A review by betwixt_the_pages
Gears of Fate by Wilbert Stanton

4.0

Centuries have passed since the Fey conquered Earth, forcing mankind and gods alike to flee to the sky city Olympus. Forgotten gods walk amongst man, lost and powerless. Little do they suspect a second Fey war looms, and an unlikely duo will set in motion the gears of fate.

Zak Walker is a fringe rat living in the slums who would do anything to protect his sister, Alice. His neglectful father threatens to consign him to a life away from home on an airship, but he yearns for his life to mean something more than drudgery.

Princess Seneca Rose is the last surviving member of the Seelie royals. They tried to establish peace with mankind, but fell to the forces of Queen Mob and the Unseelie Court. Fleeing for her life, Seneca arrives on Olympus in hopes of uniting the forgotten gods against the oncoming Fey.

Zak couldn’t care less about the fate of Olympus, until faeries kidnap Alice. He doesn’t believe Seneca’s stories of faeries or gods, but soon has no choice but to accept their lives are intertwined. All his life, he’s dreamed of something more. If he cannot face the dangers that await down on Earth, the gods, mankind, and his sister Alice are all doomed.

Rating: 4/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: super intriguing twists to mythologies; steampunk for the win!; awesome, entertaining voice to the POV; vibrant, lovable characters; there were some awkward writing moments; this was sort of like a divine intervention of creativity

Huge thanks to Wilbert Stanton, Curiosity Quills Press, and Xpresso Book Tours for sending me a free egalley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

"Did you really wear that outside?"

"What?" Abby moaned.

"That ensemble." She pointed an accusing finger at Abby's clothes.

"Well, what?" Abby asked. "It's raining, it's not like I wear this every day."

"I should hope not." The girl said.

This put a whole new twist on mythologies, Penguins! I was super intrigued from the start--I've not come across another book that pits the Fey world against the Gods, and this book spun the web so efficiently! From the get-go, I was enthralled; I couldn't wait to see where the adventure led me next, and spent the entire read on the edge of my seat waiting for the ball to drop around every turn!

There were some awkward writing moments throughout this read. Some of the dialogue felt a bit forced or unnatural to me--oftentimes the characters were OVERLY dramatic, almost hinging on the hysterical, for no apparent reason. While I understand that this was meant to create or cause more drama/tension, I felt the way that Wilbert Stanton went about achieving that fell a bit flat. For me personally, those moments just didn't work well...but the book was quick to make up for it with the plot and creative ideas, so I don't judge this book too harshly.

"You see, you can believe in justice all you want." She looked away and took a moment before she continued. "You can have a heart made of all the bits that make someone good. But when it comes to war, those things don't matter."

These characters were vibrantly painted and brilliantly handled. I really enjoyed the fresh, unique places that Wilbert Stanton took me as a reader--the journey was exciting and illuminating! The addition of steampunk to this world also really helped to set this book apart from others, and Wilbert Stanton did a wonderful job crafting the world around me so fully, I felt as if I'd stepped into the pages themselves. It's obvious that a TON of tender care went into the finer, more intricate details of this read, and I appreciated each of them fully.

I'd definitely recommend this book to lovers of steampunk, mythologies, and the Fae folk. This was a lofty, at times hair-raising read, and I'm so glad to have been granted access between the pages! The characters are beautifully rendered, the world-building is exquisitely handled, and every page screamed with the unique voice of the POV character. It is obvious that Wilbert Stanton loves this world--and he has made me love it just as much. Put your goggles on, Penguins; you never know what's lurking in plain sight!