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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Brief disclaimer, this is the first book I have received since signing up to Netgalley so I read an advanced reader copy for free in exchange for this review. I had been wanting to read the book since I first heard about it (also look at that cover, it is absolutely gorgeous). It’s described as Godpunk, which isn’t a term I have heard before, but sounded fascinating.
I will try and keep at least some of the review spoiler free since the book isn’t out yet, if there is anything that has spoilers in it I will make sure to make a note and leave some space so people can skip that if they do not wish to have any spoilers.
The story follows the titular character, who lives in Lago, Nigeria and works as a freelance Godhunter. Something called the Orisha war caused the appearance of thousands of gods in Lagos, forcing many people to relocate to other parts of the city. Into this turmoil steps David, a demigod who uses his abilities to deal with troublesome gods. He’s set to find and capture a couple of very powerful deities for a local wizard and that one event will spark a chain that will cause upheaval to his life and make him confront his own origins.
It’s a very well-written book. I have never been to Lagos, but the author conjures a sense of the place very well and it didn’t surprise me to learn that he is from there. It’s wonderful to see a non-Western setting for an urban fantasy and I got very pulled into the world that he creates.
The main character is physically powerful in many ways, but that doesn’t always work in his favour and his inability to properly rely on others around him often causes him problems. He definitely goes on a distinct journey from the start of the book to the end and Suyi does make you care for where he is going and what is going to happen to him.
There is a decent supporting cast to the book, though it’s written in first-person perspective which does mean that they do not come across as strongly as I might have liked. I have nothing against first person narratives (my WiP uses this in fact) but combined with the introspection and occasionally rather self-involved nature of the main character, it does result in the secondary characters not standing out as much as I might have wanted.
I did appreciate that there are a number of female supporting characters and generally they are treated well, they have their own agency and in places David is the one who is often swept along by events and struggling to get control back, which I actually quite appreciated.
As a note, this is a book in three distinct parts and you may, like me, get to the end of part one and wonder where on earth the book is going to manage to go from there. Do not worry and keep going is my advice, it’s one part of a larger story and it does all come together quite nicely in the end.
My biggest criticism of the book (and to be honest I don’t have many) is that I would have liked to see more quieter moments between the characters to cement their relationships. It is not utterly lacking in them, there are several poignant parts which help, but the story is very action driven so sometimes the pauses can feel a little too short. To be honest, that has been a common criticism of mine of late and I think it’s just because I love a more in-depth character than perhaps is typical so what is normal for others feels a little lacking to me.
One of my other loves in the book was the use of what I would guess is a hybrid local language. It is understandable enough and adds a flavour that I feel was really great. I must admit that I do find that sort of detail just makes the book come more alive with the environment it is set in without putting you off by being incomprehensible. It also tells you about the characters who use it and, for me, helped to solidify the relationship between David and his foster father.
The book features plenty of action, deals with themes of being trapped between two worlds and not being sure of who you are or what your place in the world is as a result. If you love urban fantasy, then this is a refreshing take on the sub-genre and definitely worth a look. I will definitely be getting myself a physical copy with its oh so pretty cover when I can.
I will try and keep at least some of the review spoiler free since the book isn’t out yet, if there is anything that has spoilers in it I will make sure to make a note and leave some space so people can skip that if they do not wish to have any spoilers.
The story follows the titular character, who lives in Lago, Nigeria and works as a freelance Godhunter. Something called the Orisha war caused the appearance of thousands of gods in Lagos, forcing many people to relocate to other parts of the city. Into this turmoil steps David, a demigod who uses his abilities to deal with troublesome gods. He’s set to find and capture a couple of very powerful deities for a local wizard and that one event will spark a chain that will cause upheaval to his life and make him confront his own origins.
It’s a very well-written book. I have never been to Lagos, but the author conjures a sense of the place very well and it didn’t surprise me to learn that he is from there. It’s wonderful to see a non-Western setting for an urban fantasy and I got very pulled into the world that he creates.
