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Olympus Bound #2
Winter of the Gods
Myth and reality collide in this sequel to The Immortals that sets Greek Gods against a modern Manhattan backdrop.
Manhattan has many secrets. Some are older than the city itself.
Winter in New York: snow falls, lights twinkle, and a very disgruntled Selene DiSilva prowls the streets looking for prey.
But when a dead body is discovered sprawled atop Wall Street's iconic Charging Bull statue, it's clear the NYPD can't solve the murder without help. The murder isn't just the work of another homicidal cult -- this time, someone's sacrificing the gods themselves.
While raising fundamental questions about the very existence of the gods, Selene must hunt down the perpetrators, tracking a conspiracy that will test the bonds of loyalty and love.
Manhattan has many secrets. Some are older than the city itself.
Winter in New York: snow falls, lights twinkle, and a very disgruntled Selene DiSilva prowls the streets looking for prey.
But when a dead body is discovered sprawled atop Wall Street's iconic Charging Bull statue, it's clear the NYPD can't solve the murder without help. The murder isn't just the work of another homicidal cult -- this time, someone's sacrificing the gods themselves.
While raising fundamental questions about the very existence of the gods, Selene must hunt down the perpetrators, tracking a conspiracy that will test the bonds of loyalty and love.
452 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2017
309 people are currently reading
2145 people want to read
About the author
Jordanna Max Brodsky
4 books722 followersJordanna Max Brodsky hails from Virginia. She holds a degree in History and Literature from Harvard University. She lives in Manhattan with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
March 30, 2017
As The Immortals was one of my top reads from last year, I couldn’t wait to dive into its sequel, Winter of the Gods. And while I didn’t feel this sequel was as good as its predecessor, I wasn’t disappointed either—returning to Jordanna Max Brodsky’s extraordinary vision of New York City, where Greek gods walk the earth in human guises, was once again a pleasure to experience.
Our story opens several months after the end of the first book. With the weather getting colder and Christmas fast approaching, Selene DiSilva’s antipathy for the holiday spirit is enough to make Ebenezer Scrooge look like a paragon of cheer. On the bright side though, as Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt, defender of women and girls, Selene has also been keeping her spirits up with her vigilantism to bring justice to the abusers of those she has taken under her protection. And trust me, Selene DiSilva is not someone you’d want as an enemy.
However, Theo and Selene’s lives are soon turned upside down by a body found on top of the iconic Wall Street Charging Bull statue, surrounded by evidence pointing to a ritual performed by a sacrificial cult. The identity of the dead man comes as a shock as Selene realizes that she and the other gods are still in danger. Someone out there is hunting her and her brethren, and once again there’s a possibility that the culprit may be one of their own. Now she must reach out to the other immortals for help while Theo scours his knowledge of mythology and his field of classical studies to make sense of the mysterious clues left at the murder scene, all in the hopes they’ll catch the killer before it is too late.
There are many reasons why Winter of the Gods is a strong sequel. Those who enjoyed The Immortals will be pleased to find it continuing central themes from the first book, including the fresh perspective on popular Greek myths and the premise that the Old Gods live among us in secret. And like the first book, this sequel also reads like a mystery thriller, taking the reader on a Dan Brown-esque race around New York City to locate certain landmarks by solving problems and symbolic clues related to classical mythology. It’s a modern day murder mystery with a fantastical twist, and you’re definitely going to want to keep reading (or start this series) if you enjoy your urban fantasy spiced up with a touch of myth and magic.
However, there were a few disappointments as well. Selene DiSilva has always been a dangerous woman, but there’s no denying that the events from the first book have transformed her into an even more ornery and aggressive character. While I admired her as a powerful and strong-willed protagonist in The Immortals, in Winter of the Gods I confess I found her a lot harder to like, not to mention her behavior also cast an unhealthy shadow on her relationship with Theo. Selene is may be the protector of women and girls, but that doesn’t stop her from frequently extending that protection to all the needy and vulnerable of New York, which she sees as “her” city. Knowing this while reading about how she abuses Theo—emotionally and, at one point, physically—was a little hard to swallow. Let’s just say the following interactions between Theo and his friend Ruth gave me a real eye-opener on the nature of his relationship with Selene:
Wait, so someone being pleasant towards him is actually something he finds surprising? What does that say about Selene? And Theo’s acquiescence and excuses for her, argh! The whole thing left me with a bad taste in my mouth which slightly affected my enjoyment of this novel, and it didn’t help that the romantic drama—like all the bickering and the jealousies—often caused pacing issues and distracted attention from the main mystery. When all is said and done, I was glad that the story ultimately had Theo and Selene looking more introspectively at their relationship to see if it was really the best for them or not (it’s an important conversation and kudos to the author for addressing the issues). For me though, all the chemistry had already been leeched out of their romance by then, and unfortunately I think that might have dampened the emotional impact of the ending.
Still, despite my complaints, they didn’t take too much away from my overall enjoyment of the novel. While a few minor flaws give Winter of the Gods less of an edge compared to the first book, I still highly recommend this sequel especially if you liked the ideas from The Immortals and wanted to see them expanded and explored. I can’t wait for the final book of this trilogy to see how the remaining conflicts and questions will resolve themselves.
Our story opens several months after the end of the first book. With the weather getting colder and Christmas fast approaching, Selene DiSilva’s antipathy for the holiday spirit is enough to make Ebenezer Scrooge look like a paragon of cheer. On the bright side though, as Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt, defender of women and girls, Selene has also been keeping her spirits up with her vigilantism to bring justice to the abusers of those she has taken under her protection. And trust me, Selene DiSilva is not someone you’d want as an enemy.
However, Theo and Selene’s lives are soon turned upside down by a body found on top of the iconic Wall Street Charging Bull statue, surrounded by evidence pointing to a ritual performed by a sacrificial cult. The identity of the dead man comes as a shock as Selene realizes that she and the other gods are still in danger. Someone out there is hunting her and her brethren, and once again there’s a possibility that the culprit may be one of their own. Now she must reach out to the other immortals for help while Theo scours his knowledge of mythology and his field of classical studies to make sense of the mysterious clues left at the murder scene, all in the hopes they’ll catch the killer before it is too late.
There are many reasons why Winter of the Gods is a strong sequel. Those who enjoyed The Immortals will be pleased to find it continuing central themes from the first book, including the fresh perspective on popular Greek myths and the premise that the Old Gods live among us in secret. And like the first book, this sequel also reads like a mystery thriller, taking the reader on a Dan Brown-esque race around New York City to locate certain landmarks by solving problems and symbolic clues related to classical mythology. It’s a modern day murder mystery with a fantastical twist, and you’re definitely going to want to keep reading (or start this series) if you enjoy your urban fantasy spiced up with a touch of myth and magic.
However, there were a few disappointments as well. Selene DiSilva has always been a dangerous woman, but there’s no denying that the events from the first book have transformed her into an even more ornery and aggressive character. While I admired her as a powerful and strong-willed protagonist in The Immortals, in Winter of the Gods I confess I found her a lot harder to like, not to mention her behavior also cast an unhealthy shadow on her relationship with Theo. Selene is may be the protector of women and girls, but that doesn’t stop her from frequently extending that protection to all the needy and vulnerable of New York, which she sees as “her” city. Knowing this while reading about how she abuses Theo—emotionally and, at one point, physically—was a little hard to swallow. Let’s just say the following interactions between Theo and his friend Ruth gave me a real eye-opener on the nature of his relationship with Selene:
“Theo forgot how much he liked spending time with someone who always laughed at his jokes—someone whose emotions he could not only predict but, to some extent, influence. When Ruth was sad, he could cheer her up. When she was happy, he knew why.”
“Theo was a little taken aback by her alacrity. He was used to bargaining, cajoling, convincing. It felt odd to have someone so willing to help.”
