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Ophelia Lind #1
Harbinger
As an Olympic messenger, suburban Aussie girl Ophelia Lind is used to being at the beck and call of the gods. But when gorgeous demigod Aden moves into her neighbourhood and starts taking advantage of her services, Ophelia believes life could not get any worse. She's about to be proven very wrong.
Ophelia tries to enjoy a normal, everyday life while running messages for the Greek gods, but without warning an odious creature – evil incarnate – begins to stalk her. As a messenger dealing with the all-powerful and sometimes frightening gods, Ophelia is accustomed to adventures and scrapes. But this is different. Even Aden, who is madly and deeply in love with Ophelia, finds it difficult to protect her. Suddenly Ophelia is in a battle for survival and begins to question everything – her upbringing, her identity and her true feelings for the alluring and entirely frustrating Aden.
Harbinger is a terrific romance laced with humour, danger and adventure. The deeply likeable, unstoppable Ophelia takes us on a quest that puts all the memories she holds dear – and her own heart – at risk.
This fantastic book is a must read for all that enjoy mythology, humour, romance and action. It has it all. 5 stars – Turner's Antics
I want, need, more from this author! - Totallybooked
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2012
74 people want to read
About the author
Peta Crake
6 books10 followersPeta Crake grew up in a small town on the south coast of Western Australia, where the idea of fairies and monsters residing in the thick forests was perfectly believable.
After spending nearly a decade living in Japan and reveling in its culture, she turned her hand to writing.
Now living back in Australia with a husband, two kids, a cuddle-addicted cat, and a thoroughly confused dog, she writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance full of strong sassy heroines, surprising heroes and disturbed side-kicks.
After spending nearly a decade living in Japan and reveling in its culture, she turned her hand to writing.
Now living back in Australia with a husband, two kids, a cuddle-addicted cat, and a thoroughly confused dog, she writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance full of strong sassy heroines, surprising heroes and disturbed side-kicks.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 20, 2012
1 star...Too many issues!
When Olympic messenger, Ophelia Lind, spurns the advances of demigod Aden she provokes his hunting instinct. Not only is Ophelia being pursued by Aphrodite’s precious son, a creature is trying to kill her. The changes in her laid-back routine lead to Ophelia questioning her parentage, avoiding death, and doubting the Aden’s affection.
Harbinger seemed like it was heading in an interesting direction. The set-up seemed unique: modernized Olympic gods, Australian setting, and questionable intent of a hunky demigod. The heroine also had my interest with her backstory, personality and immunity to the Gods’ wrath, but the story fell flat.
Goal, Motivation, and Conflict – Ophelia’s goal is to discover her father’s identity. As a reader, I thought it should be more important to discover the identity and motive of the person attacking her. It wasn’t. Ophelia is aware of the danger, but lacks a sense of urgency and self-preservation. The inner conflict mainly focused on Aden’s dubious pursuit of her person. The conflicts stagnated through much of the story, except for a few scenes to let the reader know they existed. The antagonist is barely defined, ineffectively utilized, and failed to add credible tension to the story.
Overall, Harbinger has loosely related threads inadequately tied together. The characters’ moods - through beatings, whippings, torture, betrayals - change to suit the situation. They remained static, or unchanged by the story’s end, including Ophelia! Basically, the characters dodged some scrapes as they walked a line to the end. Ophelia got a prize.
I did read the entire book, which is a first for a one-star rated book.
Digital galley courtesy of Penguin Books Australia via Netgalley
When Olympic messenger, Ophelia Lind, spurns the advances of demigod Aden she provokes his hunting instinct. Not only is Ophelia being pursued by Aphrodite’s precious son, a creature is trying to kill her. The changes in her laid-back routine lead to Ophelia questioning her parentage, avoiding death, and doubting the Aden’s affection.
Harbinger seemed like it was heading in an interesting direction. The set-up seemed unique: modernized Olympic gods, Australian setting, and questionable intent of a hunky demigod. The heroine also had my interest with her backstory, personality and immunity to the Gods’ wrath, but the story fell flat.
Goal, Motivation, and Conflict – Ophelia’s goal is to discover her father’s identity. As a reader, I thought it should be more important to discover the identity and motive of the person attacking her. It wasn’t. Ophelia is aware of the danger, but lacks a sense of urgency and self-preservation. The inner conflict mainly focused on Aden’s dubious pursuit of her person. The conflicts stagnated through much of the story, except for a few scenes to let the reader know they existed. The antagonist is barely defined, ineffectively utilized, and failed to add credible tension to the story.
Overall, Harbinger has loosely related threads inadequately tied together. The characters’ moods - through beatings, whippings, torture, betrayals - change to suit the situation. They remained static, or unchanged by the story’s end, including Ophelia! Basically, the characters dodged some scrapes as they walked a line to the end. Ophelia got a prize.
I did read the entire book, which is a first for a one-star rated book.
Digital galley courtesy of Penguin Books Australia via Netgalley
December 8, 2012
Ok so I tried this book, and since this is wayyy out of my realm of what I would normally read I am not sure my review is worth reading.
So first off, I am so confused by what God is who and what they do and who their parents are I needed a cheat sheet. (Again I don't usually read books about Gods and Goddesses) After I had that all sorted out, this book just kept me feeling lost. I never got a connection with any of the characters, so it was difficult to relate to them. I feel like the author was so worried about keeping you guessing and adding twists and turns that he forgot that you needed substance to fill the story. For me I felt like there was a lack of an easy flow to the story. It left me feeling like is was chopped up and put back together to quickly.
