What do you think?
Rate this book
Olympus Bound #3
Olympus Bound
Summer in New York: a golden hour on the city streets, but a dark time for Selene DiSilva.
Her father has been kidnapped and her friends are being targeted by a murderous cult hungry for an ancient power. If she wants to save the ones she loves, Selene must finally face the past she’s been running from — a past centuries longer than most, stretching all the way back to when her name was Artemis and her family ruled from atop Mount Olympus.
Her father has been kidnapped and her friends are being targeted by a murderous cult hungry for an ancient power. If she wants to save the ones she loves, Selene must finally face the past she’s been running from — a past centuries longer than most, stretching all the way back to when her name was Artemis and her family ruled from atop Mount Olympus.
498 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2018
184 people are currently reading
1536 people want to read
About the author
Jordanna Max Brodsky
4 books725 followersJordanna Max Brodsky hails from Virginia. She holds a degree in History and Literature from Harvard University. She lives in Manhattan with her husband.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
April 5, 2018
To say that I am disappointed would be a gross understatement. I, quite frankly, cannot believe that I quit this novel mere 25% in, as I absolutely ADORED the first installment in the series and loved the sequel just as much. What happened?! I could be really emotional in my answer, but let's TRY to approach this a bit more methodically (I promise nothing).
First of all, Selene is unrecognizable. Gone is the strong and self-assured former goddess, in her place we have an all-over-the-place, absent-minded, illogical facsimile, who is making a series of inexplicable mistakes, unworthy not only of a warrior, but even of a former detective! Perhaps it's just that she's too busy pining after Theo, argh, THEO! The most boring male on a planet is back and he's on a mission so convoluted I would have lost him in the first chapter, but I admit to tuning him out about half way there. Who pairs a former godess with a whiny professor and thinks it would be appealing, I ask you? I couldn't take the mutual pining because it's THAT unbelievable! Meanwhile, Flint, the character with ALL the rich history and bounds of chemistry gets shafted - and I honestly don't know anyone who could give me a good reason why, author included. Speaking of the author, I can only assume that the reason the plot of this novel is so chocked with exposition is because it's the last of the series and all that history and philosophy had to be rammed SOMEWHERE. What an awful disappointment!!!
First of all, Selene is unrecognizable. Gone is the strong and self-assured former goddess, in her place we have an all-over-the-place, absent-minded, illogical facsimile, who is making a series of inexplicable mistakes, unworthy not only of a warrior, but even of a former detective! Perhaps it's just that she's too busy pining after Theo, argh, THEO! The most boring male on a planet is back and he's on a mission so convoluted I would have lost him in the first chapter, but I admit to tuning him out about half way there. Who pairs a former godess with a whiny professor and thinks it would be appealing, I ask you? I couldn't take the mutual pining because it's THAT unbelievable! Meanwhile, Flint, the character with ALL the rich history and bounds of chemistry gets shafted - and I honestly don't know anyone who could give me a good reason why, author included. Speaking of the author, I can only assume that the reason the plot of this novel is so chocked with exposition is because it's the last of the series and all that history and philosophy had to be rammed SOMEWHERE. What an awful disappointment!!!
March 6, 2018
I enjoy the history and mythology of this series. The plot and characterization, however, gets a bit more disappointing with each novel. The plot twist was predictable and it seemed out of character for the lead (who has seemed intelligent up until this third novel) to completely miss the true villain's identity. While I'm glad I read this (to complete the trilogy) I would not waste my time reading it again.
February 29, 2020
More 3.5. Possibly one too many books in the series.
February 28, 2023
That it's taken me 3-plus years to get to the final book of this series is a commentary on how underwhelmed I felt with the ending of the second book, and how Selene DaSilva saw fit to allow Theo Schwartz to believe she was dead, as it was "better" that way. Besides no man of any quality believing that, it also means that the twists and turns to bring the couple back together are a bit much. Still, I found it within my heart to give this book a marginally positive rating, as I really liked the climax of the story, in which the real power behind Saturn and his Mithraists is finally confronted. Apart from that you'll probably do yourself a favor and not read past the first book in the series, as that it's perfectly acceptable as a free-standing story.
April 5, 2018
In this third tale about Olympian gods living in New York, Theo is searching for a way to bring Selene back from the dead. But Selene is hunting down the cult of Mithras to find her father and grandfather - one to rescue and one to kill. But there is a deeper game afoot than either know which will have to be played out in Greece and in New York before heroes and goddesses get their rest.
