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adru's review
Jei, ma olen ta jutte viimaks piisavalt palju lugenud, et ta poolkreekalik maailm ei häiri mind enam.
tempse's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
eol's review
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nghia's review
3.0
Another witty, sardonic K.J. Parker novella, this one a story of Greek gods and goddess with their serial numbers filed off. This one mocks the ridiculousness of both Greek gods in particular but also religion and faith more broadly.
At times earnest and thoughtful -- at one point Archias asks the Goddess why she isn't going to save a certain village from the imminent rape and predation of Viking-style raiders. She points out that the Vikings are also praying to her. How does she decide which side to help? And the raiders are only raiding because they have to:
The whole thing felt a bit disjointed and the somewhat-expected-trademark K.J. Parker clever-plot-twist ending felt a bit forced this time. There's a big pilgrimage where the Goddess is, for reasons she herself can't even explain, following along in (mostly) non-godly ways while Archias tries to find the Land of the Dead. It humanizes her and starts to build the glimmer of sympathy for humans...but then the whole thing kind of gets dropped and disappears as Parker rushes towards his Clever Plot Twist Ending.
To the gods all things are possible, so I kept my temper.
At times earnest and thoughtful -- at one point Archias asks the Goddess why she isn't going to save a certain village from the imminent rape and predation of Viking-style raiders. She points out that the Vikings are also praying to her. How does she decide which side to help? And the raiders are only raiding because they have to:
For centuries they were peaceful shepherds, grazing their sheep and goats on the hillsides of their native fjords. But the sheep and the goats cropped the grass too close, the winds blew all the topsoil away, and now they go hungry. In desperation, about fifty years ago, they took to their ships and sailed into the terrifying realm of my uncle Thaumastus, in the wild hope of finding something out there to keep their families alive. After weeks of being hurled around by storms in open boats they made landfall on the north coast of your stupid Empire. They were stunned at what they found. Here were people who had so much, when they had nothing at all.
The whole thing felt a bit disjointed and the somewhat-expected-trademark K.J. Parker clever-plot-twist ending felt a bit forced this time. There's a big pilgrimage where the Goddess is, for reasons she herself can't even explain, following along in (mostly) non-godly ways while Archias tries to find the Land of the Dead. It humanizes her and starts to build the glimmer of sympathy for humans...but then the whole thing kind of gets dropped and disappears as Parker rushes towards his Clever Plot Twist Ending.
verkisto's review
4.0
Gods squabble. It happens, especially in pantheons. Greek mythology shows us that they can have petty jealousies and vindictive hearts, but in Parker's hands, they squabble deliciously, with passive aggressive barbs and scathing wit. A common refrain in this story is, "To the gods all things are possible." This is, among other things, how one god can keep her temper when another is mouthing off at her.
Terry Pratchett kind of cornered the market on funny fantasy, but Parker takes it to another level that sets him apart. Pratchett's books are serious, with consequences, as are Parker's, but Parker's books are much darker. Like Pratchett, he looks beneath the banal parts of life and gives us a new perspective on them, but where Pratchett wants to reassure us, Parker wants us to see the futility of it all. He doesn't just use the tropes of fantasy; he brings them up to the front, spotlights them, and shows us how ridiculous they are.
Thematically, this story is similar to The Things We Do for Love, since it's about an all-powerful being insisting on staying with a mortal, even after he no longer wants her company. Here, though, Parker takes a hard, scathing look at religion. Gods are capricious and clueless (see: squabbling), and the title of the novella is, after all, Downfall of the Gods.
Parker's style may not be for everyone, but it touches my dark, sarcastic sense of humor like no other author can. I still don't know why it took me so long to discover this guy. I have a lot of reading to do.
Terry Pratchett kind of cornered the market on funny fantasy, but Parker takes it to another level that sets him apart. Pratchett's books are serious, with consequences, as are Parker's, but Parker's books are much darker. Like Pratchett, he looks beneath the banal parts of life and gives us a new perspective on them, but where Pratchett wants to reassure us, Parker wants us to see the futility of it all. He doesn't just use the tropes of fantasy; he brings them up to the front, spotlights them, and shows us how ridiculous they are.
Thematically, this story is similar to The Things We Do for Love, since it's about an all-powerful being insisting on staying with a mortal, even after he no longer wants her company. Here, though, Parker takes a hard, scathing look at religion. Gods are capricious and clueless (see: squabbling), and the title of the novella is, after all, Downfall of the Gods.
Parker's style may not be for everyone, but it touches my dark, sarcastic sense of humor like no other author can. I still don't know why it took me so long to discover this guy. I have a lot of reading to do.
library_hungry's review
5.0
I suppose it's possible that this is more of a four star book--it's a fun read, wry and witty and with a very interesting angle on the gods--but I was in such a book rut and this popped me right out of it.
How do gods live, how do they interact with mortals, and why do they care? It's a lot to take on, but mostly it's about one cheerful, kind of irritating goddess and the poor fellow she sends on a quest for absolution.
KJ Parker is truly delightful.
How do gods live, how do they interact with mortals, and why do they care? It's a lot to take on, but mostly it's about one cheerful, kind of irritating goddess and the poor fellow she sends on a quest for absolution.
KJ Parker is truly delightful.
arkron's review
5.0
Full review at my blog.
A real joy to read: Parker brought the Goddess near with all her pubertal, hilarious family-business. I was constantly tempted to google those Greekish names, but it is set in a different universe, though not far from our mythology. The narration reflects on right and wrong, honour and shame, true sources of power, and the real needs of Gods:
But when you're poor, dirt-poor as the gods when it comes to things of real value (meaning things you want and can't have for the asking), even the good opinion of mortals counts for something.
This superbly written page-turner is not only about pranks and God-talk but also about philosophy, and of course the Ragnarök, because the Goddess is always up to something.
Highly recommended!
A real joy to read: Parker brought the Goddess near with all her pubertal, hilarious family-business. I was constantly tempted to google those Greekish names, but it is set in a different universe, though not far from our mythology. The narration reflects on right and wrong, honour and shame, true sources of power, and the real needs of Gods:
But when you're poor, dirt-poor as the gods when it comes to things of real value (meaning things you want and can't have for the asking), even the good opinion of mortals counts for something.
This superbly written page-turner is not only about pranks and God-talk but also about philosophy, and of course the Ragnarök, because the Goddess is always up to something.
Highly recommended!
glennisleblanc's review
4.0
When you kill someone and then beg forgiveness from the gods and do it correctly you expect forgiveness, you don’t expect the goddess you asked to come down and tell you to your face nope. But that is what happens in in this novella. Of course she gets in trouble and has to find a way to fix it since he did do everything correctly. What happens is becomes a bit of discussion about religion, responsibility, and consequences of actions. The is humor here but there are also some rather deep thoughts on religion here as well. A entertaining novella that is a bit weightier than its word count.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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