Scan barcode
catsy2022's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Rating: A
Bad Gods is a re-branding of Gaie Sebold's originally 2011-released book Babylon Steel, with a new cover. It gives off vibes of a Dungeons and Dragons goofy adventure, same styling in a way as Legends and Lattes (another book making waves right now) but consists of something closer to The Divine Cities trilogy and The Amra Thetys series by Michael McClung. Babylon is a brothel owner on a plane where multiple races can be easily found, where anyone can buy anything and love anyone. One day she is approached by someone to find a missing girl for a bounty in response, but she uncovers a much greater mystery that also includes her own past.
There are a modge-podge of varied characters, a lot of explicit scenes (that happen briefly, they're not immensely overbearing) and a lot of interesting worldbuilding. I really liked Babylon and her crew at the brothel - I really liked the unravelling of the mystery and conclusion of the story. Personally, I am one who loves a pantheon of gods. The interwoven stories of Babylon's current life and the life of a priestess-in-training on another plane was exciting. I liked seeing the eventual conclusion of the two timelines come together and the pain the characters feel over the course of the story.
The worldbuilding places this book in a strange science-fantasy kind of space. There are portals connecting worlds together of all different kinds. With all different races, across all Magic works differently and people have different abilities and skills. I think that perhaps a map could have been of benefit to make the main plane more real. The seamless integration of fantastical terms and races in the story lends itself to fleshing out the characters and the world in that everyone would be so used to this strangeness.
I did feel like something may have been missing in the book for me, but what that was, I couldn't really say. I liked the eventual arc between the shapeshifter police chief and Babylon; a little romance was cute.
Unfortunately, I heard the second book takes a different turn so I may not be finishing this duology.
Bad Gods is a re-branding of Gaie Sebold's originally 2011-released book Babylon Steel, with a new cover. It gives off vibes of a Dungeons and Dragons goofy adventure, same styling in a way as Legends and Lattes (another book making waves right now) but consists of something closer to The Divine Cities trilogy and The Amra Thetys series by Michael McClung. Babylon is a brothel owner on a plane where multiple races can be easily found, where anyone can buy anything and love anyone. One day she is approached by someone to find a missing girl for a bounty in response, but she uncovers a much greater mystery that also includes her own past.
There are a modge-podge of varied characters, a lot of explicit scenes (that happen briefly, they're not immensely overbearing) and a lot of interesting worldbuilding. I really liked Babylon and her crew at the brothel - I really liked the unravelling of the mystery and conclusion of the story. Personally, I am one who loves a pantheon of gods. The interwoven stories of Babylon's current life and the life of a priestess-in-training on another plane was exciting. I liked seeing the eventual conclusion of the two timelines come together and the pain the characters feel over the course of the story.
The worldbuilding places this book in a strange science-fantasy kind of space. There are portals connecting worlds together of all different kinds. With all different races, across all Magic works differently and people have different abilities and skills. I think that perhaps a map could have been of benefit to make the main plane more real. The seamless integration of fantastical terms and races in the story lends itself to fleshing out the characters and the world in that everyone would be so used to this strangeness.
I did feel like something may have been missing in the book for me, but what that was, I couldn't really say. I liked the eventual arc between the shapeshifter police chief and Babylon; a little romance was cute.
Unfortunately, I heard the second book takes a different turn so I may not be finishing this duology.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death, Violence, Sexism, and Miscarriage
More...