July 14, 2021
4 Stars
*An engaging conclusion to a creative and well-research mythological retelling*
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but when I went to read the final book, I ended up having too many Fantasy books in a row and needed to give the genre a break.
Luckily, Olympus Bound recapped the events of the first two books pretty well, so my memory was refreshed enough that I had no problem jumping back into this fascinating world of fading Greek gods and goddesses fighting for survival in a modern world that had forgotten them. I’ve mentioned this before, but the best comparison I can come up with for this series is American Gods meets Angels & Demons. And I really love the results!
On the negative side, this story felt like it had the most angst out of all the books. I did roll my eyes a lot at all of the angsty love drama, unrequited love, doomed/tragic love, and relationship triangles (or more like quadrilaterals). But I supposed all that complicated and tragic love is true to Greek mythology, so it didn’t ruin the story – even if that wasn’t my favorite element.
I do also have to admit that the plot dragged a little in the second half. Then one of the twists felt more like the story was starting a whole other arc. However, things really did come together in the end. I was satisfied with the way this book – and the whole trilogy – wrapped up. I can’t say much about the plot without giving away things that happened in the first two books, so I’ll just say that despite some slow spots, I was fully engaged in the story.
One of the best things about the Olympus Bound series is how much thought and research clearly went into it. Brodsky did huge amount of research into mythology, history, the physical settings, as well as the scientific topics touched on throughout the story. The whole series was so well-researched! I definitely recommend it to those who like nerdy topics or who like their Urban Fantasy to be grounded in real-life facts. One of the strongest things about these books was how well the author incorporated existing mythology into a brand-new story. It was creatively done and exactly what I look for in a retelling.
I am sad that this series is over, but I greatly enjoyed reading it. This really is an underappreciated series!
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 4 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
*An engaging conclusion to a creative and well-research mythological retelling*
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but when I went to read the final book, I ended up having too many Fantasy books in a row and needed to give the genre a break.
Luckily, Olympus Bound recapped the events of the first two books pretty well, so my memory was refreshed enough that I had no problem jumping back into this fascinating world of fading Greek gods and goddesses fighting for survival in a modern world that had forgotten them. I’ve mentioned this before, but the best comparison I can come up with for this series is American Gods meets Angels & Demons. And I really love the results!
On the negative side, this story felt like it had the most angst out of all the books. I did roll my eyes a lot at all of the angsty love drama, unrequited love, doomed/tragic love, and relationship triangles (or more like quadrilaterals). But I supposed all that complicated and tragic love is true to Greek mythology, so it didn’t ruin the story – even if that wasn’t my favorite element.
I do also have to admit that the plot dragged a little in the second half. Then one of the twists felt more like the story was starting a whole other arc. However, things really did come together in the end. I was satisfied with the way this book – and the whole trilogy – wrapped up. I can’t say much about the plot without giving away things that happened in the first two books, so I’ll just say that despite some slow spots, I was fully engaged in the story.
One of the best things about the Olympus Bound series is how much thought and research clearly went into it. Brodsky did huge amount of research into mythology, history, the physical settings, as well as the scientific topics touched on throughout the story. The whole series was so well-researched! I definitely recommend it to those who like nerdy topics or who like their Urban Fantasy to be grounded in real-life facts. One of the strongest things about these books was how well the author incorporated existing mythology into a brand-new story. It was creatively done and exactly what I look for in a retelling.
I am sad that this series is over, but I greatly enjoyed reading it. This really is an underappreciated series!
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 4 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
August 10, 2018
This trilogy seems to have come to bit of an inflated end as Selene and Theo start the book dealing with the fact that he believes that she died at the end of the previous book. He is in deep mourning and decides he must do anything he can to bring her back to life ... even going into Hades to bring her out like Orpheus.
Selene is missing Theo, her human love, but is more focused on the fact that her father Zeus has been kidnapped by the murderous Mithridates cult hoping to bring back Saturn, their ultimate lord. Selene has fallen in with Flint, her half-brother Hephaestus, as they make their way to the Vatican to stop the cult before her father is killed in a rite that will change everything.
By the end of everything, the whole pantheon of Greek gods have had to get involved in order to prevent the worst from happening even though what they were fighting proves to be very different from what they thought the evil was at first.
Brodsky has done a good job of exploring how Christianity has woven in the belief systems of many of the pagan faiths with which it was confronted at different times ... and that includes the Greco-Roman pantheon.The first third of the book, which focuses so much on Theo's grieving and Selene's regret is actually quite tedious and difficult to get through. Once they are finally, reunited, the book definitely picks up in both action and interest. The author does seem to struggle a bit with tying things up. The ending is satisfying, but there just seems to be too many "But wait, there's more...." moments as the book works to a conclusion.
