The Fall is All There Is

Four of Mercies #1

by C.M. Caplan

All Petre Mercy wanted was a good old-fashioned dramatic exit from his life as a prince. But it's been five years since he fled home on a cyborg horse. Now the King—his Dad—is dead—and Petre has to decide which heir to pledge his thyroid-powered sword to.

As the youngest in a set of quadruplets, he’s all too aware that the line of succession is murky. His siblings are on the precipice of power grabs, and each of them want him to pick their side.

If Petre has any hope of preventing civil war, he'll have to avoid one sibling who wants to take him hostage, win back another’s trust after years of rivalry and resentment, and get an audience with a sister he's been avoiding for five years.

Before he knows it, he's plunged himself into a web of intrigue and a world of strange, unnatural inventions just to get to her doorstep.

Family reunions can be a special form of torture.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, LGBT, Queer

413 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2022

About the author

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C.M. Caplan is the author of the SPFBO7 semifinalist The Sword in the Street, and SPFBO9 Finalist/SPSFC semifinalist, The Fall Is All There Is. They're a quadruplet (yes, really), autistic, and have a degree in creative writing. If you enjoy their books, you can rate them on Goodreads and Amazon.

Reviews

[John Mauro · Rating 4 out of 5]

My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.

C.M. Caplan’s frenetic grimdark novel, The Fall Is All There Is, blends fantasy and science fiction in a brutal post-apocalyptic world dripping with familial drama.

The first-person protagonist, Petre, is the youngest among quadruplets, born just minutes following his older siblings, Anoïse, Edgar, and Desmon. The death of their ruling father sets off a battle of succession that takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level.

Petre is a junkie of sorts, taking frequent Intramuscular Memory Injections and walking a thin line between maintaining basic human functioning and experiencing a terrifying overdose:

“…without Intramuscular Memory Injections I wasn’t even able to achieve basic competency in anything involving fighting, riding, sword work, sneaking, or court etiquette.”

Petre is impulsive to a fault and doesn’t hesitate to take extreme measures. He is also neurodivergent and struggles to understand people’s emotions and the subtext of conversations:

“I winced. I’d never been as good at navigating this world of double meanings as my siblings. They’d all found ways to adapt to it, and while I could manage it with the people I didn’t like much, I hated being so indirect with people I cared about.”

Although it’s difficult being trapped in Petre’s mind for the duration of The Fall Is All There Is, C.M. Caplan’s vibrant writing perfectly captures the mental anarchy of his protagonist. Caplan also shines in writing fight scenes, and The Fall Is All There Is also features plenty of grimdark action.

The Fall Is All There Is feels like Prince of Thorns on acid. Both C.M. Caplan’s SPFBO9 finalist and Mark Lawrence’s debut novel are told from the tunnel vision of an exceedingly violent, emotionally damaged protagonist with major family issues. Both novels skillfully combine fantasy and science fiction in the aftermath of apocalypse. However, in C.M. Caplan’s case, the world is technically post-post-apocalyptic, having suffered a First Annihilation caused by magic and a Second Annihilation caused by technology:

“After the First Annihilation, the survivors built strange tech on top of the arcane landscapes left behind. Until they got so good at it that they, too, blasted themselves back to the stone age, in the Second Annihilation. The tech they’d left behind died with all knowledge of how to use it.”

Although the chaos of The Fall Is All There Is felt a bit too much to handle at times, overall this is a highly worthwhile read and definitely recommended for grimdark fans.

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for SPFBO9 as part of team Fantasy Book Critic. This is just my personal opinion, group verdict may differ widely.

9/10

The Fall Is All There Is is a wonderfully weird, unapologetically unhinged, and darkly entertaining gendreblendy gem of a book. It throws all genre conventions and reader expectations straight out the window, and that is exactly where its irresistible charm lies.

Five years ago, Petre Mercy fled the royal drama and petty politicking of his family home on a cyborg horse, and he had no intention of ever looking back. But then his dad, the King, had the audacity to die, and with a set of quadruplets as heirs, the line of succession is just a tiny bit messy. Soon Petre is sucked back into an intricate web of deadly political schemes and emotional family feuds as he has to decide which of his siblings deserves his pledge of fealty; if there is any right choice at all.

Within a couple of pages I just knew that The Fall Is All There Is was going to be a book for me. Petre’s intoxicating and disturbingly intimate first person narration immediately pulled me in, and he has quickly shot up to the top of my list of favourite SFF protagonists. As a neurodivergent gay man who lets his emotions rule his actions and who acts before he thinks, he is not the most conventional or even likeable fantasy protagonist. But dammit, if I didn’t love him with all my heart!

Caplan did an absolutely magnificent job of portraying Petre’s chaotic and frenetic headspace, and I loved the moments of quirky writing where Petre almost breaks the fourth wall and asks you directly if you know what he is feeling. He demands you to place yourself in his shoes, and that did absolute wonders for my investment and immersion. The panic, the fear, the anxiety, the hyperfixations, the frustration, the hysteria, the bewilderment, the anger, the paranoia; I related way more deeply to Petre’s intense emotions than I would probably like to admit, and I was honestly revelling in the chaos of it all.

And it’s not only Petre who just absolutely shines, but all of the impressively nuanced side characters simply stole the show as well. The messy and complicated interpersonal relationships were without a doubt my favourite aspect of this story, be they familial, romantic, platonic or something nebulous in between it all. I was honestly gobbling up all the delicious interpersonal drama, and I have no shame in admitting that I was constantly cackling out loud at the hysterical interactions and effortlessly funny dialogue (Fabrian is a GEM!).

What’s more, all that exquisite character work doesn’t come at the cost of some brilliant and honestly batshit crazy world building. With this being set in a post-post-apocalyptic world, the flora and fauna of this world was truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I adored the air of mystery and intrigue that’s embedded into the world building, and I was fascinated with how technology, science, and magic were all so intricately interwoven to create some of the most mind-boggling concepts I have ever stumbled across in SFF (hi ghostfog, exploding cyborg horses and flesh eating plants).

