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Age of X #1
Gameboard of the Gods
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Paranormal Fantasy (2013)In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.
Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.
When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.
Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2013
554 people are currently reading
27630 people want to read
About the author
Richelle Mead
105 books69.3k followersScorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.
A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.
A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,142 reviews
June 4, 2013
2.5 stars. I swear, I am not pulling one of those out-of-touch fan moments like when a person would want to know why The Casual Vacancy didn't read like Harry Potter part deux. I swear it. If there's one thing I've always admired about Richelle Mead, it's that she doesn't sit on her success and write the same formulaic characters and worlds over and over like so many other popular authors today tend to do when they find something that works for them. It's admirable to see any author pushing themselves in order to make sure that their "new" series doesn't read just like their "old" series.
That said, I'm going to give fair warning : if you are expecting a book which will read similar to any previous Mead series, you will be in for a rude awakening. It was easy to pick out some Mead-isms because I knew what to look for, but if I hadn't known ahead of time that I was reading a RM book, I never would have guessed. The writing style and world building was completely alien from anything I've read of hers in the past.
Positive to this new style : It's more polished. The info dumps are spread out (possibly even sparse in a couple of areas). You can see more of a confidence in writing this time around and less shakiness as the ideas are sketched out.
Negative to this new style : It's very sterile. There was a big disconnect when it came to emotion. I honestly don't think it's the switch to third person perspective either. There's definitely something about this world which screams impersonal from the start.
However...Richelle Mead did not lose me as a fan here, even though I wasn't completely sold on this particular book. Her title of my favorite author is still secure. I have faith that she will take me someplace good, even though I'm not sure where we're headed right now. If anyone is a master at building a good story arc, it's this woman.
My biggest issue with Gameboard of the Gods was that it focused more on government, military, power plays, information finding, etc. which is pretty much everything I don't like to read about in books. My complaints are similar to how I felt while reading Mind Fuck. I want more of the alternate genre goodness, not the tedious politics and protocol. I desired that more of the sci-fi and fantasy sides of the story would shine through. We didn't hear much about the gods and true/false worship of the gods until past the halfway point of the book. The "crows" that were with Justin (the male lead) were not explained fully until after the halfway point as well.
I was sooooooooooo damn confused about these two voices speaking to Justin in his head. It bugged me and BUGGED ME that this character was having a conversation with two other beings and I didn't know what was really going on until late in the game because the earliest explanation was so shoddy!
Mae (the female lead) comes across as cold from the start, so it was hard to warm up to her. I think I sort of get her now after seeing some of her back story.
Funny enough, my favorite character was Justin's younger protege. She was a cute kid and I loved every scene she was in.
I don't know...there was so much about this book which felt like a chore to read and it PAINS me to have to give the super-talented Ms. Mead a rating this low because I've never done it before, and that's after having read around 20 works of hers up to this point. But I won't coddle an author just because I've loved everything they've written in the past.
While I wait to find out if book 2 is going to be pass or fail, I'll just go back to my faith in Mead's ability to pull off a sensational story arc that grows better with each book. Given the way Gameboard ended, I'm not giving up hope that the series will become sensational in time. I'm definitely going to stick around and give the series another chance before throwing in the towel.
Even though I'm going to tell all Richelle Mead virgins to try a different series instead of this one if they're new to the author (unless you're into edgier sci-fi and corporate/military games, then this might actually be the right jumping off point for you), I'm *still waving the fangirl banner unashamedly*
This book provided from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2023
“I’m sad because you remind me of home.” He dropped his hand from her and sighed. “Because you’re beautiful and bright and dynamic and a whole lot of other things I haven’t seen for a long time…and won’t see again any time soon.”
Mae was my favorite character. She is a badass, amazing, independent soldier-woman. I loved her :P
I didn't like Justin in the beginning. But the more I read about him the more I understand him. I liked him a lot and I liked the connection between him and Mae :) I hope they'll be together in the next book :P
Mae was my favorite character. She is a badass, amazing, independent soldier-woman. I loved her :P
I didn't like Justin in the beginning. But the more I read about him the more I understand him. I liked him a lot and I liked the connection between him and Mae :) I hope they'll be together in the next book :P
June 13, 2013
I've been a fan of Richelle Mead for a few years now and her latest novel - one which differs quite a bit from her previous work - still manages to shine through with Mead's trademark humour, sexiness and morally questionable characters. Despite the rather average rating, I do see a lot of potential in this series and I'm fairly certain I will be returning to see what future installments will present us with. The reason for my not so great rating is entirely to do with the plot and the way this novel of nearly 500 pages had so very little of it for the most part. But more about that in a second.
This is definitely Mead's most ambitious work to date. Never before have I seen her delve into such complex world-building and deep character development. In this wild and exciting futuristic setting, two great powers split the world - RUNA (Republic of the United North America) and EA (Eastern Alliance). Other areas are merely the provinces, looked down upon and seen as barbaric and backwards in comparison. Mead deserves some applause for the way she seems to have thought out every aspect of this future society, incorporating many different elements and exploring the effect they would have: religion, education, the status of women... it's absolutely fascinating, if a little mind-boggling in its density at times.
The characters are exactly the kind I would expect Mead to create, but I don't mean that as a negative and I'm not saying she constantly produces exactly the same. What I am saying is that Mead always seems to deliver characters that are flawed, badass and almost unlikeable if it wasn't for the fact that they're simultaneously charming and hilarious. Dr Justin March is a heavy-drinking, drug-taking, womanizing guy who gets laid first and asks questions later. Mae Koskinen is not much better: often mean, occasionally violent and always afraid of commitment. I'm sure in real life I would run in the opposite direction from the individuals Mead likes to write about, but in her novels these characters make for one interesting show. Nothing has changed on that front here, apart from the fact that there are more central characters than she usually has. And a lot more character development than plot.
And we arrive at my main problem with this book. There's a murder mystery going on here and occasionally I remembered to remind myself of that fact, but most of the time I thought this book was about a group of characters doing various small things that were a really great "show not tell" of who they are and the part they play in this world... but contributed nothing to the overall plot. The overly dense world-building and character development could easily have been forgiven if it had been well-balanced out with a dynamic and exciting plot. As it was, there were huge parts in the middle that were a struggle to get through. In the past I have devoured Richelle Mead books in a day, two at the very most, but I've been inching through this at a snail's pace since the release date.
Maja's excellent review said it plain and simple what a reader must have to fully appreciate and enjoy this book: patience. I find mine comes and goes.
August 5, 2014
4.5 stars
I’ll start with this: Gameboard of the Gods is a definite step up for Richelle Mead. It is her most ambitious project in terms of worldbuilding and structure, though perhaps not the plot.
Mead’s futuristic world is divided between two great forces: RUNA (Republic of the United North America) and EA (Eastern Alliance). Everything else are the provinces, barbaric in comparison, technologically and culturally inferior. Mead envisioned a world in which religion is considered to be a true danger for the society. It is tightly controlled by people called the servitors, one of them our Dr. Justin March. The RUNA is a glorious country, a place where people can feel safe and protected, guarded by a powerful military force. It is not a dystopian setting; if anything, it’s closer to utopia, based on the Greco-Roman social structure.
The RUNA held three things responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion, and cultural separatism. All of the early genetic mixing had gone a long way to stamp out group solidarity, and the loose Greco-Roman models the country had adopted provided a new, all-encompassing culture that everyone could be a part of.
The worldbuilding is of the sink-or-swim variety, fascinating and in many ways almost visionary, but a bit overwhelming at times. Mead is an expert at showing rather than telling, but perhaps she took it too far at times. Her world doesn’t lack structure; the lines are very clear and there’s an abundance of details, but some (admittedly smaller) parts I simply failed to understand.
I mentioned at the beginning that there were some minor problems with the plot. A murder investigation is at the center of the plot, but it takes a back seat to character development and the paranormal element. The murder mystery itself is painfully neglected throughout the novel, serving mostly as a reason for the two main characters to work together.
The paranormal element is very present – this is Richelle Mead we’re talking about, but it’s always hidden beneath the surface, dampened somehow and rarely talked about. The RUNA is not a great place to discuss such matters, but both Justin and Mae, our two protagonists, are undeniably tied to something otherworldly.
Aside from being brilliant, Dr. Justin March drinks a lot, takes all the drugs he can get his hands on, sleeps with a different woman every night, and is generally a poor (albeit handsome and charming) excuse for a human being. Mae Koskinen is no prize either. A genetically altered elite soldier, a castal girl of pure Nordic descent, desperately afraid of any kind of commitment, haughty and often overcome by a darkness that brings out her violent side. The two have nothing in common, except for the loneliness their superiority brings with it.
The two start by sleeping together under wrong assumptions and their relationship goes downhill from there. They are forced to work together on a string of cult-related murders, Justin as a brilliant investigator returned from exile for that very purpose, and Mae as his unstoppable bodyguard. If you expect a breathtaking romance from Justin and Mae, you might end up disappointed. There is a lot of delicious sexual tension between them, but the night of their first encounter is always a looming obstacle. Besides, being with Mae means a life-long servitude to an unknown god for Justin, and he is not one for blind obedience to anyone, not even a deity.
Mead could never be accused of lack of imagination, but with Gameboard of the Gods, she outdid herself in more ways than one, and for the most part, she held a tight control over all the bits and pieces. It was only at moments that the worldbuilding became too big for her and confusing for the reader. There is nothing more important to me than character development, and Mead’s thorough approach to it left me in awe. While Gameboard of the Gods could prove to be a bit challenging for less patient readers, it was a great read according to my taste and a promising start to an exciting new series.
I’ll start with this: Gameboard of the Gods is a definite step up for Richelle Mead. It is her most ambitious project in terms of worldbuilding and structure, though perhaps not the plot.
Mead’s futuristic world is divided between two great forces: RUNA (Republic of the United North America) and EA (Eastern Alliance). Everything else are the provinces, barbaric in comparison, technologically and culturally inferior. Mead envisioned a world in which religion is considered to be a true danger for the society. It is tightly controlled by people called the servitors, one of them our Dr. Justin March. The RUNA is a glorious country, a place where people can feel safe and protected, guarded by a powerful military force. It is not a dystopian setting; if anything, it’s closer to utopia, based on the Greco-Roman social structure.
The RUNA held three things responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion, and cultural separatism. All of the early genetic mixing had gone a long way to stamp out group solidarity, and the loose Greco-Roman models the country had adopted provided a new, all-encompassing culture that everyone could be a part of.
The worldbuilding is of the sink-or-swim variety, fascinating and in many ways almost visionary, but a bit overwhelming at times. Mead is an expert at showing rather than telling, but perhaps she took it too far at times. Her world doesn’t lack structure; the lines are very clear and there’s an abundance of details, but some (admittedly smaller) parts I simply failed to understand.
I mentioned at the beginning that there were some minor problems with the plot. A murder investigation is at the center of the plot, but it takes a back seat to character development and the paranormal element. The murder mystery itself is painfully neglected throughout the novel, serving mostly as a reason for the two main characters to work together.
The paranormal element is very present – this is Richelle Mead we’re talking about, but it’s always hidden beneath the surface, dampened somehow and rarely talked about. The RUNA is not a great place to discuss such matters, but both Justin and Mae, our two protagonists, are undeniably tied to something otherworldly.
Aside from being brilliant, Dr. Justin March drinks a lot, takes all the drugs he can get his hands on, sleeps with a different woman every night, and is generally a poor (albeit handsome and charming) excuse for a human being. Mae Koskinen is no prize either. A genetically altered elite soldier, a castal girl of pure Nordic descent, desperately afraid of any kind of commitment, haughty and often overcome by a darkness that brings out her violent side. The two have nothing in common, except for the loneliness their superiority brings with it.
The two start by sleeping together under wrong assumptions and their relationship goes downhill from there. They are forced to work together on a string of cult-related murders, Justin as a brilliant investigator returned from exile for that very purpose, and Mae as his unstoppable bodyguard. If you expect a breathtaking romance from Justin and Mae, you might end up disappointed. There is a lot of delicious sexual tension between them, but the night of their first encounter is always a looming obstacle. Besides, being with Mae means a life-long servitude to an unknown god for Justin, and he is not one for blind obedience to anyone, not even a deity.
Mead could never be accused of lack of imagination, but with Gameboard of the Gods, she outdid herself in more ways than one, and for the most part, she held a tight control over all the bits and pieces. It was only at moments that the worldbuilding became too big for her and confusing for the reader. There is nothing more important to me than character development, and Mead’s thorough approach to it left me in awe. While Gameboard of the Gods could prove to be a bit challenging for less patient readers, it was a great read according to my taste and a promising start to an exciting new series.
June 22, 2013
So.
What you’re telling me is…
Is that the same author that wrote the kickass “Vampire Academy” series wrote THIS?
Whelp.
In THAT case…
*** Dear Richelle Mead, ***
June 3, 2013
New Richelle Mead series?
Also posted on YA Fanatic.
*after reading*
Eh, what a disappointment this book turned out to be. I'm really upset. As you may know, Richelle is my favorite author. I would read anything she writes. Well, the only exceptions were Dark Swan series and Age of X which is the title of this new series. They just didn't click with me the way that Succubus, VA and Bloodlines did.
When I found out I got approved for this egalley I was ecstatic and I started reading it right away. That was months ago, in February and it was finished a couple of hours ago. The reason I didn't completely abandoned it is that it's Richelle freaking Mead we're talking about!
I don't think this will be a long review because I don't feel comfortable giving my favorite author a negative review but I have to write something.
Gameboard of the Gods did require a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Richelle obviously did put a lot of effort to create this new world but it was just too much of everything. She used mythology references like she usually does in her novels mixed with a dystopian world. I'm not usually for info-dumping this time it was necessary. We get snippets of information and then we have to wait to find out later what it all means. I'm not talking about revealing the big secrets. We didn't get general information till later which didn't make me a happy camper. It was so confusing and hard to keep up. How can I like a book I don't even understand?
