Review of KINDLE Ebook Sacred Bride – Book 3 of the Olympus trilogy by David Hair and Cath Mayo #Brainfluffbookreview #SacredBridebookreview #WyrdandWonder2020

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series, retelling the adventures of Odysseus in the first two books, Athena’s Champion – see my review here; and Oracle’s War – see my review here. So I was delighted to be able to get hold the final book, hoping it would do justice to this intelligent and gripping action-packed version of Odysseus’s adventures before the Trojan War kicked off… I am linking this to Wyrd and Wonder 2020.

BLURB: Prince Odysseus and the daemon Bria must penetrate the haunted caverns beneath Dodona, seeking a way to save their doomed nation, Achaea, from the might of Troy. The startling revelation that follows will set Odysseus on his most daunting mission yet, as he seeks to reunite the divided Achaean kingdoms before the rapacious Trojans strike. His journey will pit him against wrathful gods and legendary heroes, in a deadly contest for the hand of Helen of Sparta, the daughter of Zeus, upon whose choice the fate of Achaea rests…

Once again, I was swept up in Odysseus’s adventures, narrated in first person viewpoint, which helped to make it far more immediate. He comes across as a clever, resourceful character, though with a unique talent for annoying powerful people, who would like to see him dead. However, while I do think he makes an excellent main character, it is the worldbuilding and the Hair/Mayo take on what powers the gods and motivates them to act in the way they do that, for me, makes this series really stand out. It isn’t a new idea – the gods are only as powerful as the number of worshippers they can muster – but works extremely well in this series.

However, I would just mention that if you have somehow managed to get your hands on a copy of Sacred Bride without having first read the first two books, put it back on the shelf and read those first. As an experienced mid-series crasher, I’m here to tell you that too much of importance to the events in this book has previously happened for you to be able to get away with that kind of malarkey this time around. And it would be a real shame to short-change a series of this calibre, anyway.

As for the ending, Hair and Mayo have successfully brought this trilogy to an appropriate close. Though I don’t think I’m providing too much in the way of spoilers if I say that the peace Odysseus has been responsible for engineering is somewhat fragile. I am very much hoping that Hair and Mayo are going to continue working on Odysseus’s adventures during the Trojan War – the cast of characters are so vividly drawn and well presented, it would be a joy to read their telling of such a keynote event. Highly recommended for fans of well written and researched Greek retellings.
9/10

 

My Outstanding Reads of 2019 #Brainfluffbookblogger #2019OutstandingReads

I have had another stormingly good reading year. The highlight being my immediate love affair with audiobooks, once I got hold of a Kindle Fire which could cope with the selection I’d already bought my dyslexic grandson to encourage him to keep reading. Needless to say, I’ve added to that list…

During 2019 I read 168 books and wrote 129 full reviews, with 26 still to be published. In no particular order, these are the books that have stood out for me. It might be that I didn’t originally give a 10 – but something about these books has stayed with me and won’t let go, which is why they have made the cut. And none of this top ten rubbish – I can’t possibly whittle down my list any further.

 

Oracle’s War – Book 2 of The Olympus series by David Hair and Cath Mayo
I loved the layered characterisation of Odysseus and his complex relationships in this intelligent and politically aware retelling of events leading up to the Trojan War. This one has stayed in my memory and I’ve found myself often thinking about it. See my review.

 

AUDIOBOOK The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones
I’d read this book before – but listening to the excellent narration by Jonathan Broadbent brought home the darker side of the story. It certainly isn’t a children’s read – as the exploitation of the magic kingdom takes some shocking turns, and while Wynne Jones doesn’t go into graphic detail, they are still there. Riveting and thought provoking. See my review.

 

Atlas Alone – Book 4 of the Planetfall series by Emma Newman
This has been one of the outstanding science fiction series of the last few years for me and this latest slice in the adventure held me to the end. Dee’s driven, edgy character is so compelling – Newman writes these tricky protagonists with amazing skill. See my review.

