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The Accidental Turn #2
The Forgotten Tale
Forsyth Turn has finally become a hero—however reluctantly. But now that Lucy Piper has married him and they’ve started a family in her world, his adventuring days are behind him. Yet not all is as it should be. Beloved novels are disappearing at an alarming rate, not just from the minds of readers like Pip, but from bookshelves as well. Almost as if they had never been. Almost like magic.
Forsyth fears that it is his fault—that Pip’s childhood tales are vanishing because he, a book character, has escaped his pages. But when he and Pip are sucked back into The Tales of Kintyre Turn against their will, they realize that something much more deadly and dire is happening. The stories are vanishing from Forsyth’s world too. So Forsyth sets out on a desperate journey across Hain to discover how, and why, the stories are disappearing… before their own world vanishes forever.
In this clever follow-up to The Untold Tale, The Forgotten Tale questions what it means to create a legacy, and what we owe to those who come after us.
----
Praise for The Accidental Turn series.
If I could mark this as 10/5 stars, I would, but that's impossible, so 5/5 it is, with much hearts and swoons. The Untold Tale is delicious, each word meant to be savoured, breathed in, nibbled at, full of hidden delight and wonder. -- Ana Tan, A Tsp blog
This story is nothing short of fun, unexpected, and a little bit queer. If your interested in a Science Fiction/Fantasy undertaking with all of the ingredients of a queer anthology, The Untold Tale is for you. - Dallas Barnes, PInk Play Magazine
“I started reading Untold Tale, and was captivated. This superb novel grabbed me from the opening sentence, and never let go. The very best fantasy stories show us fresh new settings in which deeds and events matter—but first and foremost, they give us colorful, captivating characters we fall in love with, or love to hate, or are fascinated by.
Untold Tale does all of this, and more. We see someone from a world we know plunged into a world that is strange to us, through the eyes of that unfamiliar world. And we care what happens to her, and to everyone we meet in Untold Tale’s pages.
And the whole tale is several clever twists on the oh-so-familiar fantasies we’ve read before.
I want more. Books more” —Ed Greenwood, Forgotten Realms
I think that J.M. Frey's The Untold Tale is the most important work of fantasy written in 2015. It may be the most important work of fantasy written this decade, but I'll have to get back to you on that in 2020. -- Mike Perschon, PhD
Forsyth fears that it is his fault—that Pip’s childhood tales are vanishing because he, a book character, has escaped his pages. But when he and Pip are sucked back into The Tales of Kintyre Turn against their will, they realize that something much more deadly and dire is happening. The stories are vanishing from Forsyth’s world too. So Forsyth sets out on a desperate journey across Hain to discover how, and why, the stories are disappearing… before their own world vanishes forever.
In this clever follow-up to The Untold Tale, The Forgotten Tale questions what it means to create a legacy, and what we owe to those who come after us.
----
Praise for The Accidental Turn series.
If I could mark this as 10/5 stars, I would, but that's impossible, so 5/5 it is, with much hearts and swoons. The Untold Tale is delicious, each word meant to be savoured, breathed in, nibbled at, full of hidden delight and wonder. -- Ana Tan, A Tsp blog
This story is nothing short of fun, unexpected, and a little bit queer. If your interested in a Science Fiction/Fantasy undertaking with all of the ingredients of a queer anthology, The Untold Tale is for you. - Dallas Barnes, PInk Play Magazine
“I started reading Untold Tale, and was captivated. This superb novel grabbed me from the opening sentence, and never let go. The very best fantasy stories show us fresh new settings in which deeds and events matter—but first and foremost, they give us colorful, captivating characters we fall in love with, or love to hate, or are fascinated by.
Untold Tale does all of this, and more. We see someone from a world we know plunged into a world that is strange to us, through the eyes of that unfamiliar world. And we care what happens to her, and to everyone we meet in Untold Tale’s pages.
And the whole tale is several clever twists on the oh-so-familiar fantasies we’ve read before.
I want more. Books more” —Ed Greenwood, Forgotten Realms
I think that J.M. Frey's The Untold Tale is the most important work of fantasy written in 2015. It may be the most important work of fantasy written this decade, but I'll have to get back to you on that in 2020. -- Mike Perschon, PhD
- GenresFantasy
460 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2016
About the author
J.M. Frey
30 books174 followersFrey is an award-winning author and lapsed academic. She spent three years as the entertainment contributor on AMI Radio's Live From Studio 5 morning show, and was an occasional talking head in documentaries and on the SPACE Channel's premier chat show InnerSPACE. She holds a BA in Dramatic Literature and an MA in Communications Culture, and has lectured at conferences and conventions all around the world. Frey is also a professional voice actor, appearing in commercial jingles and animated television shows.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 2, 2016
Have you ever thought about your book friends coming to life? What would the world be like if some of our favorite characters walked our streets? Would they possess their same traits? What if they met their creator? What if they weren’t happy with how their creator handled their story? Would the balance of the universe, history and the world of literature be tilted or skewed? Forsyth Turn, a secondary character in The Tales of Kintyre Turn by author Elgar Reed has outgrown the character he was created to be. Like father and son, his relationship with Elgar is one of misunderstanding, lack of trust and maybe a healthy dose of resentment and fear.
Now a father and husband, Forsyth is the first to notice that great literary classics of fantasy are suddenly disappearing from history, but how and why? Is it magic or something far more sinister? There may be only one way to find the truth and it involves returning to the fantasy world he came from, willingly or not.
Is the legacy that books have left for us being destroyed? What will stop the unraveling of some of the greatest tales ever told? If Forsyth’s tale is lost, what will it mean for him?
Follow Pip, Forsyth and their beautiful little girl as they travel to places far and wide in the world of Hain before all stories from everywhere vanish and Forsyth’s world will disappear.
Quirky characters, hidden secrets, fascinating twists and the amazing imagination of author J.M. Frey bring THE FORGOTTEN TALE to life, but for how long? A strong and snarky heroine, a character who actually became a true hero and a race for survival against an unknown destroyer, my fingers are crossed that they will succeed or I’ll never be able read this well-told tale or write this review!
I received an ARC edition from J.M. Frey in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Accidental Turn - Book 2
Publisher: REUTS Publications, LLC. (December 6, 2016)
Publication Date: December 6, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 398 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Now a father and husband, Forsyth is the first to notice that great literary classics of fantasy are suddenly disappearing from history, but how and why? Is it magic or something far more sinister? There may be only one way to find the truth and it involves returning to the fantasy world he came from, willingly or not.
Is the legacy that books have left for us being destroyed? What will stop the unraveling of some of the greatest tales ever told? If Forsyth’s tale is lost, what will it mean for him?
Follow Pip, Forsyth and their beautiful little girl as they travel to places far and wide in the world of Hain before all stories from everywhere vanish and Forsyth’s world will disappear.
Quirky characters, hidden secrets, fascinating twists and the amazing imagination of author J.M. Frey bring THE FORGOTTEN TALE to life, but for how long? A strong and snarky heroine, a character who actually became a true hero and a race for survival against an unknown destroyer, my fingers are crossed that they will succeed or I’ll never be able read this well-told tale or write this review!
I received an ARC edition from J.M. Frey in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Accidental Turn - Book 2
Publisher: REUTS Publications, LLC. (December 6, 2016)
Publication Date: December 6, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 398 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
January 12, 2018
4,25 stars - English ebook - I have dyslexia. -
Sleep now, my baby,
And hear my sweet ryhme :
The writter will
Come to us all in his time.-
Just read it yourself and be swept into a different world. 🌹
Sleep now, my baby,
And hear my sweet ryhme :
The writter will
Come to us all in his time.-
Just read it yourself and be swept into a different world. 🌹
October 24, 2016
I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
The first book of the series, "The Untold Tale", was one of my top favorite books of 2015. It had everything I loved in a good fantasy. Diverse characters, a strong heroine, a protagonist who never considered himself a hero and it was also the first book I've ever read in meta-fiction.
So of course I had to get my grabby hands on the sequel!
After the events of the first book, Forsyth and Pip have settled in their new lives, which is full of love and family. But when classic masterpieces of books start to disappear and also Pip begins to forget they ever existed, Forsyth will have to gather every wit he has in order to solve this mystery.
I admit that J. M. Frey had me when she mentioned that "Peter Pan" and "Game of Thrones" disappeared (and not only the books, the movies too!). As a person who grew with a book on my lap and the classic games of Disney, the old ones, I was horrified even with the possibility to face such a trial.
When circumstances force our heroes, and a tiny sweet addition, back to Forsyth's story, then we come across with the principal of legacy. It's there, under the quick sass and the humor I've come to love in Frey's stories, laced with tropes you can see in many different YA but in this case they come unhinged! I loved how expanded the wolrd-building became! We have adventures into forests, the sea, even the sky!
There are many new characters in this book and each one of them is amazing and well-written with flaws and intense character growth.
And while the story was not so focused into Forsyth and Pip like the first book, they still are my favorite couple. Not perfect but they complete each other in a sweet, unique way I'd love to read in more books.
"The Forgotten Tale" is a worthy sequel of the first book and after the cliffhanger I got to read in the final pages, I can only beg J. M. Frey to create a "Game of Thrones" battlefield in Canada! Recommended a thousand times! ;)
The first book of the series, "The Untold Tale", was one of my top favorite books of 2015. It had everything I loved in a good fantasy. Diverse characters, a strong heroine, a protagonist who never considered himself a hero and it was also the first book I've ever read in meta-fiction.
So of course I had to get my grabby hands on the sequel!
After the events of the first book, Forsyth and Pip have settled in their new lives, which is full of love and family. But when classic masterpieces of books start to disappear and also Pip begins to forget they ever existed, Forsyth will have to gather every wit he has in order to solve this mystery.
I admit that J. M. Frey had me when she mentioned that "Peter Pan" and "Game of Thrones" disappeared (and not only the books, the movies too!). As a person who grew with a book on my lap and the classic games of Disney, the old ones, I was horrified even with the possibility to face such a trial.
When circumstances force our heroes, and a tiny sweet addition, back to Forsyth's story, then we come across with the principal of legacy. It's there, under the quick sass and the humor I've come to love in Frey's stories, laced with tropes you can see in many different YA but in this case they come unhinged! I loved how expanded the wolrd-building became! We have adventures into forests, the sea, even the sky!
There are many new characters in this book and each one of them is amazing and well-written with flaws and intense character growth.
And while the story was not so focused into Forsyth and Pip like the first book, they still are my favorite couple. Not perfect but they complete each other in a sweet, unique way I'd love to read in more books.
