The power lines that Beckett struggles with are invisible to many. But, by noticing them, untangling them, and tracing them back to their source, he can enact change. With that theme, William Culbertson's SHACKLES OF DESTINY is one of the most radical fantasy novels in recent memory.

Beckett and Emily are both traumatized. He was abused as a child, now a mage who can only access his power through drink. She is a barmaid who's fought off a sexual assault. Together they threaten “The Kernel,” though the power-hungry woman has no clue why. Still, she fights to maintain her power and wears herself down in the process. Fate, power, and resistance come together as Beckett finds himself and his own powers through Emily and The Dancer. But only one of his choices will set him free.

This is a tale about many things: trauma, recovery, love, sibling rivalry, control, choice, and more. Culbertson has created a deeply social and psychological story about how human beings respond to injustice. Though Beckett will make many choices, only one will bring healing to both his world and to society itself.

This is a profound book, as well-crafted as Beckett’s knife for Emily, with a magical world seen through the eyes of a man who began the narrative sitting in a pub. Culbertson grounds this fantasy in a series of small and everyday actions, such as making oatmeal—an act rendered with such detail that it places the reader directly in Emily’s home and the fantasy world: “The cook pot, half full of milk, sat on the metal top plate with a small fire burning below it. He had the ladle, so he stirred.” Each of the characters, including the power-hungry Kernel, has a rich inner life. The Kernel also comes across as vulnerable, maimed by power and given to despair. With such intriguing character work, this story grips readers from the very beginning.

For fantasy lovers who have been touched by trauma, overwhelmed by injustice, or who want to explore how freedom and destiny intertwine, SHACKLES OF DESTINY is an inspiring read that takes its audience into an imaginary world they won't soon forget.

SHACKLES OF DESTINY is a riveting must-read. William Culbertson has created a novel that immerses readers in the psychology and social worlds of its characters, investigating the collision between freedom and destiny.

~ Nicci Attfield for IndieReader