 

Ascending – Book 1 of the Vardeshi Saga by Meg Pechenick
Alien first contact tales are a staple of science fiction, but rarely have they been covered with such skilled detail, featuring such a self-effacing protagonist as Avery. The second book is also an excellent read. See my review.

 

Rough Magic: Riding the World’s Wildest Horse Race by Lara Prior-Palmer
I picked up this true tale of adventure by accident – and I’m so pleased I did. The author opted to take part on a whim and even at the beginning, was clearly not really prepared for what followed. This fascinating account stayed with me throughout the year. See my review.

 

AUDIOBOOK Mythos: the Greek Myths retold, written and narrated by Stephen Fry
Listening to this offering while decorating the bathroom sweetened hours of tedious work as Fry’s smooth, chatty manner belied the scholarship and rigor that has gone into this retelling. See my review.

 

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This is probably the most quirky, extraordinary read of this year’s selection. A series of letters between two protagonists on either side of a savage war – think Romeo and Juliet with knobs on – drives the narrative in this beautiful, desperate book. See my review.

 

AUDIOBOOK A Room Full of Bones – Book 4 of the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths
This offering took me completely by surprise. In fact, I’d felt rather fed up with Ruth’s struggles in the previous book – but this story took all the ingredients and ramped up the tension to an unexpectedly heart-rending degree that I still think about… See my review.

 

Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence by James Lovelock
The second non-fiction book in this list, I found Lovelock’s take on our future absolutely fascinating and unexpectedly uplifting. Given he is now over a hundred years old and has been working in a variety of scientific fields until very recently, his opinion is worth reading. See my review.

 

AUDIOBOOK The Empty Grave – Book 5 of the Lockwood & Co series by Jonathan Stroud
This was an unexpected treat. One of Frankie’s chosen series, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer quality of the characterisation and worldbuilding, although I should have been, after thoroughly enjoying the Bartimaeus Trilogy. This final book brought the outstanding series to a triumphant conclusion. It goes without saying that you MUST read the previous four books first. See my review.

 

Sweep of the Blade – Book 4 of the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews
I find this quirky science fiction/fantasy mash-up just goes on getting better and better. I really suffered a profound book hangover after I finished this one – and that doesn’t happen to me all that often. See my review.

 

Circe by Madeline Miller
I’m conscious there is rather a strong Greek myth theme running through this list – but that just goes to show how well-written these books are. And this one is a total joy. The protagonist isn’t pretty or charismatic, so finetunes her magical skills in an effort to prevail alongside sneering relations. And then it all goes wrong… Fabulous, layered characterisation of a powerful woman who has endured a shedload of suffering without it being bleak or self-pitying. See my mini-review.

 

Akin by Emma Donoghue
In these days of serial monogamy and blended families, this interesting, unsentimental book drills down into what – exactly – makes up family. Brilliantly executed and thought provoking. See my review.

 

Lent by Jo Walton
This author is one of the finest, most talented writers in the SFF genre today, so I was thrilled when this one came out. Settling in to read it, I was happily engrossed in 15th century Florence – until a THING happens that changes the whole dynamic. Brilliantly written and completely engrossing, if you were to force me to choose a single outstanding read this year – you’d be a cruel beast for doing so and I’d probably never speak to you again – it would be this one. See my review.

 

AUDIOBOOK How To Fight a Dragon’s Fury – Book 12 of the How To Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell
While I’d read a number of these books to the grandchildren, for one reason or another, I’d never reached the end, so when I realised we had the complete series on Audible, I started listening to the wonderful David Tennant’s narration. And then came the end… I was listening to this one with tears pouring down my face, unable to complete my chores. Epic fantasy of this calibre, written for reluctant primary school readers, is a rarity. Review to follow.

