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The Rivener
“An ambitious genre-defying opus, 'The Rivener' masterfully blends elements to create an expansive world. An epic tale of retribution, redemption, and discovery, fueled by a unique protagonist's extraordinary journey where flawed humanity battles immortal indifference." - The Bookbeard Review
Step through a gateway hidden inside your dreaming mind and enter the gritty streets of San Francisco to labyrinthine dream worlds conjured from humanity's collective psyche, this is a philosophical, page-turning, dark-fantasy odyssey.
Meet Kid, an American foster system survivor turned clandestine courier for an underground syndicate, The White Lotus. With the disappearance of their previous runner, Kid must navigate through a harrowing night filled with deranged stalkers and nightmarish creatures born of his darkest fears.
Then there's Alice, a teen prodigy from The Young School — an enigmatic institute for violent psychics, also known as travelers. These travelers have the power to traverse The Dream, a parallel universe birthed from humanity's collective consciousness, capable of manipulating society, acquiring superhuman abilities, and even discovering immortality. Alice yearns to harness these mystical forces to gain her freedom.
When an assignment goes dead wrong in Chinatown, Kid and Alice's paths intersect. This streetwise runner and covert operative of parallel worlds find themselves in a reality-defying struggle for the survival of humanity. Can they channel their abilities, love, and determination to mend the very fabric of existence, defeat an ancient evil, and safeguard both realms—The Dream and The Real?
This visionary dark-fantasy novel, woven with elements of thriller, horror, science-fiction, and the supernatural, resonates with readers who appreciate intricate world-building, in-depth characterization, and an engaging, fast-paced narrative.
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Praise for The Rivener
“The Rivener' offers a profound, immersive experience resonating with wisdom and truth. With endearing characters and a formidable villain, it's a soulful, thrilling narrative akin to The Sandman and The Matrix." - A Page of Words and Wishes
"Littered with feeling and philosophy, violence, and mythology. This had me gripped from start to finish. ” - Christopher Badcock, Those You Killed
"Absolutely brilliant. An epic mix between Gaiman’s ‘The Sandman’ and everything I wanted but never got from King’s ‘Dark Tower’. ” - The Misfit Bookshelf
"The Rivener pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let go. You emerge completely invested in the world and its characters and are left questioning the nature of reality. ” - Book Naked
"Like American Gods and R Rated Percy Jackson on a wild acid trip. At times scary, and mind-bending, and always full of wonder. " - Probably Reading Right Now
“An edge-of-your-seat roller coaster defying all expectations of thriller, sci-fi, apocalyptic dark fantasy, and punk fiction. ” - Jessica Rose Reader
“An ambitious genre-defying opus, 'The Rivener' masterfully blends elements to create an expansive world. An epic tale of retribution, redemption, and discovery, fueled by a unique protagonist's extraordinary journey where flawed humanity battles immortal indifference." - The Bookbeard Review
Step through a gateway hidden inside your dreaming mind and enter the gritty streets of San Francisco to labyrinthine dream worlds conjured from humanity's collective psyche, this is a philosophical, page-turning, dark-fantasy odyssey.
Meet Kid, an American foster system survivor turned clandestine courier for an underground syndicate, The White Lotus. With the disappearance of their previous runner, Kid must navigate through a harrowing night filled with deranged stalkers and nightmarish creatures born of his darkest fears.
Then there's Alice, a teen prodigy from The Young School — an enigmatic institute for violent psychics, also known as travelers. These travelers have the power to traverse The Dream, a parallel universe birthed from humanity's collective consciousness, capable of manipulating society, acquiring superhuman abilities, and even discovering immortality. Alice yearns to harness these mystical forces to gain her freedom.
When an assignment goes dead wrong in Chinatown, Kid and Alice's paths intersect. This streetwise runner and covert operative of parallel worlds find themselves in a reality-defying struggle for the survival of humanity. Can they channel their abilities, love, and determination to mend the very fabric of existence, defeat an ancient evil, and safeguard both realms—The Dream and The Real?
This visionary dark-fantasy novel, woven with elements of thriller, horror, science-fiction, and the supernatural, resonates with readers who appreciate intricate world-building, in-depth characterization, and an engaging, fast-paced narrative.
---
Praise for The Rivener
“The Rivener' offers a profound, immersive experience resonating with wisdom and truth. With endearing characters and a formidable villain, it's a soulful, thrilling narrative akin to The Sandman and The Matrix." - A Page of Words and Wishes
"Littered with feeling and philosophy, violence, and mythology. This had me gripped from start to finish. ” - Christopher Badcock, Those You Killed
"Absolutely brilliant. An epic mix between Gaiman’s ‘The Sandman’ and everything I wanted but never got from King’s ‘Dark Tower’. ” - The Misfit Bookshelf
"The Rivener pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let go. You emerge completely invested in the world and its characters and are left questioning the nature of reality. ” - Book Naked
"Like American Gods and R Rated Percy Jackson on a wild acid trip. At times scary, and mind-bending, and always full of wonder. " - Probably Reading Right Now
“An edge-of-your-seat roller coaster defying all expectations of thriller, sci-fi, apocalyptic dark fantasy, and punk fiction. ” - Jessica Rose Reader
“An ambitious genre-defying opus, 'The Rivener' masterfully blends elements to create an expansive world. An epic tale of retribution, redemption, and discovery, fueled by a unique protagonist's extraordinary journey where flawed humanity battles immortal indifference." - The Bookbeard Review
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
572 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2023
8 people are currently reading
376 people want to read
About the author
Garrett Godsey
1 book30 followersGarrett Godsey is an American author currently living near Prague. Thanks to a life of wandering experiences from the Ozark Mountains to Colorado, San Francisco, Mexico, and Europe—his stories often deal with the exploration of our soul, identity, and world.
As a 90s latchkey kid growing up in zero-supervision chaos with a steady diet of fantastic fiction, his tales also include a through-line of the incredible, strange, and catastrophic.
In addition to writing, he works as a creator of biotechnology applications and is fascinated by the human mind—specifically regarding trauma, addiction, cognition, and perception.
—
Follow his adventures on Instagram @garrettgodseybooks
As a 90s latchkey kid growing up in zero-supervision chaos with a steady diet of fantastic fiction, his tales also include a through-line of the incredible, strange, and catastrophic.
In addition to writing, he works as a creator of biotechnology applications and is fascinated by the human mind—specifically regarding trauma, addiction, cognition, and perception.
—
Follow his adventures on Instagram @garrettgodseybooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 4, 2023
The Rivener by Garrett Godsey is one of those books that as a reader you always hope to stumble upon. A book you never knew you had been missing out on as until now you didn't know a book could hit all those little needs your vast experience as a reader has left you needing like a junkie needs the next big fix.
From the very opening of the book, I was pulled in. There's little time initially spent on world-building which is to the authors' credit as that comes much later. We're introduced to the main character Kid who's a street rat that's doing what he has to do to survive. I was invested in him instantly as the tone is set early but leaves you with absolutely no idea as to what's to come.
As for how the story reads this one was perfect for me. The chapters are short when they need to be and the long chapters for action sequences are fitting because you just move so fast through them. The dream sequences are trippy and the 'science' is intriguing enough to make you need to know more.
The Rivener is one of the most unique stories I've read in a while but reads like it has many influences. American Gods and The Sandman, His Dark Materials, The Matrix, Blake Crouch's Dark Matter & Recursion, King & Straubs The Talisman and even The Dark Tower, which The Rivener, in my opinion, manages to surpass by being so enjoyable and addictive. There's no doubt many more that I'm sure each individual reader will pick up on their own as they go through this epic journey. Even the genres this book covers are vast. Sci-fi, fantasy and horror are the ones that most stood out to me but the term genre-bending was made for this kind of novel.