The main character is physically powerful in many ways, but that doesn’t always work in his favour and his inability to properly rely on others around him often causes him problems. He definitely goes on a distinct journey from the start of the book to the end and Suyi does make you care for where he is going and what is going to happen to him.
There is a decent supporting cast to the book, though it’s written in first-person perspective which does mean that they do not come across as strongly as I might have liked. I have nothing against first person narratives (my WiP uses this in fact) but combined with the introspection and occasionally rather self-involved nature of the main character, it does result in the secondary characters not standing out as much as I might have wanted.
I did appreciate that there are a number of female supporting characters and generally they are treated well, they have their own agency and in places David is the one who is often swept along by events and struggling to get control back, which I actually quite appreciated.
As a note, this is a book in three distinct parts and you may, like me, get to the end of part one and wonder where on earth the book is going to manage to go from there. Do not worry and keep going is my advice, it’s one part of a larger story and it does all come together quite nicely in the end.
My biggest criticism of the book (and to be honest I don’t have many) is that I would have liked to see more quieter moments between the characters to cement their relationships. It is not utterly lacking in them, there are several poignant parts which help, but the story is very action driven so sometimes the pauses can feel a little too short. To be honest, that has been a common criticism of mine of late and I think it’s just because I love a more in-depth character than perhaps is typical so what is normal for others feels a little lacking to me.
One of my other loves in the book was the use of what I would guess is a hybrid local language. It is understandable enough and adds a flavour that I feel was really great. I must admit that I do find that sort of detail just makes the book come more alive with the environment it is set in without putting you off by being incomprehensible. It also tells you about the characters who use it and, for me, helped to solidify the relationship between David and his foster father.
The book features plenty of action, deals with themes of being trapped between two worlds and not being sure of who you are or what your place in the world is as a result. If you love urban fantasy, then this is a refreshing take on the sub-genre and definitely worth a look. I will definitely be getting myself a physical copy with its oh so pretty cover when I can.
adventurous
fast-paced
100% going to finish this book at some point in the future. It's just that I belatedly realized that well, I've just finished a worldbuilding-heavy novel with lots of gods in it, and this is also a worldbuilding-heavy novel with lots of gods in it. My brain is trying to confuse the two. Oops.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was fantastic. Vivid, fast-paced, rich in tone and world. A new favourite.
Written with crisp prose and pacing, Okungbowa drops me into a changed Lagos, crawling with fallen Orishas and the like, and does not let up until the last.
The dialogue is lively and sparks with the timbre of Lagosian dialect, the characters are grounded, sure, uncanny, sinister, and oh so captivating.
There is a certain irreverence and practicality to how our protagonist interacts with and sees his city. He is well aware of its shortcomings as well as the inherent style that makes Lagos exactly what it is, and that there is no place like it. Even as I was saying 'slow down David', as my heart raced, my mind was saying 'I want more'. And even when I thought there couldn't possibly be more, Suyi Davies delivered.
His elder and father (for lack of a better descriptor) embodies what I love about elders: they are constant, salty, with a certain verve and brashness that comes with time lived and people and places experienced. Give me more Papa Udi.
What cannot be ignored is the human experience that is exemplified in this story: the struggle, choices, relationships, spirit, the formation of community, bonds of friendship, and the search for belonging in the midst of upheaval and chaos. How hard can it be to face down and fight beside a pantheon of gods? Pick this one up to find out.
Would that every fantasy novel could read as this one did.
Written with crisp prose and pacing, Okungbowa drops me into a changed Lagos, crawling with fallen Orishas and the like, and does not let up until the last.
The dialogue is lively and sparks with the timbre of Lagosian dialect, the characters are grounded, sure, uncanny, sinister, and oh so captivating.
There is a certain irreverence and practicality to how our protagonist interacts with and sees his city. He is well aware of its shortcomings as well as the inherent style that makes Lagos exactly what it is, and that there is no place like it. Even as I was saying 'slow down David', as my heart raced, my mind was saying 'I want more'. And even when I thought there couldn't possibly be more, Suyi Davies delivered.