"The Forgotten Tale" is a worthy sequel of the first book and after the cliffhanger I got to read in the final pages, I can only beg J. M. Frey to create a "Game of Thrones" battlefield in Canada! Recommended a thousand times! ;)
November 26, 2016
J. M. Frey’s meta-fantasy series is back with more adventure, emotion and much-needed diversity and literary callouts in classic fantasy. I was sent an ARC of the second book in The Accidental Turn series to review and yes yes yes! I LOVED The Untold Tale (review), so I was beyond excited to read the sequel - and it didn’t disappoint!
Forsyth Turn is back as the lovable, sensitive narrator and, as with first book, the art of fantasy storytelling is explored with a brilliant cast of diversity. He is also back with an intriguing mystery where novels are disappearing from shelves and people’s minds - which is too scary to think about tbh! J. M. Frey did a great job of returning to her world and continuing her unique fantasy injected with feminism and heart.
Two great new main characters were introduced - one who stirs the story right up and one who is cute as hell. No spoilers of who they are, but they worked brilliantly to keep the story fresh and bring a new angle to the series.
If you’re looking for an original fantasy series with such an amazing plot, you HAVE to read this series. I can’t recommend it enough. It breaks the fourth wall of storytelling in a way that makes you think, while enjoying a fantasy adventure with characters so engaging you can’t help but be invested in their tale.
Thank you again J. M. Frey for letting me read your book early!
Forsyth Turn is back as the lovable, sensitive narrator and, as with first book, the art of fantasy storytelling is explored with a brilliant cast of diversity. He is also back with an intriguing mystery where novels are disappearing from shelves and people’s minds - which is too scary to think about tbh! J. M. Frey did a great job of returning to her world and continuing her unique fantasy injected with feminism and heart.
Two great new main characters were introduced - one who stirs the story right up and one who is cute as hell. No spoilers of who they are, but they worked brilliantly to keep the story fresh and bring a new angle to the series.
If you’re looking for an original fantasy series with such an amazing plot, you HAVE to read this series. I can’t recommend it enough. It breaks the fourth wall of storytelling in a way that makes you think, while enjoying a fantasy adventure with characters so engaging you can’t help but be invested in their tale.
Thank you again J. M. Frey for letting me read your book early!
December 6, 2016
The Forgotten Tales starts off in Canada, with Pip, Forsyth and their daughter, Alis. They are doing alright for themselves.Forsyth does get homesick, once in a while, even though Pip goes out of her way to make his favorite dishes and wants him to write down the nursery rhymes that he sings to Alis.
The only bane in their otherwise peaceful existence is The Writer, Elgar Reed, the author of The Tales of Kintyre Turn. He is trying to for a relationship with Pip, Forsyth and Alis…ever since he found out that Forsyth was actually from the book. Forsyth refuses to have anything to do with him. The reason? Well because Forsyth is unbelievably angry at him for how his character was written in the book. To be honest, even though Forsyth had every reason to be angry at Elgar, I did think he went a little over the edge. All Elgar wanted to be was his friend and wanted to know more about him. But going over the line and stalking him….well, that’s not cool.
While all this is happening, a very angry Deal-Maker named Solinde is going around Hain and causing all sorts of havoc there. She is stealing people’s magic and Words and using them to destroy totems. She is destroying them to get someone she had lost back. But the more totems she destroys, the more upset and angry she gets. She also blames Kintyre and Bevel for her misery and is hatching a plan to get back at them.
As that is happening in Hain, Forsyth notices something very strange happening in his new world. Books are disappearing at an alarming rate and people are forgetting that they even exist. Pip thinks that he is slowly losing it, seeing that she doesn’t remember the books. Seeing that he will have no support in Pip, he makes a phone call the Elgar Reed. And Elgar Reed is seeing the same thing that Forsyth is.
Pip is none too thrilled to have Reed at her house but once she realizes that if Reed’s story disappears, she will lose them both, she changes her tune. Just as Reed offers to write Forsyth back into the book, they are pulled back into the book.
We find out that Kintyre has a son, named Wyndam and the result of a tryst between himself and Isobin, a pirate. Wyndam has called a Deal Maker to summon Forsyth back home so Wyndam can go adventuring with his father. Unfortunately, the Deal Maker that he summons is Solinde and that didn’t go very well.
I am not going to go into the book from this point on. We do see more of Bevel and Kintyre’s relationship (which was awesome to have a LGBT relationship featured so heavily in this book). We also get a closer look at the relationships that the children (Wyndam and Alis) have with each of their parents and parent’s partners.
There are unexpected allies and a very unexpected villain that shows up. To say I was shocked when the villain made and appearance and took over Solinde’s place would be an understatement.
The ending was fantastic and I loved it!!! The author couldn’t have written a better ending!! And the last chapter really has me looking forward to the next book!!!
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
The only bane in their otherwise peaceful existence is The Writer, Elgar Reed, the author of The Tales of Kintyre Turn. He is trying to for a relationship with Pip, Forsyth and Alis…ever since he found out that Forsyth was actually from the book. Forsyth refuses to have anything to do with him. The reason? Well because Forsyth is unbelievably angry at him for how his character was written in the book. To be honest, even though Forsyth had every reason to be angry at Elgar, I did think he went a little over the edge. All Elgar wanted to be was his friend and wanted to know more about him. But going over the line and stalking him….well, that’s not cool.
While all this is happening, a very angry Deal-Maker named Solinde is going around Hain and causing all sorts of havoc there. She is stealing people’s magic and Words and using them to destroy totems. She is destroying them to get someone she had lost back. But the more totems she destroys, the more upset and angry she gets. She also blames Kintyre and Bevel for her misery and is hatching a plan to get back at them.
As that is happening in Hain, Forsyth notices something very strange happening in his new world. Books are disappearing at an alarming rate and people are forgetting that they even exist. Pip thinks that he is slowly losing it, seeing that she doesn’t remember the books. Seeing that he will have no support in Pip, he makes a phone call the Elgar Reed. And Elgar Reed is seeing the same thing that Forsyth is.
Pip is none too thrilled to have Reed at her house but once she realizes that if Reed’s story disappears, she will lose them both, she changes her tune. Just as Reed offers to write Forsyth back into the book, they are pulled back into the book.
We find out that Kintyre has a son, named Wyndam and the result of a tryst between himself and Isobin, a pirate. Wyndam has called a Deal Maker to summon Forsyth back home so Wyndam can go adventuring with his father. Unfortunately, the Deal Maker that he summons is Solinde and that didn’t go very well.
I am not going to go into the book from this point on. We do see more of Bevel and Kintyre’s relationship (which was awesome to have a LGBT relationship featured so heavily in this book). We also get a closer look at the relationships that the children (Wyndam and Alis) have with each of their parents and parent’s partners.
There are unexpected allies and a very unexpected villain that shows up. To say I was shocked when the villain made and appearance and took over Solinde’s place would be an understatement.
The ending was fantastic and I loved it!!! The author couldn’t have written a better ending!! And the last chapter really has me looking forward to the next book!!!
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
April 13, 2017
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of The Forgotten Tale right after finishing the first book in the series, The Untold Tale, so I was able to dive right in. Let me tell you that this book does not disappoint. As far as sequels go, I will say that I believe this book to just as strong and compelling as the first in the series.
The Forgotten Tale continues to explore themes of readership and authorship, questioning the idea of story itself. It really explores the relationship that readers form with stories. The book also openly acknowledges and pushes back against popular fantasy tropes, which, for someone who reads a lot of fantasy, was delightful. I could definitely see myself teaching this book in a fantasy class, a women and gender studies class, or even a class about narrative.
One of my other favorite things about The Forgotten Tale is the diversity. It is rare to find a book that so seamlessly integrates diverse characters into the narrative. Nearly every major character is marginalized in some way. The book is especially good at critiquing the sexism so present in much of classic fantasy. I found this story to be incredibly empowering as a woman. I really look forward to reading the third book in the series.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of The Forgotten Tale right after finishing the first book in the series, The Untold Tale, so I was able to dive right in. Let me tell you that this book does not disappoint. As far as sequels go, I will say that I believe this book to just as strong and compelling as the first in the series.
The Forgotten Tale continues to explore themes of readership and authorship, questioning the idea of story itself. It really explores the relationship that readers form with stories. The book also openly acknowledges and pushes back against popular fantasy tropes, which, for someone who reads a lot of fantasy, was delightful. I could definitely see myself teaching this book in a fantasy class, a women and gender studies class, or even a class about narrative.
One of my other favorite things about The Forgotten Tale is the diversity. It is rare to find a book that so seamlessly integrates diverse characters into the narrative. Nearly every major character is marginalized in some way. The book is especially good at critiquing the sexism so present in much of classic fantasy. I found this story to be incredibly empowering as a woman. I really look forward to reading the third book in the series.
October 6, 2016
Y'all. Y'ALL. I'm obsessed and a good thing too because I get to talk about this book for the next two months*. IT IS SO GOOD.
More detailed review coming at a later date but DAMN.
*Disclaimer, I'm the Marketing Director for this book's publisher.
More detailed review coming at a later date but DAMN.
*Disclaimer, I'm the Marketing Director for this book's publisher.
June 17, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
I got an ARC of the first book in this series last year, and absolutely loved it. So when I was offered a chance to review this one as well, I jumped at the chance, but the eagerness was mixed with a bit of nervousness. I think that slight worry is always there when you pick up the sequel to one of your favourite books: what if it’s not as good this time? Anyway, two minutes into The Forgotten Turn I knew I was going to love it every bit as much. Once again, this was a beautiful, exciting and heartwarming story that sends up fantasy tropes while demonstrating great love and respect for the genre.
Forsyth and Pip’s little daughter was so great! I love babies, and I can’t remember the last time I read a fantasy novel that portrays them so realistically. Alis was never shoved off to the sidelines so her parents could get on with the plot, and I never had to wonder about where she was, who was watching her, or any of the other logistics involved in caring for a small human. She was charming and adorable in exactly the way real babies are, and you could see her parents glowing with how much they loved her.
In fact, all the family relationships were excellent. Pip and Forsyth, and Bevel and Kintyre, have been together for a couple of years at this point, and both couples are so freaking married – comfortable, domestic, a great team and still giddy in love. And Kintyre has a son! The relationship between Wyndam and his father and stepfather is complicated, but everyone cares and everyone is trying (well … Wyndam isn’t trying with Bevel to start with, but he is just a teenager). Forsyth and Kintyre resolved a lot of their issues in the last book, and I really enjoyed getting to see them interact as loving, supportive brothers. Of course, not everything between them is resolved, and I also liked the way they had to struggle to avoid slipping back into their old unhealthy patterns. With pretty decent success overall, though they did end up having a literal screaming row at the worst possible time (omg guys, priorities).
