Seven players from across the land of Imperium are chosen by the god of death to play what appears to be a simple game. The winner will have the chance to make one wish for anything or anyone—dead or alive.
Although the players appear to be strangers, a closer look reveals that the slave, the politician, the executioner, the wise woman, two disgraced gods, and a young girl are linked together by both blood and circumstance. As the tension in the game increases with alarming speed, the players’ perception of reality begins to warp, and with it comes the What is each one truly willing to endure to satisfy their greed?
So I have a new favourite indie book and it’s this one!
This book has it all. It has magic, fantasy creatures, gods, a TRICKSTER god, morally grey characters -- like ALL OF THEM and they are deep and motivated and some very broken.
Guys I loved it! The writing was lovely. The characters are deep and enough that you will hate someone and cheer for someone in this game of 7 people trying to win the ultimate prize of a wish from a god!
The only reason it’s a 4 ½ and not 5 is because as usual I called both who won and the twist. My friend was really annoyed with me that I called it at like 45% through the book. But I didn’t care and I loved it. So if you like fantasy and think Loki or such is the bomb READ THIS BOOK!
This book was such a joy! It sucked me in and I ended up finishing it almost in one sitting. The story and world building was captivating and I just couldn't stop reading. I particularly loved the diversity of the seven contestants of Sedendum. The variety made them all feel so 3 dimensional and each of them had qualities and aspirations that every reader can connect with. I also appreciated how many of the characters backstories were intertwined. The cherry on top of this book was the ending. I thought I knew what ending I wanted, then something else entirely happened and it was better than I had imagined. The writing voice and plot were strong and the whole book was just such an enjoyable read. I highly recommend and can't wait to read more by this author!
I was engaged from the beginning of this novel. I loved all the different points of view of the characters and the high stakes of the game. A bittersweet story that I will not soon forget. I highly recommend it!
I loved this book! After enjoying Berge's Needlework, I had high expectations and was not disappointed!
The game aspect of Sedendum was thrilling and the characters were wonderful. I especially enjoyed Mai, who was a badass assassin with a surprisingly good heart. Sedendum has a wonderful message at its heart: live your life!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy with an ensemble cast and competition! It was a truly fun read!
Sedendum is the tale of seven characters, all with their own slew of issues and depth, who are selected to enter into a game of wits and endurance by the Trickster of Death. If they win, they can have any wish they desire; wealth, immortality, youth, etc. The only problem? No one has ever won a game of Sendendum before. Most players die. Still, desperate for their overriding wishes to come true, the characters enter in and journey through treacherous territories chasing down an arrow in the sky that can fulfill their dreams.
This book reminded me a little of a fantasy Westing Game but with very deadly stakes and rather villainous characters. Every character has problems but all were interesting and fascinating, and they didn't feel like morally grey heroes. Because the tale is not a happy one. It felt like a cautionary tale where you meet the seven deadly sins personified and see their downfall (despite the fact that some of them were rather likable).
Des was probably my favorite character. She was the underdog that the others were rough on. But I also loved the elderly woman because she was so awful but SO believable. And just, a character I haven't seen played out before. Very fresh and interesting.
Content-wise, there were some suggestions of sex and some violence.
The book never got slow. Every moment the characters were up against terrible odds. There was some epic depth and symbolism in the book. And some brilliant lines that I really loved. The fantasy elements were fun. Compelling tale.
This one definitely goes on the list of my favorite books.
To be honest, I was so impressed by this book, it took me some time to process it before I even tried to write a review. And I’m still lost for words.
Everything about this book was excellent. Beautiful writing, a great story idea—deep and thought-provoking, amazing characters, unpredictable twists snd turns, some tear-jerking moments and a mind-blowing ending.
Just perfect, from beginning to end. From the first pages, I kept thinking “I don’t want this book to end”. But you can’t prolong the pleasure either, because it just keeps you turning the pages.
It’s one of those books that you can read over and over. Still, I’m so jealous of those who will read it for the first time.
Highly recommend this book. I know my review doesn’t do it justice. Check it out and see what I mean.
Sedendum will have you on the edge of your seat throughout this novel’s entire game.
I particularly enjoyed the original story line, immersive world, and delightful balance of cruel and snarky characters. I was totally invested in the Trickster and would love to read more about them.
Wow. Brilliantly woven characters, plot, and underlying themes. A must read.
The Trickster, god of death, challenges seven desperate people to a game - capture a charmed arrow and receive their wish in reward. Amongst them, a disgraced goddess stripped of her powers and the daughter she abandoned to poverty, a shifter slave, a legendary assassin and an old woman looking for lost youth. Each will suffer the sins of their past and only one can win.
I loved Berge's fantasy, Needlework, and here, again, she takes the expected conclusion and turns it on its head. The finale is clever, savage and fitting for the Faustian feel of the game. A pageturning fable of past wrongs, desperation and the ruin of selfishness.
The concept is truly amazing and I was invested in the characters from the get-go. Now, that's saying something since I didn't find any of the characters sympathetic. They are incredibly well written and their struggles, fears and hopes are so relatable even as they are all immensely flawed individuals.
The stakes are also incredibly high. Considering the seven players are up against the Trickster, god of death, it's no surprise no one's survived Sedendum before. And then Berge comes with a sucker-punch ending that was utterly unexpected and simply awe-inspiring.
I loved the American Gods vibes of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for something Gaiman-level different in their fantasy reads.
"Seven players. Ten days. One ultimate wish." (Page 81)
I loved this book! It was incredibly well-written, and the different perspectives of each character were told flawlessly. Every chapter kept me on my toes and I found myself staying up way too late to try and see how it ends. That ending!!! If anyone is considering reading this book, I definitely recommend it.
Sedendum by Bekah Berge was a wild fantasy book that was everything Caraval was not for me. It was a binge-read masterpiece that kept me going from page one on.
5/5 stars.
Sedendum is a myth, it’s a cautionary tale told to children so they obey their parents… or is it? This book was action packed, the perfect amount of romance, some of the most bad ass characters I have ever come across, and every second of this book I loved. Our villains were well thought out, our heroes were actually icons, and their backstories. YOU GUYS THIS IS A STAND-ALONE AND IT HAD 4 BOOKS WORTH OF CONTENT AND PLANNING.
Mai is one of my favorite characters of all time. Ash is incredible, and Des?? I hardcore stan Des, and I genuinely want more of this world. The plot rolled the entire time, even through scenes where we’re just collecting backstory, I was so entrapped. The writing was beautiful, the descriptions incredible. I can’t rave about this book enough.
I want this to be a movie. I want to have a less deadly version of Sedendum to play. This book was such a ride, and I genuinely can’t rave enough about it, please head to amazon, please pick it up. Read it now!
An executioner, a fishergirl, and a shifter walk into a bar...
No, this is not the start of a bad joke. This is Sedendum, where the players stake everything on one single wish...
To be granted by the Trickster.
This book is incredible. American Gods meets Hunger Games but where the rules are: no participant is allowed to kill another. Because that's what the Trickster, God of Death, will be doing.
And it almost, almost met all my expectations!
The cast of seven characters is incredible. Even though none of them is properly sympathetic, I was still rooting for most of them, and especially for the three I opened this review with. Mai, the executioner, has a heart-rending backstory and for me was making the best of a really bad hand. Des, the demigoddess abandoned by her mother and left to rot in the human world has fought for her dream of taking her love of fishing to another level, and Ash has been a slave for most of his life but is finally promised freedom if he enters the games. These three sucked me in completely, while the remaining four characters added other elements that delved into the worldbuilding and really examined our own society and what superficial things are seen as important while we gloss over other far more meaningful elements of life.
There were some pretty awesome monsters too. Some were very reminiscent of African folklore and mythology and definitely gave me the creeps just as those original tales have. It was nice to have something so very believably modern although set in its own invented world, while also having so many elements that made it utterly magical and totally terrifying.
The Trickster god was also spot on. I totally loved seeing how he got all the contestants into play and chose people who were connected in some way or another. The dynamics of the group of seven was definitely entertaining, and fit the Trickster character very well. The stakes are immensely high. I don't think I've read a fantasy book with quite so believably high stakes. Often I'll enjoy the book but I know the HEA will be there. Not so with this novel. I had absolutely no idea how it would end, and the final twist took my breath away.
The one thing I feel the author could have done better was how the characters were introduced. As there are seven plus the Trickster, who features a lot in some of those early chapters, I did struggle to keep all the different people and their perspectives straight for the first few chapters. Once the challenge had been made and the plot really started moving forward, I managed to find my feet with the different characters and then I wasn't bothered by the switching perspectives in the least. I was utterly compelled.
If you're looking for something unique, that's compelling, I highly recommend this book. The slow start is only a small detractor. It really becomes unputdownable and is so worth it, and I totally LOVED the ending!
Adam’s H2G2 humour meets Existenz, a thought-provoking dark action-adventure
This has been one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve read lately. From the philosophical title (seat of power) I expected it to be a book about how different positions in life are power. Turned out Sedendum is about choices and a wishing game the trickster god Aram has enticed 7 random strangers to play.
The cast of characters and sarky undertone of the book was fab. The multitude of stories - from a disgraced goddess to her breedling daughter to the female killer to the enslaved dragon shapeshifter - were all captivating from the start. After all players were assembled, I loved how the story unfurled and how the lives of some of the players turned out to be interlinked.
I loved the subtle puns like Desiree being the daughter of the goddess of fertility with no maternal instinct. The author has managed to conjure up a new pantheon of gods where the Trickster is also the God of Death. Upper Narrah where the gods live reminded me of Venice. The humour in the book reminded me of Douglas Adams’ H2G2 and the title reminded me of Existenz movie and the elimination rounds were eerie like Identity. I was enthralled until the very end - which I loved, by the way.
Recommended for lovers of dark fantasy, action-adventure, sword&sorcery and gods&goddess myths&legends. Will definitely keep my eye out for more books by this author.
This book was SO good. I absolutely loved it. Seven people play a dangerous game put on by the God of Death, the Trickster. The prize is a wish…anything or anyone they want. No one has ever won Sedendum before, but the Trickster chooses only desperate people to play, so they all agree to participate knowing how dangerous and potentially deadly the game is. I absolutely loved how the author included each of the seven character’s perspectives. The transitions between each character’s viewpoint were seamless and natural. The author didn’t coddle her characters…they each face terrible circumstances while playing Sedendum. There are quite a few fantasy books out now where the characters play a game, but this one felt really original to me. The worldbuilding was really original too. There were so many things I’d never seen before. I highlighted so many lines while reading this book. It was easy to read but also very insightful. The author is super talented. My two favorite quotes: “What you do with those choices is what sets the course, defines the pattern, and shapes you into the person you are today. And if even one choice changes, the paradigm shifts. Then tomorrow becomes something else entirely, and the future pivots.” “Dusk slipped into its evening gown of midnight blues and blacks, while the stars burst free like a treasure chest of jewels.” Read this book!
This story made my soul very happy. I very rarely re-read books, but I have a feeling I'll be returning to the land of Imperium again sometime!
This entire tale was perfection. The message at the end; the characters; the imagery; the writing. This has easily become one of the top indie novels I've read.
Seven strangers find themselves entangled in a deadly "game" for a wish that can change their fate. I absolutely loved each character's backstory, slowly presented as the book progresses, and how they link with one another. Truly marvelous writing. The plot itself kept me on my toes, and I had no idea what to expect of the ending. Let me just say, it was very satisfying!!
Side note: I haven't enjoyed an antagonist this much in a while. The Trickster is cunning and I loved every scene that presented him.
For fans of fantasy and folklore, Sedendum is a fun, suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat adventure! 5 stars, for sure!
Man, that was a wild ride! A very interesting story, with classic vibes you might find in Greek or Egyptian mythology. I get that even at the very beginning the Trickster isn't supposed to be a "good" guy, but he was still one of my favourite characters! Charming, sarcastic, and dangerous, I mean, really. 😄 All the characters felt unique and well-rounded (Mai and Ash were my next favourites), even the ones I hated personality and plot-wise were well written. 😏 It did start out slow and took some perseverance to get through, but around the 35% mark it started picking up and by the time I finished it (it's now 1:30am) I was completely engrossed! I had to cover up the bottom of the page so I didn't jump ahead and see how it all ended!
Sedendum is a hidden gem of a book that I can’t say enough about. It was a wild fantasy ride that had me hooked from the very beginning. You know those books that you have a hard time putting down? This was one of those books! Even though there are seven characters in the book, they are all masterfully developed with their own storyline. The book was action-packed with a nice hint of romance. The world building of Imperium was fantastic and compelling along with the myth of the game, Sedendum. The god of death approaches each character and asks if they want to participate in the game. If they win, they can have any wish they desire. Is the game real or is it a story parents told their children at night? Who will win? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Smooth, seamless, storytelling! Seven strangers are offered the chance of a lifetime to enter the game of Sedendum. The winner gets a wish granted. The game has never been won before. Most players are murdered or die in the game. Did I mention the game is hosted by the Trickster aka the god of death?! I throughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by Bekah Berg a new must read author on my list of favorite authors.
Genuinely, Sedendum was not what I expected at all! I haven't read a fantasy story like it in ages. It has all the makings of becoming a classic adventure story. With a cast of perfectly flawed characters, the journey/competition kept me guessing the entire way.
I didn't see the ending coming and now I want to know what happens next!! Excellent story, definitely recommend!
I loved this book right from the beginning. This is a well-written adventure story with many life lessons along the way. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book and couldn’t put it down.
Whoa! That was an incredible story. It started off slow as the characters were introduced, but once the game began it was one heck of a ride. It was full of wild imagination, unpredictable mayhem, and a brilliant ending. Quest and adventure fans will love this book.
This book kept me guessing right up until the end. I loved all of the characters and their backstories and how their lives were all intertwined. My favorite part was the ending because it was totally creative and unexpected.