I do think if there was more substance to the characters and story itself the book would have been really good.
So first off, I am so confused by what God is who and what they do and who their parents are I needed a cheat sheet. (Again I don't usually read books about Gods and Goddesses) After I had that all sorted out, this book just kept me feeling lost. I never got a connection with any of the characters, so it was difficult to relate to them. I feel like the author was so worried about keeping you guessing and adding twists and turns that he forgot that you needed substance to fill the story. For me I felt like there was a lack of an easy flow to the story. It left me feeling like is was chopped up and put back together to quickly.
I do think if there was more substance to the characters and story itself the book would have been really good.
December 16, 2012
This book had a lot of potential, but it fell short. I liked how it incroporated the greek mythology with the rest of the gods from other mythologies like the nordic. Crake really captured the cold hard attitude of a woman scorned way too many times of Hera, and the true egotistical bitchiness that was Aphrodite. Honestly if it weren't cause they were such awful gods I would have given up on the book. As it was, it was a battle just to finish it.
They never really mentioned the MCs age and from the way the book was written I assumed she was in her teens, but about 3/4ths of the way in she finally mentions that she is actually in her mid twenties and boy was that a shock! The way the girl was acting and the book was written, it would be a very immature girl. I admired Ophelia at first because she seemed to always bounce back after all the horrible crap she went through, but after the uptenth tragic thing it started feeling more unbelievable than anything else. I just don't see how a girl like her could really be more or less ok with how many things she went through. Specially because she just came across as really weak and needy. She always ended up needing someone else to rescue her and then cuddle her. By the end of the book I just couldn't see it.
The love interests were eh. I actually did like Hermes a lot better as just a friend. Aden was nice I guess, he always seemed to never be involved with anything bad but at the same time right smack in the middle of it. I just didn't care very much about his character.
In the end this was just an ok read for me, still enjoyed some aspects of it, but could have been better.
They never really mentioned the MCs age and from the way the book was written I assumed she was in her teens, but about 3/4ths of the way in she finally mentions that she is actually in her mid twenties and boy was that a shock! The way the girl was acting and the book was written, it would be a very immature girl. I admired Ophelia at first because she seemed to always bounce back after all the horrible crap she went through, but after the uptenth tragic thing it started feeling more unbelievable than anything else. I just don't see how a girl like her could really be more or less ok with how many things she went through. Specially because she just came across as really weak and needy. She always ended up needing someone else to rescue her and then cuddle her. By the end of the book I just couldn't see it.
The love interests were eh. I actually did like Hermes a lot better as just a friend. Aden was nice I guess, he always seemed to never be involved with anything bad but at the same time right smack in the middle of it. I just didn't care very much about his character.
In the end this was just an ok read for me, still enjoyed some aspects of it, but could have been better.
October 25, 2013
3.5stars
Harbinger is a fun fast passed paranormal romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
"I despised most gods and suspected the feeling was mutual. But I didn’t have to like them; I just had to work for them. As long as they left me alone in my godless city, life was good."
This first three sentences tell so much about the MC, Phi and make clear its all about mythology. If that's not your cup of tea, i suggest you put the book down. Because Crake packed the novel with mythology, and not just from one corner or area. NO she uses loads! And she does a darn good job at it. She knows her mythologies. Be it noes, ancient egyptian,ancient celitc, indian or greek- she nails it. Which in my opinion makes this book real good. The world building is awesome. Not only did Crake create a world were the gods of ancient mythologies live and breath, she created and decries their realms with fascinating details. But the thing i think she exceeded best, is in the different characters of the gods. She gave made them come alive, just how I would imagine Aphrodite to behave…can imagine Hera and Zeus in a domestic modern situation? Well, Crake in my opinion nailed it! She gas the Immortals, who's stories we know, somehow a humanity, without taking away from the mythology. For this i would have totally given her at least 4stars…Added to the known factor, Crake cleverly added her own mythology her own realm. And its distributions and world building are just as brilliant as those of the well known ancient gods and their playgrounds.
World building is the strong hold of this novel.
I loved the action packed storyline, it kept me guessing, hoping and worrying until right at the end. Really fun.
It is a Paranormal Action Romance (I do enjoy those) so the usual kick ass, love confusion and magic tricks are thrown it. There is even a sort of love triangle- I loath those with a passion- but it was not that bad and actually Phi handles it much better than many other MC in books I read lately.
Phi, being the narrator, the person who utters those first three scentences- is a young woman who is trying to life her life as normal as possible, with being a messenger for the gods and the daughter of one of them…
She despised most of the gods , doesn't trust them at all and is desperately trying to be 'normal'. I found her character charming and honest, loved her struggles in finding who she is and understand her mistrusts and worries. The direct and unflorished way Crake wrote the story suits Phi and make her more real.
I like the cocky, when I crook my finger at you you come to me, Aden. Thought he is a demigod, he is one of Crakes inventions, so well imbedded into the greek mythology, that I ended up googling him. Because I simply couldn't remember a greek demigod with that name. But Aphrodite did have sons… which goes to show again how thoroughly the world building is!
The other gods are simply fabulous, but I can't mention to much about them since it would be total spoilers… if you like mythology I think you will definitely love them
One thing I got to spill though, is Hera and Zeus, their relationship and mistrust is just how I think it would be. Knowing their history, wouldn't Hera just react exactly the way she does? I shared her suspicions- even if it was for a brief moment….
