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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
loved it. Love Richelle Mead. Excited to see what happens next.
Read June 2013
Re-Read Jan 2015
Read June 2013
Re-Read Jan 2015
This was exactly the sort of book my soul needed at this particular moment in time. Excellent worldbuilding, complex characters, and a bit of a mystery - the only reason that this got 4 stars instead of 5 was that I found it started a bit slow and I thought the mystery could have taken a more central place in the plot.
I was so anxious to get this book that when I was approved for a digital ARC, I was beyond thrilled. I have read Richelle's Vampire Academy, Bloodlines, Storm Born, and Succubus books, and this was one of my least favorites books of hers. I feel guilty giving this a 3 star rating, because 3 stars seems low, when in fact 3 stars means "liked it" which is a perfectly adequate rating. I've been reading some of the other reviews to see if anyone felt the same way I did and I was relieved to find that other people felt the same way. (My favorite review is by Becky {Somewhere Between The Pages} - she says everything I feel and I'm a little jealous my reviews aren't quite as eloquent yet).
I found the first 1/3 to 1/2 of this book really confusing. It jumps into Mae and Justin's lives sort of harshly, and some important things aren't mentioned until later in the book (I'm going to try a reread again at a later date because I think I might enjoy it more now that I know what's going on).
The main characters show similarities to her characters from other books (Mae is very much like Sydney, with a little extra kick-a%%, and Justin is rather similar to Adrian), and yet they just aren't as likable somehow. It might be because of the awkward jump into their lives, but even after finishing the book I don't really care what happens to Mae, and I'm only a little interested in what happens to Justin.
I'll start the spoilers here. The gist of the book is this: there have been weird, ritualistic murders happening in RUNA. They take a former investigator of sorts (Justin) and pair him with a tough female soldier (Mae). He is a womanizing alcoholic and she is an extra powerful soldier who has been punished for badly beating a woman, Drusilla. Drusilla blamed Mae for the death of a fellow soldier, Profirio, whom Mae had dated. This doesn't really have to much to do with the book, but it's there.
So Mae is responsible for assisting and taking care of Justin while he tries to solve the murders. Justin has been hiding in South America, and when he moves up to the RUNA, he brings the teenage daughter (Tessa) of a man he feels he owes his life to. Justin and Tessa move in with Justin's sister, Cynthia, and her 8 year old son, Quentin.
Ugh. You know what? Epiphany. This is a LONG book and there's a lot of stuff that doesn't seem important. It might be important later, but now, it's just extra stuff, adding to the confusion of the book's basis - a castal system with people of different castes, and a bunch of genetic mutations. Actually, it's possible that there was just too much in this book to make it easy to follow. Different characters and points of view (it's 3rd person omniscient) and there's just so much. Too much.
I found the first 1/3 to 1/2 of this book really confusing. It jumps into Mae and Justin's lives sort of harshly, and some important things aren't mentioned until later in the book (I'm going to try a reread again at a later date because I think I might enjoy it more now that I know what's going on).
The main characters show similarities to her characters from other books (Mae is very much like Sydney, with a little extra kick-a%%, and Justin is rather similar to Adrian), and yet they just aren't as likable somehow. It might be because of the awkward jump into their lives, but even after finishing the book I don't really care what happens to Mae, and I'm only a little interested in what happens to Justin.
I'll start the spoilers here. The gist of the book is this: there have been weird, ritualistic murders happening in RUNA. They take a former investigator of sorts (Justin) and pair him with a tough female soldier (Mae). He is a womanizing alcoholic and she is an extra powerful soldier who has been punished for badly beating a woman, Drusilla. Drusilla blamed Mae for the death of a fellow soldier, Profirio, whom Mae had dated. This doesn't really have to much to do with the book, but it's there.
So Mae is responsible for assisting and taking care of Justin while he tries to solve the murders. Justin has been hiding in South America, and when he moves up to the RUNA, he brings the teenage daughter (Tessa) of a man he feels he owes his life to. Justin and Tessa move in with Justin's sister, Cynthia, and her 8 year old son, Quentin.
Ugh. You know what? Epiphany. This is a LONG book and there's a lot of stuff that doesn't seem important. It might be important later, but now, it's just extra stuff, adding to the confusion of the book's basis - a castal system with people of different castes, and a bunch of genetic mutations. Actually, it's possible that there was just too much in this book to make it easy to follow. Different characters and points of view (it's 3rd person omniscient) and there's just so much. Too much.
