Gather the Fortunes

Crescent City #2

by Bryan Camp

The exciting sequel to the stunning debut, The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp.

Renaissance Raines has found her place among the psychopomps – the guides who lead the souls of the recently departed through the Seven Gates of the Underworld – and done her best to avoid the notice of gods and mortals alike. But when a young boy named Ramses St. Cyr manages to escape his foretold death, Renaissance finds herself at the center of a deity-thick plot unfolding in New Orleans. Someone helped Ramses slip free of his destined end – someone willing to risk everything to steal a little slice of power for themselves.

Is it one of the storm gods that’s descended on the city? The death god who’s locked the Gates of the Underworld? Or the manipulative sorcerer who also cheated Death? When she finds the schemer, there’s gonna be all kinds of hell to pay, because there are scarier things than death in the Crescent City. Renaissance Raines is one of them.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Mythology, Supernatural, Demons

599 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2019

Reviews

[Bryan Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second, best book I've ever written. (not second best, for the record)

[Liis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diving into this book, both of the Crescent City books this far, has been like shutting out the reality and stepping into a world mystery and otherworldliness and peace and danger.

Whilst book #1 focuses on Jude (who was – is- a super character, by the way), Gather the Fortunes centres around Renaissance Raines, or Renai, who has become a psychopomp. The guide of souls from this side of life to the other. Raines’ story is one that is full of adventure and wonder and myth and gods – but truly, the blurb is all you need to dive into this book. Yet again I am unable to make justice to the story through my own words- you simply need to experience it yourself.

Again and again, immunity from the grave is not a gift to be granted but a sentence to be carried out. Not a blessing, but a curse.

What starts out as a story about a psychopomp task gone wrong, turns into a much bigger agenda mixed up by the courtesy of deities. Gods, whether they are inherently evil or not, they do eventually get bored and fuck up. But Raines has a sidekick Sal – a bird/dog (depending on what’s required)- who has a filthy mouth in some version of the multiverse and a tight-lipped on in the other. This was actually one thing that really threw me once I got to Part 2 of the book- I was so bloody confused- what the hell happened? Well, simple- Liis wasn’t paying enough attention and when she read back the ending of Part 1 – everything was clear as day.

There is a lot of different parts that make this story great that Camp has had to juggle and put together like a little precious gothic looking ragdoll, but he bloody did it. It is not simply the vibe and atmosphere that Camp has captured of New Orleans – there is the myth, the legend from various cultures. There’s a presence I could imagine about all of the characters, of the legba, of the gods that mingle among people… There’s also the offering of a good laugh out loud moment many a times. I mean, this is what a reader wants, is it not? Gather the Fortunes is a wonderful portal that will blow your reality to smithereens and suck you into fantasy with the insane imagination and ability to twist the legend into contemporary story!

When she finished, Sal said nothing for a few seconds that felt like hours. When he spoke, he no longer sounded angry – only tired. “There just ain’t no side of this ain’t fucked from hell to breakfast, is there?” he asked, though it seemed rhetorical.

I’m telling you, if you love an imaginative story full of quirk and fun and adventure and mystery, then Camp is your man.

[Brittany Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Well, denying the thunder won't halt the lightning."

Fantasy is not my normal jam, but add in Greek Mythology, Magic, Spirituality, and elements of the Underworld, and I am so there! Plus, I really enjoyed book 1, where it all started, The City Of Lost Fortunes.

Particular parts reminded me of Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology", J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter Series", and Dante's Inferno. The parts that reminded me of Neil Gaiman's works were poetic in a way. I really enjoyed getting lost in the flow of words. Hearing this as an audiobook would be a great experience!

The imagery was great! Bryan Camp, the author, being a Katrina Hurricane survivor of New Orleans, brought these elements out in his characters and the locations they traveled to. Weaved with magic, mythology, and power, I always look forward to seeing where his stories go. If you want a wild time in New Orleans mixed with fantasy and magic this series is a fun ride! I love seeing other's thoughts on life after death and what happens when things go sideways. How he describes the shadow aspects are beautiful.

If there's a book 3 I'd check it out. I have to admit I did like book one better. The pacing of book 2 was a little off for me, great elements weaved throughout though. I'd definitely be interested in seeing the final copy of this book. There were some seriously awesome fantasy elements that I just cannot get over.

I won an ARC via a Twitter contest hosted by John Joseph Adams, and the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt summer of 2019. All quotes may not reflect the final publication as the author could have made changes. All reviews by me are honest and voluntary.

[Jessica Draper · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you liked the first book and love New Orleans, you might enjoy this, but you have different taste than I do.

WARNING: If you haven’t read Bryan Camp’s first book, The City of Lost Fortunes, the fascination with Trickster hottie Jude Dubisson, the heroine’s backstory, and the big-bad reveal at the end isn’t going to make much sense. I hadn’t read it, and after this one, I have no desire to.

So, why not? Besides the fact that the story hinges on events and people from the book before and doesn’t bother to tie in the backstory in an engaging way, the story didn’t have much to recommend itself to me.

I didn’t like or believe in the main character. Renaissance Raines, whom the reviews proclaim a tough, resourceful, powerful, etc., but who actually is more ineffective and reactive. She spends most of the time half wondering about how her supernatural world works, but never actually bothers to ASK anyone, which means she doesn’t know enough to do her job or figure out the situation she’s in. In the first third of the book, she’s angry and rude to everyone she meets, and while that does change in the second third, it’s not because she decides to handle interactions more effectively. [SPOILER: It’s because she’s literally a split personality.] She shifts between contempt, hostility, amusement, affection, and devotion (for her psychopomp trainer/friend Sal, for instance, as well as the aforementioned Jude) for no discernible reason. Worst of all, even after she inadvertently figures herself out, she doesn’t feel like a real person. She’s a spokesfigure, a vehicle for Mr. Camp to repeat every talking point a well-meaning white man can recite from memory about the everyday oppression of women, Black people, and especially Black people who are women. I didn’t believe her as a person, and I wasn’t interested in spending my time following along with her as a character, either. Plus, if the reader is supposed to pronounce her name “Renny,” for heaven’s sake, Mr. Camp, don’t spell it “Renai” through the whole book!

I also am not familiar with New Orleans, which meant the constant references to particular businesses, streets, buildings, neighborhoods, and cemeteries (oh, all the cemeteries) meant nothing to me. At first, I wondered if I was missing something vital that knowing which street they were going along would reveal, but soon realized that it’s just local color. A Jackson Pollock load of local color, more distracting than helpful.

Likewise, the blurbs at the top of many chapters showed off Mr. Camp’s devotion to researching “exotic” death-related mythologies, but didn’t clarify or even comment on the stories in an interesting way. They came off as attempts to be deep and philosophical, to lend his Underworld system some heft and gravitas. Unfortunately, his own metaphysics let him down. As is pretty common, stories that proclaim “Hey, all the gods are real! And all the myths! And all the monsters! All at once!” don’t make a lot of internal sense. Renai tells us that everyone who dies experiences their Underworld journey a different way, and everyone seemingly goes to the fate that their beliefs dictate--but as we follow her through the various levels of the Underworld (all New Orleans cemeteries--just for locals, maybe?), we see that everyone has to face the same six loa-guarded Gates, everyone ends up judged before the Thrones, everyone is at risk of being destroyed/eaten by the monster Oblivion, everyone who makes it to the “Far Lands” ends up in a Classical afterlife … or something that comes across as an ill-defined mash-up of many different systems. And apparently the whole thing runs on the magical energy of Essences, the scraps of awareness left over when a person’s will, actions, and destiny are all stripped away, leaving more-or-less self-aware remnant that can become a spirit, a shade, a demon, or a djinn under some unclear method/circumstance. Oh, and everything has a Shadow, an opposite counter-self (anima/animus?) that can manifest as its own entity and is stronger than the original--but only when it’s convenient for the plot. Renai blames Death (the invisible god/goddess pair in the seemingly empty Thrones) for setting up and enforcing an evil, slavery-based system, but the existence of several more-powerful-than-death entities strongly implies that Death isn’t in charge. Mr. Camp is satisfied to let Renai rebel against the system, without bothering to explain exactly how she can decide to rebel against the laws of the universe he’s set up--or even what those laws are. Except, of course, that maternal grief/rage, support groups, and community activism can overcome the ancient powers of destruction. Somehow.

Bottom line: I didn’t look forward to reading the next installment, and when I did, I left feeling more irritated than before. Not what I look for in a book.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Dollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells Renaissance (Renai) Raines’ story. Renai is a psychopomp in training. Her trainer is Sal, who can appear to her as either a dog or a raven. A psychopomp is one who gathers the dead and accompanies them through the several layers of the Underworld. Renai gathers the dead's souls to pass on to unborn children. There are strange goings-on in The Big Easy because it’s almost Halloween and Renai has a special assignment. She has to deliver Ramses St. Cyr to the Underworld, but he’s MIA. Together with Sal and Kyrie, who is a six-legged horse in the Underworld and a two-wheeled motorcycle in the world of the Living, they spend this book searching for the boy. This series of books are a very interesting, colorful and imaginative take on Death. I really liked the characters in this one. And I love learning about New Orleans, where I’ve never been, but seems like the ideal location for this type of story. It’s obvious the author is very proud of his city. One of the things I really liked in this book were Renai’s memories of her grandmother’s words of wisdom. I thought they were a hoot. I liked this one better than the first. I think it was because I really liked Renai and Sid’s wise-ass characters.

[Becca (Horners_book_corner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book difficult to read because I discovered it was the second in a series after requesting it. Although I appreciate the opportunity to read, it would make more sense for Netgalley to advise potential requesters when a book is not the first of a series. The writing was descriptive and premise interesting. I will definitely add the first of the series to my TBR list in order to go back and give this author another shot.

[Demmie Sunnanväder Hellberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Åh gud, var ska jag ens börja… Jag har nog aldrig läst en bok med så mycket lore, så många karaktärer att hålla koll på och så mycket detaljer… Jag är EXHAUSTED efter att ha läst detta tegelblock!!!

Å det är väl typ där jag vill börja. Jag tycker verkligen denna boken är för lång. Böcker får vara långa! MEN! Det kändes hela tiden som att man fastnade i boken, och jag tyckte verkligen inte allt material behövdes! Jag skulle säga att jag inte ens kommer ihåg 2/3 av boken för att det varit så mycket att greppa…

Pacingen i boken är enligt mig så trööööög. Det händer liksom så lite hela tiden, och helt ärligt var jag så uttråkad under vissa stunder och fick verkligen jobba för att ta mig genom boken. Vi får följa Renai, först i New Orleans som en psychopoomp (stav hehe?), och hennes resa, som är intressant! MEN! När vi väl kommer till det intressanta typ 150 sidor in, nä då ska vi följa den andra Renai, som är i underjorden, som ska göra exakt samma resa igen. Ytterligare typ 200 sidor som typ repeterade det jag redan läst…

Ett annat faktum som är så synd, men tyvärr gör boken till det värre enligt mig är hur detaljerad den är. Vanligtvis ÄLSKAR jag när författare är detaljrika och beskriver miljöer, karaktärer och inre monologer. MEN! I och med att ”pacingen” är så trög, blev alla detaljer enligt mig bara så överflödiga och inte något som höjde historian. Jag har aldrig varit med om en författare som beskriver varendaste byggnad, varendaste klädstil och utseende på alla 200 miljoner karaktärer och varendaste liten detalj i all tro och alla religioner som beskrivs i atompartikels detalj?! Jag kunde helt ärligt läsa en hel sida bara om hur en byggnad såg ut eller en annan hel sida med en inre monolog från huvudkaraktären som inte ens hade med handlingen att göra?! Detta störde mig så mycket och fick mig att bli SÅ uttråkad!

Men, över till det som var bra med boken och som faktiskt gör att jag ger den en trea! Vissa kapitel är extremt välskrivna och fångar verkligen ens uppmärksamhet! När väl Bryan Camp inte skriver i överflöd tycker jag att han är en fantastiskt duktig författare som skapar extremt fantastiska karaktärer och miljöer!

Å det är verkligen något som höjde boken: karaktärerna! Boken ”Gather the Fortunes” är andra delen av Crescent City duologin, varav vi får följa karaktärer som vi tog del av i första boken, därav Renai. Även om jag inte kommer ihåg en bråkdel av alla karaktärer i boken så är iallafall varendaste karaktär en jag kunnat visualisera så tydligt och ge liv till! Å våra huvudkaraktärer Renai, Sal, Regal, Leon och Jude är to die for! Så roliga! Det var bara synd att man inte alls fick ta del av Jude som var huvudkaraktär i första boken.

Men ja, jag vet typ inte mer vad jag ska säga, för helt ärligt kommer jag inte ihåg så mycket av handlingen. Renai och hennes partner Sal letar efter en själ som dem ska ta till efterlivet, men aldrig hittar. Medan de letar efter honom är dem på typ så 1 miljon olika side quests som kändes så onödiga och bara gjorde handlingen så komplicerad i mitt huvud… Hade innehållet varit mer komprimerat hade den fått ett högre betyg!

[Kathy Shin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy shit, I am in love with Bryan Camp's imagination.

Gather the Fortunes is set in an alternate world of gods and demigods and spirits and other supernatural beings, and the result is a beautiful, rich conglomerate of various mythologies--Greek, Norse, Native American, Haitian, you name it, he has it--each carefully constructed and all woven seamlessly into the narrative.

It's not just the premise and the complexity of the story that reminds me of Gaiman's work; it's the utter confidence with which he crafts it. As if this isn't some fictional world he pulled from his imagination but a reality that actually exists in some alternate dimension. Bryan Camp understands his world inside-out and he has the talent to manipulate it in ways that are not only exciting but also thought-provoking. I love the way he interprets death and afterlife and posits the idea that there are always, always two sides to every coin.

And what astounds me is how polished and detailed everything is. Nothing is done half-assed--from the process of soul-taking (which involves unbraiding and distilling a part of the soul and then turning it into a piece of fruit, eating it, and escorting the remaining spirit through the Underworld. Camp lends grim reapering a sense of craftsmanship, turns it into an art form. It's fantastic) to the various gates of the Underworld (in the last gate, your life in the form of a coin gets weighed on a scale and that decides whether you're sent off to a good afterlife or tossed into oblivion).

The prose is just as rich and hard-hitting. There are passages that have this internal rhythm, so that when you read them out loud, they play out like spoken poetry. It's stylish as hell. Of course not all of it is written that poetically--that'd be exhausting--but Camp knows exactly when to turn it on and off, and that in itself is praiseworthy. And the opening paragraphs that you find in some of the chapters are tiny art pieces in and of themselves--brief narrations about topics like death and luck and premonitions as they apply to different mythologies.

And the last two paragraphs? Chills down my spine. Gave me hard, hard vibes of the Dream vs. Choronzon scene from Sandman. I had to read them aloud multiple times, once to a friend.

Here's a snippet:

Everywhere Death walks, Life follows. Everything Death takes, Life gives to another. She is Asase Yaa. Onuava. Demeter. Coatlicue. Phra Mae Thorani. He is Kokopelli. Makemake. Geb. Lono. They plant the seeds in the earth and children in the womb. They gave birth to the gods and to the first mortals and to the cosmos and to the sea. They gave their lives to water the earth, to bring plentiful game to hunt, to keep the sun in the sky. They are the sky. They are the sun. They are the buds of new growth in spring, and after a fire, and after a flood, and in the shadow of a failed nuclear reactor. They are everywhere we swore they couldn't be, in the exothermic vents of the deep ocean, in the ones and zeroes of information, in the fossil records of Mars. Death can end a life, or lives, or this life, or very life.

But not Life.

Our heroine is Renai, a young black woman who, five years previous, had been dead and subsequently resurrected with very few memories of when she was alive. Now she works as a psychopomp, someone who guides the dead to the Underworld. I really quite liked her. She's a great mix of fierceness and vulnerability, with sass running through it all.

I did have issues with the plot and characters. The story goes through a lot of moving from point A to point B, doing one thing, and then moving to point C, and then doing something else and moving on again. And while parts of it were interesting, others...weren't. They often felt disconnected from each other and I wasn't sure what the point of some of them were.

I was also disappointed that Ramses didn't play a bigger role in the story (at least, not directly) because the synopsis had me anticipating a sibling relationship forming between Renai and Ramses. But sadly, no.

Overall, though, this was a very impressive read and Camp's New Orleans is one you absolutely need to experience for yourself.

[Lora Milton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Renai is a psychopomp, someone who leads the souls of the dead to the afterlife. But when a boy, Ramses St. Cyr, seeks to escape his fate, Renai gets caught up in a plot among the deities unfolding in New Orleans.

I always enjoy supernatural stories set in new Orleans, though I've only been there once. I also enjoy Underworld stories, so this was an obvious choice for me. I've only just learned that it's actually second in a series, but I don't think that's why I found it a little hard to engage with it.

The writing was good and the descriptions well done, but I just didn't connect with the characters and some of the supernatural happenings and use of mythology just felt a bit off. The pacing was also a little awkward. Still, the premise was interesting. I would read this author again and might well look into the first book of the series as people appear to prefer it.

[Leah Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, while I was reading The City of Lost fortunes, I ended up to doing out from Goodreads that it already had a sequel. I immediately hopped onto the library app to check it out.
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While the first book focused on Jude Dubisson, the overconfident demi god. This book (I was surprised to find out) actually focused on one of the first books. Secondary characters. Still set in New Orleans we get to see a whole new side to this universe Bryan is weaving together.
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Renaissance “Renai” Raines is trying to navigate her new position in the afterlife as a psychopomp. She is a guide of souls from our world to the afterlife. She is struggling to come to terms with what she is and what that means.
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Renai is on a mission to find a soul who missed their death. She uncovers a scene that is even more trouble than she initially thought.
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While I was initially disappointed in the lack of Jude in this story I really ended up loving Renai. She’s confused and lost and still pulls strength up to do what’s right. Her characters story is really deep and during the halfway mark I had to re read a few pages to make sure I didn’t skip something crucial.
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This series is shaping up to be a bigger and more detailed universe than I could have imagined. I’m ready for more! Bryan creates a really vivid story again weaving in pieces of lore and different cultures and religions really beautifully.
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“𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑, 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛. (𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑)”
-Bryan Camp

[Summer (speaking_bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

↝ARC received by Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for an honest review.↜

"The only thing death has never been is lonely."

Renaissance Raines, newly resurrected, is now a psychopomp, a guide that leads the souls of the dead through the Seven Gates of the Underworld. Until she shows up at the supposed death of a boy name Ramses St. Cyr to find that he has managed to escape his moment of death. As she starts to investigate where her soul has gone she ends up in the thick of a plot created by the Gods. When she discovers who is responsible for the escape of Ramses there will be hell to pay.

Gather the Fortunes is the second installment in the Crescent City series by Bryan Camp. In this book we return to the world of New Orleans and gods and tricksters. The storyline is focused on the underworld, psychopomps, and loa which was only touched upon in the first installment. The atmosphere in this book is still just as palpable as it was in the first book, very creepy and dark and it was really good to visit this world again. Many of the characters that you meet in the first book, The City of Lost Fortunes, make an appearance in this one. The main character being Renai, who ends up being somewhere between the living and the dead, helping souls travel through the underworld. The plot is not as twisty in this second installment but in turn it is also much easier to follow.

Many of the chapters follow the same vein as the first book where they begin with different beliefs and mythologies throughout many different cultures; each usually focusing on one theme that is relevant to the chapter. Knowledge of the greek gods and mythology would make this book more enjoyable, I suspect, but it certainly isn't required. I have very basic knowledge myself and still enjoy this series immensely.

"What's a life-bringing rain god doing in the underworld?" "Same thing a god does anywhere else," Sal said. "Whatever the F**k he wants."

throughout this book Camp has touched on some extremely important subjects such as destruction, injustice, slavery, racism, and many other issues prominent today and in the past. He laces these important issues seamlessly throughout the book and uses his MC Renai as a voice of justice. I love her as a character. She is angry at the world for all the ways people can hate each other and she uses that anger as a powerful gift to take down her enemies. I think it's really well done. Bryan Camp is a phenomenal writer with such intelligence I couldn't help getting lost in the language of the book. If you read this series you will immediately understand my meaning. His books are filled to the brim with diversity of character and culture. I think there is something in these books to make almost anyone feel seen no matter where they hail from or what type of environment they grew up in. I love how the foundation of this story is built with Hurricane Katrina at its core and it speaks of a community torn apart but who refuse to stay down and are determined to rebuild again and again. In the Crescent City books New Orleans is a living, breathing character. Her Voice, Magic, and Luck being bestowed on some of my favorite characters in the books. Simply put, I doubt you'll ever read a book like this one. If you enjoy learning about mythology, culture, gods, race, history, or the city of New Orleans specifically you will love this. I also recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy and magic in their books. This one is chock full of it. If you're looking for a book with a young black woman as a main character, look no further. You'd be hard pressed to find another like Renaissance Raines.

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[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Gather the Fortunes is the second book in the fantasy Crescent City series by author Bryan Camp. Though you do not need to read the first book, in order to understand and enjoy the second novel, I would advise it. I went into the second book without having read the first book, and I think that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. I found myself wanting to know more about the world. Though, to my knowledge the second book follows a different character than the first book- The City of Lost Fortunes does, so I think in that regard you should be fine. 

Gather the Fortunes was a great read. There are so many aspects of the story that I really love. First, I love the New Orleans setting, and Bryan Camp's New Orleans is even cooler because we get to experience both the normal New Orleans as well as the underworld New Orleans filled with Gods and Magic. Which leads me to the next thing that I loved- Gods. I adore any book that features gods of any sort of mythology, and Gather the Fortunes had that in spades. This was a really fun and magical adventure. 

The main character in Gather the Fortunes, Renaissance Raines or Renai, is a psychopomp, which is someone who lead the souls of the dead through the Seven Gates of the Underworld. Renai is a great main character. I loved that she had a good moral compass and I also loved how spunky she was. Dealing with gods of the underworld is no easy feat. I was really intrigued about the mission she was tasked with. Along with her mission we got to learn more about the gates of the underworld and the gods and magic found within. I really loved that aspect of the story. 

I think fans of The City of Lost Fortunes will really enjoy Gather the Fortunes, and I am proof that a reader can also start on this second book and really love the story. If I had a do over, I would have chosen to first read The City of Lost Fortunes before I dove into Gather the Fortunes. So if you have the choice, I would grab both books and read them back to back. If you are a fan of fantasy books set in New Orleans and the Underworld, the Crescent City series is one for you to check out. 

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[T.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gem of a love letter to the Big Easy from a man who knows the city best. Full of mystery and myth, heart and soul all wrapped tightly around the spirit of New Orleans. A perfect second chapter in this phenomenal series.

Highly recommended.

[Melissa Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in Gather the Fortunes was as wonderful and descriptive as I had expected. Renai continued to be a great character and the part she had to play in this story was terrific. I liked that Jude Dubuisson, from book one, played a part in this story as well. What I wasn’t a fan of was that, although the story had many great and interesting elements, I felt like it dragged in sections. It had its moments of excitement but I did not feel compelled to stay in the story as I had in the first book which was not what I was expecting. Overall though, if you love New Orleans, magic, and mythology then Gather the Fortunes is a story that I would recommend to you.

