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James Arthur Tocksworth lives in the southwest United States, and works as a quantitative analyst at a major financial services company. He holds a bachelors degree in mathematics, and both masters and doctorate degrees in engineering. In the area of complex systems integration, he has spent over ten years of his career. When not crunching numbers or writing, he enjoys time with his wife and dachshund.
Tocksworth is a published academic author who has always had a passion for fiction writing, and he finally turns his hobby into a dream come true. His breakthrough novel FATE'S FRAY is available in major ereader formats and print through Ingram.
Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
I had reviewed Part I of Fate's Fray by J.A. Tocksworth, so I was anxious to read Part II. The journey of X'ieth and Kort, the rogue elf, continues in Part II. Tocksworth provides readers with much action and unexpected twists in the second half of the book, although this is not to say the first book wasn't equally as exciting. What really impressed me about Fate's Fray, both Part I and II, is that the characters are so well developed that the reader can really get to know them. Some fantasy books shroud the characters in so much confusion that it's difficult to identify with them. That isn't the case with Fate's Fray. Tocksworth made his fantasy world and characters believable.
I'll admit that Part II does have more "on the edge of your seat" plots than Part I; however, it is a common trait with a series. X'ieth has many inner conflicts that he seeks to resolve, among them the inner struggle with leaving his expecting wife behind. When X'ieth returns and his wife Millicent is giving birth, Tocksworth takes the reader on an incredible journey into the mind of X'ieth. It is one of many riveting scenes in the story.
The book is also appealing because Tocksworth has such a unique way of writing. It's clear that he didn't attempt to copy anyone. He is obviously a talented writer who knows how to tell a story to keep the reader engaged. For fans of cerebral thrillers, this is a book that grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go until the end. I highly recommend reading both Part I and Part II for the full experience of a fantasy world that, until Tocksworth, had yet to be written.
