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Among the Gods

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In a realm defined by Romanian and Dacian lore—where iele dance at midnight, zmei and balauri guard secret passes, and strigoi prowl under moonlit skies—Teres Gebeleizis struggles to reclaim the memories he lost. Whispers of an ancient prophecy paint him as both savior and threat, drawing him deeper into deity-bound mountains where mortal ambition clashes with divine force.

But his fiercest challenge lies at the heart of the realm. Alexander, driven by cunning and power, joins forces with the demigod Zibelthiurdos to shape Teres’s destiny to their own ends. Bound by fate to one woman yet loving another, Teres must confront ghosts of the past while monstrous creatures stir from legend. Will he wield the strength in his veins, or fall to the will of the very gods who toy with mortal lives?

Among the Gods interweaves epic fantasy with Romanian and Dacian myth, delivering a tale of hidden legacies, treacherous alliances, and the enduring power of choice in a land where folklore still reigns

311 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 5, 2025

3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read

About the author

Andrei Silvian Popescu

1 book1 follower
Andrei Silvian Popescu is the author of Among the Gods, an epic fantasy novel. By day, he works as a Project Manager at a leading company in the gaming industry; by night, he immerses himself in creating new worlds on the page. When he isn’t writing or at work, Andrei can be found playing video games, reading books, or watching movies alongside his wife. He currently lives in Bucharest, Romania.

Andrei holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Management of Technological Systems with a specialization in Manufacturing Engineering from the University Politehnica of Bucharest.

Among the Gods is his debut novel, and he is already hard at work on his next projects. To stay up to date with future releases—whether they explore deeper realms of the gods or venture into more down-to-earth stories—follow him on Instagram @popescuandreisilvian.

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Loredana Mariana Bublitchi.
1,136 reviews78 followers
March 24, 2025

Teres loses his memory after an encounter with the iele, who, instead of taking his life, decide to erase his memories. In his quest to reclaim his identity, he discovers that a prophecy precedes him: he is both a savior and a threat to the Dacian people. However, to take control of his own destiny, he must not only recover his memories but also navigate the challenges of love.

The book starts in an intriguing yet somewhat confusing way, with a slightly slow-paced rhythm due to the many details provided. The first half focuses on developing the characters and their world, and the presence of Romanian mythological beings—balauri (dragons), zmei (ogre-like creatures), iele (fairy-like spirits), and ursitoare (fates)—adds authenticity and makes the story vividly immersive.

However, once you reach the halfway point, everything changes: the pace picks up, events unfold rapidly, and every seemingly insignificant detail starts to make sense. It becomes almost impossible to put the book down!

The reasons my grade dropped slightly were two aspects that I found challenging. First, I would have liked the passage of time between events to be more clearly marked or mentioned in the story. Second, some of the characters’ actions seemed out of place—not necessarily forced, but lacking a clear logic for me.

This read took me through a rollercoaster of emotions: I felt confused, excited, and shocked, and at times, I was completely stunned, unable to believe what was happening. I witnessed brutal battles and touching moments of love; I wanted to comfort some characters while… let’s just say I wouldn’t have hesitated to eliminate others. It was a true adventure, and by the end, I found myself deeply attached to this world and its heroes.
Profile Image for Andreea Popescu.
3 reviews
February 22, 2025
5/5⭐️
Ahh, I have to admit that this book was truly a rollercoaster and I FUCKING LOVE IT! It took my breath away so many times.

“Among the Gods” is a dark fantasy novel that completely pulled me in with its haunting atmosphere and the richness of Dacian mythology. It’s not often you get to dive into the ancient world of the Dacians, and this book offers a fresh take on it, blending the divine and mortal realms in a way that feels both ancient and alive.

The story is complex: from love to war, from destiny to free will, from revenge to forgiveness— all intertwined with mythological elements: gods, “balauri”, “zmei” and many more.

I lived the story side by side with the characters, who are layered and complex. There’s a sense of foreboding that lingers throughout the book, making every twist and turn feel significant.

“And you shall perish if you fail to find your unstained love, and we shall not perish until you find your reconciled love.”

Teres’ journey is captivating. His entire journey in seeking the truth and discovering his fate takes him through numerous challenges. His heart is unknowingly torn between two women, and I can honestly say that I relate the most to Eretria. There were times when I caught myself cursing him 🤭, only to realize later that he is not to blame.
Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that despite the difficult life Teres had, he is a jovial person, and you’ll see how he has a unique sense of humor throughout the book. Along with the serious battle scenes or conflicts of various kinds, there are also love scenes where the characters can't keep their hands off each other. However, the ending of the book literally broke my heart.

If you have read Jennifer Saint’s work so far, you would see that they both use mythology to explore deeper themes like fate, power, and loss, but this author leans into a moodier, more ominous atmosphere reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's books, which truly sets it apart.

I would highly recommend this book if you’re into rich, atmospheric fantasy that’s rooted in myth. It’s definitely a great pick if you're craving something with a darker edge and a unique cultural perspective. It’s a story that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

I can't wait for the next book or part 2!🔥🔥🔥
2 reviews
January 21, 2025
O carte excelentă cu o poveste impresionantă. Mă bucur ca am avut ocazia să o citesc în avans.
Felicitări și mult succes Andrei in acest nou început.
Profile Image for Delia Balas.
242 reviews9 followers
April 27, 2025
“𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”
— 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘪 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶, 𝘈𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘴

Among the Gods is a fantasy tale rooted in Romanian and Dacian myths. Teres Gebeleizis, a man with no memory, is caught in a prophecy that could make him a savior or a destroyer. As gods, monsters and ancient powers rise, Teres must choose between love, fate and the strength within him, before others shape his destiny for him.

𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: Among the Gods
𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: Among the Gods (#1)
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: Andrei Silvian Popescu
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Epic Fantasy
𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙: Independently published
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 3.5/5

The author of Among the Gods has a truly unique writing style that sets this debut novel apart. The idea behind the plot is fantastic, and what made it especially enjoyable for me was how it draws from Romanian myths and legends. It reminded me of my high school days (some good memories, some not so good), but now that I’m older, I find history much more fascinating. Reading a fantasy based on Romanian folklore felt like a breath of fresh air.

The book is around 310 pages, which honestly didn’t feel like enough. The story is really addictive, but I found myself wishing for more details and descriptions. Some important scenes felt rushed or even missing—though I won’t get into specifics to avoid spoilers.

The characters were intriguing, but at times confusing. A list of characters or a family tree would have helped a lot.
I truly connected with only one character; others felt too inconsistent or emotionally unstable. Giving each of them one strong defining trait might have helped clarify their roles, especially for the major players in the story.

Despite these flaws, I still enjoyed the read.
For a debut novel, it shows a lot of potential. Hopefully, the next book will fill in the missing pieces and expand on the world and characters.

One thing to note: the writing style, while beautiful, was a bit hard to get used to. The author uses some complex vocabulary—words that even challenged my English, and I consider myself advanced. I’d say the language is best suited for native speakers or learners at a C1–C2 level.

If you’re interested in Romanian history with ties to Dracula, ancient gods, monsters and magic, Among the Gods is a great place to start. It’s a refreshing and original take on epic fantasy with cultural roots that deserve more attention.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

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