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

[Shrike58 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having finally gotten around to reading this novel, two thoughts come to mind. One, I regret not reading it sooner, as this is really excellent story, as one follows the destiny of Renaissance Raines, the young woman who was "fridged" in the author's first novel, only to be resurrected as a guide to the dead, and who now finds herself stuck with the problem of a person who has dodged their own destiny with death. Two, I hope that there's more from Camp in the future, as I found it very emotionally satisfying. About the only thing that I can mark this book down for is that there is a little too much misdirection, but without all the misdirection the story just wouldn't work.

[David Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm grateful to Titan Books for a free copy of Gather the Fortunes for review.

This is the second book in Camp's Crescent City series of urban fantasy set in a post Katrina New Orleans. Several years have padded since the events of The City of Lost Fortunes, and while the scars of the hurricane - and the subsequent neglect - have perhaps healed a bit, they haven't faded. In these books, there is a palpable sense of injustice, with racial, gender and economic inequalities bleeding into a palpable sense of supernatural evil. Escapist fantasy they certainly aren't.

Gather the Fortunes isn't a straight followup, it largely doesn't feature the main protagonist of Lost Fortunes, Jude Dubuisson, a card sharp and street hustler who rose in that book to become the Trickster God of New Orleans. In what I'm sure is a wise decision, the new book instead follows another character, Renaissance Raines ("Renai") who featured in the earlier book ("briefly", according to the press notice that came with the book - I'll return to that in a moment).

The reason I think this is a good approach, and one that could usefully be followed more often, is that a second book about the same character so often becomes a recapitulation of the earlier story. Jude grew and changed in that book: fun though he is, it's better to leave him to the world he's joined and discover more about somebody else. And Renai is a fascinating character. Having died and been resurrected in The City of Lost Fortunes, she's now become a psychopomp - an intermediary guiding the souls of the dead on their journey to... wherever. The challenges posed by her new life feature strongly - living in our world, but not part of it, alive and human but tending not to be noticed by other people unless she interacts VERY DIRECTLY (maybe a metaphor for being female?) and most of all, having to avoid her family - because to them, she is dead.

There are also less tangible issues: lack of memory of certain events, a growing unease at the part she's playing in the whole supernatural ecology, above all, perhaps, the unending cycle of abuse, discrimination and cruelty to which she has a ringside seat. That's symbolised by her latest assignment - which goes drastically wrong - the collection of a young Black man, who is to be killed in a drive-by shooting. Reno's - and her wise talking partner, Sal - lives (if I can use the word?) will be turned upside down by the consequences of this, having to embark on a desperate chase around New Orleans - and its many analogues in various heavens and hells - to discover what has gone wrong, before the time known as the Hallows comes and all the gates between the worlds are openend...

Moving the story on to another character allows Camp to develop his strange, syncretistic fantasy world, overlaying religions, superstitions and belief systems and motivating plot by the similarities and differences between them - so that Egyptian deities morph into Voodoo gods which echo Central European folktales - all intercut with myths, and articles of faith from the Internet age. The geography of world Renai navigates with her departed souls is shaped by all this, impacted by human beliefs and so inevitably etched also by long standing wrongs, oppressions and disparities. Because those, too, arise from human beliefs. It's far from being a simplistic world where the dead are judged for the good and evil they did. There are continuing factions and interests and many of the gods have contrasting - indeed violently clashing - aspects. This is of course where an avowed Trickster like Jude was very much at home, grifting his way from scene to scene. Renai has, it soon becomes clear, much more moral freight to her and so the rights and wrongs of what's going on are held up to more scrutiny. And I don't actually think she was as slight a figure in The City of Lost Fortunes as that press notice suggests - indeed, judging by what we see here I wonder if Renaissance Raines might be the central figure of this sequence of books?

It may contradict what I've said above (I am vast, I contain multitudes...) but I'd welcome more of Ms Raines in a further Crescent City book. Unlike Jude, she doesn't seem likely to settle down for long in the role allotted to her by the Thrones, and I wonder if we'll see more of a War in Heaven in future?

A satisfying, dense and fun sequel to The City of Lost Fortunes which left me wanting more.

[G Daniels · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not impressed with Bryan Camp’s Crescent City duology The City of Lost Fortunes and Gather the Fortunes. Over-all I begrudgingly give the series 2 stars, (actually 1.5, but we will round up since I don’t like to tell them they have an ugly baby).

I admit I had a difficult time getting through this series and often considered abandoning them and making them a DNF. The concept was great, it was the writing style that I found strongly wanting. Taking such an interesting concept and making it so utterly boring and dry that it is like reading a text book is almost literary criminality. And Mr. Camp committed just that.

The first book, City of Lost Fortunes was about Jude, a young man possessing magical talent, thrust into a card game with demi-gods and other deities. If he loses, he gives up all aspects of his life, soul, voice, essence, everything. Before the game is finished the dealer is killed. Jude’s life is in danger because whoever killed the dealer is intent on winning the game and will kill Jude to do it. Running out of time, he has to discover who the killer is and how to win the game so he doesn’t forfeit his existence.

The second book, Gather the Fortunes is about Renai, a psychopomp, (individual who guides the recently deceased to the “other side”) as she tries to locate a young man who has escaped his death.