The characters are also so well fleshed out within just the first third of the book that I was fully invested and hooked. I needed to know more about all of them, I still want to know more and that goes for pretty much every main character in this novel. I want their histories, the history of how people first got the powers to go in and out of vessels and The Dream. There's just so much depth to the world and those in it I couldn't get enough.
And then there's the ending. I ploughed through the last 30% of this book in one sitting because of how much was going on, and how invested I was and cared for what happened to each character. I couldn't pick a single thing I'd have changed about the way things played out and thankfully I got what I hoped for in potential for a sequel.
I was fortunate enough to be provided with an ARC of The Rivener and I want to thank Garrett Godsey for the opportunity to experience this extraordinary book and to be able to tell as many people as possible to get this one on release day, June 25th, and prepare yourself for one amazing and unique journey.
From the very opening of the book, I was pulled in. There's little time initially spent on world-building which is to the authors' credit as that comes much later. We're introduced to the main character Kid who's a street rat that's doing what he has to do to survive. I was invested in him instantly as the tone is set early but leaves you with absolutely no idea as to what's to come.
As for how the story reads this one was perfect for me. The chapters are short when they need to be and the long chapters for action sequences are fitting because you just move so fast through them. The dream sequences are trippy and the 'science' is intriguing enough to make you need to know more.
The Rivener is one of the most unique stories I've read in a while but reads like it has many influences. American Gods and The Sandman, His Dark Materials, The Matrix, Blake Crouch's Dark Matter & Recursion, King & Straubs The Talisman and even The Dark Tower, which The Rivener, in my opinion, manages to surpass by being so enjoyable and addictive. There's no doubt many more that I'm sure each individual reader will pick up on their own as they go through this epic journey. Even the genres this book covers are vast. Sci-fi, fantasy and horror are the ones that most stood out to me but the term genre-bending was made for this kind of novel.
The characters are also so well fleshed out within just the first third of the book that I was fully invested and hooked. I needed to know more about all of them, I still want to know more and that goes for pretty much every main character in this novel. I want their histories, the history of how people first got the powers to go in and out of vessels and The Dream. There's just so much depth to the world and those in it I couldn't get enough.
And then there's the ending. I ploughed through the last 30% of this book in one sitting because of how much was going on, and how invested I was and cared for what happened to each character. I couldn't pick a single thing I'd have changed about the way things played out and thankfully I got what I hoped for in potential for a sequel.
I was fortunate enough to be provided with an ARC of The Rivener and I want to thank Garrett Godsey for the opportunity to experience this extraordinary book and to be able to tell as many people as possible to get this one on release day, June 25th, and prepare yourself for one amazing and unique journey.
June 18, 2023
The Rivener is an epic adventure urban cosmic fantasy where your thoughts have power.
Kid is a young man who was orphaned and grew up in the system and is living on the streets of San Francisco. Working for The White Lotus, a crime organization, as a runner delivering packages he gets into more trouble then he bargained for on a shady delivery that sends him down a path that will leave him wondering what is truth and what is real.
Alice Unknown grew up being raised by Mara, the only mother she’s ever known. She just wants to live a normal life, but she has to choose between the only life she’s ever known, and the life she wants.
The Rivener is a beautifully written book with a ton of heart. The time and effort the author put into writing this book is clearly evident as you read. I immediately connected to the characters and community being built throughout the book. This story was so skillfully created, and it shows rather than tells you the story which makes reading it an experience. It has a sense of nostalgia, calling back to books I’ve already enjoyed, while also being its own story. The books I would most compare it to are American Gods, and The Percy Jackson series. The writing and dialogue is approachable without being simplistic, and while it can be gritty and intense the personalities of the characters, and their really human moments shine through all that and makes you need to keep reading both for the exciting story, and to also make sure the characters get through it. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book and I can’t wait to see what Garrett does in the future.
Kid is a young man who was orphaned and grew up in the system and is living on the streets of San Francisco. Working for The White Lotus, a crime organization, as a runner delivering packages he gets into more trouble then he bargained for on a shady delivery that sends him down a path that will leave him wondering what is truth and what is real.
Alice Unknown grew up being raised by Mara, the only mother she’s ever known. She just wants to live a normal life, but she has to choose between the only life she’s ever known, and the life she wants.
The Rivener is a beautifully written book with a ton of heart. The time and effort the author put into writing this book is clearly evident as you read. I immediately connected to the characters and community being built throughout the book. This story was so skillfully created, and it shows rather than tells you the story which makes reading it an experience. It has a sense of nostalgia, calling back to books I’ve already enjoyed, while also being its own story. The books I would most compare it to are American Gods, and The Percy Jackson series. The writing and dialogue is approachable without being simplistic, and while it can be gritty and intense the personalities of the characters, and their really human moments shine through all that and makes you need to keep reading both for the exciting story, and to also make sure the characters get through it. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book and I can’t wait to see what Garrett does in the future.
June 6, 2023
This debut scifi-fantasy novel by Garrett Godsey begins with Kid, a teenage gutter punk from San Francisco, who takes up shady jobs as a runner to make ends meet. Because of a delivery run gone wrong, he ends up in the middle of a catastrophic war.
A speculative fiction with the right mix of fantasy and science fiction, the worldbuilding elements reminded me of Gaiman’s The Sandman and American Gods, from the dreams and dreaming being the major part of the plot, to going on cross-country road trips to save the world. There’s also the homage to Alice in Wonderland, especially in the beginning of the book. The setting is immersive, the author knows how to write atmospheric environment, whether it’s a dingy diner kitchen or a suffocating rave concert, from sprawling urban streets of San Francisco to hallucinatory starlit beaches, all the in-between places of waking and dreaming where thoughts wander around.
I liked that the characters aren’t black-and-white. Protagonists and antagonists alike are all written well, with fully fleshed-out reasons and motivations for each action and decision. The author makes you care for them throughout the book with believable character development and doesn’t shy away from killing off characters if that’s what the story demands. (My favorites are Poe and Linh!)
However, I found some of the metaphysical and cosmological elements the author used for worldbuilding (parallel worlds, alternate realities, the multiverse, etc etc) too conceptual and vague in how they were explained in the book, so I think I didn’t fully grasp everything relating to that matter. The plot and story also jump from one big thing to another, so the book felt like a non-stop action movie with barely enough space for the reader to pause and breathe (at least for me).
Overall an enjoyable read, the book fairly ties up the story but still leaves room for a potential sequel or two. I can’t wait to see where Kid and Alice end up next.
(4/5 ⭐)
A speculative fiction with the right mix of fantasy and science fiction, the worldbuilding elements reminded me of Gaiman’s The Sandman and American Gods, from the dreams and dreaming being the major part of the plot, to going on cross-country road trips to save the world. There’s also the homage to Alice in Wonderland, especially in the beginning of the book. The setting is immersive, the author knows how to write atmospheric environment, whether it’s a dingy diner kitchen or a suffocating rave concert, from sprawling urban streets of San Francisco to hallucinatory starlit beaches, all the in-between places of waking and dreaming where thoughts wander around.
I liked that the characters aren’t black-and-white. Protagonists and antagonists alike are all written well, with fully fleshed-out reasons and motivations for each action and decision. The author makes you care for them throughout the book with believable character development and doesn’t shy away from killing off characters if that’s what the story demands. (My favorites are Poe and Linh!)
However, I found some of the metaphysical and cosmological elements the author used for worldbuilding (parallel worlds, alternate realities, the multiverse, etc etc) too conceptual and vague in how they were explained in the book, so I think I didn’t fully grasp everything relating to that matter. The plot and story also jump from one big thing to another, so the book felt like a non-stop action movie with barely enough space for the reader to pause and breathe (at least for me).
Overall an enjoyable read, the book fairly ties up the story but still leaves room for a potential sequel or two. I can’t wait to see where Kid and Alice end up next.