Also posted on YA Fanatic.
Also posted on YA Fanatic.
*after reading*
Eh, what a disappointment this book turned out to be. I'm really upset. As you may know, Richelle is my favorite author. I would read anything she writes. Well, the only exceptions were Dark Swan series and Age of X which is the title of this new series. They just didn't click with me the way that Succubus, VA and Bloodlines did.
When I found out I got approved for this egalley I was ecstatic and I started reading it right away. That was months ago, in February and it was finished a couple of hours ago. The reason I didn't completely abandoned it is that it's Richelle freaking Mead we're talking about!
I don't think this will be a long review because I don't feel comfortable giving my favorite author a negative review but I have to write something.
Gameboard of the Gods did require a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Richelle obviously did put a lot of effort to create this new world but it was just too much of everything. She used mythology references like she usually does in her novels mixed with a dystopian world. I'm not usually for info-dumping this time it was necessary. We get snippets of information and then we have to wait to find out later what it all means. I'm not talking about revealing the big secrets. We didn't get general information till later which didn't make me a happy camper. It was so confusing and hard to keep up. How can I like a book I don't even understand?
Also posted on YA Fanatic.
September 10, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I love Richelle Mead. Everything that I’ve read of hers–Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, even Vampire Academy (though I still haven’t read the last book of that series)—I’ve, at a minimum, REALLY liked. But for some reason, I held out on reading this new series until now. The initial reviews were kind of MEH, and I’ve gotten leery of Mythology-based UF (fad = crap).
Silly me.
Gameboard of the Gods is one of those genre-crossing books that often turn into my favorites. It’s part SciFi, part UF, and finally, FINALLY someone has done the whole “gods” (Norse and otherwise), and done it well. In the adult genres, I mean. It seems like the combination of Rick Riordan’s immensely popular Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series and the box office explosions of Thor and The Avengers are responsible for the mass influx of mythology-based YA (as with dystopians, some good, some bad), but not as much in books for adults.
Not that I’ve seen anyway.
I’m admittedly less familiar with the Norse pantheon than I am the Greek and Egyptian pantheons, but so far, I’m liking it. And Mead does more than just create a future, post-apocalyptic world that is beginning to see the influence of the various and myriad gods for the first time since religion was essentially outlawed in the aftermath of the apocalypse. With an often quiet and sly humor, she has satirized MANY of the hypocrisies, contradictions, and over-zealous practices that are wide-spread among the various and myriad forms of organized religion, no matter what form they take.
World-building:
I’ve seen a lot of complaints about the world-building in this book, and while I can understand and sympathize with a lot of the issues other readers have had, they weren’t problems for me.
RUNA is mentioned numerous times before you’re given an explanation of what it actually is (Republic of United North America), but things like that, I just roll with. If I’m being completely honest, I infinitely prefer for information to be doled out sparingly than to be bombarded with the almost universally reviled, but accepted “info-dump” that is a necessary evil in most first-in-series books.
But maybe that’s just me . . .
So. RUNA is what rose from the ashes of a chemical warfare-reduced world—religious zealots unleashed a disease that took out half the world’s population. In the aftermath, RUNA meticulously guarded its borders, deemed “belief in fictitious entities” as dangerous and in need of government regulation, and implemented a forced relocation of its citizens based on the optimal genetic reproductivity for compulsorily breeding a resistance to the disease.
As a result (or perhaps in spite of) these measures, RUNA became the new world power.
The characters:
Lots of times in series, you will see initially unrequited love. A typical manifestation of this occurs between partners, often with the lovelorn female MC pining for the womanizing male MC, whom she is perfect for, if he would only realize it . . .
I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
This scenario is painfully drawn out over several installments, and the readers wring their hands in frustration and agony every time Womanizer makes eyes at the cute bartender or assistant, and slips away with her, leaving Lovelorn alone AGAIN.
So it’s really fun to see Womanizer (Justin) pining away after Lovelorn (Mae), but using his womanizing ways to keep her at arm’s distance.
Well . . . maybe not fun, but it’s definitely new and entertaining.
Romantic drama aside, Justin and Mae are immensely likable characters. Justin is an extremely intelligent and observant detective/profiler à la The Mentalist‘s Patrick Jane whose mischievousness isn’t dampened by the loss of his family. But the absence of tragedy doesn’t make Justin a less sympathetic character—he has plenty of problems uniquely his own. And Mae (LAWD, I love Mae) is so strong, and so beautifully damaged. I want to give her a hug, and maybe sing “Hang on Little Tomato” while widening my eyes meaningfully at her.
So yes, I really liked it.
Gameboard of the Gods is the highly entertaining beginning of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series that exceeds the high expectations I’ve developed for her writing. It combines a unique and utterly believable world destroyed by zealots and the resulting anti-religious government with likable and interesting characters that will have you alternately laughing out loud and cringing in sympathy. There are performance-enhanced soldiers, blue blood scandals, and a new world government hellbent on maintaining the status quo . . . and we all know how well that usually turns out (it doesn’t).
I recommend this to anyone interested in mythology-based and futuristic Urban Fantasy, and especially to anyone raised in or around strict or stifling religion (ANY religion)—you in particular will appreciate some of the hilariously represented universal truths.
I love Richelle Mead. Everything that I’ve read of hers–Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, even Vampire Academy (though I still haven’t read the last book of that series)—I’ve, at a minimum, REALLY liked. But for some reason, I held out on reading this new series until now. The initial reviews were kind of MEH, and I’ve gotten leery of Mythology-based UF (fad = crap).
Silly me.
Gameboard of the Gods is one of those genre-crossing books that often turn into my favorites. It’s part SciFi, part UF, and finally, FINALLY someone has done the whole “gods” (Norse and otherwise), and done it well. In the adult genres, I mean. It seems like the combination of Rick Riordan’s immensely popular Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series and the box office explosions of Thor and The Avengers are responsible for the mass influx of mythology-based YA (as with dystopians, some good, some bad), but not as much in books for adults.
Not that I’ve seen anyway.
I’m admittedly less familiar with the Norse pantheon than I am the Greek and Egyptian pantheons, but so far, I’m liking it. And Mead does more than just create a future, post-apocalyptic world that is beginning to see the influence of the various and myriad gods for the first time since religion was essentially outlawed in the aftermath of the apocalypse. With an often quiet and sly humor, she has satirized MANY of the hypocrisies, contradictions, and over-zealous practices that are wide-spread among the various and myriad forms of organized religion, no matter what form they take.
World-building:
I’ve seen a lot of complaints about the world-building in this book, and while I can understand and sympathize with a lot of the issues other readers have had, they weren’t problems for me.
RUNA is mentioned numerous times before you’re given an explanation of what it actually is (Republic of United North America), but things like that, I just roll with. If I’m being completely honest, I infinitely prefer for information to be doled out sparingly than to be bombarded with the almost universally reviled, but accepted “info-dump” that is a necessary evil in most first-in-series books.
But maybe that’s just me . . .
So. RUNA is what rose from the ashes of a chemical warfare-reduced world—religious zealots unleashed a disease that took out half the world’s population. In the aftermath, RUNA meticulously guarded its borders, deemed “belief in fictitious entities” as dangerous and in need of government regulation, and implemented a forced relocation of its citizens based on the optimal genetic reproductivity for compulsorily breeding a resistance to the disease.
As a result (or perhaps in spite of) these measures, RUNA became the new world power.
The characters:
Lots of times in series, you will see initially unrequited love. A typical manifestation of this occurs between partners, often with the lovelorn female MC pining for the womanizing male MC, whom she is perfect for, if he would only realize it . . .
I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
This scenario is painfully drawn out over several installments, and the readers wring their hands in frustration and agony every time Womanizer makes eyes at the cute bartender or assistant, and slips away with her, leaving Lovelorn alone AGAIN.
So it’s really fun to see Womanizer (Justin) pining away after Lovelorn (Mae), but using his womanizing ways to keep her at arm’s distance.
Well . . . maybe not fun, but it’s definitely new and entertaining.
Romantic drama aside, Justin and Mae are immensely likable characters. Justin is an extremely intelligent and observant detective/profiler à la The Mentalist‘s Patrick Jane whose mischievousness isn’t dampened by the loss of his family. But the absence of tragedy doesn’t make Justin a less sympathetic character—he has plenty of problems uniquely his own. And Mae (LAWD, I love Mae) is so strong, and so beautifully damaged. I want to give her a hug, and maybe sing “Hang on Little Tomato” while widening my eyes meaningfully at her.
So yes, I really liked it.
Gameboard of the Gods is the highly entertaining beginning of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series that exceeds the high expectations I’ve developed for her writing. It combines a unique and utterly believable world destroyed by zealots and the resulting anti-religious government with likable and interesting characters that will have you alternately laughing out loud and cringing in sympathy. There are performance-enhanced soldiers, blue blood scandals, and a new world government hellbent on maintaining the status quo . . . and we all know how well that usually turns out (it doesn’t).
I recommend this to anyone interested in mythology-based and futuristic Urban Fantasy, and especially to anyone raised in or around strict or stifling religion (ANY religion)—you in particular will appreciate some of the hilariously represented universal truths.
June 14, 2013
This is virtually unreadable. Some authors overestimate their writing abilities and fail to bank on their strengths. There is nothing (so far) in this book that made some of Mead's books so enjoyable in the past - charismatic, even though at times annoying narrators, snappy dialogs and brisk pace. This new novel of hers is so dense, so long, so info-dumpy, so boring, so over-complicated and so awkwardly and unpleasantly written!
December 5, 2015
[4.5 Stars]
Loooooove!
Loooooove!
June 5, 2013
Being a long time fan of Richelle Mead’s I was eager to get my hands on a copy of Gameboard of the Gods. While it was slow for me in the beginning, I did eventually settle in and from there on out I didn’t want to put it down. Had it not been for work, I would’ve burned right through the near 500 pages of this book.
We are introduced to a futuristic world where the Republic of United North America, the RUNA, is in power, put in place after the Decline. In this shining, new, wonderful world the three things the RUNA hold responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion, and cultural separatism, are mostly against the law. Justin March used to be at the center of this world when he was the much revered servitor, an investigator of “religious groups and supernatural claims” with brilliant deductive skills, and enough charm to seduce the truth out of anyone. Justin was exiled from the RUNA four years ago, but when a chance comes up to get back into the fold, and back into his beloved country, Justin jumps at it. He’s brought in after a series of troubling murders hint at supernatural and religious involvement, his area of expertise.
Mae was born into the privileged castes, but is now a member of the elite Praetorian Guard known for their lethal skills and enhanced abilities. When a loss of control lands her in hot water, part of her punishment is to retrieve Justin from his exile in the provinces and bring him back for duty. Mae is a staunch believer the RUNA’s ideals. She doesn’t believe in gods or anything supernatural. But as the investigation goes on Mae makes discoveries about the world and even herself, that shake up everything she’s was raised to believe.
Beginning Gameboard of the Gods was something that required patience. I spent some time getting acquainted with the world and its dynamics, and had some trouble keeping everything straight at first. There was no tutorial explaining A or B, and as a reader you’re sort of dumped into the middle of things having to piece it together as you go. Slowly things started to come together and I felt the suspense and intrigue amp up little by little.
I loved Mae from the beginning. I connected with her character, and felt like I fully understood her motivations. She was hard working, loyal, fierce, and everything to admire. Of course there’s a romance between Mae and Justin but it is fraught with trouble. However, none of it is her fault, AT ALL! (I kind of sound like a scorned woman, right?)
Justin, oh Justin…..*sigh* I have conflicted feelings about him. He has a mind reminiscent of a modern day Sherlock Holms, complete with vices. He’s extremely observant, ferreting out crucial information through scant details, and coming to conclusions that never fail to impress everyone around. He’s charming, and that combined with his good looks is a potent combination for the opposite sex, something he takes full advantage of. Mae is different to him, but there are problems. Richelle Mead never makes romances easy, does she? Think back on Dimitri and Rose and their history. Justin and Mae have some heated connections; here are a couple of samples:
"I tie an excellent knot. And then I'll drag things out as long as I want, do whatever I want. You don't beg much, do you? But you will...you will, and you'll love it."*
“You know, the first time I saw you—before the alley—my whole world came to a stop. Everything else in that room faded to nothing, and there was only you, with your beautiful neck and your winter sunlight hair and eyes that commanded the room.” *
Still, Justin is nothing like the noble Dimitri. His womanizing grated on my nerves, and while I understood the issues with Mae, it still bugged me. In the end it seemed like all the fighting against the inevitable was pointless, but I guess we’ll see in the next book.
The mystery of the Patrician Murders is solved and so that part of the story is wrapped up nicely, but we are left with unanswered questions and a whole new world for both Mae and Justin as far as their beliefs and assignments. I can’t wait to see how things progress between these two as well. For my part, if I were Mae a nice frying pan over his head would’ve made me happy!
A copy was provided by Dutton in exchange for an honest review.
*Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
We are introduced to a futuristic world where the Republic of United North America, the RUNA, is in power, put in place after the Decline. In this shining, new, wonderful world the three things the RUNA hold responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion, and cultural separatism, are mostly against the law. Justin March used to be at the center of this world when he was the much revered servitor, an investigator of “religious groups and supernatural claims” with brilliant deductive skills, and enough charm to seduce the truth out of anyone. Justin was exiled from the RUNA four years ago, but when a chance comes up to get back into the fold, and back into his beloved country, Justin jumps at it. He’s brought in after a series of troubling murders hint at supernatural and religious involvement, his area of expertise.
Mae was born into the privileged castes, but is now a member of the elite Praetorian Guard known for their lethal skills and enhanced abilities. When a loss of control lands her in hot water, part of her punishment is to retrieve Justin from his exile in the provinces and bring him back for duty. Mae is a staunch believer the RUNA’s ideals. She doesn’t believe in gods or anything supernatural. But as the investigation goes on Mae makes discoveries about the world and even herself, that shake up everything she’s was raised to believe.