The things I disliked about this series was mainly three-fold.
First: Mr. Camp continuously “beat a dead dog”. In the first book Mr. Camp endlessly referenced Hurricane Katrina. Almost every other page he referenced how things were different before the storm as to how they were after the storm. It became quite tiring and obnoxiously redundant. Also, in both books he incessantly listed how the varying religions had the same basic concepts and beliefs with only slight differences and names. Exhibiting his knowledge of different religions and the similarities in them is fine if it is an integral part of the story, but just to include it for informational purposes without further reference appears to be self-indulgent boastfulness. It became not only quite tiring and annoying, but also distracting. Commenting on it once or twice is sufficient, but to constantly comment on it without cause appeared arrogant.
Secondly: he cited streets and directions from one destination to the next throughout both books. This is fine if the reader is familiar with New Orleans, but it added nothing to the story except being a distracting, confusing travel guide.
Thirdly: the writing style itself. The story plodded along slowly. Again, it appeared the writer was more interested in showing off his knowledge of the city and religious studies than committing to the concept of the story. It was a lot of filler that bloated the books and made it difficult to maintain interest in what was happening. He glossed over important events of the story but spent a great deal of effort explaining and describing unnecessary attributes and scenery. The twists and turns and “big reveals” were so obscured by all the unnecessary rambling and lack of development of characters and storyline, the reader was apathetic.

The concept of the story was fantastic and in capable hands it could have been a wonderful and interesting story knocking the wind out of the reader at every turn. Unfortunately, Mr. Camp did not show the capability to do this. I would not recommend bothering with this series

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

February 14, 2020 - April 18, 2020

From Valentines to Easter.
Well the book itself was fine. The time it took to read it - less so.
February for me was busy, I told myself March will be better - mid March the entire world goes on Lockdown. You'd think being stuck at home would be a good conduit to reading - not when you're home with so many other people and there's always something else, someone else needs you to do. Reading becomes less about relaxing and more about the 5 minutes of reprieve you get to sit on the couch by yourself before dinner needs to be made or something needs to be fixed - lately, the internet since everyone is on it.

So rant aside. The book.

The library had bought this novel not knowing it was a sequel to The City of Lost Fortunes, which ok fine I give them that - the cover was nice, maybe it was on sale from the publisher. Finally after reading the first book I get to this one because I didn't want to have yet another situation where I read one book not understanding whats going on because I need the world and character building from a previous book Waking Gods or series ...

Well the first book in this series by Bryan Camp does not explain, preclude or assist in the understanding of the second book. If I had the chance to power through, maybe I'dve liked it BUT with both books, they took forever to read and were kind of all over the place.
My sister, upon hearing me explain the book said Bryan Camp's writing sounds like when a student wants to prove to their theology professor that they studied all the religions, deities and belief systems - only to throw it all into the essay just to up the word count and prove the point.
I'm not so sure I'd go that far, I did like the comparisons that begin every chapter and I did like the concept of gods of New Orleans (because its more than just a city within the US State of Louisiana but also the key to the underworld, duh) hanging out with greek and egyptian beings. Just not so sure how well it meshed. My family, who loves all things Rick Riordan more than I can begin to explain was quite upset to find Set (Egyptian) in Tatrarus (Greek). See where I'm going with this?

Ok, for my personal review. I liked it. Would I jump to read it again so quick, maybe not. Am I on Day #37 of Quarantine during what will be known as a changing time for our entire world in history, yes. Does this mean I may just run out of books and return to this friend, we'll see. I feel if I were to read it again, maybe I'll understand some things better. There are some concepts that I really did like and I'm going to have to do further research to find out if its author original or part of N'Oleans culture.

August 28th 2020 Page numbers to add
p. 197 One spins the thread. One takes its measure. One cuts it clean. Clothos/Lachesis/Atropos - of different cultures and traditions.
p.226 When hallows began and living mixed with dead. Discord the bird.
p.303 Opal, Renai, Leon. Only young people think being old is an insult.
p.308 She didn't leave any scrap of voice behind, couldn't risk the chance that his Essence may return.
p.328 Eris went by another name. Echidna, her lover Typhon when in New Orleans, he called himself Mourning. Mouring is in Tatarus, Eris is going to bust him out.
p.349 Wings belonged to Arke of the Titans. Balanced between a mix of understanding and rage that wasn't hard to maintain.
p.356 you think the devil is a dragon... or the dark whisper that twellsk you that your neighbour is different. That is food smells funny, that he's more successful and he wants what you have. Apep is everywhere in the little things. The crack and break until the edges bust and a school is shot up or a community destroyed. Demagogues and sociopaths and avatars of pure unfettered greed.
p.364 Ramses St. Cyr locked in his own mind and the demon took his fortune and his life. Cordelia had gotten Ramses name into Plumaj's book a second time. Bring him to the other side? No, bringing him home.
p. 365 using his voice and Sal's essence made coiled braids of voice essence and fortune to give life to her sister's baby.
p.367 taking the ring of power from Regal with Leon while they didn't notice.

2020
The City of Lost Fortunes
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Broken Strings
The Umbrella Academy Library Edition Volume 2: Dallas
The Legends of Greemulax
Intuitive Eating
Furyborn
The Monster of Elendhaven
Frogkisser!
The Looking Glass Wars
Blood of a Thousand Stars
The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 3: Hotel Oblivion
Gather the Fortunes
All the Stars and Teeth

[Stephanie Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Gather the Fortunes' is the fabulous second book in the Crescent City series and one that fans of the first installment are going to absolutely love. Unlike many others books in a series, I think you can pick this novel up without having read the first book in the series and be just fine. There are some references to characters and things that happened in the first one, but nothing that would be too confusing for a new reader.

Just like the first novel in this series, I adored this story. Everything about was incredibly well done. The characters, especially our main character Renaissance Raines, were all well rounded and complex. Renai is a fantastic heroine - she's smart, sassy, and does what she believes to be the right thing. The secondary characters were also rounded and had unique personalities that allowed them to be realistic. Although this book isn't written in the first person POV, which is my favorite, I really loved the author's writing style. Everything about the story and writing - the setting of New Orleans, the detailed descriptions and vivid imagery that brought everything and everyone to life in front of my eyes, and just the storytelling in general - was remarkable. Even to the point where I didn't mind that it wasn't written in the first person POV, which is a big deal for me personally.