Genetics meets magic meets ancient religion in a future world that has survived the ravages of disease (with a murder mystery thrown in for fun). Very interesting characters, and a nice commentary on religious debate and the role of deities in a technological society.
This is a good book and let me just start off by telling you that the ravens are fucking hilarious!! Every scene with them is the highlight of the book TBH! Now moving on to other things I liked about the book:
-Justin March. Yes, he's kind of an ass but his flippant attitude and cunningness more than make up for it (He found loopholes in his contract with God, I legit laughed out loud in the train in this scene. People looked at me as if I was crazy. Worth it). He stays true to his word and cares deeply for his family and Tessa.
-RUNA. They don't believe in God. This is my kind of country. (Despite supernatural forces being proven, this is still my ideal country)
-Kavi. For some reason, I am rooting for this girl. There's so many questions I have about her and I hope she won't be just cast to the side and forgotten in the next book. Why was she slow? What's up with her being drugged? Will she ever get out of the hospital?
Things I didn't like:
-Mae. She's a bad ass and all but to make her look good, you'll notice that most of the other female characters were depicted as being of lesser importance and/or a bitch and I'm just not here for that. Also, her emotional and traumatic childhood and relationship just made me roll my eyes and wish she wasn't one of the main characters.
- As mentioned before: So. Many. Questions. Apart from the ones about Kavi, here's more: What's up with the Indigo and Scarlet? Do the colours depict rank? Who is the little child? Will we see her again? What exactly is Tessa's role in this? Who TF came up with Morrigan as a name for a Goddess? Is the second book worth reading? Will I get my answers in the second book.
But those ravens tho.
-Justin March. Yes, he's kind of an ass but his flippant attitude and cunningness more than make up for it (He found loopholes in his contract with God, I legit laughed out loud in the train in this scene. People looked at me as if I was crazy. Worth it). He stays true to his word and cares deeply for his family and Tessa.
-RUNA. They don't believe in God. This is my kind of country. (Despite supernatural forces being proven, this is still my ideal country)
-Kavi. For some reason, I am rooting for this girl. There's so many questions I have about her and I hope she won't be just cast to the side and forgotten in the next book. Why was she slow? What's up with her being drugged? Will she ever get out of the hospital?
Things I didn't like:
-Mae. She's a bad ass and all but to make her look good, you'll notice that most of the other female characters were depicted as being of lesser importance and/or a bitch and I'm just not here for that. Also, her emotional and traumatic childhood and relationship just made me roll my eyes and wish she wasn't one of the main characters.
- As mentioned before: So. Many. Questions. Apart from the ones about Kavi, here's more: What's up with the Indigo and Scarlet? Do the colours depict rank? Who is the little child? Will we see her again? What exactly is Tessa's role in this? Who TF came up with Morrigan as a name for a Goddess? Is the second book worth reading? Will I get my answers in the second book.
But those ravens tho.
I'm just... not sure. The book is really uneven. I don't think it really knows what it wants to be - it's trying to be a gritty dystopian and a grand gods-warring epic at the same time and I don't think it really succeeded. The world-building is good but the character interactions are a little lacking. I guess I'm kind of curious to see the next steps but I won't be eagerly buying the sequels the day they come out.
Entertaining and new! Looking forward to the next one!
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
I went back and forth on the rating for this book. On one hand, it’s a bit slow and the author is so anti-info dumps that I spent the first quarter confused. On the other hand, holy SHIT do I love Mae. I’m still wavering between a 3 and a 4, but I’m going to leave it at the higher rating, because while GotG isn’t the most solid book I’ve read, but it ends up being a really fun, unique fusion.
Mae Koskinen is a praetorian, and similar to the Roman bodyguards the sect derives their name from, an elite warrior/bodyguard. Unlike the ancient version, futuristic praetorians are the recipients of an implant that imbibes them with special skills. Mae’s body metabolizes chemicals at a super-human rate, allowing her enhanced reflexes and rendering her impervious to poison. Unfortunately, Mae sets a foot wrong and is demoted from guarding senators and monuments. Instead, she is assigned to guard Dr. Justin March, a brilliant but troubled servitor, (“investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims,”) who was previously exiled under rather mysterious circumstances. The government now needs Justin back to investigate a string of murders with a religious bend.