Beginning Gameboard of the Gods was something that required patience. I spent some time getting acquainted with the world and its dynamics, and had some trouble keeping everything straight at first. There was no tutorial explaining A or B, and as a reader you’re sort of dumped into the middle of things having to piece it together as you go. Slowly things started to come together and I felt the suspense and intrigue amp up little by little.
I loved Mae from the beginning. I connected with her character, and felt like I fully understood her motivations. She was hard working, loyal, fierce, and everything to admire. Of course there’s a romance between Mae and Justin but it is fraught with trouble. However, none of it is her fault, AT ALL! (I kind of sound like a scorned woman, right?)
Justin, oh Justin…..*sigh* I have conflicted feelings about him. He has a mind reminiscent of a modern day Sherlock Holms, complete with vices. He’s extremely observant, ferreting out crucial information through scant details, and coming to conclusions that never fail to impress everyone around. He’s charming, and that combined with his good looks is a potent combination for the opposite sex, something he takes full advantage of. Mae is different to him, but there are problems. Richelle Mead never makes romances easy, does she? Think back on Dimitri and Rose and their history. Justin and Mae have some heated connections; here are a couple of samples:
"I tie an excellent knot. And then I'll drag things out as long as I want, do whatever I want. You don't beg much, do you? But you will...you will, and you'll love it."*
“You know, the first time I saw you—before the alley—my whole world came to a stop. Everything else in that room faded to nothing, and there was only you, with your beautiful neck and your winter sunlight hair and eyes that commanded the room.” *
Still, Justin is nothing like the noble Dimitri. His womanizing grated on my nerves, and while I understood the issues with Mae, it still bugged me. In the end it seemed like all the fighting against the inevitable was pointless, but I guess we’ll see in the next book.
The mystery of the Patrician Murders is solved and so that part of the story is wrapped up nicely, but we are left with unanswered questions and a whole new world for both Mae and Justin as far as their beliefs and assignments. I can’t wait to see how things progress between these two as well. For my part, if I were Mae a nice frying pan over his head would’ve made me happy!
A copy was provided by Dutton in exchange for an honest review.
*Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
April 21, 2013
I've been putting off this review for weeks and, still, I do not know where to start. Gameboard of the Gods was THAT good, yeah, and God knows I need the sequel now and cannot wait until next year. Just the thought of it send me in a frenzy and I start hyperventilating because... I just need it.
This story is different from what all of you are used to. It is set in a futuristic world that is stunningly convincing - it feels real! - and is full of reminders of what our society used to be and what Mae and Justin’s is now. I read lots of dystopian and post-apocalyptic books, but the world this is set in is one of the best I have read so far. There is just something that could get better, some things that could - and I hope they will – be explained in the future because I want to get to know more about the RUNA (Republic of United North America) and the other countries, but for now Richelle Mead did a great job of creating an entertaining, intriguing and sexy start that makes me wonder what will come next.
The characters... let's talk about them. First of all, there are three important POVs in this book: Justin, Mae and Tessa's. All of them are different, all of them are important in their own way. I felt like in this first book Justin and Mae had way more to say, while Tessa needed to discover a new world, that is as new for her as it is for the readers. You get to see the RUNA from two point of views that already lived it and accepted it, and from a pov, Tessa's, that has a fresh start in this country and can see it for what it really is. It was an interesting choice. I am sure that in the future we will get a lot more of this character and cannot wait for it. Richelle Mead, at this point I trust you completely because, really, with Gameboard you gave me everything I ever wanted. Misteries, a star-crossed couple that gave me chills, gods and a society that doesn't believe in them. What more can a reader ask for?
(Nothing. Absolutely NOTHING).
***
OH. MY. GOD.
And then you read those books that make you feel like you just found a new boyfriend...
But the sequel is far away, and that means you're officially starting a long distance relationship...
Full review to come closer to the release date. THE AGE OF X #2 I NEED YOU!
Before reading...
OH YES I LOVE THIS WORLD!! Can't freaking wait to start this *____*
This story is different from what all of you are used to. It is set in a futuristic world that is stunningly convincing - it feels real! - and is full of reminders of what our society used to be and what Mae and Justin’s is now. I read lots of dystopian and post-apocalyptic books, but the world this is set in is one of the best I have read so far. There is just something that could get better, some things that could - and I hope they will – be explained in the future because I want to get to know more about the RUNA (Republic of United North America) and the other countries, but for now Richelle Mead did a great job of creating an entertaining, intriguing and sexy start that makes me wonder what will come next.
The characters... let's talk about them. First of all, there are three important POVs in this book: Justin, Mae and Tessa's. All of them are different, all of them are important in their own way. I felt like in this first book Justin and Mae had way more to say, while Tessa needed to discover a new world, that is as new for her as it is for the readers. You get to see the RUNA from two point of views that already lived it and accepted it, and from a pov, Tessa's, that has a fresh start in this country and can see it for what it really is. It was an interesting choice. I am sure that in the future we will get a lot more of this character and cannot wait for it. Richelle Mead, at this point I trust you completely because, really, with Gameboard you gave me everything I ever wanted. Misteries, a star-crossed couple that gave me chills, gods and a society that doesn't believe in them. What more can a reader ask for?
(Nothing. Absolutely NOTHING).
***
OH. MY. GOD.
And then you read those books that make you feel like you just found a new boyfriend...
But the sequel is far away, and that means you're officially starting a long distance relationship...
Full review to come closer to the release date. THE AGE OF X #2 I NEED YOU!
Before reading...
OH YES I LOVE THIS WORLD!! Can't freaking wait to start this *____*
June 20, 2013
I have a great deal of respect for an author who chooses to go outside of his or her comfort zone, particularly when the tried and true formula has been so ridiculously successful in the past. Richelle Mead's previous winners (and there have been many) have all featured strong, confident heroines who sardonic and sarcastic at times, but vulnerable and---the key word here--eminently likeable. The supporting casts tend to be no less memorable bunch, and the world building is clear and well-explained, in the case that the book is set in a paranormal or alternate universe. Sadly, none of the above was true with this book.
I have to give credit where it's due; I have tremendous respect for Richelle Mead for trying something new. In this case, it did not work for me.
There is nothing wrong with the quality of the writing, one could say there was nothing technically wrong with the book, my problems with the book goes beyond the technicalities. Actually, technical is the word I would use to describe what I read of Gameboard of the Gods. The world, the characters, the plot. Technical, sterile, cold, completely lacking in vivacity. Unlike Georgina, unlike Rose, unlike Seth, Dmitri, Adrian, I didn't feel a damn thing for any of the characters in the book beyond that of disinterest and mild disapproval. I can even say that I do not hate any of the characters; hate is a strong word, hate implies a strong provocation of emotion, and these characters lack the complexity and any sort of personality trait required to evoke any strong sense of sentiment in me, for better or worse.
The book's narration is third person, robotic, unemotional, and unengrossing. I hate to keep making comparisons with Richelle Mead's other books, but it can't be helped. I laughed, I blushed, I cried along with the characters in her other books. I rejoiced along with them, I worried for them...I felt absolutely nothing for the characters in this book, and I just can't adequately imagine the world in which they live.
Confusing world building: Unlike her previous books, this one is set in the future, in a new, likely dystopian universe. There is no slow building up of the world. We are plopped right into it, new vocabulary, new concepts, new world-building is thrown at us immediately with little explanation. Praetorians, RUNA, EA, castal, ravens, Gemmans, servitors? What the hell? And the explanations? Very few, very brief, very confusing, completely nonsensical at times, like the concept of genomic purity numbering was for me. I still don't know if a high number is considered good or bad; some of the explanations in this book were just downright confusing and contradictory.
I am fine with a gradual immersion into a dystopian world or a new concept of world building. I like developing my own theories and then have it be proven correct or false as more information is revealed throughout the book. Here is the problem. The information is never CLEARLY or TIMELY given out. Halfway through the book, I was mostly as confused as I started, and considerably more impatient. Not only were information dished out by the dropful, the book had gotten nowhere by midpoint and my interest has been considerably dwindling since the beginning. A good book keeps its reader riveted; this book does not hit the mark.
So many things do not make sense in this book, from the concept of racial purity to the explanation of the current world in which the book is set. Mae's racial purity and her prized bloodline, described almost Aryan-nation style; she is described as a "castal princess" so often. Castes, or rather, racial purity is so prized throughout the book and yet the Gemman nation is dedicated to stamping out inequality: "The RUNA held three things responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion, and cultural separatism. All of the early genetic mixing had gone a long way toward stamping out group solidarity, and the loose Greco-Roman models the country had adopted had provided a new, all-encompassing culture that everyone could be a part of."
Maybe things are explained more clearly through the latter half of the book, but for me, I've reached my breaking point and I'm not sticking around long enough to find out more about a world in which our altogether unenthralling characters inhabit.
Mae: the perfect praetorian princess, she is almost Mary-Sue like in her icy princess perfection. I had a little horrified moment in the beginning of the book when I realized what I was getting myself into when Mae was described as being so beautiful she could command an entire room, and having hair "like winter sunlight." To top it off, she is a praetorian, artificially enhanced to have superhuman strength (and can eat whatever she wants because of her ridiculously elevated metabolism!), and prized for the untainted Nordic racial heritage. I'm a little baffled at this racial thing, to be honest. Richelle Mead never makes it so that racial purity is a major issue in society, but yet she emphasizes it so much within this book that I don't quite understand the point she's trying to make. Mae's perfectionism extends to her personality, she is so utterly without complexity and character, and I couldn't find myself caring about her or what happens to her. She's just a bodyguard, and in action, that's all she is; she's supposed to be one of the main characters, yet we see little of her that makes any sort of impression.
Sidenote: am I the only one who laughed at the name Porfirio Aldaya? In the beginning when Mae was mourning his death, I just wanted to stand up and yell "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"
Justin: another brilliant rake, dissolute, deprived. Mae's insta-lust (cue rolling eyes here). Supposedly grieving and reeling from the death of her love, Mae sees Justin across a room and feels "a sudden and unexpected physical attraction. Every man she’d met today paled beside this one." Ugh. Justin is supposed to be a genius, brilliant. Again and again, he allegedly possesses such intelligence and perspicacity that RUNA wants him back from exile. There's honestly no evidence of it. His examples of brilliance are hearsay, and described as such in the book repeatedly, but there is no evidence of it in his actions. "Justin latched on to small details, able to make astonishing deductions she never could’ve fathomed. His dedication to their case was fierce, and when he spoke of it and explained the psychology of religious groups to her, she couldn’t help but be fascinated." They're just that. Descriptions of his supposedly smarts, nowhere we see him demonstrate that intelligence. Justin interviews some people, and then takes a lot of drugs, then seduces some women and pisses off Mae. I don't mean he's passive. Passivity is not a bad quality, a quiet, unassuming hero (SETH!) I can bear and come to love. Justin is just not demonstrative in any quality, good or bad.
Tessa: is there a point to Tessa? Is there a reason for throwing a 16-year old "intelligent" provincial girl into the mix when she so far plays no role whatsoever in the plot besides as a further attempt to humanize Justin and give him a paternal quality aside from his drug-addicted, womanizing nincompoopery?
I'm done with this book for now...I might return to it at a later date but so far, there's little inclination.
I have to give credit where it's due; I have tremendous respect for Richelle Mead for trying something new. In this case, it did not work for me.
There is nothing wrong with the quality of the writing, one could say there was nothing technically wrong with the book, my problems with the book goes beyond the technicalities. Actually, technical is the word I would use to describe what I read of Gameboard of the Gods. The world, the characters, the plot. Technical, sterile, cold, completely lacking in vivacity. Unlike Georgina, unlike Rose, unlike Seth, Dmitri, Adrian, I didn't feel a damn thing for any of the characters in the book beyond that of disinterest and mild disapproval. I can even say that I do not hate any of the characters; hate is a strong word, hate implies a strong provocation of emotion, and these characters lack the complexity and any sort of personality trait required to evoke any strong sense of sentiment in me, for better or worse.
The book's narration is third person, robotic, unemotional, and unengrossing. I hate to keep making comparisons with Richelle Mead's other books, but it can't be helped. I laughed, I blushed, I cried along with the characters in her other books. I rejoiced along with them, I worried for them...I felt absolutely nothing for the characters in this book, and I just can't adequately imagine the world in which they live.
Confusing world building: Unlike her previous books, this one is set in the future, in a new, likely dystopian universe. There is no slow building up of the world. We are plopped right into it, new vocabulary, new concepts, new world-building is thrown at us immediately with little explanation. Praetorians, RUNA, EA, castal, ravens, Gemmans, servitors? What the hell? And the explanations? Very few, very brief, very confusing, completely nonsensical at times, like the concept of genomic purity numbering was for me. I still don't know if a high number is considered good or bad; some of the explanations in this book were just downright confusing and contradictory.
I am fine with a gradual immersion into a dystopian world or a new concept of world building. I like developing my own theories and then have it be proven correct or false as more information is revealed throughout the book. Here is the problem. The information is never CLEARLY or TIMELY given out. Halfway through the book, I was mostly as confused as I started, and considerably more impatient. Not only were information dished out by the dropful, the book had gotten nowhere by midpoint and my interest has been considerably dwindling since the beginning. A good book keeps its reader riveted; this book does not hit the mark.
So many things do not make sense in this book, from the concept of racial purity to the explanation of the current world in which the book is set. Mae's racial purity and her prized bloodline, described almost Aryan-nation style; she is described as a "castal princess" so often. Castes, or rather, racial purity is so prized throughout the book and yet the Gemman nation is dedicated to stamping out inequality: "The RUNA held three things responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion, and cultural separatism. All of the early genetic mixing had gone a long way toward stamping out group solidarity, and the loose Greco-Roman models the country had adopted had provided a new, all-encompassing culture that everyone could be a part of."