(4/5 ⭐)
June 3, 2023
Firstly, let me just say that The Rivener does not read like it's Garrett Godsey's debut novel. I'm always hesitant of debuts. Often, I find the writing to be jarring or too cookie-cutter basic. Godsey is a wordsmith. The wording and sentence structure are reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy and the late Hunter S. Thompson.
The mannerisms within this read are fresh and not overdone, easily avoiding coming across as self-indulgent or tacky. Each character has a voice of their own, each with heart. It's not often that I find myself invested in characters, but I was cheering them on.
I'll be honest with you, coming in at 500+ pages, I nearly declined the ARC offer. I'm glad I didn't. What I thought could be a tediously long read turned out to be an epic world-building story.
This is a master-class on how to completely ace your debut. Novice writers take heed and read The Rivener.
The mannerisms within this read are fresh and not overdone, easily avoiding coming across as self-indulgent or tacky. Each character has a voice of their own, each with heart. It's not often that I find myself invested in characters, but I was cheering them on.
I'll be honest with you, coming in at 500+ pages, I nearly declined the ARC offer. I'm glad I didn't. What I thought could be a tediously long read turned out to be an epic world-building story.
This is a master-class on how to completely ace your debut. Novice writers take heed and read The Rivener.
June 3, 2023
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a honest review.
First of all, to think that this is a debut novel? Mind blowing. Garrett, the guy knows the drill, he knows how to write a story, how to keep readers invested throughout. Garrett, surely, is a real deal.
The story held me up from the start and never let go until I turned the last page. Garrett's way of writing, it's so simple yet so powerful that you don't have any difficulty getting into the book and it keeps you entertained all the way.
The world building was really great with not too much shoved at you. The characters were written brilliantly, the choices they make makes them so real and relatable.
A mix of dark urban fantasy, horror and sci-fi, this book is sure to be a great debut when it hits the shelves.
First of all, to think that this is a debut novel? Mind blowing. Garrett, the guy knows the drill, he knows how to write a story, how to keep readers invested throughout. Garrett, surely, is a real deal.
The story held me up from the start and never let go until I turned the last page. Garrett's way of writing, it's so simple yet so powerful that you don't have any difficulty getting into the book and it keeps you entertained all the way.
The world building was really great with not too much shoved at you. The characters were written brilliantly, the choices they make makes them so real and relatable.
A mix of dark urban fantasy, horror and sci-fi, this book is sure to be a great debut when it hits the shelves.
June 15, 2023
Do you remember that feeling you had as a kid when you would find a book that would become your whole world? That book made you stay up late reading even though you know you would be tired at school the next day. That book that you dreamed about and wrote stories about and told everyone, "You have to read this" because it was something special.
This is that book. Godsey has given us something special as his debut novel. A story that is built upon plot and character arcs that are timeless and comfortable yet is filled with imagination that surprises you and immerses you in new and exciting worlds full of characters you adore. Not to mention, this thing does not read like a typical debut - it has absolutely SOLID writing.
This 500+ page book flew by due to the well-timed action and plot development that is spread throughout the novel to keep the pace up. As for the atmosphere, this gave me cyberpunk but dream world vibes. Godsey took such care to develop a logical world that the reader is able to learn about simultaneously with the main character, making it obtainable and easy to follow.
Kid was a fun protagonist to root for, and I loved Mara as an antagonist. She's the "you are evil, but I get it" type of villain, and Godsey did a great job making her feel intimidating AF. All of the relationships between characters feel authentic because of how well they were crafted and explored throughout the story. I also appreciated the multi-POV style because it allowed for all of the side characters to have well-established motivations and gave the reader the opportunity to build deeper connections with the entire cast.
This was a stellar debut, and everyone needs to be watching Garrett to see what he does next.
Who should read it:
-People who enjoy big, epic heroes journeys (Lord of the Rings, The Gunslinger, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc.)
- Anyone transitioning from reading YA to adult or just getting back into reading
- People in a reading slump who need something built on tried and true formulas
- Anyone looking for something fun, full of heart, and fast-paced
*I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
This is that book. Godsey has given us something special as his debut novel. A story that is built upon plot and character arcs that are timeless and comfortable yet is filled with imagination that surprises you and immerses you in new and exciting worlds full of characters you adore. Not to mention, this thing does not read like a typical debut - it has absolutely SOLID writing.
This 500+ page book flew by due to the well-timed action and plot development that is spread throughout the novel to keep the pace up. As for the atmosphere, this gave me cyberpunk but dream world vibes. Godsey took such care to develop a logical world that the reader is able to learn about simultaneously with the main character, making it obtainable and easy to follow.
Kid was a fun protagonist to root for, and I loved Mara as an antagonist. She's the "you are evil, but I get it" type of villain, and Godsey did a great job making her feel intimidating AF. All of the relationships between characters feel authentic because of how well they were crafted and explored throughout the story. I also appreciated the multi-POV style because it allowed for all of the side characters to have well-established motivations and gave the reader the opportunity to build deeper connections with the entire cast.
This was a stellar debut, and everyone needs to be watching Garrett to see what he does next.
Who should read it:
-People who enjoy big, epic heroes journeys (Lord of the Rings, The Gunslinger, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc.)
- Anyone transitioning from reading YA to adult or just getting back into reading
- People in a reading slump who need something built on tried and true formulas
- Anyone looking for something fun, full of heart, and fast-paced
*I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
June 6, 2023
Thank you so very much to the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this upcoming debut in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are entirely my own.
4.5 rounded up. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
This was a really terrific blend of all the things I love about fantasy - there's world-hopping, ancient entities, mind-bending magical elements, trippy SciFi aspects, wicked fast-paced action / fight sequences, and plenty of unique horror for those who like their fantasy on the darker side (i.e., me.).
It moves quickly from the get-go and never loses momentum. Godsey does a terrific job of establishing the world early on without dumping too much information on the reader at once, and uses each chapter to expand on the lore of the universe - and believe me, you're going to adore the lore, it's almost like mythmaking in its own way, I found myself engrossed and desperate to learn more.
As characters, Kid and Alice are exactly what you want: they're lovable, complex, and their banter is to die for; you'll find yourself rooting for them to succeed and white-knuckled when they're in danger - and there's a lot of danger, because these villains and their goals are frightening. Dear God they were frightening! But oh so wicked and entertaining.
Godsey's writing is vibrant, the dialogue is believable, every page is imbued with humour, heart, and an obvious appreciation for the genre and Godsey's predecessors, there are plenty of homages to the greats while the book itself remains fresh, inventive, and alive.
I'm thrilled to have gotten the chance to read this before publication and I'm already looking forward to adding a copy to my shelf - I mean, look at that cover! It's divine!
If you're looking for a piece of dark fantasy that will keep you reading well into the night, in one breathless sitting, then THE RIVENER needs to be on your TBR. It's wonderful.
Bravo, Garrett Godsey, you've got yourself a new fan!
4.5 rounded up. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
This was a really terrific blend of all the things I love about fantasy - there's world-hopping, ancient entities, mind-bending magical elements, trippy SciFi aspects, wicked fast-paced action / fight sequences, and plenty of unique horror for those who like their fantasy on the darker side (i.e., me.).
It moves quickly from the get-go and never loses momentum. Godsey does a terrific job of establishing the world early on without dumping too much information on the reader at once, and uses each chapter to expand on the lore of the universe - and believe me, you're going to adore the lore, it's almost like mythmaking in its own way, I found myself engrossed and desperate to learn more.
As characters, Kid and Alice are exactly what you want: they're lovable, complex, and their banter is to die for; you'll find yourself rooting for them to succeed and white-knuckled when they're in danger - and there's a lot of danger, because these villains and their goals are frightening. Dear God they were frightening! But oh so wicked and entertaining.