And the relationship that’s growing between Forsyth and his author, Elgar Reed! I was so intrigued by their brief meeting at the end of the last book, and I couldn’t be happier with how it developed. Elgar is powerfully fascinated by Forsyth (wouldn’t you be if one of your characters came to life?!), and wants to get to know him and be part of his life, especially since Forsyth is the closest thing he’s got to a son. Forsyth, meanwhile, resents Elgar because he reminds him so much of his abusive father and because he knows that every bad thing that ever happened to him is genuinely Elgar’s fault. But the man genuinely cares for Forsyth and is the only person in the world besides Pip who understands the situation he’s in, so when weird shit starts going down, he’s the one Forsyth turns to. And it’s great.
Awesome job on the weird shit, by the way. Forsyth gradually figuring out what’s gone missing from the world and realising he, Elgar and baby Alis are the only ones who can tell anything’s wrong was very Twilight Zone. And the way it corresponded with what was happening in Forsyth’s home world was very fitting.
This series does a great job at delving into the culture shock that would be bound to happen when characters travel between worlds. Forsyth is happy to be with Pip, he loves the modern world she lives in with computers and public education and healthcare, but it’s not his home. He’s incredibly isolated from everything he used to know – no-one else has ever heard of the nursery rhymes he sings to his daughter, he had to learn how to use everything from cars to computers, the food and festivals are all different. Pip is a wonderfully supportive partner in all of this, and when they end up back in Forsyth’s home world she’s happy for him but also terrified he might want to stay. (And it’s mentioned that Forsyth is in therapy, which is … interesting. Like, I definitely see the need and it’s great that his therapist seems to be helping him, but what is he telling her? If he told the whole story, she’d think he was psychotic (in the medical sense of the word, his story about coming from a fictional world sounds like a delusion), but how can he be honest enough about his issues for therapy to do any good while concealing something that big? I’m not saying it’s a plot hole, I’m sure he and Pip figured something out, but it’s something I wish had been explored more.)
I loved this book as much as the first one. This series is amazing and I highly recommend it to all fantasy fans, especially the kind who enjoy meta.
I got an ARC of the first book in this series last year, and absolutely loved it. So when I was offered a chance to review this one as well, I jumped at the chance, but the eagerness was mixed with a bit of nervousness. I think that slight worry is always there when you pick up the sequel to one of your favourite books: what if it’s not as good this time? Anyway, two minutes into The Forgotten Turn I knew I was going to love it every bit as much. Once again, this was a beautiful, exciting and heartwarming story that sends up fantasy tropes while demonstrating great love and respect for the genre.
Forsyth and Pip’s little daughter was so great! I love babies, and I can’t remember the last time I read a fantasy novel that portrays them so realistically. Alis was never shoved off to the sidelines so her parents could get on with the plot, and I never had to wonder about where she was, who was watching her, or any of the other logistics involved in caring for a small human. She was charming and adorable in exactly the way real babies are, and you could see her parents glowing with how much they loved her.
In fact, all the family relationships were excellent. Pip and Forsyth, and Bevel and Kintyre, have been together for a couple of years at this point, and both couples are so freaking married – comfortable, domestic, a great team and still giddy in love. And Kintyre has a son! The relationship between Wyndam and his father and stepfather is complicated, but everyone cares and everyone is trying (well … Wyndam isn’t trying with Bevel to start with, but he is just a teenager). Forsyth and Kintyre resolved a lot of their issues in the last book, and I really enjoyed getting to see them interact as loving, supportive brothers. Of course, not everything between them is resolved, and I also liked the way they had to struggle to avoid slipping back into their old unhealthy patterns. With pretty decent success overall, though they did end up having a literal screaming row at the worst possible time (omg guys, priorities).
And the relationship that’s growing between Forsyth and his author, Elgar Reed! I was so intrigued by their brief meeting at the end of the last book, and I couldn’t be happier with how it developed. Elgar is powerfully fascinated by Forsyth (wouldn’t you be if one of your characters came to life?!), and wants to get to know him and be part of his life, especially since Forsyth is the closest thing he’s got to a son. Forsyth, meanwhile, resents Elgar because he reminds him so much of his abusive father and because he knows that every bad thing that ever happened to him is genuinely Elgar’s fault. But the man genuinely cares for Forsyth and is the only person in the world besides Pip who understands the situation he’s in, so when weird shit starts going down, he’s the one Forsyth turns to. And it’s great.
Awesome job on the weird shit, by the way. Forsyth gradually figuring out what’s gone missing from the world and realising he, Elgar and baby Alis are the only ones who can tell anything’s wrong was very Twilight Zone. And the way it corresponded with what was happening in Forsyth’s home world was very fitting.
This series does a great job at delving into the culture shock that would be bound to happen when characters travel between worlds. Forsyth is happy to be with Pip, he loves the modern world she lives in with computers and public education and healthcare, but it’s not his home. He’s incredibly isolated from everything he used to know – no-one else has ever heard of the nursery rhymes he sings to his daughter, he had to learn how to use everything from cars to computers, the food and festivals are all different. Pip is a wonderfully supportive partner in all of this, and when they end up back in Forsyth’s home world she’s happy for him but also terrified he might want to stay. (And it’s mentioned that Forsyth is in therapy, which is … interesting. Like, I definitely see the need and it’s great that his therapist seems to be helping him, but what is he telling her? If he told the whole story, she’d think he was psychotic (in the medical sense of the word, his story about coming from a fictional world sounds like a delusion), but how can he be honest enough about his issues for therapy to do any good while concealing something that big? I’m not saying it’s a plot hole, I’m sure he and Pip figured something out, but it’s something I wish had been explored more.)
I loved this book as much as the first one. This series is amazing and I highly recommend it to all fantasy fans, especially the kind who enjoy meta.
October 28, 2016
This was a really enjoyable read, actually.
This second instalment brings with it all the self-awareness of the first, pointing out the problematic tropes of fantasy fiction by subverting or just outright criticising them. Pip's rants are like Book Twitter distilled into character form -- every angry reader who wants to see themselves better represented, everyone who has ever finished a book and been disappointed. She walks straight into the middle of a story and demands better from it. Demands that it doesn't silence its only black character. Demands that its mothers have their own stories.
But Forsyth has also grown into his role as a social justice warrior, and while he's not always as forthright as his wife, he still has a particular tenacity when it comes to wanting his world to be better. I especially liked his determination not to give into toxic masculinity, and to allow his nephew to express his feelings; I think that's something that deserves more screentime in fantasy and so on.
Frey does a masterful job of balancing an ensemble cast. It helps that this is a sequel so there are fewer new characters to try and keep track of, but nevertheless, the characters are all distinct and developed, each with their various idiosyncrasies. I have a soft spot for Wyndham, though it's hard to tell how much that's just because he's the closest to me in age. The book also prominently featured Alis, Forsyth and Pip's daughter, who is not yet a toddler -- and while it doesn't overlook the difficulties of carting a baby around, she manages to be somewhat engaging even for a reader like me (I'm not wild about babies). Then again, they don't smell or make loud noises through the pages of a book, so that would probably explain it.
In many ways the feminist elements of this book are subtler than the first one, or perhaps I was just expecting them this time. They're not presented in such solid chunks of ranting, but are more about plot and smaller bits of dialogue. What does take centre stage is the notion of reading, and the power of interpretation and belief -- faith that a hero beats a villain in the end. The characters are aware of themselves as featuring in a sequel, and they respond accordingly, yet where this might have seemed contrived it somehow worked.
It's difficult not to draw a few comparisons with Inkheart again, especially with Elgar trying to find the right words to fix things like Fenoglio frantically patching up his own world. This is a more adult story, and it's taking a different approach to the idea of being inside a fictional world, but I feel like people who grew up loving Inkheart because they wanted to be able to go into their favourite books might well enjoy this one.
Some of the time I felt that the book was a little long -- like the first one, it's a pretty sizeable tome, although I don't know the page count. And part of that was because of the dramatic irony of knowing far more than the characters, so not having the same sense of tension about trying to find out the truth. That said, when the end came I still found myself sad that it was over (even though it's 2:36am and I definitely should have gone to bed and finished it in the morning. I MAKE POOR LIFE CHOICES). I think I'm mostly just not used to reading longer fiction these days because I tend to opt for quick reads.
Anyway, I would hazard that I enjoyed this more than the first: I knew what to expect, and it also played more closely to my tastes (plus, very little explicit sex). If you're into self-aware fantasy that isn't afraid to dig into the issues of the genre, this could be a series for you.
This second instalment brings with it all the self-awareness of the first, pointing out the problematic tropes of fantasy fiction by subverting or just outright criticising them. Pip's rants are like Book Twitter distilled into character form -- every angry reader who wants to see themselves better represented, everyone who has ever finished a book and been disappointed. She walks straight into the middle of a story and demands better from it. Demands that it doesn't silence its only black character. Demands that its mothers have their own stories.
But Forsyth has also grown into his role as a social justice warrior, and while he's not always as forthright as his wife, he still has a particular tenacity when it comes to wanting his world to be better. I especially liked his determination not to give into toxic masculinity, and to allow his nephew to express his feelings; I think that's something that deserves more screentime in fantasy and so on.
Frey does a masterful job of balancing an ensemble cast. It helps that this is a sequel so there are fewer new characters to try and keep track of, but nevertheless, the characters are all distinct and developed, each with their various idiosyncrasies. I have a soft spot for Wyndham, though it's hard to tell how much that's just because he's the closest to me in age. The book also prominently featured Alis, Forsyth and Pip's daughter, who is not yet a toddler -- and while it doesn't overlook the difficulties of carting a baby around, she manages to be somewhat engaging even for a reader like me (I'm not wild about babies). Then again, they don't smell or make loud noises through the pages of a book, so that would probably explain it.
In many ways the feminist elements of this book are subtler than the first one, or perhaps I was just expecting them this time. They're not presented in such solid chunks of ranting, but are more about plot and smaller bits of dialogue. What does take centre stage is the notion of reading, and the power of interpretation and belief -- faith that a hero beats a villain in the end. The characters are aware of themselves as featuring in a sequel, and they respond accordingly, yet where this might have seemed contrived it somehow worked.