Selene is missing Theo, her human love, but is more focused on the fact that her father Zeus has been kidnapped by the murderous Mithridates cult hoping to bring back Saturn, their ultimate lord. Selene has fallen in with Flint, her half-brother Hephaestus, as they make their way to the Vatican to stop the cult before her father is killed in a rite that will change everything.
By the end of everything, the whole pantheon of Greek gods have had to get involved in order to prevent the worst from happening even though what they were fighting proves to be very different from what they thought the evil was at first.
Brodsky has done a good job of exploring how Christianity has woven in the belief systems of many of the pagan faiths with which it was confronted at different times ... and that includes the Greco-Roman pantheon.The first third of the book, which focuses so much on Theo's grieving and Selene's regret is actually quite tedious and difficult to get through. Once they are finally, reunited, the book definitely picks up in both action and interest. The author does seem to struggle a bit with tying things up. The ending is satisfying, but there just seems to be too many "But wait, there's more...." moments as the book works to a conclusion.
July 2, 2020
In this final entry in the trilogy, we know who the bad guy is, and what his plan is. Or do we? But now we can leave NYC and head to Rome, Athens, and Turkey.
At times this became a shaggy dog story, with each minor success followed by a major set-back. Each conflict is bigger than the previous.
Despite the Khaos, the author keeps track of the growing list of characters, and each fulfills a role in the finale. While the action got confusing, the characters never did.
After a fantastic (both intensity and absurdity) climax, the betrayers are betrayed, love conquers all, and the sun rises on New York once again.
5-stars for the complete trilogy, for creativity, intensity, and the depth of the characters. I should add another star for the depth of research the author performed in order to put this together.
At times this became a shaggy dog story, with each minor success followed by a major set-back. Each conflict is bigger than the previous.
Despite the Khaos, the author keeps track of the growing list of characters, and each fulfills a role in the finale. While the action got confusing, the characters never did.
After a fantastic (both intensity and absurdity) climax, the betrayers are betrayed, love conquers all, and the sun rises on New York once again.
5-stars for the complete trilogy, for creativity, intensity, and the depth of the characters. I should add another star for the depth of research the author performed in order to put this together.
March 22, 2018
The whole series was enjoyable. All three books in the series were equally well written. If you like mythology and the stories of the god and goddesses, you will love the entire series. Brodsky does an incredible job of telling the tale of how the Greek gods came to still be alive in the modern world. I will definitely look for her next book and am excited to see what she will be writing about next.
January 5, 2019
A szálak némileg összekuszálódtak, Artemisz távozásával két földrészen haladnak a szálak, egy titokzatos személy pedig még inkább összekuszálja őket. S amikor a végtelen helyett Olaszországban végre összefutnak, hőseink némi meglepetéssel és sértődöttséggel veszik tudomásul, hogy a dolgok nem teljesen úgy alakultak, ahogyan azt korábban elképzelték.
https://napifalat.blogspot.com/2019/0...
https://napifalat.blogspot.com/2019/0...
March 1, 2018
Jordanna Max Brodsky completes her Olympus Bound (hard from Orbit) trilogy with a bang that sends the our heroes to confront the evil Saturn in tunnels below the Vatican in our present. Then with all the surviving Greek Gods open a gate to another world from Mount Olympus. At that point, the true manipulating God is revealed, and he has to be faced in New York. The gate to another world is opened by playing the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge. I’m trying not to give too much away here. The whole series, especially the affair of Selene (once Artemis) and her human lover Classics Professor Theodore Schultz is a lot of fun. Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press
April 30, 2019
This is an ambitious piece of writing. It must have been difficult to write. So is this review.
Hence I'm not going to write one.
You love Greek mythology? Knock yourself out.
Hence I'm not going to write one.
You love Greek mythology? Knock yourself out.
September 15, 2024
Well this was a creative end to the series. Have to say the ending twists totally undid me. The blend of myth and science just was too much so drops a star. Glad to see how it was resolved but in my mind not exactly true to the Gods/Goddesses stories. It was a fun read and I am glad I read them. Classic literature it is not but who cares on an escape read.
March 19, 2018
I was kinda let down by this one. Maybe my expectations were too high, but it felt a bit repetitive and just didn't grab me like the first two did. When Selene was on her own (most of the book) she was dull, and basically either moped or made pointless threats, depending on the audience. Theo was just way too sad and boring, and the story felt like what I'd already read in the first two novels.