The villains in the story are great, creepy and I had to keep guessing who the 'baddies' actually were. Trying to reevaluate each situation as the story unfolds, I worked it out, just as it was unraveling.
Sadly I found the love story kinda lacking. Lots of the love story is rather cliché, but I wouldn't have minded that if it were still written really well. But while Aden and Phi have great chemistry-- it is also really lacking at times. Hermes is sultry to the T, but somehow I didn't find him that seductive. There are these great moments and then they kinda fizzled out.
Especially the actual love scene, it was so anticlimatic. I thought, 'that was it?' There was all this build up, and then it had very little chemistry for some reason. maybe it would have been better to black it out. Dunno I actually went back to reread it while writing this review, and still feel like it.
This is Crakes first novel. And i think it is a great debut. Her world are incredible, the overall plot great and I greatly enjoyed it.
I read that other readers suggested that this should be made into a series- but honestly I would prefer it to be a standalone.
Still I hope that Crake will write many more novels and I am certainly looking forward to reading them.
a very good 3.5stars.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
Harbinger is a fun fast passed paranormal romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
"I despised most gods and suspected the feeling was mutual. But I didn’t have to like them; I just had to work for them. As long as they left me alone in my godless city, life was good."
This first three sentences tell so much about the MC, Phi and make clear its all about mythology. If that's not your cup of tea, i suggest you put the book down. Because Crake packed the novel with mythology, and not just from one corner or area. NO she uses loads! And she does a darn good job at it. She knows her mythologies. Be it noes, ancient egyptian,ancient celitc, indian or greek- she nails it. Which in my opinion makes this book real good. The world building is awesome. Not only did Crake create a world were the gods of ancient mythologies live and breath, she created and decries their realms with fascinating details. But the thing i think she exceeded best, is in the different characters of the gods. She gave made them come alive, just how I would imagine Aphrodite to behave…can imagine Hera and Zeus in a domestic modern situation? Well, Crake in my opinion nailed it! She gas the Immortals, who's stories we know, somehow a humanity, without taking away from the mythology. For this i would have totally given her at least 4stars…Added to the known factor, Crake cleverly added her own mythology her own realm. And its distributions and world building are just as brilliant as those of the well known ancient gods and their playgrounds.
World building is the strong hold of this novel.
I loved the action packed storyline, it kept me guessing, hoping and worrying until right at the end. Really fun.
It is a Paranormal Action Romance (I do enjoy those) so the usual kick ass, love confusion and magic tricks are thrown it. There is even a sort of love triangle- I loath those with a passion- but it was not that bad and actually Phi handles it much better than many other MC in books I read lately.
Phi, being the narrator, the person who utters those first three scentences- is a young woman who is trying to life her life as normal as possible, with being a messenger for the gods and the daughter of one of them…
She despised most of the gods , doesn't trust them at all and is desperately trying to be 'normal'. I found her character charming and honest, loved her struggles in finding who she is and understand her mistrusts and worries. The direct and unflorished way Crake wrote the story suits Phi and make her more real.
I like the cocky, when I crook my finger at you you come to me, Aden. Thought he is a demigod, he is one of Crakes inventions, so well imbedded into the greek mythology, that I ended up googling him. Because I simply couldn't remember a greek demigod with that name. But Aphrodite did have sons… which goes to show again how thoroughly the world building is!
The other gods are simply fabulous, but I can't mention to much about them since it would be total spoilers… if you like mythology I think you will definitely love them
One thing I got to spill though, is Hera and Zeus, their relationship and mistrust is just how I think it would be. Knowing their history, wouldn't Hera just react exactly the way she does? I shared her suspicions- even if it was for a brief moment….
The villains in the story are great, creepy and I had to keep guessing who the 'baddies' actually were. Trying to reevaluate each situation as the story unfolds, I worked it out, just as it was unraveling.
Sadly I found the love story kinda lacking. Lots of the love story is rather cliché, but I wouldn't have minded that if it were still written really well. But while Aden and Phi have great chemistry-- it is also really lacking at times. Hermes is sultry to the T, but somehow I didn't find him that seductive. There are these great moments and then they kinda fizzled out.
Especially the actual love scene, it was so anticlimatic. I thought, 'that was it?' There was all this build up, and then it had very little chemistry for some reason. maybe it would have been better to black it out. Dunno I actually went back to reread it while writing this review, and still feel like it.
This is Crakes first novel. And i think it is a great debut. Her world are incredible, the overall plot great and I greatly enjoyed it.
I read that other readers suggested that this should be made into a series- but honestly I would prefer it to be a standalone.
Still I hope that Crake will write many more novels and I am certainly looking forward to reading them.
a very good 3.5stars.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
October 1, 2012
Not only is Peta an Australian author, but her novel is amazing. The story unfolds and brings some unexpected turns along the way. The easy flow of the story makes reading it so pleasurable and when I wasn't reading I was wondering what was going to happen to Phi next.
Ophelia (Phi) is a messenger for the Gods. Her mother passed away 10 years ago and left her heartbroken and alone. Her father is a God and as such she was given a job to hand deliver messages between them. A messenger is not meant to be harmed, they are meant to be neutral like Switzerland. But as Phi discovers, even Gods have a price.
Phi meets Aden, the son of Aphrodite. She turns him down and Aden takes this as a challenge. Sending her around the globe with messages, he discovers this is the only way she will see him. Along her journey she finds her father is not who she always believed him to be.
