Hey, writers and readers!
It’s not a good month without an indie novel or two. Today I’ll be reviewing Storm of the Gods by Amy Braun. We recently read each other’s books and I’m delighted to share my review on her novel and I’m excited to share her review of my novel. Isn’t that kind of cool to say—that people are reading and reviewing my book? Eeek!
Check out the review below and make sure to give your two cents in the comments section if you’ve already read the book, too!
Rating: 5 stars
Synopsis
Thirty years ago, the gods of Greek legend returned to the world. Their return restored their powers, which had been spent in a cataclysmic battle with the Titans. With the ancient deities imprisoned in Tartarus, the Olympians now reside in Néo Vasíleio, formerly known as California.
Twenty-four-year-old Derek Aerios is a war scion, a descendent of Ares, the God of War. He and his brother, eighteen-year-old Liam, capture mythological creatures and rogue scions as part of Ares’s elite military force. As he struggles to cope with his violent powers and the scars of a traumatic childhood, Derek tries to keep the two vows he has made: protect his brother, and never kill a human again.
But when Ares forces him to hunt and kill four rogue scions under Athena’s control—by threatening Liam’s life—Derek chooses to go after the scions in order to save his brother and keep his promise to himself.
Yet the closer Derek gets to the scions, the more he realizes that his orders are part of a deeper conspiracy that put him at odds with his mission and his conscience. Athena may not be the enemy, a traitor could be in their midst, and the Titans could be closer to freedom than ever before.
What I Enjoyed
I thoroughly enjoyed the Greek mythology and dystopian mashup, and I’m not a fan of dystopian fiction. Braun has this way of creating the most awful futures imaginable. Then, she provides her readers with the spark of hope they need to believe that something can be done about all the gloom and doom. For example, Derek knows full well that he can’t go up against the actual Greek gods because they’re immortal. However, as the story progresses, you see that there might be some slim chances the he can do something. Once Derek and the rest of the characters see that hope, they go for it hardcore.
Braun also puts in a lot of fantastic details from Greek mythology into her work. While she doesn’t claim to be an expert, you can tell that she made each god and goddess as close to their original personalities as possible, making her story feel like the closest depiction possible of what would happen if the Greek gods did come back to “rightfully” rule over humans. Like y’all, she’s too good at this.
Finally, her fight scenes are legendary. We could all learn a thing or two from Braun about how to depict a fight scene that really packs a punch—or a kick to the ribs, a good stabbing…
My Final Thoughts
Braun’s work has always struck me as heavy, and this book is no exception. If you’re looking for a good read for you or someone you know, then you should definitely pick up this book today. Because it’s available today! However, know that the language and violence might be too much for younger readers. If that doesn’t bother you, then read away! This book will rock your world, especially if you’re obsessed with Greek mythology. I’ve been saying this book is basically “Percy Jackson but way darker,” but I would argue that the mythology and how it’s used in the books are much more accurate and mature. The only way to confirm that is to read the book yourself!
I hope I shared enough to still pique your curiosity without giving too much away. If you’d like to learn more about Amy Braun and her work, you can catch up with her via social media:
Do you have thoughts about this novel? Share with me in the comments! You can also see all of my other book reviews by checking our the Book Reviews tab.
Hey, writers and readers!
Hey, writers and readers!