August 13, 2021
I think this was my favorite installment. Because of the way the last book ended, Selene is forced to spend time with her estranged family members. Even better, she has to gather them all, Ocean's 11 style, to save her father Zeus and defeat the titan Kronos. There are a few twists in this book and the plot covers a LOT of ground, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
February 23, 2018
Very disappointing, I was looking forward to continuing this series but I could barely make it through the book. I really wanted to like it because I loved the others, but I think the author just lost focus or had an ego surge or something - there is very little plot (and a large part is just preposterous, even in context, looking at you, Theo), but most of the book - at least 90% - is the author showing us just how knowledgeable she is. She's right, she is knowledgeable, but every info dump just brought the action to a screeching halt while some character exposited about this or that historical tidbit. It just was too much, and most of it just wasn't relevant or material.
April 30, 2018
This was a thrilling conclusion for the trilogy. Brodsky continued to surprise me with her twists and turns. I especially like the emotions that played out for Theo and Selene. There are reviews who were angry at how Theo was during this book, but I found it quite believable given what he dealt with in the prior book. Reconciliation took time, which made sense due to the character natures. Other gods came into the picture in this book, which I loved seeing. Everything Selene goes through in this book is an amazing trial. Her personal discoveries and losses caused great growth for her, though she did maintain her usual manner. It was the little things that gave her away in the end (especially with Gabriella) As the conclusion built up, I found myself gripped with excitement, needing to know what was going to happen. I felt completely satisfied with how the story line concluded.
Altogether, I think this is a wonderfully written trilogy and anyone who enjoys Greek myth should pick these books up. I eagerly await Jordanna Brodsky's next book and the new adventures she takes us on.
Altogether, I think this is a wonderfully written trilogy and anyone who enjoys Greek myth should pick these books up. I eagerly await Jordanna Brodsky's next book and the new adventures she takes us on.
December 3, 2017
I wish I could give this more stars! This book was amazing! I loved how the author weaves Greek mythology, math, science, and more into her story, making everything a touch believable, considering gods and goddesses are present. I love Theo’s endless earnest curiosity and desire not just for knowledge but for more. Selene grows as a character more than I anticipated she was able to do. There were twists & turns I totally didn’t see coming, keeping me at the edge of my seat at times. I loved meeting new characters and seeing more of the previous brief ones. I wish there was more of Maryam :) This was a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, convincing me of reading anything else this author writes next :)
June 26, 2020
I thought the second book was disappointing but I'm such a huge fan of Greek Mythology that I still wanted to see how it all ends. It's the same one dimensional Gods, and this book has a lot of those. Lots of convoluted scientific theories all told in a very dry prose. By the end I really didn't care for any of the characters.
August 29, 2019
Premise- (3.5/5) Though I have my issues with this trilogy, I really liked the direction the premise was pointing, was was definitely eager to finish Selene's story. My feelings about the romance(s) remained on the fence from the last book, so that was definitely a concern going in here, but I was still looking forward to reading Olympus Bound.
Characters- (3/5) I have to admit, some of the characters in this series had lost some of their appeal at this point in the series, namely Theo, but also Flint, and also some of Theo's friends. Sometimes it felt like their characters just stopped developing in books one/two and became very static. However, though a small, subjective part of me still begrudges the changes from the mythical Artemis to the character Selene, I did enjoy seeing her character's growth over the course of the series and especially in this last book. BUT I have to say, I'm still not really happy with the romance, especially the love triangle. Very meh. But there were plenty of characters I did appreciate besides Selene; Scooter, Philippe, June, Esme, Maryam--they were all interesting.
Plot- (3/5) On one hand, I liked a lot of this plot even more than books one and two. I loved getting to delve deeper into Selene's past and her history as Artemis. I also liked the way Brodsky handled the Underworld. On the downside, the pacing was a little rough for me, I think just because there was soooooo much going on. Hand in hand with that, the mythic-pseudo-science explanations for Olympus Bound just did not feel as convincing or well put-together as they did in the earlier books. Maybe that's just because all the portal stuff moved beyond my familiarity in myth and waaay beyond my capabilities in science, but I felt that it was much more difficult to understand and follow than explanations of previous books.
Writing- (2.5/5) I liked Brodsky's descriptions of both ancient and modern settings, but she's losing points here for the confusion in plot explanation compared to other books and again, for the romance, which was not to my taste and more objectively, a frustrating love triangle that didn't do anything I liked.