It's difficult not to draw a few comparisons with Inkheart again, especially with Elgar trying to find the right words to fix things like Fenoglio frantically patching up his own world. This is a more adult story, and it's taking a different approach to the idea of being inside a fictional world, but I feel like people who grew up loving Inkheart because they wanted to be able to go into their favourite books might well enjoy this one.
Some of the time I felt that the book was a little long -- like the first one, it's a pretty sizeable tome, although I don't know the page count. And part of that was because of the dramatic irony of knowing far more than the characters, so not having the same sense of tension about trying to find out the truth. That said, when the end came I still found myself sad that it was over (even though it's 2:36am and I definitely should have gone to bed and finished it in the morning. I MAKE POOR LIFE CHOICES). I think I'm mostly just not used to reading longer fiction these days because I tend to opt for quick reads.
Anyway, I would hazard that I enjoyed this more than the first: I knew what to expect, and it also played more closely to my tastes (plus, very little explicit sex). If you're into self-aware fantasy that isn't afraid to dig into the issues of the genre, this could be a series for you.
December 13, 2017
After reading The Untold Tale just a couple of days ago, I was really looking forward to the second installment of Pip and Forsyth's story. The Forgotten Tale does not disappoint. What a clever way to write the second book of a series! Again, we see a lot of trope challenging and blatant acknowledgement of writing realities. The lives of secondary characters will never, ever be the same for any writer who reads this tale!
As with the first book, I am really impressed by the cleverness of the storyline. Using traditional plots and fiction writing structure in such a fresh, unexpected way was a delight to read. And, I will admit, there is no small amount of admiration and wistful thinking on my part that Pip's formal education is actually in reading and analyzing fantasy writing. How amazing would that be!
Pip is a glorious character with her cleverness, her blunt way of speaking, and this unquenchable fire inside her that has carried her through horrific events that would absolutely break the vast majority of us. I adore her.
However, I will admit that Forsyth is far and away my favorite character of all time - and that's saying a lot! He is everything I think the best kind of people are. He is clever, insightful, empathetic, compassionate, constantly seeking to learn more and better himself, honest, willing to admit to mistakes and faults, highly skilled and capable, and, quite frankly, his devotion to his wife and child are utterly heart-melting. I don't care what gender, color, ethnicity you are or what planet, realm, or world you're from, these are the makings of a wonderful person.
This story was a bit harder on my heart than the first novel, because of the involvement of a baby. As a mother of a precious, precocious, fiery little girl myself, felt immediately drawn to Alis and so was very affected by the things she experienced.
I love how this story reaches out and grabs you. I am very excited for the third installment!
As with the first book, I am really impressed by the cleverness of the storyline. Using traditional plots and fiction writing structure in such a fresh, unexpected way was a delight to read. And, I will admit, there is no small amount of admiration and wistful thinking on my part that Pip's formal education is actually in reading and analyzing fantasy writing. How amazing would that be!
Pip is a glorious character with her cleverness, her blunt way of speaking, and this unquenchable fire inside her that has carried her through horrific events that would absolutely break the vast majority of us. I adore her.
However, I will admit that Forsyth is far and away my favorite character of all time - and that's saying a lot! He is everything I think the best kind of people are. He is clever, insightful, empathetic, compassionate, constantly seeking to learn more and better himself, honest, willing to admit to mistakes and faults, highly skilled and capable, and, quite frankly, his devotion to his wife and child are utterly heart-melting. I don't care what gender, color, ethnicity you are or what planet, realm, or world you're from, these are the makings of a wonderful person.
This story was a bit harder on my heart than the first novel, because of the involvement of a baby. As a mother of a precious, precocious, fiery little girl myself, felt immediately drawn to Alis and so was very affected by the things she experienced.
I love how this story reaches out and grabs you. I am very excited for the third installment!
February 7, 2017
Time to get Turnt!
(I am sorry for that beginning)
So, after reading The Untold Tale, I was ready for part 2. Whereas part 1 wasn't perfect, I still liked it and the characters. I got the email telling me I could get a free copy for an honest review and I yelled: "YES!!!"
Well, they're back!
This story takes place two years after part 1. Forysth, or Seth, is living with Pip and their daughter Alis in Canada. He's left Hain behind him, but that doesn't mean he's forgotten about it. The first thing I loved is that they still celebrate holidays from Hain, and that they have pictures of Hain on the wall... basically, that they haven't forgotten Hain and Forysth's background.
I was happy to see that all that stuff isn't the only nod to part 1 and Hain. Pip goes to a therapist to help her work out her problems caused by her stay in Hain. Sure, I assume she must lie to her therapist about what happened, but I'm happy that Frey didn't ignore that Pip went through a lot in part 1.
Another thing I love is that Forysth is a hacker.
Then there's Reed. The way Forysth and Pip handled that was so realistic and amazing. Whereas, just like Forysth, I ended up forgiving Reed, I was so happy to see he didn't get transported to Hain with them.
And apparently, Hain hasn't changed a lot. They just fell back into that world after they found out that books are missing from the Writer's Realm, and only Forysth, Alis, and Reed can remember them. Turns out a Deal-Maker brought them there. The new narration style with alternating between POVs threw me off guard, but after a while I got it. It was really interesting to see the story from the villian's POV.
And then there's Kintyre (and I guess Bevel's) son. I did not see that coming.
Like I said, Hain hasn't changed that much and therefor, Pip isn't surprised to see the sexism and racism still exists. And now, Forysth can see it too.
THE META WAS BACK AND I LOVED IT!
This does lead me to one thing that bothered me in the first book: it feels like the feminism tends to be exclusive. This book really looks down on mothers. Whereas Pip is absolutely right that it's overly sexist that women are only used as plot devices for men by being lovers that can be taken from them or by being mothers, I didn't like that the moment a woman showed motherly characteristics, Pip and Forysth bashed her.
This left me really conflicted, because Pip is absolutely right by pointing out this sexist flaw in fantasy fiction, but the "I'm not like other girls!!!" thing was back, this time with its thrilling sequel: "I'm not like other girls, cuz I'm not a MOTHER!!!! I'M IN-DE-PENDANT!!! WOOH!"
Apart from that, I actually preferred this book over part 1. I read this in thee days instead of three months, the story was thrilling, the new narration style really added something to the story, the suspense had me on the edge of my seat (or... my bed, actually) (no but really, the part where Pip is terrified of Varnet trying to force him upon her made me so mad, which means Frey accomplished with showing the pure fear), and the new characters were well-written and developed.
There's also a line about how the villians are people whose stories haven't been told or whose stories have been twisted, which reminded me of The Enchantress Returns and Twisted: The Musical, and THANK YOU PIP for pointing that out.
(Really, except for her sometimes exclusive feminism, Pip gives me life. I love her so much.)
I do not agree with Solinde's actions, but I get her motive. The fact that they spared her surprised me (especially after the ending).
One last extra: I love Pointe and I was surprised to read he thought Forysth was dead and that he thought Bevel lied to him to make him feel at ease. I love their friendship and we need more of those platonic bonds in books.
Last but not least, Forysth realising he loves Hain, but that Victoria is his home now was so well-written and it felt so real. I love how he chose family over glory and career. I think this is also really interesting, since in these books, women often have to make this sacrifice. Whereas that's their own choice, it's refreshing to see a man giving up his glory for his family.
This book was really good, and especially after that huge, unexpected, but not unwelcomed cliffhanger, I am ready for part 3.
Oh, and Bevel, you unfortunately can't hack a typewriter.
(I am sorry for that beginning)
So, after reading The Untold Tale, I was ready for part 2. Whereas part 1 wasn't perfect, I still liked it and the characters. I got the email telling me I could get a free copy for an honest review and I yelled: "YES!!!"
Well, they're back!
This story takes place two years after part 1. Forysth, or Seth, is living with Pip and their daughter Alis in Canada. He's left Hain behind him, but that doesn't mean he's forgotten about it. The first thing I loved is that they still celebrate holidays from Hain, and that they have pictures of Hain on the wall... basically, that they haven't forgotten Hain and Forysth's background.
I was happy to see that all that stuff isn't the only nod to part 1 and Hain. Pip goes to a therapist to help her work out her problems caused by her stay in Hain. Sure, I assume she must lie to her therapist about what happened, but I'm happy that Frey didn't ignore that Pip went through a lot in part 1.
Another thing I love is that Forysth is a hacker.
Then there's Reed. The way Forysth and Pip handled that was so realistic and amazing. Whereas, just like Forysth, I ended up forgiving Reed, I was so happy to see he didn't get transported to Hain with them.
And apparently, Hain hasn't changed a lot. They just fell back into that world after they found out that books are missing from the Writer's Realm, and only Forysth, Alis, and Reed can remember them. Turns out a Deal-Maker brought them there. The new narration style with alternating between POVs threw me off guard, but after a while I got it. It was really interesting to see the story from the villian's POV.
And then there's Kintyre (and I guess Bevel's) son. I did not see that coming.
Like I said, Hain hasn't changed that much and therefor, Pip isn't surprised to see the sexism and racism still exists. And now, Forysth can see it too.
THE META WAS BACK AND I LOVED IT!
This does lead me to one thing that bothered me in the first book: it feels like the feminism tends to be exclusive. This book really looks down on mothers. Whereas Pip is absolutely right that it's overly sexist that women are only used as plot devices for men by being lovers that can be taken from them or by being mothers, I didn't like that the moment a woman showed motherly characteristics, Pip and Forysth bashed her.
This left me really conflicted, because Pip is absolutely right by pointing out this sexist flaw in fantasy fiction, but the "I'm not like other girls!!!" thing was back, this time with its thrilling sequel: "I'm not like other girls, cuz I'm not a MOTHER!!!! I'M IN-DE-PENDANT!!! WOOH!"
Apart from that, I actually preferred this book over part 1. I read this in thee days instead of three months, the story was thrilling, the new narration style really added something to the story, the suspense had me on the edge of my seat (or... my bed, actually) (no but really, the part where Pip is terrified of Varnet trying to force him upon her made me so mad, which means Frey accomplished with showing the pure fear), and the new characters were well-written and developed.
There's also a line about how the villians are people whose stories haven't been told or whose stories have been twisted, which reminded me of The Enchantress Returns and Twisted: The Musical, and THANK YOU PIP for pointing that out.
(Really, except for her sometimes exclusive feminism, Pip gives me life. I love her so much.)
I do not agree with Solinde's actions, but I get her motive. The fact that they spared her surprised me (especially after the ending).