The mystery of her father and the feelings that begin for Aden drive Phi to do some investigating. But questioning the Gods is not something done lightly. Phi is also hunted by a terrible creature that is looking for an orb. An orb that Phi has no idea what or where it is.
Phi's adventure begins in Chapter One and doesn't end until the last page. This fantastic book is a must read for all that enjoy Mythology, humour, romance and action. It has it all.
Ophelia (Phi) is a messenger for the Gods. Her mother passed away 10 years ago and left her heartbroken and alone. Her father is a God and as such she was given a job to hand deliver messages between them. A messenger is not meant to be harmed, they are meant to be neutral like Switzerland. But as Phi discovers, even Gods have a price.
Phi meets Aden, the son of Aphrodite. She turns him down and Aden takes this as a challenge. Sending her around the globe with messages, he discovers this is the only way she will see him. Along her journey she finds her father is not who she always believed him to be.
The mystery of her father and the feelings that begin for Aden drive Phi to do some investigating. But questioning the Gods is not something done lightly. Phi is also hunted by a terrible creature that is looking for an orb. An orb that Phi has no idea what or where it is.
Phi's adventure begins in Chapter One and doesn't end until the last page. This fantastic book is a must read for all that enjoy Mythology, humour, romance and action. It has it all.
April 4, 2017
Wow, this book was such fun to read (despite some of the heavier scenes). Very well written and great take on Greek and other mythologies. A lot going on, which I liked as it kept me intrigued and questioning with our heroine. Phi is a no-nonsense character who has what appears on the surface to be a normal job - a messenger. But she's a messenger for the gods and that ups the ante. LOVED her interaction with Cerberus. It's exactly what would have liked a character to do and finally someone has written it.
Warning: hunky gods do appear.
Great debut story.
Warning: hunky gods do appear.
Great debut story.
December 8, 2012
Botw pick for 12/7/2012. It was good. Could've been better. It fell short in some areas. It really read like YA, but I've been told it's not. It had some intimate situations that were sadly faded out.
January 3, 2013
The publishers call this a romance, but really it’s an urban fantasy. The book cover, designed to fit with Penguin’s Destiny Romance series, makes it look like a contemporary romance, not the hard hitting example of urban fantasy that it is. The cover and the romance label are misleading. It’s not that there isn’t romance, there is, but like any urban fantasy there is much more to the story than the relationship between two people.
Harbinger is a gritty tale about a girl who works as a messenger for the fickle Athenian gods. Crake’s gods are as devious and arrogant as their ancient stories make them out to be, and her characterisation of said gods living modern lives is one of the most outstanding aspects of this book. She manages to combine modern sensibilities with the occasional display of godly powers that make you sit up and remember that these flawed beings are still gods.
The writing can’t be faulted and the plot is excellent—unpredictable, full of action and well paced. The worlds of the gods that Crake has drawn alongside our own are fascinating, expertly described and, so far as my education goes, in accord with the Greek myths.
I liked the way the world included the Norse gods as well as the Athenians. Hades says that his underworld is only one of many, and that where you end up has to do with what you believe and who you are. I had no doubt that all the gods any culture ever believed in had a place in this world.
One aspect of the book didn’t work for me. Even given the god’s well known fickleness, Ophelia’s grandfather’s actions were highly inconsistent. He had a servant protect her all her life, then gave her to a sadistic demon to play with. Once free, he quipped that he was surprised she took so long to get away, then he gives her a speech about why she shouldn’t judge him harshly. This was a speech he could well have given her, and logically would have, when she first showed her distaste for his role in the world of gods. The result of this is that the whole section with the sadistic demon came over as being added in for effect, rather than as the result of logical human actions and reactions. The time she spent there also seemed excessive. Given the nature of her escape, there didn’t seem to be anything stopping it from coming much earlier.
The main problem I had with the book though is purely personal preference. I found the sections where Ophelia was imprisoned and tortured too long and too grotesque. They were painful to read, something I prefer to avoid.
However, if you’re into urban fantasy, then you’ll love this one.
Harbinger is a gritty tale about a girl who works as a messenger for the fickle Athenian gods. Crake’s gods are as devious and arrogant as their ancient stories make them out to be, and her characterisation of said gods living modern lives is one of the most outstanding aspects of this book. She manages to combine modern sensibilities with the occasional display of godly powers that make you sit up and remember that these flawed beings are still gods.
The writing can’t be faulted and the plot is excellent—unpredictable, full of action and well paced. The worlds of the gods that Crake has drawn alongside our own are fascinating, expertly described and, so far as my education goes, in accord with the Greek myths.
I liked the way the world included the Norse gods as well as the Athenians. Hades says that his underworld is only one of many, and that where you end up has to do with what you believe and who you are. I had no doubt that all the gods any culture ever believed in had a place in this world.
One aspect of the book didn’t work for me. Even given the god’s well known fickleness, Ophelia’s grandfather’s actions were highly inconsistent. He had a servant protect her all her life, then gave her to a sadistic demon to play with. Once free, he quipped that he was surprised she took so long to get away, then he gives her a speech about why she shouldn’t judge him harshly. This was a speech he could well have given her, and logically would have, when she first showed her distaste for his role in the world of gods. The result of this is that the whole section with the sadistic demon came over as being added in for effect, rather than as the result of logical human actions and reactions. The time she spent there also seemed excessive. Given the nature of her escape, there didn’t seem to be anything stopping it from coming much earlier.