World- (3/5) As I said above, I liked the exploration of the ancient world and the limitations and expansions of divine power a lot. Even though the modern day real world felt a bit shakier than in previous books, I appreciate the blend of ancient and modern Brodsky worked in.
Overall- (3/5) As far as conclusions go, this one checked all the boxes. For me, some of the series' flaws sort of caught up to it in this book; the romance elements stumbled and the mystic-science explanations were running on empty. But I'm definitely glad I finished the series, and I've managed to reconcile my [strong] opinions on Artemis with Brodsky's Selene. There was a lot about this world, series, and finale to like, though it wasn't perfect.
Content Warnings: severe grief and resulting depression, suicidal ideation and action, blood and gore, disabled character magically healed
Characters- (3/5) I have to admit, some of the characters in this series had lost some of their appeal at this point in the series, namely Theo, but also Flint, and also some of Theo's friends. Sometimes it felt like their characters just stopped developing in books one/two and became very static. However, though a small, subjective part of me still begrudges the changes from the mythical Artemis to the character Selene, I did enjoy seeing her character's growth over the course of the series and especially in this last book. BUT I have to say, I'm still not really happy with the romance, especially the love triangle. Very meh. But there were plenty of characters I did appreciate besides Selene; Scooter, Philippe, June, Esme, Maryam--they were all interesting.
Plot- (3/5) On one hand, I liked a lot of this plot even more than books one and two. I loved getting to delve deeper into Selene's past and her history as Artemis. I also liked the way Brodsky handled the Underworld. On the downside, the pacing was a little rough for me, I think just because there was soooooo much going on. Hand in hand with that, the mythic-pseudo-science explanations for Olympus Bound just did not feel as convincing or well put-together as they did in the earlier books. Maybe that's just because all the portal stuff moved beyond my familiarity in myth and waaay beyond my capabilities in science, but I felt that it was much more difficult to understand and follow than explanations of previous books.
Writing- (2.5/5) I liked Brodsky's descriptions of both ancient and modern settings, but she's losing points here for the confusion in plot explanation compared to other books and again, for the romance, which was not to my taste and more objectively, a frustrating love triangle that didn't do anything I liked.
World- (3/5) As I said above, I liked the exploration of the ancient world and the limitations and expansions of divine power a lot. Even though the modern day real world felt a bit shakier than in previous books, I appreciate the blend of ancient and modern Brodsky worked in.
Overall- (3/5) As far as conclusions go, this one checked all the boxes. For me, some of the series' flaws sort of caught up to it in this book; the romance elements stumbled and the mystic-science explanations were running on empty. But I'm definitely glad I finished the series, and I've managed to reconcile my [strong] opinions on Artemis with Brodsky's Selene. There was a lot about this world, series, and finale to like, though it wasn't perfect.
Content Warnings: severe grief and resulting depression, suicidal ideation and action, blood and gore, disabled character magically healed
December 7, 2018
In brief: Selene‘s in Rome, hunting for the cult that plans to sacrifice her father, Zeus, to end the world. Theo’s in New York, desperate to find a way to being Selene back from the Underworld she isn’t in. The final battle (and reunion) looms. Last in a trilogy.
Thoughts: Not my favourite book of the trilogy, but an engaging and entertaining story and a satisfying finale. I most enjoyed seeing Selene’s character arc completed, as well as the general Women Are Badass theme that ran through the story, but also liked the moments of genuine godhood, the battles, and the descriptions of the settings. (I felt like I was there.) And as with the last two, there are all sorts of mythologic and folkloric things woven through the story, some of which I was pleased to see mentioned and others I didn’t know about.
This would probably have been an 8/10 if not for a few things, though. Biggest is the love triangle which didn’t really need to be there, especially when I couldn’t help thinking of one side of it as brother-sister. Second’s that there are so many mythologic things, from tombs to prophecies to ancient rites to other settings, it sometimes felt a lot of the time like Brodsky was trying to use everything and building a plot around it. And third is the mortal female friends of Theo’s. I can’t put my finger on how exactly, but their actions, especially in the first half, felt off and somehow also out of sync with the feminism, I don’t know. Also, the climax might have jumped the shark a little?
Yeah, I know I’m only docking one point for all that. That’s because I fully admit all but point one are subjective. Your mileage may vary.
So… like I said, entertaining, satisfying, well-told. There are some interesting twists and a dastardly plan and people dealing with emotions like people. It capped the series off nicely, though, in all the ways I generally want. I’d rec it, but only if you’ve read the others. You need the build-up to read get the payoff.
Warnings: Depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide with the goal of resurrecting. Pseudo-incestuous feelings. Disabled character healed.
