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Godbreaker #1
Breaking Gods
In the beginning, the gods destroyed the world.
Five hundred years later, things haven’t gotten much better for humans. The demigods that were left behind to guard over humanity have been using them as fodder for an endless civil war between themselves, and the humans just go on dutifully slaughtering each other, battle after battle.
It’s not all bad, though. Perry McGown makes his living off those bloody, stinking battlefields. He works on a crew that reclaims all the spent shell casings. They reload them into new cartridges, and then sell them in towns. It’s a good gig, it puts a few gold coins in Perry’s pocket, and best of all, no one asks too many questions about his past.
Which is ideal, because if anyone found out that he was a deserter from the war, he’d be executed for heresy.
Then some bad blood between crewmembers leads to one man with his brains dashed in, and Perry heading for the hangman’s noose. Through a flurry of gunfire and blood, Perry manages a narrow escape, but only with the help of the two people he likes least: A girl named Teran that asks far too many questions about his past; and an ex-legionnaire named Stuber, whose penchant for gleeful violence brings back bad memories for Perry.
On the run and pursued by a ruthless demigod, Perry is forced to confront the demons of a past that he thought he’d left behind him--and learn truths about himself and his family that have been buried for decades. But the more Perry learns, the more dangerous his journey becomes. Because the truth about Perry could break the gods.
Five hundred years later, things haven’t gotten much better for humans. The demigods that were left behind to guard over humanity have been using them as fodder for an endless civil war between themselves, and the humans just go on dutifully slaughtering each other, battle after battle.
It’s not all bad, though. Perry McGown makes his living off those bloody, stinking battlefields. He works on a crew that reclaims all the spent shell casings. They reload them into new cartridges, and then sell them in towns. It’s a good gig, it puts a few gold coins in Perry’s pocket, and best of all, no one asks too many questions about his past.
Which is ideal, because if anyone found out that he was a deserter from the war, he’d be executed for heresy.
Then some bad blood between crewmembers leads to one man with his brains dashed in, and Perry heading for the hangman’s noose. Through a flurry of gunfire and blood, Perry manages a narrow escape, but only with the help of the two people he likes least: A girl named Teran that asks far too many questions about his past; and an ex-legionnaire named Stuber, whose penchant for gleeful violence brings back bad memories for Perry.
On the run and pursued by a ruthless demigod, Perry is forced to confront the demons of a past that he thought he’d left behind him--and learn truths about himself and his family that have been buried for decades. But the more Perry learns, the more dangerous his journey becomes. Because the truth about Perry could break the gods.
426 pages, ebook
First published August 10, 2019
503 people are currently reading
516 people want to read
About the author
D.J. Molles
45 books1,431 followersD.J. Molles became a New York Times and USA today bestselling author while working full time as a police officer. He's since traded his badge for a keyboard to produce over 20 titles. When he's not writing, he's taking steps to make his North Carolina property self-sustainable, and training to be at least half as hard to kill as Lee Harden (his most popular protagonist).
Molles also enjoys playing his guitar and drums, drawing, cooking, and “shredding that green pow” on his Onewheel.
Most nights you can find him sitting on the couch surrounded by his dogs and family, trying to stream an hour of Netflix with his really sketchy satellite internet connection.
Are you interested in becoming a writer? I've started a video series called "Lessons in Writing" which you can find on all my socials.
Follow on IG & FB @djmolles
TikTok @djmollesauthor
Molles also enjoys playing his guitar and drums, drawing, cooking, and “shredding that green pow” on his Onewheel.
Most nights you can find him sitting on the couch surrounded by his dogs and family, trying to stream an hour of Netflix with his really sketchy satellite internet connection.
Are you interested in becoming a writer? I've started a video series called "Lessons in Writing" which you can find on all my socials.
Follow on IG & FB @djmolles
TikTok @djmollesauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 19, 2020
Let me be honest here. I started out interested in this book, and then it just faded out. It is a pretty good read and from me it probably suffers from the fact I've read so many fantasy/sci/fi books.
I'll not go into it in detail. It starts out well, moves along with enough action and character "fullness" but for me it faded from my mind almost as soon as I laid it down.
See what you think.
I'll not go into it in detail. It starts out well, moves along with enough action and character "fullness" but for me it faded from my mind almost as soon as I laid it down.
See what you think.