Godsey's writing is vibrant, the dialogue is believable, every page is imbued with humour, heart, and an obvious appreciation for the genre and Godsey's predecessors, there are plenty of homages to the greats while the book itself remains fresh, inventive, and alive.
I'm thrilled to have gotten the chance to read this before publication and I'm already looking forward to adding a copy to my shelf - I mean, look at that cover! It's divine!
If you're looking for a piece of dark fantasy that will keep you reading well into the night, in one breathless sitting, then THE RIVENER needs to be on your TBR. It's wonderful.
Bravo, Garrett Godsey, you've got yourself a new fan!
July 11, 2023
The Rivener is an incredible story. The characters come to life instantly and you can’t help but be drawn into their lives and the worlds that Garett has woven.
I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but it follows the main character ‘Kid’ through San Francisco and other realities. The story gave me strong Neil Gaiman vibes and I’d be amazed if Sandman and American Gods didn’t influence the book, but this is no facsimile of Gaiman’s work it is something altogether new and exciting!
I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but it follows the main character ‘Kid’ through San Francisco and other realities. The story gave me strong Neil Gaiman vibes and I’d be amazed if Sandman and American Gods didn’t influence the book, but this is no facsimile of Gaiman’s work it is something altogether new and exciting!
June 17, 2023
4,5 stars/sterren (Dutch below)
We meet our main character Kid in very unfavorable circumstances. He lives on the street, sometimes on rooftops, in San Francisco. To survive he sometimes delivers packages for the gang The White Lotus.
It goes terribly wrong during a dropoff. And now he has to survive during a ticking timebom for mankind. To prevent that mankind is being swallowed up by The Void, he will need to discover who he really is and what his strength is.
I got the ARC in exchange for a honest review. This is his debut and very well written. The world (The Dream, The Void) is clearly written and although I normally do not read sci-fi I can highly recommend it!
The book does not always uses the easiest of English, despite that it reads very nice. Personally I love the shorter chapters.
Without giving a lot of spoilers my favorite characters are the twins Deliah and Poe. They are an example of how twins can be so different and eventually so the same at the same time.
On 25th of june is the release date.
**
We ontmoeten onze hoofdpersoon Kid in zeer ongunstig omstandigheden. Hij woont op straat, soms op daken, in San Francisco. Om te overleven brengt hij regelmatig pakketjes rond voor de bende The White Lotus.
Tijdens een drop off gaat het mis, flink mis. En nu moet hij zich zien te redden in en tikkende tijdbom voor mensheid. Om te voorkomt dat de mensheid wordt opgeslokt door The Void (de leegte) zal hij eerst moeten ontdekken wie hij werkelijk is en wat zijn kracht is.
Deze ARC heb ik gekregen in ruil voor een eerlijk oordeel. Het is zijn debuut en het is heel goed geschreven. De wereld (The Dream, The Void) wordt duidelijk beschreven en hoewel ik normaal geen sci-fi lees, maar ik kan hem absoluut aanbevelen.
Het boek is niet in de meest eenvoudige Engels geschreven. Desondanks leest het goed weg. Persoonlijk vind ik de korte hoofdstukken heerlijk.
Zonder teveel spoiler te geven zijn mijn favoriete personages de tweeling Deliah en Poe. Ze zijn een voorbeeld van hoe een tweeling zo verschillend en toch uiteindelijk hetzelfde kunnen zijn.
Het boek komt 25 juni uit.
We meet our main character Kid in very unfavorable circumstances. He lives on the street, sometimes on rooftops, in San Francisco. To survive he sometimes delivers packages for the gang The White Lotus.
It goes terribly wrong during a dropoff. And now he has to survive during a ticking timebom for mankind. To prevent that mankind is being swallowed up by The Void, he will need to discover who he really is and what his strength is.
I got the ARC in exchange for a honest review. This is his debut and very well written. The world (The Dream, The Void) is clearly written and although I normally do not read sci-fi I can highly recommend it!
The book does not always uses the easiest of English, despite that it reads very nice. Personally I love the shorter chapters.
Without giving a lot of spoilers my favorite characters are the twins Deliah and Poe. They are an example of how twins can be so different and eventually so the same at the same time.
On 25th of june is the release date.
**
We ontmoeten onze hoofdpersoon Kid in zeer ongunstig omstandigheden. Hij woont op straat, soms op daken, in San Francisco. Om te overleven brengt hij regelmatig pakketjes rond voor de bende The White Lotus.
Tijdens een drop off gaat het mis, flink mis. En nu moet hij zich zien te redden in en tikkende tijdbom voor mensheid. Om te voorkomt dat de mensheid wordt opgeslokt door The Void (de leegte) zal hij eerst moeten ontdekken wie hij werkelijk is en wat zijn kracht is.
Deze ARC heb ik gekregen in ruil voor een eerlijk oordeel. Het is zijn debuut en het is heel goed geschreven. De wereld (The Dream, The Void) wordt duidelijk beschreven en hoewel ik normaal geen sci-fi lees, maar ik kan hem absoluut aanbevelen.
Het boek is niet in de meest eenvoudige Engels geschreven. Desondanks leest het goed weg. Persoonlijk vind ik de korte hoofdstukken heerlijk.
Zonder teveel spoiler te geven zijn mijn favoriete personages de tweeling Deliah en Poe. Ze zijn een voorbeeld van hoe een tweeling zo verschillend en toch uiteindelijk hetzelfde kunnen zijn.
Het boek komt 25 juni uit.
June 10, 2023
I enjoyed this one but, my ADHD made it really hard for me to stay focussed and fully understand what was going on the whole time - which I typically translate to “the author wrote a great book and I’m just too dumb to keep up with”
I love a book that has a balance of plot driven/character driven. If I can’t fall in love with the characters themselves, I’m going to have a hard time caring what they get up to. I liked the characters, I just wish we would get more about them because I know if we did I would have loved them and it would have been easier for me to stay focussed.
I had NO idea how long this was when I agreed to reading an ARC of it. When it comes to ARC requests, I try to keep them under 300 pages so I can get through them all at a decent pace and I just find it easier to write reviews for shorter books. With a book that’s almost 600 pages it becomes hard because there were moments I LOVED and then moments that I found myself becoming distracted.
With all that being said: I think this was an amazing achievement for Godsey’s first big project and I’m really excited to see what he creates next! If Urban Fantasy, inception type, universe hopping style stories are your thing, you need to check out The Rivener because it’s a really fun world! I’m definitely going to read it again when my work life and my head is a little less busy!
I love a book that has a balance of plot driven/character driven. If I can’t fall in love with the characters themselves, I’m going to have a hard time caring what they get up to. I liked the characters, I just wish we would get more about them because I know if we did I would have loved them and it would have been easier for me to stay focussed.
I had NO idea how long this was when I agreed to reading an ARC of it. When it comes to ARC requests, I try to keep them under 300 pages so I can get through them all at a decent pace and I just find it easier to write reviews for shorter books. With a book that’s almost 600 pages it becomes hard because there were moments I LOVED and then moments that I found myself becoming distracted.
With all that being said: I think this was an amazing achievement for Godsey’s first big project and I’m really excited to see what he creates next! If Urban Fantasy, inception type, universe hopping style stories are your thing, you need to check out The Rivener because it’s a really fun world! I’m definitely going to read it again when my work life and my head is a little less busy!
July 10, 2024
4.5!! I got serious ‘Weaveworld’ vibes with this one. Garrett is a very talented writer, and his work deserves as much love as possible! I can’t wait to read what he comes out with next.
June 7, 2023
Alright, this was a fun one! This fast-paced urban fantasy adventure had me dying to know what was going to happen next. I will say that this was written more like a YA than an adult novel, but I don’t personally mind that. There was so many cool action sequences that I think this book would make an excellent anime.
