The Untold Tale

J. M. Frey — 2015

Forsyth Turn is not a hero. Lordling of Turn Hall and Lysse Chipping, yes. Spymaster for the king, certainly. But hero? That's his older brother's job, and Kintyre Turn is nothing if not legendary. However, when a raid on the kingdom's worst criminal results in the rescue of a bafflingly blunt woman, oddly named and even more oddly mannered, Forsyth finds his quaint, sedentary life is turned on its head. Dragged reluctantly into a quest he never expected, and fighting villains that even his brother has never managed to best, Forsyth is forced to confront his own self-shame and the demons that come with always being second-best. And, more than that, when he finally realizes where Lucy came from and why she's here, he'll be forced to question not only his place in the world, but the very meaning of his own existence. Smartly crafted, The Untold Tale gives agency to the unlikeliest of heroes: the silenced, the marginalized, and the overlooked. It asks what it really means to be a fan when the worlds you love don't resemble the world you live in, celebrates the power of the written word, challenges tropes, and shows us what happens when someone stands up and refuses to remain a secondary character in their own life.

Reviews

Laura Kehoe@laurakehoe

Feb 10, 2022

Originally published on The Book Unicorn Actual rating is 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and REUTS Publications for the chance to read The Untold Tale. This book was so much fun! I think anyone who's a major reader of fantasy (especially epic fantasy) will enjoy The Untold Tale. It takes so many frustratingly cliche fantasy troupes and turns them on their head. This is the kind of book that have felt really cheesy and silly, but actually ended up being so thoughtful and wonderful that I could hardly put it down. Think about your favorite childhood book. The one you read and reread too many times to count. What would happen if, all of a sudden, you found yourself pulled into that world? For some of us, that might feel like a dream come true. But for Lucy Piper, the reality is much less glamorous and exciting than she imagined. Lucy Piper, or Pip, as she's known to friends, is such a strong and fascinating character. I loved her so much and instantly felt a huge connection with her. Although, to be honest, I ended up loving a great many of these characters. They all felt so real that it almost seemed like I'd been pulled along into the world with Lucy. The only reason I didn't give this book a full four stars is that sometimes the pace dragged and the plot felt a bit forced at times. I also would have liked a little more closure at the end. I know there's at least one more book in the series, so I might feel differently about the ending once I read the next book. But, honestly I enjoyed this book so much. Anyone who's a fan of fantasy should definitely give The Untold Tale a read!

Jolie@readwithme

Sep 16, 2021

This book took my by surprise. I honestly thought, going into it, that it was going to be your typical fantasy/romance book....which I love, btw, so not knocking those types of books. Oh, no, this book was so much more. Forsyth is the Lordling of Turner Hall and of Lysse Chipping. His older brother, Kintyre, is the actual heir but he would rather be out doing quests and having adventures with Bevel Dom, his companion and he left Forsyth in charge. Forsyth was a good Lordling and took care of his people. As a result they all loved him. Unfortunately, Forsyth does not have any confidence in himself. Because of a hard upbringing and a brother that bullied him, his self-confidence and self-esteem is shot. He believes himself to be unattractive, to be fat, to be boring and to be unnoticed by anyone. He has a severe stutter when he is feeling stressed or unsure of himself. He also believes himself to be unlovable....thanks to a woman he was interested in and his brother. Just use your imagination if you want to figure out what happened with that. What I loved about this book was that it was a story inside a story (think Inception). Lucy (aka Pip)was a regular person who pulled into a book by no fault of her own. In order for her to get out, she needs to go on a quest and she decides that Forsyth is the one to come with her and he is the one to be her hero. Also, I would love to think that Pip wanted to prove to Forsyth that he was good enough, brave enough to be his own hero (if that makes sense). The romance between Forsyth and Pip was sweet but there were a couple of twists that took me by surprise because, I totally didn't see them coming. Put it this way, I cried after the scene with the sylph. The end of the book was very interesting. All of the storylines were wrapped up but the author left it open for a second book!!