April 3, 2021
I liked one (maybe two) things about this book. The initial idea was interesting. I think the narrator was good, but I'm not sure. He gave all of the characters distinctive personality and voice, so he's at least got that. Still, with as much as I didn't like, I'm not sure how the narrator stands on his own.
This book is awful and to prove my point I will be spoiling it below.
What I didn't like is everything else, starting with the main character "Perry." He's a bog standard "chosen one" who has super special DNA which means he can do things no one else can, so he's VERY important and thus can save the whole world probably. Not only that, but he reaches levels of unlikability that rival Delilah Bard in the Shades of Magic Series. He has very little talent in anything other than complaining, being angry, and complaining while being angry. He's absolutely insufferable from start to finish. Why the author wrote him so consistently unlikable is beyond me.
Issue Number 2: The Bright Problem. The film Bright is (if you don't know) an alternative history film with magic and elves and orcs and wands and everything else existing in our word. This supposedly changes the entire trajectory of world events, yet for some reason still has historical events like the Alamo present, as well as films like "Shrek." This is obviously because the creator didn't think out things very deeply, and still wanted easy references to fall back on. Godbreaker unfortunately does this as well, which r0hs the world of any interest because it's entirely hollow.
Last main issue is the writing. I don't mind a story with simple writing if it's in service of a great story or characters (or the other way around), but none of that is the case here. What we have here are things like this: Perry recently discovers his mother was raped by a demigod which is why he's super duper special (in a twist that you see coming by the end of the first page). He has killed his real father, and is listening to a message from the man who raised him with his "friends" and refers to him as his father, and then is glad that none of his friends called him out on saying the guy who raised him is his father when he isn't.
This may seem like a small nitpick, but is only one example of how the characters are consistently written throughout the story. Who in the world would think someone in that situation would say something like: "Um, actually, the guy you recently murdered is your real dad because he raped your mom. Remember?"
This is one of the worst books I've ever read, and is honestly more unlikable than Shades of Magic, because at least that trilogy started out on a decent foot before absolutely shitting the bed.
This book is awful and to prove my point I will be spoiling it below.
What I didn't like is everything else, starting with the main character "Perry." He's a bog standard "chosen one" who has super special DNA which means he can do things no one else can, so he's VERY important and thus can save the whole world probably. Not only that, but he reaches levels of unlikability that rival Delilah Bard in the Shades of Magic Series. He has very little talent in anything other than complaining, being angry, and complaining while being angry. He's absolutely insufferable from start to finish. Why the author wrote him so consistently unlikable is beyond me.
Issue Number 2: The Bright Problem. The film Bright is (if you don't know) an alternative history film with magic and elves and orcs and wands and everything else existing in our word. This supposedly changes the entire trajectory of world events, yet for some reason still has historical events like the Alamo present, as well as films like "Shrek." This is obviously because the creator didn't think out things very deeply, and still wanted easy references to fall back on. Godbreaker unfortunately does this as well, which r0hs the world of any interest because it's entirely hollow.
Last main issue is the writing. I don't mind a story with simple writing if it's in service of a great story or characters (or the other way around), but none of that is the case here. What we have here are things like this: Perry recently discovers his mother was raped by a demigod which is why he's super duper special (in a twist that you see coming by the end of the first page). He has killed his real father, and is listening to a message from the man who raised him with his "friends" and refers to him as his father, and then is glad that none of his friends called him out on saying the guy who raised him is his father when he isn't.
This may seem like a small nitpick, but is only one example of how the characters are consistently written throughout the story. Who in the world would think someone in that situation would say something like: "Um, actually, the guy you recently murdered is your real dad because he raped your mom. Remember?"
This is one of the worst books I've ever read, and is honestly more unlikable than Shades of Magic, because at least that trilogy started out on a decent foot before absolutely shitting the bed.
August 15, 2019
Definitely a different kind of story from a favorite author, the wonderful DJ Molles. Gods and mythology are not my cup of tea, but he managed to pull me in again with his usual engaging, action-packed writing. I really enjoyed it!
October 16, 2019
Nothing special here. A rather cliche, predictable, not to mention overly crude story.
October 21, 2019
Wonderful and astounding read.
I've been reading DJ off and on for a while, so I knew he was a good author. But, Breaking Gods is an amazing piece of work and writing.
DJ's world building is amazing. The characters are interesting and flawed. I enjoyed learning about them as they learned about each other.
