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When Selly’s father leaves her in the port of Kirkpool, she has no intention of riding out the winter on land while he sails to adventure in the north seas. However, her plans to follow him are dashed when a handsome stranger with telltale magician’s marks on his arm boards her ship, presenting her and the crew with a dangerous mission: to cross the Crescent Sea without detection so he can complete a ritual on the sacred Isles of the Gods. It should be a simple mission — a leisurely cruise led by Prince Leader of Alinor in disguise — but soon they find themselves hunted across the sea by an enemy intent on taking their lives.
Five hundred years before, King Anselm made the ultimate sacrifice to strengthen his goddess while also binding Macean, the god of risk, in sleep so that he could never make war again. Now, two dangerous gods stir from centuries of slumber, and two countries stand on the brink of war while the god’s devoted followers grapple for control.
Prince Leander’s ritualistic sacrifice would have been enough to keep the gods asleep — if it had been made on time. Now, if Leander and Selly hope to regain their world’s long-held peace, they’ll have to defy the odds, forge a path to the islands, and find a way to make the sacrifice work before their pursuers catch up with them.
The Isles of the Gods promises readers a swashbuckling adventure full of high stakes, treacherous sea voyages, action and betrayal, and while it does deliver, it’s not without flaws. I was certainly expecting more pirates and less early 20th-century gadgetry (early styles of cars make an appearance, for instance). Whether the issue is with my own expectations or with the tone of the setting, it’s definitely not something readers would expect from the story’s description.
The tale also takes place over a few days. With nearly 500 pages and so many points of view (there are at least five main characters), the pacing can seem slow at times. However, it’s easy to see the author has dedicated a lot of time into setting up the world and creating more realistic characters with flaws and clashing desires.
Overall, the concept of old sleeping gods waking up to start a war is always a winner when it comes to fantasy, and with its high stakes and smooth writing, The Isles of the Gods is certainly an addictive read for the adventure lover.
Rated: Moderate, mostly for violence, blood, and some gore. Characters are killed brutally in many ways, from poison to blown-up ships to car explosions to characters jumping to their death in a sacrificial act that felt too much like suicide. Sexual content does not go beyond one kiss, physical attraction between multiple couples, and a character’s side thought to pursue someone (possibly with sexual intent) “after.” Characters drink and dance in a nightclub. There are 21 uses of mild language.
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