The plot was incredibly fascinating and I loved getting to see both sides of New Orleans - the living and the Underworld. I felt like I was right there alongside Renai as she goes about her business. I really enjoyed getting to know even more about the mystical/paranormal side of the city including all of the Gates and the several non-human characters that inhabit it. I seriously loved it all. The plot was well done and had a quick pace, which kept me eagerly reading each page to see what was going to happen next. I'm so glad that I was able to join this blog tour and do a review of the book because I don't think I would've found out about this series otherwise, and I'm so happy that I did. If you haven't read the first book in the series, I definitely recommend that you do so. I highly recommend this book and the series to fans of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, and those who love New Orleans.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Gather the Fortunes by Bryan Camp from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through NetGalley. What follows is my fair and honest review.

When I first read the synopsis of this novel on NetGalley, I was totally intrigued. I especially loved how it was a fantasy story set in New Orleans. What I didn’t realize is that this book is actually the second in a series that begins with The City of Lost Fortunes. Unfortunately, the fact that this book is a sequel impacted my reading experience and my ability to enjoy the book. Still, there were some great features to Gather the Fortunes. Here’s my quick summary:

Ever since Renaissance Raines cheated death, she’s worked as a psychopomp--gathering the souls of the dead and leading them to the Gates of the Underworld. But when a mysterious, or rather shady, god asks Renai to keep an eye out for a boy named Ramses St. Cyr, and then Ramses misses his appointed time of death, Renai gets embroiled in a plot that could break the cycle of life or death.

As I mentioned above, one of my biggest issues with this book is that I didn’t read the first book in the series. This left me a bit confused at the beginning about who Renai was and how she had ended up a pscyhopomp. These events are occasionally referenced throughout the book, but ultimately I was able to follow this novel’s story without too much trouble.

One of my other main concerns with Gather the Fortunes is that occasionally, some chapters began with extra information relating to the different death practices and beliefs of cultures around the world. While this could potentially be useful for “creating atmosphere” for some readers, I mostly found it to be unnecessary and, usually, bothersome. These moments didn’t add anything to plot and, in my opinion, made the book longer than it needed to be.

Despite the above, there are some parts of this book that I really enjoyed. First, Bryan Camp really understand New Orleans. Reading this novel, I thought Camp captured the spirit of the city, and it was fun to see Renai traverse across some of its various landmarks. One of the other things I really enjoyed was the plot twist that came at the end of Part 1. Something happens that I in no way saw coming, and it blew my mind a bit. Camp has also done a great job of developing a unique magic system (afterlife system?), and I liked exploring more of how it worked.

I would recommend Gather the Fortunes for fans of New Orleans and urban fantasy, though I would suggest reading the first book, The City of Lost Fortunes, first.

3.5 stars

[Nay Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a copy for review.

I enjoyed this sequel as much as I did the first book, however, just like the first book I have to give it a 3.5 star rating. If it wasn't for the long drawn out inner monologues and extreme descriptions that pulled me out at times it would have been a solid 4 star rating. This book like the first is full laughter and plot twists.

Renai is half dead and half alive. After her encounter with Jude in The City of Lost Fortune she works as a psychopomp which is a guide that escorts the dead through the seven gates of the Underworld. Renai is a spitfire! I loved her from the first book because she was sarcastic, charming and funny. In this book she is the same, but she's also a bit more "hard" when dealing with people. Renai faces everything head on and tries hard to get her job done and on point.

Sal is still an awesome character. Whether he is in human, bird or dog form he was still awesome to me. Comical with his retorts and helpful when need be. Cordelia, Seth and Mason played their roles well and added to the suspense of the story. The whole thing with Ramses still confuses, but it played its purpose.

Jude, Regal and Leon make an appearance and I loved it! They were still the same as I remembered in the first book. Jude is more of an ass with his new position as the Fortune God. Leon is a bit more sensible as the Voice. Regal is more badass as the Magician. I love this little trio!!!

That ending killed me. I loved it, but also disliked it. Overall, this is a phenomenal urban fantasy. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Description
Renaissance Raines has found her place among the psychopomps—the guides who lead the souls of the recently departed through the Seven Gates of the Underworld—and done her best to avoid the notice of gods and mortals alike. But when a young boy named Ramses St. Cyr manages to escape his foretold death, Renai finds herself at the center of a deity-thick plot unfolding in New Orleans. Someone helped Ramses slip free of his destined end—someone willing to risk everything to steal a little slice of power for themselves.

Is it one of the storm gods that’s descended on the city? The death god who’s locked the Gates of the Underworld? Or the manipulative sorcerer who also cheated Death? When she finds the schemer, there’s gonna be all kinds of hell to pay, because there are scarier things than death in the Crescent City. Renaissance Raines is one of them.

MY REVIEW:
Gather the Fortunes is the second book in a serious and very interesting. The main character, Raines is a psychopomp. She gathers the souls of the recently departed and leads them to the gates of the underworld.

For me, the problem was that this is not a standalone and so I was a bit confused, thus taking me a while to catch up. However, on the positive side, the characters are well written and the scenery is believable. It had twists and turns keeping me interested until the very end.

This book was provided fee of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. I recommend this book for those readers that enjoy urban fantasy and magic.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to learn there would be a sequel to The City of Lost Fortunes. Bryan Camp has created a magical world full of mystery and intrigue and I am loving every minute of it.
Gather the Fortunes brings us back to New Orleans and back to Renaissance Raines. After her death and resurrection, she is now a psychopomp, a guide who leads the dead through the Seven Gates of the Underworld. Death is one of the big guarantees in life, along with taxes, that no one can get away from. Ramses St. Cyr, a seemingly normal high school student has evaded death-and more than once. It’s up to Renai to find Ramses and get him to the Underworld where he belongs, but it won’t be easy. Thrown into a twisting plot filled with all things Big, Creepy, and Scary, Renai has to outsmart gods, survive dangerous deities, and forge an unlikely alliance to restore the balance between the living and the dead. And what is so special about Ramses that he was able to get away with evading Death?
Once again, Bryan Camp has created a powerful and fast paced novel full of action, magic, and dark secrets. Renai is a fabulous character-smart, strong, and thoughtful. Her journey in and out of the Underworld was fascinating and full of mythology and history-both of which I love. Each page felt like a new adventure or obstacle was thrown at Renai and her ability to withstand it all was thrilling to read.
I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait to see what Camp has in store for us next!

[Bonnie_blu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, rarely have I read a more original or compelling intro than Camp's first paragraph in "Gather the Fortunes"! I admire great writing, and Camp proved himself capable of being a standout wordsmith with this one paragraph. After reading it, I was eagerly looking forward to reading the rest of the book. Unfortunately, the promise of the introductory paragraph was not realized. There were bursts of brilliance here and there, but they only served to make me lament what could have been. If not for the first paragraph, I would have rated the book 2 - 2.5 stars.

Renaissance Raines is a psychopomp, a being tasked with taking departed souls to the underworld. While doing so, she discovers her true nature and power, and encounters gods, demons, and various other supernatural creatures from numerous cultures. And perhaps this is the problem with the book. Camp tries to fit almost every god, demon, lesser supernatural creature, and myth into the book. As a result, it is bogged down by the sheer weight of attempting too much. There are also too many episodes of deus ex machina.

Reducing the book by 1/3 to 1/2 would have brought its brilliant aspects to the fore and allowed them to shine as the introductory paragraph did. By burying them under layers and layers of mind numbing repetition, a book that could have been exemplary was a chore to read.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing is ever only itself. Everything is a part of something greater. Every light casts a shadow.

"Renaissance Raines is a psychopomp – a guide who leads the souls of the recently departed through the Seven Gates of the Underworld – and has done well in avoiding any attention from both the living and the dead, until her latest charge, Ramses St. Cyr goes missing. Renai finds herself in the middle of a plot with the future of the city on the line. Whoever is stirring up trouble will have to face down Renai to succeed, who is one of the few beings scarier than death."
(paraphrased from Goodreads summary)

I am so happy to finally finish this book. This book contained many details and chapter epigraphs, but it still found a way to enchant me as much as its predecessor. Renai is an awesome character and I would read many more books just featuring her and the others. Despite my love of Jude after reading The City of Lost Fortunes, Renaissance Raines proved to be a much more compelling character. She refuses to back down and shows little fear, despite the supernatural forces at work. The author has brought the city to life yet again in his continuation of his Crescent City series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a tough read for me. It felt overblown and meandering. Take all the death mythologies you may or may not have heard of, and navigate them through a white man's idea of a young, woke African-American girl whose journey is a metaphor for the city of New Orleans, and you have the core of this book. I wanted to like Renai Raines, the protagonist. At times, I did, but mostly, she felt like as much of an archetype as the gods and goddesses peppered throughout the book.

In Camp's first book, the character of Jude Dubuisson was a flawed man whose story was told with sharp humor and irony. The book was also about the city of New Orleans, and the author's love for the city shone through without detracting from the story. This time, the images, and metaphors felt heavy-handed and didactic, and the plot moved as slowly as the post-Katrina recovery efforts.

I didn't feel the joy in this book that I did in the first, and I found myself checking to see how many pages I had left--never a good sign if the answer is "too many." I'm disappointed in this book because of how much I enjoyed the first book. Right now, I don't think I'll read any more in this series (if there are any). If you do choose to read it, I recommend starting with the first book, The City of Lost Fortunes.

[Lenoire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Renaissance Raines has found her place among the psychopomps. She is one of the guides who leads the recently departed souls through the Seven Gates of the Underworld. Renai tries to focus on getting her souls through the gate and avoid any unwanted attention from gods and mortals. However, when a young boy named Ramses St. Cyr manages to escape his fate of dying, Renai finds herself in the middle of the devious plan. Renai has to figure out who has the power and will to go against the Thrones to help Ramses slip free from death.


I liked how the author wove elements from different mythologies across cultures seamlessly into the story. I loved reading a bit of each different mythology that was included at the beginning of the chapters. However, there were a few things that I didn't like. I felt that the author was very wordy and I ended up getting lost and had re-read the paragraph again and that took away from the experience the author was trying to garner. Also, the first portion of the book felt completely different from the rest of the book because the last three parts of the book were littered with vulgar language which took me by surprise. Overall, the book was an imaginative journey mixing mythology and adventure together.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Renaissance Raines, Renai died she was chosen to become a psychopomp, a guide that escorts the dead through the seven gates of the Underworld. But when she is giving the task of finding a soul that has missed his death twice things are going to get a lot more interesting. She is going to be acquiring help and hindrance from all kinds of mythological creatures from gods and goddesses, angels and demons, and so much more.

I didn’t realize that this was the second book in a series. I do recommend reading The City of Lost Fortunes. It did take me a little bit to figure out what was going on but once I did get the hang of it things took off. I love all the different kinds of mythology that this book covers all based in New Orleans.

I really like this story and found myself wanting to know more. It’s clear that the author knows New Orleans and all the myths from many corners of the world. I love how there is a little bit of everything that will keep the reader guessing.

I recommend checking out this book. But make sure you read the series in order. I have a feeling that will increase your enjoyment of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Ryan Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set in the same magical world of New Orleans that The City of Lost Fortunes took place. Gather the Fortunes follows one of the characters from the first book, Renaissance Raines, a few years after the events of the first book. She is a psychopomp, basically someone who helps guide the recently dead through the gates of the Underworld. One of the people that she was supposed to guide somehow avoided his death--which shouldn't be possible. How did this person avoid Death? What gods or demons or tricksters are involved?

It took awhile for this book to get going and I think that it slowed down a bit in the middle (after reading a little further, it became more clear to me why the book was structured this way) but it really picks up about 60% of the way through and I had a hard time putting the book down. The descriptions of the city and the various places and characters of the Underworld make this book and the first one fantastic reads. Clearly the author loves New Orleans and the city is one of the key characters in both of his books. I really enjoyed this book.