I'm looking forward to the next one.
I've been reading DJ off and on for a while, so I knew he was a good author. But, Breaking Gods is an amazing piece of work and writing.
DJ's world building is amazing. The characters are interesting and flawed. I enjoyed learning about them as they learned about each other.
I'm looking forward to the next one.
August 12, 2025
What is this gem I stumbled upon? I didn’t expect the author of The Remaining / Lee Harden to so successfully write in the SF/Fantasy genre. It’s anything but a filler side project. Breaking Gods stands strong on its own. No zombies, special forces, or Earth-derived politics. Instead, the atmosphere and worldbuilding make me think of something from Brandon Sanderson--something that could possibly fit inside The Cosmere. Albeit with the crudity and foul language of Stephen King, which I’m not fond of, but admittedly, I find it fits the characters and mindset of the culture within the Godbreaker universe. (Not for kids.) This story succeeded in pulling me inside the world, and for that alone, I give it 5 stars. I quickly absorbed the story and characters. Each time I finished for the day, I looked forward to picking it back up. So much so that I finished it in less than a week. While it shares some tropes of other SF, there is enough originality and creativity that kept me guessing. I’m excited to read the next book in the series.
August 31, 2019
Good story, the main character is a bit annoying but I guess we later learn why is that and is part of his character. But the end of the book felt a bit ... meh. The story should have continued on. Currently it feels more of a introduction to the second book.
August 15, 2019
It was great. I can’t wait to read the next one.
December 26, 2021
Actual Rating: 3.5 🌟
I enjoyed this. It was really easy to read and I wasn't drowned with tech mumbo jumbo. Everything was really easy to understand and no bombastic words were used so I didn't feel lost.
I love Stuber more than anything in the world. I liked all the characters actually, including Perry who's kind of a loser, but a loser I can support.
CW/TW: graphic description of blood, graphic death, graphic description of gore, vomiting, graphic description of violence, sex work, strong language, murder, imprisonment, mention of hanging, bullying, physical abuse, physical bullying, prison break, parental death, gun/gun violence, knife/knife violence, gun shot wound, description of gun shot wound, mention of strangulation, recreational drinking, alcohol abuse, attempted suicide, mention of sex, mention of rape/sexual assault
I enjoyed this. It was really easy to read and I wasn't drowned with tech mumbo jumbo. Everything was really easy to understand and no bombastic words were used so I didn't feel lost.
I love Stuber more than anything in the world. I liked all the characters actually, including Perry who's kind of a loser, but a loser I can support.
CW/TW: graphic description of blood, graphic death, graphic description of gore, vomiting, graphic description of violence, sex work, strong language, murder, imprisonment, mention of hanging, bullying, physical abuse, physical bullying, prison break, parental death, gun/gun violence, knife/knife violence, gun shot wound, description of gun shot wound, mention of strangulation, recreational drinking, alcohol abuse, attempted suicide, mention of sex, mention of rape/sexual assault
September 4, 2019
A must read!
I loved this book! It is a excellent and fast paced story,the characters easy to like and can not wait to read what they are going to do next. They develop and no one is who they seem to be in the beginning, while a young man named Perry is the main character another named Stuber is my favorite as he reminds me of a relative who is so brave, wise, and one you want on your side in good times and bad. The story is about how gods destroyed the world, left some humans and the aftermath is a outcome of humans being their own worst enemy. There is so much to write about but I don't do spoilers so just treat yourself to another winner from a outstanding author D.J. Molles, enjoy.
I loved this book! It is a excellent and fast paced story,the characters easy to like and can not wait to read what they are going to do next. They develop and no one is who they seem to be in the beginning, while a young man named Perry is the main character another named Stuber is my favorite as he reminds me of a relative who is so brave, wise, and one you want on your side in good times and bad. The story is about how gods destroyed the world, left some humans and the aftermath is a outcome of humans being their own worst enemy. There is so much to write about but I don't do spoilers so just treat yourself to another winner from a outstanding author D.J. Molles, enjoy.
September 1, 2019
Slow to start, but stick with it!
I'm not gonna lie. I wasn't sure about this one at first, and the beginning is a little slow. But once it gets going, it moves along at lightning speed. As you learn more about Perry, who he is and where he came from, you can see him start to question everything he knows. I'm so anxious to see where Perry and his friends go from here. Looking forward to book 2!
I'm not gonna lie. I wasn't sure about this one at first, and the beginning is a little slow. But once it gets going, it moves along at lightning speed. As you learn more about Perry, who he is and where he came from, you can see him start to question everything he knows. I'm so anxious to see where Perry and his friends go from here. Looking forward to book 2!
August 26, 2019
A MUST READ!!!!!
Breaking Gods is an amazing book and is the first book in a long time that I couldn't read fast enough. I can't wait to see where this series is heading but I'm sure it will be amazing.
Breaking Gods is an amazing book and is the first book in a long time that I couldn't read fast enough. I can't wait to see where this series is heading but I'm sure it will be amazing.
August 2, 2020
A blend of military dystopian and cyberpunk genres
Molles is a decent writer and combines an interesting story with plenty of excitement and humor.
Definitely better than I expected and will immediately start the next one.
Molles is a decent writer and combines an interesting story with plenty of excitement and humor.
Definitely better than I expected and will immediately start the next one.
November 1, 2019
Alright, so this is the first DJ Molles book that didn't earn all 5 stars from me. It was actually a little odd. Let me run through the elements:
The Bad. Let's get this out of the way first:
- The characters weren't super likable, relatable, or even that interesting in and of themselves. The tropes were pretty clear from the outset, which is something I kinda don't love these days. "Ohhhh, THAT'S the "One" character, who's super special somehow, he just doesn't know it yet." or "Ohhhhh, she's immediately apparent as the love interest." and of course "Well, he's clearly the big strong, fighter character who always stands in the back in the group shot." I mean, they even find the "Obi-Wan wise old man" character in the form of Perry's uncle who has all this information for Perry, but of course is killed before he can really pass much of it along.
- The story seemed VERY bare bones for an initial book. Contrast this with say, Jim Butcher's first Furies book (which is arguably the exact same thing as this book), wherein the story was immediately very complex, the worldbuilding was on point, and the characters were fleshed out very well. Or, contrast this with the author's own work on The Remaining books. Again, a very well done initial book in a series.
- The writing of this book was somewhat...gah, I really hate to say this about an author I love, amateurish. There were several grammatical mistakes (example "Such and such ran passed other character") that seemed out of place, having just come from the latest Lee Harden book. It almost felt like this book was something that DJ Molles wrote years ago when he was first starting out, and didn't release that manuscript until now.
- The tone of the characters completely took me out of the story. If we start world building a majestic new world, where the protagonists are demi-gods, and there's a certain gravity to it, then the main characters shouldn't be talking to each other like a bunch of teenagers talking shit to each other on their way to the 7-11 after school. "What the fuck, man!" The tone was just off, and it kept me from ever completely falling into the story.
- The abrupt ending. Story story stEND. Uhhhh....what. They exit the tunnel, kill the mech, a few lines of dialogue, complete with anime episode dialogue, and BOOM "SEE YOU IN THE NEXT BOOK!"? That was it? It was jarring, not in a good way.
The Good, because where there is bad, there is (usually) some good!:
- I am VERY interested in this overall world being built. I do wish that there had been more explanation and in-depth historical exposition, but I DID get enough from this book to want to read more. The idea of gods, demigods, the Paladins, the eternal war that Humanity just accepts, all pretty compelling stuff.
- The idea of "godtech" and the main character's use of it. I am looking forward to seeing how much farther Perry can go with it.
- I am looking forward to the characters becoming more fleshed out. Stuber clearly has some depths to his character that we only got some minor flashes of, so I definitely want more of that. Also, hopefully we'll gain more insight into Teran, because right now she's kind of a Black Widow (from the Avengers) archetype. She's good in a fight, quick thinking, but is still pretty mysterious as to what her overall motivations are. Sagum...well, I found myself liking him more as the story went out. Hopefully he can be that "sarcastic tech guy" sidekick.
So, all in all, this book was worth a read, because it clearly has good "bones". I'm just hoping for a bit more out of the next one, with maybe the characters becoming much more individual, and not just archetype level sidekick characters. I have faith that DJ Molles will pull this off!