I really appreciated the diversity of characters that were in this story- you got to know and love every single one of them. Godsey does a great job humanizing even the smallest of side characters, turning them into someone you would know in real life. His descriptions of objects in the world were incredibly immersive- I loved the way he described the falcon eggs. I’ve never even seen falcon eggs before and I could picture them.
The feedback I can give on this book is that the magic system is a bit confusing. The abilities and limitations were not explained in a way that I understood. I hope to learn more about this in the next book(?)! I would love a better understanding of magic mechanics and maybe an explanation of abilities. I also had a difficult time wrapping my head around the goals and intentions of the antagonist. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it felt like I didn’t have an understanding of why she was doing it or what she planned on doing after she meets her goal.
If you like urban fantasy/science fiction adventures that kind of remind you of The Matrix, then The Rivener comes out June 25th!
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader copy by Garrett in exchange for my honest review.
I really appreciated the diversity of characters that were in this story- you got to know and love every single one of them. Godsey does a great job humanizing even the smallest of side characters, turning them into someone you would know in real life. His descriptions of objects in the world were incredibly immersive- I loved the way he described the falcon eggs. I’ve never even seen falcon eggs before and I could picture them.
The feedback I can give on this book is that the magic system is a bit confusing. The abilities and limitations were not explained in a way that I understood. I hope to learn more about this in the next book(?)! I would love a better understanding of magic mechanics and maybe an explanation of abilities. I also had a difficult time wrapping my head around the goals and intentions of the antagonist. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it felt like I didn’t have an understanding of why she was doing it or what she planned on doing after she meets her goal.
If you like urban fantasy/science fiction adventures that kind of remind you of The Matrix, then The Rivener comes out June 25th!
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader copy by Garrett in exchange for my honest review.
June 12, 2023
Did I almost miss boarding my flight because I was sitting in the airport reading the end of this book? Absolutely. I had to grab my bag and run. I absolutely loved the world that was built in this book. There were two huge character development moments of "Kid" that left me so emotional. And I can't believe this author made me sit through the death of sweet Lihn TWICE! This book definitely left me wanting a part two, which was perfectly set up! Four stars and not five because it took me a bit to fully get into this book (as it goes with any fantasy, to be honest). As a native San Diegan, I loved all the California references, which made it easy to envision the world created. The villain in this book, "Mother," was so sneakily cool because she wanted to portray herself as a nurturing soul, but in reality was just manipulating everything and everyone around her. The philosophical aspect of the read definitely left me having some weird dreams 😆 I would definitely recommend giving this debut novel a read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2023
(Thanks to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
Kid is an orphan living in San Francisco. He makes money transporting packages for shady people. One night a delivery goes wrong, and he ends up with something so valuable, his enemies will chase him to the realm of dreams and beyond to get it.
The characters were complex with uniquely dark backstories. The villains were particularly compelling.
The plot was fast paced and heavy on action, giving it a cinematic feel. The setting was bold and atmospheric with a somewhat Gaimanesque feel.
There were no info dumps and the dream based magic system had a way of explaining itself. This makes it a great introduction to mature urban fantasy.
Kid is an orphan living in San Francisco. He makes money transporting packages for shady people. One night a delivery goes wrong, and he ends up with something so valuable, his enemies will chase him to the realm of dreams and beyond to get it.
The characters were complex with uniquely dark backstories. The villains were particularly compelling.
The plot was fast paced and heavy on action, giving it a cinematic feel. The setting was bold and atmospheric with a somewhat Gaimanesque feel.
There were no info dumps and the dream based magic system had a way of explaining itself. This makes it a great introduction to mature urban fantasy.
June 23, 2023
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review and never have I been so blessed.
The Rivener is the kind of debut sci-fi fantasy novel you stumble upon by accident or out of curiosity and then quickly it consumes your every thought. This novel follows Kid, a teen gutter punk from San Francisco who works as a runner taking part in shady deals and deliveries for equally as shady people in order to get by. What seems like a struggling teen chasing the wrong path in life quickly becomes a story of raging war and pushing the boundaries of reality.
From the beginning this book had me in its clutches and it was nearly impossible to put down from there. With complex flawed characters that many of us may relate to in one way or another to ideas about reality and our world that challenge the way in which you view the universe and make you ponder what really defines real vs imagination. There seems to be a little bit of everything in this book including some bone chilling horror aspects that left me cringing yet unable to look away.
The writing is extremely immersive and the setting atmospheric. You truly feel like you’re part of the story whether it’s a dingy diner or the centre of an epic battle you can almost smell and hear the characters surroundings.
Garret Godsey has curated a masterpiece that provides you with all the elements a story needs to keep you glued to the pages for hours and leave you feeling full filled . This book quickly became one of my top 5 of 2023 so far and if you’re a lover of magic meets the ordinary you’ll definitely love this book too!
The Rivener is the kind of debut sci-fi fantasy novel you stumble upon by accident or out of curiosity and then quickly it consumes your every thought. This novel follows Kid, a teen gutter punk from San Francisco who works as a runner taking part in shady deals and deliveries for equally as shady people in order to get by. What seems like a struggling teen chasing the wrong path in life quickly becomes a story of raging war and pushing the boundaries of reality.
From the beginning this book had me in its clutches and it was nearly impossible to put down from there. With complex flawed characters that many of us may relate to in one way or another to ideas about reality and our world that challenge the way in which you view the universe and make you ponder what really defines real vs imagination. There seems to be a little bit of everything in this book including some bone chilling horror aspects that left me cringing yet unable to look away.
The writing is extremely immersive and the setting atmospheric. You truly feel like you’re part of the story whether it’s a dingy diner or the centre of an epic battle you can almost smell and hear the characters surroundings.
Garret Godsey has curated a masterpiece that provides you with all the elements a story needs to keep you glued to the pages for hours and leave you feeling full filled . This book quickly became one of my top 5 of 2023 so far and if you’re a lover of magic meets the ordinary you’ll definitely love this book too!
June 14, 2023
I was hooked from the introduction of Kid, our street punk orphan and main character. We are introduced to so many phenomenal characters throughout this book as well as some really shady, awful characters and they all play a vital role in the development of this story. Alice Unknown, Kid’s side kick and partner throughout the book as he treks his way through The Dream, is probably my favorite character out of them all. She is just so spunky, I couldn’t help but love her from the start. The chemistry between Kid and Alice is undeniable but I’m glad that, even though I am typically a romance reader and love romance in ANY story, a large focus was not placed on that aspect of their relationship. There was just enough of the budding romance between the two MCs that made me feel happy that two lost souls found one another.
I felt like I was on an adventure from start to finish. It was fun and exciting, action packed as well as thrilling. And let me not forget the philosophical aspects of this book.
I don’t think there was one thing that I didn’t enjoy. I felt totally immersed in this story and it felt like not just reading a book but an actual experience. I think this is going to be one of my top reads for the year! Highly recommend if you’re a fan of sci-fi/fantasy, adventure, with dashes of philosophy.
I felt like I was on an adventure from start to finish. It was fun and exciting, action packed as well as thrilling. And let me not forget the philosophical aspects of this book.
I don’t think there was one thing that I didn’t enjoy. I felt totally immersed in this story and it felt like not just reading a book but an actual experience. I think this is going to be one of my top reads for the year! Highly recommend if you’re a fan of sci-fi/fantasy, adventure, with dashes of philosophy.
June 23, 2023
Garrett Godsey is what I'd call an abstract author.
I say this having no idea if this term exists in any particular form or with any specific definition--I say this solely based on this novel and its effect, which is one of the stronger debuts I've had the privilege of reading.
Nay, experiencing.