7/10
Thoughts: Not my favourite book of the trilogy, but an engaging and entertaining story and a satisfying finale. I most enjoyed seeing Selene’s character arc completed, as well as the general Women Are Badass theme that ran through the story, but also liked the moments of genuine godhood, the battles, and the descriptions of the settings. (I felt like I was there.) And as with the last two, there are all sorts of mythologic and folkloric things woven through the story, some of which I was pleased to see mentioned and others I didn’t know about.
This would probably have been an 8/10 if not for a few things, though. Biggest is the love triangle which didn’t really need to be there, especially when I couldn’t help thinking of one side of it as brother-sister. Second’s that there are so many mythologic things, from tombs to prophecies to ancient rites to other settings, it sometimes felt a lot of the time like Brodsky was trying to use everything and building a plot around it. And third is the mortal female friends of Theo’s. I can’t put my finger on how exactly, but their actions, especially in the first half, felt off and somehow also out of sync with the feminism, I don’t know. Also, the climax might have jumped the shark a little?
Yeah, I know I’m only docking one point for all that. That’s because I fully admit all but point one are subjective. Your mileage may vary.
So… like I said, entertaining, satisfying, well-told. There are some interesting twists and a dastardly plan and people dealing with emotions like people. It capped the series off nicely, though, in all the ways I generally want. I’d rec it, but only if you’ve read the others. You need the build-up to read get the payoff.
Warnings: Depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide with the goal of resurrecting. Pseudo-incestuous feelings. Disabled character healed.
7/10
September 10, 2020
I enjoyed this trilogy and I thought this was a good way to wrap up the series. I liked Athena, and I liked the examined the roles women serve in mythology. Even though they're all powerful gods, they're still not treated particularly well. I really love Greek mythology (it's why I picked up the books), but man the misogyny is deep, and I liked the way the author explored those aspects of it.
So on the whole, the series was four stars for me. I'm not a huge fan of the romance between Diana and Theo, although I think I liked it better in this book than the previous ones, but on the whole there were some fascinating aspects to it. I liked the whole concept of the gods being kept alive by belief, and the motives of the various killers and betrayers and cultists made sense.
This book, however, had a few things I just wasn't fond of. The final confrontation between the big bad and our heroes is enormous and the consequences of it seemed... unrealistic. I know we're talking about a book about gods running around Manhattan, but the books have always had one foot in reality. Diana can't just go traipsing around jumping off buildings in full view, she has to live in secret and change identities constantly, so the world isn't ready for her to reveal who she is, and the ending... doesn't seem to fit with that concept
The biggest issue, for me, however, was the way Flint acts towards Diana. He's intensely unpleasant for a lot of the book, and I feel like we're meant to feel sorry for him, but I was just annoyed by him. He has a sense of ownership towards Diana that was unpleasant to read. It was a bummer because I liked his character in Winter of the Gods, but man... it was rough in this one.
All in all a good ending to a good series, with just a couple of hiccups.
So on the whole, the series was four stars for me. I'm not a huge fan of the romance between Diana and Theo, although I think I liked it better in this book than the previous ones, but on the whole there were some fascinating aspects to it. I liked the whole concept of the gods being kept alive by belief, and the motives of the various killers and betrayers and cultists made sense.
This book, however, had a few things I just wasn't fond of. The final confrontation between the big bad and our heroes is enormous and the consequences of it seemed... unrealistic. I know we're talking about a book about gods running around Manhattan, but the books have always had one foot in reality. Diana can't just go traipsing around jumping off buildings in full view, she has to live in secret and change identities constantly, so the world isn't ready for her to reveal who she is, and the ending... doesn't seem to fit with that concept
The biggest issue, for me, however, was the way Flint acts towards Diana. He's intensely unpleasant for a lot of the book, and I feel like we're meant to feel sorry for him, but I was just annoyed by him. He has a sense of ownership towards Diana that was unpleasant to read. It was a bummer because I liked his character in Winter of the Gods, but man... it was rough in this one.
All in all a good ending to a good series, with just a couple of hiccups.
March 29, 2018
Six months have passed since Selene and her friends thwarted Saturn's ritual on the Statue of Liberty. Believing it best for him, she allowed Theo to believe she died in the effort. She mourns his absence and the deaths of her siblings while remaining focused on finding Saturn and ending his threat once and for all.