Wait, so someone being pleasant towards him is actually something he finds surprising? What does that say about Selene? And Theo’s acquiescence and excuses for her, argh! The whole thing left me with a bad taste in my mouth which slightly affected my enjoyment of this novel, and it didn’t help that the romantic drama—like all the bickering and the jealousies—often caused pacing issues and distracted attention from the main mystery. When all is said and done, I was glad that the story ultimately had Theo and Selene looking more introspectively at their relationship to see if it was really the best for them or not (it’s an important conversation and kudos to the author for addressing the issues). For me though, all the chemistry had already been leeched out of their romance by then, and unfortunately I think that might have dampened the emotional impact of the ending.
Still, despite my complaints, they didn’t take too much away from my overall enjoyment of the novel. While a few minor flaws give Winter of the Gods less of an edge compared to the first book, I still highly recommend this sequel especially if you liked the ideas from The Immortals and wanted to see them expanded and explored. I can’t wait for the final book of this trilogy to see how the remaining conflicts and questions will resolve themselves.
April 3, 2017
Columbia professor and mythology expert Theodore Schultz is enjoying a quieter life since his recent run-in with a violent religious cult. As a consultant to the NYPD, Theo had nearly died last summer and now he’s recuperating nicely. And helping him is Selene DiSilva, the striking and powerful beauty he met during the investigation.
Selene is mythology’s present-day Artemis. She’s the daughter of Zeus, protector of the innocent and goddess of the hunt, virginity, archery, animals and the moon. While it may sound great to be immortal, Selene and her extended family have found themselves in a strange state. Their godly powers are fading and they are coping with the very human side of aging. Selene is still very tough, however, and she uses her power to protect and avenge.
Selene and Theo survived the dangerous adventures in The Immortals. Now they can relax and work on their relationship. As the goddess of virginity, Selene must consider a more modern lifestyle and Theo may be the one to make her change.
Modern romance is put on hold, however, when police investigators call Theo to help with a new murder investigation. A man’s body has been discovered on Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue and clues point to another ritualistic cult. When Theo and Selene discover the cult’s evil plot, they rush to decipher the clues before the next murder.
Winter of the Gods is Book 2 of Brodsky’s Olympus Bound Series, an imaginative science fiction adventure. In this story, Brodsky’s characters take sides in the battle between good and evil, with a few of them caught in the middle. Within that fight are several layers of conflict between Selene and her family, who are often at odds with each other. Can they work together to fight against an imposing, but unnamed enemy? And does it help or hurt when mortals like Theo get involved?
Many characters from The Immortals return, including Selene’s twin brother Paul (Apollo) as well as a couple mortals: Theo’s best friend Gabriela and the story’s sleeper love interest, Ruth Willever. As a fan of mythology, I enjoyed learning many particulars about these imperfect gods and goddesses, their loyalties and their rivalries. Mythology buffs will appreciate the author’s knowledge and her detailed explanations of the Olympians’ complicated family tree. I had fun imagining the gods using their magical weapons and other devices with mortals, including winged helmets and gleaming swords. Brodsky makes the mystery real by placing many New York landmarks in the story, including Wall Street, Rockefeller Center, Roosevelt Island and North Brother Island. A terrific scene takes place at Grossinger’s the now-deserted Catskills resort.
As they decipher clues and gain entry into the cult’s chambers, Theo and Selene race against time to stop the murders, with numerous obstacles. The story ends in a wild finish, with many twists, surprise heroes and a few hints at what may happen in the next book.
I recommend Winter of the Gods to readers who like fantasy adventure stories in which characters must pull strength from their innermost reserves to save the day.
Selene is mythology’s present-day Artemis. She’s the daughter of Zeus, protector of the innocent and goddess of the hunt, virginity, archery, animals and the moon. While it may sound great to be immortal, Selene and her extended family have found themselves in a strange state. Their godly powers are fading and they are coping with the very human side of aging. Selene is still very tough, however, and she uses her power to protect and avenge.
Selene and Theo survived the dangerous adventures in The Immortals. Now they can relax and work on their relationship. As the goddess of virginity, Selene must consider a more modern lifestyle and Theo may be the one to make her change.
Modern romance is put on hold, however, when police investigators call Theo to help with a new murder investigation. A man’s body has been discovered on Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue and clues point to another ritualistic cult. When Theo and Selene discover the cult’s evil plot, they rush to decipher the clues before the next murder.
Winter of the Gods is Book 2 of Brodsky’s Olympus Bound Series, an imaginative science fiction adventure. In this story, Brodsky’s characters take sides in the battle between good and evil, with a few of them caught in the middle. Within that fight are several layers of conflict between Selene and her family, who are often at odds with each other. Can they work together to fight against an imposing, but unnamed enemy? And does it help or hurt when mortals like Theo get involved?
Many characters from The Immortals return, including Selene’s twin brother Paul (Apollo) as well as a couple mortals: Theo’s best friend Gabriela and the story’s sleeper love interest, Ruth Willever. As a fan of mythology, I enjoyed learning many particulars about these imperfect gods and goddesses, their loyalties and their rivalries. Mythology buffs will appreciate the author’s knowledge and her detailed explanations of the Olympians’ complicated family tree. I had fun imagining the gods using their magical weapons and other devices with mortals, including winged helmets and gleaming swords. Brodsky makes the mystery real by placing many New York landmarks in the story, including Wall Street, Rockefeller Center, Roosevelt Island and North Brother Island. A terrific scene takes place at Grossinger’s the now-deserted Catskills resort.
As they decipher clues and gain entry into the cult’s chambers, Theo and Selene race against time to stop the murders, with numerous obstacles. The story ends in a wild finish, with many twists, surprise heroes and a few hints at what may happen in the next book.
I recommend Winter of the Gods to readers who like fantasy adventure stories in which characters must pull strength from their innermost reserves to save the day.
March 12, 2017
winter of the gods is the follow up to the immortals.
more Gods, more romance, more action and suspense.
yet the novel isn't overly crowded with the more, more, more. Brodsky paced her second entry with a deft touch balancing out the info dumps with the plotting. she writes with skill and knowledge about ancient deities and of course the pantheon would have dysfunction.
overall I really enjoyed this book and felt the writing and characters were all strong and believable
a special thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book to review.
more Gods, more romance, more action and suspense.
yet the novel isn't overly crowded with the more, more, more. Brodsky paced her second entry with a deft touch balancing out the info dumps with the plotting. she writes with skill and knowledge about ancient deities and of course the pantheon would have dysfunction.
overall I really enjoyed this book and felt the writing and characters were all strong and believable
a special thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book to review.
April 23, 2017
Oh, a good follow up to the first! A tiny bit too action-packed for my taste, but lots of fun.
June 17, 2017
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2017/0...
3.5/5 stars
Winter of the Gods is another enjoyable installment. It starts with somewhat familiar ground as it kicks off with a murder mystery. Of course, every murder and story behind it is different, so this is not a bad thing. And this time, it appears that the Gods themselves are the targets. Ohhh… fun. Someone out there is trying to take out the gods. Like the first book, I found the mix of mythology and urban fantasy to be fun. Theo and Selene, now an official couple, are working to solve the crime and take us along for the ride.
As I mention often, I am not a huge fan of mystery books, so there has to be more than that to carry a story for me. In this, I think the mix of the UF vibe with mythology is what creates that something a little different to keep me engaged.
As for the relationship in this book, I have to admit that I struggled a bit with the concept of a virginal character with a love interest. I just really felt like the romance in this felt somewhat artificial and also more problematic than it needed to be. Maybe I just didn’t connect with the characters enough to feel chemistry between them.