Think abstract in the form of any art, where you see what's been given and have the opportunity to see what's behind, beyond, and beneath that. With The Rivener, you're told the story, but get to search for yourself with the meanings, descriptions, and bouts of poetry that are layered within the art. Entirely due to the precious time taken to form these characters and their destiny within these pages, the writing spells out what you can see, feel, and think--straightforward or metaphorically.
As a whole, this story has the complexity of encompassing the many ideas and perceptions of both living and dying. It takes something from every idea behind faith, spirituality, the universe and how it functions and us amidst it, and wraps our human hopes and assumptions of it into something unique and original. The Dream, The Void--it's what you think and also what you can't know until you read it.
As individuals, each character has their own atmosphere. Every word or descriptor used reads purposeful and sets each tone perfectly, tailoring every scene to the view of that who it's attached to. Adjectives and slang are hand-picked, making everyone feel specifically important atop of humanized and familiar.
The Rivener was a trip, a blend of dreams and nightmares and vivid hallucinations. Alice would call it science-fiction, Kid would argue it's magic-fiction--I say it's the flawless combination of everything you could want from either.
I say this having no idea if this term exists in any particular form or with any specific definition--I say this solely based on this novel and its effect, which is one of the stronger debuts I've had the privilege of reading.
Nay, experiencing.
Think abstract in the form of any art, where you see what's been given and have the opportunity to see what's behind, beyond, and beneath that. With The Rivener, you're told the story, but get to search for yourself with the meanings, descriptions, and bouts of poetry that are layered within the art. Entirely due to the precious time taken to form these characters and their destiny within these pages, the writing spells out what you can see, feel, and think--straightforward or metaphorically.
As a whole, this story has the complexity of encompassing the many ideas and perceptions of both living and dying. It takes something from every idea behind faith, spirituality, the universe and how it functions and us amidst it, and wraps our human hopes and assumptions of it into something unique and original. The Dream, The Void--it's what you think and also what you can't know until you read it.
As individuals, each character has their own atmosphere. Every word or descriptor used reads purposeful and sets each tone perfectly, tailoring every scene to the view of that who it's attached to. Adjectives and slang are hand-picked, making everyone feel specifically important atop of humanized and familiar.
The Rivener was a trip, a blend of dreams and nightmares and vivid hallucinations. Alice would call it science-fiction, Kid would argue it's magic-fiction--I say it's the flawless combination of everything you could want from either.
June 7, 2023
The Rivener is a wild ride through the streets of San Francisco and the world of dreams.
Godsey draws us in to his unique world through the eyes of Kid, a charming street rat with an uncertain past and a love for pho. (me too!) What I liked about this book was that it was fast-paced from the start - the action immediately draws you in and doesn’t let up until a world-breaking climax. The characters are fun and likable (except Delilah, f— her), and what’s great is that Godsey gives us brief insights into many of their heads, switching POVs briefly to learn what’s going on in other parts of the story. This fills out the story while still maintaining the continuity of Kid’s narration, which accounts for most of the novel.
That said, I give this novel 3 stars because there are some parts I didn’t love. Some of the plot points, tropes, and characters themselves were rather trite and predictable. The antagonist, Mara, lacked depth (in my opinion), as did many of the other characters. They fit the very typical villain, sidekick, love interest, mother figure, etc. etc. archetypes. It was difficult to discern or hear their individual voices - Poe, Kid, and Alice could have been one and the same animus (hehe). This made the plot a bit predictable too. I would’ve liked to see more surprises - characters doing unexpected things, revealing hidden motivations, etc. - or maybe just further development of the characters themselves. I left the book feeling like I didn’t really know the characters.
All of that being said, Godsey writes wonderful prose and this novel is an impressive debut. The magic system is unique and unlike anything I have read before. This novel is certainly worth a try if you like urban fantasy, classic good vs. evil clashes, the found family trope, and birds (trust me).
Godsey draws us in to his unique world through the eyes of Kid, a charming street rat with an uncertain past and a love for pho. (me too!) What I liked about this book was that it was fast-paced from the start - the action immediately draws you in and doesn’t let up until a world-breaking climax. The characters are fun and likable (except Delilah, f— her), and what’s great is that Godsey gives us brief insights into many of their heads, switching POVs briefly to learn what’s going on in other parts of the story. This fills out the story while still maintaining the continuity of Kid’s narration, which accounts for most of the novel.
That said, I give this novel 3 stars because there are some parts I didn’t love. Some of the plot points, tropes, and characters themselves were rather trite and predictable. The antagonist, Mara, lacked depth (in my opinion), as did many of the other characters. They fit the very typical villain, sidekick, love interest, mother figure, etc. etc. archetypes. It was difficult to discern or hear their individual voices - Poe, Kid, and Alice could have been one and the same animus (hehe). This made the plot a bit predictable too. I would’ve liked to see more surprises - characters doing unexpected things, revealing hidden motivations, etc. - or maybe just further development of the characters themselves. I left the book feeling like I didn’t really know the characters.
All of that being said, Godsey writes wonderful prose and this novel is an impressive debut. The magic system is unique and unlike anything I have read before. This novel is certainly worth a try if you like urban fantasy, classic good vs. evil clashes, the found family trope, and birds (trust me).
June 6, 2023
With a fairly solid plot, in the The Rivener we follow an orphan, The Kid, his relationship with a mysterious girl Alice, and a reality-breaking fantasy world known as The Dream. The way the novel is structured leaves the reader with the craving of wanting to know more about the matrix-type Rabbit Hole. The emotional-driven relationship between The Kid and Alice feels raw, punchy, and it is easier to see some aspects of ourselves in that interpersonal dynamic. In addition, I found it interesting to know a little about The Kid’s background, and the letter from his dad was psychologically rich.
Unfortunately, I struggled with some aspects of this novel. Due to its fast-paced / heavily plot-driven structure, I found it difficult to relate to / care about any of the characters, as their development was not fully there for me. I would have loved to know way more about Kid’s background, his vulnerabilities and emotional experiences, and his template of relating to others. There are few of sections where the author did a good job in introducing and starting to dissect painful and raw emotional experiences; however, quickly moved on to another roll of fantasy action which left me feeling unsatisfied. Lastly, I also found some of the dialogues a bit unrealistic and repetitive.
However, it is worth noting that my reading background is not based on fantasy / YA novels. So, I am a bit biased here in relation to what attracts me in a book.
In a nutshell, if you are fantasy lovers and plot-driven reader, you have a good chance of loving this book. However, as a sucker for character development, world-building, and denser novels, this book did not completely do it for me.
Unfortunately, I struggled with some aspects of this novel. Due to its fast-paced / heavily plot-driven structure, I found it difficult to relate to / care about any of the characters, as their development was not fully there for me. I would have loved to know way more about Kid’s background, his vulnerabilities and emotional experiences, and his template of relating to others. There are few of sections where the author did a good job in introducing and starting to dissect painful and raw emotional experiences; however, quickly moved on to another roll of fantasy action which left me feeling unsatisfied. Lastly, I also found some of the dialogues a bit unrealistic and repetitive.
However, it is worth noting that my reading background is not based on fantasy / YA novels. So, I am a bit biased here in relation to what attracts me in a book.
In a nutshell, if you are fantasy lovers and plot-driven reader, you have a good chance of loving this book. However, as a sucker for character development, world-building, and denser novels, this book did not completely do it for me.
June 4, 2023
The Rivener was a captivating, fast paced, suspenseful and immersive story centering around a variety of characters both good and bad with the main character of Kid being part human, part spirit- born and, after travelling through various realms in order to unlock his true power, Kid is then able to wield that power for the good of the world against the evil goddess Mara (also known as Inanna, Mother and the goddess of Babylon) amongst a wide variety of other deity names throughout time immeasurable.
It is a story of family, friendship, love, loyalty and loss as well as the character and moral code of both humans and the animi and what can be achieved even in the most dire of circumstances and apocalyptic events.
