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Dorina Basarab #6
Time's Fool
Long before Dorina Basarab was a respected member of the Vampire Senate, she was an outcast known as a dhampir. Half human, half vampire, all pariah, she scraped out a living catching monsters even more terrifying than herself. But perhaps the greatest foe she ever faced was also the most unusual—and the most dangerous.
Kit Marlowe wasn’t always a senator, either. Once, he was a master vampire with none of the wealth, family or experience that the rank should have afforded him. He had been Pushed, or forced into the position through a ritual that had risked his life, because his master desperately needed an operative who knew Elizabethan England. Leaving Kit two years into his undead life and facing a country about to go up like a powder keg.
Gillian Urswick was a witch torn between two the one she loved and the one she’d lost. But sorting out her heart required solving a mystery that involved the past and the present, as well as any hope she might have for a future.
Together, Dorina, Kit, Gillian and the mysterious vampire Mircea, end up on a mission that will either save the world, or help destroy it.
Kit Marlowe wasn’t always a senator, either. Once, he was a master vampire with none of the wealth, family or experience that the rank should have afforded him. He had been Pushed, or forced into the position through a ritual that had risked his life, because his master desperately needed an operative who knew Elizabethan England. Leaving Kit two years into his undead life and facing a country about to go up like a powder keg.
Gillian Urswick was a witch torn between two the one she loved and the one she’d lost. But sorting out her heart required solving a mystery that involved the past and the present, as well as any hope she might have for a future.
Together, Dorina, Kit, Gillian and the mysterious vampire Mircea, end up on a mission that will either save the world, or help destroy it.
503 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2023
About the author
Karen Chance
58 books5,204 followersKaren Chance is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, plus a number of novellas and short stories, all set in the Cassandra Palmer universe. A full-time writer since 2008, she was previously a university history teacher, which comes in handy when writing the time-travel aspect of Cassie’s crazy adventures. She loves Las Vegas, the main setting for her novels, but currently lives in Florida near her family home. Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 3, 2024
Thoughts after reading:
This was once one of my absolute favorite series. Once upon a time. I'm missing what made Dory a great read. This is becoming more and more like Chance's Cassandra Palmer series, which I stopped back in 2015 because the timeline jumps and unnecessary (what felt like) filler was taking away from my enjoyment. The last two Dory books have been more time jumpy and/or linked with that series, which adds to my frustration. I liked when they mingled, but didn't crossover so closely. For me, this was a more enjoyable Kit Marlowe story than a Dorina one.
I miss the tight writing found in the first three installments. "... the latter" was found 30 times throughout this book and you can guess whether or not I enjoyed that or got frustrated by it after the fifteenth ... the latter . And, while I admit that people get interrupted many times while speaking and it's funny the first couple of times reading about those interruptions and breaks in convos, the use of it in so many conversations was also annoying.
I think a lot was annoying me. So much so that I'm just glad I finished the book. And that just makes me sad. I'm giving the book 3-stars, but that's more about my love for the characters and the hope that future installments will return to what made it great in the first place. Cassy has her books, Dory needs hers, too.
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Where o'where can I find this book? 🤔
22 Feb 23 Update from Karen's latest post:
This was once one of my absolute favorite series. Once upon a time. I'm missing what made Dory a great read. This is becoming more and more like Chance's Cassandra Palmer series, which I stopped back in 2015 because the timeline jumps and unnecessary (what felt like) filler was taking away from my enjoyment. The last two Dory books have been more time jumpy and/or linked with that series, which adds to my frustration. I liked when they mingled, but didn't crossover so closely. For me, this was a more enjoyable Kit Marlowe story than a Dorina one.
I miss the tight writing found in the first three installments. "... the latter" was found 30 times throughout this book and you can guess whether or not I enjoyed that or got frustrated by it after the fifteenth ... the latter . And, while I admit that people get interrupted many times while speaking and it's funny the first couple of times reading about those interruptions and breaks in convos, the use of it in so many conversations was also annoying.
I think a lot was annoying me. So much so that I'm just glad I finished the book. And that just makes me sad. I'm giving the book 3-stars, but that's more about my love for the characters and the hope that future installments will return to what made it great in the first place. Cassy has her books, Dory needs hers, too.
-------
Where o'where can I find this book? 🤔
22 Feb 23 Update from Karen's latest post:
Hey guys, just wanted to give an update on Time’s Fool, the upcoming Dory book. I passed 100,000 words a couple of days ago, and should be done in about a week as I only have the finale left to write. Obviously, that means I will miss tomorrow’s pub date, but I am determined to get the book out this month. I will do a post when it is up and available. Thank you for your patience, and I think you will really enjoy this one. It was a blast to write!
April 7, 2023
More rehashing Dorina’s story than moving it forward
This is my least favorite of the Dorina books, mostly because it’s more of a Kit book. I also had a really hard time following the story line. More description than action, I finally just skipped to the last chapter to see how it ended because I was tired of reading. That’s a first for me with Chance’s books. I’m sure some of my disinterest came from the fact this book took the Dorina story line backwards instead of forwards and rehashed her history with Mircea without really adding anything new to the story. Save your money and wait for the next book…you won’t miss anything.
This is my least favorite of the Dorina books, mostly because it’s more of a Kit book. I also had a really hard time following the story line. More description than action, I finally just skipped to the last chapter to see how it ended because I was tired of reading. That’s a first for me with Chance’s books. I’m sure some of my disinterest came from the fact this book took the Dorina story line backwards instead of forwards and rehashed her history with Mircea without really adding anything new to the story. Save your money and wait for the next book…you won’t miss anything.
February 8, 2024
I started 2023 reading Junk Magic by Karen Chance, the second spin-off from her Cassandra Palmer series of Pythias, vampires and mages (and fey). I had certain expectations going in — namely that with our main character a war mage, we might focus on war mages — and I was sorely disappointed.
Not just in what I didn’t get, but what I did: werewolves. As a proper introduction to werewolves in this universe, it was lacking, and the experience made me hesitate about picking up Time’s Fool.
Thankfully, my hesitation was unfounded: Time’s Fool plays to Chance’s strengths and tells a temporally discordant continuity of events focusing on Dory circa 1595.
With the cliffhanger from Queen’s Gambit still very much dangling, this direction is an odd choice. And while I generally liked it, that probably had more to do with just returning to a world I enjoy (and haven’t visited in a while) than the story on offer.
Another vengeful person trying to rewrite history isn't exactly a new addition to Chance's plotting wheelhouse. And chasing after witches in the 1500s isn’t nearly as enjoyable when in my head I’m still wondering about all the characters presently lost in Faerie from the last book.
The plot weaves between times as our antagonist wishes to rewrite the outcome of a massacre orchestrated by the Circle. Gillian is a great voice to centre the story around, as someone whose tangibly suffered from the event and echoes many of the antagonists own grievances.
The arguments and debating here are surprisingly involving with how little build-up and introduction Chance can manage in so many pages. Kit's contribution is to contextualise some of the arguing with well-timed questions.
The story of crisscrossing timelines eventually intersect when the demon that the time-travelling ghost witch makes a deal with also makes a deal with Mircea and Dory. If you found that hard to understand, I sympathise. Convoluted hijinks is just how Chance operates, and I'm in way too deep now.
The inclusion of Kit’s point-of-view is encouraging. I’ve always found his character far more interesting in Dory’s series (the unvarying obsequiousness of his role in Cassie’s series lacks depth by design) and I hope this is an indication that we’ll get more of him in Fortune’s Blade. I’m curious how he’ll react to Dorina.
Aside from that, Louis-Cesare is still one of the best love interests — I can’t overstate how mature and loving and still interesting Dory and Louis-Cesare’s relationship remains after six books.
I've read so many relationships in this genre that are hammered away at by the most contrived drama, and its a miracle these two are so consistently grounded and interesting. Louis-Cesare’s appearance in the latter half does a lot of work to bridge this book with the rest of the series, acting as a touchstone as the antics become more removed from where we left everything in Queen’s Gambit.
This book, however, is more in service of Kit’s character, and the value of that insight is entirely dependent on where Chance goes from here.
It’s difficult to slot this story into the rest of the series as its only a continuation by the flimsiest of definitions. Basically, I’m ambivalent to this instalment as — somewhat appropriately — time can only tell.
Not just in what I didn’t get, but what I did: werewolves. As a proper introduction to werewolves in this universe, it was lacking, and the experience made me hesitate about picking up Time’s Fool.
Thankfully, my hesitation was unfounded: Time’s Fool plays to Chance’s strengths and tells a temporally discordant continuity of events focusing on Dory circa 1595.
With the cliffhanger from Queen’s Gambit still very much dangling, this direction is an odd choice. And while I generally liked it, that probably had more to do with just returning to a world I enjoy (and haven’t visited in a while) than the story on offer.
Another vengeful person trying to rewrite history isn't exactly a new addition to Chance's plotting wheelhouse. And chasing after witches in the 1500s isn’t nearly as enjoyable when in my head I’m still wondering about all the characters presently lost in Faerie from the last book.
The plot weaves between times as our antagonist wishes to rewrite the outcome of a massacre orchestrated by the Circle. Gillian is a great voice to centre the story around, as someone whose tangibly suffered from the event and echoes many of the antagonists own grievances.
The arguments and debating here are surprisingly involving with how little build-up and introduction Chance can manage in so many pages. Kit's contribution is to contextualise some of the arguing with well-timed questions.
The story of crisscrossing timelines eventually intersect when the demon that the time-travelling ghost witch makes a deal with also makes a deal with Mircea and Dory. If you found that hard to understand, I sympathise. Convoluted hijinks is just how Chance operates, and I'm in way too deep now.
The inclusion of Kit’s point-of-view is encouraging. I’ve always found his character far more interesting in Dory’s series (the unvarying obsequiousness of his role in Cassie’s series lacks depth by design) and I hope this is an indication that we’ll get more of him in Fortune’s Blade. I’m curious how he’ll react to Dorina.
Aside from that, Louis-Cesare is still one of the best love interests — I can’t overstate how mature and loving and still interesting Dory and Louis-Cesare’s relationship remains after six books.
I've read so many relationships in this genre that are hammered away at by the most contrived drama, and its a miracle these two are so consistently grounded and interesting. Louis-Cesare’s appearance in the latter half does a lot of work to bridge this book with the rest of the series, acting as a touchstone as the antics become more removed from where we left everything in Queen’s Gambit.
This book, however, is more in service of Kit’s character, and the value of that insight is entirely dependent on where Chance goes from here.
It’s difficult to slot this story into the rest of the series as its only a continuation by the flimsiest of definitions. Basically, I’m ambivalent to this instalment as — somewhat appropriately — time can only tell.
April 18, 2023
Well, this went straight to the DNF pile.
We last left off with Dorina, Ray, and Kit stranded in Faerie, where Mircea had apparently decided to chase after his long-thought-dead wife. Dory and Louis-Cesare were left danging by Hassani just about to tell them why the Fey wanted Dorina. Aaaand now we've jumped back to the late 1500's...
Time's Fool is divided into parts denoting where we are in time and with which characters as the main focus. The first part, which was alright enough to keep me reading, was Dory and Mircea. Really, during this part, I just kept being angry at Mircea for apparently wiping Dory's memory (which we already knew about) to the point where she doesn't even recognize him aside from some vague feeling she kind of does... Just... Nope.
The second part follows Kit and Gillian. Gillian's a witch and it was nice to get some actual witch lore because I've been sitting here going "what's the difference between Witches and Mages aside from every Mage we meet being male?" So, got that question answered, but then we go out into London and are baraged by everything Karen Chance has learned about 1500s London that you only really wanted to know if you got dropped there by an errant time traveler. I get world-building and needing to set a scene, but I don't see why I need a primer on the different types of thief looks and punishments.
I noped out of the Cassie series because of the overly long, info-dumpy jaunts into the past and I'm sad to say that's exactly why I'm noping out of the Dory series. I'm vaguely interested in why Rhea and Hilde are back in the 1500s, but not enough to slog through the Kit and Gillian portion of the book to find out. I might keep an eye out for whatever the next Dory book is in hopes that it gets back on track with the rest, but I'm not holding my breath over it.
We last left off with Dorina, Ray, and Kit stranded in Faerie, where Mircea had apparently decided to chase after his long-thought-dead wife. Dory and Louis-Cesare were left danging by Hassani just about to tell them why the Fey wanted Dorina. Aaaand now we've jumped back to the late 1500's...
Time's Fool is divided into parts denoting where we are in time and with which characters as the main focus. The first part, which was alright enough to keep me reading, was Dory and Mircea. Really, during this part, I just kept being angry at Mircea for apparently wiping Dory's memory (which we already knew about) to the point where she doesn't even recognize him aside from some vague feeling she kind of does... Just... Nope.
The second part follows Kit and Gillian. Gillian's a witch and it was nice to get some actual witch lore because I've been sitting here going "what's the difference between Witches and Mages aside from every Mage we meet being male?" So, got that question answered, but then we go out into London and are baraged by everything Karen Chance has learned about 1500s London that you only really wanted to know if you got dropped there by an errant time traveler. I get world-building and needing to set a scene, but I don't see why I need a primer on the different types of thief looks and punishments.
I noped out of the Cassie series because of the overly long, info-dumpy jaunts into the past and I'm sad to say that's exactly why I'm noping out of the Dory series. I'm vaguely interested in why Rhea and Hilde are back in the 1500s, but not enough to slog through the Kit and Gillian portion of the book to find out. I might keep an eye out for whatever the next Dory book is in hopes that it gets back on track with the rest, but I'm not holding my breath over it.
May 26, 2023
Time's fool is not a good book. It made little sense, jumped from one persepective to the next at the weirdest times and a lot of adventures fit very badly with the rest of the story. It was just quite chaotic writing.
I don't mean the plot.
The plot just has no purpose, no consequences, no reason which is just sad but not an issue as long as the book is well written and entertaining - which it is not. Just when it might turn juicy the chapter ends. When it might turn into something interesting and worthwhile reading, it ends.
Dory and Kit did not even scream and fight as they usually do.
I don't mean the plot.
The plot just has no purpose, no consequences, no reason which is just sad but not an issue as long as the book is well written and entertaining - which it is not. Just when it might turn juicy the chapter ends. When it might turn into something interesting and worthwhile reading, it ends.
Dory and Kit did not even scream and fight as they usually do.
April 20, 2023
This story involves Gillian and Kit more than Dory! It feels like a Cassie story with all the time jumps. Not as fun as a Dory story though Mircea and Louis-Cesare show up!
April 21, 2023
I didn't like that all the book was about the past. In the previous we were left with a huge cliffhanger and unfortunately nothing was resolved here.
May 7, 2024
DNF 25% 1 I tried ⭐️ star
This was one big historical info dump. Hard pass.
This was one big historical info dump. Hard pass.
May 31, 2023
There is a war on. Critical characters are MIA. Dory is about to head to Faerie in search of Dorina. So many questions left hanging at the end of the last full-length Dorina novel in 2020. Then why the heck am I presented with a novel with Dory, Kit Marlowe and Mircea in the 15th & 16th century when that is their native time? I kept waiting for it to have some relevance to the storylines current in both series. Never happened. And the final slap in the face, we and Dory learn new life-changing things but because of time travel rules being enforced by Rhea and Hilde her memories are wiped . . . again! So none of it matters. As for the Kit-Gillian storyline,while it was fun to see Kit as a baby vamp, not nearly as grumpy and cynical, the storyline was confusing and repetitive and I could not warm up to Gillian as a character. I had to make myself keep reading in case the ending showed a connection that would explain why we’re offered this seemingly random novel.
February 9, 2024
This was fun, but I'm not sure what it adds to the series as a whole. We'll see in the next few books, I guess.
Shelved as 'wish-list'
May 27, 2023I’m not sure I’m going to read this book. Book 5 ended with a hell of a cliffhanger (after a thin plot), and now this book has no follow up, but a prequel story. What the hell, Ms Chance?
June 21, 2024
Relativamente interesante, aunque esta vez le robo mucho protagonismo a Dorina, el personaje de Marlowe (y la bruja que aparece en los dos primeros relatos de la otra saga Crossover con esta: Cassie Palmer).
Marlowe, el espía de la reina, es un personaje no central pero sí de cierta relevancia en ambas sagas y en sus apariciones siempre dejaba entrever una personalidad muy interesante, especial y plagada de capas y aristas.
Sin embargo aquí lo encontré más plano y predecible y me dio cierta pena que plantar el foco sobre él, le robara todo ese lustre a mis ojos.
Por lo demás, empiezo a pensar que esta no es de esas sagas en que su autor ideó una historia y todo tiene un planteamiento, nudo y desenlace, sólo que a lo largo de varios libros... aquí empieza a parecer que cada nudo lleva a otro nuevo, y que la autora en realidad no tuviera previsto un desenlace, sino un "a ver a dónde le lleva esto" ad infinitum, cada problema generando otro nuevo de forma indefinida. Y sinceramente, desde mi punto de vista, ese tipo de sagas me hacen sentir que camino hacia ninguna parte. Y no lo digo por la longitud, hay sagas más largas, pero desde hace un par de libros (uno de esta saga y el anterior, de Cassie) no acabo de verle la dirección hacia la que camina la historia, empieza a parecer un conjunto de obstáculos ininterrumpidos. No sé si me estaré explicando bien. Autores en GL (Cassie Palmer World)
Marlowe, el espía de la reina, es un personaje no central pero sí de cierta relevancia en ambas sagas y en sus apariciones siempre dejaba entrever una personalidad muy interesante, especial y plagada de capas y aristas.
Sin embargo aquí lo encontré más plano y predecible y me dio cierta pena que plantar el foco sobre él, le robara todo ese lustre a mis ojos.
Por lo demás, empiezo a pensar que esta no es de esas sagas en que su autor ideó una historia y todo tiene un planteamiento, nudo y desenlace, sólo que a lo largo de varios libros... aquí empieza a parecer que cada nudo lleva a otro nuevo, y que la autora en realidad no tuviera previsto un desenlace, sino un "a ver a dónde le lleva esto" ad infinitum, cada problema generando otro nuevo de forma indefinida. Y sinceramente, desde mi punto de vista, ese tipo de sagas me hacen sentir que camino hacia ninguna parte. Y no lo digo por la longitud, hay sagas más largas, pero desde hace un par de libros (uno de esta saga y el anterior, de Cassie) no acabo de verle la dirección hacia la que camina la historia, empieza a parecer un conjunto de obstáculos ininterrumpidos. No sé si me estaré explicando bien. Autores en GL (Cassie Palmer World)
April 14, 2023
Not really a sequel to the previous Dory book - The Queens Gambit
SPOILERS:
which ends with Dory realising her mother is alive and Mircea is in Faerie searching for her. (Dory and Dorina are split and Ray/Dorina end up in Faerie)
SPOILERS:
This is set up as an early Dory book, mainly c 1588-95 with her ‘first’ meeting with Mircea before he becomes a senator. Though it starts with a hunt for revenants, the aim is to overpower Morgan - a vengeful witch ghost, who is trying to rewrite history and destroy the Silver circle rather than the armada. Includes cameos from Rhea and Hilda; a modern LouisCaesar (and Clare), but it is largely part 3 of the love story between Gillian the witch and a 2 year old Kit Marlowe. (After The Gauntlet and The Queens Witch). Lots of time travel, and the final sonnet extract is from Shakespeare not Marlowe.
SPOILERS:
which ends with Dory realising her mother is alive and Mircea is in Faerie searching for her. (Dory and Dorina are split and Ray/Dorina end up in Faerie)
SPOILERS:
This is set up as an early Dory book, mainly c 1588-95 with her ‘first’ meeting with Mircea before he becomes a senator. Though it starts with a hunt for revenants, the aim is to overpower Morgan - a vengeful witch ghost, who is trying to rewrite history and destroy the Silver circle rather than the armada. Includes cameos from Rhea and Hilda; a modern LouisCaesar (and Clare), but it is largely part 3 of the love story between Gillian the witch and a 2 year old Kit Marlowe. (After The Gauntlet and The Queens Witch). Lots of time travel, and the final sonnet extract is from Shakespeare not Marlowe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2023
*Source* Amazon
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Karen Chance's Time's Fool is the Sixth installment in the authors Dorina Basarab series. Rather than continuing where the last novel left off, with Dorina in Faerie alongside Ray, and Dory and Louis-Cesare preparing to help her, we get a trip down memory lane and end up with an adventure in Elizabethan England. Time's Fool is divided into parts denoting where we are in time and with which characters as the main focus. The perspective shifts between Dory (sans Dorina), Kit Marlowe (our favorite Elizabethan spy), and Gillian Urswick (a coven witch from two side stories), along with Mircea Basarab. Rhea and Hilde show up from the future, and Louis Cesare is also from the future.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Karen Chance's Time's Fool is the Sixth installment in the authors Dorina Basarab series. Rather than continuing where the last novel left off, with Dorina in Faerie alongside Ray, and Dory and Louis-Cesare preparing to help her, we get a trip down memory lane and end up with an adventure in Elizabethan England. Time's Fool is divided into parts denoting where we are in time and with which characters as the main focus. The perspective shifts between Dory (sans Dorina), Kit Marlowe (our favorite Elizabethan spy), and Gillian Urswick (a coven witch from two side stories), along with Mircea Basarab. Rhea and Hilde show up from the future, and Louis Cesare is also from the future.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
July 26, 2023
Average at best I am afraid.
As many reviews point out, this is probably 70-30% Kit Marlowe rather than Dory.
A bit of a back-story filler of a book. Plugs some gaps with Dory and Mircea though opens up a few loops and issues (Louis-Cesare being pretty unnecessary, other than to reveal the future, which should be removed from memories to maintain timelines...?)
Also, an early issue for me (not sure if it was intentional) was referring to Queen Jane Grey as one of Henry VIII's wives, when she was actually grandneice. Presume meant Jane Seymour there.
Flowed fairly well in the writing, and kind of sits with the end of Ignite the Fire inferno, (risk of spoiler here) with Rhea and Hilde.
But none of the characters seem to be quite themselves.
Could've been worse. Look forward go the next books and a hopeful return to form.
As many reviews point out, this is probably 70-30% Kit Marlowe rather than Dory.
A bit of a back-story filler of a book. Plugs some gaps with Dory and Mircea though opens up a few loops and issues (Louis-Cesare being pretty unnecessary, other than to reveal the future, which should be removed from memories to maintain timelines...?)
Also, an early issue for me (not sure if it was intentional) was referring to Queen Jane Grey as one of Henry VIII's wives, when she was actually grandneice. Presume meant Jane Seymour there.
Flowed fairly well in the writing, and kind of sits with the end of Ignite the Fire inferno, (risk of spoiler here) with Rhea and Hilde.
But none of the characters seem to be quite themselves.
Could've been worse. Look forward go the next books and a hopeful return to form.
April 24, 2024
2024 Reads #249/250
3.75⭐️
3.75⭐️
May 7, 2023
It wasn't as good as all the previous books in the series, and I was a bit confused at first because of the time jump to the past, but I still really liked it.
May 21, 2023
This book does introduce how Dory “meets” Mircea later in her life but isn’t really a Dory book so much as a Kit Marlowe book.
It could use a good editor to help tighten prose and provide insight into when the plot is wandering into details that are fine to know but that don’t necessarily propel the plot forward. Still love Karen Chance and her world building and the characters. I miss the earlier books that featured women (Dory and Cassie) who were empowered and independent rather than women who find their worth and identity in the men in their lives.
It could use a good editor to help tighten prose and provide insight into when the plot is wandering into details that are fine to know but that don’t necessarily propel the plot forward. Still love Karen Chance and her world building and the characters. I miss the earlier books that featured women (Dory and Cassie) who were empowered and independent rather than women who find their worth and identity in the men in their lives.
August 10, 2023
I really love Dorina/ Dory’s books, and this has to be my least favourite… BY FAR. This book was such a drag to read. I agree with everyone that mentions that this is more of a Kit Marlowe’s novel than Dory’s. I skimmed through so many pages, not even caring to understand or not because there were so many irrelevant descriptions, like describing what the room looked like takes up a whole chapter almost, like who cares just tell me where the fights at. Truly disappointed for so many reasons and hope on top of hoping, that the next makes it worth buying.
June 14, 2023
It hurts to not give 5 stars to a Karen Chance book, especially for Dory. I’m a diehard fan, and have loved all of the self-published works, but I’ve never noticed the lack of an editor so acutely as with this book. There has been a noticeable drop in quality and increase in word count in recent years, and this is a prime example. 3 stars was the lowest I could bring myself to go because I love Dory and Cassie and their wonderful friends, but I wasn’t very happy with this book.
Time’s Fool is told from multiple points of view, all in third person - aside from Dory. Multiple points of view are wonderful, and can be effective. In this case, we basically had two different books and stories going on, that intersected. The action happens so fast that each point of view change is jarring. I found myself having to go back to previous sections from the same character set to remind myself what they were doing, where they are, and when they are. I had to check multiple times in each section to remind myself what year we are in. I kept going back to the table of contents to look at the overall timeline because I couldn’t keep track of when events happened. It got old very fast.
There is quite a lot of unnecessary filler and overly descriptive fight scenes. We didn’t really need the whole history of various idioms, descriptions of the nefarious deeds of the thieves, etc. The word count could be drastically reduced quite easily, without affecting the storyline. There’s this whole thing about dragons that doesn’t seem to have any real impact on the story, but sure takes up a lot of time and space. I love Chance’s ability to visualize a scene, and the fights and action are always fun, but this is getting a little overboard.
While I enjoyed Dory, she was more of a side character. The more central characters were Kit and Gillian.
I didn’t realize this was more of a prequel, until it ended and I thought “wait, what did I just read?” It wouldn’t make sense read out of order, but somehow from the book’s description, I thought it was modern Dory going back in time. It was like I was reading back story, waiting for it to catch up to modern Dory, or somehow apply to her. Instead, we get a whole book of events that are wiped from the protagonist’s memory.
Spoilers below:
I have many questions: what were Rhea and Hilde doing there? I never really understood their part, other than a ferry service. Rhea seemed super upset, then we didn’t see her do anything. Since when can demons time travel? Cassie may be busy, but based on how often she encounters other Pythias, you’d think a couple acolytes, a demon, and a witch ghost hauling all sorts of vampires, dhampirs, witches, and ghosts around the timeline would have attracted the attention of at least one Pythia. It goes against the rules of literally every other book Chance has written. Why was Dory so important to this mission that Rhea and Hilde showed up? How did Morgan spend centuries waiting for her revenge? She was with the demon but that whole thing is super unclear. Why in the world was there so much to do about dragons? Morgan somehow died, became a ghost, hung out with a demon for centuries? What? I didn’t follow the Morgan/Ifrit thing at all.
Maybe a re-read will clear some of this up, or make it easier to follow. But I’m not sure I really want to.
I love Karen Chance and will keep reading everything she puts out, and I always recommend Cassie to my friends. But ouch this one hurt.
Time’s Fool is told from multiple points of view, all in third person - aside from Dory. Multiple points of view are wonderful, and can be effective. In this case, we basically had two different books and stories going on, that intersected. The action happens so fast that each point of view change is jarring. I found myself having to go back to previous sections from the same character set to remind myself what they were doing, where they are, and when they are. I had to check multiple times in each section to remind myself what year we are in. I kept going back to the table of contents to look at the overall timeline because I couldn’t keep track of when events happened. It got old very fast.
There is quite a lot of unnecessary filler and overly descriptive fight scenes. We didn’t really need the whole history of various idioms, descriptions of the nefarious deeds of the thieves, etc. The word count could be drastically reduced quite easily, without affecting the storyline. There’s this whole thing about dragons that doesn’t seem to have any real impact on the story, but sure takes up a lot of time and space. I love Chance’s ability to visualize a scene, and the fights and action are always fun, but this is getting a little overboard.
While I enjoyed Dory, she was more of a side character. The more central characters were Kit and Gillian.
I didn’t realize this was more of a prequel, until it ended and I thought “wait, what did I just read?” It wouldn’t make sense read out of order, but somehow from the book’s description, I thought it was modern Dory going back in time. It was like I was reading back story, waiting for it to catch up to modern Dory, or somehow apply to her. Instead, we get a whole book of events that are wiped from the protagonist’s memory.
Spoilers below:
I have many questions: what were Rhea and Hilde doing there? I never really understood their part, other than a ferry service. Rhea seemed super upset, then we didn’t see her do anything. Since when can demons time travel? Cassie may be busy, but based on how often she encounters other Pythias, you’d think a couple acolytes, a demon, and a witch ghost hauling all sorts of vampires, dhampirs, witches, and ghosts around the timeline would have attracted the attention of at least one Pythia. It goes against the rules of literally every other book Chance has written. Why was Dory so important to this mission that Rhea and Hilde showed up? How did Morgan spend centuries waiting for her revenge? She was with the demon but that whole thing is super unclear. Why in the world was there so much to do about dragons? Morgan somehow died, became a ghost, hung out with a demon for centuries? What? I didn’t follow the Morgan/Ifrit thing at all.
Maybe a re-read will clear some of this up, or make it easier to follow. But I’m not sure I really want to.
I love Karen Chance and will keep reading everything she puts out, and I always recommend Cassie to my friends. But ouch this one hurt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2023
1592 England: In the aftermath of a purge of the covens by the Black Circle, Gillian is trying to escape with the remnants of her coven to America.
1588 England: Dory, a dhampir, is hired by Lord Mircea of the vampire Senate to look into a revenant problem and find out who’s behind it. (I know that 1592 is after 1588 but that’s the order the book has it.)
As usual, the story continues crazily jumping through time between Dory & Mircea with the Pythias and Gillian & Kit with lots of confusing action, time portals, magical fights, etc. I had a hard time keeping up with who, what and when. One of the most confusing books I’ve ever read since it kept jumping from person to time and back nearly every paragraph getting worse as the story drew to a upsetting close.
I love seeing the early Dory and Mircea interaction. Giving insight into their later relationship. Rilda and a wonderfully kind person. And Gillain’s story of the plight of the witches in 1592 is very sad. But the dragons are very entertaining.
Fave scenes: Dory’s broom, Rilda’s dependents, baby dragons, the sapling and the librarian tricks.
1588 England: Dory, a dhampir, is hired by Lord Mircea of the vampire Senate to look into a revenant problem and find out who’s behind it. (I know that 1592 is after 1588 but that’s the order the book has it.)
As usual, the story continues crazily jumping through time between Dory & Mircea with the Pythias and Gillian & Kit with lots of confusing action, time portals, magical fights, etc. I had a hard time keeping up with who, what and when. One of the most confusing books I’ve ever read since it kept jumping from person to time and back nearly every paragraph getting worse as the story drew to a upsetting close.
I love seeing the early Dory and Mircea interaction. Giving insight into their later relationship. Rilda and a wonderfully kind person. And Gillain’s story of the plight of the witches in 1592 is very sad. But the dragons are very entertaining.
Fave scenes: Dory’s broom, Rilda’s dependents, baby dragons, the sapling and the librarian tricks.
April 14, 2023
The first thing you need to know is this isn’t really the 6th installment in the Dorian Basarab series (although it needs to be read in that position).
It’s really a prequel for Dory and Kit Marlowe. If you keep that in mind going into it you’ll enjoy the adventure and not be so disappointed that you’re not advancing in Dory’s story.
This is a beautiful love story that is heartbreaking and lovely at the same time.
One thing I’m not entirely pleased with is a time traveling Dory. That’s Cassie’s job and I love when they cameo into each others books but maybe not when they take over each others jobs!
This is absolutely one of my all time favorite authors but sometimes her action sequences are a bit hard to follow and too long imo but not in this book, this was wonderfully done. I’m just praying this book hasn’t delayed advancing Dory’s story. We have to wait so long in between books and I was really excited to check in with Dory!
It’s really a prequel for Dory and Kit Marlowe. If you keep that in mind going into it you’ll enjoy the adventure and not be so disappointed that you’re not advancing in Dory’s story.
This is a beautiful love story that is heartbreaking and lovely at the same time.
One thing I’m not entirely pleased with is a time traveling Dory. That’s Cassie’s job and I love when they cameo into each others books but maybe not when they take over each others jobs!
This is absolutely one of my all time favorite authors but sometimes her action sequences are a bit hard to follow and too long imo but not in this book, this was wonderfully done. I’m just praying this book hasn’t delayed advancing Dory’s story. We have to wait so long in between books and I was really excited to check in with Dory!
August 3, 2023
Spellbinding
Karen Chance is one of my favourite authors. Books like this one are the reason why. The plot is a tightly woven fabric of twists and turns that can’t be anticipated and won’t let go of the readers attention or imagination. The characters are well rounded and realistic. They are not simplistic stereo types they have depths and lifelike contradictions that tantalisingly show up here and there and add to the suspense. The suspense, the suspense is a constant. It It pulls the reader in even further. This is a thinking person’s book while at the same time a beautiful piece of fantastical escapism. All the reader has to do to be involved in the adventure of a lifetime is read it.
Karen Chance is one of my favourite authors. Books like this one are the reason why. The plot is a tightly woven fabric of twists and turns that can’t be anticipated and won’t let go of the readers attention or imagination. The characters are well rounded and realistic. They are not simplistic stereo types they have depths and lifelike contradictions that tantalisingly show up here and there and add to the suspense. The suspense, the suspense is a constant. It It pulls the reader in even further. This is a thinking person’s book while at the same time a beautiful piece of fantastical escapism. All the reader has to do to be involved in the adventure of a lifetime is read it.
April 15, 2023
There's a review of this book by Steph, which essentially says exactly what I wanted to say. I was more generous with the number of stars I gave because I love Dory's character so much, but this book felt as though it was more like a Cassie Palmer book, and I've become so exhausted by the frantic pace and confusing timelines that the most recent in that series has sat unopened on my Kindle for months.
May 4, 2023
Time's Fool
Excellent! Drove me a little nuts when it kept going back to such long stories with Gillian and Marlowe but in the end they all came together. I couldn't stop reading every minute until I finished it. It was that good. I wish it was more of just dory's story I felt like I was almost reading two books in one, but it was a good book. Really excellent. Will keep you glued reading Non-Stop I hate to see the end.
Excellent! Drove me a little nuts when it kept going back to such long stories with Gillian and Marlowe but in the end they all came together. I couldn't stop reading every minute until I finished it. It was that good. I wish it was more of just dory's story I felt like I was almost reading two books in one, but it was a good book. Really excellent. Will keep you glued reading Non-Stop I hate to see the end.
August 29, 2023
Disappointed with the story …….
Spent at lot of time rereading and jumping back and forth between the different centuries. Also (big spoiler) I felt the big build up to the sacrificing of the collective of covens last remaining “Mother “ ( the literal gaslighting of this poor woman) who is the actual mom of an already orphaned child (by a self sacrificing father no less!!) wtf!! Didn’t enjoy this episode in Dory’s story. Depressing.
Spent at lot of time rereading and jumping back and forth between the different centuries. Also (big spoiler) I felt the big build up to the sacrificing of the collective of covens last remaining “Mother “ ( the literal gaslighting of this poor woman) who is the actual mom of an already orphaned child (by a self sacrificing father no less!!) wtf!! Didn’t enjoy this episode in Dory’s story. Depressing.
April 6, 2024
Too confusing. Less than half of the book feels to be about Dory, and the rest is about Kit Marlowe and somebody called Gillian. Lots of time traveling and a gaping plot hole that is not resolved properly or at all - a young Dory meets her time traveling husband who admits to actually be her husband some 400 hundred years later. Maybe it’s mentioned shortly that their memory of the situation is wiped, but I was skimming towards the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2024
Dang, this one hit especially hard. Not as much Dory's story as Kit's, which also explains so many things in the modern storyline.
All of the story takes place in the 14- and 1500's, and Chance does a remarkable job of keeping the timeline of events in order.
This was especially fun to listen to on Audible, as Bean's narration gives the characters a life and depth that text alone doesn't quite capture.
All of the story takes place in the 14- and 1500's, and Chance does a remarkable job of keeping the timeline of events in order.
This was especially fun to listen to on Audible, as Bean's narration gives the characters a life and depth that text alone doesn't quite capture.
July 13, 2023
Wild ride through time
Dory's history and story is fleshed out. Kit's back story filled in some. It's fast-paced as all books in this series.
I've seen reviews complaining that it's not enough focus on Dory.
Without spoilers there are sights and creatures that make this story shine.
Dory's history and story is fleshed out. Kit's back story filled in some. It's fast-paced as all books in this series.
I've seen reviews complaining that it's not enough focus on Dory.
Without spoilers there are sights and creatures that make this story shine.
May 29, 2024
The book was ok. I was disappointed to find that it is not really book 6 of the series since it has nothing to do with where Dory’s story left off. We learn nothing new about Dory. The installment should have been advertised as a side story or a Kit story, as they have done for other Dory stories. I certainly wouldn’t have purchased this installment.
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