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latad_books 's review for:
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
by Wole Talabi
3.5 stars.
Two partners, Shigidi and Nneoma, one a minor, former nightmares god and the other a powerful succubus unaffiliated with any other entities, are forced by an old, formidable god, Olurun, to steal an artifact for him, back from the British, who stole it years earlier, for him. Olurun’s plan is risky in the extreme, but the pair have the abilities, skills, connections, and frankly, disposability, to possibly succeed.
Wole Talabi’s gods are dangerous, controlling and petty beings. They head up spirit companies, staffed by less powerful and minor gods, who harvest human souls for the continuance of the Company and their food, and dispense punishments, among other things. The spirit company is a corporation, with a Board, employee code of conduct, and other trappings.
Each faith has its own spirit company, with treaties and rules codifying behaviours and permissible actions of other gods when they visit other gods’ territories.
Shigidi hated his former life of using nightmares to terrify and kill to collect souls. Shigidi was a very minor god in Olurun’s company, and only received a small number of souls for sustenance. After an unexpected and violent confrontation with Nneoma years earlier, he defected to her side, in exchange for better opportunities. When almost killed by some members of his former company, he and Nneoma are granted safety by Olurun, in exchange for a task to be performed by them some time in the future.
Oluron finally decides to call in his favour, forcing the pair to retrieve an important object located at the British Museum.
Talabi shows us Nneoma’s life in different centuries, and how she collected favours from certain beings, whom she and Shigidi must call on for help to perform their heist.
Talabi’s story is fun, imaginative, violent, full of sex, and danger. I liked seeing Nneoma’s life, and what drives her and keeps her separate. We also see how implacable she can be. Shigidi follows her, and is fascinated by her; I found that he was not as interesting as her.
The story felt a little slow in parts, but I was still intrigued by the world of gods, demons and spirits Talabi created.
Thank you to Netgalley and to DAW for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Two partners, Shigidi and Nneoma, one a minor, former nightmares god and the other a powerful succubus unaffiliated with any other entities, are forced by an old, formidable god, Olurun, to steal an artifact for him, back from the British, who stole it years earlier, for him. Olurun’s plan is risky in the extreme, but the pair have the abilities, skills, connections, and frankly, disposability, to possibly succeed.
Wole Talabi’s gods are dangerous, controlling and petty beings. They head up spirit companies, staffed by less powerful and minor gods, who harvest human souls for the continuance of the Company and their food, and dispense punishments, among other things. The spirit company is a corporation, with a Board, employee code of conduct, and other trappings.
Each faith has its own spirit company, with treaties and rules codifying behaviours and permissible actions of other gods when they visit other gods’ territories.
Shigidi hated his former life of using nightmares to terrify and kill to collect souls. Shigidi was a very minor god in Olurun’s company, and only received a small number of souls for sustenance. After an unexpected and violent confrontation with Nneoma years earlier, he defected to her side, in exchange for better opportunities. When almost killed by some members of his former company, he and Nneoma are granted safety by Olurun, in exchange for a task to be performed by them some time in the future.
Oluron finally decides to call in his favour, forcing the pair to retrieve an important object located at the British Museum.
Talabi shows us Nneoma’s life in different centuries, and how she collected favours from certain beings, whom she and Shigidi must call on for help to perform their heist.
Talabi’s story is fun, imaginative, violent, full of sex, and danger. I liked seeing Nneoma’s life, and what drives her and keeps her separate. We also see how implacable she can be. Shigidi follows her, and is fascinated by her; I found that he was not as interesting as her.
The story felt a little slow in parts, but I was still intrigued by the world of gods, demons and spirits Talabi created.
Thank you to Netgalley and to DAW for this ARC in exchange for my review.