 

AUDIOBOOK To Say Nothing of the Dog – Book 2 of the Oxford Time Travel series by Connie Willis
This quirky, humorous homage to Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat is funny and completely engrossing – a thumping good listen. I loved it and though it isn’t quite as spectacular as her classic, Doomsday Book, that doesn’t prevent it making this list. See my review.

Have you read any of these offerings? What did you think of them? I’d love to hear your thoughts on these books! Wishing everyone a very happy, book-filled 2020…

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Athena’s Champion – Book 1 of the Olympus trilogy by David Hair and Cath Mayo #Brainfluffbookreview #Athena’sChampionbookreview

One of my lovely blogging friends recommended this, though I’m really sorry I can’t remember who is was, or I would namecheck her as this is a real gem.

Prince Odysseus of Ithaca is about to have his world torn apart. He’s travelled to the oracle at Pytho to be anointed as heir to his island kingdom; but instead the Pythia reveals a terrible secret, one that tears down every pillar of his life, and marks him out for death. Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.

Odysseus staggers away from this rite of passage an outcast, when he was expecting it to be part of his preparation and training for ruling Ithaca, a small rocky island off the Greek mainland. So he is out of options when Athena appears and offers to provide him with sanctuary, in return for his service. I’ve always had a soft spot for poor old Odysseus, whose – like Heracles – pays a high price for serving the gods, becoming entangled in the Trojan War and then taking ten long years to return home, to the extent that his name has come to mean a long, important journey… odyssey.

This retelling, however, deals with the events that lead up to the Trojan War and explains why the Greeks were such a quarrelsome lot. Once Odysseus has sworn his allegiance to Athena, he is automatically regarded with enmity by other members of the Olympian family, given they spend much of their time plotting against each other, terrified they will lose influence and get swallowed up by competing deities with more worshippers.
In this dangerous, uncertain world, where young Odysseus no longer even has the safety of his own family, he is forced to spend far more time than he’d like with Athena’s other champion, the mighty Theseus. This depiction has the great warrior as a bullying drunken braggart, convinced he is irresistible to woman. I like the fact that the events leading up to the Trojan War are not just explained by the gods’ insecurities, but also by Troy’s growing power as a trading centre that threatens the economy of the Spartan kingdom and the surrounding states.

I am conscious that I haven’t conveyed the pace and drama of this retelling – in amongst the intriguing backstory and strong characterisation, there is a cracking action adventure, full of fights, plots, desperate schemes and dangerous situations. Odysseus, though strong and well trained, is also too short to be able to prevail against might of a gigantic warrior like Theseus in hand-to-hand combat. However, he is clever, quick-witted and able to spin a tale to get himself out of a tricky situation, which is just as well…

I loved this one. And if you have a fondness for well-told retellings of Greek gods and heroes, this comes very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of Athena’s Champion from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – 17th October, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog #Can’tWaitWednesday

40276268 – vintage old pocket watch and book

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week’s Can’t-Wait offering – Athena’s Champion – Book 1 of the Olympus series by David Hair and Cath Mayo

#Greek myth retelling #fantasy #magic #troubled hero

Prince Odysseus of Ithaca is about to have his world torn apart. He’s travelled to the oracle at Pytho to be anointed as heir to his island kingdom; but instead the Pythia reveals a terrible secret, one that tears down every pillar of his life, and marks him out for death.

Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.

I’m a sucker for Greek retellings and this one, due out on 8th November, is a cracking version. Many thanks to the person on this site who recommended this book – sorry I can’t recall who it was!

Sunday Post – 14th October, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

Once again, I went AWOL as I disappeared off into the wilds of Somerset for a week at a writing retreat with part of my writing group, organised by the fabulous Sarah Palmer, who also invited along other writing colleagues. We stayed in a converted barn tucked away near the tiny hamlet of Roadwater on Exmoor. The countryside is beautiful and the weather was fabulous – we had one cloudy day and bright sunshine the rest of the time.