One last extra: I love Pointe and I was surprised to read he thought Forysth was dead and that he thought Bevel lied to him to make him feel at ease. I love their friendship and we need more of those platonic bonds in books.
Last but not least, Forysth realising he loves Hain, but that Victoria is his home now was so well-written and it felt so real. I love how he chose family over glory and career. I think this is also really interesting, since in these books, women often have to make this sacrifice. Whereas that's their own choice, it's refreshing to see a man giving up his glory for his family.
This book was really good, and especially after that huge, unexpected, but not unwelcomed cliffhanger, I am ready for part 3.
Oh, and Bevel, you unfortunately can't hack a typewriter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2017
The Forgotten Tale, The Accidental Turn Series Book 2, J.M. Frey
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: LGBTQIA, Sci-fi and Fantasy
Well, I loved book one and it had a proper ending – so how could there be a book two I wondered, and would it live up the the fantastic magics and world building of book one? Well, Book two is a complete one once again ( hurrah) and yes it does live up the the first one ;-)
Once more we meet all the old favourite characters, but two years or so on, so baby Alis had been born to Forsyth and Pip.
They’re living in our world. I hesitate to say the Real world, because even though it came from stories the world Forsyth was born into is very real too.
Forsyth and Pip have settled into a routine, she’s teaching and loves it, Forsyth works from home and looks after baby Alis.
He’s an amazing man, made the best of an awful upbringing in the world of the Tales, forever under Kintyre’s shadow, yet he became a great man to those who lived in his district, set up so many schemes to better peoples daily lives, educate the children, ensure people had homes, and behind all that he worked as the King’s Shadow Hand, a kind of Turnshire MI5 leader....Now in Pip’s world he performing the same kind of role, having taught himself computer skills and working as a kind of super hacker......all very mysterious much like his last role. Then disaster strikes....
Forsyth notices that books are missing, not just from his home but from shops, libraries and the internet, and most importantly they’re gone from peoples memories! How come he’s the only one that recalls them – then Alis gives indications she can too and he’s so relived. He feared moving worlds had damaged him, or that he was going mad, becoming like his father.
What's behind it though and how can he convince Pip its really happening, as she has no memory of the books? Before he really gets a chance to do more than make a few lists the three are whisked back to Turn Hall.
It was great to see old friends, to see the changes in Kintyre and Bevel, to meet Sheriff Pointe again.
There are references to many things that happened in book one, and you’d find it difficult I think to understand this without reading that one.
Kintyre now has a 15 year old son, Wyndham, living with them, his mother was a Pirate leader and dropped him off to live at Turn Hall for a while.
He’s a great lad, but as would happen if this were real, he’s confused, resentful, feels just wrong there.
Kintyre is shocked, didn’t know he was a father and Wyndham just wants the old adventuring person he’d heard about, not this new version, who’s too full of responsibilities to go adventuring. He resents Bevel too, even though the poor man is trying far more than Kintyre (IMO) to be a father to him.
Its another magic filled story, cleverly building on book one and the events that happened there, and pulling Forsyth, Pip, Alis, Kintyre and Bev into another Quest.
Not only do they want to return home, but strange things are happening in this world too, much like the missing books. Forsyth isn’t one to let things like that slide.
I really enjoyed it once more, loved the way Pip works out where they should be and what should happen, and “lazy world-building” she says of the author every now and then, when she feels he’s being predictable or not working hard enough for a solution.
I was a bit confused by Solina at first and how she played into what was happening, but that became clear once the story moved forward.
I think you have to be in the right mind-set to read these stories, and I had to wait a few days til I felt in the mood for a pure fantasy escape, as its so unrelated to reality, so full of magic, superpower swords, spells, talking dragons, red cap gnomes etc that its not good starting unless you’re feeling ready to believe in all these things, to suspend reality for a few hours and let the magic of the stories take you over.
To me both these books are those that are suitable for any age from good YA readers up to those like me far older. A good story appeals to all ages.
Stars: Five, another winning read.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: LGBTQIA, Sci-fi and Fantasy
Well, I loved book one and it had a proper ending – so how could there be a book two I wondered, and would it live up the the fantastic magics and world building of book one? Well, Book two is a complete one once again ( hurrah) and yes it does live up the the first one ;-)
Once more we meet all the old favourite characters, but two years or so on, so baby Alis had been born to Forsyth and Pip.
They’re living in our world. I hesitate to say the Real world, because even though it came from stories the world Forsyth was born into is very real too.
Forsyth and Pip have settled into a routine, she’s teaching and loves it, Forsyth works from home and looks after baby Alis.
He’s an amazing man, made the best of an awful upbringing in the world of the Tales, forever under Kintyre’s shadow, yet he became a great man to those who lived in his district, set up so many schemes to better peoples daily lives, educate the children, ensure people had homes, and behind all that he worked as the King’s Shadow Hand, a kind of Turnshire MI5 leader....Now in Pip’s world he performing the same kind of role, having taught himself computer skills and working as a kind of super hacker......all very mysterious much like his last role. Then disaster strikes....
Forsyth notices that books are missing, not just from his home but from shops, libraries and the internet, and most importantly they’re gone from peoples memories! How come he’s the only one that recalls them – then Alis gives indications she can too and he’s so relived. He feared moving worlds had damaged him, or that he was going mad, becoming like his father.
What's behind it though and how can he convince Pip its really happening, as she has no memory of the books? Before he really gets a chance to do more than make a few lists the three are whisked back to Turn Hall.
It was great to see old friends, to see the changes in Kintyre and Bevel, to meet Sheriff Pointe again.
There are references to many things that happened in book one, and you’d find it difficult I think to understand this without reading that one.
Kintyre now has a 15 year old son, Wyndham, living with them, his mother was a Pirate leader and dropped him off to live at Turn Hall for a while.
He’s a great lad, but as would happen if this were real, he’s confused, resentful, feels just wrong there.
Kintyre is shocked, didn’t know he was a father and Wyndham just wants the old adventuring person he’d heard about, not this new version, who’s too full of responsibilities to go adventuring. He resents Bevel too, even though the poor man is trying far more than Kintyre (IMO) to be a father to him.
Its another magic filled story, cleverly building on book one and the events that happened there, and pulling Forsyth, Pip, Alis, Kintyre and Bev into another Quest.
Not only do they want to return home, but strange things are happening in this world too, much like the missing books. Forsyth isn’t one to let things like that slide.
I really enjoyed it once more, loved the way Pip works out where they should be and what should happen, and “lazy world-building” she says of the author every now and then, when she feels he’s being predictable or not working hard enough for a solution.
I was a bit confused by Solina at first and how she played into what was happening, but that became clear once the story moved forward.
I think you have to be in the right mind-set to read these stories, and I had to wait a few days til I felt in the mood for a pure fantasy escape, as its so unrelated to reality, so full of magic, superpower swords, spells, talking dragons, red cap gnomes etc that its not good starting unless you’re feeling ready to believe in all these things, to suspend reality for a few hours and let the magic of the stories take you over.
To me both these books are those that are suitable for any age from good YA readers up to those like me far older. A good story appeals to all ages.
Stars: Five, another winning read.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher
January 3, 2017
Reviewed for Just Love
Okay, so if you’re reading this I hope you’ve already read The Untold Tale because since this is a continuation from the first book, even the smallest of details could be spoilery. Yes, you will definitely want to have read the first before starting this or I fear even with the brief recaps you’ll be missing a lot. But trust me, The Untold Tale is so worth it and, I believe, an essential part of this series.
After pointing out so many problems with fantasy books, including the written realm where Forsyth comes from, I wasn’t sure how to feel about Pip and Forsyth interacting with the “Writer” Elgar Reed in person. Pip still holds the series that she grew up reading dear to her but she’s able to recognize that these problems were born of Reed’s writing so maybe he’s someone they should be wary of.
I love Forsyth so much. It’s no surprise that he’s an amazing father and husband, and seeing him flourish in a world so new to him makes me very happy. His thoughts on parenting had my heart swelling.
See what I mean? For many reasons, he’s one of my favorite characters I’ve read in quite some time.
There were several funny moments among the peril that they kept finding themselves in. Especially with Pip’s snark, and the brotherly banter between Forsyth and Kintyre. And Kintyre and Bevel are so sweet together! Don’t tell Forsyth but I would totally read a book just about them.
I also liked that Pip and Forsyth would make deals and promises, if possible, rather than resorting to violence when confronted with their nemeses. Pip continues to be a strong, and occasionally hot headed character but it’s good to see a more confident Forsyth stand up to her when need be.
The political messages were a little more blunt in comparison to the first book. I felt that they weren’t incorporated as seamlessly so at times it felt like more of an agenda than a work of fiction that I can use to escape my own reality. Regardless of this, I still love that these issues are being addressed in the first place. I liked reading about characters who have similar values to my own and I felt it made them more relatable to me.
Since Forsyth and Pip’s story continues, their relationship is a lot more HFN than HEA. There will be a third book released at some point in 2017 so it looks like we’ll get to follow this adventurous family for a little longer before they decide to settle down. Two books in and I’m very much enjoying these delightful existential tales of worlds colliding. You should give them a try too!
I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Okay, so if you’re reading this I hope you’ve already read The Untold Tale because since this is a continuation from the first book, even the smallest of details could be spoilery. Yes, you will definitely want to have read the first before starting this or I fear even with the brief recaps you’ll be missing a lot. But trust me, The Untold Tale is so worth it and, I believe, an essential part of this series.
After pointing out so many problems with fantasy books, including the written realm where Forsyth comes from, I wasn’t sure how to feel about Pip and Forsyth interacting with the “Writer” Elgar Reed in person. Pip still holds the series that she grew up reading dear to her but she’s able to recognize that these problems were born of Reed’s writing so maybe he’s someone they should be wary of.
“While it is the books that mesmerized my wife, I cannot stop staring at the paper in my hands. So easy a thing, so small a gesture, and so profound a change it has wrought in its Readers. Is that what being a Writer means? Not the creation, but the way that others are affected when they are done reading what you’ve toiled to create?”
I love Forsyth so much. It’s no surprise that he’s an amazing father and husband, and seeing him flourish in a world so new to him makes me very happy. His thoughts on parenting had my heart swelling.
“I heartily do not understand this mentality that men are incapable of being supportive co-parents. Why, by the Writer, would I ever want to foist my daughter solely onto my wife and have no involvement in her upbringing? She is my daughter.”
See what I mean? For many reasons, he’s one of my favorite characters I’ve read in quite some time.