Maybe things are explained more clearly through the latter half of the book, but for me, I've reached my breaking point and I'm not sticking around long enough to find out more about a world in which our altogether unenthralling characters inhabit.
Mae: the perfect praetorian princess, she is almost Mary-Sue like in her icy princess perfection. I had a little horrified moment in the beginning of the book when I realized what I was getting myself into when Mae was described as being so beautiful she could command an entire room, and having hair "like winter sunlight." To top it off, she is a praetorian, artificially enhanced to have superhuman strength (and can eat whatever she wants because of her ridiculously elevated metabolism!), and prized for the untainted Nordic racial heritage. I'm a little baffled at this racial thing, to be honest. Richelle Mead never makes it so that racial purity is a major issue in society, but yet she emphasizes it so much within this book that I don't quite understand the point she's trying to make. Mae's perfectionism extends to her personality, she is so utterly without complexity and character, and I couldn't find myself caring about her or what happens to her. She's just a bodyguard, and in action, that's all she is; she's supposed to be one of the main characters, yet we see little of her that makes any sort of impression.
Sidenote: am I the only one who laughed at the name Porfirio Aldaya? In the beginning when Mae was mourning his death, I just wanted to stand up and yell "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"
Justin: another brilliant rake, dissolute, deprived. Mae's insta-lust (cue rolling eyes here). Supposedly grieving and reeling from the death of her love, Mae sees Justin across a room and feels "a sudden and unexpected physical attraction. Every man she’d met today paled beside this one." Ugh. Justin is supposed to be a genius, brilliant. Again and again, he allegedly possesses such intelligence and perspicacity that RUNA wants him back from exile. There's honestly no evidence of it. His examples of brilliance are hearsay, and described as such in the book repeatedly, but there is no evidence of it in his actions. "Justin latched on to small details, able to make astonishing deductions she never could’ve fathomed. His dedication to their case was fierce, and when he spoke of it and explained the psychology of religious groups to her, she couldn’t help but be fascinated." They're just that. Descriptions of his supposedly smarts, nowhere we see him demonstrate that intelligence. Justin interviews some people, and then takes a lot of drugs, then seduces some women and pisses off Mae. I don't mean he's passive. Passivity is not a bad quality, a quiet, unassuming hero (SETH!) I can bear and come to love. Justin is just not demonstrative in any quality, good or bad.
Tessa: is there a point to Tessa? Is there a reason for throwing a 16-year old "intelligent" provincial girl into the mix when she so far plays no role whatsoever in the plot besides as a further attempt to humanize Justin and give him a paternal quality aside from his drug-addicted, womanizing nincompoopery?
I'm done with this book for now...I might return to it at a later date but so far, there's little inclination.
June 16, 2024
Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog
4.5 out of 5
My first -- and far from last -- Richelle Mead novel, Gameboard of the Gods could not have been a better or more fun introduction to this popular author. A mix of futuristic science fiction, mystery, old school mythology, dystopia and post-apocalyptic genres, this book is weird and odd, and above all, really, really good. It takes a while to build into the tour de force of awesome it is, but the slow start is more than worth the time and wait. Gameboard of the Gods is creative, fast-paced, full of action and just plain fun. As the first in a new series, it's a promising beginning and one that leaves the reader eagerly anticipating what else Mead will cook up next for her adaptable protagonists.
The first hundred pages present the hardest challenge - there are a lot of terms, ideas thrown around and this is an author that doesn't believe an infodump of explanations are the way to immerse her readers into a new world. Rather, Mead doesn't immediately lay out her worldbuilding, but slowly reveals it through the characters' dialogue, actions, and inner monologues. And this created world, post-"Decline" - is a fascinating, thoroughly original one. There are still some gray areas left in how the Republic of United North America formed and operates, but with the first in the series, a remarkable amount of information is subtly dispensed to the audience. I have faith and the patience to see how Mead further carries the ideas she's laid the foundation for here with the sequels that are forthcoming.
Character-wise, this book is just as strong as it is in writing and plotting. Lead characters Mae and Justin complement each other very well, despite (or maybe because of) their many differences. They have palpable chemistry, and a complicated relationship that evolves just as much as the two of them do individually. Tjeir interplay and banter are consistently top-notch. I loved the typical-role reversal between the two as well. Usually it's a strong man protecting a brilliant woman, but Mae is the muscle (and has her fair share of brains), with Justin relying on her to protect them as they race to solve a mystery that tests everything both of them have been raised to believe.
If you like a well-crafted mystery, with two likeable and flawed protagonists (with intense chemistry), or if you like mythology with a fresh spin, or if you like well-done and thought-out dystopias with a side of post-apocalyptic world-building, Gameboard of the Gods is your newest best book friend. Great action scenes, a clever mystery and two great characters make this a very involving and compelling book. If this is how the series begins, I am very curious to see what happens next for the praetorian and the servitor. I only hope the next book isn't too long in coming!
4.5 out of 5
My first -- and far from last -- Richelle Mead novel, Gameboard of the Gods could not have been a better or more fun introduction to this popular author. A mix of futuristic science fiction, mystery, old school mythology, dystopia and post-apocalyptic genres, this book is weird and odd, and above all, really, really good. It takes a while to build into the tour de force of awesome it is, but the slow start is more than worth the time and wait. Gameboard of the Gods is creative, fast-paced, full of action and just plain fun. As the first in a new series, it's a promising beginning and one that leaves the reader eagerly anticipating what else Mead will cook up next for her adaptable protagonists.
The first hundred pages present the hardest challenge - there are a lot of terms, ideas thrown around and this is an author that doesn't believe an infodump of explanations are the way to immerse her readers into a new world. Rather, Mead doesn't immediately lay out her worldbuilding, but slowly reveals it through the characters' dialogue, actions, and inner monologues. And this created world, post-"Decline" - is a fascinating, thoroughly original one. There are still some gray areas left in how the Republic of United North America formed and operates, but with the first in the series, a remarkable amount of information is subtly dispensed to the audience. I have faith and the patience to see how Mead further carries the ideas she's laid the foundation for here with the sequels that are forthcoming.
Character-wise, this book is just as strong as it is in writing and plotting. Lead characters Mae and Justin complement each other very well, despite (or maybe because of) their many differences. They have palpable chemistry, and a complicated relationship that evolves just as much as the two of them do individually. Tjeir interplay and banter are consistently top-notch. I loved the typical-role reversal between the two as well. Usually it's a strong man protecting a brilliant woman, but Mae is the muscle (and has her fair share of brains), with Justin relying on her to protect them as they race to solve a mystery that tests everything both of them have been raised to believe.
If you like a well-crafted mystery, with two likeable and flawed protagonists (with intense chemistry), or if you like mythology with a fresh spin, or if you like well-done and thought-out dystopias with a side of post-apocalyptic world-building, Gameboard of the Gods is your newest best book friend. Great action scenes, a clever mystery and two great characters make this a very involving and compelling book. If this is how the series begins, I am very curious to see what happens next for the praetorian and the servitor. I only hope the next book isn't too long in coming!
Want to read
August 14, 2014This was me yesterday,
I CANNOT BELIEVE I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS!!!
But that only makes this that much more exciting!!! :D :D :D YAY!!!
CANNOT WAIT!!!!
HAPPY DANCE!!!!
I CANNOT BELIEVE I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS!!!
But that only makes this that much more exciting!!! :D :D :D YAY!!!
CANNOT WAIT!!!!
HAPPY DANCE!!!!
June 12, 2013
I'm not sure if this is Mead's best book to date but it's definitely her most ambitious.
Now that I've finished all 464 pages of Gameboard of the Gods, I can tell you that I liked this book. While reading though, I wasn't so sure. It was a constant now-I-love-you-now-I-don't situation.
I'm going to divide the book into 3 parts and give a rundown of what I felt about each of them.
First one-third:
Confusing, because Mead gives no introduction, no preamble. You're simply dropped in the thick of action in a futuristic world and you must make sense of it as you go. It's like a mental game where you must keep track of all new terms and try to guess their meanings from snippets of conversations and casual references.
Interesting, because of RUNA. God, the world-building in this book blew me away. It's so detailed. Mead explains nearly every aspect of this futuristic society (I use the world 'nearly' for a reason; more on that later). Politics, military, social hierarchies, religious sentiments... impressive stuff.
Middle part:
Frustrating, because for every tiny thing that starts to make sense, a new riddle pops up. Lots of new characters, lots of seemingly meaningless conversations, lots of what-the-hell-is-going-on moments.
Annoying, because of the characters. Maybe it's just me, but I could not connect emotionally with any character on any level. Sad, because I've always associated Mead with smart, memorable, kickass characters and that didn't quite happen in Gameboard of the Gods.
Justin is what I believe Adrian Ivashkov would have grown up to be if he hadn't met Sydney Sage (and if he wasn't so lazy). But while I love Adrian despite his bad-boy ways, Justin was just plain infuriating.
As for Mae, she was more like Meh. I neither liked nor disliked her.
I wasn't interested in their romance or their conversations. I did not appreciate the plot digressions. The back-stories were intriguing but it really didn't help in the emo-connect aspect.
Last one-third:
Rewarding, because finally, things get good. You get answers. Explanations. Some action. And it keeps coming and coming - a little disorienting but in a nice way.
Addictive, because I like how it ended. Of course I'll read the sequel.
So,
3 for the first part,
2 for the second,
4 for the last.
Average = 3.
Now, coming back to RUNA, here's something I wish Mead had shed some light on:
Why is RUNA against religion?
I know it has something to do with the Decline, but what? I mean, religion is such an ancient, deeply ingrained concept. Wars are fought over it. So the fact that this society is so staunchly opposed to the idea of believing in a God-like entity is not very plausible. I expected some sort of justification but there was none. Not in this book, anyway.
Apart from that, yeah, this was an interesting book. I don't think this will appeal to every Richelle Mead fan because it takes a lot of patience and concentration, and the good stuff starts only after 300 pages which may be too late for less-patient readers.
I'm looking forward to Age of X #2. I just don't know how to remember all this till it comes out :o
Now that I've finished all 464 pages of Gameboard of the Gods, I can tell you that I liked this book. While reading though, I wasn't so sure. It was a constant now-I-love-you-now-I-don't situation.
I'm going to divide the book into 3 parts and give a rundown of what I felt about each of them.
First one-third:
Confusing, because Mead gives no introduction, no preamble. You're simply dropped in the thick of action in a futuristic world and you must make sense of it as you go. It's like a mental game where you must keep track of all new terms and try to guess their meanings from snippets of conversations and casual references.
Interesting, because of RUNA. God, the world-building in this book blew me away. It's so detailed. Mead explains nearly every aspect of this futuristic society (I use the world 'nearly' for a reason; more on that later). Politics, military, social hierarchies, religious sentiments... impressive stuff.
Middle part:
Frustrating, because for every tiny thing that starts to make sense, a new riddle pops up. Lots of new characters, lots of seemingly meaningless conversations, lots of what-the-hell-is-going-on moments.
Annoying, because of the characters. Maybe it's just me, but I could not connect emotionally with any character on any level. Sad, because I've always associated Mead with smart, memorable, kickass characters and that didn't quite happen in Gameboard of the Gods.
Justin is what I believe Adrian Ivashkov would have grown up to be if he hadn't met Sydney Sage (and if he wasn't so lazy). But while I love Adrian despite his bad-boy ways, Justin was just plain infuriating.
As for Mae, she was more like Meh. I neither liked nor disliked her.
I wasn't interested in their romance or their conversations. I did not appreciate the plot digressions. The back-stories were intriguing but it really didn't help in the emo-connect aspect.
Last one-third:
Rewarding, because finally, things get good. You get answers. Explanations. Some action. And it keeps coming and coming - a little disorienting but in a nice way.
Addictive, because I like how it ended. Of course I'll read the sequel.
So,
3 for the first part,
2 for the second,
4 for the last.
Average = 3.
Now, coming back to RUNA, here's something I wish Mead had shed some light on:
Why is RUNA against religion?
I know it has something to do with the Decline, but what? I mean, religion is such an ancient, deeply ingrained concept. Wars are fought over it. So the fact that this society is so staunchly opposed to the idea of believing in a God-like entity is not very plausible. I expected some sort of justification but there was none. Not in this book, anyway.
Apart from that, yeah, this was an interesting book. I don't think this will appeal to every Richelle Mead fan because it takes a lot of patience and concentration, and the good stuff starts only after 300 pages which may be too late for less-patient readers.
I'm looking forward to Age of X #2. I just don't know how to remember all this till it comes out :o
May 12, 2020
Finally a well written dystopia book.
After the onslaught catastrophe debut of dystopian books. I had given up on reading this genre but every once and a while you'll come across with a book that will prove you wrong. And Gameboard of the Gods is this book!
After being involved in a gruesome brawl Mae Koskinen was given a mission to bring back the exile Justin March to Runa. And when they were assigned to work together they unravel some horrifying things that go against in everything what they believe.
Id have to say that one of my favorite things about Gameboard is it’s writing and another thing is that unlike some novels nowadays the whole plot isn't rushed and If you had a chance to read Richelle Mead previous novels. You would know that she has a knack of slowly building her characters and plot before driving her story to complexity. And one cannot deny that she knows her craft really well.
This book was told in Mae, Justin and Tessa’s point of view. As the story unfolds, we get to meet and see separately what’s going on with their lives. They each held a piece of giving the story a different kind of flavors.
And I can say this new set of fully freshed characters are very relatable, realistic, they are flawed yet they manage to let me in their world and moved my heart.
Age of X series hold a promising debut. It’s thrilling and captiving. I thoroughly enjoyed this book with it’s very engaging plot. The romance will leave you breathless. Reading this book is like breathing a fresh of new air.
After the onslaught catastrophe debut of dystopian books. I had given up on reading this genre but every once and a while you'll come across with a book that will prove you wrong. And Gameboard of the Gods is this book!
