Book Review
Title: The Immortal Game by Talia Rothschild & A.C. Harvey
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology
Publishing Date: May 25, 2021
Synopsis:
Content Warning: Emotional abuse, battle scenes, up-close death
An exiled goddess goes on a quest to clear her name and save Mount Olympus in Talia Rothschild & A. C. Harvey’s action-packed young adult debut, The Immortal Game!Galene, daughter of Poseidon, desperately wants to earn her place among the gods. But when a violent attack leaves Mount Olympus in chaos and ruins, she is accused of the crime. Banished from Olympus, Galene sets out to prove her innocence and discovers a more deadly plot—one that threatens even the oldest of Immortals.
Fortunately, she has allies who willingly join her in exile:
A lifelong friend who commands the wind.
A defiant warrior with deadly skill.
A fire-wielder with a hero’s heart.
A mastermind who plays life like a game.
All-out war is knocking at the gates. Galene and her friends are the only ones who can tip the scales toward justice, but their choices could save Olympus from total annihilation, or be the doom of them all.
Rating: 4 Stars
I initially requested The Immortal Game because the synopsis sounded similar to the Percy Jackson series which I have loved reading although I haven’t read the other series yet. One thing quickly established in this book is that all children of the Gods need to take part in something called the Immortality Trials to earn their place on Mount Olympus and gain their immortality, similar to how Hercules has to undergo his trials to secure his immortality in the Disney movie. This was an interesting perspective to start from as most books focused on Greek mythology tend to focus on demi-gods like Percy Jackson but these children are full-blooded Gods and just the idea of the powers they could have had me griped. We learn that the children of the Big Three Gods; Zeus, Poseidon and Hades have to take their trails before the other godly children and this is where we are introduced to Galene, daughter of Poseidon as she is taking her trial.
However, during her trial Galene is presenting with an impossible task resulting in her failing the trail, we don’t have time to dwell on what this failure means as Mount Olympus is attacked and Galene is blamed for the attack. She is exiled and a few of her friends, Iyana, daughter of Zeus, Demetri, son of Ares, Braxtus, son of Apollo and Kostas, son of Hermes decide to follow her and help Galene clear her names. Galene spends the beginning portion of the novel looking for her previously banished brother, Chrysander and she soon learns that he and some others have a deadly plot to deal with the oldest of the Olympians. Together with her friends, Galene sets off on a quest to find a relic that is going to save or destroy Olympus. From the very first page I was sucked into the four POV’s, The Immortal Game had to offer and how each of the characters fates depended on each out but not of necessity but out of love and honour. My favourite character was Iyana and her friendship with Galene was beautiful as they stand up for each other and support each other not matter the personal cost to themselves.
One thing that really stood out for me was how many intricacies of magic and character were interwoven with the story and these elements really shined for me. From Iyana’s empowerment to how Kostas’ power shapes his view of the world, this novel gave me so much to think on before writing my review. One of the my only criticisms of this book would be it could have been twice as long and I still would have devoured every single page. Overall, The Immortal Game is a fast-packed, consistent drama as the group of friend discover tyranny and chaos and face it bravely together for what matters most to them. The characters were complex to match the shifted storyline and the sacrifices and the fight for justice really comes to the forefront. One thing I absolutely adored about The Immortal Game was it was full of one-liners that made me laugh out loud in some cases and the characters really reflect an understanding of life far beyond their ages. It is very well written and I have to commend Talia Rothschild and A. C. Harvey for the research and creativity they put into this debut and I will definitely be reading more from this pair in the future especially if they decide to change this from a standalone to a series.
Book Links:
Goodreads Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository Indigo IndieBound
About the Author:
Talia Rothschild, Italian American, is passionate about stories in many forms—music, dance, photography, film and, of course, great novels. She believes in thick hot chocolate and creamer in your tea. When she’s not happily writing, she’s mothering the sweetest baby girl and making memories with her husband.
Ashleigh Harvey is teaching high school physics and bringing her writing dreams to life. English-born and world-traveled, she loves filling her life with new adventures, such as visiting a new country or exploring the Wild West with her husband. She also finds escape in movies, music, literature, and yearly comic conventions.
Author Links:
Talia Rothschild: Website Twitter Instagram Goodreads
A.C. Harvey: Website Twitter Instagram Goodreads
Giveaway (US Only):
One winner will receive a finished copy of The Immortal Game. The giveaway starts on May 31st and ends June 7th
I received this review copy from TBR and Beyond Tours
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