relic that has just turned up at the British Museum.

Fated is the first book in a major new series starring probability mage Alex Verus, for fans of Jim Butcher and Ben Aaronovitch.

©2012 Benedict Jacka (P)2013 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Harry Dresden would like Alex Verus tremendously - and be a little nervous around him. I just added Benedict Jacka to my must-read list. Fated is an excellent novel, a gorgeously realized world with a uniquely powerful, vulnerable protagonist. Books this good remind me why I got into the storytelling business in the first place" (Jim Butcher)

"Filled with tense and compelling writing" ( SFX)

"Jacka writes a deft thrill-ride of an urban fantasy - a stay-up-all-night read. Alex Verus is a very smart man surviving in a very dangerous world." (Patricia Briggs)

"London's hidden wizardly community spell-blast each other entertainingly in this urban fantasy romp. Fated is highly enjoyable" ( Sun)

"Fated is an excellent example of not just great urban fantasy but also of brilliant story-telling. There is a near perfect mix of everything and it has been masterfully crafted with a meticulous eye for those pieces of humanity that make a great protagonist and a fantastic story" ( FANTASY FACTION)

"A novel with a very good plotline, and fascinating characters" ( BOOKCHICKCITY)

Entertaining

It was a nice, relaxing fantasy. The plot was interesting and the approach on magic quite new. I saw that many persons have criticized the narrator. I almost did not get the book because of this - a bad narrator can really ruin a book. Well, after listening, in my opinion, the narrator is excellent. He can transmit quite well the characters and their feelings. He is not speaking too slow and he articulates clearly with a good intonation. Some say he does not convey a lot of emotion. He conveys some emotion but this book is not Shakespeare. I do not think he should transmit a lot of emotion. I think that his approach on the main character (a bit aloof, ironic, with dry humor) is just what the author intended.

Stilted voice and Man Writes Woman

The story and characters have a lot of potential but (a) the voice actor is not good enough and (b) female characters are badly written.

You can tell when the VO artist is at the end of a line, rather than the end of a sentence. He barely modulates his tone, it’s too monotonous.

Female characters- oh lord I could be here all day. Dreadful. Oh? Tee hee? You big bwave man!

Excellent gritty fantasy

I came across this book/reading by accident on the audible website and I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. I enjoyed the nature of the main character who deals with magic without the endless psychological self examination of Harry Dresden. Whilst there are a number of books in this genre I thought the author showed a great imagination in creating and populating his alternate world. I thought there were elements of Neil Gaimans Neverwherein the book. I also enjoyed the world weary voice of the presenter, I think he gave Alex Verus a complex personality which suited the text. Good audiobook.

I liked The Dresden Files, I loved Alex Verus

When i finished The Dresden Files i was looking for something similar and found this, Alex Verus.
I have now liened though this complete book series 2 times now while driving, working out or doing misc house work, and i cant really put my finger on what it is that makes me like it so much. The narrator was a bit hard to get used to at first, but i quickly grew to like hes voice acting and how he forms the characters in the books.

The classical underdog protagonist concept is absolutely not new or inventive in any way, nor is the "you grew up in a bad place, so therefore you are bad" thrope, but this book series makes an interresting story out of it.
I do recognise that some of the female characters are written in a way that is a bit stunted and in some cases outright bad (even with my "man-ears") and that would be my main critisism, but other than that this is one of my favourite audible books.

- would recommend

Worth to try on

First of all, I like that this book does not try to be Harry Dresden, it's easier to read when it does not compete. Making the main character be mage that sees future and how is he using it is very well written.

Second. Story is good, but still lacks something making it feels two dimensional. For me the main character does not interact with other characters enough. There are also aspects that I would have liked writer to think more. Like names Onyx that was a dark mage or that Aragne the spider. Keeping all names in "ordinary human" world would have kept the story more real and not slipping Harry Potter style on those parts.

Against most of readers, I like the narrator. He does the good job and is one part why I will buy second book.

Hated the fake posh English accent

Loved the book but was very disappointed with the narration, the fake Shakespearean English accent given the main character completely discredited the performance and was not at all compatible with the authors' character who is living in today's London, not the Middle ages. As a result I was not able to enjoy the audiobook. I will read the rest of the series on my Kindle.

Well that was a great first book in a series.

Would you listen to Fated again? Why?

I am coming back to this series and this book again. tore through this book and grab the next one. I am sure I miss bit of coolness in the overall awesome.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alex is the focus and at this point it must be him. Luna has promise and I wonder where that will go.

Which scene was your favorite?

The fight on the roof. So elegant in writing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes and I did.

Flat characters and some casual sexism

The narrator was truly horrible for this kind of writing (though I think he could have been a good match for a nonfiction book?) and the characters were flat and uninteresting. But the plot was good and the system of magic pretty cool, so I kept listening for about three and a half hours. But when the male main character had to physically restrain and pin down the “hysterical” heroine/love interest “for her own good”, in a scene clearly written to show off the dynamic between a rational and strong man, and a woman who doesn’t know her own good and needs protection - it was time for me to quit. Jeez