The main problem I had with the book though is purely personal preference. I found the sections where Ophelia was imprisoned and tortured too long and too grotesque. They were painful to read, something I prefer to avoid.
However, if you’re into urban fantasy, then you’ll love this one.
October 30, 2012
Read my reviews at Book Junkie Joint
More than just a love story! It's a wild roller-coaster ride spanning worlds and dimensions!
Being a messenger to the gods is simple enough. Being a messenger to the gods with Hermes as an admirer, Aphrodite's son as a suitor, Zeus as an Uncle, and a couple of all-powerful beings either wanting you dead or playing as your friends, on the other hand, is definitely a little bit too much for a girl.
The beginning of Harbinger is a little bit deceptive because it makes you think that it's just a harmless story about a demi-god finally meeting the girl who could put his searching heart to rest. Well, Harbinger is like that, but it's also so much more.
What starts out as a simple enough love story between a mortal and a demi-god turns into a full-fledged search for truths and answers for the heroine Ophelia. She begins to question herself, her friends, the people she trust and their loyalties.
The best part about the story? Ophelia. She's stubborn and hard-headed, but she knows that good friends aren't all that easy to come by, so she gives her all to protect them. Although she could be a little hot and cold on some things, it's mostly because she's struggling with the fact that she was being torn from what her heart wants and staying true to her own personal rule not to get involved with gods.
Another thing I liked about this story is its effective love triangle. Granted, that Aden was a permanent fixture from the start, it couldn't be denied that Hermes posed as an effective threat to him. If only Hermes got a little bit serious...
Also, I appreciate the fact that the story did not merely explore the world of the Olympians. It also included bits and pieces from Egyptian and Norse mythologies for variety. Aside from these, the author also incorporated her own brand of storytelling by humanizing the gods and even giving additional elements that precede even the gods themselves.
All in all, this story was a great read. I highly recommend it for fans of stories involving Olympians and those that enjoy reading about surprising turns in adventure stories spanning dimensions; and of course, also to those that enjoy love stories involving stubborn heroines.
More than just a love story! It's a wild roller-coaster ride spanning worlds and dimensions!
Being a messenger to the gods is simple enough. Being a messenger to the gods with Hermes as an admirer, Aphrodite's son as a suitor, Zeus as an Uncle, and a couple of all-powerful beings either wanting you dead or playing as your friends, on the other hand, is definitely a little bit too much for a girl.
The beginning of Harbinger is a little bit deceptive because it makes you think that it's just a harmless story about a demi-god finally meeting the girl who could put his searching heart to rest. Well, Harbinger is like that, but it's also so much more.
What starts out as a simple enough love story between a mortal and a demi-god turns into a full-fledged search for truths and answers for the heroine Ophelia. She begins to question herself, her friends, the people she trust and their loyalties.
The best part about the story? Ophelia. She's stubborn and hard-headed, but she knows that good friends aren't all that easy to come by, so she gives her all to protect them. Although she could be a little hot and cold on some things, it's mostly because she's struggling with the fact that she was being torn from what her heart wants and staying true to her own personal rule not to get involved with gods.
Another thing I liked about this story is its effective love triangle. Granted, that Aden was a permanent fixture from the start, it couldn't be denied that Hermes posed as an effective threat to him. If only Hermes got a little bit serious...
Also, I appreciate the fact that the story did not merely explore the world of the Olympians. It also included bits and pieces from Egyptian and Norse mythologies for variety. Aside from these, the author also incorporated her own brand of storytelling by humanizing the gods and even giving additional elements that precede even the gods themselves.
All in all, this story was a great read. I highly recommend it for fans of stories involving Olympians and those that enjoy reading about surprising turns in adventure stories spanning dimensions; and of course, also to those that enjoy love stories involving stubborn heroines.
October 6, 2012
Harbinger is Peta Crake's début novel out from Penguin Australia's Destiny Romance imprint in August. A copy of the book was provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
Ophelia is a modern Perth girl with a job that sends her travelling a lot: she's one of the messengers of the gods. All the gods of all the pantheons. Mostly, the gods don't trust technology (ever since Loki hacked the internet and bugged their phones), so they communicate through hand delivered messages. Never mind that Ophelia has no special powers and is forced to drive or hop on a plane at their every whim.
For some reason, I was expecting Harbinger to be a YA paranormal romance. It wasn't. Ophelia is in her mid-twenties, hence too old for YA, and while there are romantic elements, they're not central to the main plot. Instead, this is an entertaining read with lots of good banter and mysterious happenings.
There's something going on with the gods, Ophelia soon comes to realise. It has something to do with her, but no one will tell her what or why. Instead she's taunted, tortured and kept in the dark. Eventually all is revealed but in the meantime it's a frustrating and painful world for Ophelia.
I liked Ophelia as a character mostly because she was so (comparatively) normal. She got kicked around by the gods and then she picked herself up and kept going, because what else could she do? My only issue in terms of plot was that it seemed she was a bit too tortured to survive as sanely as she did. It seemed a bit too much at times, although it made sense in the context of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were some laugh-out-loud moments coming from the banter and some of the less life-threatening situations Ophelia finds herself in. Although Harbinger stands alone, I would probably read any potential sequels or other unrelated books by Crake. I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog, Tsana's Reads.
Ophelia is a modern Perth girl with a job that sends her travelling a lot: she's one of the messengers of the gods. All the gods of all the pantheons. Mostly, the gods don't trust technology (ever since Loki hacked the internet and bugged their phones), so they communicate through hand delivered messages. Never mind that Ophelia has no special powers and is forced to drive or hop on a plane at their every whim.