Theo mourns Selene desperately. He researches ancient rituals in the hopes of resurrecting her. They will meet again and it will be painful for both of them; he feels betrayed and she realizes that she didn't do him any favors. As with the other two books, however, there's a larger story in play. Saturn has Zeus and he's planning to sacrifice him. Selene and the remaining gods gather at Mount Olympus for the first time in centuries.
This is an outstanding trilogy. Brodsky merges religion, mythology, ancient mysteries, and science into an insightful and compelling storyline. Her characters are layered and utterly believable. We meet Athena in this book and I loved the story Brodsky created for her.
I admit that I thought it was best for Theo and Selene to part in the second book. He's a mortal and she's a goddess -- even if she wasn't carrying millennia of baggage, age will come between them sooner rather than later. Ruth seemed a better fit for Theo and Flint (aka Hephaestus) seemed a better fit for Selene. Love is not logical, however. Brodsky has convinced me that Theo and Selene belong together. I highly recommend this trilogy.
Theo mourns Selene desperately. He researches ancient rituals in the hopes of resurrecting her. They will meet again and it will be painful for both of them; he feels betrayed and she realizes that she didn't do him any favors. As with the other two books, however, there's a larger story in play. Saturn has Zeus and he's planning to sacrifice him. Selene and the remaining gods gather at Mount Olympus for the first time in centuries.
This is an outstanding trilogy. Brodsky merges religion, mythology, ancient mysteries, and science into an insightful and compelling storyline. Her characters are layered and utterly believable. We meet Athena in this book and I loved the story Brodsky created for her.
I admit that I thought it was best for Theo and Selene to part in the second book. He's a mortal and she's a goddess -- even if she wasn't carrying millennia of baggage, age will come between them sooner rather than later. Ruth seemed a better fit for Theo and Flint (aka Hephaestus) seemed a better fit for Selene. Love is not logical, however. Brodsky has convinced me that Theo and Selene belong together. I highly recommend this trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2018
Selene's on the hunt for Saturn, who has captured her father and is planning to kill him in order to usher in the Last Age. Theo, still in the dark that Selene is still alive, is trying to research ways to get her back from the Underworld.
More Olympians, more twists, and an epic battle between gods that occurs on the Brooklyn Bridge. Well, maybe not quite as epic as I had hoped, but still pretty good. I thought the battle of the gods beyond the portal was better. (That's right, two battles between the gods.) A pretty good ending for this series. There were a few things that could have been better (Artemis isn't really Artemis, but just a more godlike Selene. Which isn't how it was with most of the other Olympians.) and there was a whole thing with Pythagoras that really didn't pan out for me, and there's really a gaping hole about how gods appearing on the Brooklyn Bridge would impact us mortals (c'mon, even with trying to play it off as a hoax or whatever, there's bound to be a resurgence in people studying the gods and perhaps some increased worship?). And there's some other stuff like gods in the Underworld that I'm amazed no one ever seemed to talk about before (Hermes, at least, should have known about some of these guys, since he delivers souls to the Underworld).
More Olympians, more twists, and an epic battle between gods that occurs on the Brooklyn Bridge. Well, maybe not quite as epic as I had hoped, but still pretty good. I thought the battle of the gods beyond the portal was better. (That's right, two battles between the gods.) A pretty good ending for this series. There were a few things that could have been better (Artemis isn't really Artemis, but just a more godlike Selene. Which isn't how it was with most of the other Olympians.) and there was a whole thing with Pythagoras that really didn't pan out for me, and there's really a gaping hole about how gods appearing on the Brooklyn Bridge would impact us mortals (c'mon, even with trying to play it off as a hoax or whatever, there's bound to be a resurgence in people studying the gods and perhaps some increased worship?). And there's some other stuff like gods in the Underworld that I'm amazed no one ever seemed to talk about before (Hermes, at least, should have known about some of these guys, since he delivers souls to the Underworld).
January 26, 2019
Not as good as the second one but a decent read. I think one of the problems with this one is that it tries to do too much. Sometimes simpler is better. The first two books had a simple plot but it was interesting and captivating and the twist at the end of the second book was good. This one seemed like it was trying to top that by adding even more of a crazy twist, and I don't think it worked out that well. The ending felt dragged and rushed at the same time, which is weird. It's like it wasn't sure where it wanted to end so just when it seems like things are wrapping up you get a "just kidding, there's actually more, and a new twist too." But then the actual ending feels like it's cut a little bit short.
While this book does have a lot of action, there are quite a bit of slow parts in it as well. I still can't stand Selene and Theo's relationship. She's not as abusive to Theo in this one but they are both codependent as hell. They're super annoying. Overall I liked this series, but the first 2 books were much stronger.