The Bad. Let's get this out of the way first:
- The characters weren't super likable, relatable, or even that interesting in and of themselves. The tropes were pretty clear from the outset, which is something I kinda don't love these days. "Ohhhh, THAT'S the "One" character, who's super special somehow, he just doesn't know it yet." or "Ohhhhh, she's immediately apparent as the love interest." and of course "Well, he's clearly the big strong, fighter character who always stands in the back in the group shot." I mean, they even find the "Obi-Wan wise old man" character in the form of Perry's uncle who has all this information for Perry, but of course is killed before he can really pass much of it along.
- The story seemed VERY bare bones for an initial book. Contrast this with say, Jim Butcher's first Furies book (which is arguably the exact same thing as this book), wherein the story was immediately very complex, the worldbuilding was on point, and the characters were fleshed out very well. Or, contrast this with the author's own work on The Remaining books. Again, a very well done initial book in a series.
- The writing of this book was somewhat...gah, I really hate to say this about an author I love, amateurish. There were several grammatical mistakes (example "Such and such ran passed other character") that seemed out of place, having just come from the latest Lee Harden book. It almost felt like this book was something that DJ Molles wrote years ago when he was first starting out, and didn't release that manuscript until now.
- The tone of the characters completely took me out of the story. If we start world building a majestic new world, where the protagonists are demi-gods, and there's a certain gravity to it, then the main characters shouldn't be talking to each other like a bunch of teenagers talking shit to each other on their way to the 7-11 after school. "What the fuck, man!" The tone was just off, and it kept me from ever completely falling into the story.
- The abrupt ending. Story story stEND. Uhhhh....what. They exit the tunnel, kill the mech, a few lines of dialogue, complete with anime episode dialogue, and BOOM "SEE YOU IN THE NEXT BOOK!"? That was it? It was jarring, not in a good way.
The Good, because where there is bad, there is (usually) some good!:
- I am VERY interested in this overall world being built. I do wish that there had been more explanation and in-depth historical exposition, but I DID get enough from this book to want to read more. The idea of gods, demigods, the Paladins, the eternal war that Humanity just accepts, all pretty compelling stuff.
- The idea of "godtech" and the main character's use of it. I am looking forward to seeing how much farther Perry can go with it.
- I am looking forward to the characters becoming more fleshed out. Stuber clearly has some depths to his character that we only got some minor flashes of, so I definitely want more of that. Also, hopefully we'll gain more insight into Teran, because right now she's kind of a Black Widow (from the Avengers) archetype. She's good in a fight, quick thinking, but is still pretty mysterious as to what her overall motivations are. Sagum...well, I found myself liking him more as the story went out. Hopefully he can be that "sarcastic tech guy" sidekick.
So, all in all, this book was worth a read, because it clearly has good "bones". I'm just hoping for a bit more out of the next one, with maybe the characters becoming much more individual, and not just archetype level sidekick characters. I have faith that DJ Molles will pull this off!
March 27, 2022
This had really bad world building, some of the worst. This really just throws you into the middle of this world without a whole lot of explanation to the world and i never really got a good sense of it.
I normally don't like a lot of exposition but this is a book that probably could have used a great deal of it. This felt like a high concept political conflict going on with its world building that i think needed a lot of explaining because I just wasn't catching on to any context clues to figure it out myself. I really tried to as well but I just don't think the world building writing was good enough to really be able to sneak it in. I feel like I was getting into the 2nd book of a series and I totally missed out on a whole book where stuff was explained better because by the time I'm on this book the book treats me as if I'm just supposed to know what's going on.
There's a few actions scenes here that are at least very well written. I enjoyed being able to see those fully played out with all the rich details to picture it all. Unfortunately that's about the only good thing I have to say.
This book surprisingly doesn't have a plot, it's mostly a bunch of fumbling around aimlessly for the good majority of the book and I never got a sense of what exactly anyone was aiming for. You're sorta explained briefly at the end maybe the start of a plot but it's surprisingly sparse.
So this book doesn't have world building, it doesn't have plot, you'd think it had character building then right? Well.... No, it does not. You're told the characters and then you just follow them around while they fumble around. Again, know nothing about any of them nor why I should care about them. Even the main character is like 'shrouded in mystery' but it feels unintentional. Like maybe the character writing just couldn't be nailed down for him so he's just this like secretive nobody for the majority of the book and he totally plays that role well because I knew nothing significant except maybe like 2 minutes of info in him near the end.