There were several funny moments among the peril that they kept finding themselves in. Especially with Pip’s snark, and the brotherly banter between Forsyth and Kintyre. And Kintyre and Bevel are so sweet together! Don’t tell Forsyth but I would totally read a book just about them.
I also liked that Pip and Forsyth would make deals and promises, if possible, rather than resorting to violence when confronted with their nemeses. Pip continues to be a strong, and occasionally hot headed character but it’s good to see a more confident Forsyth stand up to her when need be.
The political messages were a little more blunt in comparison to the first book. I felt that they weren’t incorporated as seamlessly so at times it felt like more of an agenda than a work of fiction that I can use to escape my own reality. Regardless of this, I still love that these issues are being addressed in the first place. I liked reading about characters who have similar values to my own and I felt it made them more relatable to me.
Since Forsyth and Pip’s story continues, their relationship is a lot more HFN than HEA. There will be a third book released at some point in 2017 so it looks like we’ll get to follow this adventurous family for a little longer before they decide to settle down. Two books in and I’m very much enjoying these delightful existential tales of worlds colliding. You should give them a try too!
I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 22, 2017
If the first book of the Accidental Turn series reminded me a lot of Lev Grossman’s book The Magicians, then the second book of the series is a lot like Once Upon a Time TV series.
The first book ends when Pip and Forsyth are back in Pip’s world and meeting with the writer and … then in the second book, they are pulled back into Haine world, which means now they have to figure out, why they are there again, why in Pip’s world book are vanishing, why in Forsyth’s world stars are vanishing, who is this who is behind all this and how, if ever, will they get back.
So once again, they go on an adventure, but this time it’s not just Pip and Forsyth and now they are also on a hurry, since all stars have vanished, nobody knows what will happen.
This book version of Once Upon a Time is interesting, but just like TV series, some things are too easy, too predictable.
The first book ends when Pip and Forsyth are back in Pip’s world and meeting with the writer and … then in the second book, they are pulled back into Haine world, which means now they have to figure out, why they are there again, why in Pip’s world book are vanishing, why in Forsyth’s world stars are vanishing, who is this who is behind all this and how, if ever, will they get back.
So once again, they go on an adventure, but this time it’s not just Pip and Forsyth and now they are also on a hurry, since all stars have vanished, nobody knows what will happen.
This book version of Once Upon a Time is interesting, but just like TV series, some things are too easy, too predictable.
March 6, 2017
I have never thought of myself as a fantasy maven, but the last several books I've read are certainly turning me into one. Being a voracious reader can be both a blessing and a curse. Some things may capture the imagination and leave the soul wanting. When that which is read captures imagination and feeds the soul, it is a blessing. A beautifully written adult fantasy such as this seems to be today's epitome of storytelling. Let me be clear, I am saying adult to mean mature not salacious.
If you've read the first book in the series, THE UNTOLD TALE, THE FORGOTTEN TALE will not disappoint. It shows the same richness of detail and fluidity of prose that made the first book so memorable. One of the things I am truly loving about the second book is that it plays well to both the feminist and GLBT market without pandering to either. I really hate to see a book labeled and filed as a niche read when it offers so much to a broad swath of readers. This is such a book.
There is a subtle, but interesting aspect, to this series that offers a blueprint to prospective writers of fantasy for the creation of worlds and characters.
THE FORGOTTEN TALE has all the best elements of the fantasy epic. There is, of course, the struggle between good and evil, and there is a hero written to always succeed. However, along with the requisite adventure quest, there is also a very real-world aspect that delves into relationships between lovers and among family. It is this very real-life side of the book and series that makes it unique in the genre.
I cannot recommend this book, or this series, too highly. In my review of THE UNTOLD TALE, I said, "My perfect book uses language to paint a picture, to evoke a tear, to make me laugh, and to be as close to never ending as possible." This second book in The Accidental Turn series fulfills the promise of the first, and I look forward to the next book in the series with much anticipation.
I downloaded this book from Story Cartel with a promise of a review.
If you've read the first book in the series, THE UNTOLD TALE, THE FORGOTTEN TALE will not disappoint. It shows the same richness of detail and fluidity of prose that made the first book so memorable. One of the things I am truly loving about the second book is that it plays well to both the feminist and GLBT market without pandering to either. I really hate to see a book labeled and filed as a niche read when it offers so much to a broad swath of readers. This is such a book.
There is a subtle, but interesting aspect, to this series that offers a blueprint to prospective writers of fantasy for the creation of worlds and characters.
THE FORGOTTEN TALE has all the best elements of the fantasy epic. There is, of course, the struggle between good and evil, and there is a hero written to always succeed. However, along with the requisite adventure quest, there is also a very real-world aspect that delves into relationships between lovers and among family. It is this very real-life side of the book and series that makes it unique in the genre.
I cannot recommend this book, or this series, too highly. In my review of THE UNTOLD TALE, I said, "My perfect book uses language to paint a picture, to evoke a tear, to make me laugh, and to be as close to never ending as possible." This second book in The Accidental Turn series fulfills the promise of the first, and I look forward to the next book in the series with much anticipation.
I downloaded this book from Story Cartel with a promise of a review.
May 11, 2022
Read my full review at wadingthroughbooks.wordpress.com!
J.M. sent me an e-book ARC in return for a review. This is the second book in the trilogy, and comes after The Untold Tale and Ghosts: An Accidental Turn Novella. I would definitely recommend reading The Untold Tale before reading The Forgotten Tale, as it does rely fairly heavily on what has gone before. Ghosts is more of a bonus–you’ll get by without having read it, but you’ll recognize more if you read it first, especially since it is where Bevel Dom really has a chance to shine.
This book is a great example of how “and they all lived happily ever after” is a cop-out, a phrase that glosses over the reality of what it really takes to make it happy day after day. Yes, both of the Turn brothers have married the loves of their lives, and had children, and settled down into a second line of work that they reasonably enjoy. They are also finding out that love is hard work, and that it requires constant work to stay a happy marriage. For all that Forsyth and Kintyre are very different people who married very different spouses, sometimes they can be remarkably similar, and make similar mistakes with their families which they need to recognize and correct to be both happy and healthy as a family. They are not alone at fault–their family members also need to learn to communicate their needs and listen to what Kintyre and Forsyth need. Pip condemns Forsyth’s anger instead of listening why he is frustrated, and Kintyre’s newest family member causes a great deal of trouble when he glorifies Kintyre’s past adventuring over his daily life of running the Chipping.
They also see the dark side of families, when they meet a relative of an old enemy who threatens their world, out of love for the villain. I won’t give away too much here, but just remember that the best bad guys never stay dead for long. As Buffy Summers told Dracula, “You think I don’t watch your movies? You always come back.”
...to be continued on my blog
J.M. sent me an e-book ARC in return for a review. This is the second book in the trilogy, and comes after The Untold Tale and Ghosts: An Accidental Turn Novella. I would definitely recommend reading The Untold Tale before reading The Forgotten Tale, as it does rely fairly heavily on what has gone before. Ghosts is more of a bonus–you’ll get by without having read it, but you’ll recognize more if you read it first, especially since it is where Bevel Dom really has a chance to shine.
This book is a great example of how “and they all lived happily ever after” is a cop-out, a phrase that glosses over the reality of what it really takes to make it happy day after day. Yes, both of the Turn brothers have married the loves of their lives, and had children, and settled down into a second line of work that they reasonably enjoy. They are also finding out that love is hard work, and that it requires constant work to stay a happy marriage. For all that Forsyth and Kintyre are very different people who married very different spouses, sometimes they can be remarkably similar, and make similar mistakes with their families which they need to recognize and correct to be both happy and healthy as a family. They are not alone at fault–their family members also need to learn to communicate their needs and listen to what Kintyre and Forsyth need. Pip condemns Forsyth’s anger instead of listening why he is frustrated, and Kintyre’s newest family member causes a great deal of trouble when he glorifies Kintyre’s past adventuring over his daily life of running the Chipping.
They also see the dark side of families, when they meet a relative of an old enemy who threatens their world, out of love for the villain. I won’t give away too much here, but just remember that the best bad guys never stay dead for long. As Buffy Summers told Dracula, “You think I don’t watch your movies? You always come back.”
...to be continued on my blog
February 10, 2017
(I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.)
And I thought the last one was good.
This book was so good. The only things I love more than fantasies are bringing other classic fantasies in. Stories like this and Namesake, where old stories that I love are brought in, are some of my favorites. I love to get references and remember and relive them a little. The addition of Wyndam was much appreciated--he's a great character and I love him (and his mother). All of the characters are just so real. They have flaws, they are weak, but that doesn't stop them from saving the day. I loved Solinde as well; her story and emotions were compelling and I was almost disappointed every time her chapters ended. Of course the plot was a clever subversion of a classic high fantasy but somehow exactly the same, which makes Frey so fun to read.
Anyway, I love this book.
And I thought the last one was good.
This book was so good. The only things I love more than fantasies are bringing other classic fantasies in. Stories like this and Namesake, where old stories that I love are brought in, are some of my favorites. I love to get references and remember and relive them a little. The addition of Wyndam was much appreciated--he's a great character and I love him (and his mother). All of the characters are just so real. They have flaws, they are weak, but that doesn't stop them from saving the day. I loved Solinde as well; her story and emotions were compelling and I was almost disappointed every time her chapters ended. Of course the plot was a clever subversion of a classic high fantasy but somehow exactly the same, which makes Frey so fun to read.
Anyway, I love this book.
December 10, 2018
In brief: Forsyth Turn is (basically) happily settled into his new life in the Writer’s Realm when he notices stories going missing—and then he and his family are sucked into the books he came from. Second in a trilogy.
Thoughts: I liked this! It wasn’t quite as mind-blowing for me as The Untold Tale but that’s largely because there wasn’t as big of a plot twist this time. Frey tackles a whole different slew of weak-writing issues in this one, mostly related to autonomy and gender roles, while still telling a good adventure story and developing the characters and relationships set up in the first one (and the world). I’m as impressed as the last time at how Frey manages to use fantasy tropes within the story and as plot points, especially when she turns them on their head. And she’s not afraid of letting her characters be human. I was mildly disappointed with how she tied up one of the side stories, but only mildly.
7/10
Thoughts: I liked this! It wasn’t quite as mind-blowing for me as The Untold Tale but that’s largely because there wasn’t as big of a plot twist this time. Frey tackles a whole different slew of weak-writing issues in this one, mostly related to autonomy and gender roles, while still telling a good adventure story and developing the characters and relationships set up in the first one (and the world). I’m as impressed as the last time at how Frey manages to use fantasy tropes within the story and as plot points, especially when she turns them on their head. And she’s not afraid of letting her characters be human. I was mildly disappointed with how she tied up one of the side stories, but only mildly.