I do know that when the conflict of Selene struggling with her relationship with Theo would surface, especially in terms of preserving her centuries old virginity, I found myself just not caring at all. That’s not good. This was suppose to be a real trial for the character and my reaction was “just do it and be done with all this whining. More sex, less stress. Or don’t and just get over it. I. Just. Don’t. Care.” Now, I am sure it is possible to have a successful romance without sex, but yeah. This one, with the stress surrounding it, just wasn’t working for me. Like at all. It was the entire strain on the relationship that irked me.
But outside of that, this was a fun story and I found enough aspects of it that I enjoyed to keep me interested and reading. If you enjoyed the first one, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one.
3.5/5 stars
Winter of the Gods is another enjoyable installment. It starts with somewhat familiar ground as it kicks off with a murder mystery. Of course, every murder and story behind it is different, so this is not a bad thing. And this time, it appears that the Gods themselves are the targets. Ohhh… fun. Someone out there is trying to take out the gods. Like the first book, I found the mix of mythology and urban fantasy to be fun. Theo and Selene, now an official couple, are working to solve the crime and take us along for the ride.
As I mention often, I am not a huge fan of mystery books, so there has to be more than that to carry a story for me. In this, I think the mix of the UF vibe with mythology is what creates that something a little different to keep me engaged.
As for the relationship in this book, I have to admit that I struggled a bit with the concept of a virginal character with a love interest. I just really felt like the romance in this felt somewhat artificial and also more problematic than it needed to be. Maybe I just didn’t connect with the characters enough to feel chemistry between them.
I do know that when the conflict of Selene struggling with her relationship with Theo would surface, especially in terms of preserving her centuries old virginity, I found myself just not caring at all. That’s not good. This was suppose to be a real trial for the character and my reaction was “just do it and be done with all this whining. More sex, less stress. Or don’t and just get over it. I. Just. Don’t. Care.” Now, I am sure it is possible to have a successful romance without sex, but yeah. This one, with the stress surrounding it, just wasn’t working for me. Like at all. It was the entire strain on the relationship that irked me.
But outside of that, this was a fun story and I found enough aspects of it that I enjoyed to keep me interested and reading. If you enjoyed the first one, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one.
November 9, 2018
Originally reviewed for & posted at Vampire Book Club
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating (out of 5): 4 stars
Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it will make references to previous books.
Three months have passed since Selene and Theo defeated the Classicists cult, and New York is in full Christmas mode (much to Selene’s disgust). Things have been relatively quiet for the new couple: Theo is now running the Classics department (basically singlehandedly, because cult) and Selene continues to come to aid of women all over the city (guys, if you work with wild animals, don’t piss her off, just sayin’).
But when a body is found on top of the famous Charging Bull statue on Wall Street, with signs of ancient rituals, once again Theo and Selene find themselves brought into the police investigation. Initially they think it may be someone taking Orion’s lead and trying to gain power once again but it soon becomes clear this killer has set their sights much higher. Selene must once again reach out to her immortal family to track down the killer, but with all their powers continuing to diminish will they be strong enough to take on this new enemy?
The Immortals was one of my favorite new releases of last year, and this sequel takes all the worldbuilding and character introductions from that first book and expands on it like crazy. One of the things I love about this series is just how vast the scope of the mythology is; it’s abundantly clear just how much research and knowledge has gone into this side of the book. I genuinely felt like I was getting a classics lesson whilst reading (learning AND having fun FTW!), and I loved how the plot and character arcs were weaved seamlessly with all the corresponding ancient tales.
However, the shear amount of backstory was somewhat of a double-edged sword, in that, phew, there is a lot going on in Winter of the Gods. It’s not that it necessarily suffered for it, more that I really had to concentrate to keep up. When most of your characters are literally multifaceted and have hundreds of epithets, things can get confusing real quick! This wasn’t the book I picked up before bed to unwind, and I found I needed to read it in chunks in order to be able to absorb everything, but I certainly enjoyed being challenged by it.
The plot had so may twists, weaving brilliantly from Olympus style action to intellectual investigations. There is a definite The Da Vinci Code feel to this book, with New York and it’s landmarks playing a pivotal role. I found myself constantly jumping over to Google Earth to fully visualize the setting. The pace builds to a crescendo that has consequences I can’t wait to see play out.
In the middle of all this is the very new relationship between Theo and Selene. I loved that, while their feelings for each other are more than apparent, the complications of a man and goddess being in an equal relationship come right to the forefront. The conflicts they face—Theo’s mortality, Selene’s fear that being intimate will take more of her power as The Chaste One, her growing humanity (and inability to get pop culture references)—cause real, and believable, roadblocks between them, ones they don’t always know how to navigate. For me, this is one of the most complex and layered mortal/immortal relationships I read in urban fantasy for a while.
Winter of the Gods builds on the solid foundation set out in the first book, taking every aspect—complex plot, character relationships, a wonderful combination of Greco-Roman mythology and fresh fiction—and amping them up to the next level, to make an immersive and intelligent read. If you’re a fan of American Gods or The Iron Druid Chronicles you may want to check this series out.
Sexual Content: sex
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating (out of 5): 4 stars
Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it will make references to previous books.
Three months have passed since Selene and Theo defeated the Classicists cult, and New York is in full Christmas mode (much to Selene’s disgust). Things have been relatively quiet for the new couple: Theo is now running the Classics department (basically singlehandedly, because cult) and Selene continues to come to aid of women all over the city (guys, if you work with wild animals, don’t piss her off, just sayin’).
But when a body is found on top of the famous Charging Bull statue on Wall Street, with signs of ancient rituals, once again Theo and Selene find themselves brought into the police investigation. Initially they think it may be someone taking Orion’s lead and trying to gain power once again but it soon becomes clear this killer has set their sights much higher. Selene must once again reach out to her immortal family to track down the killer, but with all their powers continuing to diminish will they be strong enough to take on this new enemy?
The Immortals was one of my favorite new releases of last year, and this sequel takes all the worldbuilding and character introductions from that first book and expands on it like crazy. One of the things I love about this series is just how vast the scope of the mythology is; it’s abundantly clear just how much research and knowledge has gone into this side of the book. I genuinely felt like I was getting a classics lesson whilst reading (learning AND having fun FTW!), and I loved how the plot and character arcs were weaved seamlessly with all the corresponding ancient tales.
However, the shear amount of backstory was somewhat of a double-edged sword, in that, phew, there is a lot going on in Winter of the Gods. It’s not that it necessarily suffered for it, more that I really had to concentrate to keep up. When most of your characters are literally multifaceted and have hundreds of epithets, things can get confusing real quick! This wasn’t the book I picked up before bed to unwind, and I found I needed to read it in chunks in order to be able to absorb everything, but I certainly enjoyed being challenged by it.
The plot had so may twists, weaving brilliantly from Olympus style action to intellectual investigations. There is a definite The Da Vinci Code feel to this book, with New York and it’s landmarks playing a pivotal role. I found myself constantly jumping over to Google Earth to fully visualize the setting. The pace builds to a crescendo that has consequences I can’t wait to see play out.
In the middle of all this is the very new relationship between Theo and Selene. I loved that, while their feelings for each other are more than apparent, the complications of a man and goddess being in an equal relationship come right to the forefront. The conflicts they face—Theo’s mortality, Selene’s fear that being intimate will take more of her power as The Chaste One, her growing humanity (and inability to get pop culture references)—cause real, and believable, roadblocks between them, ones they don’t always know how to navigate. For me, this is one of the most complex and layered mortal/immortal relationships I read in urban fantasy for a while.
Winter of the Gods builds on the solid foundation set out in the first book, taking every aspect—complex plot, character relationships, a wonderful combination of Greco-Roman mythology and fresh fiction—and amping them up to the next level, to make an immersive and intelligent read. If you’re a fan of American Gods or The Iron Druid Chronicles you may want to check this series out.
Sexual Content: sex
June 6, 2017
Jordanna Max Brodsky’s Winter of the Gods (2017) is the second installment in her OLYMPUS BOUND trilogy and a direct follow-up to 2016’s The Immortals, continuing to follow Selene DiSilva (formerly known as the Greek goddess Artemis, whose epithets include The Huntress and Mistress of Animals) and her mortal boyfriend, Theodore Schultz. Though Selene and Theo were able to determine the cause of the strange murders in The Immortals — and stopped the cult behind it all — a new threat has arisen, once which will be impossible to stop without divine assistance.
Winter of the Gods begins at Christmastime, and Selene’s not exactly feeling full of holiday spirit, to put it lightly: she loathes the holiday, especially the very concept of Christmas trees, and her relationship with Theo has hit a point of serious contention for them both. He wants to move things to what he sees as the logical physical conclusion, while she fears what will happen to her powers and attributes if she discards her identity as The Chaste One. After only a few months of rising arguments over the subject, they need a serious distraction, or else something major will have to change between the two of them. Read the rest: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Winter of the Gods begins at Christmastime, and Selene’s not exactly feeling full of holiday spirit, to put it lightly: she loathes the holiday, especially the very concept of Christmas trees, and her relationship with Theo has hit a point of serious contention for them both. He wants to move things to what he sees as the logical physical conclusion, while she fears what will happen to her powers and attributes if she discards her identity as The Chaste One. After only a few months of rising arguments over the subject, they need a serious distraction, or else something major will have to change between the two of them. Read the rest: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
June 25, 2017
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Another body is found with a cult ritual and it’s up to Selene and Theo to figure out what is going on.
Opening Sentence: The Salvation Army Santa Claus narrowly escaped having his bell ripped from his hands and shoved down his throat.
The Review:
Selene and Theo have been dating and things are going great until Theo is called down to assist with another murder. Once there he brings Selene and she realizes during the autopsy report that it’s not a person who was murdered in a ritual, it was a god, the god of Death, Hades. This spells trouble for all the remaining gods, but it’s especially troubling as Hades hadn’t faded like the rest of them and still retained his powers.
Theo and Selene begin the hunt and warn the other gods, that someone is hunting them bearing their own weapons. Selene begins working with the other gods located in New York, and they are later joined by some from out of town. Most of the gods are still missing or no one knows where they are. Selene begins to think that Ares is behind this cult in an attempt to regain more of his former glory.
But that all changes when he is found dead. It is a race against time to figure out who is next and try to prevent the sacrifice. When Selene is taken, it is up to Theo to infiltrate the cult and attempt to save her. But they have been betrayed, and not just Selene has been taken. Will Theo be able to save her? Will other gods be sacrificed?
Whew, this book hit the action right from the start and such a jump from the first one. It was scary to see Olympians being hunted and killed, and I hung on for the whole ride. I still adore Theo and Selene, and this book only made me love them more. Although I wasn’t super happy about the ending, spoilers, so I won’t tell you why. I love the cult aspects of her books, which are obscure forgotten things that took time and research and she made them extremely creepy and super interesting.
I learn so much about greek mythology every time I read these books, and this time she included the roman aspect as well. Which I totally admit didn’t thrill me as much. I mean they are the same gods with different names, but literally the roman aspect didn’t add anything to them. It just felt stolen, but she won me over in the end. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. I can’t believe I have to wait a whole year.
Notable Scene:
Selene let out a long shuddering sigh. ” I think we’ve already done enough.” And then, for a long moment, the gods simply sat in silence listening to the reports of the havoc a war between immortals could wreck on a city of men.
FTC Advisory: Orbit/Hachette provided me with a copy of Winter Of The Gods. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Another body is found with a cult ritual and it’s up to Selene and Theo to figure out what is going on.
Opening Sentence: The Salvation Army Santa Claus narrowly escaped having his bell ripped from his hands and shoved down his throat.
The Review:
Selene and Theo have been dating and things are going great until Theo is called down to assist with another murder. Once there he brings Selene and she realizes during the autopsy report that it’s not a person who was murdered in a ritual, it was a god, the god of Death, Hades. This spells trouble for all the remaining gods, but it’s especially troubling as Hades hadn’t faded like the rest of them and still retained his powers.
Theo and Selene begin the hunt and warn the other gods, that someone is hunting them bearing their own weapons. Selene begins working with the other gods located in New York, and they are later joined by some from out of town. Most of the gods are still missing or no one knows where they are. Selene begins to think that Ares is behind this cult in an attempt to regain more of his former glory.
But that all changes when he is found dead. It is a race against time to figure out who is next and try to prevent the sacrifice. When Selene is taken, it is up to Theo to infiltrate the cult and attempt to save her. But they have been betrayed, and not just Selene has been taken. Will Theo be able to save her? Will other gods be sacrificed?
Whew, this book hit the action right from the start and such a jump from the first one. It was scary to see Olympians being hunted and killed, and I hung on for the whole ride. I still adore Theo and Selene, and this book only made me love them more. Although I wasn’t super happy about the ending, spoilers, so I won’t tell you why. I love the cult aspects of her books, which are obscure forgotten things that took time and research and she made them extremely creepy and super interesting.
I learn so much about greek mythology every time I read these books, and this time she included the roman aspect as well. Which I totally admit didn’t thrill me as much. I mean they are the same gods with different names, but literally the roman aspect didn’t add anything to them. It just felt stolen, but she won me over in the end. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. I can’t believe I have to wait a whole year.
Notable Scene:
Selene let out a long shuddering sigh. ” I think we’ve already done enough.” And then, for a long moment, the gods simply sat in silence listening to the reports of the havoc a war between immortals could wreck on a city of men.
FTC Advisory: Orbit/Hachette provided me with a copy of Winter Of The Gods. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 19, 2017
The nitty-gritty: Another fantastic entry into
The Immortals
series, with more Greek gods, more action, more romance and much more danger. Sign me up for Book #3!
I had so much fun last year with The Immortals , the first of the Olympus Bound series, and I was hoping for more of the same. I wasn’t disappointed. Brodsky gives us a very strong sequel that builds on the world-building of the first book and introduces a new threat to our present-day Greek gods and goddesses. Even better, she moves along the romance between Selene and Theo and makes it feel realistic, even though we’re dealing with a millennia-old goddess and a present-day history professor/geek/authority on all things Greek. I think I enjoyed the first book slightly more, since this seemed to take ages to get through. (Not that I was bored, but it felt longer than the first book and it literally took me two weeks to read.) Still, if you love puzzles and enjoy finding hidden meanings in historical places and objects, you’ll love this series. I will even go so far as to say Winter of the Gods can be read without having read The Immortals first. It has a self-contained plot, and although the first book introduces you to the characters and their relationships, Brodsky does a great job of jogging our memories and subtly bringing new readers up to speed.
Briefly—in case you haven’t read The Immortals —it turns out the Greek gods and goddess of mythology are actually real, and they’re alive and well and many of them are living in Manhattan. Selene DiSilva used to be known as Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, but now she protects women from abusive men. Her brother Apollo is now known as Paul and is a famous rock star, and other gods and goddesses have also taken on modern roles and appearances in order to keep their secret identities safe.
Theo is a professor at Columbia University, whose specialty is ancient Greek and Roman history. In the previous book, he met Selene during a murder investigation. Over the course of the story, Selene and Theo start to fall for each other.
After the events of the last book, Selene and Theo have settled into a mostly comfortable relationship, although the virgin Huntress is still a virgin, much to Theo’s chagrin. But their happy existence doesn’t last for long, as the two are called in to help investigate a ritualistic murder. The body of an older man has been found draped over the statue of The Charging Bull on Wall Street, surrounded by several dead animals—a crow, a scorpion and a dog—which have been carefully placed around the body. Theo takes one look at the crime scene and suspects a cult might be involved, but he and Selene have lots of digging to do before they uncover the truth.
When they realize that the victim is none other than the god Hades, they are horrified that an immortal god is dead. And when Selene is attacked and her golden bow and arrows are stolen, both she and Theo start to put the pieces together: someone is targeting gods and goddesses. In order to track down the cult responsible for Hades’ death, Theo and Selene team up with several of Selene’s immortal family members, and it isn’t long before everyone finds themselves in grave danger.
Once again, Brodsky’s prose is compulsively readable, and her dialog is so funny. When you’re writing a story about the ups and downs of family relationships, good dialog is very important, and this book is chock full of wonderful moments between Selene and Theo, and Selene and her problematic siblings. If you think reading about mythological characters is dry material, then think again. Brodsky breathes life into three-thousand year old Selene and her brothers, aunts and uncles with snappy dialog interspersed with interesting facts about mythology.
Theo and Selene go through lots of changes in this story. You would think it would be hard to maintain an interesting romance when Selene continues to insist on staying a virgin, but I thought the author handled it very well. Selene is a prickly character and isn’t that easy to get along with, so it says something about Theo that he wants to stay with her, even after everything that’s happened between them.
There are plenty of interesting facts about the gods, and for mythology buffs, this story is like catnip! But don’t worry: Brodsky knows how to incorporate a damn good story with her love of history, and the two mesh wonderfully together. She’s obviously done a ton of research, and it shows.
A couple of things didn’t work quite as well for me this time, although they were very minor. For some reason, Theo grated on my nerves more than the last book. He came across as whiny, especially when Selene tries to cut him out of the action (for his safety, of course), and his constant “know it all” attitude about historical facts became a bit too much. He’s also very jealous of Selene in this book, especially when she’s interacting with her half-brother Flint (Hephaestus, God of the Forge). I also though the writing was overly dramatic in some spots, but it didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story.
The last several chapters are action-packed and emotional, and an unexpected twist at the end caught me off guard, but I can see why the author decided to go in that direction. Brodsky does a great job of wrapping things up at the end, but leaving just a crumb or two unresolved to whet our appetites for the third (and final?) book of the series, Olympus Bound . This series is highly enjoyable, and if you haven’t started it, I recommend you do so right away.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Read my review of The Immortals here!This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
I had so much fun last year with The Immortals , the first of the Olympus Bound series, and I was hoping for more of the same. I wasn’t disappointed. Brodsky gives us a very strong sequel that builds on the world-building of the first book and introduces a new threat to our present-day Greek gods and goddesses. Even better, she moves along the romance between Selene and Theo and makes it feel realistic, even though we’re dealing with a millennia-old goddess and a present-day history professor/geek/authority on all things Greek. I think I enjoyed the first book slightly more, since this seemed to take ages to get through. (Not that I was bored, but it felt longer than the first book and it literally took me two weeks to read.) Still, if you love puzzles and enjoy finding hidden meanings in historical places and objects, you’ll love this series. I will even go so far as to say Winter of the Gods can be read without having read The Immortals first. It has a self-contained plot, and although the first book introduces you to the characters and their relationships, Brodsky does a great job of jogging our memories and subtly bringing new readers up to speed.
Briefly—in case you haven’t read The Immortals —it turns out the Greek gods and goddess of mythology are actually real, and they’re alive and well and many of them are living in Manhattan. Selene DiSilva used to be known as Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, but now she protects women from abusive men. Her brother Apollo is now known as Paul and is a famous rock star, and other gods and goddesses have also taken on modern roles and appearances in order to keep their secret identities safe.
Theo is a professor at Columbia University, whose specialty is ancient Greek and Roman history. In the previous book, he met Selene during a murder investigation. Over the course of the story, Selene and Theo start to fall for each other.
After the events of the last book, Selene and Theo have settled into a mostly comfortable relationship, although the virgin Huntress is still a virgin, much to Theo’s chagrin. But their happy existence doesn’t last for long, as the two are called in to help investigate a ritualistic murder. The body of an older man has been found draped over the statue of The Charging Bull on Wall Street, surrounded by several dead animals—a crow, a scorpion and a dog—which have been carefully placed around the body. Theo takes one look at the crime scene and suspects a cult might be involved, but he and Selene have lots of digging to do before they uncover the truth.
When they realize that the victim is none other than the god Hades, they are horrified that an immortal god is dead. And when Selene is attacked and her golden bow and arrows are stolen, both she and Theo start to put the pieces together: someone is targeting gods and goddesses. In order to track down the cult responsible for Hades’ death, Theo and Selene team up with several of Selene’s immortal family members, and it isn’t long before everyone finds themselves in grave danger.
Once again, Brodsky’s prose is compulsively readable, and her dialog is so funny. When you’re writing a story about the ups and downs of family relationships, good dialog is very important, and this book is chock full of wonderful moments between Selene and Theo, and Selene and her problematic siblings. If you think reading about mythological characters is dry material, then think again. Brodsky breathes life into three-thousand year old Selene and her brothers, aunts and uncles with snappy dialog interspersed with interesting facts about mythology.
Theo and Selene go through lots of changes in this story. You would think it would be hard to maintain an interesting romance when Selene continues to insist on staying a virgin, but I thought the author handled it very well. Selene is a prickly character and isn’t that easy to get along with, so it says something about Theo that he wants to stay with her, even after everything that’s happened between them.
There are plenty of interesting facts about the gods, and for mythology buffs, this story is like catnip! But don’t worry: Brodsky knows how to incorporate a damn good story with her love of history, and the two mesh wonderfully together. She’s obviously done a ton of research, and it shows.
A couple of things didn’t work quite as well for me this time, although they were very minor. For some reason, Theo grated on my nerves more than the last book. He came across as whiny, especially when Selene tries to cut him out of the action (for his safety, of course), and his constant “know it all” attitude about historical facts became a bit too much. He’s also very jealous of Selene in this book, especially when she’s interacting with her half-brother Flint (Hephaestus, God of the Forge). I also though the writing was overly dramatic in some spots, but it didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story.
The last several chapters are action-packed and emotional, and an unexpected twist at the end caught me off guard, but I can see why the author decided to go in that direction. Brodsky does a great job of wrapping things up at the end, but leaving just a crumb or two unresolved to whet our appetites for the third (and final?) book of the series, Olympus Bound . This series is highly enjoyable, and if you haven’t started it, I recommend you do so right away.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Read my review of The Immortals here!This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
January 5, 2019
Interesting premise using the Greeks gods and goddesses in modern guise in this fantasy-serial murder mystery but disappointing . I figured out early on the "baddies" would have something to do with a certain sect when the author began to use the Latin and Greek terms. I did like the tie-ins of astronomy and myths. But even for a fantasy the story got too outlandish. With so many pop culture references, I figure it will become dated quickly.
January 17, 2020
у богини Артемиды появился бойфренд - смертный, университетский профессор - и всё сразу покатилось по наклонной. они беспрестанно выясняют отношения, страдают, злятся и пытаются заняться сексом (Артемида всё боится, что если потеряет девственность, остатки её божественных способностей рассыпятся в труху). у-ны-ло. ну и преступление и его расследование гораздо менее интересное, чем в первой книге, зацепиться не за что.
третью книгу читать не буду, потому что по отзывам, там еще больше нытья и люб��вных страданий, чем тут.
третью книгу читать не буду, потому что по отзывам, там еще больше нытья и люб��вных страданий, чем тут.
July 14, 2018
I enjoyed the world built in The Immortals and thought a second trip there would be enjoyable. The single star above probably tells you the truth of it.
