Written by contributor Marley B
Set Fire to the Gods is an elaborate fantasy novel with an interesting concept, but falls somewhat flat due to the execution. There are some unique ideas explored, but it takes a while for the worldbuilding and plot to get going, although both do pick up in the latter half of the book, and it finishes on a note that will likely leave you wanting the next book.
The worldbuilding is an important part of the story in a fantasy novel, but the initial introduction to the world isn’t very strong. It’s a peculiar mix of infodumping, in that there’s a lot of the history explained, but also too light on detail when it comes to the present-day structure. An example of this would be the gladiator fights: instead of wars, the gods of each country have their best gladiators fight in an arena; this is a really cool concept, but I felt it wasn’t explored enough.
From the description, the setting seems very much Roman-inspired, but was actually a mix of a Graeco-Roman, so while it was an interesting choice, some of the different pick-and-mix elements might be jarring to someone fond of these two classical periods. Whilst this may all sound fairly negative, as the book progresses and settles, it become much more engaging and enjoyable, especially as the world continues to be developed and the gladiator fights are explored in more detail.
The story is told from two points of view: Ash, who took her mother’s role as a gladiator after she was killed in combat, fighting for Ignitus, the god of fire, and Madoc, whose secret collaboration with his geoeia-wielding brother during fights has landed him a spot on earth god Geoxus’ roster, despite his actual power not being earth manipulation. Their voices are both distinct and reflect the positions that they are in in terms of culture and background, however, at times, they felt a little repetitive. The two of them did compliment each other well as main characters with their skillsets and visions matching up well, which made the dynamic between them interesting, but there was also a fair amount of slightly weird descriptions of each other’s physical appearance that felt out-of-place and forced.
The plot picks up just before the halfway point and while a fair amount happens in the first half, it felt more like exposition than anything else. It was fairly slow moving, and there was a lot of build-up without much indication of when the climax was actually going to come. There were certain moments where I did a double-take because there were a couple plot points and twists that were very similar to each other, which was at times confusing. There was a big reveal later on in the book that was quite a twist and raised the stakes a lot, which is what made the pacing and plot so much more engaging, and I’m hoping that this particular path that the plot was taking is continued in the sequel because there was a lot of potential.
One of the things done really well in this book is the dynamic between gods and humans, because of how close the gods are to their subjects, there’s a kind of invincibility to them but also they’re shown as imperfect and greedy. Ash in particular grapples with her view of Ignitus a lot because he’s responsible for the death of many people she was close to, but she begins to find out that actually, not everything she blamed him for was actually his fault. The two gods most prominent in the story are very much gray characters, and while Ignitus definitely isn’t the monster she always thought him to be, this doesn’t mean he is forgiven for all the harm he has caused.
While not the strongest YA fantasy book, Set Fire to the Gods is still a promising first instalment and what it lacked in the first part, it made up for in potential for the next book. A good read for anyone who’s interested in an exploration of the powers of gods and the roles that humans play in a world dominated by them, as well as elemental powers and the power of a soul.
Set Fire to the Gods is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 4th 2020.
Will you be picking up Set Fire to the Gods? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators, and she knows the brutal nature of war firsthand. But after her mother dies in an arena, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, whose temper has stripped her country of its resources.
Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to pay his family’s taxes. But he hides a dangerous secret: he doesn’t have the earth god’s powers like his opponents. His elemental gift is something else—something that hasn’t been seen in centuries.
When an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, Ash inadvertently throws the fire and earth gods into a conflict that can only be settled by deadly, lavish gladiator games. The fights put Madoc in Ash’s path, and she realizes that his powers are the weapon her rebellion needs—but Madoc won’t jeopardize his family, regardless of how intrigued he is by the beautiful warrior.
But when the gods force Madoc’s hand, he and Ash uncover an ancient war that will threaten more than one immortal—it will unravel the world.
The cover is stunning, plus the story sounds so good! Gods and combats sound pretty cool.