After being involved in a gruesome brawl Mae Koskinen was given a mission to bring back the exile Justin March to Runa. And when they were assigned to work together they unravel some horrifying things that go against in everything what they believe.
Id have to say that one of my favorite things about Gameboard is it’s writing and another thing is that unlike some novels nowadays the whole plot isn't rushed and If you had a chance to read Richelle Mead previous novels. You would know that she has a knack of slowly building her characters and plot before driving her story to complexity. And one cannot deny that she knows her craft really well.
This book was told in Mae, Justin and Tessa’s point of view. As the story unfolds, we get to meet and see separately what’s going on with their lives. They each held a piece of giving the story a different kind of flavors.
And I can say this new set of fully freshed characters are very relatable, realistic, they are flawed yet they manage to let me in their world and moved my heart.
Age of X series hold a promising debut. It’s thrilling and captiving. I thoroughly enjoyed this book with it’s very engaging plot. The romance will leave you breathless. Reading this book is like breathing a fresh of new air.
May 3, 2013
VLOG REVIEW:
I've made a VLOG REVIEW of GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS. CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT.
P.S. DO NOT LAUGH. My accent is weird, I know. Sarreh.
WRITTEN REVIEW:
I'll be completely honest here. I totally didn't know what to expect from Gameboard of the Gods, which is kinda bizarre considering Richelle Mead is kind of already a household name with her Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. I bought her first book sometime ago and read the first 10 pages and was truthfully not impressed; the writing felt a bit amateur, bland, and empty, making me a bit less eager to read something from her this time around. But Vampire Academy was written so many years ago, and considering the fact that it has been ages since then, her writing must have become better.
And it did. Significantly so. If Vampire Academy didn't reach out to me in the first ten pages, Gameboard of the Gods did, and every time I think of this gem of a book, all I can think of is just how awesome and suspenseful it was. If you thought her previous series were good, THIS is BETTER.
WORLD BUILDING - AMAZING!
The world building here is at its finest. It's big, it's ambitious, it's incredibly structured and imaginative, and it's not even fantasy at all - far from it! Imagine a Greek-Roman society but make it a bit futuristic, as well as ancient mythological gods and goddesses from different cultures. I loved how it incorporated such religious deities and themes while also staying true to its futuristic utopian setting (yes, it's not a dystopian!). I also loved how Mead portrayed a supposedly pagan community that thrives on idealistic and radical ideas, while also introducing to us a variety of gods, goddesses, and supernatural phenomena. Like, how can the two mix, right?! That's basically a juxtaposition right there, but she does it right and does it well. I'm not going to venture too much about it, because saying so might give something away about the storyline, but I can instead assure you that the author has created an absolutely thrilling and engaging world you won't get enough of. Add gods and goddesses to that mix, fanatic cults, superhuman folks, AND a radical government, you got yourself a unique and exciting formula there, my friend!
CHARACTERS - WELL-ROUNDED, WHILE AT TIMES INFURIATING
Don't get me wrong, I loved the characters. The cast all had distinguishable personalities, had distinct voices, were smart, feisty, and level-headed, knew what they wanted and how to get it, and over-all were pretty well-rounded. But even though they were likeable most of the times, they did some actions that really infuriated me, as in, I actually would throw them out the window if I could. These times were mostly when they acted like an asshole and a bitch, though... like, there was this one instance that some characters withheld information that could've helped the case, and the excuse, "I forgot", and "I didn't think it was important!" made me want to go HULK, SMASH!! on them.
But then again, after giving it much thought, it made me realize that these reactions of mine were only because of Mead's spectacular way of making me more involved and engaged with the character, to the point that I would feel for them. They do something great, I feel happy. They do something questionable, I feel angry because as a reader I have more understanding with regards to the context/situation, and I freaking know what they did wasn't healthy. You have to applaud Mead for that... it's not often I get angry at characters and find such a response being a good thing!
WRITING - SPECTACULAR!
As I've gushed earlier, Mead has significantly improved her writing style here. Yes, I know; I only have 10 pages of Vampire Academy for comparison, but damn, the difference was just astounding! Given that the plot is darker and sinister, she was able to write it in a way that's consistent to the premise - the narration really does give you the impression that something malicious and evil is or will be happening, while also keeping you on your toes and at the edges of your seats. It is suspenseful and enchanting, and the prose is hard to resist, as Mead has showcased here her remarkable skill of "showing, not telling" style. Even though the narration is set in third person with multiple POVs, it was still able to successfully give me a clear view of the surroundings, while also allowing me into the thoughts of the characters. You will get to know them and love every minute of it.
The relationships among the characters were also brilliantly written. Even though something ridiculous happened in the beginning that I really couldn't appreciate, it redeems itself when the characters start from square one, finding themselves entangledunwillingly in a mystery whodunit story. Along the way they will banter with each other, argue with each other, discuss theories and logistics together, and protect one another and you will find all of these in the end absolutely endearing. It was definitely a meaningful journey to me seeing them grow, learn more about themselves, and find each other's worth.
OVERALL...
Altogether, this is a remarkable sci-fi, PR, mystery read. It's an Adult book that would rile up your imagination and excite your nerves as you charge head-on to a fascinating world Mead has created. Since there're a lot of themes that I personally deem sensitive to certain audiences (sex, drugs, alcohol, the works), I don't recommend this for those 15 below, but if you're mentally and emotionally mature for it, then go ahead!
All I can say is Gameboard of the Gods is Richelle Mead's best yet.
Final verdict: 4.5 stars
Read this and my other reviews + giveaways at The Social Potato.
I've made a VLOG REVIEW of GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS. CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT.
P.S. DO NOT LAUGH. My accent is weird, I know. Sarreh.
WRITTEN REVIEW:
I'll be completely honest here. I totally didn't know what to expect from Gameboard of the Gods, which is kinda bizarre considering Richelle Mead is kind of already a household name with her Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. I bought her first book sometime ago and read the first 10 pages and was truthfully not impressed; the writing felt a bit amateur, bland, and empty, making me a bit less eager to read something from her this time around. But Vampire Academy was written so many years ago, and considering the fact that it has been ages since then, her writing must have become better.
And it did. Significantly so. If Vampire Academy didn't reach out to me in the first ten pages, Gameboard of the Gods did, and every time I think of this gem of a book, all I can think of is just how awesome and suspenseful it was. If you thought her previous series were good, THIS is BETTER.
WORLD BUILDING - AMAZING!
The world building here is at its finest. It's big, it's ambitious, it's incredibly structured and imaginative, and it's not even fantasy at all - far from it! Imagine a Greek-Roman society but make it a bit futuristic, as well as ancient mythological gods and goddesses from different cultures. I loved how it incorporated such religious deities and themes while also staying true to its futuristic utopian setting (yes, it's not a dystopian!). I also loved how Mead portrayed a supposedly pagan community that thrives on idealistic and radical ideas, while also introducing to us a variety of gods, goddesses, and supernatural phenomena. Like, how can the two mix, right?! That's basically a juxtaposition right there, but she does it right and does it well. I'm not going to venture too much about it, because saying so might give something away about the storyline, but I can instead assure you that the author has created an absolutely thrilling and engaging world you won't get enough of. Add gods and goddesses to that mix, fanatic cults, superhuman folks, AND a radical government, you got yourself a unique and exciting formula there, my friend!
CHARACTERS - WELL-ROUNDED, WHILE AT TIMES INFURIATING
Don't get me wrong, I loved the characters. The cast all had distinguishable personalities, had distinct voices, were smart, feisty, and level-headed, knew what they wanted and how to get it, and over-all were pretty well-rounded. But even though they were likeable most of the times, they did some actions that really infuriated me, as in, I actually would throw them out the window if I could. These times were mostly when they acted like an asshole and a bitch, though... like, there was this one instance that some characters withheld information that could've helped the case, and the excuse, "I forgot", and "I didn't think it was important!" made me want to go HULK, SMASH!! on them.
But then again, after giving it much thought, it made me realize that these reactions of mine were only because of Mead's spectacular way of making me more involved and engaged with the character, to the point that I would feel for them. They do something great, I feel happy. They do something questionable, I feel angry because as a reader I have more understanding with regards to the context/situation, and I freaking know what they did wasn't healthy. You have to applaud Mead for that... it's not often I get angry at characters and find such a response being a good thing!
WRITING - SPECTACULAR!
As I've gushed earlier, Mead has significantly improved her writing style here. Yes, I know; I only have 10 pages of Vampire Academy for comparison, but damn, the difference was just astounding! Given that the plot is darker and sinister, she was able to write it in a way that's consistent to the premise - the narration really does give you the impression that something malicious and evil is or will be happening, while also keeping you on your toes and at the edges of your seats. It is suspenseful and enchanting, and the prose is hard to resist, as Mead has showcased here her remarkable skill of "showing, not telling" style. Even though the narration is set in third person with multiple POVs, it was still able to successfully give me a clear view of the surroundings, while also allowing me into the thoughts of the characters. You will get to know them and love every minute of it.
The relationships among the characters were also brilliantly written. Even though something ridiculous happened in the beginning that I really couldn't appreciate, it redeems itself when the characters start from square one, finding themselves entangled
OVERALL...
Altogether, this is a remarkable sci-fi, PR, mystery read. It's an Adult book that would rile up your imagination and excite your nerves as you charge head-on to a fascinating world Mead has created. Since there're a lot of themes that I personally deem sensitive to certain audiences (sex, drugs, alcohol, the works), I don't recommend this for those 15 below, but if you're mentally and emotionally mature for it, then go ahead!
All I can say is Gameboard of the Gods is Richelle Mead's best yet.
Final verdict: 4.5 stars
Read this and my other reviews + giveaways at The Social Potato.
February 7, 2017
Via www.nikihawkes.com
[4.5 stars] Anything Richelle Mead writes is golden, and this book is another example of why she is one of my favorite authors! From the prologue all the way to the last page, I was completely entertained by the story, the world, and the character development. Set as a futuristic urban fantasy, which is original in itself, the novel draws from worldwide mythology, making it one of the most unique books I’ve read in a while. Top that off with crime-solving detective work and just a touch of romance, and you have yourself a killer novel! I always appreciate Mead for her originality and creativity, and I think she might have outdone herself here.
A few weeks ago I criticized an author for switching perspectives and having too many things going on at once for me to feel invested in the story and the characters. Gameboard of the Gods is a shining example of how to weave multiple storylines without losing any momentum. Each perspective was intertwined with the main plot and they were introduced in a way that allowed me time to develop a sense for each person and their inner demons. Every protagonist directly added to the building of the plot, which is the best way to keep readers from becoming distracted when the perspective switches.
I thought the character development was one of the strongest elements of the story. I always marvel about how she can make flawed characters so likable. Maybe it’s because they come across as real human beings, rather than ideal figments of the author’s mind. Right from the beginning, we know a bit about what drives these characters and the inner conflicts they face. The prologue where we meet Mae was incredibly powerful; my only wish is that Mead would’ve represented the physical representations of her flaws a bit more throughout the book. In any case, I won’t be forgetting these characters any time soon.
Overall, the storyline was fantastic – plenty of intelligent plot decisions, the perfect amount of complexity, and a snowballing momentum that will keep you up all night. It was truly a well-conceived book, and I am doubly excited to see where she takes it next!
Other books you might like:
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead (my favorite of her works)
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Survival by Julie E. Czerneda
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
[4.5 stars] Anything Richelle Mead writes is golden, and this book is another example of why she is one of my favorite authors! From the prologue all the way to the last page, I was completely entertained by the story, the world, and the character development. Set as a futuristic urban fantasy, which is original in itself, the novel draws from worldwide mythology, making it one of the most unique books I’ve read in a while. Top that off with crime-solving detective work and just a touch of romance, and you have yourself a killer novel! I always appreciate Mead for her originality and creativity, and I think she might have outdone herself here.
A few weeks ago I criticized an author for switching perspectives and having too many things going on at once for me to feel invested in the story and the characters. Gameboard of the Gods is a shining example of how to weave multiple storylines without losing any momentum. Each perspective was intertwined with the main plot and they were introduced in a way that allowed me time to develop a sense for each person and their inner demons. Every protagonist directly added to the building of the plot, which is the best way to keep readers from becoming distracted when the perspective switches.
I thought the character development was one of the strongest elements of the story. I always marvel about how she can make flawed characters so likable. Maybe it’s because they come across as real human beings, rather than ideal figments of the author’s mind. Right from the beginning, we know a bit about what drives these characters and the inner conflicts they face. The prologue where we meet Mae was incredibly powerful; my only wish is that Mead would’ve represented the physical representations of her flaws a bit more throughout the book. In any case, I won’t be forgetting these characters any time soon.
Overall, the storyline was fantastic – plenty of intelligent plot decisions, the perfect amount of complexity, and a snowballing momentum that will keep you up all night. It was truly a well-conceived book, and I am doubly excited to see where she takes it next!
Other books you might like:
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead (my favorite of her works)
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Survival by Julie E. Czerneda
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
May 14, 2013
Gameboard of the Gods is something entirely different from author Richelle Mead. No vampires, no succubi, no fae. Instead, the reader is treated to a fast-paced mystery thriller with some supernatural elements.
The world is intriguing: a sort of post-apocalyptic world devastated by a virus that wiped out half the population. The remaining survivors suffer from all sorts of genetic woes: poor fertility, asthma, damaged hair and skin. In this world, organized religion is banned. Only state approved religion and churches are allowed to exist. The state is the higher authority.
On a more sinister side, genetic manipulations have been made in order to counteract the effects of the virus. Each citizen is given a genetic rating based upon their genetic background. The higher the number, the more likely that person could reproduce a genetically healthy offspring.
The story focuses upon two characters. Mae is a Praetorian, an elite soldier with a special implant that gives her speed and strength. Mae does have a dark side to her, and it is quite scary. Justin is a Servitor who has lived in exile in the south. Justin has a few demons of his own, and he hears the voices of two ravens in his head. (loved them!) Mae and Justin are assigned to solve a serial murder that appears to be ritualistic and occurs every full moon.
I really enjoyed this story, probably because Vancouver was the capital of the Republic of North America. It’s so much fun to see my hometown in books! I found the world absolutely fascinating, especially how the state tried to thwart religion and replace it with its own authority. I loved how the author incorporated folklore about the gods into the narrative.
Gameboard of the Gods is a solid start to an original series. Fans of Richelle Mead’s adult books would enjoy this book. My only criticism and it is minor – I was left wanting more! I can’t wait for the next book which does not yet have a publication date.
Check out the author’s webpage for more information on Gameboard of the Gods. She has a glossary of terms, and all sorts of background information here.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
The world is intriguing: a sort of post-apocalyptic world devastated by a virus that wiped out half the population. The remaining survivors suffer from all sorts of genetic woes: poor fertility, asthma, damaged hair and skin. In this world, organized religion is banned. Only state approved religion and churches are allowed to exist. The state is the higher authority.
On a more sinister side, genetic manipulations have been made in order to counteract the effects of the virus. Each citizen is given a genetic rating based upon their genetic background. The higher the number, the more likely that person could reproduce a genetically healthy offspring.
The story focuses upon two characters. Mae is a Praetorian, an elite soldier with a special implant that gives her speed and strength. Mae does have a dark side to her, and it is quite scary. Justin is a Servitor who has lived in exile in the south. Justin has a few demons of his own, and he hears the voices of two ravens in his head. (loved them!) Mae and Justin are assigned to solve a serial murder that appears to be ritualistic and occurs every full moon.
I really enjoyed this story, probably because Vancouver was the capital of the Republic of North America. It’s so much fun to see my hometown in books! I found the world absolutely fascinating, especially how the state tried to thwart religion and replace it with its own authority. I loved how the author incorporated folklore about the gods into the narrative.
Gameboard of the Gods is a solid start to an original series. Fans of Richelle Mead’s adult books would enjoy this book. My only criticism and it is minor – I was left wanting more! I can’t wait for the next book which does not yet have a publication date.
Check out the author’s webpage for more information on Gameboard of the Gods. She has a glossary of terms, and all sorts of background information here.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
Currently reading
May 29, 2014I hate you people for having an arc of this book already !!! no seriously. I'm insanely jealous
EDIT 10.02.2012 : No cover yet but it has an official release date (i've only been seeing it now but maybe the info's been out for a while...?) woot woot ! 3 Richelle Meads books in a year : what more can I ask for ;D ?
I will read ANYTHING Richelle Mead writes - i love her writing so much - and I've been waiting for her to come up with a new adult series since her Succubus books ended :D
Plus, it sounds REALLY interesting and awesome as usual !!
EDIT 10.02.2012 : No cover yet but it has an official release date (i've only been seeing it now but maybe the info's been out for a while...?) woot woot ! 3 Richelle Meads books in a year : what more can I ask for ;D ?
I will read ANYTHING Richelle Mead writes - i love her writing so much - and I've been waiting for her to come up with a new adult series since her Succubus books ended :D
Plus, it sounds REALLY interesting and awesome as usual !!
June 9, 2013
2.5 stars - Spoilers
I was tempted to give this 3 stars but I decided not to since the worldbuilding (especially in the first half) was such a mess. It did improve somewhat in the latter half but it was a case of too little, too late. I do still want to read the sequel because there was potential, and I have to say that by the end I did find myself invested in the story and characters (well, some of the characters).
-The worldbuilding was a massive let down. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Most of the terminology used came with no explanation whatsoever… It wasn't just that there was no explanation, there was also very little context given. How was I meant to figure out what things like castal, praetoria, plebian, Nordic, Gemman and RUNA meant? Yes, most was explained later on, but for the first half I was utterly lost. It wasn't until 20% in that I finally knew what the hell RUNA stood for.
It took me a while to figure out the whole praetorian malarkey — they were RUNA super soldiers that for some reason were divided in to different colours. I'm still not sure if the colours were indicative of rank, skill, experience or if it was just random… I don't think it was ever mentioned.
I also didn't know what the castes/plebians were until a third of the way through. And even then I was further confused by each person having a score of some kind.
The worldbuilding for the majority of the book was vague and nonsensical. It was frustrating to read, and it severely lessened my enjoyment.
-The vague history/background/thinking on religion, race, the Republic etc.. annoyed me. I didn't know why things were the way they were — there were few clues/hints given as to why the world was the way it was. I was actually hoping for an info-dump.
-I liked Mae's character. Her cool, composed and strong personality was a nice change from the usual heroine. She was the character that was most engaging for me.
-I hated Justin's character. He was the typical self-pitying, loser, manslut. Why did everyone keep saying he was charming? He wasn't. Why did everyone (including himself) say he was brilliant and genius like? I didn't see any evidence of that. Most of the time he just stated the obvious, and occasionally he'd come to logical conclusions that anyone with half a brain could come to.
The only thing that was somewhat interesting about him were his ravens. However, I was irritated that the origin/story behind the ravens wasn't explained until 60% in. They were a big part of Justin's character but there was no explanation for them for over half the story. I was baffled as to whether they were real or in his mind, and if they were helping Justin or if they had their own agenda. I don't know why they were left unexplained for so long.
The worst thing about Justin was the whole Tessa thing. Why the fuck did Justin take 16yr old Tessa to RUNA with him only to then dump her on his sister to look after? He didn't even ask his sister's permission. And Tessa is his responsibility but he just palmed her off. If a family member dumped some random kid on me, I'd tell them to piss off and look after said kid themselves. Especially if that family member was off having fun and getting laid. How dare Justin take a child from their family and promise to look after them only to just palm them off on a stranger?! Justin was vile.
-I wasn't impressed with Justin and Mae's relationship, it was so shallow. Justin only liked Mae because of her drop dead gorgeous looks, and Mae only seemed to want Justin because he was sexy and good in bed. Their instant connection was ridiculous. It was made even more ridiculous because Justin was still horny for loads of other girls and was fucking any girl he met. It was dumb that he slutted around but then got all poetic about Mae. Am I meant to believe he's in love with her something? I don't. It'd help if he wasn't screwing dozens of other girls because he's just that horny.
It also didn't help that Justin came across as really wimpy and weak when compared to Mae. He didn't need to be some badass fighter but he could have at least tried to protect himself instead of sitting back and watching Mae get beaten and put in danger for him. I hate guys like that.
-If Justin believed in the supernatural and the existence of gods and had seen evidence of both… Why was he so adamant that the shadow that killed a bunch of people wasn't supernatural and was in fact some sort of human trick?
-Tessa. What was the point of her? Why was she a main/POV character when she added little to the actual story? She seemed to be a tool to 1. Make Justin seem a bit more relatable and 2. To observe the RUNA and its way of life. She was pointless to the main story arc… A main character needs be involved more than that. Maybe in book 2 she'll actually serve a purpose to the story.
-The murder mystery was quite interesting. It did get a bit silly with all the cheesy religious cults and brainwashed cult members murdering for a higher power. I think it would have worked better if it wasn't written so cartoony with underground lairs, evul masks, dark robes and other such nonsense.
-WTF's an ego? A phone? A tablet? Anytime an ego would be mentioned I kept thinking of a person's ego rather than the device/technology the characters were using. Why couldn't RM have given the "ego" a name that wouldn't remind readers of something else?
-Why was Geraki suddenly called Demetrius Devereaux?
-So was Dominic an AWOL praetorian??
All in all, it was disappointing. I wasn't impressed with the worldbuilding or Justin's character… But I'm willing to give the second book a go since 1. It has potential and 2. Mae was my kind of heroine (well, except when she wasn't being all pathetic and desperate for disgusting Justin).
I was tempted to give this 3 stars but I decided not to since the worldbuilding (especially in the first half) was such a mess. It did improve somewhat in the latter half but it was a case of too little, too late. I do still want to read the sequel because there was potential, and I have to say that by the end I did find myself invested in the story and characters (well, some of the characters).
-The worldbuilding was a massive let down. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Most of the terminology used came with no explanation whatsoever… It wasn't just that there was no explanation, there was also very little context given. How was I meant to figure out what things like castal, praetoria, plebian, Nordic, Gemman and RUNA meant? Yes, most was explained later on, but for the first half I was utterly lost. It wasn't until 20% in that I finally knew what the hell RUNA stood for.
It took me a while to figure out the whole praetorian malarkey — they were RUNA super soldiers that for some reason were divided in to different colours. I'm still not sure if the colours were indicative of rank, skill, experience or if it was just random… I don't think it was ever mentioned.
I also didn't know what the castes/plebians were until a third of the way through. And even then I was further confused by each person having a score of some kind.
The worldbuilding for the majority of the book was vague and nonsensical. It was frustrating to read, and it severely lessened my enjoyment.
-The vague history/background/thinking on religion, race, the Republic etc.. annoyed me. I didn't know why things were the way they were — there were few clues/hints given as to why the world was the way it was. I was actually hoping for an info-dump.
-I liked Mae's character. Her cool, composed and strong personality was a nice change from the usual heroine. She was the character that was most engaging for me.
-I hated Justin's character. He was the typical self-pitying, loser, manslut. Why did everyone keep saying he was charming? He wasn't. Why did everyone (including himself) say he was brilliant and genius like? I didn't see any evidence of that. Most of the time he just stated the obvious, and occasionally he'd come to logical conclusions that anyone with half a brain could come to.
The only thing that was somewhat interesting about him were his ravens. However, I was irritated that the origin/story behind the ravens wasn't explained until 60% in. They were a big part of Justin's character but there was no explanation for them for over half the story. I was baffled as to whether they were real or in his mind, and if they were helping Justin or if they had their own agenda. I don't know why they were left unexplained for so long.
The worst thing about Justin was the whole Tessa thing. Why the fuck did Justin take 16yr old Tessa to RUNA with him only to then dump her on his sister to look after? He didn't even ask his sister's permission. And Tessa is his responsibility but he just palmed her off. If a family member dumped some random kid on me, I'd tell them to piss off and look after said kid themselves. Especially if that family member was off having fun and getting laid. How dare Justin take a child from their family and promise to look after them only to just palm them off on a stranger?! Justin was vile.
-I wasn't impressed with Justin and Mae's relationship, it was so shallow. Justin only liked Mae because of her drop dead gorgeous looks, and Mae only seemed to want Justin because he was sexy and good in bed. Their instant connection was ridiculous. It was made even more ridiculous because Justin was still horny for loads of other girls and was fucking any girl he met. It was dumb that he slutted around but then got all poetic about Mae. Am I meant to believe he's in love with her something? I don't. It'd help if he wasn't screwing dozens of other girls because he's just that horny.
It also didn't help that Justin came across as really wimpy and weak when compared to Mae. He didn't need to be some badass fighter but he could have at least tried to protect himself instead of sitting back and watching Mae get beaten and put in danger for him. I hate guys like that.
-If Justin believed in the supernatural and the existence of gods and had seen evidence of both… Why was he so adamant that the shadow that killed a bunch of people wasn't supernatural and was in fact some sort of human trick?
-Tessa. What was the point of her? Why was she a main/POV character when she added little to the actual story? She seemed to be a tool to 1. Make Justin seem a bit more relatable and 2. To observe the RUNA and its way of life. She was pointless to the main story arc… A main character needs be involved more than that. Maybe in book 2 she'll actually serve a purpose to the story.
-The murder mystery was quite interesting. It did get a bit silly with all the cheesy religious cults and brainwashed cult members murdering for a higher power. I think it would have worked better if it wasn't written so cartoony with underground lairs, evul masks, dark robes and other such nonsense.
-WTF's an ego? A phone? A tablet? Anytime an ego would be mentioned I kept thinking of a person's ego rather than the device/technology the characters were using. Why couldn't RM have given the "ego" a name that wouldn't remind readers of something else?
-Why was Geraki suddenly called Demetrius Devereaux?
-So was Dominic an AWOL praetorian??
All in all, it was disappointing. I wasn't impressed with the worldbuilding or Justin's character… But I'm willing to give the second book a go since 1. It has potential and 2. Mae was my kind of heroine (well, except when she wasn't being all pathetic and desperate for disgusting Justin).
June 22, 2013
What a snooooozefest.
Maybe a 2 if this were another author, but Richelle Mead is capable of so much more.
This is probably my favorite review of this book, btw: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Maybe a 2 if this were another author, but Richelle Mead is capable of so much more.
This is probably my favorite review of this book, btw: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
March 6, 2013
'I am a soldier of the Republic. I do not serve my own will but that of my country. Those words were echoed by her mother's, spoken so many years ago: You can ignore the rest because you're better than them. Empty yourself of all feeling because if they can't see it, then they can't use it against you.'
Richelle Mead's story-weaving genius comes to life in her new series Age of X. Be prepared to fall head first into her futuristic world, filled with mystery, violence, stunning technology and tension bubbling just below the surface - be prepared to fall in love with a story, and a cast of characters, you will never forget.
'"We're all pieces on a game board, Dr. March, and some of us are more powerful than others. You. Me. Her. We're the ones the gods want. We're the ones they're fighting over."
"And I supposed you consider yourself the king on this board?"
"You must not have played chess in a while. The king is the weakest piece in the game." He gave Justin a level look. "The queen's the strongest."'
Meet Justin March: exile, genius, former investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims, notorious wine drinker, and charmer of the female demographic.
Meet Mae Koskinen: Nordic, beautiful, deadly and dedicated praetorian - a member of the military’s most elite and intimidating tier...a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
Neither, upon meeting the other, ever suspected how tightly bound their fates would become.
