Fragile Destiny

by Suzanne Lazear

Overview

Broken into pieces and hidden in the mortal realm long ago, the Staff of Eris bestows vast powers on whoever possesses it. King Brogan, V’s treacherous uncle, is trying to rebuild the staff. If he succeeds, the consequences for the Otherworld will be dire. In a desperate effort to keep the Otherworld safe, Noli and V plot the daring theft of a jewel that is needed to complete the staff. But Brogan is not so easily defeated. When he and Noli finally come face to face, the balance of power shifts, and Noli must consider joining forces with an unlikely ally in order to save the Otherworld.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738739861
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	08/08/2014
Series:	Aether Chronicles Series , #3
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Lazear is the author of the Aether Chronicles series for young adult. In addition to writing for teens, Lazear gives presentations on the steampunk subgenre at conferences nationwide—resplendently attired in all the bustles and whistles. She is a regular contributor to the steampunk-themed blog, Steamed!, and is an active member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the young adult debut author groups the Apocalypsies and the Class of 2k12. Lazear has her master's degree in public policy from Pepperdine University. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.

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Editorial Reviews

"Lazear's romance-filled steampunk adventure continues with this rollicking chapter." —School Library Journal

"The Aether Chronicles give us a fine steampunk ride right through the trilogy's denouement." —Booklist

From the Publisher

The third book in The Aether Chronicles, a steampunk and fae series, is just as packed with action and intrigue as the previous two. While Magnolia (“Noli”) and Steven (“V”) continue their romance in the mortal world and are determined to remain together, many things conspire to pull them apart, including old rivals and danger from both the mortal and fae worlds. Aided by family, friends, and fae creatures, they must locate all of the ancient artifacts needed to create a powerful staff before someone in the dark world puts them together for evil purposes. As Noli and V search for the artifacts, they discover two young children whom Noli suspects hold great power in the fae world but also learn that a beloved mentor died protecting one of the children. Over time, Noli and V become distrustful of each other, and trying to protect V, Noli inadvertently takes on more than she intends and the entire world of fae is put in peril, as well as their relationship. In her signature style, Lazear keeps readers guessing until the very end, wondering if Noli is indeed stronger than anyone believes and if she will find a way to finally be with V as they were destined. This book focuses more on the world of fae then steampunk but does not take away from the series or story in any way. While Lazear does provide backstory from the first two books, due to the amount of world building and characters, readers should start the series from the beginning. As in the previous two books, Lazear uses detailed descriptions to allow the reader to clearly see what the main characters encounter as they travel from the mortal world to the fae world, which is what makes her writing so masterful. Action-packed scenes also keep readers in suspense, trying to predict what will happen as they follow Noli on her journey. This series would be best for readers that enjoy fantasy and is not gender specific. The story is told from Noli’s point of view, but V plays a major role. The book gives closure, but the epilogue leaves the reader wondering if more adventures are in the works. There is one scene of mature subject matter, but it is not explicit. Reviewer: Valerie Burleigh; Ages 12 to 18.

VOYA, October 2014 (Vol. 37, No. 4) - Valerie Burleigh

09/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Rambunctious teen rebel Noli and best friend—and love interest—V are trying to save humankind and the fey Otherworld from V's evil uncle. As they race to stop him from assembling a powerful staff, Noli installs herself as queen of Otherworld and chaos ensues. Lazear's romance-filled steampunk adventure continues with this rollicking chapter.

School Library Journal

2014-06-10
Set in both Victorian-era Los Angeles and the Otherworld, Noli’s adventures among the Fae continue.Minimal recap reminds readers that years earlier, Noli’s father had disappeared in San Francisco and that Noli spent the last book aboard the pirate steam-powered airship owned by her brother and his fiancee. Noli continues her romance with V, also called Steven and, in the Otherworld, Stiofán. When V’s little sister Elise, also called Ailís, escapes from pursuers into the Otherworld, the dark king, Ciarán, also called Kyran, enemy of the “earth court,” takes her in. There, she meets Aodhan, the little son of Creidmeamh, dead sister of the hunter Kevighn, who unites with Ciarán. While searching for Elise, Noli gets into a battle with V’s uncle, earth king Brogan, with unexpected results that Noli must learn to live with. Lazear’s imagination continues to bubble, creating a charming and dangerous fantasy world as well as an intriguing alternate-history mortal world with her steampunk version of Los Angeles. That creative vision helps the book overcome pedestrian writing and standard plotting. The book’s minimal action is interrupted by numerous and lengthy episodes of domestic chitchat and bickering. Noli and V, in fact, spend much of the book at odds, despite their undying love for each other. Major plot points, such as reassembling the fateful Staff of Eris, await resolution in another sequel.Lazear’s fans have a high tolerance for convoluted nomenclature; anyone else will have given up on this series long ago. (Fantasy. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews