I think there's a fun adventure buried in this novel, trying to get out -- ancient necromancer kings, a loom of Fate detailing everyone's lives, assassin elves... Unfortunately it's buried under boring prose that is an absolute slog to get through, and a ton of cliched tropes that most YA novels left behind a decade or more ago.

This novel has the worst info-dumping I've ever seen in YA. Like, rivalling "adult sci-fi where author must explain every piece of technology, every alien race/planet, and all the pieces of history that led to this the moment the first mention hits the page" kind of info-dumping. It kills all excitement, not to mention destroys the pacing and any tension. When the author is not info-dumping, she is Telling. The dialogue is also incredibly stilted most of the time - this is not how real people talk, more like the author is trying to give everyone quotable, philosophical sounds-bytes despite it making no sense for their backgrounds, ages, or personalities.

I'm frustrated by the heavy-handedness of the "inspirations" for this novel. There is a distinct line between "inspired by" and "ripping off", and sadly 'Fateless' speeds right past it without caring. This is literally YA Assassin's Creed with a single Prince of Persia character, a single drow from D&D, and some gauntlet runners from Metaphor Re: Fantazio to traverse the desert / dust-storms.

The necromancer plot caught my interest right from the blurb, but everything surrounding it just makes me tired. It took so much effort to read the novel that any interest was slowly crushed, and the expected excitement never came.

Is this the worst novel ever written? No. But it's also not giving anything new. You'll find better written Assassin's Creed and Prince Of Persia fanfic out there (which is basically what this is anyway). Younger YA readers (12-15) might enjoy this, but those who mainly read the upper end of YA will expect more subtext, more substance, and less cliche than what 'Fateless' provides.

Fateless was a really fast paced YA fantasy that just needed to slow itself down in places. I'm all for a fast paced read, but the speed of this one meant that the emotional hits just didn't really hit, and meant that the character development outside of our MC was almost non-existent.

But let's start with the positives. I really enjoyed reading from the POV of our MC, Sparrow. An orphan, she was raised by the guildmaster of the thieves guild, honing herself into the best thief she can become because if they kick her out, she has nowhere else to go. She almost feels beholden to the guild, so when they give her a seemingly impossible job, she knows she can't turn it down, no matter the danger she faces. She comes off a little cocky, so self-assured, but underneath all that is a desperate girl who will do what it takes to survive.

The plot itself, though incredibly fast paced, was mostly well developed. It almost reads as two books in one, with the mid-point being where I would expect the story to end, and while this super propulsion failed the story in a number of ways, it also made sure I stayed glued to the pages because there was no good point to put it down. Twist after twist, action scene after action scene, our poor characters really are put through the ringer with hardly any down time. I did feel like the world building was a little clunky in parts, and I felt bits that were kind of integral to the plot were kind of put in as throwaway comments, but I still enjoyed learning about the history of the world Sparrow inhabits.

This book just lacked a lot of development for me. Because of the pace we don't get to see those slower moments, the parts where our characters get to know one another, where we see the bonds being made or broken in some cases. There was a pretty huge betrayal and had we had more time to see the characters interact, to really feel the emotions held between the two, I think it would have had a much bigger impact than it did. Instead it was almost a bang and done kind of scene which, with how much history these characters held, felt a little disappointing. The pacing also meant that our side characters came off a little stereotypical. They never really got developed past their first introduction, smiling happy Fatechaser, beautiful dangerous assassin, kick ass warrior. Their interactions were, for the most part, purely used to help propel the story rather than build any kind of relationships between them all, and I really wish Kagawa would have just slowed the story down and given us more time to see them grow.

I also felt like the romance came across as rushed and just under-developed (if I had to pick one work to sum up this book it would 100% be under-developed.) Because of the lack of slower moments, their relationship almost comes out of nowhere, especially with the depth of feelings they claim to hold. It's enemies to lovers I guess, but it's a quick and almost unbelievable shift between the two, and I just never really felt invested in it in any way.

Listen, if you enjoy fast paced stories, especially one's that focus more on the plot than the characters, I would absolutely give this one a go. It just didn't work for me, which is a shame because I loved Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox trilogy.

Fairly bog-standard fantasy novel, perhaps aimed at YA.

From the author’s liking for fantasy video games comes this story of a young thief whose life gets completely transformed by events as it becomes truly complicated. They are joined by a few interesting and well-developed characters as they embark on a mission which may well “save the world”. It is quite an easy read, the language being relatively simple and generally it’s an enjoyable story with some original features. Maybe a bit too much introspection for me. Evidently the first in a series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. disclaimer:

2 ⭐️
A strangely paced, YA fantasy novel with a strong (but very mistrustful) FMC and a very subtle romantic subplot. Set in a dust covered city, centred initially around a thieves’ guild, this book explores themes of camaraderie, being thrown into the spotlight and Fate.
For fans of YA fantasy that doesn’t dig too deep, has an easy to hate antagonist, and a straightforward plot. For readers who don’t care too deeply for a romantic subplot, and want an easy read.

Story: 2/5
Characters: 2.5/5
Spice: 🫑 (kissing, but it is a YA novel)
Pacing: 2/5
Plot twists: 2/5
Magic system: 2/5

Sparrow is a 17yr old who has grown up in the Thieves’ Guild, she spent her life honing her talent of taking what isn’t hers. She has relied on the Guildmaster, who has become like a surrogate father, to guide her. Then one day she’s given a task to steal something extraordinary for the mysterious owners of the guild called The Circle. And this throws her into a world she never knew existed. She will lose friendships, struggle with who to trust, and find out more about herself than she thought possible. All while she is surrounded by the end of the world as she knows it.

YA is always a challenge in my mind. I think some writers rise to the challenge of writing a deep, complex story with accessibility for a younger age group. The Hunger Games games books are a perfect example of this.
I think Fateless, personally, missed this mark.
I felt like the author was dumbing a LOT down for the reader. We had a lot of telling and not showing. Plot dumps, mainly from the MMC, and even melodrama “asides” from multiple characters where they would mutter their true intentions or feelings out loud in front of the FMC for no conceivable reason apart from being a plot device.
Yes, it is a fantasy world, but i struggled to get past these moments of obvious plot dumps. It’s a real bugbear for me personally, so it did grate on me more than it might others.

I think the idea of the Fate was a good one with a lot of promise. However, I think how it was executed was confusing to the reader, was it actual or conceptual? Because Fate was set out like a religion that some bought into and others didn’t. But then further into the novel it seemed like the goddess of Fates WAS real in this world, and that there was an actual “tapestry” that everyone was sewed into etc. But it was really underdeveloped as a concept, which is why I feel it was so confusing as a reader.

I must admit, I hated the concept of the Fateless, but mainly because it was mentioned 113 times (so frequently!) and felt like it was only mentioned to annoy the FMC and the reader by telling you it’s a super important thing, but we can’t tell you about it yet… Which just meant when we got the revelation it was underwhelming and I’d already disengaged with the concept. It’s also bound to be a classic deus ex machina, where the Fateless resolves all issues purely because they are this “special” person. Which I’m just not a fan of, it degrades the character because it requires no room for them to really change or grow because everything just “works out” for them.

“ ‘(…) you need to come with me, Fateless’ (…) There was that word again. Fateless. ‘Why?’ “

And my last real frustration was the pacing of everything. It felt like suddenly there was an antagonist and there was minimal build up or world building around them. They were suddenly in the story and then the MMC plot dumped all about them. They suddenly reared their heads when they hadn’t for a while, and were just in time to create conflict at the end of the book. It felt rushed and predictable.
Similarly, the romance only developed because of forced proximity and a bit of fighting together? I don’t know, maybe this is the teenage love angle and it all happens very quickly and spontaneously (hormones and all) but it didn’t hit for me with how it developed. It was just, there.

I did enjoy some of the characterisations (although characters also conveniently “popped” into the plot), and liked how the initial task from the Guildmaster developed into something unexpected. The initial world building for the city was good, I liked the hot stifling world the author had started to build.

I just feel like the followup job was when the story started to spiral into melodrama, plot dump and convenience to move things along. It felt like the story had lost its authenticity in the excitement to meet the “baddies” and get the plot sprinting along.

The ending was predictable, but did set the book up nicely for part two. It was very easy, with limited actual peril compared to the perceived.

Overall, this story fell flat for me. I didn’t believe the truth behind it, there was too many paragraphs of plot mixed into the dialogue and I felt like the author felt like they needed to explicitly tell the reader what was happening next. Rather than implying or letting the plot progress organically within the writing. I just don’t think the story hit what it intended.

“ ‘As long as you’re here fate can’t get me.’ ”

Thank you so much to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC, all views and opinions are my own ✨

This is an original fantasy that swaps the chosen one trope for a main character that has no fate and no destiny at all! So, everything that Sparrow does is not prophesied or foretold which makes her dangerous! This epic tale has impressive world building with fantastic characters. Sparrow is an orphan and a thief, Raithe is an assassin sent to kill her, this is a fabulous start to a series, I am looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Fateless is a good YA fantasy with strong world building and some interesting characters. I enjoyed the little bit of romance, but at times the plot just didn't feel like it was progressing. I liked the book, but unfortunately just didn't love it!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Fateless delivered a gripping storyline with well-defined stakes that kept the momentum high. While the setting wasn’t the most immersive, the lore and plot were compelling enough to make up for it. The book’s exploration of fate added a unique dimension, creating a strong thematic thread that carried throughout the narrative.

The characters were a standout—I was drawn into their personal struggles, rooting for some while despising others (in the best way possible). The antagonists were particularly well-crafted, making their presence genuinely frustrating in a way that added weight to the conflict. The romance, while present, was subtle and balanced, enhancing the story without overshadowing the core fantasy elements.

More action and expanded worldbuilding could have enriched the experience further, but ultimately, the stakes were high enough to make every decision, every moment, feel impactful. The tension was palpable, keeping me invested right to the final page.

I wanted to like this so much! It had such potential but I found myself losing interest around half way and struggled through the rest. I loved the underground city, the world building and the description but there was just something about the characters that was lacking for me. I'm sure lots of people would enjoy it. So giving a solid 3*.

This is my first book by Julie Kagawa, so I didn't know what to expect going in, and unfortunately this was not an example that encourages me to read more.

First, what I liked:
- The desert world setting was so cool (or hot, rather). I have lived in desert locales, and Fateless brought me back to those years in such a good way.
- Halek and the idea of Fatechasers - indeed, the whole concept of Fate in the book was really well done, with some characters defying fate, others accepting it, and still others pruning it.
- I think it's likely that, given Fateless is meant to be the first in a series, this book built a stable foundation of the world and lore for future books. While I found it a bit of a slog at times, I'm considering this is a positive overall.

However, what I did not like:
- This book absolutely needs to be marketed as YA, not adult fantasy. Sparrow is 17 and, crucially, she acts and thinks like a 17-year-old. Depending how how the series unfolds, later installments may not be YA, but this one certainly is.
- On the above note, it's icky that Raithe is hundreds of years old and Sparrow isn't even an adult (not that it would be much better if she were 18 - hello Feysand). Also, their "connection" was not well-established before all of a sudden, everyone's commenting how cute they are and they should just get together already.
- I normally give an enormous pass on grammar, typos, and syntactical logic errors in ARCs, but there were some truly egregious ones in my ARC. The worst: misspelling the name of the land. That is basic. You invent a land? You spell it right every time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fateless is book 1 in the series.

Sparrow is a thief and works for the Guild. One day, she's given a special task to retrieve an item for them but that's when she comes across an assassin and things aren't what they seem.

The story started off really well and there was a lot of world building. There were some surprising betrayals and interesting friendships developing for Sparrow. But there were moments where there story dragged a lot and I couldn't continue reading. I expected a lot from this book as I really liked other books by Julie, so I'm hoping the next book will be better.

An exciting heist upon heist fantasy story. Julie Kagawa has said this story is set in a world inspired by Assassin's Creed and you get that sense very strongly right from the start with the evocative descriptions of Kovass city with its twin suns and the surrounding desert. Sparrow is the central character, an orphan raised by the Thieves Guild who is tasked with 2 dangerous missions that plunge her into a deadly adventure where she is the target of the Deathless King. Sparrow discovers she is the Fateless - one who is hidden from the Goddess of Fate. She and the allies and friends she makes during her escape from Kovass discover that she will be crucial to the fate of the world. I really enjoyed this first installment - it has a zingy pace, interesting plot twists and characters and a fascinating magical world. I really look forward to part 2!

3.5 ⭐s

Fateless follows the story of thief Sparrow as she learns of her 'fate' and her place in the world. The book was an enjoyable read with the plot, dystopian setting and any magic systems easy to understand. The plot was fairly fast paced, which kept me intrigued and the storyline had a few twists and turns. Though a YA book, I did actually find parts of the book quite scary and some of the undead characters creepy!! The FMC, Sparrow, was quite young and her thought processes a little frustrating at times.

With the romance, I didn't feel fully invested in it and felt there wasn't really much of a build up to it, not a lot of depth. Also for me, the fact she was still 17 and he was several hundred years old felt a little strange.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who enjoy YA Fantasy books with a little bit of creepiness.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Julie Kagawa, HQ, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This has 100% been mislabelled as an adult fantasy instead of a YA. If it has been marketed correctly, I wouldn’t have picked it up.

Now, the premise is very interesting, the world-building is thorough and believable, and the book cover is beautiful. However, the writing style felt a little childish (this is why it’s definitely YA), the pacing and plot were all over the place, the book generally felt flat and underwhelming. I had to dnf.

this book was ok. it was very fast paced but I couldn't find myself really caring for the characters. a lot happened but I can't really tell you WHAT happened if that makes sense?? it did take me a little while to get into it but then I couldn't put it down. after reading through the author's note, I am unsure if you need to be aware of the world of assassins creed or not - I am not into gaming so I can't say if the world is similar or if the system is the same. that is for someone else to decide as I don't want to say it is similar as I have absolutely NO idea if that is the case.

the world building was brilliantly and the aspect of heat really heated (pun not intended!) up the stakes of the book. I was always interested to see what happened next and I will be continuing this series whenever the next book releases- I will reread prior. my only fault is that it dragged in places and some aspects did need to be cut out in order to maintain my interest. as I said at the start, there was a lot happening, but not everything needed to happen (sorry if that sounds confusing).

raithe was a cool character but he fell in love too quickly. I WANT MORE TENSION AND SLOW BURN PLEASE!! (also the cover is stunning! well done to the artist!!)

It took me quite some time to get into this story but once in I enjoyed the development of the lore. However I did feel that the story lurched from one calamity to the next and the development of the relationships seems to just happen which I found contrary to what the main character is described as (a person who doesn’t have deep relationships). Worth a read as I love Kagawa’s other work but not one of her best.

The world building was very intriguing and I wish we got to spend more time in Kovass with the thieves guild.

Sparrow, Raithe and Halek are enjoyable characters who were from different parts of the world with different world views yet they worked really well together.