Now, as much as I adored Petre as a protagonist, there were some moments where I almost wished we had gotten some additional perspectives to make things a bit less confusing. We only know as much as Petre knows, and it just so happens that he is completely out of his depth for large parts of this confoundingly complex story. To me, this made the (political) plot feel a bit muddy at times, and especially near the hectic climax of the story I started to lose some of the threads.

That said, this story is so deeply character-driven that I truly didn’t mind the little stumbles in the plot and pacing all too much. Ultimately, I was just so deeply in awe (and maybe slightly frightened?) of Caplan’s wildly exciting imagination, and I could not stop turning the pages. I honestly thought I would never find another reading experience that would come close to Tamsyn Muir’s The Locked Tomb series, but The Fall Is All There Is might have just done so. And trust me, that is the highest of high praise for me.

The Fall Is All There Is was simply a true delight to read, and I will be counting down the days until I can return to this magnificently mystifying world and deeply flawed yet inexplicably endearing characters. If you think the SFF genre has nothing new to offer anymore, please do yourself a favour and pick up this wholly original and refreshingly unconventional political scifantasy novel!

*********
First read 2024: 4 stars
Second read 2025: 4.5 stars

The sheer audacity of this book to be even better on re-read... I love this batshit crazy story in this insane world with these unhinged (but entirely too loveable) characters SO MUCH. Can't wait to dive into book 2 asap, bring on the chaos!!!

[Mark Lawrence]

I've not read this yet, but it's the third finalist for SPFBO 9, one of 10 finalists to be chosen from the 300 entries this year.

That's got to mean it's good - so give it a go.

Check out this year's contest here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...

See this year's finalist table here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...

Read up on the SPFBO in general here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...


.

[L.L. MacRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to go into books blind. I also primarily read fantasy (with the occasional sci fi thrown in now and again)

This is a blend of fantasy and sci fi, post-apocalyptic and political, and it is written by one of the best voices I think I’ve ever read.

At this point I’d like to give Caplan some mundane topics just so I can read more of that incredible writing style!

The word-building is like nothing I’ve ever encountered before - a world that has been through two cataclysmic events (named the First and Second Annihilation), you can imagine the devastation here. There is life and science that has blended to create some incredible technology (honestly these are some of the most creative ideas I’ve ever read - corpse technology!? Plants made of tongues and other organs?! Gaunts?! Ghostfog?! Needing to wear a mask because of the lingering devastation!?) and what is more compelling even than the incredible world we have, is the way in which Caplan describes everything.

I had to pause and re-read a few descriptions because they were just that vivid, that well-spun. Caplan has a gift when it comes to capturing details of the landscape, action sequences, and the state of the world, but even more so when it comes to getting those little emotions out. It really is absolutely stunningly written.

There is so much creepiness in this world it is almost horror-adjacent in parts, but told with a sort of light-hearted humour that keeps the reader in safe hands, which I very much appreciated. There were some pretty intense parts, and things spiralled almost completely out of control several times, which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Personally, I am not a big fan of overly political plots and much conflict driven by miscommunication or lack of communication, and this book has all of that a plenty. If it’s your wheelhouse, you’re going to love it. For my personal taste, it probably wasn’t the “story” for me, but I am so glad to have read this and discovered a new writing genre/style/mix of awesomeness.

That being said, I adored our main character. Petre is one of the best characters I’ve read, and it’s equal parts wonderful and worrying that I connected with him so much. Those family conflicts, yeesh! So much of how building panic, anxiety, and overwhelm was written was so on the nose I had goosebumps. The frustration of being pushed aside, having things assumed about you, the manipulation, the treachery, the lack of trust. It was utterly compelling.

There are a lot of family dynamics at play, and I love that we were able to spend time individually with each of the siblings.

Ultimately, this was a stunning read unlike anything I’ve seen before. A gem of a book.

(Side note - I started reading this in an airport in December, and had to put it down for one reason or another [life, mostly]. The length of time it took me to read is in no way a reflection of this book - it is excellent!)

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has one of the best distinctive voices in fantasy.

I was six years old the first time Mom threatened to sew my mouth shut.
She got the needles out and everything, I swear. In her defense, I was a chaotic little shit at that age.

Like, what a killer opening line!

Petre is the youngest of the royal quadruplets and has fled the capital to escape the ruthless police machinations and competition encouraged by their parents.
However, he is drawn back in amidst a coup, a civil war he wants to part in.

This is told in first person, present tense and it totally suits the character and voice. Petre is autistic and he has absolutely no filter. He also struggles to understand others’ motivations, is restlessly anxious, and just wants everyone to leave him the heck alone.

Petre knows nothing of what is going on, so expressed as much confusion and frustration as the readers as he tries to figure what is going on.
This dual experience makes you feel very endeared to him as a main character.

It's just. I don't know-sometimes when you've had nothing for long enough, you'll take a fistful of thorns just so you can remember what it feels like to have your hands full.

The world-building is also so unique!
Expect steampunk, post apocalyptic vibes.
- Cyberpunk horses
- Corpse technologies
- Injections to enhance abilities
- Gas masks, ghostfog, and gaunts

I loved how Caplan handled Petre as a person and his responses to his situation, as well as navigating the people around him. Caplan balances humour, sass, and heartbreak.

Love isn't some delicate flower blooming in a quiet grove. It's fucking napalm. It's an indiscriminate mess of chemicals that gets dropped on you from on high, and you don't get a say in the matter, because suddenly you're on fire, and everything's burning, and the whole world has tilted on its axis, and the flames have reduced everything to smoke and heat and nobody knows how to deal with it, to contain the blaze, to keep it all under control.
Everything hurts and your throat is raw and you're choking and you're crying and you can't tell up from down anymore because all there is is incandescence everywhere you look. That's love.

There was some questionable sexual partner and activity preferences, but this is such a minor side note. It reminded me of Jenn Lyons’s books in that sense.

I would definitely recommend this indie book - it is on kindle unlimited!

Bookstagram

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

It’s a wild one. Petre Mercy, the youngest of the autistic royal quadruplets, ran away from home at eighteen. After his father dies, Petre is summoned home to the chaotic life at court he’d fled from years ago, to sort out the line of succession. Each of his siblings wants him to pick their side, and one wrong move could ignite a civil war. Especially since Petre’s siblings are a curious bunch.