Far, far too much of this book is devoted to Selene and Theo's physically abusive (her to him) and emotionally manipulative (him to her) relationship. Theo's insistence that Selene have sex with him - she is the goddess of virgins and has, for thousands of years, repped that - is creepy. Perhaps Bronsky meant this to be romantic, the ultimate sacrifice of the virgin goddess because she just loves her man so very much. But the vibe is much more "25-year-old dude with bad facial hair in the backseat of a Camaro pressuring his 18-year-old girlfriend to give it up" than "Rochester and Jane/Bogey and Bacall/Posh and Becks love for the ages."
Honestly it took over all my memories of this book.
There's murders in there, too.
Far, far too much of this book is devoted to Selene and Theo's physically abusive (her to him) and emotionally manipulative (him to her) relationship. Theo's insistence that Selene have sex with him - she is the goddess of virgins and has, for thousands of years, repped that - is creepy. Perhaps Bronsky meant this to be romantic, the ultimate sacrifice of the virgin goddess because she just loves her man so very much. But the vibe is much more "25-year-old dude with bad facial hair in the backseat of a Camaro pressuring his 18-year-old girlfriend to give it up" than "Rochester and Jane/Bogey and Bacall/Posh and Becks love for the ages."
Honestly it took over all my memories of this book.
There's murders in there, too.
April 22, 2017
I expect New Yorkers would blaze through this book, I can't stop looking up locations and statues!
Selene and Theo return to battle man and his insatiable desires. Fun plot and likeable characters.
Selene and Theo return to battle man and his insatiable desires. Fun plot and likeable characters.
February 7, 2017
So I just read the blurb, aha, so it is a trilogy. I so wondered about that when finishing this book. It had a feeling of being the final book, but at the same time, it was so obviously not over. And I worried that it was indeed the end because more should have been told, and will be told ;) So yay for that.
In this one, Selene finds out that someone is hunting gods to kill them. Why is this? Who is doing it? So many questions, but at least she has Theo by her side. I like their relationship, they take it slow (because the myth is true so...) He is more relaxed now, he jokes, and he does love her. And she, I do feel sorry for her, she cares for him, but she is a Goddess, she has her issues.
I like this series. The gods running around, well some have faded away long ago, they are not as they used to be. They need worship in some form or another. I do like this mythology, and I would love to see it explored more, as one god does mention other gods, but are those still around too?
Anyway, this one feels darker, or maybe I just do not remember the darkness in book 1, because people died there, and people sure die here too. It was sad.
I am glad there will be another book because more is sure to come.
In this one, Selene finds out that someone is hunting gods to kill them. Why is this? Who is doing it? So many questions, but at least she has Theo by her side. I like their relationship, they take it slow (because the myth is true so...) He is more relaxed now, he jokes, and he does love her. And she, I do feel sorry for her, she cares for him, but she is a Goddess, she has her issues.
I like this series. The gods running around, well some have faded away long ago, they are not as they used to be. They need worship in some form or another. I do like this mythology, and I would love to see it explored more, as one god does mention other gods, but are those still around too?
Anyway, this one feels darker, or maybe I just do not remember the darkness in book 1, because people died there, and people sure die here too. It was sad.
I am glad there will be another book because more is sure to come.
June 5, 2017
I really enjoyed this book but it wasn't as good as the first one. My favorite character was Philippe. I felt like he floated in from a better funnier book and I wanted him to take me with him when he left the scenes.
September 13, 2017
4.5 *s Great sequel.
Review: https://chapterswelove.com/2017/09/05...
The Immortals, Book 1: https://chapterswelove.com/2017/06/07...
Review: https://chapterswelove.com/2017/09/05...
The Immortals, Book 1: https://chapterswelove.com/2017/06/07...
June 8, 2017
Actual Rating: 4.5 out of 5
A short review, since I've been pressed for time lately... But WINTER OF THE GODS is an outstanding sequel to last year's THE IMMORTALS. A new murder mystery, with higher and more personal stakes for Selene (a.k.a. Artemis) and the other modern-day incarnations of her Greek god and goddess brethren. It maintains the unique balance of action, suspense, and academic intelligence that Brodsky established in THE IMMORTALS; and with the added gravity of a new cult murdering the gods, it's also more emotional. Plus, judging from the breadth of topics that Theo explores to help Selene crack each clue (history, religion, mythology, archaeoastronomy - yes, such a thing exists!), it's clear that Brodsky has done a hefty amount of research once again.
My only problem with this book was Selene's problematic (and at times abusive) behavior toward Theo. She might be strong-willed and reckless by nature, since that's what the Huntress should be, but the few scenes where she takes her anger out on Theo are a bit disturbing. So I was grateful when both characters took some time to reflect on their relationship and reconcile their differences (well, at least some of their differences) before the end - especially before that jaw-dropping, "did-all-of-that-really-just-happen" climax. Bring on Olympus Bound!
On an aside: I finished this book, which features a modern-day Hephaestus (the Greek god of the forge and fire), on the night that the Vulcan / Murder of Gods episode of "American Gods" aired. Coincidence?
A short review, since I've been pressed for time lately... But WINTER OF THE GODS is an outstanding sequel to last year's THE IMMORTALS. A new murder mystery, with higher and more personal stakes for Selene (a.k.a. Artemis) and the other modern-day incarnations of her Greek god and goddess brethren. It maintains the unique balance of action, suspense, and academic intelligence that Brodsky established in THE IMMORTALS; and with the added gravity of a new cult murdering the gods, it's also more emotional. Plus, judging from the breadth of topics that Theo explores to help Selene crack each clue (history, religion, mythology, archaeoastronomy - yes, such a thing exists!), it's clear that Brodsky has done a hefty amount of research once again.
My only problem with this book was Selene's problematic (and at times abusive) behavior toward Theo. She might be strong-willed and reckless by nature, since that's what the Huntress should be, but the few scenes where she takes her anger out on Theo are a bit disturbing. So I was grateful when both characters took some time to reflect on their relationship and reconcile their differences (well, at least some of their differences) before the end - especially before that jaw-dropping, "did-all-of-that-really-just-happen" climax. Bring on Olympus Bound!
On an aside: I finished this book, which features a modern-day Hephaestus (the Greek god of the forge and fire), on the night that the Vulcan / Murder of Gods episode of "American Gods" aired. Coincidence?
May 20, 2017
Selene DiSilva is a goddess, living with a mortal man, in N.Y. when they’re asked to help with a murder investigation. But this isn’t what anyone at first suspects and soon DiSilva realizes that someone is hunting the gods… Let’s count all the things that make this book awesome: 1. Greek gods secretly living amongst mortals. 2. A kick-ass (literally and figuratively) goddess who is also hilarious. 3. A mystery. 4. Awesome fight scenes. 5. A modern, unique take on Greek mythology. 6. A human and goddess relationship… I need book #3 NOW!
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: The Argentinian Agatha Christie, & More Mystery/Thrillers
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: The Argentinian Agatha Christie, & More Mystery/Thrillers
August 14, 2023
I can't get into why I am soooooo annoyed at this story. It has to do with the ending. Just not right, so annoyed!
October 30, 2017
This turned out to be a rather weird read for me - It was rather disturbing and annoying even if the core mystery and the concept and conceit of Gods turned out to be rather engrossing
This last year has seen a fair amount of coverage on abuse - and in all cases, its been men on women. In this case, there's the role reversal as Theo gets the brunt of abuse, both physical and verbal, from Selene. Even making allowance for who she is, it was very weird reading the book. In a way almost as disgusting as Big Little Lies, even if the abuse in Big Little Lies served the purpose of the storyline. It doesnt serve any purpose here apart from painting Selene in a very bad light and pretty much perpetuating abuse
Anyways rant over, the central mystery once again explores the nature of gods and their rise and fall, esp in light of this modern age. Older gods are being killed to make way for a new old god and Selene and Theo are smack in center of it, even as Selene gets her family back together, none of whom can be trusted. The pacing is quite good, gods are as petulant as you can expect even as they bicker non-stop and there are divine weapons in play as well.
