Review – Godhead
Olympus has fallen; new gods must rise.
The gods have been betrayed by one of their own. Zeus is dead, and the city is under siege by the demonic forces of Kaos. Their only chance of survival is to abandon the city, buying time to regroup and rebuild.
Thousands of years later, the children of the gods walk among us, protecting humanity from the demons. But not all of them know the secrets of the powers they have.
The gods are no more, eliminated by their greatest enemy. And now, she wants to return home; no matter who stands in her way.
And so begins Godhead by Ken Mooney, his first self-published book in 2013 and his first installation of The Last Olympiad series-a new adult dark fantasy series that brings the Greek gods and their influences into the present day.
As a book-addict I jumped on the opportunity to review this book for the Arcade and let me start by saying that this was a welcome companion for the commuting lifestyle I now endure. The fantasy genre has always been a love of mine so I’m always on the lookout for new trilogies so this take on Greek Mythology was one I was happy to get my paws on. This series is one that I will be on the look-out for and here’s why:
The book starts with incredible promise and great descriptions. We have the epic fight scene in Olympia that lures the reader in. These scenes were particularly well described and one of my favourite points about the book. However it is also early on that we notice the missing “spark” that keeps us engaged and riveted. At times it’s felt that this is a book of missed chances. Characters and dialogue miss something. Now I couldn’t say what that something is but things begin to slow and drag with little depth to show for it. That being said, descriptions of Olympus and the Gods were detailed and vivid, the author knows exactly what he is talking about. Another exemption to the characters is the main antagonist who serves as a great villain. Reading her character development made me understand her reasons and character motivation in a novel is always important.
Every character in the novel was a step above average however there were missed opportunities and I would have liked to see a bit more development and for them to reach their full potential. Given this is only the first in the series it’s obvious that Mooney is leaving some room to grow but still, I couldn’t help but feel that characters were just one step away from being fleshed out (even just so we could get to know them a little better) and unfortunately the knock on effect is that it is quite difficult to get attached to some of them.
Godhead only had one other issue for me and while it didn’t appear everywhere it certainly was apparent and unfortunately the dialogue and interaction suffers. Words were highlighted for the reader directing them where to put the emphasis in the conversations, an unnecessary measure in my book because if the dialogue is good (and Mooney’s is good!) then the reader would of course know where to put the emphasis by themself. The descriptive writing within the book did enough for the reader to get the flow but regrettably that becomes disjointed as a result by the author’s attempt to direct his emphasis. In addition to this, unfinished sentences between the characters disrupted the conversations and again disrupted the course of the novel. This could have been an interesting move by the author and I can understand why he might have attempted it in an effort to avoid an information overload but being honest I just found it frustrating at times.
I’ll be honest and say that the conclusion of the book left me wanting somewhat, the lack of resolution has me on edge and I can only hope this is eased with the upcoming additions to the series.
With all that being said I have to say this is a debut novel that I would recommend. This book has plenty of action and Mooney’s descriptive talents are first-rate! The very concept of the story is quite intriguing to be honest. I mean who wouldn’t want the ability to slow down time! With the chance to grow and develop not only his talent but this dark world and all the characters in it, Mooney has started a journey that I’m only too happy to continue on with and eagerly await the next release!
You can grab your copy of Godhead by clicking the links below:
Godhead – Paperback
Godhead – Kindle Edition