Desmon Mercy, who was trained from a young age to be the family's ambassador, excels at forging alliances and business deals but has a bit of a superiority complex.

Edgar Mercy speaks in very clipped, controlled sentences, and is more than a little confrontational. Also, charismatic enough to have built up a bit of a cult following.

As for Anoïse Mercy, the eldest of the quadruplets and the current Queen, she struggles to be as decisive as she'd like to be. She's deeply committed to upholding her father's memory and fulfilling her birthright, even though it has already cost her a great deal.

To say their unique family dynamic is complicated would be the understatement of the year.

Apart from being absolutely bonkers, The Fall is All There Is is hard to categorize. You might call it post-apocalyptic science-fantasy but that doesn't quite capture its essence. In this world, science allows to enhance people's physical abilities and reflexes (dear lord, the injections scenes!), but there's also a significant element of magic. Right from the beginning, we learn that magic was responsible for the world's fall thousands of years ago during "The First Annihilation," which reshaped the world in bizarre ways. Survivors managed to create incredible scientific marvels but tragically misused them during "The Second Annihilation," plunging themselves back into a primitive existence. The people of today live in a world pieced together from the remnants of these two catastrophic events. Science clashes with magic, magic with science, and sometimes it’s hard to tell which is which and where are boundaries.

The book opens with a gripping and attention-grabbing first line that immediately establishes a sense of tension and unease. Petre's distinct voice (1st person POV) creates a compelling narrative. Petre is a hot-mess and his Caplan finds a way to effectively convey his complex emotions and inner conflicts. Now, perhaps, less screaming during family meetings would make things smoother but don’t count on it 🙂 As mentioned, Petre’s family dynamic is unique.

The pacing of the book is well-managed - the initial tension builds gradually as the protagonist grapples with his new circumstances. The tension continues to escalate, and a sense of anticipation and urgency drives the story forward. I think Caplan effectively integrates world-building elements without tormenting readers with huge blocks of exposition.

In terms of critique, parts of the story could benefit from clearer transitions between different sections to ensure a smoother flow of the narrative. Additionally, Petre's inner monologue occasionally becomes convoluted and lacks clarity. Perhaps simplifying some of the complex sentence structures and streamlining the narrative could help maintain clarity and make the story more accessible to readers.

Overall, I enjoyed The Fall is All There Is. It’s wild, unpredictable, and contains enough twists and turns to keep readers' attention.

[Dan Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sci-fantasy book about quadruplet royals amidst a brewing civil war.

The first-person narrative is quite effective in conveying the harrowing gauntlet of a neurodiverse person navigating social & family relationships.

This is the core of the book.

Yes, there are android horses and flowers with teeth and science swords and ghost fog that makes sort-of zombies and all kinds of other wild sci-fantasy shit.

Yes, all that stuff is cool.

But don't go into this thinking it'll be pew-pew flash-bang science fantasy action.

There is action, & it's exciting, visceral, & often terrifying. But until the last 20%, the action is not where the story is at. At all.

It's in the conversations & the interior monologue. It's a talky, thinky book about family (in this case quadruplet royals) & belonging.

Petre, bless his little heart, is called back home for obscure reasons as a potential civil war threatens to engulf the family and the nation. He navigates antagonistic but loving relationships with his siblings, who are as wont to punch as hug each other.

He's constantly tormented by intrusive thoughts, & tbh, it's kind of claustrophobic to read at times. You feel trapped inside his mind, you FEEL on a visceral level what he's dealing with. Not an easy read, but an important one & a moving one.

It also has android horses.

Let's talk about the writing though. Petre's POV is casual and snarky and sweary at times, but the author's trademark weird word-fuckery shines through it all. Caplan describes objects & spaces almost as if they were alive, and bodies as if they were objects. It's mesmerizing.

In short, if you want to read a super-close 1st person POV of an autistic character in a science fantasy setting navigating some fucked-up court intrigue, this is 100% the book for you.

[C.J. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this to review for the Indie Ink Awards and decided to get the audiobook on audible as I’ve been behind and having trouble focusing on reading. Scott Fleming did a fantastic job that I really enjoyed.

Every review I’ve ever seen for this book has talked about how unique it is. So let’s get the obvious out of the way. This is one of the most unique novels and genre blends I’ve ever read. It mixes science fiction aspects with a fantasy world, dialogue that feels more modern, and horror elements too.

The characters use gas masks while outside of the major cities to save themselves from becoming gaunt. Aka breathing in ghost-like vapor and having their bodies taken over. Think kind of zombies, or evil entities a la the Shinigami in Never Die. The masks felt very scifi, while the nature of their need was wholly fantasy. Just one of the great blendings.

The main character Petre, has a mental processing disorder, which leads him to need to get these implant injections. This kind of disability rep was something I’ve never read before, and the ‘cure’ (however temporary) was just another thing that felt so incredibly sci-fi in this fantasy world. He’s also a great example of bisexual rep as well, having desires for both men and women in a way that feels genuine.

Another aspect of this novel that really knocked it out of the park was the way the author wrote the main characters. Not only are they siblings, they are quadruplets, so not everything is always good, but the bond is still unbreakable. Even if they wish it were. So when their father, the King, dies, naturally they can’t keep it together and behave amicably. The way in which the author writes their scenes together is so good, so believable, it’s almost as if the reader is experiencing the family arguments from the inside. As one of them. Or maybe it’s just because I am one of four kids myself.

While I really enjoyed this, I was a bit surprised how the story didn’t really progress. That’s not the say that steps weren’t taken, or that there isn’t action, the plot itself just didn’t reach any kind of resolution. It almost kind of ends on the climax. Which instead of ruining it, definitely made me feel like I needed more immediately. I guess I just didn’t realize it wasn’t a standalone!

4.5/5*


https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-fa...

[Jennifer (bunnyreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been seeing The Fall Is All There Is (The Fall, hereon) around twitter for a few months now and the cover intrigued me so much that I had to check out the sample- which I read exactly two paragraphs of and bought the book on that basis. Ultimately the story ended up being a mixed-bag of things I loved, and things I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about.