7/10
October 29, 2017
It's interesting to me that this has higher reviews, when I liked the first one better. That said, I'm glad the author wrote this one because I missed this world and these characters! Fun times, honestly.
February 22, 2017
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Vague spoilers for first book--but let's be honest, this book won't make much sense without reading the previous book anyway.
Just because Forsyth and Pip have made their choices doesn't mean life's settled down. When familiar tales, from The Wizard of Oz and the Hobbit to Cinderella, begin vanishing from memory, Forsyth wonders would this could mean to him.
This book was a good, quick read
Just because Forsyth and Pip have made their choices doesn't mean life's settled down. When familiar tales, from The Wizard of Oz and the Hobbit to Cinderella, begin vanishing from memory, Forsyth wonders would this could mean to him.
This book was a good, quick read
July 17, 2017
Wow...an amazing return to Hain
What an incredible sequel...loved your characters with all their human foibles...your twists turns and surprises kept me turning the pages...can hardly wait for #3..Judy
What an incredible sequel...loved your characters with all their human foibles...your twists turns and surprises kept me turning the pages...can hardly wait for #3..Judy
May 4, 2018
This was a really fun addition to the series! I really liked falling back into this world and reuniting with my favorite characters (plus meeting some great new ones). The plot moved a little slow at times, but overall, I had a delightful me reading this book!
August 14, 2017
3.5 but will round up to 4. I definitely enjoyed the premise of this series.
December 10, 2016
**I received an eARC of The Forgotten Tale from REUTS Publications, in exchange for an honest review.**
See the review on Tumblr
The Forgotten Tale is the second book in J.M. Frey’s 'Accidental Turn’ Series.
I absolutely adored reading more about the characters. The new adventures between Forsyth, Pip, and their daughter Alis are just brilliant.
This sequel, by far, has left me just wanting even more. I was not let down one bit by the writing. Once again, J.M. Frey has provided me with another favorite book. Her characters, and her scene building are breath-taking. She leaves you wanting to just jump into the book, and join the charatcers on the page.
See the review on Tumblr
The Forgotten Tale is the second book in J.M. Frey’s 'Accidental Turn’ Series.
I absolutely adored reading more about the characters. The new adventures between Forsyth, Pip, and their daughter Alis are just brilliant.
This sequel, by far, has left me just wanting even more. I was not let down one bit by the writing. Once again, J.M. Frey has provided me with another favorite book. Her characters, and her scene building are breath-taking. She leaves you wanting to just jump into the book, and join the charatcers on the page.
July 19, 2018
This book was not nearly as good as the first one in the series. It was nice to revisit with the beloved characters, but it just lacked, I don't know, substance? The story premise was interesting to a degree but it sort of dragged on in places, there was a lot of monologuing, action was mostly slow and it took me a long time to get through it. Again, I did enjoy it, but it wasn't the "can't put it down and read it in two days" kind of book like the first one was. Not sure I want to read #3.
Sadly, a bit dissappointed.
Sadly, a bit dissappointed.
January 11, 2020
This series is just great. Smart, fun, funny, touching, and full of little things that just tickle me. Love it.
December 11, 2016
A year ago, I read The Untold Tale, the first in J.M. Frey's Accidental Turn series and I really enjoyed and I'm happy that I can say the same a year later with the second installment in the series, The Forgotten Tale. I received an advance copy of the story months ago and even now as I write this review I'm still like, "Oh my gosh! That part was so subtle and excellently woven in!"
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Forgotten Tale takes the same dissecting perspective looking at the surprisingly narrowly diverse genre of fantasy writing that it did in the first book. This time a deeper look is taken at different kinds of family and gender roles. What I thought was especially interesting was the importance of the role of women in some fantasy tales as either motherly, the damsel in distress, or the needed sacrifice plot point that spurs the male hero into action. Even the main antagonist's actions, Solinde the deal maker, were still only for the purpose of a man and not for herself.
Speaking of Solinde, parts of the book is told from her perspective. Admittedly, when I first started reading, I was a bit confused as to what was going on (I thought a few pages were missing from my advanced copy) but gradually I got the gist of it. In some ways it was a nice switch from Forsyth's perspective and allowed a different view of the fictional world he came from, however, if part of the motive for showing this perspective was to gain sympathy for Solinde it didn't really work that well for me.
What I liked about The Forgotten Tale is the imperfectness of Forsyth's and Pip's relationship despite being married (Forsyth took Pip's last name) and having a child. A few of their issues could have easily been solved if they had stopped and listened to each other but that's the point. Forsyth and Pip were thrown into this crazy and unconventional romance in The Untold Tale. By showing both Pip's and Forsyth's doubts about their relationship, not only did it add another interesting layer to the story, it made their relationship more real to reader. I mean, currently, right now I'm crushing on Fred Weasley from the Harry Potter series and if he suddenly became real and landed in my lap yes, I would be happy but also, undoubtedly, we would have much to work through (like my bitterness about never receiving a Hogwarts letter). Essentially what I'm saying is, no relationship is perfect and every relationship is always evolving and changing, even after the "I Do's" and Frey captured that well.
Also, can we clap for stay-at-home dad Forsyth who actually enjoys spending time with his child while his wife goes and be an awesome academic? I mean, it's one of those things you know exists but is hardly ever seen in media unless it's being made fun of.
The only bit of frustration I have so far with the series is that the only characters from the Tales of Kintyre Turn who have had any character development/shift that goes against their original writing were men. Am I glad that Forsyth's brother Kintyre and his partner Bevel finally got their acts together and admitted their feelings for each other? Yes. Am I glad that Forsyth realized that he is more than just the younger brother of Kintyre Turn? Definitely! But aside from Pip, who doesn't even count since she's not from the world of the Tales of Kintyre Turn, we don't see that same character development for any female characters. Now, that in itself could be a commentary on the lack of female character development in adventure tales or also because the narrator for most of the story is Forsyth but I'm really hoping that Frey gives us another female voice to maybe compliment Pip's, though perhaps in a slightly different way.
Overall, The Forgotten Tale was a great continuation of its predecessor and as with the first, I look forwards to the next installment.
I received a copy of this book from the NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Forgotten Tale takes the same dissecting perspective looking at the surprisingly narrowly diverse genre of fantasy writing that it did in the first book. This time a deeper look is taken at different kinds of family and gender roles. What I thought was especially interesting was the importance of the role of women in some fantasy tales as either motherly, the damsel in distress, or the needed sacrifice plot point that spurs the male hero into action. Even the main antagonist's actions, Solinde the deal maker, were still only for the purpose of a man and not for herself.
Speaking of Solinde, parts of the book is told from her perspective. Admittedly, when I first started reading, I was a bit confused as to what was going on (I thought a few pages were missing from my advanced copy) but gradually I got the gist of it. In some ways it was a nice switch from Forsyth's perspective and allowed a different view of the fictional world he came from, however, if part of the motive for showing this perspective was to gain sympathy for Solinde it didn't really work that well for me.
What I liked about The Forgotten Tale is the imperfectness of Forsyth's and Pip's relationship despite being married (Forsyth took Pip's last name) and having a child. A few of their issues could have easily been solved if they had stopped and listened to each other but that's the point. Forsyth and Pip were thrown into this crazy and unconventional romance in The Untold Tale. By showing both Pip's and Forsyth's doubts about their relationship, not only did it add another interesting layer to the story, it made their relationship more real to reader. I mean, currently, right now I'm crushing on Fred Weasley from the Harry Potter series and if he suddenly became real and landed in my lap yes, I would be happy but also, undoubtedly, we would have much to work through (like my bitterness about never receiving a Hogwarts letter). Essentially what I'm saying is, no relationship is perfect and every relationship is always evolving and changing, even after the "I Do's" and Frey captured that well.
Also, can we clap for stay-at-home dad Forsyth who actually enjoys spending time with his child while his wife goes and be an awesome academic? I mean, it's one of those things you know exists but is hardly ever seen in media unless it's being made fun of.
The only bit of frustration I have so far with the series is that the only characters from the Tales of Kintyre Turn who have had any character development/shift that goes against their original writing were men. Am I glad that Forsyth's brother Kintyre and his partner Bevel finally got their acts together and admitted their feelings for each other? Yes. Am I glad that Forsyth realized that he is more than just the younger brother of Kintyre Turn? Definitely! But aside from Pip, who doesn't even count since she's not from the world of the Tales of Kintyre Turn, we don't see that same character development for any female characters. Now, that in itself could be a commentary on the lack of female character development in adventure tales or also because the narrator for most of the story is Forsyth but I'm really hoping that Frey gives us another female voice to maybe compliment Pip's, though perhaps in a slightly different way.
Overall, The Forgotten Tale was a great continuation of its predecessor and as with the first, I look forwards to the next installment.
I received a copy of this book from the NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2017
http://literary-lion.tumblr.com/
Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was received through the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Forsyth and Pip have created a lovely life for themselves in Victoria with their daughter Alis. Forsyth’s biggest problem is trying to keep his writer, Elgar Reed, from interacting with his family. That is until well-known stories start vanishing and a portal opens up and swallows his family back to the written world of Hain. What is causing stories to vanish and who dragged the Piper family back to Hain? Most importantly - how will Forsyth get his family home?
The Forgotten Tale is quite a bit more exciting than The Untold Tale but it’s still average overall. There’s an exciting new main cast character and the reintroduction of my two personal favourite minor characters from the previous book. There’s less sex and more adventure this time around and it managed to bring its score up an entire point.
The most exciting part of the story is unquestionably the portion that takes place in the “writer’s world” and outside of the fantasy one. Unfortunately the entire book is cut with another point of view - Solinde’s. Solinde is a deal-maker spirit and for the most part her chapters are extremely confusing. The first few chapters are not explained and aside from the connections with the missing stories it’s generally barely comprehensible. One or two of Solide’s chapters were critically important to the story, but they were mostly filler.
Despite being an improvement on the first novel it still feels like Frey is missing her mark. Once again there are glimmers of a wonderful contemporary writer who could focus stories on fandom - but it’s bogged down by a poor fantasy adventure. To her credit, Frey has Pip acknowledge the terrible plot and world building several times....but acknowledging that the story is terrible doesn’t stop it from being terrible.
