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Fated
Fated
Fated
Audiobook10 hours

Fated

Written by Benedict Jacka

Narrated by Gildart Jackson

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future-allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success.

But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever's inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none . . .
LanguageEnglish
Release dateDec 24, 2013
ISBN9781452688763
Fated

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Reviews for Fated

Rating: 3.7073814516695958 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

569 ratings41 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Can see a lot of influence from the Dresden books, but it’s different enough to be enjoyable.

    I imagine if you liked Dresden, you’ll like this. I’m looking forward to the second book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Good first start, was a little slow in the beginning, ended well.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    As a disaffected teen, Alex apprenticed himself to a Dark Wizard. Years later he realized his mistake, but to escape his master he endured torture and numerous attempts on his life. Since then Alex has created a quiet little life for himself as a magic shop proprietor. But now multiple magical factions want him to open a magical artifact for them--and they're willing to do anything to get it.

    Alex isn't a particularly well developed character: he's a little snarky, a little into preparing himself, and a little prone to white-knighting, but his personality seems fairly generic and plot-driven. Same for his apprentice, Luna, and all the side characters. Nobody is memorable. The plot is episodic and didn't pull me in either. Everything is solved with deus ex machinas or "oh did I forget to tell you I have martial arts/know lock picking/can secretly control an air spirit" cheats. Also, this felt like it could have been set anywhere--aside from place names, nothing distinguished this as London.

    If you're looking for more Harry Dresden-style urban fantasy, this will be right up your alley. If you're looking for more Matthew Swift or Peter Grant style urban fantasy, keep lookin'.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book reminded me so much of Jim Butcher's Dresden files. It seems it's in the same world as the Butcher series, with the council and even a mention of Harry Dresden. I thought the story was a little muddled. The tale is written by the main character, Alex Verus, in the first person. The story would have moved much better if Alex wasn't always sidetracking to explain something, then bringing you back to the main plot. Not sure I'll read any more of these as if felt much longer than it actually was.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An excellent series, at home and comfortable with my favorites in urban fantasy -- Verus is a mage who has held himself apart from the magical community, but pulls out some badass skills as needed. I like the world, the character, his fascinating power and the non-stop action. I'm a big fan of the detective aspect as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Instant favourite. Harry Dresden set in London, owner of a curio shop rather than a PI, and a hat-tip to dresden in the early paragraphs. Very glad to know there's 12 novels in the series to seek out. I've always enjoyed clever heroes who can think their way out of problem rather than by using brute force. There's a nice balance of power levels too which sometimes gets away from being believable in UF. I hope the author manages to maintain this through the series as Alex develops. Alex Verus is a diviner - a mage who can sense the manifold consequences of an action, and through hard work and perseverance control this to see a limited amount of useful futures. And he's not affiliated to either the Council of Light mages, or the individual 'Dark' mages who seek power for themselves. Both sides see him as a rogue, but there are few other diviners around. When a friend brings him an unusual magical artefact Alex can already tell there's trouble ahead. He's quickly pursued by both the Light and the Dark 'asking' more or less politely for his help. Another very powerful historical statue has been found but it's guarded by a lightning elemental, and neither side knows how to access it. The world building is good, and seems thought through, there remain limits on what magic can do - destructive potential is huge, but consequences are very possible. A Diviner can't know what choice as yet to be made, but can find things that influence that decision. Mages only seem to have access to a limited branch of magic, something to check in future books, there seem to be a few basics, but even there are variability. Not much indication of why some individuals have access and others don't but it's rare, and everyone is aware of the weight of numbers ordinary people can bring to bear. Many creatures from legend still abound, and it will be interesting to see which further ones Alex meets, and how relevant the current connections remain. I dislike Jim Butcher's habit of phasing out people we've engaged with after a few stories.Just well constructed fun, good characters, great world, clever plot everything I could want to read. Hope the rest are as good.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I only picked up the first three books in this series (well, only three that I know of at the moment) just due to the plot synopsis on the back of the book. Within the first 20 pages or so, I was pretty much hooked into the whole story. The plot kept me wanting to find out what the next twist or turn was going to be, and how the characters handled it. After completing this first book, I have many questions that deal more with the main character's background, more than what future adventures/situations he will be in. Perhaps those details will be given in the next book, or the next. Either way, it was a good read, and I enjoyed it very well for a modern day magic story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Meet Alex Verus. He owns and runs a magic shop in London. Nope, not the kind that sells cards and fake crystal balls - the real deal. Benedict Jacka's first novel introduces us to yet another magical version of London - with the normals not seeing the magical world (as usual) and the magical world on the brink of a war (again). Alex is a diviner - he can see the future - which turns out to be more flexible than one expects and his gifts allows him to judge probabilities and basically know what is going to happen - when he pays attention anyway. Unfortunately he is like most diviners - he does not pay attention and he is curious. Which is apparently why there aren't that many of them left. Diviners are considered the lightweights of the magical world - in a world where matter can be manipulated, it seems like seeing the future is not really that interesting. Until one starts thinking about it. When the novel opens, Alex is being recruited from both factions of wizards out there -- both the light and the dark side needs him for something. Which does not happen often - he had escaped from the dark side and the light one does not like him much. And still, the offer is there. And it seems like this time, they also need his friend Luna - the girl who was cursed to never have anything bad happen to her. In case you wonder how that can be a curse, there is one think you need to know about that universe - bad things and bad luck are like matter, they do not disappear. So if her curse makes sure she is safe, it also makes sure noone around her is... in the worst possible way. The job everyone seems to be after is an old artifact - a very old and powerful one. And everyone is off - a few dark mages, a few betrayals, Arachne, elementals (some on the good side, some on the bad) and a lot of chasing and running and not very bright decision on all sides lead everyone to a showdown that almost takes out our hero. If that sounds very close to Dresden, then you are on the right path - this is the inspiration - it is just across the pond. But it is not a carbon copy - Alex is different enough to make a difference and the world is actually interesting on its own. I think I am going to stick with this series for now and see what happens next.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fun, steady read filled with dark magic, elementals and political intrigue.