*

The Fall was one weird blend of genres, and some of the stuff that happens- like the cyborg horse exploding (yes, its as messy as it sounds) just had me chuckling in its absurdity. I loved that about it! Who knew post-apocalyptic future cyber-fantasy could be so much fun? I also loved the extra little bit of creepy with the Ghostfog to really round out the weirdness of it all. It’s creative, unique and just all-around cool.


Petre, after five years of being away is asked to return home. All kinds of baggage comes with that request- his relationship with his family is messy as heck. Petre didn’t leave on good terms, mind you, he didn’t tell anyone he was leaving so it wasn’t really bad terms either, more like running away.


For the most part, I loved the voice of Petre. He is our window and through him we learn about the world and his relationship with his siblings. He’s funny and relatable and sometimes his headspace can be quite chaotic.

*
Things I did wish to understand better- the politics; which felt a little vague at times. There are secrets galore and our pov doesn’t allow us answers to certain things, in part because Petre has been gone for so many years and in part because so much is tied to the relationships between the siblings themselves and we are just joining the chaos now.


Which brings me to the other thing I wished to understand better- the dynamics of their relationships. There’s a whole subtext of years of accumulated mental and physical wounds between these now grown kids, that have built-up into these mixed-up feelings of hurt, and anger in their love of each other (just like any family) but we aren’t privy to most of these events that caused this automatic distrust of the others intentions, or the need to try constantly outthink each other.

So as much as I enjoyed Petre, I sometimes wished for other pov’s because it felt that we are just left on the outside looking in, wondering why they are being such prickly jerks and the whole combination could be exhausting, and maybe just a little too real and similar to me and my siblings, because I found myself getting annoyed with them- their arguments and the occasional pettiness, and I just wanted to be able to slam the door in their face or something equally petty myself.


Anyway frustrations at family relations aside- my favourite sibling ended up being Desmond. This had a lot to do with this huge blow-up he had at Petre where we got to hear a little of his feelings about what growing-up together was like. I found this very refreshing as most of the rest of the time it was all very one-sided. (Can you tell I am the mediator of our family?) It could very well be that we get more in-depth into all their relationships as the series progresses too. I hope so because they’re definitely a quirky bunch.

TLDR:

The Fall, has a lot going for it. It’s a nutty, chaotic story at times and I’d say that it is more about family and navigating the relationships between the siblings, than who is in-line to be the next successor. And yes, there were things I personally felt could use some fleshing-out but the story on the whole- is just a lot crazy fun.

Seriously, I mean, how many stories open by saying that their mom threatened to sew their mouth shut, and they actually meant it? Like, for real?

Other Notes:

As a disclaimer, I should mention that the author has entered this one in SPFBO but this review has nothing to do with the blog group that the book fell in to. I read this awhile ago and it's been stuck in queue on the blog. Of course, if it happens to be lucky enough to get to finals, then I will be happy because it will be one less book for me later, but for now, I have nothing to do with it's chances of getting to that point.

[Kerstin Rosero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I buddy-read this with The Best Adam, and a good 80% of it involved us screaming positivities at each other and at the author, if that gives you an idea of how much I enjoyed this book. The other 20% was silent enjoyment, as screaming endlessly—as it turns out—also tires out your virtual vocal cords.

That said, I thought The Fall Is All There Is was delightful. I'd read the author's previous book, The Sword in the Street, which I enjoyed, and I think this book is a level up in many aspects: the characters are distinct and hilarious, the worldbuilding is deep and imaginative, and the pacing is solid enough to hold your interest for hundreds of pages. Throw in some cyborg horses, thyroid swords, and ghostfog, and you have a five-star read.

I don't know if it's good or bad that I could understand the family dynamics at play here, lol, and I just want C.M. Caplan to summarize this book via AITA post. There was so much going on, but the author doesn't simply tell you about it. Instead, he shows us exactly how uncomfortable these relationships are without telling us outright, which, in my opinion, only strengthened the dynamics between different characters. Giving each character a different voice is a skill, and the fact that I could tell apart royal quadruplets without re-reading anything is a testament to how well the characters are fleshed out.

The tone of the book is a mix of light and dark (like you have corpse technology, which is kind of on the dark side, in my opinion...), but it doesn't take itself seriously, which I really appreciated. The humor and lightness stay well within the threshold without sacrificing the higher stakes of the plot. Each character is flawed in a very human way, including Petre, and they know it. But many flaws are also a product of circumstance, which I think the author explains well. Like sometimes I wanted to slap the characters, but... sometimes I want to slap my best friends IRL too, and I still love them.

Anywho, The Fall Is All There Is was a blast to read, and I enjoyed it a lot! Thanks to the author for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Craig Bookwyrm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was something else... Full review can be read here:

https://escapistbookcompany.com/2023/...

[Jamie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, y'all, this book. THIS BOOK.
You do not simply have a disaster main character, oh no, this is a disaster FAMILY and I AM HERE FOR IT. The author writes I love you but I will literally stab you complicated family dynamics so, so well. Because let's face it, most have us have considered that at one moment or another. No? Just me?
Fine.
Either way, read this book.

[Julia Sarene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for SPFBO, this is only 💥 my personal opinion 💥 group verdict might differ widely!

There's a lot to love in The Fall is All There Is by C.M. Caplan.

A neurodivergent main character, who is also gay already was a great change of pace!
It's an absolutely weird and chaotic mix of post apocalyptic fantasy with some remnants of technology being around, like the half cybernetically enhanced horses and science based drugs, but it also feels more medieval in the way of life. There are fantasy aspects and a lot of mysteries thrown in as well, and somehow this doesn't lead to a big mess, but somehow it all comes together nicely and makes for a very fresh take!

I really enjoyed the tone and voice of Petre our main character, and was easily hooked by him.
He has a very disjointed and complex relationship with his family, where everyone seems to equally love and hate each other. On the one hand this did feel like a realistic dysfunctional family, and Petre being neurodivers made the confusion about this feel even more authentic, but his other siblings seem to be more neurotypical, and yet they all have super complex relationships with each other as well.

Being completely stuck in Petres head might not be ideal here, as they did feel kinda immature and just off at times, having no idea what happened to get them to this point. I mean, being autistic myself, I absolutely get how he might be hard to handle and annoying, while still loving him. I just would have liked a bit more background and fleshing out of these dynamics for myself, even if Petre is very much confused by them himself.