I think three books worth of plot happened in this book and it was all too fast so there wasn't enough depth for the characters. Which was a shame because the world seems really interesting with the Fates, the Weave and even Demon Hour.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Really interesting read, it liked the build up of characters and introduction of unusual creatures, i would read book 2, although I would say this would fit more YA

Julie Kagawa returns with a new fantasy trilogy that sweeps readers into a strikingly original desert world, where fate is not just a concept, but a force to be worshipped—or defied.

Seventeen-year-old Sparrow is a skilled thief raised by the Thieves Guild in the city of Kovass, a place where survival depends on stealth, loyalty, and obedience. But when her latest assignment reveals a dangerous truth about her role in a much larger plan—one that could resurrect the long-banished Deathless Kings—Sparrow finds herself on the run from the very people who raised her. Her only hope lies with Raithe, the assassin sent to kill her, whose motives are as enigmatic as his past.

Fateless offers a refreshingly different fantasy setting, trading the typical medieval forests for sweeping deserts, sand ships, and cities built on secrets. The worldbuilding is rich without being overwhelming. There’s a real sense of scale and atmosphere here—from the rooftop chases of Kovass to the insect-haunted expanse of the Dust Sea—and Kagawa’s descriptive prose makes it all vividly easy to imagine.

Sparrow is a compelling protagonist, equal parts vulnerable and capable, with an inner voice that captures the emotional stakes of her journey. While the story is firmly grounded in YA, it doesn’t shy away from darker moments, and the theme of fate—both in the mystical and philosophical sense—adds an intriguing layer to the narrative.

The pacing does stumble slightly—especially in the early chapters where the plot takes time to find its rhythm, and in the final act, which feels slightly compressed by comparison. The book’s structure—split cleanly into two distinct halves—helps ground the story and gives it a strong narrative arc despite its position as the first in a trilogy.

Ultimately, Fateless is an exciting, inventive start to a new series that promises epic adventure, high stakes, and a heroine worth following. With its blend of ancient magic, political intrigue, and slow-burn dynamics, it will appeal to fans of the author, while still carving out its own unique path through the genre.

A strong first installment, and one that leaves plenty of room for the series to grow.

I absolutely adored Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series so when I saw an ARC was available for this I jumped at the chance to read it.

The book follows a young woman, Sparrow, through a dusty desert world where you are bound by your fate and you cannot escape it. Sparrow's expected fate is to be a thief and so she does what she knows best - steals but this time it comes with unexpected complications and companions.

The storyline for this was fantastic, definitely different to what I usually read and very different from her other main series. The worldbuilding was excellent, it felt very immersive without being overwhelming. The characters are interesting and there's some development in a few of our main characters which is always a bonus.

The book is definitely YA and reads as such, however that's not a bad thing as it makes for a nice easy read. The set up of the book is great, you have two parts, which are separated by a momentous event so it's easy to keep track of what's going on. I didn't struggle too much with the names as they all feel very different from each other.

This book had me hooked, and I enjoyed reading it. I'll definitely be recommending and continuing with the series.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Julie Kagawa for the e-ARC, I had a great time reading it.

Personal note: I would really like a giant beetle to ride please, however I'm not into the other giant insects (I'm looking at you fire ants).

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!

As soon as I saw the notification that I’d be granted an ARC, I was really looking forward to reading this, I’ve heard great things about Julie’s books. The FMC was really interesting; she was multi-dimensional, and I really enjoyed her inner monologue as it showed very human feelings, such as guilt or feeling ‘unworthy’. So it was very easy to connect with her. The world building was great and it was a setting that I could clearly picture.
The pacing was slightly off, as the beginning felt slow then the last 15% felt a bit rushed and I felt fairly unsatisfied at the ending as it was very abrupt. I also found some parts hard to follow as there were so many different names and types of characters and beasts, and this kind of threw me off when I was reading as I had to re-read certain parts multiple times to understand them.
Overall I did enjoy this book, and although there were some changes that could be made, the premise of the book as well as the diversity of characters and the plot made it an interesting read.

Rating: 3/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)