    Alex Verus prefers the quiet life, running his magical shop and staying far away from the political struggles between light and dark magic users. As a precognition mage, he's pretty good at staying out of trouble. After all, seeing the future is his specialty, but even Alex has his limits. When his associate, Luna, ends up with a magical cube both groups of mages want, events begin to spiral out of control. In his efforts to save Luna, Alex will be pulled into a battle between both sides, one that will force him to confront his dark mage past. Alex will have to choose a side, as he and Luna are dragged into a mess they might not survive.

    Benedict Jacka did Alex's powers justice. While Alex can see every future featuring him, it still doesn't make him invincible. Although he definitely does have the upper hand in most situations, even some decisions are too split second for Alex to predict. While I wondered how a character with only precognition abilities would fend off offensive magic, I wasn't disappointed as Alex entertained me with his quick thinking and unique techniques.

    Unfortunately, this does not receive 5 stars because the battle between the two sides was taxing. Despite the fact they ultimately wanted the same thing, both sides kept dragging Alex farther away from the end point. They'd share insults and threats, then throw him back out to complete the task. While it showed the ins and outs of the two political sides, I would have preferred to get right to the point.

    I recommend this for fans of the Harry Dresden series. The flow of writing and interlaced humor remind me of Harry. In fact, Alex even hints at knowing the famous wizard.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed this book. I saw it mentioned a few times by other Jim Butcher fans, and so I gave it a try. If you are a fan of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, then you owe it to yourself to give this a try.

    The magic system of this book is familiar, but different enough to be interesting and a little mysterious. The social and political aspects of the book are really interesting as well. This author is taking on the question of just how close we can live with evil, without becoming evil. Its interesting to see the dynamic explored in a well written way.