I kind of felt the ending for the Selene-Theo relationship was bit of a cop out and kind of feel I may not pick up this series post this book
This last year has seen a fair amount of coverage on abuse - and in all cases, its been men on women. In this case, there's the role reversal as Theo gets the brunt of abuse, both physical and verbal, from Selene. Even making allowance for who she is, it was very weird reading the book. In a way almost as disgusting as Big Little Lies, even if the abuse in Big Little Lies served the purpose of the storyline. It doesnt serve any purpose here apart from painting Selene in a very bad light and pretty much perpetuating abuse
Anyways rant over, the central mystery once again explores the nature of gods and their rise and fall, esp in light of this modern age. Older gods are being killed to make way for a new old god and Selene and Theo are smack in center of it, even as Selene gets her family back together, none of whom can be trusted. The pacing is quite good, gods are as petulant as you can expect even as they bicker non-stop and there are divine weapons in play as well.
I kind of felt the ending for the Selene-Theo relationship was bit of a cop out and kind of feel I may not pick up this series post this book
July 17, 2019
Premise- (3.5/5) I was definitely excited to be able to pick this up so quickly after finishing The Immortals, and looking forward to find out what came next for Selene. And Theo. But mostly Selene.
Characters- (3.5/5) It felt like there were a lot more characters in this book, many of whom showed up in The Immortals, but only had a minor role, both gods and mortals. Bringing in Theo's friends Gabi and Ruth made a lot of sense, though I didn't actually like Ruth that much. As for the gods, Paul, Dash, Philippe, and Flint were all interesting to read. I'm always curious to see how Brodsky is going to handle the evolution of any particular deity. And I really liked how Selene's relationships with her brothers were explored. EXCEPT for her relationship with Flint. Didn't love the direction that took and am feeling nervous about where it will go in the next book. Her relationship with Theo was also...difficult this book. On one hand, I liked the realism of the challenges they were facing. On the other, I didn't always love how those challenges resolved. I did really like the book's villain, but more on that below!
Plot- (4/5) The plot was stronger and more fun than in The Immortals, in my opinion. I liked this origin story quite a bit more, and I was really proud of myself for correctly guessing who the antagonistic immortals were well before the characters knew. There were a one or two spots where the melodrama was a little much, but stakes were high and fast-paced action kept me turning pages. Not totally sure how I feel about the ending. I think it may depend on how it develops in Olympus Bound.
World- (3.5/5) There was a lot of expansion in world-building here, and some of it was a little difficult to follow. But it also provided the opportunity to introduce new characters and powers, which was very cool. I'm really pumped to follow Selene to Europe in the final book, and to see how location impacts the world Brodsky built.
Writing- (3/5) Again, I enjoyed the humor in Brodsky's writing, though her style isn't particularly distinctive to me. Still a bit graphic, but that fits the story's tone, so no real complaints here.
Overall- (3.5/5) Once again, Selene DiSilva battles otherworldly forces, racing through NYC to solve the mystery before it's too late. With an expanded cast of characters, more intricate world-building, and a plot that raises the stakes, Winter of the Gods was just as captivating for me as The Immortals, and even a little better. Though I still have some mixed feelings on the question of the romance, I will absolutely be finishing this trilogy as soon as I can get my hands on the next book.
Content Warnings: murder, gore, torture, kidnapping, discussion of sexual assault
Characters- (3.5/5) It felt like there were a lot more characters in this book, many of whom showed up in The Immortals, but only had a minor role, both gods and mortals. Bringing in Theo's friends Gabi and Ruth made a lot of sense, though I didn't actually like Ruth that much. As for the gods, Paul, Dash, Philippe, and Flint were all interesting to read. I'm always curious to see how Brodsky is going to handle the evolution of any particular deity. And I really liked how Selene's relationships with her brothers were explored. EXCEPT for her relationship with Flint. Didn't love the direction that took and am feeling nervous about where it will go in the next book. Her relationship with Theo was also...difficult this book. On one hand, I liked the realism of the challenges they were facing. On the other, I didn't always love how those challenges resolved. I did really like the book's villain, but more on that below!
Plot- (4/5) The plot was stronger and more fun than in The Immortals, in my opinion. I liked this origin story quite a bit more, and I was really proud of myself for correctly guessing who the antagonistic immortals were well before the characters knew. There were a one or two spots where the melodrama was a little much, but stakes were high and fast-paced action kept me turning pages. Not totally sure how I feel about the ending. I think it may depend on how it develops in Olympus Bound.
World- (3.5/5) There was a lot of expansion in world-building here, and some of it was a little difficult to follow. But it also provided the opportunity to introduce new characters and powers, which was very cool. I'm really pumped to follow Selene to Europe in the final book, and to see how location impacts the world Brodsky built.
Writing- (3/5) Again, I enjoyed the humor in Brodsky's writing, though her style isn't particularly distinctive to me. Still a bit graphic, but that fits the story's tone, so no real complaints here.
Overall- (3.5/5) Once again, Selene DiSilva battles otherworldly forces, racing through NYC to solve the mystery before it's too late. With an expanded cast of characters, more intricate world-building, and a plot that raises the stakes, Winter of the Gods was just as captivating for me as The Immortals, and even a little better. Though I still have some mixed feelings on the question of the romance, I will absolutely be finishing this trilogy as soon as I can get my hands on the next book.
Content Warnings: murder, gore, torture, kidnapping, discussion of sexual assault
April 9, 2017
Selene (otherwise known as Artemis) and Theo are back, and facing some struggles. Their relationship is rocky, and someone has been killing Gods and taking their magical artifacts, but without a clear reason why. Will their relationship survive the coming shock? More importantly, will they and all the humans around them?
Winter of the Gods is book 2 in the Olympus Bound series, and it picks up not terribly long after the events in book 1. As in the first book, the author has done an excellent job weaving factual history and beliefs into a fiction story. There were a few times when the concepts being covered in the story sort of made my head spin, but overall it wasn't a huge issue.
There are a few unexpected surprises waiting in this book (no spoilers), and an ending that will definitely leave the reader wondering how things will play out in the next book. Overall, I am really enjoying this series, and will be looking forward to book 3 when it comes!
Winter of the Gods is book 2 in the Olympus Bound series, and it picks up not terribly long after the events in book 1. As in the first book, the author has done an excellent job weaving factual history and beliefs into a fiction story. There were a few times when the concepts being covered in the story sort of made my head spin, but overall it wasn't a huge issue.
There are a few unexpected surprises waiting in this book (no spoilers), and an ending that will definitely leave the reader wondering how things will play out in the next book. Overall, I am really enjoying this series, and will be looking forward to book 3 when it comes!
February 27, 2018
This, like Book 1 in this series, is a candy bar book. It's fun to read, and once read, totally forgettable. I picked it up thinking, "did I read this before? or was that a different book?" A few pages in I realized that no, I had not read this book but yes, I'd read the first in the series - though I could not remember a thing about the plot or characters.
Fortunately, not recalling anything from the first book is not a problem. The author gives enough information that it does not matter. The story rolls along, the telling of it is entertaining, it's internal logic is mostly consistent, and the author's use of the Greek pantheon is clever.
I won't be rushing out looking for it but one of these days I'll probably get around to reading Book 3 in the series. I have no doubt that by then I will have forgotten Book 2, but it won't matter. I expect that Book 3, too, will be entertaining.
Fortunately, not recalling anything from the first book is not a problem. The author gives enough information that it does not matter. The story rolls along, the telling of it is entertaining, it's internal logic is mostly consistent, and the author's use of the Greek pantheon is clever.
I won't be rushing out looking for it but one of these days I'll probably get around to reading Book 3 in the series. I have no doubt that by then I will have forgotten Book 2, but it won't matter. I expect that Book 3, too, will be entertaining.