March is drowning his sorrows, and memories of supernatural activities, in a drug and alcohol fueled haze in South America, when a case of mistaken identity results in him and Mae going home together. This sets off the real mystery of the novel, the mythologic intrigue referenced in the blurb. See, Their tryst sends them both down the road of discovery as Justin’s personal mystery collides with the murder investigation.
At this point, we’re at a solid four stars. I have some quibbles on world building and the way it was revealed, but it’s nothing an appendix or a map couldn’t fix. Justin’s brilliant, troubled, and not just a little sleazy scientist was an interesting character with varied motivations, aspirations, and reactions. He’s a sexy jerk who frequently gets called out on it, while being a loving brother/uncle/foster father. And Mae is fantastic. She’s a tough, determined fighter, a sexually liberated lover, a conflicted daughter. I found them both well rounded and developed. They had great interplay and palpable chemistry.
Unfortunately, the book has three PoVs.
Tessa, a Panamanian teenager who seems to be included solely to appeal to Mead’s former YA fanbase, has none of Mae and Justin’s development. She is plucked, seemingly at random, from her household to come with Justin to RUNA. He made a promise to her father that he would bring them all with him, but immigration as it is, there can only be one. This does lead to her second purpose, to have the world building explained to her, and by proxy, the audience.
Tessa, we’re told, is a prodigy at judging people, but we rarely see it in action. She does sort of bumble her way into a big break in the mystery, but last I checked, getting kidnapped isn’t the same as being a intuitive mastermind. Other than that, she whines a lot about commercialism and patriotism. Perhaps she has a purpose that will be revealed as the series goes on, but as it stands I truly don’t care for, or about, her.
She’s not the only side character without a lot going on, either. Mae’s friends; Justin’s sister; Leo, the brilliant hacker and his vineyard-owning boyfriend, Dominic are all victims of a very driven story. They really only show up to provide a clue to a mystery and then disappear again. On one hand, I appreciate that the plot is kept moving. On the other, at least one scene, is so convenient.
Again, I did decide to round up because the main characters are great. The mystery was engrossing and deep. No guessing the final twist 150 pages in here, folks. It’s probably more enjoyable if you’ve got a handle on Greek and Roman mythology, (you know, a bit beyond Disney’s Hercules and Clash of the Titans,) otherwise references may go over your head. In all, I’ll forgive a few slow spots and underdeveloped side characters for an intriguing new world that I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time in.
I went back and forth on the rating for this book. On one hand, it’s a bit slow and the author is so anti-info dumps that I spent the first quarter confused. On the other hand, holy SHIT do I love Mae. I’m still wavering between a 3 and a 4, but I’m going to leave it at the higher rating, because while GotG isn’t the most solid book I’ve read, but it ends up being a really fun, unique fusion.
Mae Koskinen is a praetorian, and similar to the Roman bodyguards the sect derives their name from, an elite warrior/bodyguard. Unlike the ancient version, futuristic praetorians are the recipients of an implant that imbibes them with special skills. Mae’s body metabolizes chemicals at a super-human rate, allowing her enhanced reflexes and rendering her impervious to poison. Unfortunately, Mae sets a foot wrong and is demoted from guarding senators and monuments. Instead, she is assigned to guard Dr. Justin March, a brilliant but troubled servitor, (“investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims,”) who was previously exiled under rather mysterious circumstances. The government now needs Justin back to investigate a string of murders with a religious bend.
March is drowning his sorrows, and memories of supernatural activities, in a drug and alcohol fueled haze in South America, when a case of mistaken identity results in him and Mae going home together. This sets off the real mystery of the novel, the mythologic intrigue referenced in the blurb. See,
Spoiler
Justin has been claimed by an unknown god, who gave him several prophecies and a pair of supernatural ravens in exchange for an apple. Mae fits one of the prophecies and only through some tricky wordplay does Justin avoid being bound to the god’s service.At this point, we’re at a solid four stars. I have some quibbles on world building and the way it was revealed, but it’s nothing an appendix or a map couldn’t fix. Justin’s brilliant, troubled, and not just a little sleazy scientist was an interesting character with varied motivations, aspirations, and reactions. He’s a sexy jerk who frequently gets called out on it, while being a loving brother/uncle/foster father. And Mae is fantastic. She’s a tough, determined fighter, a sexually liberated lover, a conflicted daughter. I found them both well rounded and developed. They had great interplay and palpable chemistry.