    The lead character is well rounded and shows growth throughout the book, as do some of the supporting characters. Some of the antagonists are a bit flat, but I have hope that they may be filled out more as the series progresses.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a great start to the series! I am always on the lookout for new urban fantasy series to try so when a group of friends decided to read this series, I was eager to join in. It turns out that it was my kind of book and I think that my decision to listen to the audio version increased my enjoyment quite a bit. I am glad that I decided to give this book a try.I thought that the world-building in this book was very well done. I like the idea of a secret world that is hidden in plain sight. I thought that Alex's abilities were very interesting and very useful. Alex is a diviner which means that he can see all the possibilities of the future. Alex is a bit of a loner since he does not interact with other mages but he does have a few people that he trusts like Luna and Starbreeze.I thought that the story was pretty exciting. It definitely kept me guessing to the end and I was eager to see how things would work out. There is some action and excitement in the story but also a lot of outsmarting the other party. I did like how everything came together and was pretty satisfied with the ending.I believe that this was my first experience with Gildart Jackson's narration and I was quite impressed. I think that his accent worked very well with the story. I think that he was able to bring Alex to life and also did a great job with all of the other characters in the story. He has a very pleasant voice that was easy to listen to for long periods of time.I do recommend this series to others. I thought that this was a very well done introduction to an interesting cast of characters and I look forward to reading more of the series very soon.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Similar to the Dresden files I enjoyed this book! Full of action likable characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Alex Verus runs a magic shop and also happens to be a diviner which means he's able to see all possible future's for any action he takes. So when an acquaintance, Luna, brings him a crystal she has recently acquired Alex knows he's in for a rough time. He is then immediately accosted by a a Dark mage looking to employ his services. Having already turned down the Light mages after a meeting with the council's representative Alex doesn't feel like working for the other side either. But when Luna's fate is put at stake then he doesn't have much choice in getting involved after all. Can he manage to see a path that will keep Luna safe and not entangled with some very nasty people on both sides of the equation?While there are very easy comparisons to be made with the likes of the Dresden series that will do no favours to this one. That series had been running for over a decade prior to the arrival of this book and so has cemented it's place at (or very near) the pinnacle of the urban fantasy genre for many people. It's very much a starter book with main character introduced along with a few potential recurring characters also brought in to play. A back-story is also provided and will no doubt play a significant role in future instalments. The plot for this one is fairly straightforward and is ideal to express the powers of the protagonist and how they stack up against potential adversaries. While there's nothing wholly original here, the use of the powers are what could define this series. I'll be more than happy to check out at least the next book to see how things progress.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Read to p 195... probably will finish someday, but while Alex Verus is in the same family as Harry Dresden & Atticus O'Sullivan, I have too many other books I'd rather spend my time on.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Alex is a diviner, a Mage who can see the future. When he is approved by multiple factions trying to gain access to an ancient artifact, none of which will take no for an answer, he must find a way to end up in the future in which he survives. I'm a fan of Urban Fantasy, and love Dresden. Fated was an enjoyable story (the Audible book well read). The tone and style was engaging and fun. However, it was not a indebt plot, meaty and full of character building and angst. I will ready the next book in the series. But not right away.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    "Don’t get me started on unicorns. For some reason everyone has this idealised image of them as beautiful innocent snowflakes. Beautiful, yes. Innocent, no. After you’ve had one of the little bastards try and kebab you, you wise up quick.” First in the Alex Verus series. Alex has rejected the magical establishment and quietly runs a magic shop in London. His ability is to see possible futures and choose which path to take. When he gets caught up in an age-old war between Dark and Light Mages his futures of possible survival plummet. Good read.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Alex Verus, a diviner, gets coerced into helping with the opening of an ancient relic, one that contains some seriously strong magic. I am an urban fantasy fan, but, unfortunately, this didn't appeal to me as much as I had hoped. The main character is on the boring side of quiet and, although he repeatedly claims only to be able to see into the future and knows no actual magic, he keeps doing magic throughout the book, which makes me not believe in him. And, he has the same background as Harry Dresden and the same view of the establishment as Harry Dresden, and knows of Harry Dresden, but he has none of the humor of Harry Dresden. I'm assuming Harry is referred to so that the reader will know that the author knows that he has pretty much copied Harry Dresden - that way we can't yell plagiarism. The world building is iffy as well, we go from London (could be any city) to a place where there is a labyrinth full of booby-traps and then get flown out by an air elemental (such a lazy way of a writer to get his character where it needs to be for the plot to work). I've seen that later installments are rated higher than this one, but I am too irritated by the main character to give the series a second chance.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love stories about wizards. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books are maybe my favorite series of books. When I finished with the last Dresden book I didn't know what to read next and someone recommended this series to me.

