ARC Review: The Immortal by Gena Showalter

“Showalter’s Harpies are second to none.”
~ Under the Covers

Recommended Read!

“Slow your roll, Immortal.”

The Immortal picks up just days after Roc finished his task and won the hand and heart of Taliyah in The Warlord. Now it’s Halo’s turn to be tested in ways he never anticipated.

Halo Phaninon, the Astra Planeta second in command, knows he cannot afford to fail his task. Erebus – a god and immortal enemy of the Astra Planeta – has gained a powerful weapon and the Astra cannot risk losing more. But to win, Halo will have to complete the twelve labors of Hercules all in one day. Halo isn’t concerned, at least not until Ophelia Falconcrest enters his life. Part harpy and part nymph, Ophelia is a sensual distraction the emotionless Astra doesn’t need. But as the two find themselves intertwined – in more ways than one – Halo realizes much more than the Astra Planeta’s success is at stake. For Halo and Ophelia, failure could mean losing their only chance at true love.

I really enjoyed the world and characters that Showalter introduced (and in some cases, reintroduced) in The Warlord, and the world and story only expanded in The Immortal. While I’m comfortable recommending Showalter’s Rise of the Warlords series to people who haven’t read her Lords of the Underworld series first, readers will definitely need to read The Warlord before diving into The Immortal; there are just enough references to prior plot points to warrant reading the first book, and this book does continue the larger Rise of the Warlords story arc.

As much as I loved watching Roc fall for Taliyah in the previous book, I loved the interactions between Halo and Ophelia even more. Halo might be seen as the friendly Astra Planeta as far as the Harpies are concerned, but he has been trained to be emotionless since he was a child. That stoicism is the perfect foil to Ophelia’s exuberance; I looked forward to every time they sparred in conversation.

Showalter’s Harpies are second to none. I would recommend The Immortal solely because of the Harpies, their actions, even their throw-away comments. As much as I enjoy the big, moody Astra Planetas, the Harpies are the real reason I will keep returning to this series. They are fierce fighters, loyal to the end, and their savage dialogue always makes me laugh. If I had to pick a fictional species to be friends with in real life, I would choose Showalter’s Harpies; I know whether they are complimenting or insulting, I would be in for a good time.

What makes The Immortal a favorite for me is Showalter’s use of Hercules’ twelve labors. Incorporating this myth definitely set The Immortal apart from The Warlord; it was clear from the beginning that Showalter wasn’t just rehashing the previous Astra Planeta story with different characters. Showalter not only made the twelve labors part of Halo’s story, but she managed to involve Ophelia and Erebus in ways I didn’t initially expect. While I’ve enjoyed the plots of both books in this series, I definitely found myself more intrigued by Halo and Ophelia’s romance.

While the Astra Planeta’s time on Harpina is clearly just beginning, I can’t wait to see what comes next for the Astra and the Harpies they can’t help but love.