Overall this was just bad it didnt hit any of the 3 major marks that I look for in a book. I don't mind when a book seperates when it decides to do building but this book just didn't do nearly enough on anything. If I were to categorize this book though I'm guessing of the 3 this is probably the intended world building book of a trilogy but the book just doesn't nail down any richness to get me invested.
Given how it was ending though, i may just dabble in the next book of the series. I think the concepts it's aiming toward seems cool and hopefully the next books in the series can shine some light on something. Id find it impressive if an entire trilogy forgot to include a plot so it has to be somewhere.
I normally don't like a lot of exposition but this is a book that probably could have used a great deal of it. This felt like a high concept political conflict going on with its world building that i think needed a lot of explaining because I just wasn't catching on to any context clues to figure it out myself. I really tried to as well but I just don't think the world building writing was good enough to really be able to sneak it in. I feel like I was getting into the 2nd book of a series and I totally missed out on a whole book where stuff was explained better because by the time I'm on this book the book treats me as if I'm just supposed to know what's going on.
There's a few actions scenes here that are at least very well written. I enjoyed being able to see those fully played out with all the rich details to picture it all. Unfortunately that's about the only good thing I have to say.
This book surprisingly doesn't have a plot, it's mostly a bunch of fumbling around aimlessly for the good majority of the book and I never got a sense of what exactly anyone was aiming for. You're sorta explained briefly at the end maybe the start of a plot but it's surprisingly sparse.
So this book doesn't have world building, it doesn't have plot, you'd think it had character building then right? Well.... No, it does not. You're told the characters and then you just follow them around while they fumble around. Again, know nothing about any of them nor why I should care about them. Even the main character is like 'shrouded in mystery' but it feels unintentional. Like maybe the character writing just couldn't be nailed down for him so he's just this like secretive nobody for the majority of the book and he totally plays that role well because I knew nothing significant except maybe like 2 minutes of info in him near the end.
Overall this was just bad it didnt hit any of the 3 major marks that I look for in a book. I don't mind when a book seperates when it decides to do building but this book just didn't do nearly enough on anything. If I were to categorize this book though I'm guessing of the 3 this is probably the intended world building book of a trilogy but the book just doesn't nail down any richness to get me invested.
Given how it was ending though, i may just dabble in the next book of the series. I think the concepts it's aiming toward seems cool and hopefully the next books in the series can shine some light on something. Id find it impressive if an entire trilogy forgot to include a plot so it has to be somewhere.
June 1, 2020
_Breaking Gods_ by D.J. Molles receives 3 stars from me. The story is good, not complicated, and in some ways maybe drawn out some.
First the reader: Christian Rummel reads this text. This is the third book I've gotten with him as the reader. His voice is deep, resonant, masculine, which fits a texted about war and overcoming the gods very well. He can also soften his voice to a convincing female voice. His range is great; often it is difficult to remember it is only one person reading. Additionally, it is clear he considers the voice he uses for the characters in order to match them well. His characterization through the voices he employs is so damn good.
The book:
Three stars. I enjoyed it, found it engaging and fun. However, at times I wondered just where this text was going. It seems clear it was always heading to the next book in the series. I love series, and understand how one book should lead to the next. However, each book should have its own mission that is accomplished. I felt that this text doesn't have that as clear. Yes, there is the idea of getting this one thing to work, but it isn't central to the story--it isn't a focus of discovery. Sure there is getting this other thing repaired so that we can learn stuff, but this isn't central to the story as well. In the end, I feel that this should be dwelling on the characters more, which it doesn't.
However, the negatives. I enjoyed the story and following along with this group. It isn't just a let's follow this ragtag group of people trying to do stuff. They are by circumstance forced into a direction. In many ways, the main character Perry reminds me of Luke Skywalker. Perry is reluctant to follow his destiny, unlike Luke. Both are kind of whiny. Perry doesn't handle not knowing what to do well and strikes out in anger. I enjoyed how this was addressed. This is just one aspect of the character where we see him grow. I'd like to see more of this with the others, and their relationship grow. Like Perry understanding how other characters express their like of Perry.
Lastly, without giving anything away, there is a theme that emerges at the end which I liked, and I hope gets developed in the later books more.
Recommended: the book--yes. The reader--hell yes!
First the reader: Christian Rummel reads this text. This is the third book I've gotten with him as the reader. His voice is deep, resonant, masculine, which fits a texted about war and overcoming the gods very well. He can also soften his voice to a convincing female voice. His range is great; often it is difficult to remember it is only one person reading. Additionally, it is clear he considers the voice he uses for the characters in order to match them well. His characterization through the voices he employs is so damn good.
The book:
Three stars. I enjoyed it, found it engaging and fun. However, at times I wondered just where this text was going. It seems clear it was always heading to the next book in the series. I love series, and understand how one book should lead to the next. However, each book should have its own mission that is accomplished. I felt that this text doesn't have that as clear. Yes, there is the idea of getting this one thing to work, but it isn't central to the story--it isn't a focus of discovery. Sure there is getting this other thing repaired so that we can learn stuff, but this isn't central to the story as well. In the end, I feel that this should be dwelling on the characters more, which it doesn't.
However, the negatives. I enjoyed the story and following along with this group. It isn't just a let's follow this ragtag group of people trying to do stuff. They are by circumstance forced into a direction. In many ways, the main character Perry reminds me of Luke Skywalker. Perry is reluctant to follow his destiny, unlike Luke. Both are kind of whiny. Perry doesn't handle not knowing what to do well and strikes out in anger. I enjoyed how this was addressed. This is just one aspect of the character where we see him grow. I'd like to see more of this with the others, and their relationship grow. Like Perry understanding how other characters express their like of Perry.
Lastly, without giving anything away, there is a theme that emerges at the end which I liked, and I hope gets developed in the later books more.
Recommended: the book--yes. The reader--hell yes!
November 1, 2020
9.5/10
Liked it alot.
Perry is caught up in a world where a 5-century old war is going on between the Truth and the Light.
His “father” was a legionnaire for the Light. He was killed when Perry/Percival was young.
Later, Perry is forced into the Academy (bootcamp for soldiers). He deserted right before he graduated. He was a runt, always picked up and beat up on. So he left.
Ends up in a crew that salvaged and reloaded ammo from brass from big battles.
Ends up killing a man and lands in jail. Teran (female in his crew) and Stuber (ex legionnaire for the Truth) save him.
Stuber ex legionnaire because his sergeant was killed by their CO, because the CO made a terrible call during battle and his serg called him out on it.
During battle, CO was next to Stuber and repeated the same order. Stuber kills CO instead and deserts.
Anyway, Perry learns that his father is not his real father. His mother was raped by his father’s Paladin (the demigod his father swore fealty to)
So Perry is part human/part demigod. Why was he sent to the Academy (by Paladin Selos’ request after he killed his father and mother) we still dont know.
Selos ends up chasing Perry to kill him. Perry is in possession of a special disc/device given to by his uncle. Only he holds the power to open it. (The Calm)
Perry is still learning about his true identity. He ends up using the device to help defeat and kill Selos.
The device also holds a message from Perry’s father. Stating that the demigods/paladins are trying to hide The Source (secret texts that shows humans how to use god-tech)
And that Perry needs to go find The Source and uncover the secrets.
Stuber. Teran. Perry. And Sagum (teran’s buddy) are left at the end.
Liked it alot.
Perry is caught up in a world where a 5-century old war is going on between the Truth and the Light.
His “father” was a legionnaire for the Light. He was killed when Perry/Percival was young.
Later, Perry is forced into the Academy (bootcamp for soldiers). He deserted right before he graduated. He was a runt, always picked up and beat up on. So he left.
Ends up in a crew that salvaged and reloaded ammo from brass from big battles.
Ends up killing a man and lands in jail. Teran (female in his crew) and Stuber (ex legionnaire for the Truth) save him.
Stuber ex legionnaire because his sergeant was killed by their CO, because the CO made a terrible call during battle and his serg called him out on it.
During battle, CO was next to Stuber and repeated the same order. Stuber kills CO instead and deserts.
Anyway, Perry learns that his father is not his real father. His mother was raped by his father’s Paladin (the demigod his father swore fealty to)
So Perry is part human/part demigod. Why was he sent to the Academy (by Paladin Selos’ request after he killed his father and mother) we still dont know.
Selos ends up chasing Perry to kill him. Perry is in possession of a special disc/device given to by his uncle. Only he holds the power to open it. (The Calm)
Perry is still learning about his true identity. He ends up using the device to help defeat and kill Selos.
