Book Review: Those Old Gods: Short Stories
Title: Those Old Gods: Short Stories (Volume One)
Author: N. J. Leaver
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Thanks to BookSirens and N. J. Leaver for providing me with a free advance review e-copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The old gods, including Death, who prefers to go by Ash, can be found in an office block in Swindon working for The Company. This collection of stories follows Juno Verdant, a Seer Agent with a rather chaotic habit of having “things” happen around her that make her supervisors shudder and reach for forms to be filed with Divine Resources.
What I liked: This was a fun read, the concept was well developed, and the cast of quirky characters were gorgeous. The use of humorous similes and metaphors as part of the narrative were employed to great effect and helped set the tone of the stories; it was deeply reminiscent of Terry Pratchett’s irreverent style.
What didn’t work for me: Just a slight complaint really; I wasn’t particularly keen on the way the author inserted herself into the stories occasionally. I think I would have preferred if she had just put “I” instead of “the author”.
Final thoughts: A wonderfully witty collection of stories set against the bureaucracy of the divine realm.
Who would enjoy this: Fans of humorous urban fantasy.