That being said The Forgotten Tale does provide an interesting look at all the problematic tropes of the fantasy genre, even if it is still entirely beholden to them. The feminism is more integrated into the story and feels more natural than the previous book which seems to throw-up buzzwords in large paragraphs. This covering of problematic tropes could have been just as well covered in a better written contemporary novel.
Perhaps the worst problem is just how things worked themselves out. The book again acknowledges that everything works out for Kintyre, which is all well and good but it doesn’t make for an interesting story. Perhaps most frustrating is Pip and Forsyth not knowing how to get home when they could have used the same method from the first book. The pieces are all still there, but instead they wait for someone else to save them.
Despite trying to be transgressive The Forgotten Tale just feels like a standard outdated fantasy story. Frey clearly has incredible knowledge of tropes and fandom but her fantasy world isn’t strong enough even if it constantly points out what is wrong with itself.
Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was received through the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Forsyth and Pip have created a lovely life for themselves in Victoria with their daughter Alis. Forsyth’s biggest problem is trying to keep his writer, Elgar Reed, from interacting with his family. That is until well-known stories start vanishing and a portal opens up and swallows his family back to the written world of Hain. What is causing stories to vanish and who dragged the Piper family back to Hain? Most importantly - how will Forsyth get his family home?
The Forgotten Tale is quite a bit more exciting than The Untold Tale but it’s still average overall. There’s an exciting new main cast character and the reintroduction of my two personal favourite minor characters from the previous book. There’s less sex and more adventure this time around and it managed to bring its score up an entire point.
The most exciting part of the story is unquestionably the portion that takes place in the “writer’s world” and outside of the fantasy one. Unfortunately the entire book is cut with another point of view - Solinde’s. Solinde is a deal-maker spirit and for the most part her chapters are extremely confusing. The first few chapters are not explained and aside from the connections with the missing stories it’s generally barely comprehensible. One or two of Solide’s chapters were critically important to the story, but they were mostly filler.
Despite being an improvement on the first novel it still feels like Frey is missing her mark. Once again there are glimmers of a wonderful contemporary writer who could focus stories on fandom - but it’s bogged down by a poor fantasy adventure. To her credit, Frey has Pip acknowledge the terrible plot and world building several times....but acknowledging that the story is terrible doesn’t stop it from being terrible.
That being said The Forgotten Tale does provide an interesting look at all the problematic tropes of the fantasy genre, even if it is still entirely beholden to them. The feminism is more integrated into the story and feels more natural than the previous book which seems to throw-up buzzwords in large paragraphs. This covering of problematic tropes could have been just as well covered in a better written contemporary novel.
Perhaps the worst problem is just how things worked themselves out. The book again acknowledges that everything works out for Kintyre, which is all well and good but it doesn’t make for an interesting story. Perhaps most frustrating is Pip and Forsyth not knowing how to get home when they could have used the same method from the first book. The pieces are all still there, but instead they wait for someone else to save them.
Despite trying to be transgressive The Forgotten Tale just feels like a standard outdated fantasy story. Frey clearly has incredible knowledge of tropes and fandom but her fantasy world isn’t strong enough even if it constantly points out what is wrong with itself.
February 19, 2017
The Untold Tale was one of my best reads in 2016, so when I found out that Story Cartel had review copies of The Forgotten Tale, I jumped at the chance.
The Forgotten Tale starts with an idyllic scene: The Piper family (Syth, Lucy and baby Alis - obviously they cannot retain his identity as Forsyth Turn) are preparing to celebrate Solsticetide in their new home in Canada. Forsyth is beginning to settle in, having even learnt to hack well enough to get a job with the Government. When books - famous fantasy books like The Wizard of Oz and The Hobbit - start disappearing, Forsyth fears that he may have earned bad luck by turning away a guest on Solsticetide. But what was he to do? Invite Elgar Reed in and give him access to his new family and new home so that the Writer can turn his life upside down again? Then they're sucked back into The Tales of Kintyre Turn... and so begins a new adventure.
The novel itself is structured with alternating chapters from Forsyth's point of view and a third-person POV of things happening in Hain. It was lovely to see how Frey balances the two so you get enough to know what's happening and why whilst Forsyth is still in the dark, and yet you don't know too much that you start getting bored.
Again, Frey's brilliance lies in the way she has fully dissected the fantasy novel and their associated tropes, making this one of the most self-aware stories in existence - and which also takes away an element of predictability because you have no idea where she's planning to go with all the things she has set up. I mean, yes, you can guess that whatever obvious trope she introduces she's probably going to overthrow, but you don't know when - or how. And there are times where she uses the obvious like a mischievous tongue-in-cheek gremlin saying, "look, you're battling the structure here. It's a lousy structure, but THAT'S WHAT IT IS until you decide to change it."
Tropes she plays with are motherly love (do all women naturally love all children?), agency, throwaway characters, purpose, fighting the structures. In her quest for diversity, Wyndham, the son of Kintyre Turn and Isobin, the Queen of Pirates, is obviously the Black Character, as Piper was the Chinese one (minus point - despite the obvious Chineseness of her matrilineal line [bao bei, wai po, Yuan-Xiao, mooncakes?] she still uses "Pip's Asian facial structure" as if that actually helps elaborate anything.). It's very much also a story on children and legacy, and whether the wishes of the parents are being forced on the children. The ending is very obviously a Deus Ex Machina, but brilliantly executed, with a look into the lives of poor struggling Writers, for whom writing is truly hard.
But I guess, what I liked most about this episode in The Accidental Turn is its very strong theme of Redemption.
The Forgotten Tale starts with an idyllic scene: The Piper family (Syth, Lucy and baby Alis - obviously they cannot retain his identity as Forsyth Turn) are preparing to celebrate Solsticetide in their new home in Canada. Forsyth is beginning to settle in, having even learnt to hack well enough to get a job with the Government. When books - famous fantasy books like The Wizard of Oz and The Hobbit - start disappearing, Forsyth fears that he may have earned bad luck by turning away a guest on Solsticetide. But what was he to do? Invite Elgar Reed in and give him access to his new family and new home so that the Writer can turn his life upside down again? Then they're sucked back into The Tales of Kintyre Turn... and so begins a new adventure.
The novel itself is structured with alternating chapters from Forsyth's point of view and a third-person POV of things happening in Hain. It was lovely to see how Frey balances the two so you get enough to know what's happening and why whilst Forsyth is still in the dark, and yet you don't know too much that you start getting bored.
Again, Frey's brilliance lies in the way she has fully dissected the fantasy novel and their associated tropes, making this one of the most self-aware stories in existence - and which also takes away an element of predictability because you have no idea where she's planning to go with all the things she has set up. I mean, yes, you can guess that whatever obvious trope she introduces she's probably going to overthrow, but you don't know when - or how. And there are times where she uses the obvious like a mischievous tongue-in-cheek gremlin saying, "look, you're battling the structure here. It's a lousy structure, but THAT'S WHAT IT IS until you decide to change it."
Tropes she plays with are motherly love (do all women naturally love all children?), agency, throwaway characters, purpose, fighting the structures. In her quest for diversity, Wyndham, the son of Kintyre Turn and Isobin, the Queen of Pirates, is obviously the Black Character, as Piper was the Chinese one (minus point - despite the obvious Chineseness of her matrilineal line [bao bei, wai po, Yuan-Xiao, mooncakes?] she still uses "Pip's Asian facial structure" as if that actually helps elaborate anything.). It's very much also a story on children and legacy, and whether the wishes of the parents are being forced on the children. The ending is very obviously a Deus Ex Machina, but brilliantly executed, with a look into the lives of poor struggling Writers, for whom writing is truly hard.
But I guess, what I liked most about this episode in The Accidental Turn is its very strong theme of Redemption.
December 28, 2016
I understand that Forsyth and Lucy will go back to Hain and set out on a further adventure in order to prevent books disappearing from existence completely. I wonder what the journey will involve and whether it will engage me.
Forsyth has made a life in the world of his new wife. He has a daughter and a job that he enjoys. There is one person who spoils things for him, Elgar Reed.
But then Forsyth doesn't have to worry about the Writer, because books have started to 'pop' out of existence and he and his family have 'popped' back to Hain!
Now they have to 'quest' to save both worlds and solve the riddle of why all the stars are disappearing.
Forsyth's nephew , Wyndham, doesn't seem overjoyed to see his uncle and remains mute throughout any attempts to engage him in conversation. Perhaps he resents Forsyth being around?
And Beval he just seems to bellow at Wyndham, why? Poor Wyndham!
Families are such difficult things to understand, especially when you don't get to see them for a while. And then of course if that while family gets thrown into an adventure, well it just makes sorting it out a bit more difficult, or easier!
Basically, it's a good story, with twists and turns and introduced characters who are the ones like in Star Trek that you know are going to die! But overall it is a good story and I enjoyed it. I know that the post script has left an opening for a further story, but if it doesn't happen, I won't mind as I felt that this book wrapped things up nicely.
I preferred the writing style of this book over that if the first one. So the author is obviously getting settled in to their style. Well done and I toast your world building. The book is definitely worth reading, but I feel that you may need to read the first book to get the full benefit of the tale. So read that first and tolerate any excesses you find there.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. NetGalley does not allow for paid reviews.
Forsyth has made a life in the world of his new wife. He has a daughter and a job that he enjoys. There is one person who spoils things for him, Elgar Reed.
But then Forsyth doesn't have to worry about the Writer, because books have started to 'pop' out of existence and he and his family have 'popped' back to Hain!
Now they have to 'quest' to save both worlds and solve the riddle of why all the stars are disappearing.
Forsyth's nephew , Wyndham, doesn't seem overjoyed to see his uncle and remains mute throughout any attempts to engage him in conversation. Perhaps he resents Forsyth being around?
And Beval he just seems to bellow at Wyndham, why? Poor Wyndham!
Families are such difficult things to understand, especially when you don't get to see them for a while. And then of course if that while family gets thrown into an adventure, well it just makes sorting it out a bit more difficult, or easier!
Basically, it's a good story, with twists and turns and introduced characters who are the ones like in Star Trek that you know are going to die! But overall it is a good story and I enjoyed it. I know that the post script has left an opening for a further story, but if it doesn't happen, I won't mind as I felt that this book wrapped things up nicely.
I preferred the writing style of this book over that if the first one. So the author is obviously getting settled in to their style. Well done and I toast your world building. The book is definitely worth reading, but I feel that you may need to read the first book to get the full benefit of the tale. So read that first and tolerate any excesses you find there.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. NetGalley does not allow for paid reviews.
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