    Alex Verus runs a magic shop in London and is just wanting a quiet life free from distractions or life-threatening schemes and plots. Sadly he is also a mage, so schemes and plots just tend to land on his doorstep much to his chagrin. He has successfully been keeping his head down for quite a while but now the Council of Mages has a job for him (as do a couple of other factions), and he finds it hard to say no. His regret is immediate and ends up pulling others in his life, friends, into life-threatening situations.

    I thought the plot was well crafted and the characters are really well drawn. Alex Verus as our main characters has some darker secrets in his past that I am looking forward to finding out more about it. The secondary characters, which included a cursed girl named Luna and a Time Mage named Sonder, are pretty good although I hope they get more fleshed out in later books.

    I'm so glad they did! I liked it an awful lot and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fun book, and a series I'll continue. Alex runs a 'magic' shop. He's a diviner, rather than a mage, which has it's drawbacks. However, since he can see the future he's in high demand from competing forces looking for a magical artifact. Told in first person, with lots of humor. Enjoyable all round.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The protagonist in Fated is Alex Verus, a wizard who runs a magic shop and has powers of divination. He has the ability to foresee the future, a power that makes him very popular with light and dark mages who are trying to gain possession of a fateweaver, an ancient relic found in a London museum that is being highly protected. Alex is a pawn in these machinations as he is given the option of helping these various forces in attaining this relic or die. His main objective is to keep himself and his friend, Luna, safe, something that isn’t an easy task with all of these mages gunning for him.I really like the character of Alex Verus. He isn’t an overly powerful wizard. In a one-on-one fight against mages more skilled in battle, he will get mauled. He has to overcome this disadvantage by outsmarting and outmaneuvering his opponents. Although he isn’t very powerful, his skills in divination are really cool. He can look at all of the various paths his decisions would result in, and pick the one with the most favorable outcome. I like the fact that he isn’t this super-powerful protagonist that can just crush all in his path. It makes his problems to solve all the more interesting. The story moved at a fast pace and never lagged at any point. The conclusion was satisfying and didn’t betray the build-up. The writing was high-level and everything about it was very enjoyable. I highly recommend this novel and am looking forward to reading more about Alex Verus in the future.Carl Alves - author of Conjesero
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Alex Verus reminded me a lot of Jim Butcher's Dresden, in fact there's a nod to Dresden on page 3 "I've even heard of one guy in Chicago who advertises in the phone book under 'Wizard', though that's probably an urban legend." and a recommendation from Jim Butcher on the cover. This is somewhat the UK version of Dresden, only instead of being a, basically, detective, he's a shop owner, owing one of those esoteric shops that I have an uncanny ability to find in foreign cities.Alex has some precognitive abilities, he can use it to determine what is the best outcome in a situation, which makes doing things like finding secrets and picking locks easier, his past was messy and he still has nightmares but now he's fairly content with his life.And then, suddenly, everyone wants him, there's a puzzle and he's the last precog who might be able to solve it, and now he has to deal with the murderous intents of several factions, some of whom may just let him live.Features the usual urban fantasy tropes of loner wizard who is crucial and is dealing with a past where the dark wizardry has left it's marks. Plus bonus Dark courts and light courts and neither being very nice.I enjoyed it, want to read more.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a great start to the Alex Verus series! There were a few slow spots here and there for world building or to explain the various mage talents, etc., but the final battle scene was EPIC. I can clearly see how Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series has influenced Jacka, but he's clearly developed his own world here. It's full of potential and I'm can't wait to see what's next for Alex and Luna.

    Loved the narration, too. I though some of the male voices began to sound a little too similar toward the end of the book, but there was a rather large cast of characters.

