Genre: Dark Fantasy
Publisher: A Meridian Codex Book
Publication Date: 1st October 2015
Pages: 242
MY REVIEW:
A copy of The
Godgame (The Godgame #1) was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the
author Keith Deininger in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.
This is A Meridian Codex Book.
Isn’t it funny how the simple task of reading a book can
take a turn you never expected it to? This sort of describes my experiences
with the writings of Keith Deininger. My first experience of reading his stuff
was The Ghosts of Eden. I found it
very weird. I just didn’t get it at all. I could however see potential there
for me to like his stuff in the future so kept plugging away.
When I saw a post
with some blurb on it for The Godgame
it looked right up my street.
What I’m trying to say is, if you don’t “get” a book, don’t write the author off.
If I had done that I would never have found this absolute beauty.
This series starts with the extended prologue, Marrow’s Legacy. You can read my review
of it here.
Eli has made it to the other side and is on his way to
Talos. At the same time, in the neighbouring territory of Nova, twelve year old
Ash is starting an adventure he is not even aware of.
The Talosian’s are a people of decadence. They live for
the good things in life and will do anything in their power to get it and
eradicate anyone who gets in their way. The Archon of Talos has some tough
decisions to make. There is unrest in Talos. People are losing faith in their
God and in their leadership. The Archon feels the time is right to destroy Nova
and all its inhabitants.
In a story with many paths, the entire population of Nova
is in danger. The Archon of Talos is in danger from people in his own city but
doesn’t realise it. Who will survive? Who will be victorious? Will common sense
prevail or will the forces of darkness that surround everyone have their way.
These are the players in The Godgame.
In the first real part of what is proving to be an epic
tale, The Godgame follows immediately
on from Marrow’s Legacy in the story
of the land know as Meridian.
This is going to be a very difficult review to write.
Mainly because I don’t want to mention too much from the extended prologue or
tell you too much about the story in this or it may spoil things for you. My
previous review of the prologue will tell you all you need to know about it so
I will just stick with this story. And what a wonderful story it is.
In terms of what the characters are like? Well as you
would imagine, when an author is setting out to tell you a tale of epic
proportions, from which I understand there will be about six books, the first
full novel is used as an introduction to the main players. For that reason
there are lots of them so forgive me if I don’t mention them all. Ones you really
need to know about are firstly, Ash. He is a young boy that, according to some
people, is special. He doesn’t know it himself but he is certainly a very
strong character. He is very mature for his age. This is purely from his
upbringing. His father and mother have been fantastic in educating him in the
right ways. His mother, Lena, is a Talosian which is rare in Nova. She holds
secrets that not even her husband knows. Trevor is the assistant to the Archon,
the most powerful man in Talos. Trevor has risen from nothing, to a position of
great power and will not let anything stand his way of keeping that power. He
has more secrets than the Secret Garden. One other main character in Talos is
Embla. She is Lena’s sister but where Lena abandoned Talos and all its
treasures, Embla stayed behind. She is also searching for something. She has no
idea what it is either but she is determined to find it.
The plot? That’s a toughie because the story is really
only starting to get going. The way I see it, this is obviously set in a
mysterious world. Now whether this is all supposed to be happening in the same
world we live in, in either the past or the future or some other universe or parallel
existence is still to be discovered. It looks like it is going to develop into
a story of struggles for survival against forces of authority and possibly
forces of evil. There is a certain dark element to the story that I think is
just festering under the surface and is bursting to get out.
What I can tell you is this – it’s bloody good. This is
something that I never thought I would see Mr Deininger write. His previous
writings have always had a fantasy element to them but have edged more towards
pure horror. This story, at the minute, is pure fantasy. Set in a fantasy land,
in a fantasy time with fantastical characters from different realms and worlds
all trying to mix together but all having their own agendas. I can’t wait for
the time in the story that the dark stuff really comes to the surface. I think
it’s going to take off big style.
Keith Deininger’s writing in this is absolutely superb.
You cannot help but be totally glued to the pages. The way it is written, it
just doesn’t want you to set it down and go do something else. It teases you
into reading just one more chapter and before you know it you are finished. At
times this story is extremely moving and very emotional. At times it is
extremely harrowing. At times it will take your breath away. I found it totally
mesmerising. The descriptions of the city of Talos and the territory of Nova
are fantastic. In fact the descriptive writing throughout this book is
fantastic. You truly do believe you are in another world. Very imaginative,
giving you an amazing vision in your head if you let yourself go.
Now let’s face it, this type of story has been done to
death recently so why should you pick this up? I honestly can’t tell you. I
just know that once you start reading this you will be hooked. It is so easy to
read but at the same time a complicated story that you know will all be
explained the further you get into it therefore forcing you to carry on to find
out what will happen next.
By the way, don’t be expecting to read a story where you
will be able to predict what will happen to characters. More than once when
reading this, certain storylines changed direction very rapidly and threw
things into the mix that literally had me gasping.
To summarise: a fantasy tale that will run over a few
books. Going by what I have read so far, I will be reading every one of those
books. This is truly a book where you can totally lose yourself in a fantastical
world that you will not want to come back from. With twists and turns galore, I
cannot wait to read the next instalment. I am, in fact, about to start it right
now!
General rating:
★★★★★ just brilliant.
Fantasy rating:
★★★★★ epic.
If you would like to help support Confessions of a
Reviewer then please consider using the links below to buy The Godgame (The Godgame #1) or any other books from Keith or
indeed anything at all from Amazon. This not only supports me but also
lets me know how many people actually like to buy books after reading my
reviews.
Thanks.
Book Synopsis:
Some say the world of Meridian is in its last age of
existence. The Flood is coming, an event that will wipe the planet clean of
corruption. But for humanity, there are more immediate troubles. A war is
brewing between the decadent and industrial City of Talos and the rural
territory of Nova.
When twelve-year-old Ash Alexander is recruited by the
Novan militia, his life—and the life of each member of his family—is thrown
into chaos, into a war far deadlier than anyone could have predicted.
While Ash’s sanity is tested against the horrors of war;
a woman seeks to uncover the mysteries of the School of the Unseen in her
lifelong quest to travel the world; a man will do anything to cure his wife of
a horrible sickness; and the chief adviser to the ruler of Talos will align
himself with grotesque and otherworldly beings in order to achieve his
ambitions.
The Godgame has begun.
An award-winning writer of fantastic and disturbing fiction, Keith Deininger is the author of several novels and novellas, including THE NEW FLESH, WITHIN, MARROW'S PIT, and THE GODGAME series. He was raised in the American Southwest and currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, baby daughter Violet and four dogs.
And for more about Keith, visit his site or find him on social media:
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