Age of X #1
Richelle Mead
June 4th, 2013
Dutton Adult
Arc provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
Amazon/Book Depository/B&N
In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.
Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.
I'm really into Richelle Mead's books. She weaves an interesting tale with great characters. That is no exception here. Unfortunately, the book suffers in length and pacing. Exciting bits are interspersed with extensive sections that, were they subtracted, wouldn't have broke the book. Did we need chapters of extensive specifics on Tessa's school life? What could have been said in a quarter of the time was extended to a full chapter, creating dead areas between the action that required slogging through.
The book opens with a brawl. It lured me in with that whispered promise of action. There's terribly little of it, for it being 464 pages.
I'm unsure where I stand on the romance. Justin and Mae are drawn to each other by supernatural forces, but also by more base instincts. They are genuinely attracted to one another. There are higher forces at work, which makes the sexual tension both awkward and infuriating. Even throughout their tentative chemistry, they are consistently sleeping with other people, creating more awkward moments and unspoken feelings. I felt that the entire thing just didn't work. After awhile, I couldn't continue rooting for them to get together. I've never been one to latch on and 'ship' things when they are clearly impossible.
The mystery was enthralling. In order to not spoil anyone, I'll just say that there were a lot of threads that wove together into a tapestry that was both interesting and satisfying.
The dystopian setting has several interesting and new spins. While there is a rampant degenerative genetic disease, there are high caste's that consider their genetic traits so significant, they would rather remain inferior in health than marry someone below their status or outside their perfect picture in order to weed it out.
Instead of a world technologically devastated, this one has progressed forward.
Despite all the things I enjoyed, I couldn't rate this book higher. The characters, setting and mystery are amazing. The pacing is just off. It's so far off, that there were plenty points where I almost set this book down forever. Nothing about it called to me and made me want to finish it. When it finally picked up, I felt that it was too late. Perhaps I had too high of hopes, but I can honestly say I was disappointed.
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