ARC Review: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

“Well Richelle Mead has done it again! … The world is complex, the characters full of depth and the trademark action and mystery packed storyline that Mead always delivers is what has me looking forward to where this series can go from here.” ~Under the Covers

What can you expect from GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS?  Well Richelle Mead has done it again!  She has an amazing ability for creating beautifully complex worlds, usually full of supernatural creatures.  GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS is so different!  A sort of post-apocalyptic world with a touch of supernatural elements.  A game of Gods, religion and politics.  All wrapped up in such well crafted writing!

In this world, churches are not allowed to exist unless they are approved by the state.  Churches who pray to “Gods” are to be immediately shut down and the priests put in jail.  And that may be because sometimes Gods can be tricky.  People have been ravaged by a virus and some are genetically altered.  They are all ranked by their ability to reproduce.

Mae Koskinen is a Praetorian, an elite soldier.  She’s tough, she has super speed and strength.  She’s also shut down her emotions, her way of battling her inner demons.  She is sent to bring out of exile one Justin March.  Justin used to be a religious investigator for the state in RUNA but he was getting a bit too close to the truth of the Gods and was quickly sent away.  Justin has his own inner demons, which he prefers drowning in alcohol.  Now, with Justin back in RUNA and working with Mae, they discover deeper and darker things about their world, the Gods and themselves.

While coming back to RUNA, Justin negotiates to bring back the daughter of his friend from exile, Tessa.  Tessa has never been to RUNA and now has to discover how to adapt in search of a better life.  This brings me to the different POVs.  You get to read this book from Justin, Mae and Tessa’s POV.  I think this was very clever in Mead’s part because Tessa’s perspective is the perfect complement to learn more about the world they are entering.  I can’t wait to read more about her!

Mae and Justin do have good chemistry although I don’t think they are anywhere close to being able to be together.  They do grow a lot individually throughout this book.  Even though at times I wanted things to work out differently so they could be together, I also understand the point of having them wait and deal with their own issues.  They are both damaged characters and they need to heal some of those wounds or they could do more harm than good to each other.

Ms. Mead gives us a fresh and unique twist to adult urban fantasy focusing on mythology, set in a dystopian-style world and throwing in some genetic manipulation.  The world is complex, the characters full of depth and the trademark action and mystery packed storyline that Mead always delivers is what has me looking forward to where this series can go from here.

What could’ve been better?  The pacing of the story.  I have to admit that parts of this book read very slow and drag, but after the humps they pick right back up.  This is not a simple world and the good thing is there is no info dump, however readers can get a bit lost at times trying to keep up with some of the information.  By the end of the story, though, you should be up to speed and hopefully well prepared for the next book!

*ARC provided by publisher

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[about-author author=”Richelle Mead”]