I was working on Mantivore Prey, the second book of The Arcadian Chronicles – about a telepathic alien whose involvement with the humans colonising his planet gets more complicated and problematical. I didn’t get as much done as I’d hoped, but at least I’m on the right track and it was utter luxury to be able to simply focus on my writing.

I returned home last Friday and was welcomed back by Himself, my sister and the grandchildren who were staying. It was lovely to see them and catch up on how they’re getting on at school. I drove them back to Brighton where I stayed last Sunday, in order to do the school run on Monday, accompanied by my lovely sister. After duly delivering the children on time while slogging through the Brighton rush-hour, we felt we deserved a hearty breakfast before returning home.

This week has been back to college and teaching Tim. It’s been something of a scramble to catch up after having been away, so apologies for the lack of engagement and commenting on blogs, reviews, etc…

This week I have read:
Charmcaster – Book 3 of the Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell
‘I was getting almost as good at running away from enemies as I was at making them in the first place. Turns out, I wasn’t running nearly fast enough.’
Kellen has begun to master his spellslinging and the Argosi tricks for staying alive, and he and Reichis have found a career that suits them both: taking down mercenary mages who make people’s lives miserable. But Ferius is concerned that Kellen is courting disaster . . .
Great fun with plenty of adventure and emotion to go with it. I’m delighted to see that this series hasn’t lost its bounce as it progresses. Review to follow.

 

 

Strange the Dreamer – Book 1 of the Strange the Dreamer series by Laini Taylor
The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.
I love, love, LOVED this one… One of my favourite reads of the year so far – I think it’s even better than her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. Review to follow… though whether the world really needs another review of this gem is debatable, given there are well over 8,000 on Goodreads.

 

Athena’s Champion – Book 1 of the Olympus series by David Hair and Cath Mayo
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca is about to have his world torn apart. He’s travelled to the oracle at Pytho to be anointed as heir to his island kingdom; but instead the Pythia reveals a terrible secret, one that tears down every pillar of his life, and marks him out for death. Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.
I can’t recall who recommended this one – because I’d definitely namecheck them, as I’ve LOVED it. I’m a sucker for Greek myth retellings anyway and this one is brilliantly done. Review to follow on release.

So as you can see, it’s been a fabulous reading week…

My posts last week:

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of A Muddle of Magic – Book 2 of the Fledgling Magic series by Alexandra Rushe

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Select Few – Book 2 of the Select series by Marit Weisenberg

Face-off Friday – Last night I dreamt I went to Manderlay again… featuring Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Lethal White – Book 4 of the Strike Cormoran novels by Robert Galbraith

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

Rolling Stones, Bob and Earl: The Harlem Shuffle https://theimmortaljukebox.com/2018/10/02/rolling-stones-bob-and-earl-the-harlem-shuffle/ Once again Thom Hickey weaves his magic of poetical prose and passion for music in the wonderful article…

Sci Fi/Fantasy Scenes I Can Never Get Enough Of https://pagesbelowvaultedsky.wordpress.com/2018/10/13/scifi-fantasy-scenes-i-can-never-get-enough-of/ I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting article – and found myself nodding in agreement throughout. What about you – do you need these aspects in your favourite SFF reads?

The Man Himself, Eric Carle https://jenniefitzkee.com/2018/09/18/the-man-himself-eric-carle/ Those of us who raised children on the likes of The Very Hungry Caterpiller will enjoy reading this one.

Six Female Poets Whose Poetry Has Been Forgotten https://interestingliterature.com/2018/10/12/six-female-poets-whose-poetry-has-been-forgotten/ Once again this fabulous site has informed me about writers whose work I know nothing about – brilliant…

7 reasons why you need listicles as part of your content marketing strategy https://thisislitblog.com/2018/10/10/7-reasons-why-you-need-listicles-as-part-of-your-content-marketing-strategy/ This lovely article reminded me all over again just how useful and readable listicles can be – thank you Shruti!

Have a great week and thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to visit, like and comment on my site.