September 11, 2022
Damn. The first book was so good, and the second didn't provide the same excitement. This book drags and is bogged down with the unnecessary romance of Theo and Seline. Someone is hunting and killing Greek gods, again (!). Still, I have to slog through several chapters of the struggle of Seline remaining a virgin. It very much reads like teenagers hooking up in their parent's basement. It was very juvenile and ridiculous. I enjoyed the expansion of the other Greek gods. Still, a lot of the book was filled with Theo whining, being snarky in the eye of danger, or just info-dumping whole wiki pages of historical information. The first book's strength was the ability to weave myth and history seamlessly into the story without feeling like I was sitting in a lecture hall. Unfortunately, that wasn't achieved in the sequel.
January 10, 2018
Not for me personally
This book was great except for were it wasn't for me personally. I love reading I love the adventure and also seeing a world that the amazing Mind and soul and spirit of the author creates. I like 75% of this book it was just the treating of Christianity like a myth that I couldn't handle. It was just to much for me Personally. So even though I think the writing was okay, slow moving at times. But well thought out etc. I just couldn't get past. I'm only writing this review just in case any other Christian out there will be like me and saying She doesn't get it.
This book was great except for were it wasn't for me personally. I love reading I love the adventure and also seeing a world that the amazing Mind and soul and spirit of the author creates. I like 75% of this book it was just the treating of Christianity like a myth that I couldn't handle. It was just to much for me Personally. So even though I think the writing was okay, slow moving at times. But well thought out etc. I just couldn't get past. I'm only writing this review just in case any other Christian out there will be like me and saying She doesn't get it.
March 2, 2017
"Winter of the Gods" is a follow-up to a spectacular debut, "The Immortals", and as a series it's some of the best urban fantasy I have ever read. Brodsky brings a host of ancient Greek gods and goddesses to New York City, deprives them of most, if not all, of their powers, and weaves a complex intrigue: a dead body is discovered atop Wall Street's Charging Bull statue, but unlike last time, it isn't just the work of another homicidal cult - this time someone's sacrificing the gods themselves.
Before I continue the review, I have to emphasize that I love a very specific kind of urban fantasy - one that's not too heavily dipping into the fantastical, but is rather very strongly rooted in the realistic. If that's the kind of fantasy you enjoy as well, let me reassure you that this book belongs to this elusive category.
The main character, Selene, former goddess Artemis, is at once tough and vulnerable, and thankfully unencumbered by the touch of manic pixie girl quality that is so typical to most urban fantasy heroines out there. Selene is struggling with overcoming her godly tendencies in her endeavor to become more human. For all that glitters is not gold. It turns out that being a goddess means being unmoved by human suffering, while at the same time being motivated chiefly by rage and revenge.
My biggest objection while reading the first installment in the series was the romance plot with a human, Theo, who simply was not a believable love interest for an immortal goddess. The romance plot continues in "The Winter of the Gods", but to the author's infinite credit it is dealt with with all the realism it deserves. The complications of a man and goddess being in a relationship come right to the forefront. They face a host of conflicts. One of the more obvious ones is Theo's mortality versus Selene's immortality; another, more complex, is Selene's fear that being intimate will take more of her powers as The Chaste One. These issues - and more - build believable roadblocks between them, obstacles they don’t always know how to overcome. Such realistic portrayal of this struggle lessened my dissatisfaction with this relationship.
Simultaneously, the author starts teasing a possibility of another mate for Selene, once much more believable and appropriate for a former goddess, and more importantly, one that is filled with all the thrill and anticipation of "will-they-won't-they". Let me just say that if you're a fan of the underdog possibly getting the girl, this book is the perfect pick for you.
I have to conclude this review with emphasizing my honest surprise that this series is not more popular, especially among the urban fantasy fans. Great writing, complex characters, very human issues, mature approach to life, death, love, sex, family, friends, loyalty, sacrifice - all against the backdrop of rich mythology and the grandeur of New York City. Read it. Read it now.
Before I continue the review, I have to emphasize that I love a very specific kind of urban fantasy - one that's not too heavily dipping into the fantastical, but is rather very strongly rooted in the realistic. If that's the kind of fantasy you enjoy as well, let me reassure you that this book belongs to this elusive category.
The main character, Selene, former goddess Artemis, is at once tough and vulnerable, and thankfully unencumbered by the touch of manic pixie girl quality that is so typical to most urban fantasy heroines out there. Selene is struggling with overcoming her godly tendencies in her endeavor to become more human. For all that glitters is not gold. It turns out that being a goddess means being unmoved by human suffering, while at the same time being motivated chiefly by rage and revenge.
My biggest objection while reading the first installment in the series was the romance plot with a human, Theo, who simply was not a believable love interest for an immortal goddess. The romance plot continues in "The Winter of the Gods", but to the author's infinite credit it is dealt with with all the realism it deserves. The complications of a man and goddess being in a relationship come right to the forefront. They face a host of conflicts. One of the more obvious ones is Theo's mortality versus Selene's immortality; another, more complex, is Selene's fear that being intimate will take more of her powers as The Chaste One. These issues - and more - build believable roadblocks between them, obstacles they don’t always know how to overcome. Such realistic portrayal of this struggle lessened my dissatisfaction with this relationship.
Simultaneously, the author starts teasing a possibility of another mate for Selene, once much more believable and appropriate for a former goddess, and more importantly, one that is filled with all the thrill and anticipation of "will-they-won't-they". Let me just say that if you're a fan of the underdog possibly getting the girl, this book is the perfect pick for you.
I have to conclude this review with emphasizing my honest surprise that this series is not more popular, especially among the urban fantasy fans. Great writing, complex characters, very human issues, mature approach to life, death, love, sex, family, friends, loyalty, sacrifice - all against the backdrop of rich mythology and the grandeur of New York City. Read it. Read it now.
September 15, 2017
Once again Selene finds herself and other of the Greek pantheon trying to stop a cult from sacrificing humans to bring themselves back to power and rule. All the characters that survived in the debut are back and once again the author has managed to write an entertaining mystery that kept me up very late so that I could finish this second book.
4.75/5 STARS: **This is an honest, unbiased review. I would like to thank the author and/or/publisher for providing an ARC through Netgalley, all opinions are mine.**
4.75/5 STARS: **This is an honest, unbiased review. I would like to thank the author and/or/publisher for providing an ARC through Netgalley, all opinions are mine.**
September 5, 2017
While I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous book, Brodsky's take on the Roman/Greek gods living in modern day New York fascinates me, and the relationship and histories between the fading immortals proved to be a compelling backdrop to a cult-induced murder mystery. Unfortunately, Theo's and Selene's romance deteriorated to my chagrin, even beginning to be a bit cringe-inducing with quasi-abusive vibes, which negatively impacted my enjoyment and rating.
July 2, 2020
Although the first book ended satisfactorily, the evil gods were not done with New York. They've moved on from human sacrifice, and now are hunting down Greek Gods to power their nefarious plans.
As the stakes get higher, there is more angst between Theo and Selene, but they persevere. Once again, many significant locations are used as places for bloody rites.
The book ends on a sour note, as it must to drive the 3rd entry. Which I will read immediately.
As the stakes get higher, there is more angst between Theo and Selene, but they persevere. Once again, many significant locations are used as places for bloody rites.
The book ends on a sour note, as it must to drive the 3rd entry. Which I will read immediately.
December 30, 2017
Az alap sztori még mindig zseniális, de ez a történet jelentősen kiszámíthatóbb volt, mint az első. Néhányakat zavart Artemisz vonakodása, engem speciel nem. Nagyon is érthetőnek tartom, hogy háromezer évnyi cölibátust nehéz felcserélni egy stabil párkapcsolattal.
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http://napifalat.blogspot.hu/2017/12/...
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