Mae, currently relieved of her duties, is sent to bring Justin back to RUNA - the Republic of United North America. But the chance to go back isn't as golden as it seems. There's a catch. Justin is assigned a difficult and dangerous task, to solve a string of ritualistic murders. To keep Justin safe, he is assigned a guard...who turns out to be none other than Mae. The girl who Justin has been told about - the girl involved in a strange prophecy of sorts.
A girl coveted by the gods. A girl he can never have.
'"The old guy said I'd only need one woman, and that the one he'd send me would mirror me in light and shadow, that I'd know her by a crown of flowers...He said she'd be carved of fire and ice, that she'd scorch me in my bed and live and die for me outside of it."
But solving the murders is no easy task. The clues are an incoherent jumble, no connections visible in the tangle of deaths, religious oddities and supernatural occurrences. Every lead seems to stop at an abrupt dead end. The deeper the duo delve into the mystery, the more exposed to danger they become.
And they only have four weeks to find the murderer and solve the case.
Mundane murderers and cults aren't Mae and Justin's only problems, though. Other forces are at work...old forces. Powerful forces. Ones that will do anything and everything to claim what is rightfully theirs, be that the world, or those upon it. Playing with fire may be dangerous, but playing on the chessboard of the gods is a whole other game...one that could cost them their lives.
What will the 'Age of X' entail for humankind? And are the gods closer than you think?
Mythology, romance and kick-ass adventure combine to create a vivid dystopian world that will sweep you away and have you hooked from the first page to the very last word.
Richelle Mead's story-weaving genius comes to life in her new series Age of X. Be prepared to fall head first into her futuristic world, filled with mystery, violence, stunning technology and tension bubbling just below the surface - be prepared to fall in love with a story, and a cast of characters, you will never forget.
'"We're all pieces on a game board, Dr. March, and some of us are more powerful than others. You. Me. Her. We're the ones the gods want. We're the ones they're fighting over."
"And I supposed you consider yourself the king on this board?"
"You must not have played chess in a while. The king is the weakest piece in the game." He gave Justin a level look. "The queen's the strongest."'
Meet Justin March: exile, genius, former investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims, notorious wine drinker, and charmer of the female demographic.
Meet Mae Koskinen: Nordic, beautiful, deadly and dedicated praetorian - a member of the military’s most elite and intimidating tier...a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
Neither, upon meeting the other, ever suspected how tightly bound their fates would become.
Mae, currently relieved of her duties, is sent to bring Justin back to RUNA - the Republic of United North America. But the chance to go back isn't as golden as it seems. There's a catch. Justin is assigned a difficult and dangerous task, to solve a string of ritualistic murders. To keep Justin safe, he is assigned a guard...who turns out to be none other than Mae. The girl who Justin has been told about - the girl involved in a strange prophecy of sorts.
A girl coveted by the gods. A girl he can never have.
'"The old guy said I'd only need one woman, and that the one he'd send me would mirror me in light and shadow, that I'd know her by a crown of flowers...He said she'd be carved of fire and ice, that she'd scorch me in my bed and live and die for me outside of it."
But solving the murders is no easy task. The clues are an incoherent jumble, no connections visible in the tangle of deaths, religious oddities and supernatural occurrences. Every lead seems to stop at an abrupt dead end. The deeper the duo delve into the mystery, the more exposed to danger they become.
And they only have four weeks to find the murderer and solve the case.
Mundane murderers and cults aren't Mae and Justin's only problems, though. Other forces are at work...old forces. Powerful forces. Ones that will do anything and everything to claim what is rightfully theirs, be that the world, or those upon it. Playing with fire may be dangerous, but playing on the chessboard of the gods is a whole other game...one that could cost them their lives.
What will the 'Age of X' entail for humankind? And are the gods closer than you think?
Mythology, romance and kick-ass adventure combine to create a vivid dystopian world that will sweep you away and have you hooked from the first page to the very last word.
June 16, 2013
16 Jun '13
Please be warned that this review contains spoilers and language some people may find distasteful.
Post-reading:
When I heard this would be an adult novel, I was expecting something that read more maturely. Sex scenes and drug use does not an adult novel make. In fact, controversial themes does not an adult novel make.
While I was looking forward to something deep -- a decidedly more mature tone in narrative, and a plot that does not reek so much of post-pubescent sexual drama -- what I received instead was just another strung up excuse to merge the rapidly overused tropes of forbidden love, handsome men and beautiful women, and alluringly assholeish love interests, under the pretense of a futuristic murder-mystery amidst a divine war.
That's right. Gameboard of the Gods would just be another one of your average YA Paranormal Romance series, weren't it for our main characters' older age-range and some sex scenes and drug abuse thrown in there.
For a start, all that talk about "working together to solve a string of ritualistic murders" the blurb so cunningly deceived me into looking forward to, did not actually make an active appearance in this novel until well past the 50% mark. And trust me when I say this was one long book, making the first half an extended experience of pure boredom.
Of course, if you enjoy reading about sexual tension and attempts of character build-up for over 200 pages, you may have a better experience than I did.
Now, I am usually a patient reader; I strive for character drama, I love vividly drawn and fleshed out personalities -- but only if it is done well. Gameboard of the Gods indeed attempted to do all that. Unfortunately, what was meant to be flashbacks and recounts for the purpose of justifying our main characters' current personalities, instead became thinly veiled disguises to further demonstrate their sexual prowess and lovelife.
I didn't care about how Mae and Porfirio met for the first time, or how they fucked for the first time. But I had to read about it twice in two separate chapters. It did not progress the story in any way, nor did it provide any believable insight into Mae's character. So the girl likes to fuck, and is good at it. I could already tell by the way Justin kept going on and on about seeing that infamous "crown of stars and flowers" on her orgasm-face. I certainly did not need to read about Porfirio and Mae.
Her relationship with her family was perhaps more interesting in terms of drama. It gave more understanding to the way Mae was raised and how it shaped her as a character. However these subsidiary characters were flat, unidimensional, and just plain laughable.
This half-effort can be forgiven though, seeing as this is the first in a series, and the book was already far too long for my liking without throwing in fully-fleshed background characters.
Moving on from Mae, let us take a look at Justin. Our flirtatious, bastardly good-looking hero. Aside from being an obvious male-love-interest stereotype, there was one other thing I just couldn't help notice.
Justin March is gay.
And I do not mean that as an insult or belittlement in any way. It is simply an observation.
How else do you explain a man who knows way too much about clothes? Down to the fact of the year it came out??
Oh, there was a half-arsed attempt to explain his expertise in ladies' fashion:
Well I laugh at your poor attempt to explain away something completely irrelevant to the plot. Come on, Mead. Your readers are not stupid. Everyone knows you just want a way of describing what Mae is wearing. Having it done by the guy who obviously wants her in his bed would be a bonus, right?
Not convinced?
No straight man cares that much about clothing. In the words of an ex boyfriend: "Who cares what you wear? I'm imagining you without it, anyway."
But enough speculation on character sexual-orientation.
Another problem I had with Gameboard was how needlessly long it was. Most of the scenes and even characters were completely useless, weren't it for their future roles in (I suspect) the sequels.
Tessa was completely useless. I certainly did not need to go into her highschool life. I was under the impression, after all, that I was reading an adult novel. However, it seems Mead simply cannot help herself, and a novel is incomplete without petty highschool scenes.
Her role in "solving the mystery" is also a complete boner-killer. How the plot panned out was a complete let-down. After all that build-up, after all that talk about how intelligent and observant and yaddah-yaddah-yaddah Justin was, we had everything solved by some random boy approaching Tessa and virtually handing out the answers to her??? I call bullshit and sheer laziness.
Admittedly, the world-building must have required a lot of thought and planning. Mead did a sufficient job of fleshing out her world, coming up with a relatively fresh take on a futuristic society. The downside is that I just couldn't give a single care about any of it.
I couldn't sympathize with the .... Provincials? despite how unevenly handed their lives were. The blatant classism was there, and I knew it was supposed to be strong in this world Mead created, but it simply fell flat and "whatever" to me.
That's what happens when you try to disguise a YA novel as an adult book, but still have all the childish and trivial tropes make a blatantly strong appearance. I just can't take anything seriously.
And when I say "childish and trivial", I am mostly talking about our characters. As much as Mead tried to provide a deep background for them, there are still a few things that comes to the foreground, to which I just can't help associate to her previous series, Vampire Academy:
-Forbidden Love.
-Perfectly perfect characters: gorgeous heroine who is Da Bomb, who EVERYONE wants. Gorgeous hero who wants her but can't have her.
-Sexually aware and open heroine.
-Sexual tension I could not find remotely panty-wetting.
And of course:
-A "body-guard" heroine, who has to use her awesome strength and awesome perfectness to protect someone she's been assigned to.
Maybe Mead has some kind of fetish to this trope, since it seems she can't stop writing about it? Or can she simply not think of anything better?
The reason this frustrates me so much is because I hated Vampire Academy, and I was absolutely completely and utterly looking forward to something completely different in this "Adult" novel of hers.
Well, the plot may be different. The world may be different. But underneath all that, the blueprint is still the same.
***
you can also find my reviews at my blog
***
9 Jan '12
Richelle Mead and I didn't hit it off too well with Vampire Academy ; but I was turned off by the actual story rather than Mead's writing style, so I'm very much willing to give her another chance.
Not to mention this has nothing to do with Vampire Academy; fingers crossed for something different and refreshing!
Please be warned that this review contains spoilers and language some people may find distasteful.
Post-reading:
When I heard this would be an adult novel, I was expecting something that read more maturely. Sex scenes and drug use does not an adult novel make. In fact, controversial themes does not an adult novel make.
While I was looking forward to something deep -- a decidedly more mature tone in narrative, and a plot that does not reek so much of post-pubescent sexual drama -- what I received instead was just another strung up excuse to merge the rapidly overused tropes of forbidden love, handsome men and beautiful women, and alluringly assholeish love interests, under the pretense of a futuristic murder-mystery amidst a divine war.
That's right. Gameboard of the Gods would just be another one of your average YA Paranormal Romance series, weren't it for our main characters' older age-range and some sex scenes and drug abuse thrown in there.
For a start, all that talk about "working together to solve a string of ritualistic murders" the blurb so cunningly deceived me into looking forward to, did not actually make an active appearance in this novel until well past the 50% mark. And trust me when I say this was one long book, making the first half an extended experience of pure boredom.
Of course, if you enjoy reading about sexual tension and attempts of character build-up for over 200 pages, you may have a better experience than I did.
Now, I am usually a patient reader; I strive for character drama, I love vividly drawn and fleshed out personalities -- but only if it is done well. Gameboard of the Gods indeed attempted to do all that. Unfortunately, what was meant to be flashbacks and recounts for the purpose of justifying our main characters' current personalities, instead became thinly veiled disguises to further demonstrate their sexual prowess and lovelife.
I didn't care about how Mae and Porfirio met for the first time, or how they fucked for the first time. But I had to read about it twice in two separate chapters. It did not progress the story in any way, nor did it provide any believable insight into Mae's character. So the girl likes to fuck, and is good at it. I could already tell by the way Justin kept going on and on about seeing that infamous "crown of stars and flowers" on her orgasm-face. I certainly did not need to read about Porfirio and Mae.
Her relationship with her family was perhaps more interesting in terms of drama. It gave more understanding to the way Mae was raised and how it shaped her as a character. However these subsidiary characters were flat, unidimensional, and just plain laughable.
This half-effort can be forgiven though, seeing as this is the first in a series, and the book was already far too long for my liking without throwing in fully-fleshed background characters.
Moving on from Mae, let us take a look at Justin. Our flirtatious, bastardly good-looking hero. Aside from being an obvious male-love-interest stereotype, there was one other thing I just couldn't help notice.
Justin March is gay.
And I do not mean that as an insult or belittlement in any way. It is simply an observation.
How else do you explain a man who knows way too much about clothes? Down to the fact of the year it came out??
Oh, there was a half-arsed attempt to explain his expertise in ladies' fashion:
The woman's dress was a deep plum crepe de chine, with no sleeves and a high neckline.
Who in the world knows what crepe de chine is? asked Horatio.
I had to learn that stuff a long time ago, Justin said.
Well I laugh at your poor attempt to explain away something completely irrelevant to the plot. Come on, Mead. Your readers are not stupid. Everyone knows you just want a way of describing what Mae is wearing. Having it done by the guy who obviously wants her in his bed would be a bonus, right?
Not convinced?
He always took inventory of her clothes, and she was casual today in a damask patterned blouse and jeans that did incredible things for her legs.
Mae was at the height of style, as always, even when casual. Her mother's dress was from last year. A small detail, but notable among castals.
No straight man cares that much about clothing. In the words of an ex boyfriend: "Who cares what you wear? I'm imagining you without it, anyway."
But enough speculation on character sexual-orientation.
Another problem I had with Gameboard was how needlessly long it was. Most of the scenes and even characters were completely useless, weren't it for their future roles in (I suspect) the sequels.
Tessa was completely useless. I certainly did not need to go into her highschool life. I was under the impression, after all, that I was reading an adult novel. However, it seems Mead simply cannot help herself, and a novel is incomplete without petty highschool scenes.
Her role in "solving the mystery" is also a complete boner-killer. How the plot panned out was a complete let-down. After all that build-up, after all that talk about how intelligent and observant and yaddah-yaddah-yaddah Justin was, we had everything solved by some random boy approaching Tessa and virtually handing out the answers to her??? I call bullshit and sheer laziness.
Admittedly, the world-building must have required a lot of thought and planning. Mead did a sufficient job of fleshing out her world, coming up with a relatively fresh take on a futuristic society. The downside is that I just couldn't give a single care about any of it.
I couldn't sympathize with the .... Provincials? despite how unevenly handed their lives were. The blatant classism was there, and I knew it was supposed to be strong in this world Mead created, but it simply fell flat and "whatever" to me.
That's what happens when you try to disguise a YA novel as an adult book, but still have all the childish and trivial tropes make a blatantly strong appearance. I just can't take anything seriously.