While this book does have a lot of action, there are quite a bit of slow parts in it as well. I still can't stand Selene and Theo's relationship. She's not as abusive to Theo in this one but they are both codependent as hell. They're super annoying. Overall I liked this series, but the first 2 books were much stronger.
November 11, 2022
I really enjoyed this series, and the conclusion was the best book for me. I loved seeing all the other gods and the plot that involved them was my favorite, and the writing is what carried most of it for me. I still am not fully on board with Selene and Theo’s romance, and I never grew to like Theo as a character all that much. He annoyed me, as did a few of the other female side characters in the story. But I loved the gods - I loved how they were just as callous and cruel as they are in the myths. Artemis/Selene annoyed me as much as Theo sometimes, but overall I loved the gods superhero team up in this book, and I thought the final battle was awesome, practically built for a movie. How the author involved science entwined with myth in the plot was also such a cool thing to read. I would probably read this series again. I wouldn’t consider it quite a standout from other modern retellings of Greek mythology, but it’s worth a read, and I’m still surprised I don’t see it on any lists with similar books.
October 21, 2018
This is by far the best book in the trilogy. It has a completely different story from the first book (unlike the second book) and is better written than the first one.
Artemis, also known by the mortal name of Selene has faked her death so Theodore Schultz, who is in love with her, doesn't keep risking his life by interfering in the doings of the Gods. She is searching for Zeus, who has been captured by Kronos who has mixed his myths with those of Jesus. Meanwhile Theodore, believing Selene to be dead, is investigating myths of Orpheus in the Underworld to return her to life.
There's a nice twist that completely changes what the reader thinks is going on and some interesting science that actually fits the fantasy.
Artemis, also known by the mortal name of Selene has faked her death so Theodore Schultz, who is in love with her, doesn't keep risking his life by interfering in the doings of the Gods. She is searching for Zeus, who has been captured by Kronos who has mixed his myths with those of Jesus. Meanwhile Theodore, believing Selene to be dead, is investigating myths of Orpheus in the Underworld to return her to life.
There's a nice twist that completely changes what the reader thinks is going on and some interesting science that actually fits the fantasy.
December 24, 2018
I really didn't like this book as much as I liked the two previous ones. This one felt a little more rushed/sloppy than the other two. It also wasn't as interesting. I wish that she had not continued the last plot into this book -- the first books plot was far more intriguing than the past two, to be honest.
So while I figured that this one was going to be a continuation, I wish that it had been done better. I still mostly liked all the characters, even though I didn't particularly like the plot in this one.
Brodsky's writing was still very good, and it was wonderfully written -- and that is why it got a solid two stars.
It wasn't very memorable in the end, so I don't have a lot to say about it, positive or negative aside from the two things listed above. It was simply decent.
So while I figured that this one was going to be a continuation, I wish that it had been done better. I still mostly liked all the characters, even though I didn't particularly like the plot in this one.
Brodsky's writing was still very good, and it was wonderfully written -- and that is why it got a solid two stars.
It wasn't very memorable in the end, so I don't have a lot to say about it, positive or negative aside from the two things listed above. It was simply decent.
April 1, 2018
The conclusion of the Olympus Bound series was a good read. I did find myself getting confused from time to time as the different names of the characters were used interchangeably during the later half of the book, but otherwise it was fine. I guess when you live for thousands of years you need to change your name from time to time, especially when your name is Eros, Athena, or Aphrodite, etc. It was easier when the author used the god's original names to keep track of who was who. The last great battle was epic and I feel the author was very talented in her ability to describe what was happening without too much gore. Overall, the series is a very good one and one I would recommend.
June 29, 2018
I really enjoyed this last book. It has made me interested in reading other books about Greek Mythology.
I did get a little annoyed when certain parts of the plot reminded me of the plot of Twilight, but the majority of the story is unique enough to keep you interested.
Artemis became much more likeable as the story progressed. Once I did a little research on her, I realized that her character is pretty close to that of the Greek goddess: quick to anger, independent, and a bit of a badass. The anger part got a bit tiresome in the first book, but she eventually softens a bit and becomes a little more "human" and easier to relate to.
I did get a little annoyed when certain parts of the plot reminded me of the plot of Twilight, but the majority of the story is unique enough to keep you interested.
Artemis became much more likeable as the story progressed. Once I did a little research on her, I realized that her character is pretty close to that of the Greek goddess: quick to anger, independent, and a bit of a badass. The anger part got a bit tiresome in the first book, but she eventually softens a bit and becomes a little more "human" and easier to relate to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews