I was completely blown away by this book. Its flawless execution, complex plot and characters, and its explosive ending just knocked me sideways.
This standalone novel tells the story of how every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality. Lore Perseous fled this brutal world after her family’s assassination in the hand of a rival line, turning her back on everything including any thoughts of revenge against the man responsible for their deaths. But fate has other plans for Lore. The reappearance of her childhood friend Castor, who she thought long dead, signs the beginning of a dangerous journey, cemented when an injured Athena collapses at her doorstep. The goddess offers an alliance, revenge and freedom. But Lore’s decision comes with a high price and it might not be enough to stop the rise of a god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.
The writing style is smooth and it slowly eased me into Lore’s world. There was a lot of information to process in the beginning, understanding how this world and the Agron work along with Lore’s tragic history. However, it’s not too much. It was easy to fall into the story and it was even more so to explore it thoroughly. This world of Greek gods is brutal, it’s unfair, and the ancient entities thirst for power is a powerful, destructive force. But Lore is an heroine to be reckoned with.
Lore is a very complex character, for her history and her stubbornness. She’s in constant internal struggle to set aside any thoughts of revenge to escape the terrible legacy of the Aon. I got to have glimpses of her past along with current events, which made me understand her choices and her decisions. She’s a flawed character but the say she rises up against the new gods is incredible. It helps that she has a fantastic group of secondary characters alongside her. I also enjoyed reading the character development of Athena, the character that is crucial to the end resolution.
The plot is complex and fresh in its approach to Greek mythology and Bracker truly deep dives into its dark side. One of the many highlights of this plot is how perfectly everything comes together at the end. The main question from the beginning is what was Zeus’s objective when he created the Agron? If a god managed to “win” Agron, what would that mean for them? Would they return to Olympus or simply move on? All the answers are provided in the end and in the most amazing way possible.
Loved every second of this novel and I can’t recommend it enough to fans of fiction/mythology-related books. You don’t know you need it, but you do.
Read it, I promise you won’t regret it.
Book Traveller 