It also felt a bit weird that these royals all went about doing all the things themselves instead of having servants or such do any of it. I wouldn't send actual royalty on a scouting trip for example. I felt the same about yeh politics that just weren't really explained well, it just felt a bit underdone in those categories, while the world building and tone were excellent. It might have been a conscious decision to leave the reader as confused as the main character is about all these social interactions that come with family and politics, but it hampered my enjoyment somewhat.

Overall a really great read that was standing out from the crowd very well, which is something I'm always especially happy to find, as there's so much of the same-same out there already!

[Athena (OneReadingNurse) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is wildly hard to classify. Science fantasy is a good tag. Steampunk. Unclassifiable? The author has everything from cyborg horses to science swords, and those things tend to lend to sci-fi. I’m not really seeing the fantasy elements since most things seem to be manufactured or grown. The fauna threw me pretty hard like flowers with teeth, what was that! Is the whole world a failed science experiment?

Despite any expectation I had for the book being put through a blender, it has a decent story at heart. There’s a civil war breaking out due to the heirs to the throne being quadruplets. I got a bored with the straight to violence mentality of two of the siblings, but I also get it. Sibling relationships are tough. I think Petre’s navigation of this was the strong point in the book. He is autistic and in that light, the constant random ideas in the book seem fitting since it’s from Petre’s perspective.

The other strong point were the ideas themselves. Like what’s next after a flower with teeth and a thyroid powered science sword? Exploding horses? Ghost fog? As much as I almost DNF’d, I’m glad I didn’t because more crazy ideas just kept popping up to keep it interesting.

There’s good and constant action and a political plot worth following. There wasn’t religion mentioned in the book that I noticed, but the constant christian religious swearing was the one thing that made me thing it probably took place on a future or alternate Earth. If not, again that’s on the editor or even alpha/beta readers if he had them, to point these things out.

The characters are probably where the book shines the most. The part that really didn’t work for me was that I just couldn’t picture the era/world/setting. It’s hard for me to not have a grip on the where and when of a story. We are at least two industrial ages come and gone on this planet and the main Houses seem to live in dinosaur carcasses. There are tabloids, quills, typewriters, newspapers … and lawnmowers mentioned? Speaking of lawnmowers, and this is on the editor/proofreader – the narrator constantly jumps into 2nd person POV (You Know?) and talks to the reader like they’re in the modern day. It works in some places more than others but the book is not in 2nd person. I feel like italics or footnotes or anything would have worked better than mish mashing these viewpoints 🤷‍♀️

Overall: the characters and ideas themselves carry this one. I like the story but the setting is a wash. I think it’s worth buckling in and reading if you like sibling conflict, neurodiverse protagonists, and full tilt stories. I nitpicked a lot but three stars is my neutral rating and that’s where I sit on this wild book! Recommend for people who like head on wild rides

[Matteo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too chaotic and confusing for me.
However, when a story is told from the POV of a neurodivergent character member of a very dysfunctional family and is set in a weird post apocalyptical world, I guess confusion and chaos is the minimum you could expect and it was probably the exact type of feeling the author wanted to awaken.
And when that happens, it means both the author and the book are very good.
Just not really my cup of tea though.

[James Harwood-Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King is dead. The succession disputed. With this family there will be no easy peaceful resolution.

Absolutely insane & mesmerizing characters. Apocalyptic Scfi fantasy blend. Hilarious dynamics interactions & situations! Great fun!. #SPFBO 9 finalist!

[Brianna - Four Paws and a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

First 5 star of the year!

Listen... was this book perfect? No. There's a lot of questions that weren't answered, the world building is confusing at times, and if you don't vibe with the narrative style, this isn't going to work for you.

But my god, I love Petre. He is one of the most relatable character I've read. The autism representation is so accurate and relatable.

*Sometimes the more you worry, the harder it becomes to convey what you're worried about*

Full review coming on my channel while I read the SPFBO finalists.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been meaning to read The Fall Is All There Is by C.M. Caplan since it came out and I’m so glad that between the tour and SPFBO, I finally was able to prioritize it. I had heard so many crazy things about this book and knew I had to check it out for myself.

Going from Cold West to The Fall Is All There Is was really interesting when considering the strength of each MC’s voice. Both were very distinct and fit their story well. What was fantastic for TFIATI was having the perfect narrator for the audiobook on top of that. I couldn’t imagine a better choice. The anxiety of the MC in particular felt really well done and his thought processes were very relatable to me. While Petre’s impulses did drive me nuts sometimes, I could still follow his reasonings for them most of the time.

“I’ve never understood how that shit works. How do you think of something you don’t want to be thinking about? Just don’t. Move on. It doesn’t have to haunt you.”

One of the biggest highlights about this book was the representation for neurodiversity. The MC is autistic but as someone seeking a diagnosis for ADHD, I could relate to some of the symptoms on page really well too. Too well sometimes. There was one scene in particular used to torture the MC that worked almost as well on me as I was reading it. I was so shocked because I had never experienced it to that degree before while reading. The symptoms that stood out to me the most were intrusive thoughts, spiraling, and hyperfixation, but others might see even more that I don’t know myself.

This story mainly focuses on the relationships between the four siblings. Just like Petre, I was a little confused about what was going on at first but did enjoy the paranoia and reveal of the characters’ motivations along the way. I did get lost a little bit in the convolution here and there with Petre’s rambling to keep straight or because my mind was still stuck on the last familial horror that happened but overall it was an intriguing familial dynamic to follow.

I really would’ve liked more world building. This is probably one of the craziest world I’ve ever read about but the combination of magic and science and craziness was so cool to explore. I wanted more and more and more since new worlds are one of my favorite things about a new series but do think Caplan incorporated bits and pieces smoothly into the story at appropriate times and the book didn’t actually need more to function well. With its deep focus on relationships, it probably would’ve overshadowed the intentions of the book to have a lot more info about the world itself.

Despite not being able to follow every detail in this book, I really enjoyed myself. There were some extremely funny moments and I laughed out loud so hard sometimes at the predicaments and reveals. There was also a little spice and while I would’ve loved some more on that front as well, I again understand how that would’ve shifted the focus of the book too much (but that’s why I’m excited to be able to share a deleted scene with you today!). I can’t wait to see how this series continues and wish the author good luck in the rest of the SPFBO competition.

[Kez Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Petre is a fascinating character with neurodivergent traits, a drug dependency, impulse control struggles, and the youngest of quadruplets. He's also a runaway Prince that left his family behind to escape the physical and emotional conflicts and power plays, and to find a life of peace. That's all upturned when 5 years later he receives letters from his family following the Kings death, and his brother Ed comes to visit him.
The story is set in a vivid dystopian post apocalyptic world with steampunk vibes, cyborgs and ghosts, following a damaged family of siblings at civil war. Their common goal is to use Petre for their personal gain, using deception, coercion or guilt.
It's dark, chaotic, and a creative blend of genres that fit together in a dark fantasy action plot with interpersonal drama and mystery.
This was something really different with Petre being at the centre, but his pov being unreliable as he has been away for 5 years, frequently loses control as his body battles the injections and side effects, and witnessing his tormented internal monologue and frustrations.
I enjoyed that it explored time with each sibling and we got to see their distinct personalities and their motivations. There is lots of scheming, manipulation, and deception that you never know who to trust.

[J.E. Hannaford · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Fall is all There is, C. M. Caplan has created a vibrant world, filled with dead technology of a lost time, and by this I truly mean dead. I don’t want to spoil it, so will expand no further, but by the end of chapter one I was shouting with excitement about the world I was about to enter.
The characters, world and the technology Caplan has created to fill it, bring a dead world back to life and star equally in this dark science fantasy.

The Fall is all There is, is a close encounter with an autistic main POV. Petre is bisexual and autistic with both aspects of his persona explored in detail. (content warning here - this includes relatively violent sexual themes.) The sibling dynamic he is a part of – both included and painfully excluded – is written with care and intense feeling. The inner thoughts of Petre as he navigates the courts and troubles of a complex society will stay with me for a long time.

Petre’s desire for a quiet life and his love of his siblings make for a compelling battle of self belief and against self worth, in both his own and his families’ eyes, rather than the stereotypical enemy.

In the end this is a journey through a creative world with many characters I look forward to meeting again soon.

[Helyna Clove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y'all Petre is an idiot but none of these clowns deserve him. I said what I said!!

I've been seeing this book around for a while and I read the first chapter when I went through all the BBNYA2023 entrants. The peculiar narration, the worldbuilding, and the implied complicated political and familiar relationships drew me in instantly. I think it might be a book a lot of people either will love or dislike but I for one am happy I took the chance. I enjoyed the ride and it was memorable. I didn't get as much detailed worldbuilding as I'd hoped (I wish I could picture everything better!) and many of the characters remained vague and only showing 2-3 from their many-faceted fricked-up-ness...plus this type of story is really not for me in its fundamental Being (it's mostly talking around each other ~politically, sprinkled with the occasional fight scene)...and still. I did enjoy it. Might even stay for the sequel.

For the most part, all the characters are uh, you know. Assholes. Listen, they're royals in a twice-post-apocalyptic world where experimenting on humans and nature is an everyday occurrance and you can be possessed by some dead guy any minute if you step outside. You also see everything and everyone through Petre's eyes and for him, a lot of stuff is not clear due to his absence from home and his bitter memories from his childhood--plus, yes, because of his autism his mind is working in different patterns than one might be used to. His very close, casual narration straps you beside him, though, and once I was in, it was impossible to get out. He talks to the reader like he was recounting the events from the end of the book, diary-style. Might not be everyone's jam, but it fit the story for me.

It's hard to parse the motivations and intentions of the people around him through the book, but it can be done. And it's mostly power. They're all mostly very distrustful and unfair in their demands and goals. The story is basically a throne-grab attempt by one sibling, drawing supporters around him and looking for some thingamajig we don't really get to know but what gives a good outlook to what's coming nevertheless. Petre feels like an outsider among them; he never wanted the throne, wanted to keep distance with his messy family and just do his own thing. It's giving...reluctant Song of Ice and Fire, sometimes. x)

And still. One of the most interesting (and often painful) things for me was to read about the ways he is not that different from his siblings. How he does the same things, the same tricks and diversions, unknowingly and sometimes reluctantly. How he wants to be different but will probably never be. How he needs to get into that headspace to deal with them, how it steadily draws him (and the reader!) back into sympathizing with their chaotic, toxic ways. It's subtle. Insidious. I hated his siblings for continually fooling him into believing them, working with them. But it's not that simple either. The siblings might be awful but they're humans trying to survive as well. In their own ways they do try to protect Petre and care for him (it's just not enough, lol). I despise them but there's also this...all-permeating sympathy that tries to pry itself into me. Like, they suffered their childhood together. They care, in a way. That thing.

Anyway. I liked Desmon and I wish there was more Mercedes.
(I wish there were more common people too, as always, with stories about royals)
And I'm curious about what will happen!

I swear I wanted to write just a short review and here we are. Another person here said "messy but intriguing" and I guess that will be my finale. Yep. That x)

[Jamedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an eARC in order to participate in the book tour with Escapists Book Company. This hasn't influenced either my score or my review.
Full review here: https://jamreads.com/reviews/the-fall...
Interview with C.M. Caplan: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...

The Fall Is All There Is is the first book in the Four of Mercies series, by the SPFBO semifinalist C.M. Caplan. I can't define this book in a better way than saying that it makes me want to actively read more science-fantasy, as the world that Caplan has created is imaginative and vibrant, full of crazy inventions and featuring action and political intrigues.

In this book, we are going to be following the POV of Petre, one of the quadruplets Mercy, who is also autistic, who flew from Mercy's house in a really spectacular way, and that now is being called to swear loyalty during the coronation of her sister. In the end, with Petre, we have a really particular character, who doesn't fit in many ways the prototype of a hero, but who is more an escapist, a person whose main ambition has been freedom instead of power, and that is involved in the plots of his brothers and sister.

Caplan has a special talent for grasping how sometimes it feels difficult to connect with other people, and how sometimes you can only feel used by them for their own goals. Petre is a great reflection of it, being involved in what can become the start of a civil war between Edward and his other two brothers. This complicated plot also helps as fuel to create a really compelling story, one that keeps you with the book in your hands until the end. The relationships between the siblings are really complex, and you, as reader, can see how flawed they are, being poisoned by the crave for power among them.

And now, let's talk about the aspect that I like most, and it's the world in where Four of Mercies is set. In this post-apocalyptic version of the Earth, the power is divided among powerful families and the technology has evolved into a sort of necro-technomancy, being many of the inventions made by using organic parts as their nucleus. I could name a few, but I would like to just bring the spotlight over the cyborg horses, which are super unique. Add to this mix a sort of zombies who are the result of the contamination and the exposition to certain toxins, and who are a danger to the rest of normal humans. Honestly, I want to explore more aspects of this world, because there is so much potential here.

This a great character-based story, set in a world that is even more interesting than the own characters, but only because this sort of science-fantasy is great. The exploration of autism through the eyes of Petre also helps to bring the spotlight to this problem, how a person with this condition sees the world, and especially, and how sometimes social interaction can become a big step up. There are also plenty of action scenes, helping to keep a fast general pace.

In summary, I think this book is a great foundation for a hypothetical sequel, which I will wait patiently because there is so much potential in this series. The Fall is All There Is goes directly into the list of my favourite books of the year.

[Sarah Balstrup]

Why I read this:
I want to read more self-pub books, especially from SPFBO9 where this book has been nominated as a finalist (Oct 2023). The enigmatic title and awesome cover sealed the deal.

My Impression:
In the very first chapter of the audiobook I could see why this one has gained popularity. Caplan gets 'voice' just right, as we delve into a slightly bizarre post-apocalyptic world of zombie-ish tech where everything is a patch job - from ecology to politics, to personal relationships.
The chatty, first-person narrative is irreverent and snarky, but Petre is a softie at heart. That is to say that the mood is relatively light, but beneath it all, he has feelings and not everything is a joke.
I think this book is targeted at a younger audience than yours truly but I still enjoyed it.

Craft-Related Notes:
-For me, the first third of the book was so good that I got my expectations up, and the final two thirds was not quite as exciting. The set up, the characters, the light-touch world building, the fight scenes - they were all great, but the political intrigue between the siblings didn't grab me. I believed their emotional issues but the political machinations did not have enough weight or consequence. In part this may be because of the overly casual tone of the dialogue, which makes it seem more a family feud than a political drama. Also, the siblings are always hiding information from one another but the 'reveals' are more about how they feel towards each other than plot-based reveals. Things progress in the political plotline but without the conjuring of risk or suspense.
-The whole book has a touch of absurdity that I really liked (e.g. the world-building, the backstory with the parents etc.) but sometimes it didn't work for me (e.g. interactions with the royal clerk, the basement reunion, and the circumstances that set off the romantic subplot). You just roll with it, and the story is enjoyable, but by the end I was hoping for higher stakes, and humour/mad cackling keeps us in a state where we're not that worried about the characters' fates.
-Inner dialogue feels really natural and impulsive. Lots of swearing, haha. Some of the characters behave strangely (e.g. the mother) but characters are distinct and internally consistent.
-Reminded me of Tamsyn Muir and Justina Robson in different ways.

[A Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really, really cool. The prose is solid and at times quite lovely, with lots of quotable moments. The dialogue is easy and natural and contributes to making the very well-thought-out characters both relatable and simultaneously intriguing. There’s a fair bit of angst and antagonistic behaviour between the ruling and duelling quadruplets with emotions portrayed beautifully.

This story takes place in a truly awesome genre-bending mashed-up world of steampunk, sci-fi, dystopia, mystery and epic fantasy (yes, I could have thrown in a few more appropriate sub-genres, but these will do for now). The characters are diverse and fascinating, as is the whole concept of the book – I mean the ghostfog alone is absolutely inspired. There are so many unique and intriguing aspects to this story, I often found myself with eyebrows raised thinking, “wow, that’s different”.

Although this world is fairly harsh and the story quite deep, it is also fun and, at times, a little bit silly – in the best possible ways.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a chaotic, entertaining read! I really had an amazing time reading this and I think a lot of it had to do with the main character, Petre. He felt so authentic and as if I know him in real life.

I was living for the hilarious banter between him and other characters, and there was such accurate representation of sibling rivalry and love.

This book gave me major steampunk vibes that I was here for and I love the concept of cyborg horses and corpse technology.

There was never a dull moment on any page, and overall I just had the greatest time! Highly recommend if you're looking for an SFF book that doesn't take itself too seriously and has a protagonist you can't help but root for and wanna protect.

[The Reading Ruru (Kerry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this at the end of last year - I'm going to come back and write a decent review later as I'm going to be rereading it for SPFBO9. (5 stars means my rating is between 8.25 & 10)

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thirty-fourth read from my personal SPFBO-9 TBR was The Fall is All There Is by C.M. Caplan. This was another one that I knew nothing about when I selected it. The cover really caught my eye. The mechanical looking horse with the almost feudal looking rider wearing a mask looked very intriguing to me.

Granted this selection was made when the entries to the competition were first announced. Since then I've seen quite a bit of chatter about this one from both sides. This seems to be one of those ones you really enjoy or really dislike. I haven't seen a lot of readers falling into more of the middle area. This helped me temper my expectations a bit which ultimately helped me enjoy this one.

I would say the pacing leaned toward the fast. This was one of those reads/listens that even the dialog seemed rushed or frantic. I'm not saying this in a bad way. I just feel this is one of those aspects that may turn some readers off because it doesn't have that smooth flowing prose that some are looking for. I did immersion read a lot of this one utilizing the audio narrated by Scott Fleming which I thought did an excellent job in telling this story.

The world building was unique as this is one of those stories that attempts to blend fantasy and science fiction more directly. I feel that it worked out fairly well. This almost seemed like a fairly believable alternate world to our own. As a gamer who has a couple of models with some type of mechanical horses or mounts, that was an interesting connection for me to this world. Other than that, we have plenty of different regions and factions or families that make up this politically twisted story.

The character development is a bit different as well. The first thing I'll say is that our family of quadruplets is simply twisted. I've mentioned a few times recently with reads that I find myself not trusting characters much at all these days. This book continues that trend. I mean if you can't trust family, who can you trust!? It certainly makes for an intriguing story though. We do see some solid arcs for Petre and his siblings though along with some other supporting characters. There is a lot going on with these characters from the start to the end of this one.

I enjoyed this read more than I had expected to. I'll keep an eye on where the Four Mercies series goes from here.

If you are looking for something a bit different combining both fantasy and science fiction, some twisted family relationships, plenty of political intrigue and a good helping of action scenes without a flowery type of prose, this might be one for you.

[Tom Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A DARK, CRACKED GEM OF A STORY

The Fall Is All There Is is a dark, cracked gem of a story that wonderfully blends its fantasy and sci-fi elements. The setting is as inventive as it is unique, coursing with weird danger and a deranged, jumbled together post-apocalyptic landscape that could only exist in a world of untold magical influences.

Clockwork horses fused together with meat grown from corpse technology are our primary mode of conveyance. Concrete trees drip gems and leaves made of bone onto a broken concrete wilderness oozing with ghost fog - the souls of which can inhabit the living if they’re out without their masks and can’t get back behind the shimmering translucent barriers fast enough.

The other pillar of this story in addition to the setting is the narrative voice. It is a wonderful treat. The prose sings when our unusual narrator protagonist Petre divulges world details and family strife over the course of his sometimes tangled and often despondant reflections. His mind doesn’t work like other people’s, and especially not his royal siblings. But as the coronation of his sister approaches in the wake of their father’s death, Petre begins to suspect his estranged family may not be getting along with each other as well as he’s imagined.

The Fall Is All There Is has a noir mystery flair to it. Caplan handles the action sequences of the story with a dark relish, but it’s the mystery of a clandestine power struggle (threatening to become not so clandestine), and the intrigue of a search for a mysterious item as seen through our lowly protagonists limited perspective that form the backbone of the plot of this novel.

As the plot twists and turns, the story is of whether or not Petre can ever make himself understood to his siblings (whom he does love despite it all) and heal the divide between them (though he will certainly never say as much). This gave the novel a sense of heart, grounding it most of all in the relationships of the characters.

Though the tension between those characters is largely explored in trivial and repetitive squabbling, there are nonetheless milestone moments in the narrative that create concrete turning points in Petre's relationships with his royal quadruplet siblings.

The novel begins well, and it ends well, finding a clear and driving sense of direction in the final third. I would have liked it twice as much if it were half as long. Just like Petre himself, sometimes the plot gets distracted and confused. But the climax and denouement left me eager for more!

I can see what other reviewers mean when they say this novel feels primarily like introduction. We get introduced to our characters (our gloriously distinct narrator protagonist and his somewhat less distinct siblings), there's some danger and excitement as Petre and the reader discover a big, nasty problem brewing, we establish a good, clear goal, a single big event happens, there's a riveting, seat-of-our-pants climax, and the story ends after some cleaning up. For all its pages, it feels like we've only gotten the first movements of a story.

But the promise of those movements by the end, and the utter uniqueness of this world and protagonist, pays for all that. The potency of a good ending cannot be understated!

All in all, this deservingly awarded novel is full of a energy and character. The violence is gritty and masterfully written, the characters are profane and complicated, and the world will set your imagination on fire with possibility.

Caplan is an author of considerable talent. The better he masters that talent, the more undeniable this series will become. He’s an author to watch, and I expect this series will prove to be one that begs to be devoured from first to last.

What is really going on and who can our outcast prince trust? Is he doomed to be forever manipulated by the people who are supposed to love him? There’s only one way to find out. Pick up The Fall Is All There Is today! Just remember to keep your mask tight and your caterwauler loose in its holster.

----------------

I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBO9 contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of. These are my thoughts on the beginning.

A derelict prince gets a threatening letter from his siblings demanding his presence at their coronation, leaving him desperate for his injections to survive the coming confrontation.

Damnit. Sometimes you just read something and you say, There it is. There it is. That is how you start a book. THAT is a story.

The voice, the voice, the voice. This reminded me very much of Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth. It has a character-driven 1st person voice, and is packed with sizzling details that punch right off the page, quickly grounding you in the world.

Sci-fi & fantasy collide in the wonderfully weird setting with ghost fogs, a stronghold built into the skeleton of a giant lizard, and injections that transform our physically weak MC into an athlete.

This detail (along with the court/familial conflicts) reminded me of Moorcock’s Elric, who needs powerful drugs to make his weak body function.

The dialogue is every bit as driving, quick, and revealing of character as the narration. And also creates distinct characters all on its own.

What more can I say? This establishes what it needs to immediately, and builds and builds, page by page, coloring and filling in the characters, conflict, and world. It’s a thrill to read.

I’d buy it if I didn’t already have it. I may well be buying it again in paperback. Some books you just want a physical copy of. Buy it now and read it now so you can say you discovered Caplan before the world did. I’m in. I think I couldn’t get out if I tried.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall is all There is by CM Caplan is another great indie read found thanks to BBNYA! It was a gripping grimdark sci fi set in a fantasy world, with sharp prose and some great characters. The writing is taut, with Petre Mercy’s first-person narration offering an immersive view of a neurodivergent, bisexual prince navigating a brutal post-apocalyptic landscape. I found the dialogue in particular to be enjoyable and well written. The world building in my opinion is good, if a little confusing at times, but its the characters, particularly Petre and his quadruplet siblings, who really shine. However, the sheer intensity of their interactions can verge on exhausting, and some secondary characters lack the same depth, but these are super minor quibbles. Thank you BBNYA for my copy. I think most fans of the genre and of neurodiverse characters will enjoy this one. From it deserves a solid 4 stars.

[Sean Halpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't wanna say too much, cause going into this book blind is what I did, and I'm glad for it. I'll list a short number of things to expect, and let you go into it as blind as I was

A protagonist who is autistic
Bizarre, insanely unique world building
Fantastic character dynamics
Very good politics


I urge you to read this, it's an spfbo 9 finalist. And for good reason. I can see this winning the contest.