Changes

It's the 18th century and 11 year old Francis Damory is spoken to by great great grandfather, Tobias. Nothing odd except that Tobias is dead and speaks via a portrait in Farundell, the family's Oxfordshire home. Hence begins the obsession that will take the adult Sir Francis across the world and through a lifetime of adventures to track Tobias down. The longer Francis looks, the more he realises that Great Great Grandfather isn't dead and that, therefore, Francis wants whatever he's on.

''Fate'' is definitely Sir Francis' gig. He personally narrates the novel which is driven by his personality. It's an action packed story as many events (and people) happen to him but one accepts they wouldn't be as entertaining recounted by anyone else. This Lord Damory is a kind, generous scientist and polymath, but most of all, Ms Fredericks has blessed him with an excellent sardonic, sarcastic wit and sense of irony. There are plenty of smiles, a couple of laugh-out-loud moments and one particularly clever scene when an in-joke is shared between Lord and reader at the expense of another character present. True, the Lord does seem to bed hop his way across the world, but conquest is hinted at or passively referenced, a welcome contrast to the centre piece ''Farundell'' sex scene. Once you accept that, if a lady has a pulse and seems unrelated to Sir Francis, she's going to end up flat on her back (figuratively) the bonking doesn't get in the way. Unlike Tom Jones or Casanova the sex is incidental to the adventure and events, not the main focus.