This was my first foray into the authors writing and it definetely won't be my last- a really unique, and wonderfully written horror suspense thriller incorporating varied fantasy elements and a five star read any day of the week.
It is a story of family, friendship, love, loyalty and loss as well as the character and moral code of both humans and the animi and what can be achieved even in the most dire of circumstances and apocalyptic events.
This was my first foray into the authors writing and it definetely won't be my last- a really unique, and wonderfully written horror suspense thriller incorporating varied fantasy elements and a five star read any day of the week.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2023
Wow! What a ride The Rivener was. I started out a little confused but then everything clicked into place and I was absorbed into the novel. Fans of The Dark Tower and fans of The Darker Shade of Magic will LOVE this book!
“I am. I always have been and always will be. That is all. No more, no less”
“They say new souls are born from the fragments of the old. We are drops of water, evaporated from a sea, reconstructed and released from rain clouds.”
“I am. I always have been and always will be. That is all. No more, no less”
“They say new souls are born from the fragments of the old. We are drops of water, evaporated from a sea, reconstructed and released from rain clouds.”
June 10, 2023
Well, well, well. What have we here? It's The Rivener, man! The debut novel from Garrett Godsey!
The Rivener, however, doesn't read like a debut. Godsey has confidently crafted a world that is full of intrigue, white-knuckle action, and a few heartstring pulls sprinkled amongst all the chaos he puts his characters (and by proxy, us readers) through.
Our main is Kid, a young man simply trying to survive the hostilities of a world on his own. He has no family, few friends. He's not even sure what his true name is. He supports himself by being a street runner for The White Lotus, delivering packages without question. One day, Kid is making a routine delivery, when things horribly wrong. First, Kid finds the person at the drop point dead, full of blackened holes. Next, Kid is attacked by the dead man's killers. Then, Kid's attackers are foiled by a woman who may not be entirely on Kid's side as she appears. And this is only the beginning.
Godsey takes us on an odessey as Kid discovers there's much, much more to his life, and himself, than he ever could've imagined. He weaves us through each twist and turn with a deft and sure hand, guiding us along Kid's journey from boy to man. The stakes are high, but Godsey's control of the narrative never wavers. By The Rivener's explosive climax the reader is left both satiated and starving for more.
I feel Mr. Godsey is only just beginning.
I would like to thank Mr. Godsey for giving me the opportunity to read his work in advance. I will most definitely be buying The Rivener in physical form upon its release on 6/25. I eagerly await what he has up his sleeve for next time.
The Rivener, however, doesn't read like a debut. Godsey has confidently crafted a world that is full of intrigue, white-knuckle action, and a few heartstring pulls sprinkled amongst all the chaos he puts his characters (and by proxy, us readers) through.
Our main is Kid, a young man simply trying to survive the hostilities of a world on his own. He has no family, few friends. He's not even sure what his true name is. He supports himself by being a street runner for The White Lotus, delivering packages without question. One day, Kid is making a routine delivery, when things horribly wrong. First, Kid finds the person at the drop point dead, full of blackened holes. Next, Kid is attacked by the dead man's killers. Then, Kid's attackers are foiled by a woman who may not be entirely on Kid's side as she appears. And this is only the beginning.
Godsey takes us on an odessey as Kid discovers there's much, much more to his life, and himself, than he ever could've imagined. He weaves us through each twist and turn with a deft and sure hand, guiding us along Kid's journey from boy to man. The stakes are high, but Godsey's control of the narrative never wavers. By The Rivener's explosive climax the reader is left both satiated and starving for more.
I feel Mr. Godsey is only just beginning.
I would like to thank Mr. Godsey for giving me the opportunity to read his work in advance. I will most definitely be buying The Rivener in physical form upon its release on 6/25. I eagerly await what he has up his sleeve for next time.
June 3, 2023
ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
ᴋɪᴅ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ᴏʀᴘʜᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ɢʀᴇᴡ ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴜᴘʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ. ʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴇᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀɴ ꜰʀᴀɴᴄɪꜱᴄᴏ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴀɢᴇꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ʟᴏᴛᴜꜱ. ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴊᴏʙ ᴋɪᴅ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ ɪɴ ᴘᴏꜱꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀʀᴛɪꜰᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʜɪᴍ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀ ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ ʜᴏʟᴇ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴄʀᴇᴇᴘʏ ꜱᴇᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴡɪɴꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ᴅᴇꜱᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴀɢᴇ.
ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴇ, ᴋɪᴅ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ɢɪʀʟ, ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴇʟᴘꜱ ʜɪᴍ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏᴠᴇʀ ʜɪꜱ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀʀᴛɪꜰᴀᴄᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʟᴇᴀᴅꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʟɪꜰᴇᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ.
ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:
ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴀʀʀᴇᴛᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴛᴀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟᴇ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ!
ɢᴀʀʀᴇᴛᴛ'ꜱ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ꜱᴛʏʟᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏ ꜰᴜɴ, ɪᴛ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅꜱ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ɴᴇɪʟ ɢᴀɪᴍᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴏʀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴠɪᴏʀ ꜱᴛᴇᴘʜᴇɴ ᴋɪɴɢ 😂
ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴜɴɪQᴜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ! ɪ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇᴀꜱɪʟʏ, ꜰɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴋɪᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡᴇʟʟ-ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴀʙʟᴇ, ᴀꜱ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀꜱ ꜰɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴꜱ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟʏ ᴇᴠɪʟ. ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ᴠɪꜱᴜᴀʟɪᴢᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴏ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀꜱɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴜɴ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ʟᴀꜱᴛʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ʜᴀꜱ ᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴘɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ. ɪ'ᴍ ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴇꜱᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ 5 ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ.
"ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ. ɴᴏᴡ, ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴇɴᴇʀ."
🖤🖤🖤🖤
ᴋɪᴅ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ᴏʀᴘʜᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ɢʀᴇᴡ ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴜᴘʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ. ʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴇᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀɴ ꜰʀᴀɴᴄɪꜱᴄᴏ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴀɢᴇꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ʟᴏᴛᴜꜱ. ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴊᴏʙ ᴋɪᴅ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ ɪɴ ᴘᴏꜱꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀʀᴛɪꜰᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʜɪᴍ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀ ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ ʜᴏʟᴇ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴄʀᴇᴇᴘʏ ꜱᴇᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴡɪɴꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ᴅᴇꜱᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴀɢᴇ.
ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴇ, ᴋɪᴅ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ɢɪʀʟ, ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴇʟᴘꜱ ʜɪᴍ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏᴠᴇʀ ʜɪꜱ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀʀᴛɪꜰᴀᴄᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʟᴇᴀᴅꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʟɪꜰᴇᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ.
ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:
ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴀʀʀᴇᴛᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴛᴀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟᴇ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ!
ɢᴀʀʀᴇᴛᴛ'ꜱ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ꜱᴛʏʟᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏ ꜰᴜɴ, ɪᴛ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅꜱ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ɴᴇɪʟ ɢᴀɪᴍᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴏʀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀᴠɪᴏʀ ꜱᴛᴇᴘʜᴇɴ ᴋɪɴɢ 😂
ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴜɴɪQᴜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ! ɪ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇᴀꜱɪʟʏ, ꜰɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴋɪᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡᴇʟʟ-ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴀʙʟᴇ, ᴀꜱ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀꜱ ꜰɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴꜱ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟʏ ᴇᴠɪʟ. ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ᴠɪꜱᴜᴀʟɪᴢᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴏ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀꜱɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴜɴ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ʟᴀꜱᴛʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ʜᴀꜱ ᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴘɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ. ɪ'ᴍ ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴇꜱᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ 5 ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ.
"ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ. ɴᴏᴡ, ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴇɴᴇʀ."
🖤🖤🖤🖤
June 9, 2023
This book was amazing. Has easily become one of my all-time faves, and it's not even my typical genre. My usual books i dont really get into characters much, but i genuinely fell in love with these characters, emotionally invested. Alice was probably my favourite, also Kid. I did not want to put this down! It's a reasonable length but didn't feel like it. I found myself wanting to know what happens next but not wanting it to end. The world building was not over the top and was done in a brilliant way, more of a character development way, not pages of discription.(thank goodness because i HATE that lol) Yet i could picture everything in great detail. I was worried i wouldn't be able to follow, but i could easily. Any questions i started to have were always answered shortly after having them. There were funny moments. The character Poe always had me cracking up. There were also some dark aspects, horror even, with a small bit of gore. I've wanted to get more into books like this and expand my genre lately, and it is everything i could have wanted from a book. Plus all the music references are amazing! Even has a QR code for a playlist, which is amazing. I've never seen that! The writing style was amazing, and i truly, genuinely adored this book!
July 11, 2023
“The Rivener” is about a young man named Kid, who grew up in the foster system, but now lives on the streets of San Francisco. He works for a shady business called The White Lotus delivering packages. One delivery goes terribly awry when a set of creepy, young twins show up, hell-bent on taking the package. Now on the run, Kid has no idea the importance of the object he is in possess of, but with the help of an eccentric girl named Alice, she will take him on the adventure of his life, to other realities he never knew existed and to discover his true power and purpose.
The Rivener is a fast-paced sci-fi/fantasy adventure, that’s jam-packed with excitement from beginning to end!
Garrett breathes so much life into these characters it’s hard to decide which one I like best. And the book is full of beautiful imagery that makes you feel like you are right there seeing and feeling everything.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Rivener (and that’s coming from someone who is not a huge sci-fi reader.) I have a feeling this book will be a massive hit! Looking forward to future works from Garrett Godsey.
The Rivener is a fast-paced sci-fi/fantasy adventure, that’s jam-packed with excitement from beginning to end!
Garrett breathes so much life into these characters it’s hard to decide which one I like best. And the book is full of beautiful imagery that makes you feel like you are right there seeing and feeling everything.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Rivener (and that’s coming from someone who is not a huge sci-fi reader.) I have a feeling this book will be a massive hit! Looking forward to future works from Garrett Godsey.
August 10, 2023
"𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐰. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫."
I love a book that breaks the rules of genre and The Rivener did just that.
Fans of sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, and horror will dig this one.
I'll be the first to admit that I struggle with epic fantasy books these days. I don't enjoy reading books that make you work so hard to enjoy the story by having to sift through countless pages of names and places.
In The Rivener, the world building flows right along with the main story line so it's easily digestible making this book such a pleasure to read!
As with most sci-fi it is very plot driven, so I would have loved to feel a deeper connection to Alice and The Kid. There were times where I felt like I should be more moved by certain aspects, but the depth of the characters themselves was slightly lacking.
Overall, a very engaging story. Not to mention a killer debut!
Many thanks to Garrett Godsey for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. 🙌🏼
I love a book that breaks the rules of genre and The Rivener did just that.
Fans of sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, and horror will dig this one.
I'll be the first to admit that I struggle with epic fantasy books these days. I don't enjoy reading books that make you work so hard to enjoy the story by having to sift through countless pages of names and places.
In The Rivener, the world building flows right along with the main story line so it's easily digestible making this book such a pleasure to read!
As with most sci-fi it is very plot driven, so I would have loved to feel a deeper connection to Alice and The Kid. There were times where I felt like I should be more moved by certain aspects, but the depth of the characters themselves was slightly lacking.
Overall, a very engaging story. Not to mention a killer debut!
Many thanks to Garrett Godsey for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. 🙌🏼
June 10, 2023
An adventure of epic proportions. This story completely enthralled me from page one. It has rich worldbuilding and storytelling that builds throughout the book with powerful themes and prose that flows beautifully. Packed with tons of action, plot twists, refreshing immersive dialogue, sweet 90s nostalgia, and heartwrenching moments, The Rivener will not leave you wanting. The end leaves the book open for continuing the story, so maybe we’ll see more of this universe? Only the author can tell us.
Special thanks to the author for the ARC!
Special thanks to the author for the ARC!
July 3, 2023
Kid is a teenage gutter punk living in the streets of San Francisco. He runs packages around the city for a crime organization called The White Lotus. When Kid is handed a package to deliver to an apartment in Chinatown, he’s met with a dead body and two people after the package he’s carrying. When he meets Alice, a teen from The Young School who is also after the same item, he learns about its ancient power and ability to travel to hidden dream worlds. With a sought after artifact in his hands, Kid tries to keep it safe from the people intent on using it to destroy the world. What ensues is an epic journey of self-discovery, of reuniting with lost family and grieving those he lost, of finding love and saving his friends, all while fighting cosmic monsters and ancient gods intent on burning it all down.
I’ll admit reading Fantasy is out of my comfort zone but this book really took me by surprise in the best possible way. The writing utterly captivated me and completely reeled me in with its compelling characters and complex world- building. You can tell a lot of thought went into this novel and I applaud the author for coming up with something so original and tightly woven into a stunning story full of incredible and at time horrifying images. I don’t think it can get any creepier than a ghoulish pursuer with the ability to jump into different bodies and a colossal centipede god! The ending was my favorite and I wholeheartedly feel this would make an AMAZING video-game. If you’re a gamer or enjoy epic adventures, you need to give this a shot. I loved this book and was sad when it was over because I got so attached to the characters, but luckily it hinted at a sequel and I can’t wait to continue the journey!
I HIGHLY recommend this novel to everyone! It blends Dark Urban Fantasy with Sci-Fi and Horror so it caters to a variety of readers. I’m still in awe that this is the author’s debut novel, it’s absolutely and undeniably good, go read it!
I’ll admit reading Fantasy is out of my comfort zone but this book really took me by surprise in the best possible way. The writing utterly captivated me and completely reeled me in with its compelling characters and complex world- building. You can tell a lot of thought went into this novel and I applaud the author for coming up with something so original and tightly woven into a stunning story full of incredible and at time horrifying images. I don’t think it can get any creepier than a ghoulish pursuer with the ability to jump into different bodies and a colossal centipede god! The ending was my favorite and I wholeheartedly feel this would make an AMAZING video-game. If you’re a gamer or enjoy epic adventures, you need to give this a shot. I loved this book and was sad when it was over because I got so attached to the characters, but luckily it hinted at a sequel and I can’t wait to continue the journey!
I HIGHLY recommend this novel to everyone! It blends Dark Urban Fantasy with Sci-Fi and Horror so it caters to a variety of readers. I’m still in awe that this is the author’s debut novel, it’s absolutely and undeniably good, go read it!
July 11, 2023
The Rivener is a wild read. it’s trippy and euphoric, which is probably exactly what you hope a story about a dreamworld to be. those who are fans of stories like Inception and The Sandman might find interest in The Rivener.
The prose that Garret Godsey used to tell this story was very imaginative and easily the best part of his debut novel, and i could see Godsey one day writing something truly masterful and brilliant. where The Rivener faltered was with the characters and their dialogue. the dialogue often blended together where different characters sounded the same, often breaking out into monologues that overly-explained the plot, or poetic speeches about the deep meaning of love or life.
The prose that Garret Godsey used to tell this story was very imaginative and easily the best part of his debut novel, and i could see Godsey one day writing something truly masterful and brilliant. where The Rivener faltered was with the characters and their dialogue. the dialogue often blended together where different characters sounded the same, often breaking out into monologues that overly-explained the plot, or poetic speeches about the deep meaning of love or life.
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January 14, 2024DNF
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