And when I say "childish and trivial", I am mostly talking about our characters. As much as Mead tried to provide a deep background for them, there are still a few things that comes to the foreground, to which I just can't help associate to her previous series, Vampire Academy:
-Forbidden Love.
-Perfectly perfect characters: gorgeous heroine who is Da Bomb, who EVERYONE wants. Gorgeous hero who wants her but can't have her.
-Sexually aware and open heroine.
-Sexual tension I could not find remotely panty-wetting.
And of course:
-A "body-guard" heroine, who has to use her awesome strength and awesome perfectness to protect someone she's been assigned to.
Maybe Mead has some kind of fetish to this trope, since it seems she can't stop writing about it? Or can she simply not think of anything better?
The reason this frustrates me so much is because I hated Vampire Academy, and I was absolutely completely and utterly looking forward to something completely different in this "Adult" novel of hers.
Well, the plot may be different. The world may be different. But underneath all that, the blueprint is still the same.
***
you can also find my reviews at my blog
***
9 Jan '12
Richelle Mead and I didn't hit it off too well with Vampire Academy ; but I was turned off by the actual story rather than Mead's writing style, so I'm very much willing to give her another chance.
Not to mention this has nothing to do with Vampire Academy; fingers crossed for something different and refreshing!
March 1, 2016
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
I have read 3 series by Richelle Mead and have yet to read a book by her that would be a disappointment. Seriously! I know I have given two stars to Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) for instance, but it was just a rating based on how I felt it being a little weaker than the rest of the books in that series. If I didn’t delve on those things, I’d give them all 5 stars since her books seriously never disappoint. Gameboard of the Gods is the first book in one of my newest favorite series.
"We're pieces on a gameboard, Dr. March, and some of us are more powerful than the others. You. Me. Her. We're the ones that gods want. We're the ones they're fighting over." – page 443 of the ARC.
The story. In a futuristic world, Mae Koskinen is a praetorian – a fierce Nordic soldier who is a part of the RUNA’s military. What makes her so special is that she is a gorgeous, flawless castal. Castals aka pure bloods have suffered from different illnesses, but Mae’s beauty is untouched. Justin March is a servitor in exile. He is called back by his former bosses to investigate mysterious, unsolvable religious murders. He is a plebian aka a normal, mixed-blooded person. Along with them we have another MC – Tessa Cruz – a teenage girl who is an outsider from a province.
My thoughts. First of all, it was a beast! 464 pages full of action. I’m usually not that keen on third person POVs, but Ms. Mead really made it work. Through Tessa’s eyes we see the true colors of RUNA and thanks to her, we learn the most about RUNA as she’s in the same position as we are – a newcomer. We get this futuristic society in its complex world of religion and atheism, advanced technology and fake smiles. At first it all felt very complicated to me, especially since I’m not a native English speaker, but as the novel progressed, the more at home I felt in this world. I liked how the technology advancements were new and intriguing, but not completely incomprehensible to grasp for our minds. Also, the further I read, the more the mythology part came into the picture.
We have an excellent cast of characters and they are all so very different, flawed and difficult to crack. (I didn't care for Tessa as much as I cared for Mae and Justing though.) I was a big fan of how Richelle managed to keep me invested in the mystery and keep the wheels spinning in my head, yet I didn’t figure it all out beforehand, especially who the god bidding on Justin was. That, I should have figured out sooner! I also loved how the romance between Justin and Mae was there, but they’re so proud and stubborn to admit their feelings (even to themselves) that we’ll have to have them fight their feelings for quite some time in this series. Maybe Justin and Mae's POVs, regarding the tone and the thoughts, melted together for me a little, but I still enjoyed them thoroughly.
To sum up my thoughts, I’d say that if you’re looking for a read full of mythology, suspense, mystery, character-built and well-written plot with a touch of romance, pick this up! Richelle Mead has a way of writing books that suck you in like no other and don’t let go until you’ve devoured all of it with your nails bitten. I am eagerly anticipating what’s next to come in this crazy world where humans are the pawns of gods in this intriguing dystopian gameboard. This book is surely not to be missed!
Original thoughts before reading: Holy smoke! O_O I got my first ever Dutton arc. Whoop, whoop! Oh, did I mention it's freaking Richelle Mead?I feel nothing. I feel everything. (Sorry, I just finished Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.) ANYHOW, my friend SpongeBob SquarePants knows exactly how I feel;-)
I have read 3 series by Richelle Mead and have yet to read a book by her that would be a disappointment. Seriously! I know I have given two stars to Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) for instance, but it was just a rating based on how I felt it being a little weaker than the rest of the books in that series. If I didn’t delve on those things, I’d give them all 5 stars since her books seriously never disappoint. Gameboard of the Gods is the first book in one of my newest favorite series.
"We're pieces on a gameboard, Dr. March, and some of us are more powerful than the others. You. Me. Her. We're the ones that gods want. We're the ones they're fighting over." – page 443 of the ARC.
The story. In a futuristic world, Mae Koskinen is a praetorian – a fierce Nordic soldier who is a part of the RUNA’s military. What makes her so special is that she is a gorgeous, flawless castal. Castals aka pure bloods have suffered from different illnesses, but Mae’s beauty is untouched. Justin March is a servitor in exile. He is called back by his former bosses to investigate mysterious, unsolvable religious murders. He is a plebian aka a normal, mixed-blooded person. Along with them we have another MC – Tessa Cruz – a teenage girl who is an outsider from a province.
My thoughts. First of all, it was a beast! 464 pages full of action. I’m usually not that keen on third person POVs, but Ms. Mead really made it work. Through Tessa’s eyes we see the true colors of RUNA and thanks to her, we learn the most about RUNA as she’s in the same position as we are – a newcomer. We get this futuristic society in its complex world of religion and atheism, advanced technology and fake smiles. At first it all felt very complicated to me, especially since I’m not a native English speaker, but as the novel progressed, the more at home I felt in this world. I liked how the technology advancements were new and intriguing, but not completely incomprehensible to grasp for our minds. Also, the further I read, the more the mythology part came into the picture.
We have an excellent cast of characters and they are all so very different, flawed and difficult to crack. (I didn't care for Tessa as much as I cared for Mae and Justing though.) I was a big fan of how Richelle managed to keep me invested in the mystery and keep the wheels spinning in my head, yet I didn’t figure it all out beforehand, especially who the god bidding on Justin was. That, I should have figured out sooner! I also loved how the romance between Justin and Mae was there, but they’re so proud and stubborn to admit their feelings (even to themselves) that we’ll have to have them fight their feelings for quite some time in this series. Maybe Justin and Mae's POVs, regarding the tone and the thoughts, melted together for me a little, but I still enjoyed them thoroughly.
To sum up my thoughts, I’d say that if you’re looking for a read full of mythology, suspense, mystery, character-built and well-written plot with a touch of romance, pick this up! Richelle Mead has a way of writing books that suck you in like no other and don’t let go until you’ve devoured all of it with your nails bitten. I am eagerly anticipating what’s next to come in this crazy world where humans are the pawns of gods in this intriguing dystopian gameboard. This book is surely not to be missed!
Original thoughts before reading: Holy smoke! O_O I got my first ever Dutton arc. Whoop, whoop! Oh, did I mention it's freaking Richelle Mead?
Want to read
February 16, 2012REALLY? *-*
June 16, 2013
★★★☆☆/☆☆☆☆☆ 3.5 stars, but only because the last 20 pages were kickass.
I LOVE the concept, but this book was way, way too drawn out.
This review is spoiler-free!
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
What it’s about, in one sentence
Justin has been exciled from his home country (the RUNA) for mysterious reasons, but is brought back at the beginning of the story, because they need him to investigate a murder case that may, or may not involve supernatural elements. (It's a bit more complicated than that, but there you go.)
My thoughts
Gameboard of the Gods is complicated, and too drawn out for my taste, but it is also original and super interesting. This book has about 500 pages and with the amount of things that happen in it, it could be 100 pages shorter. I struggled through the middle, but I never wanted to not finish the book, because the mystery the story is set around, is really, really captivating.
So when things did happen, they were very intense, and I felt myself getting sucked into the story again.
The world this story is set in is SO well thought out. I’ve read a lot of dystopian novels, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across a world this detailed and thought through.
The story is told from the switching 3rd person POVs of Justin, Mae (his praetorian bodyguard. Praetorians are scary as shit. They have this implant that gives them superhuman strength and they don’t need to sleep. They freak me about a bit.), and Tessa (a 16-year-old girl from one of the Provinces. She’s the only one who can see the RUNA for what it is, because she didn’t grow up there).
Justin was easily my favorite character, and, as a matter of fact, he was the only character I really liked. Tessa was meh, and for some reason I couldn’t stand Mae for the better part of the book. (But those are just personal opinions. You might love them all!)
This is not a quick, fun read. This is a pay-close-attention-while-you’re-reading-otherwise-you’ll-be-totally-lost-in-the-world-of-the-RUNA kind of book.
Despite its flaws I enjoyed this book and I will probably be reading the next one in the series.
I LOVE the concept, but this book was way, way too drawn out.
This review is spoiler-free!
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What it’s about, in one sentence
Justin has been exciled from his home country (the RUNA) for mysterious reasons, but is brought back at the beginning of the story, because they need him to investigate a murder case that may, or may not involve supernatural elements. (It's a bit more complicated than that, but there you go.)
My thoughts
Gameboard of the Gods is complicated, and too drawn out for my taste, but it is also original and super interesting. This book has about 500 pages and with the amount of things that happen in it, it could be 100 pages shorter. I struggled through the middle, but I never wanted to not finish the book, because the mystery the story is set around, is really, really captivating.
So when things did happen, they were very intense, and I felt myself getting sucked into the story again.
The world this story is set in is SO well thought out. I’ve read a lot of dystopian novels, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across a world this detailed and thought through.
The story is told from the switching 3rd person POVs of Justin, Mae (his praetorian bodyguard. Praetorians are scary as shit. They have this implant that gives them superhuman strength and they don’t need to sleep. They freak me about a bit.), and Tessa (a 16-year-old girl from one of the Provinces. She’s the only one who can see the RUNA for what it is, because she didn’t grow up there).
Justin was easily my favorite character, and, as a matter of fact, he was the only character I really liked. Tessa was meh, and for some reason I couldn’t stand Mae for the better part of the book. (But those are just personal opinions. You might love them all!)
This is not a quick, fun read. This is a pay-close-attention-while-you’re-reading-otherwise-you’ll-be-totally-lost-in-the-world-of-the-RUNA kind of book.
Despite its flaws I enjoyed this book and I will probably be reading the next one in the series.
May 25, 2017
I looked forward to reading this because first of all it's Richelle Mead and second, who doesn't love a book about deities? Anyway, this book could have been freaking amazing except about half of the pages and plot felt utterly pointless and so drawn out! I already have the second book so I am hesitant to read it but the ending of the book was intriguing... Those feels when good plots are written poorly :(
January 7, 2016
Adorei esse livro. O começo foi um pouco difícil, mas depois da metade engrenou e não parei mais.
Os dois personagens principais são muito interessantes, mas confessou uma quedinha maior pelo Justin que pela Mae. Ele é bom e altamente falho ao mesmo tempo. A sua resistência em se entregar para o destino é admirável, mas sabemos que eventualmente isso acontecerá. A Mae ainda é um mistério. Ela tem alguns momentos em que sentimos que é bastante humana, mas rapidamente ela retorna para o seu estoicismo usual.
O mundo é um pouco complicado de entender e foi a maior dificuldade que eu tive com o livro. A Richelle Mead dá apenas dicas na primeira metade e explica tudo na segunda. Isso requer muita boa vontade do leitor, já que ele é muito complexo.
A premissa da história é bem legal e eu fiquei genuinamente supresa em alguns momentos, mas em geral o mistério pode ser desvendado sem muito esforço. Adorei o uso de deuses antigos na mitologia.
Vale muito a pena para quem está com vontade de ler uma fantasia urbana adulta.
Os dois personagens principais são muito interessantes, mas confessou uma quedinha maior pelo Justin que pela Mae. Ele é bom e altamente falho ao mesmo tempo. A sua resistência em se entregar para o destino é admirável, mas sabemos que eventualmente isso acontecerá. A Mae ainda é um mistério. Ela tem alguns momentos em que sentimos que é bastante humana, mas rapidamente ela retorna para o seu estoicismo usual.
O mundo é um pouco complicado de entender e foi a maior dificuldade que eu tive com o livro. A Richelle Mead dá apenas dicas na primeira metade e explica tudo na segunda. Isso requer muita boa vontade do leitor, já que ele é muito complexo.
A premissa da história é bem legal e eu fiquei genuinamente supresa em alguns momentos, mas em geral o mistério pode ser desvendado sem muito esforço. Adorei o uso de deuses antigos na mitologia.
Vale muito a pena para quem está com vontade de ler uma fantasia urbana adulta.
August 4, 2016
4,5*
Toto bolo tak geniálne! Justin mi prišiel ako Sherlock a Mae ako vraždiaci stroj :3 Dokonalá kombinácia. Navyše ich vzťah ma vytáčal, doslova. Takže mám nový ship, ktorý zbožňujem! :3 Pre mňa určite lepšia ako Sukuba a VA. Jednoducho originálne, nesmierne zaujímavé a tak ako ma sklamala Sukuba a z časti už aj VA, tak tým to si to u mňa Richelle napravila.
Toto bolo tak geniálne! Justin mi prišiel ako Sherlock a Mae ako vraždiaci stroj :3 Dokonalá kombinácia. Navyše ich vzťah ma vytáčal, doslova. Takže mám nový ship, ktorý zbožňujem! :3 Pre mňa určite lepšia ako Sukuba a VA. Jednoducho originálne, nesmierne zaujímavé a tak ako ma sklamala Sukuba a z časti už aj VA, tak tým to si to u mňa Richelle napravila.
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