    This is a great filler while waiting for the next Dresden book, too. Although, I'm crossing my fingers that Alex and Harry meet up some day on a case.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Enjoyable first book in a series that should appeal to those who enjoy Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.
    In this world there are two powerful factions of magicians who live in uneasy peace since a war nearly tore them all apart. The Dark Mages stop at nothing and look at weakness as something to exploit. The Council follows rules and regulations and can be quite difficult to get along with.
    The hero, Alex Verus steers clear of both factions, runs a magic shop and keeps out of all personal entanglements.
    Unfortunately, he has a talent everybody wants to employ and everyone is willing to kill him to keep him out of other factions' hands. He can see into the future and he doesn't like what he sees.
    An ancient relic has been finds and contains a powerful weapon.
    Fun. An engaging hero.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Its another Urban Fantasy book! Its full of all the tropes - magician stuck between the big scary council of wizards vs the dark arts... Both sides wanting him for something, that only he can provide. He has an elemental friend, gets a young, magically inclined female protegee.... Does this sound familiar? The plot is fairly derivative of the Harry Dresdan Universe.The book is solid, with an interesting, likable, main character of Alex Verus. The writing is solid, but nothing spectacular. The plot solid, but fairly predictable. Its a good book of its type.If you read a lot of this genre, you won't find it surprising. It is fun for a short Sunday afternoon read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Pretty good book. Don't really follow the mages and their powers to know how good (or bad) it followed fantasy form, but it kept me entertained.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have had this urban fantasy series on my “to read” list for quite a while. This ended up being a well done and entertaining urban fantasy. Right now there are four books in this series with the fifth book, Veiled, scheduled for an August 2015 release.I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator sounds exactly like I imagine Verus would sound and does other character voices well too.Alex Verus runs a magic shop in London and is a mage himself. However, being a Diviner, his powers are somewhat limited..mainly he can see the future. Things start to get interesting when a friend of his, Luna, finds a strange magic artifact. Shortly after this Alex is approached by multiple organizations that want to hire him to open up an ancient magic artifact. Alex is trying to stay alive and keep all the factions happy, however he is also desperate to know why everyone wants this artifact so badly. The story reminds a bit of a cross between The Dresden Files and The Iron Druid Chronicles. I love that the story focuses on magicians and magic but is also a kind of a mystery. The whole thing takes place in London, which is always a fun setting...especially for urban fantasies.I enjoyed the characters and the magic; Alex is a snarky lead and fun to read about. He’s mostly about surviving, but also has a bit of a noble streak that makes him err on the side of good. He apparently has a sordid past and I am curious to learn more about his past in future books.I also enjoyed Luna. She has an interesting curse on her and is eager to learn about magic. She is basically in here as Alex’s side kick, but seems to be tending toward becoming his apprentice. She reminds me a bit of Granuaile in the Iron Druid Chronicles.The story is tied up very well in this book. However, there are some things/hints left in motion and I am very curious to see where these go in future books.Overall I really enjoyed the snarky tone and magic in this book. I will most likely continue reading this series. I would definitely recommend to urban fantasy fans who enjoy mages and magic; especially to those who are fans of the Dreseden Files or the Iron Druid Chronicles.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Fun magic and mystery, set in London, nice sense of humor and the occasional genre self-mockery. The audiobooks are well narrated.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've been hearing this compared to the Dresden Files so I decided to give it a whirl. There is a hat tip to Butcher in the very beginning of the book and then the story settles in to several wizards fighting over an ancient magical artifact that our hero gets sucked into. Alex Verus is a seer of possible futures and both sides want to use him to get the artifact open. As the story progresses you find out how Alex has become estranged from the wizarding world. A good start to a new series and I'll get around to reading some more of these in the coming year.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The first word I can think of to describe this book is Dresden-esque. There are many similar elements between Alex Verus's world and Harry Dresden's, but, to my surprise, Fated is more than just another Dresden wannabe. This book caught my attention from the very first page and continued to exceed my expectations throughout. Alex is a hero with a unique voice and a fascinating ability, and his world is extremely creepy, dangerous, and fun to explore. In short, this urban fantasy is a notable addition to the genre, standing up very well on its own, apart from any comparisons. I can't wait to read more of Alex's adventures.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I did enjoy this book. I really did. Its very short. Simple. Sweet. Etc. I loved the characters as well, so many different ideas and personalities.

    That being said, it was somewhat predictable. After reading a feminist rant about Dresden Files, I really was hoping luna would be a more interesting character. At least she has reasons to be how she is.

    I felt the book set an unrealistic pace as well. Started of amazing, then at approx the 50% mark, dropped and started to explain character histories and motivations, then left a big finish in the end.

    All that being said, I'll still check out the next books 'cause i enjoy this one, it just felt a bit lacking (to me).