All About Books- Book Review

The Ring. A collection of interconnected Historical Fiction short stories.

It is a pleasure to review The Ring Anthology, for the Reading Between the Lines book blog tour by Lynsey Adams, published May 2025 by The Reading Agency, a UK charity.

#AGENTLENUDGE #THEREADINGAGENCY #THE RING #ANTHOLOGY

Blurb

Forged over 2000 years ago, when Rome was still a republic, a simple gold ring was inscribed with the name and symbol of Fortuna, capricious goddess of fate. From the seven hills of Ancient Rome, to the streets of modern day New York, the ring passes from hand to hand, through the centuries, shaping destinies and unveiling secrets.

A Roman patrician gambles his future on its luck. A crusading knight takes it from the finger of a slain foe. A child is gifted it by a soldier in the Thirty Years War and trusts it to keep her father safe. A jeweller takes it to America in the Gilded Age seeking a new life. Each tale is a moment in time, a new wearer, and a twist of fate—sometimes fortune smiles, but all too often the ring brings ill luck.

In these stories, history seems driven by the will of chance. Those who possess the ring seek to shape their own destinies, but it is always Fortuna herself who has the final say.

With contributions from Alistair Forrest, Fiona Forsyth, Jacquie Rogers, Alistair Tosh, Graham Brack, Eleanor Swift-Hook, Mark Turnbull, Maggie Richell-Davies, Robert Bordas and Val Penny this is a spellbinding anthology of interconnected short stories, where luck is never what it seems.

Review

This anthology comprises a collection of historical, interconnected short stories with contributions from ten different authors. From ancient Rome to the present day, it offers something to suit every taste.

A gold ring, inscribed with the name and symbol of Fortuna, the capricious goddess of fate, connects each of the stories together. Although the tales, all featuring the ring, are interconnected, they are also very different, particularly in each author’s take on the ‘fate’ that accompanies the owner of the ring.

I read this collection over a number of sittings, savouring each story in turn. Each one is cleverly written, with unique characters, imaginative angles, and very different tones and themes as the ring changes hands and unleashes its power on unsuspecting victims. The will of fate awaits each new owner.

Well done to all of the authors who contributed. I enjoyed reading each of your stories and will be dipping back into them again. I recommend this anthology to all historical fiction lovers and to readers who like a well-told story.