His elder and father (for lack of a better descriptor) embodies what I love about elders: they are constant, salty, with a certain verve and brashness that comes with time lived and people and places experienced. Give me more Papa Udi.
What cannot be ignored is the human experience that is exemplified in this story: the struggle, choices, relationships, spirit, the formation of community, bonds of friendship, and the search for belonging in the midst of upheaval and chaos. How hard can it be to face down and fight beside a pantheon of gods? Pick this one up to find out.
Would that every fantasy novel could read as this one did.
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the world-building, characters, and concepts here. The plot was creative and engaging. However, it was almost too fast-paced for me--the book is divided into parts, and I felt like each part could've been a book on its own. This left me wanting more character development and more detailed descriptions of events, which I think would've made me feel a stronger connection.
So. Very. Disappointing. Like, seriously, I expected better.
David Mogo, a half God who is also extremely complaining and way too proud person, decides to take up a job that looks impossible.
Now, we all know how the story of demigods goes. Sprinkle a lot of self-righteous speech, with a dash of self-doubt. And then trust the author to kill the rest of the plot. This book is repetitive, monotonous and has a pace slower than a snail.
What started as an extremely promising pot, it soon turned out to be difficult to follow. The whole dramatic approach to all things simple and the Nigerian dialect only made the pace slower, until I wanted to hit my head on a wall.
Things went wrong too soon in this book. or maybe, it just wasn't for me.
David Mogo, a half God who is also extremely complaining and way too proud person, decides to take up a job that looks impossible.
Now, we all know how the story of demigods goes. Sprinkle a lot of self-righteous speech, with a dash of self-doubt. And then trust the author to kill the rest of the plot. This book is repetitive, monotonous and has a pace slower than a snail.
What started as an extremely promising pot, it soon turned out to be difficult to follow. The whole dramatic approach to all things simple and the Nigerian dialect only made the pace slower, until I wanted to hit my head on a wall.
Things went wrong too soon in this book. or maybe, it just wasn't for me.
Our protagonist David Mogo is a demigod godhunter in Lagos after The Falling, an event where the gods fell to Earth upending normal life across the globe. He scrapes together a living for himself and his adoptive grandfather figure mainly by chasing misbehaving godlings out of people’s homes, but the story opens on a dangerous yet tempting job offer from a powerful and creepy wizard to capture a pair of gods.
I don’t know if I’m getting harsher, but I was bummed that this book didn’t land better for me. I think this isn’t totally my book wheelhouse, it was very action-driven and missing any notes of intrigue that I was craving. I found the plot to be a bit obvious and nothing really surprised me. The characters were the best part of this book for me, I appreciated their relationships and dynamics, and would have loved that aspect to be explored more deeply.
The back of this book proclaims it “A Nigerian Harry Dresden”, which *eyeroll*, but which also had me wondering whether this book intends to introduce a series, and got me thinking comparatively about other long running urban fantasy series. Dresden for example definitely started on a more mediocre note and built complexity over time. I’d be willing to read more of this story if it continues as a series, but would be more excited to read other work by the author if that’s in the cards instead.
Hopefully my downer review doesn’t put you off this book if it’s on your TBR, I would still recommend it to folks who like an action-packed adventure story.
I don’t know if I’m getting harsher, but I was bummed that this book didn’t land better for me. I think this isn’t totally my book wheelhouse, it was very action-driven and missing any notes of intrigue that I was craving. I found the plot to be a bit obvious and nothing really surprised me. The characters were the best part of this book for me, I appreciated their relationships and dynamics, and would have loved that aspect to be explored more deeply.
The back of this book proclaims it “A Nigerian Harry Dresden”, which *eyeroll*, but which also had me wondering whether this book intends to introduce a series, and got me thinking comparatively about other long running urban fantasy series. Dresden for example definitely started on a more mediocre note and built complexity over time. I’d be willing to read more of this story if it continues as a series, but would be more excited to read other work by the author if that’s in the cards instead.
Hopefully my downer review doesn’t put you off this book if it’s on your TBR, I would still recommend it to folks who like an action-packed adventure story.