For some reason, I was expecting Harbinger to be a YA paranormal romance. It wasn't. Ophelia is in her mid-twenties, hence too old for YA, and while there are romantic elements, they're not central to the main plot. Instead, this is an entertaining read with lots of good banter and mysterious happenings.
There's something going on with the gods, Ophelia soon comes to realise. It has something to do with her, but no one will tell her what or why. Instead she's taunted, tortured and kept in the dark. Eventually all is revealed but in the meantime it's a frustrating and painful world for Ophelia.
I liked Ophelia as a character mostly because she was so (comparatively) normal. She got kicked around by the gods and then she picked herself up and kept going, because what else could she do? My only issue in terms of plot was that it seemed she was a bit too tortured to survive as sanely as she did. It seemed a bit too much at times, although it made sense in the context of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were some laugh-out-loud moments coming from the banter and some of the less life-threatening situations Ophelia finds herself in. Although Harbinger stands alone, I would probably read any potential sequels or other unrelated books by Crake. I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog, Tsana's Reads.
October 22, 2012
Original review post to chicklitworthreading.com
I hate running errands. Really, I do. I hate having to leave the comfort of my home, with my tub full of Baskin Robbins and my ridiculously large television set. Just to travel to the dreaded Post office, or crowded grocery store, or some other place that insists on taking my money against my will. So the idea of running errands for a living makes me want to lay down and sleep for a very, very long time. But that is exactly what our heroine does every day of her life. Harbinger from first time novelist Peta Crake tells the story of Ophelia Lind, an Olympic messenger, working for the gorgeous and reprehensible Hermes. Yes kids. This is yet another fantasy series that pulls from Greek mythology. Don't groan. Just wait. Anyhoo, Ophelia's going about her normal, busy life. When the godly Aden moves into her neighborhood, and turns her life upside down. And, of course, hijinks ensue (no, not really). What really ensues is a dark tale of pain and deception that Ophelia must endure to find a missing friend. Since this is Peta Crake's first novel, there are a few holes in the mythology that play out here. But that is to be expected from a new novelist. Even JK Rowling screwed up with her Flint character. You shouldn't read this book for the mythology of it anyway. You should read this book for the main character. Ophelia Lind is not quite Lisbeth Salandar, but she's damn close. Like Lisbeth, Ophelia takes abuse heaped upon her from all sides, but manages to come out swinging. It takes a particularly strong character to take the best punches from gods and goddesses. And survive to tell the tale. I also like the fact that this was set in Australia. It's not the usual location for these kinds of stories. So it added a refreshing element to the book. I can't wait to see where Crake takes us in the next installment of Ophelia's story. This is chick lit worth reading.
I hate running errands. Really, I do. I hate having to leave the comfort of my home, with my tub full of Baskin Robbins and my ridiculously large television set. Just to travel to the dreaded Post office, or crowded grocery store, or some other place that insists on taking my money against my will. So the idea of running errands for a living makes me want to lay down and sleep for a very, very long time. But that is exactly what our heroine does every day of her life. Harbinger from first time novelist Peta Crake tells the story of Ophelia Lind, an Olympic messenger, working for the gorgeous and reprehensible Hermes. Yes kids. This is yet another fantasy series that pulls from Greek mythology. Don't groan. Just wait. Anyhoo, Ophelia's going about her normal, busy life. When the godly Aden moves into her neighborhood, and turns her life upside down. And, of course, hijinks ensue (no, not really). What really ensues is a dark tale of pain and deception that Ophelia must endure to find a missing friend. Since this is Peta Crake's first novel, there are a few holes in the mythology that play out here. But that is to be expected from a new novelist. Even JK Rowling screwed up with her Flint character. You shouldn't read this book for the mythology of it anyway. You should read this book for the main character. Ophelia Lind is not quite Lisbeth Salandar, but she's damn close. Like Lisbeth, Ophelia takes abuse heaped upon her from all sides, but manages to come out swinging. It takes a particularly strong character to take the best punches from gods and goddesses. And survive to tell the tale. I also like the fact that this was set in Australia. It's not the usual location for these kinds of stories. So it added a refreshing element to the book. I can't wait to see where Crake takes us in the next installment of Ophelia's story. This is chick lit worth reading.
December 10, 2012
I was always a big fan of mythology growing up, so when this book came up in my reading group, I jumped in thinking it would be fun. Harbinger was a decent read that definitely had potential to be something more but fell a little short in my opinion.
I loved the way the gods were humanized and came to life, especially Zeus, Hera, Hades and even Aphrodite. But I really wish that the other characters were developed a bit further, and that Ophelia was a more worthy heroine. Ophelia did have her moments but she would fluctuate from one extreme to the other so I never really felt that I knew who she was. Aden definitely missed the mark – he was lame and tame, and the chemistry between the two felt forced and a bit false.
The love story was not believable, and the climax of the story was a bit underwhelming. But I did like where the story was trying to go, and there were bits that I really did enjoy. But I kept feeling like it was missing something. I’m not sure what it was, but it could be in part that this is classified as an Adult Paranormal whereas it felt more like YA.
I thought this story was okay and would not be opposed to reading more from this author. I just think this one needed a little more work.
I loved the way the gods were humanized and came to life, especially Zeus, Hera, Hades and even Aphrodite. But I really wish that the other characters were developed a bit further, and that Ophelia was a more worthy heroine. Ophelia did have her moments but she would fluctuate from one extreme to the other so I never really felt that I knew who she was. Aden definitely missed the mark – he was lame and tame, and the chemistry between the two felt forced and a bit false.
The love story was not believable, and the climax of the story was a bit underwhelming. But I did like where the story was trying to go, and there were bits that I really did enjoy. But I kept feeling like it was missing something. I’m not sure what it was, but it could be in part that this is classified as an Adult Paranormal whereas it felt more like YA.
I thought this story was okay and would not be opposed to reading more from this author. I just think this one needed a little more work.
April 20, 2015
I particularly enjoyed the start of this story, meeting Ophelia the messenger who carries scrolls to and from the various Gods. I laughed out loud at some of the descriptions of these Gods, particularly Pandora who has a phobia about opening things :)
It's a nice twist on the Greek myths.
It lost me just a little working through the second half. Whether that section drew out slightly too long, or possibly I ended up a bit confused about what Ophelia's main goal was in her life. (She has a lot of goals through the course of this book: finding who her father is; finding Aden when he goes missing; getting in and getting out of places smart Messengers just shouldn't go; and generally staying alive).
It's a nice twist on the Greek myths.
It lost me just a little working through the second half. Whether that section drew out slightly too long, or possibly I ended up a bit confused about what Ophelia's main goal was in her life. (She has a lot of goals through the course of this book: finding who her father is; finding Aden when he goes missing; getting in and getting out of places smart Messengers just shouldn't go; and generally staying alive).
April 28, 2025
3.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was a really nice quick read interesting concept. Is it the best writing ever no, But it’s readable. It’s better than some of the super popular romantasy books that are out there and it passed the time.
This was a really nice quick read interesting concept. Is it the best writing ever no, But it’s readable. It’s better than some of the super popular romantasy books that are out there and it passed the time.
December 23, 2012
I liked it! :)
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
While this is definitely not the best book I’ve ever read, the low rating on Goodreads surprised me! The first two reviews are 1-star ratings.
This book is a quick paced story that is set in Australia. Ophelia – also called Phi – is an Olympic messenger. Her mother passed away a few years ago and her father is supposed to be Hermes. She has quite a family. Not everybody has Hades and Zeus as uncles. Her life is turned upside down when she meets demigod Aden, son of Aphrodite and Adonis. She turns him down and as a revenge, he sends her all of the world to deliver nonsense messages. Some even get her almost killed, because we get to meet a huge variety of mythological creatures.
There is also Simeon, a mysterious creature with a bad reputation in the world of Gods, but he is protecting Phi. He keeps warning her, but the search for her real father and her flirtations with Aden are keeping her far to busy. Unfortunately for her, someone is after her and an orb she never heard of. When she learns new information about her mother, her life is starting to get really complicated. To make things worse, she is kidnapped by her real grandfather and she gets another task in this world. This happens over a large timespan and she suffers a lot. Despite that, Phi kept fighting. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and I found her very strong. I only wished that she took some things more seriously. She felt a bit immature sometimes, but she is already in her mid twenties.
The other characters are fun. I really liked Hermes, but Aden wasn’t too bad either. We also have the arrogant and bitchy Gods, especially Aphrodite. I thought that Hades rocked.
I must admit that the storyline gets a bit overwhelming sometimes. There is a LOT going on. The search for her real father, the new identity of her mother, complots from several Gods, kidnapping and abuse, flirting with Aden and her inner struggle: do I surrender to my feelings or do I keep listening to my brains? This all made sure that the story is never boring, but it was also a bit chaotic. The plot is okay and the ending was happy and wrapped everything up like I expected.
Keep in mind that this story isn’t YA. The writing-style felt like it, but there are some situations with quite some violence and sexual related content (nothing to heavy, but still.)
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
While this is definitely not the best book I’ve ever read, the low rating on Goodreads surprised me! The first two reviews are 1-star ratings.
This book is a quick paced story that is set in Australia. Ophelia – also called Phi – is an Olympic messenger. Her mother passed away a few years ago and her father is supposed to be Hermes. She has quite a family. Not everybody has Hades and Zeus as uncles. Her life is turned upside down when she meets demigod Aden, son of Aphrodite and Adonis. She turns him down and as a revenge, he sends her all of the world to deliver nonsense messages. Some even get her almost killed, because we get to meet a huge variety of mythological creatures.
There is also Simeon, a mysterious creature with a bad reputation in the world of Gods, but he is protecting Phi. He keeps warning her, but the search for her real father and her flirtations with Aden are keeping her far to busy. Unfortunately for her, someone is after her and an orb she never heard of. When she learns new information about her mother, her life is starting to get really complicated. To make things worse, she is kidnapped by her real grandfather and she gets another task in this world. This happens over a large timespan and she suffers a lot. Despite that, Phi kept fighting. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and I found her very strong. I only wished that she took some things more seriously. She felt a bit immature sometimes, but she is already in her mid twenties.
The other characters are fun. I really liked Hermes, but Aden wasn’t too bad either. We also have the arrogant and bitchy Gods, especially Aphrodite. I thought that Hades rocked.
I must admit that the storyline gets a bit overwhelming sometimes. There is a LOT going on. The search for her real father, the new identity of her mother, complots from several Gods, kidnapping and abuse, flirting with Aden and her inner struggle: do I surrender to my feelings or do I keep listening to my brains? This all made sure that the story is never boring, but it was also a bit chaotic. The plot is okay and the ending was happy and wrapped everything up like I expected.
