Death by Miracle

The Lethe Archive #1

by Fowler Brown

All persons shall be equal before the law, regardless of divine heritage or status of godhood. That’s the idea, anyway. Detective Sophia Akerele deals with the worst of divinity. Instead of chattering on social media about Apollo’s latest pop song, she’s tracing magical weapons to local gangs… until she takes a fireball to the chest. She expects an afterlife, not a job offer from an international law enforcement agency. The Furies give her a chance to finally make a difference—to return to life with the power needed to tackle the worst supernatural crimes. Her first Egypt, where a divine bomb throws her hometown into chaos. Sophia works alongside her cynical new partner, the local police, and an adventurous demigoddess with a doctoral degree in thaumaturgy. But that may not be enough, as she confronts organized crime, sinister gods, and, worst of all, the family she had to leave behind.Eliott Dunstan on Reedsy "Queer representation, expertly-researched myth and history, and a compelling, morally complex plot driven and populated by badass women! … If you like mythic and/or urban fantasy, worldbuilding that actively works against colonialism, and imaginative takes on modern gods, pick up Death by Miracle. You won't regret it."

Genres: Fantasy

337 pages, Paperback

Published November 17, 2019

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw a good review of this book coming out of SPFBO (the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off) which reminded me I'd picked it up to read and never gotten around to it and I resolved to fix that. It's an enjoyable, action-packed jaunt. Lots of magic (miracles) and lots of semi-deities running around (think Greek mythology with lots of offspring of the gods and humans). Complete abandon in mixing of established mythological pantheons and a well-set up twist at the end. I thought I knew what was coming, but it caught me by surprise, which I always enjoy.

A bit of an odd-couple cop dynamic, our protagonist is a kid from the hood who became a law enforcement officer to try to improve life in her old neighborhood. Sadly, things go south for her early on but she gets to continue her purpose in the afterlife (no spoilers, this happens really early on) by becoming a Fury courtesy of the Valkyries.

The setting is one you don't see too often either - future, fantastic Memphis (but not the one in Tennessee - did you know there was a Memphis in Egypt? I didn't, but now I do).

Overall probably 3.5 stars from me (character work could improve and the writing could be polished/tightened up more), but I always round up for indie published work. Enjoyable read!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't the sort of thing I'd usually read, but it was bonkers and fun! I wasn't particularly drawn in by the first few pages but when the main character died at the end of the first chapter and woke up in the reception facing a choice of afterlife, i knew it was worth sticking with the book!
The book is very action and dialogue driven, and the descriptions of various settings were brief but functional. I enjoyed being swept up in the action and not having to wade through lots of lengthy descriptions.
The reason I've not given 5 stars is that I didn't find the motivations of the MC's brother or the villain to be very credible.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read with a great setting. I liked mythology as a child, but obviously not as much as the author! He took that knowledge and put it to good use, imagining a world where gods and demigods still roam the earth and leave behind godborn children who have a variety of powers. However, our main character, Sophia, is a hot-headed cop in Egypt who starts out as a mere mortal.

I wasn't too attached to the main character at first, and the fast paced action made it hard for me to take a breath (I was a little frustrated at how often plans were derailed by someone we just met getting killed by a sniper) but by the end I was on board. Sophia's relationship with her family members was a strong and rewarding throughline. My favorite characters were Caelistra, Sophia's jaded Fury partner/mentor, and Ixtele, a globetrotting academic who studies magical tech. The villain was also really compelling too.

In fact, for a little while I was kind of rooting for the villain, and I was somewhat disappointed when she turned out to be a super-powerful fighter whose original noble intentions got kind of forgotten. I was a little confused about the original explosion incident and why the bomb was so important, plus why it would be so bad for Setesh to die--didn't Sophia want to root out the corruption he brought?--but by the big climax I understood better.

I don't normally read detective stories, so that took a little getting used to (and rooting for a police officer feels weird in the political climate I'm in right now), but the mythology angle was enough to keep it interesting. It sometimes reminded me of Trail of Lightning, which is another good urban fantasy book. The appendix at the end, of one of Ixtele's lectures, clinched it for me. Overall, I had fun and learned/relearned some mythology to boot.

[A.A. Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It's the perfect blend of modern and fantastical, with an intricately built, immersive world, creative mythological references, and kick-butt characters. Sophia is a complex, interesting protagonist and her mission is a page-turning adventure. If you're looking for a story to get lost in, I highly recommend this one :)

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty unique mythological science-fantasy premise. The world building was pretty great, the only thing that would have improved it would be a map in the book!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read all the books in the Craft Sequence and the Dead Djinn Universe and want more in the same vein? Read this.

Featuring a female protagonist who works in paranormal law enforcement, set in modern-ish Egypt in a world where all the gods are real but they are no longer in charge. Plus a low-key Sapphic romance, if that's your thing.

I just finished the second book in the series and it's just as good. I borrowed from Kindle Unlimited but honestly they're good+cheap enough that I'll probably go back and buy them for real.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, action-packed read that I couldn't put down! I love the world building and the characters. Anyone remotely interested in urban fantasy, mythology, or stories set in our world with an alternate history should do themselves a favor and check this one out. I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series!

[Lacey James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical world building, thoughtful character development, fascinating premise. Would love Book 2!