I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
"Don't Fight with Fate"
by
Ilona Andrews
It is part of the Kate Daniels #9.6 series and is a arcanepunk fantasy in a PDF edition that was published by the author on November 18, 2021 and has 6 pages.
Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Must Love Hellhounds, Dark and Stormy Knights, Angels of Darkness, Hexed, Fate's Edge, Hex Appeal, An Apple for the Creature, "Magic Gifts", Gunmetal Magic, Innkeeper Chronicles, Steel's Edge, Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, Magic Slays, Magic Rises, Magic Bleeds, Burn For Me, Night Shift, Magic Shifts, Magic Binds, White Hot, Wildfire, Iron and Magic, Magic Triumphs, "Gerard Demille and Helen Meet", "Diamond Fire", "Sweep with Me", Clean Sweep, Sweep in Peace, "A Mere Formality", Blood Heir, "The King of Fire", Sapphire Flames, "A Misunderstanding", Emerald Blaze, "The Cool Aunt", One Fell Sweep, Sweep of the Blade, "Silent Blade", Fated Blades, On the Edge, Bayou Moon, "George and Jack in School", Sweep of the Heart , Magic Tides, Small Magics, "The Wilson Building", "Conlan’s Birthday Text", "Dabwaha", “A Bit More of Roman”, “Getting Distracted”, "Sgt Munoz Had to Go", Ruby Fever, "Regina", Magic Tides, "The King of Fire", Magic Claims, "Sandra", "No Heroes", "Purpose", "A Mere Formality", "I Will Explain Everything", "Sanctuary", "Kind Regards"
A very short free story, 9.6, in the Kate Daniels World arcanepunk fantasy series in an alternate history revolving around an apocalyptic Atlanta. It’s also 1.5 in The Iron Covenant, a spin-off featuring Hugh d’Ambray. And we have a guest appearance from Dina Demille from The Innkeeper Chronicles series.
If you’re interested, there is a chronological listing of the Kate Daniels World books on my website.
My Take
It is cute when Andrews does these interview/chat shorts. It’s fun to read characters who show up in the “real world” and complain about their book activities.
There is implied action, but it is primarily chat with their characters dimly displayed, beginning as a battle, so to speak, about last names. Hugh’s annoyed that no one may ever learn his last name, as it’s taking soooo long for his second book to come out.
I did enjoy Roman’s explanation for how his last name came about — the readers did it!
It’s as Hugh is explaining about his “retirement” that Roman asks that critical question, which, ahem, “requires” Hugh to ask him to, well, essentially, to repeat it . . .
It’s a third person triple protagonist point-of-view from Hugh’s, Roman’s, and Dina’s perspectives, I guess. For each of them has their own reactions and speeches. It’s almost as if someone were recording their talk. Andrews certainly does a good job of conveying their actions simply through their dialogue.
. . . at which Dina MUST cut that chat short for her guests have to go to “separate places, with many, many miles between them”.
The Story
Our hostess of Tea and Chat, Dina Demille, is conversing with Hugh d’Ambray, the former Preceptor and Kate’s second worst enemy and Roman, Chernobog’s priest and her friend.
Both are knowledgeable and it’s Roman who gets the first dig in.
The Characters
Kate Daniels
Roman Grigorievich Tihomirov is the priest who represents Chernobog in Atlanta — he’s also the priest who married Kate and Curran. His father, Grigorii Semionovich, is actually the Black Volvh. It makes Semion Roman’s paternal grandfather. Roman’s uncle has a different father whose name is Evgenii, which makes his uncle Vasiliy Evgenievich.
Makosh is a goddess of Fate.
The Iron Covenant
Hugh d’Ambray was the Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, one half of Roland’s army. Now he’s married and holding a castle of his own in Kentucky. Asklepis is/will be his father.
The Innkeeper Chronicles
Dina Demille is the protagonist innkeeper for Gertrude Hunt, a specialized and sentient bed-and-breakfast in Texas.
Harney and Sons, Victorian London Fog, is the tea Dina serves.
The Title
The title is Roman’s statement on his father’s battle with Makosh: You “Don’t Fight with Fate”.