Keep in mind that this story isn’t YA. The writing-style felt like it, but there are some situations with quite some violence and sexual related content (nothing to heavy, but still.)
December 10, 2012
FINALLY!!!! Such a slow-paced book. Like how I read. lol.
Okay... First of all, I really love Mythologies. Although I read Greeks and Roman Mythologies only. Second, I love the cover. ;) So when Harbinger was recommended to me, I really thought that I would really love it. So it's kinda sad that I am just okay with it. I mean, it started out good. But then I don't know what happened, it just fall apart. It went down, down, down. And I am bored by it. I was stuck at that 78%. Struggling with it to end.
I keep putting off that last 22%. Cause that part got a long monologue. So I skip those part, like describing the place Ophelia's in. Really, why does it have to be so long and without any dialogues? And the characters connection? It was just okay. I think I like Hermes more for Ophelia than Aden. :/
It was such a slow paced book in my opinion. And the action part I thought would show, didn't. I was actually left a bit hanging cause I want to know Ophelia's powers or new job. I want to see the romance between her and Aden which really really, lack. For crying out loud, she spent most of her time in that awful place and the time with Aden is so short you don't feel it.
But I give the author kudos for the Mythology part. It was good although not that great. And I liked that part with Aphrodite and Ophelia. That showdown. ;) All in all, it was okay-ish good. So 2.5 stars.
December 18, 2012
A rather enjoyable story but wow - what a lot there is going on, too much in fact. This book could really do with some refining and more direction, it's a bit all over the place, jumping from one scenario to the next.
The writing flowed well and was easy to read but I was often left feeling dazed and muddled trying to figure out where the story was going, because it just didn't (go anywhere).
An interesting cast of characters with a mix of paranormals and Gods, but again, there was too much of all this other stuff, and not enough couple time for Ophelia and Aden. I never felt any kind of growing attraction between the MC's, they just kind of come together, there's no real progression of anything, and the ending was wound up into a nice tidy bundle that felt flat and too saccharin sweet.
Not a bad debut, but some definite work needed.
3 out of 5 stars
The writing flowed well and was easy to read but I was often left feeling dazed and muddled trying to figure out where the story was going, because it just didn't (go anywhere).
An interesting cast of characters with a mix of paranormals and Gods, but again, there was too much of all this other stuff, and not enough couple time for Ophelia and Aden. I never felt any kind of growing attraction between the MC's, they just kind of come together, there's no real progression of anything, and the ending was wound up into a nice tidy bundle that felt flat and too saccharin sweet.
Not a bad debut, but some definite work needed.
3 out of 5 stars
July 6, 2013
I picked up this book because it was cheap and I like books that involve gods consorting with mortals...
And I have to say I really enjoyed this story. However it lost stars due to Phi being too forgiving. Seriously, after what she had to go through I want some grovelling and some blood... And it also lost a star due to some things and relationships that either needed to be fleshed out more or dumped completely.
I also need to read some more in depth conversations between h & H (and also with other characters who completely betrayed her) rather than just a paragraph and then be expected to believe in a HEA ... But maybe this was written with the intention of becoming a series, I don't know.
I'll read Peta Crake's next book and that will decide me on if I'm going to keep reading her work in the future. Promising first effort.
And I have to say I really enjoyed this story. However it lost stars due to Phi being too forgiving. Seriously, after what she had to go through I want some grovelling and some blood... And it also lost a star due to some things and relationships that either needed to be fleshed out more or dumped completely.
I also need to read some more in depth conversations between h & H (and also with other characters who completely betrayed her) rather than just a paragraph and then be expected to believe in a HEA ... But maybe this was written with the intention of becoming a series, I don't know.
I'll read Peta Crake's next book and that will decide me on if I'm going to keep reading her work in the future. Promising first effort.
July 22, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It's nice and easy to read, and I found the concept of the gods living among us mere mortals on Earth quite interesting, and wanted to know more about each of them. This book has a bit a everything - action, adventure, intrigue, romance, and great world-building. I also liked the fact that it was largely set in my home town, which doesn't happen often! There is potential for more adventures too...
July 25, 2013
I loved this Book. As a child I loved the Gods and the tales of their travels. I love how Peta brings them all together, not staying with Greek or Norse, and there's a couple I had never even heard of.
I've never liked the Furies and Peta has portrayed them well. There's a hint of romance to be taken further, but will she regret breaking her own rules.
Loved it. 5 stars.
I've never liked the Furies and Peta has portrayed them well. There's a hint of romance to be taken further, but will she regret breaking her own rules.
Loved it. 5 stars.
June 27, 2013
I loved this book! The use of gods and mythology in a modern day setting worked really well. I'm not one for writing long reviews but I loved the sassy heroine, the humour and the story kept me interested. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!
March 12, 2015
I really liked this book. It has an exciting, fast paced plot and great characters. The Gods and mythology in a modern day setting worked really well. I will definitely be reading more titles from this author.
May 22, 2015
The book was kinda bad at the start which made me want to stop reading. However the second half was a lot better and I ended up sticking it out. Probably wont be reading the rest of the series though.
October 27, 2012
Review will be available on November 26, 2012 at http://placeofreeds.blogspot.com
December 6, 2012
Loved it! Great mythological version, exciting plot, several hotties and pretty nice female protagonist. Excellent read for all mythology fans!
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