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A review by lbcecil
Blind Fate by Regine Abel
3.0
Thank you very much to Regine Abel for providing a copy of her novel in exchange for an honest review.
Regine Abel’s Blind Fate is a phenomenal expansion into the Veredian Chronicles and a must-read for all Sci-fi Romance fans. The fast-paced novel never lets up for a second with a whirlwind plot, sensual romance and first-rate prose.
Blind Fate follows the story of the elusive Valena, who we briefly met in the first novel in the series, Escaping Fate. Valena is a key member of an international kidnapping ring, assisting the Guldans in assaulting young Xelixian women in order to ‘heal’ the Tainted – but all against her will. Valena is an incredibly intelligent woman who wants nothing more than to escape from her life of slavery, but she is blind. I am so thankful that Abel decided to feature a blind Romance protagonist, because so often the Romance characters tend to be perfect and flawless, which can get a little draining.
Valena uses her considerable wits to achieve her goals and is quite the badass. I also had a lot of empathy for her character, for the life she had been forced into when she so desperately just wants to lead a ‘normal’ life. Valena does not trust easily, due to her past, and has a difficult time letting anyone through to see the real Valena within. Although she desperately wants to escape her circumstances, Valena is trapped by a cruel and crafty master … until she meets Rhul.
Rhul, Valena’s love interest, is one of my favourite characters (well, after Ghan) and one of the ‘villains’ from Escaping Fate. He comes across as a little standoffish and cunning, but through his POVs and Valena’s psi ability, we learn that there is much more to the male than meets the eye. Zhul’s past is fraught with betrayal and disappointment, so he finds it extremely difficult to trust anyone, especially women.
Although you don’t need to read the first novel in the series, Escaping Fate, I would suggest that you do – because it’s so enjoyable, and because the main characters from the first novel appear in this one – but primarily because the you get the chance to experience Zhul’s exceptional character development. In Escaping Fate, Zhul is one of the antagonists and is suspected of having ordered the murder of Khel’s family, one of the love interests in Escaping Fate. Throughout Blind Fate, I couldn’t help but contrast Zhul from the first novel and how much he has changed – or rather, how the reader’s perception of him has changed. We learn much more about Zhul: his past, his desires, his family, and his heart.
Much like Escaping Fate, Abel’s world building just blew me away. From political intrigue, to complex social issues, to well-defined cultures and species, the world of Blind Fate is deeply relatable (despite the inclusion of alien races) and the suspense will keep you on the very edge of your seat. But at its heart, Blind Fate is a love story about two very different people who, for all intents and purposes, believe they are unlovable but who find acceptance and passion with one another.
The plot was fast-paced and made the book impossible to put down. While the novel is primarily a Romance, Abel successfully weaves a complex storyline about international politics and the dire effects of slavery throughout two – and eventually, three – books that captivates the reader and has us completely engrossed within the story and characters. Abel’s writing style is engaging and arresting, which allows the reader to breeze through the book, totally entranced by the story.
Blind Fate is one of the most compelling Romance SFF books I have read in a very long time. Although a standalone, Abel cleverly interweaves multiple storylines and characters across novels, while also allowing the reader to immerse themselves in Rhul and Valena’s story. Don’t miss out on this fantastic book – and while you’re at it, check out Escaping Fate too!
Regine Abel’s Blind Fate is a phenomenal expansion into the Veredian Chronicles and a must-read for all Sci-fi Romance fans. The fast-paced novel never lets up for a second with a whirlwind plot, sensual romance and first-rate prose.
Blind Fate follows the story of the elusive Valena, who we briefly met in the first novel in the series, Escaping Fate. Valena is a key member of an international kidnapping ring, assisting the Guldans in assaulting young Xelixian women in order to ‘heal’ the Tainted – but all against her will. Valena is an incredibly intelligent woman who wants nothing more than to escape from her life of slavery, but she is blind. I am so thankful that Abel decided to feature a blind Romance protagonist, because so often the Romance characters tend to be perfect and flawless, which can get a little draining.
Valena uses her considerable wits to achieve her goals and is quite the badass. I also had a lot of empathy for her character, for the life she had been forced into when she so desperately just wants to lead a ‘normal’ life. Valena does not trust easily, due to her past, and has a difficult time letting anyone through to see the real Valena within. Although she desperately wants to escape her circumstances, Valena is trapped by a cruel and crafty master … until she meets Rhul.
Rhul, Valena’s love interest, is one of my favourite characters (well, after Ghan) and one of the ‘villains’ from Escaping Fate. He comes across as a little standoffish and cunning, but through his POVs and Valena’s psi ability, we learn that there is much more to the male than meets the eye. Zhul’s past is fraught with betrayal and disappointment, so he finds it extremely difficult to trust anyone, especially women.
Although you don’t need to read the first novel in the series, Escaping Fate, I would suggest that you do – because it’s so enjoyable, and because the main characters from the first novel appear in this one – but primarily because the you get the chance to experience Zhul’s exceptional character development. In Escaping Fate, Zhul is one of the antagonists and is suspected of having ordered the murder of Khel’s family, one of the love interests in Escaping Fate. Throughout Blind Fate, I couldn’t help but contrast Zhul from the first novel and how much he has changed – or rather, how the reader’s perception of him has changed. We learn much more about Zhul: his past, his desires, his family, and his heart.
Much like Escaping Fate, Abel’s world building just blew me away. From political intrigue, to complex social issues, to well-defined cultures and species, the world of Blind Fate is deeply relatable (despite the inclusion of alien races) and the suspense will keep you on the very edge of your seat. But at its heart, Blind Fate is a love story about two very different people who, for all intents and purposes, believe they are unlovable but who find acceptance and passion with one another.
The plot was fast-paced and made the book impossible to put down. While the novel is primarily a Romance, Abel successfully weaves a complex storyline about international politics and the dire effects of slavery throughout two – and eventually, three – books that captivates the reader and has us completely engrossed within the story and characters. Abel’s writing style is engaging and arresting, which allows the reader to breeze through the book, totally entranced by the story.
Blind Fate is one of the most compelling Romance SFF books I have read in a very long time. Although a standalone, Abel cleverly interweaves multiple storylines and characters across novels, while also allowing the reader to immerse themselves in Rhul and Valena’s story. Don’t miss out on this fantastic book – and while you’re at it, check out Escaping Fate too!