Fated cover art

Fated

Alex Verus, Book 1

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Fated

By: Benedict Jacka
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
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About this listen

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

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

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

©2012 Benedict Jacka (P)2013 Tantor Media Inc. Classics Fantasy Fiction Magic Wizardry Magic Users

Critic Reviews

"Harry Dresden would like Alex Verus tremendously - and be a little nervous around him. I just added Benedict Jacka to my must-read list. Fated is an excellent novel, a gorgeously realized world with a uniquely powerful, vulnerable protagonist. Books this good remind me why I got into the storytelling business in the first place" (Jim Butcher)
"Filled with tense and compelling writing" ( SFX)
"Jacka writes a deft thrill-ride of an urban fantasy - a stay-up-all-night read. Alex Verus is a very smart man surviving in a very dangerous world." (Patricia Briggs)
"London's hidden wizardly community spell-blast each other entertainingly in this urban fantasy romp. Fated is highly enjoyable" ( Sun)
"Fated is an excellent example of not just great urban fantasy but also of brilliant story-telling. There is a near perfect mix of everything and it has been masterfully crafted with a meticulous eye for those pieces of humanity that make a great protagonist and a fantastic story" ( FANTASY FACTION)
"A novel with a very good plotline, and fascinating characters" ( BOOKCHICKCITY)
All stars
Most relevant  
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it grew on me over the course of the telling. Set in modern day London in an alternate, secret and parallel magical community it is full of interesting characters and action.
I found that the beginning was a slow burn as the main characters and their world was opened to the listener. The pace and the twists pick up after this establishment phase.
Alex Vruus is happily running his magic shop when a friend brings him a relic to him which has strange properties. This item is the catalyst for marking them targets of a few factions in the magical community, none of whom are friendly.
Alex’s talent, of forseeing the many possibilities of any action, is needed to keep them alive and to solve a centuries old problem.
This story is well read and very pleasant to listen to.

Unexpected

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This book is less polished then some of his later works that I’ve read, but it’s still good fun in the vein of other urban fantasy stories. The narrator is good, but sounds much older than the character is supposed to be.

Decent story, good but slightly too old-sounding narrator

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I enjoyed Fated. It's a good solid story with some action, character and a good (if somewhat too measured IMO) narration. I was looking for something similar to Rivers of London, but that was silly of me. Same genre... not the same tone.

Good Solid Story

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Absolutely loved Alex, Luna and Starbreeze. The story was fast paced from the first chapter.

Hated the pompous narrator who reminded me of those voices that did documentrys in the 70's.

Loved it but....

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Interesting listen, but I struggled to get into it. I disliked the narrator's female voices, and I found Alex to be aloof and unsympathetic. Normally I love a hero with a hint of moral ambiguity and maybe he'd grow on me in later books, but I'm bowing out for now.

Promising but...

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Has a great approach to building the world and the history, creating it slowly through the experiences of the main character.

It captured me

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Was not a fan of this book. The narrator has a nice voice but the reading was forced and poorly acted. Think high school play script reading.

I felt the story was...ordinary. The protagonist is arrogant and the writing is patriarchal at best. I'm not going to bother with the rest of the series. It's rapey and misogynistic.

Would have been grumpy if I paid full price

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Certainly, a fun series to listen to, and it all starts here! Fast-paced. good characters, a fun story full of adventure - now hooked on the A Verus series thanks to this one. Lots of magical mayhem in this well-written and well-paced book 1 to a great series. I was hooked from the beginning. Loved it.

Enter this world -

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I read these books years ago & enjoyed listening to them again. An easy, entertaining listen. Mages & magic coexisting unseen in the normal world. Set in London. An adult version of Harry Potter in a way, but without the obvious Hero vs Anti-hero plotline. More a reluctant hero fumbling through life as best he can. I do like Verus's magic though. It's very cleverly done.

A fun listen

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Derivative and poorly written. Avoid unless utterly desperate for urban fantasy and lack other options. Listen to Butcher or Aaronovich as vastly superior alternatives by choice.

Poor man's Dresden Files

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