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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
This is a engaging, relatively quick read for anybody who enjoys stories where the gods come back and everybody regrets that decision. Suyi Davies Okungbowa writes a personable main character who is well-grounded in his community (even if he doesn't always realize it). Okungbowa also writes a post-apocalyptic Lagos that is exactly as devastated as you would expect a post-apocalyptic metropolis to be, but is still full of life and activity in spite of it. It's a refreshing change from post-apocalyptic novels whose cities are empty wastelands populated only by rats and drifting plastic bags.
In terms of pacing, I found it easier to approach this book as a series of three novellas collected into an omnibus, rather than a novel in three parts. I'm not sure that will be true for everyone, but that's how it felt to me.
I've heard this book compared to the Harry Dresden books, and while I understand where that comparison comes from, I don't think it's totally accurate. I think a better close cousin to David Mogo is Matthew Swift from Kate Griffin's excellent series. Both David Mogo and Matthew Swift are reluctant avatars of powers they never sought but kind of enjoy, surrounded by a community of family, friends, and frenemies who are essential to the protagonist's success and don't hesitate to tell him when he's being an idiot. They both live in a city obviously loved deeply by their writers, and their magic is drawn from a intimate connection to the stories that underwrite their place of origin. So if you like Matthew Swift, give David Mogo a try - and vice versa.
In terms of pacing, I found it easier to approach this book as a series of three novellas collected into an omnibus, rather than a novel in three parts. I'm not sure that will be true for everyone, but that's how it felt to me.
I've heard this book compared to the Harry Dresden books, and while I understand where that comparison comes from, I don't think it's totally accurate. I think a better close cousin to David Mogo is Matthew Swift from Kate Griffin's excellent series. Both David Mogo and Matthew Swift are reluctant avatars of powers they never sought but kind of enjoy, surrounded by a community of family, friends, and frenemies who are essential to the protagonist's success and don't hesitate to tell him when he's being an idiot. They both live in a city obviously loved deeply by their writers, and their magic is drawn from a intimate connection to the stories that underwrite their place of origin. So if you like Matthew Swift, give David Mogo a try - and vice versa.
Ones creators does not hold supreme power over the created: such is the freedom of being...
I am not completely sure about my feelings about this book on one hand it is a post apocalyptic urban fantasy set in Nigeria. The premise is a solid one and I quite enjoyed it, the Orisha's (gods of the Yoruba Pantheon) fell to earth and they brought destruction with them.
We follow our protagonist David Mogo who is a demigod and hunt the gods hence the name god hunter. the world building is also very interesting.
The problem comes with the execution of this book,the authors descriptions are very short and this type of storytelling is better when adapted into a movie sort of thing rather than a novel.
I did not care for any of the characters and even for a while I thought our protagonist was a young adult only to discover later that he was close to 30 years old I swear from the narrative voice you couldn't tell.
The side characters felt very fake, in that they were there to solve issues for the protagonist rather than help him solve the problems. I also didn't like that they 'healed' a character who in the beginning had a disability but by the end she was healed by divine power.
The motivations of everyone were very vague and didn't even make sense for them to make big decisions with such motivations and lets not even talk about the caricature like villains.
Anyway it was a good idea it just could have done better with a whole lot of other changes. I will still definitely read other works by him.
I am not completely sure about my feelings about this book on one hand it is a post apocalyptic urban fantasy set in Nigeria. The premise is a solid one and I quite enjoyed it, the Orisha's (gods of the Yoruba Pantheon) fell to earth and they brought destruction with them.
We follow our protagonist David Mogo who is a demigod and hunt the gods hence the name god hunter. the world building is also very interesting.
The problem comes with the execution of this book,the authors descriptions are very short and this type of storytelling is better when adapted into a movie sort of thing rather than a novel.
I did not care for any of the characters and even for a while I thought our protagonist was a young adult only to discover later that he was close to 30 years old I swear from the narrative voice you couldn't tell.
The side characters felt very fake, in that they were there to solve issues for the protagonist rather than help him solve the problems. I also didn't like that they 'healed' a character who in the beginning had a disability but by the end she was healed by divine power.
The motivations of everyone were very vague and didn't even make sense for them to make big decisions with such motivations and lets not even talk about the caricature like villains.
Anyway it was a good idea it just could have done better with a whole lot of other changes. I will still definitely read other works by him.
adventurous
fast-paced
I was sent an eARC of this through NetGalley for my honest feedback.
I really liked the premise of this story but sadly, it didn't grip me as much as I wanted.
Bit of a confusing start, jumps right into the story without giving the reader enough background to be invested.
Literally describes 'Naruto running' in it.
I enjoy the idea behind the story but find the flow difficult.
I really liked the premise of this story but sadly, it didn't grip me as much as I wanted.
Bit of a confusing start, jumps right into the story without giving the reader enough background to be invested.
Literally describes 'Naruto running' in it.
I enjoy the idea behind the story but find the flow difficult.
This book wasn't my thing, but that may not be a statement on the quality of the story. It may be down to personal taste. That having been said, I appreciate that the fantastical elements are so Nigerian, and the worldbuilding was phenomenal. This book definitely gave me a strong sense of place. The story is told in three acts, and there was something satisfying about the third act, even though I wasn't as drawn by the rest of the story before that.
I had a really good time reading this book! It wasn’t what I was expecting going into it. It turned into a hero’s journey plot which, honestly, I liked a lot more than whatever I was expecting the plot to be at the beginning of my reading Godhunter.
David was a really great character to read from and it was fun to watch his journey of self discovery and self acceptance, and his formation of a family along the way.
One of my favorite parts of this book though was the representation of women. I said this before but every description of women was based on their abilities and strengths and power. It wasn’t male-gazey at all and I really appreciated that. It also had a beautiful lesbian romance as a small subplot from the middle of the book to the end.
Also, as someone who isn’t familiar with Nigeria or African gods and mythology I was able to understand the world building quite well. Obviously I can’t speak for how accurate it is, but the representation of what it’s like to live in a major city in Nigeria really added a lot to the development of the world in which the story took place as well as my understanding of what it’s like to live in Nigeria in the real world.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. Not only because fantasy readers should expand their reading beyond your basic white European fantasy, but because it’s a really good fantasy on its own.
David was a really great character to read from and it was fun to watch his journey of self discovery and self acceptance, and his formation of a family along the way.
One of my favorite parts of this book though was the representation of women. I said this before but every description of women was based on their abilities and strengths and power. It wasn’t male-gazey at all and I really appreciated that. It also had a beautiful lesbian romance as a small subplot from the middle of the book to the end.
Also, as someone who isn’t familiar with Nigeria or African gods and mythology I was able to understand the world building quite well. Obviously I can’t speak for how accurate it is, but the representation of what it’s like to live in a major city in Nigeria really added a lot to the development of the world in which the story took place as well as my understanding of what it’s like to live in Nigeria in the real world.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. Not only because fantasy readers should expand their reading beyond your basic white European fantasy, but because it’s a really good fantasy on its own.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
This was exactly what the description of it promised : a God punk urban fantasy.
Set in Lagos, Nigeria, after “The Falling”, an event that saw the gods fall on earth and more specifically in Lagos, trying to make it their new home, causing humans to fleed Lagos Island and live in constant fear of them.
In this god-infested city, David Mogo is a godhunter, half human and half god himself, he makes a living by capturating godlings for humans who want to get rid of them. However, he will find himself fighting against higher gods, those gods who want to rule the city, and to do so he will have to accept and embrace his own god essence.
This novel is everything I was expecting it to be, and it was so refreshing reading a fantasy novel by a BIPOC and African author, it obviously gives the fantasy genre a very different turn from what we are mostly used to: magic is not old men with white beards, monsters are not ogres neither dragons. Also big point in favour of the novel: the women are proactive, they exist and act with or without the male protagonist (saving his ass numerous times by the way!)
I would highly suggest it to those of you who like fantasy novels, it will bring you in a completely unique fantasy world 🌍
Set in Lagos, Nigeria, after “The Falling”, an event that saw the gods fall on earth and more specifically in Lagos, trying to make it their new home, causing humans to fleed Lagos Island and live in constant fear of them.
In this god-infested city, David Mogo is a godhunter, half human and half god himself, he makes a living by capturating godlings for humans who want to get rid of them. However, he will find himself fighting against higher gods, those gods who want to rule the city, and to do so he will have to accept and embrace his own god essence.
This novel is everything I was expecting it to be, and it was so refreshing reading a fantasy novel by a BIPOC and African author, it obviously gives the fantasy genre a very different turn from what we are mostly used to: magic is not old men with white beards, monsters are not ogres neither dragons. Also big point in favour of the novel: the women are proactive, they exist and act with or without the male protagonist (saving his ass numerous times by the way!)
I would highly suggest it to those of you who like fantasy novels, it will bring you in a completely unique fantasy world 🌍
DNF @ page 70
ARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All of my opinions are my own, and are in no way affected by the exchange.
I made it to page 70 before I tapped out. I was excited about this because look at that cover and synopsis!! A Nigerian inspired fantasy about a Godhunter for hire with God blood????? Like YES PLEASE, sign me tf up! And that cover is to die for. Unfortunately for me this was so confusing that it was almost unreadable. I had NO idea how to pronounce ANYTHING or what was going on. I normally try to hang on for a while to see if I start to get it but at page 70 I should have at least some kind of idea. I'm pretty bummed about it but sometimes you just gotta move on.
ARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All of my opinions are my own, and are in no way affected by the exchange.
I made it to page 70 before I tapped out. I was excited about this because look at that cover and synopsis!! A Nigerian inspired fantasy about a Godhunter for hire with God blood????? Like YES PLEASE, sign me tf up! And that cover is to die for. Unfortunately for me this was so confusing that it was almost unreadable. I had NO idea how to pronounce ANYTHING or what was going on. I normally try to hang on for a while to see if I start to get it but at page 70 I should have at least some kind of idea. I'm pretty bummed about it but sometimes you just gotta move on.
The first chapter and quippy writing style immediately hooked me in. The dystopian world of fallen gods and wizards and demigods kept me interested for quite a while. This short book is fast-paced, but that turned out to be a pro and a con. Pro because something new was always happening and at first I gobbled it up, but con because I was fatigued by the end and disinterested in the conclusion honestly. Also, it was just very plot and action driven and there wasn’t as much time spent on character and relationship development…I think it was a missed opportunity to really elevate the book.