Unfortunately, the book has three PoVs.
Tessa, a Panamanian teenager who seems to be included solely to appeal to Mead’s former YA fanbase, has none of Mae and Justin’s development. She is plucked, seemingly at random, from her household to come with Justin to RUNA. He made a promise to her father that he would bring them all with him, but immigration as it is, there can only be one. This does lead to her second purpose, to have the world building explained to her, and by proxy, the audience.
Tessa, we’re told, is a prodigy at judging people, but we rarely see it in action. She does sort of bumble her way into a big break in the mystery, but last I checked, getting kidnapped isn’t the same as being a intuitive mastermind. Other than that, she whines a lot about commercialism and patriotism. Perhaps she has a purpose that will be revealed as the series goes on, but as it stands I truly don’t care for, or about, her.
She’s not the only side character without a lot going on, either. Mae’s friends; Justin’s sister; Leo, the brilliant hacker and his vineyard-owning boyfriend, Dominic are all victims of a very driven story. They really only show up to provide a clue to a mystery and then disappear again. On one hand, I appreciate that the plot is kept moving. On the other, at least one scene,
Spoiler
where Tessa is picked up by the only two guards in the city who like Mae, brought back to Justin’s house, and the guards then proceed to give him her life story for funsies,Again, I did decide to round up because the main characters are great. The mystery was engrossing and deep. No guessing the final twist 150 pages in here, folks. It’s probably more enjoyable if you’ve got a handle on Greek and Roman mythology, (you know, a bit beyond Disney’s Hercules and Clash of the Titans,) otherwise references may go over your head. In all, I’ll forgive a few slow spots and underdeveloped side characters for an intriguing new world that I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time in.
A gallery strong and compelling read. I was completely immersed in the world. My only issue is that book 3 has been indefinitely shelved.
I dont rate DNF books, but if I did I would probably give this 1.5/5. The story was ok so it gets an extra half star for that. It didnt captivate me, but it was probably the best part of the book. In a futuristic world where religion is closely monitored and almost outlawed, Justin is a servitor, someone who investigates religions and shuts down the dangerous ones. He is sort of a mentalist, and is helping solve serial murders which are believed to have religious connections. But, the strange thing is, that gods are real. And Justin knows it. There is involvement from Greek, Roman, and Norse gods. I dont know if they are good or bad, or involved with the murders since I didnt finish the book, but they are there.
The story moved really slowly, it reads like a detective novel and really didnt keep my interest. I really didnt like the writing style either. It was distant, and formal, and reminded me a lot of the one [a:Kathy Reichs|26372|Kathy Reichs|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1201288896p2/26372.jpg] book I read. I really didnt enjoy that one either so thats not a compliment. The writing really did not feel connected to the characters at all. I felt like I was just watching from a distance. Like I was reading a history book.
I also found it really really difficult to understand the world I was in. I dont know how far in the future this is supposed to be set, but I imagine its pretty far, since the country names are different. But [a:Richelle Mead|137902|Richelle Mead|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1270374609p2/137902.jpg] didnt even seem to bother trying to help us adjust. She threw us into this world and didnt bother to try to explain it. I had no idea what was going on and I could not follow most of the conversations because half the words were foreign. It was really frustrating, and whatever small motivation I had to continue reading disappeared in my confusion. I dont remember the narration ever, even once, stopping to explain a new term to us. I still have no idea if a patrician is the same thing it traditionally is. It didnt seem to be used in the usual context. And even if it was, its not a word I think the average person is familiar with. I really couldnt get a grasp of what was happening, or the characters because they were often described using these new terms.
But I didnt care for the characters anyway. I am almost seething when I think of them. At first, I thought Mae was the MC, because the first chapter was from her POV, but then it began to alternate with Justin, and more of them were from Justin's POV. The chapter POV ratio was probably 3:1. Justin was smart with mentalist abilities, but he was disgusting to me. He was a horrible MC. He was a rude, womanizing ass with a drug problem. Seriously! He makes me so angry! He thinks its a good time to end up unconscious on the floor of a seedy bar. And he is so arrogant and full of himself and just blah! Then there is Mae, who is also arrogant but not because of her intelligence, but because of her upbringing, or heritage, or caste. I dont even know which one because this is one of the things about the book that I couldnt grasp, because of the poor descriptions. She was so stuck up and proud. She thought she was so much better than everyone else. Too good for Justin. Normally I would say everyone is too good for Justin, but when you start acting like a bitch, then you dont really have the right to say that.
There were also occasional chapters from the POV of Tessa. A sixteen year old girl who was Justin's ward and I have no idea what her relevance was, since I didnt finish the book. But when I stopped reading, at 42%, she still didnt seem important to me. She was an ok character, but nothing special. She was smart, like Justin, so maybe she will help them later on in the book or the series. I dont care and I dont intend to find out.
The characters in this were so repulsive, and the storytelling so frustrating, that when I see the cover of the book it makes me nauseous. I am no longer as excited to read [b:Vampire Academy|345627|Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)|Richelle Mead|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361098973s/345627.jpg|335933] as I was before. The story and characters may be better, but I dont know if that alone will be enough to make me read it, if the writing is anything like this.
ARC provided by NetGalley on behalf of Penguin Group Dutton, in exchange for an honest review.
The story moved really slowly, it reads like a detective novel and really didnt keep my interest. I really didnt like the writing style either. It was distant, and formal, and reminded me a lot of the one [a:Kathy Reichs|26372|Kathy Reichs|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1201288896p2/26372.jpg] book I read. I really didnt enjoy that one either so thats not a compliment. The writing really did not feel connected to the characters at all. I felt like I was just watching from a distance. Like I was reading a history book.
I also found it really really difficult to understand the world I was in. I dont know how far in the future this is supposed to be set, but I imagine its pretty far, since the country names are different. But [a:Richelle Mead|137902|Richelle Mead|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1270374609p2/137902.jpg] didnt even seem to bother trying to help us adjust. She threw us into this world and didnt bother to try to explain it. I had no idea what was going on and I could not follow most of the conversations because half the words were foreign. It was really frustrating, and whatever small motivation I had to continue reading disappeared in my confusion. I dont remember the narration ever, even once, stopping to explain a new term to us. I still have no idea if a patrician is the same thing it traditionally is. It didnt seem to be used in the usual context. And even if it was, its not a word I think the average person is familiar with. I really couldnt get a grasp of what was happening, or the characters because they were often described using these new terms.
But I didnt care for the characters anyway. I am almost seething when I think of them. At first, I thought Mae was the MC, because the first chapter was from her POV, but then it began to alternate with Justin, and more of them were from Justin's POV. The chapter POV ratio was probably 3:1. Justin was smart with mentalist abilities, but he was disgusting to me. He was a horrible MC. He was a rude, womanizing ass with a drug problem. Seriously! He makes me so angry! He thinks its a good time to end up unconscious on the floor of a seedy bar. And he is so arrogant and full of himself and just blah! Then there is Mae, who is also arrogant but not because of her intelligence, but because of her upbringing, or heritage, or caste. I dont even know which one because this is one of the things about the book that I couldnt grasp, because of the poor descriptions. She was so stuck up and proud. She thought she was so much better than everyone else. Too good for Justin. Normally I would say everyone is too good for Justin, but when you start acting like a bitch, then you dont really have the right to say that.
There were also occasional chapters from the POV of Tessa. A sixteen year old girl who was Justin's ward and I have no idea what her relevance was, since I didnt finish the book. But when I stopped reading, at 42%, she still didnt seem important to me. She was an ok character, but nothing special. She was smart, like Justin, so maybe she will help them later on in the book or the series. I dont care and I dont intend to find out.
The characters in this were so repulsive, and the storytelling so frustrating, that when I see the cover of the book it makes me nauseous. I am no longer as excited to read [b:Vampire Academy|345627|Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)|Richelle Mead|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361098973s/345627.jpg|335933] as I was before. The story and characters may be better, but I dont know if that alone will be enough to make me read it, if the writing is anything like this.
ARC provided by NetGalley on behalf of Penguin Group Dutton, in exchange for an honest review.