The device also holds a message from Perry’s father. Stating that the demigods/paladins are trying to hide The Source (secret texts that shows humans how to use god-tech)
And that Perry needs to go find The Source and uncover the secrets.
Stuber. Teran. Perry. And Sagum (teran’s buddy) are left at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2021
Perry was short, a product of his peon blood. Legatus Cato was his father, but Perry always felt there was more, something else.
When Perry's parents were killed by Paladin Selos, something awoke in him. In his mind he saw it as a red river of calm that flowed through his body. His last gift from his father were a broken clasp to hold a sagum, and words he didn't understand, "And you are my son. No matter the blood that runs in your veins—". More secrets to worry in his mind, without understanding.
The characters quickly grow on you, becoming more three dimensional, more real. Insecurities and doubts cloud the minds of Perry and his band of - what? Fighters? Peons? Friends? Well, whatever. They hang around Perry and follow him. They help him fight. And fight they do. Their entire storyline in this book is one long battle. But, the story is intriguing, the storyline doesn't give much away, but you have to follow it anyway because occasional nuggets of information fall like golden drops, combining to create - a story? a background? a heritage! Maybe.
LOL Don't expect much sleep while enjoying this introduction, because it will flee before the story. Wide awake, while the house is still, the book clenched tightly in sweaty fingers, light gasps and ahhs issuing from my lips as my eyes guide me through the action. Well, you know how it is. Now I've finished the cliffhanger and must go on to the next adventure, my tired mind can handle more. I think - maybe. Well, you'll figure it out when you read this. You know you're going to!
When Perry's parents were killed by Paladin Selos, something awoke in him. In his mind he saw it as a red river of calm that flowed through his body. His last gift from his father were a broken clasp to hold a sagum, and words he didn't understand, "And you are my son. No matter the blood that runs in your veins—". More secrets to worry in his mind, without understanding.
The characters quickly grow on you, becoming more three dimensional, more real. Insecurities and doubts cloud the minds of Perry and his band of - what? Fighters? Peons? Friends? Well, whatever. They hang around Perry and follow him. They help him fight. And fight they do. Their entire storyline in this book is one long battle. But, the story is intriguing, the storyline doesn't give much away, but you have to follow it anyway because occasional nuggets of information fall like golden drops, combining to create - a story? a background? a heritage! Maybe.
LOL Don't expect much sleep while enjoying this introduction, because it will flee before the story. Wide awake, while the house is still, the book clenched tightly in sweaty fingers, light gasps and ahhs issuing from my lips as my eyes guide me through the action. Well, you know how it is. Now I've finished the cliffhanger and must go on to the next adventure, my tired mind can handle more. I think - maybe. Well, you'll figure it out when you read this. You know you're going to!
February 14, 2020
In a landscape of innumerable fantasy fiction series, the blurb to this book stood out to me with its hints of gun totting warriors facing off against Gods in a late Roman empire type world. And having read reviews about Molles' penchant for writing compelling action, I was eager to dive into this.
The book does deliver on some of the expectations it sets up. For starters, the aforementioned action sequences carry this book. As someone who is easily bored by narratives of slaughter and gore, I was surprisingly gripped by the way these scenes were written. There are also elements of the world the author is building that I found intriguing.
But, these end up being merely hints at what could lie ahead. The main plot too, does not do anything new compared to other epic fantasies and a lot of it ends up being predictable. The book also falls into the pit of sidelining women characters in its universe. This coupled with the generous use of misogynistic expletives by some of the characters did leave a bad taste.
Seeing as to how this is just the first book in what will hopefully be continuing series, there are many areas where there is potential for improvement. While I would not count myself as someone who is eagerly awaiting further installments, I wouldn't be surprised if Molles manages to develop the story here into something fresh and epic. He certainly has the necessary ingredients and potential for just the same.
3.5/5
The book does deliver on some of the expectations it sets up. For starters, the aforementioned action sequences carry this book. As someone who is easily bored by narratives of slaughter and gore, I was surprisingly gripped by the way these scenes were written. There are also elements of the world the author is building that I found intriguing.
But, these end up being merely hints at what could lie ahead. The main plot too, does not do anything new compared to other epic fantasies and a lot of it ends up being predictable. The book also falls into the pit of sidelining women characters in its universe. This coupled with the generous use of misogynistic expletives by some of the characters did leave a bad taste.
Seeing as to how this is just the first book in what will hopefully be continuing series, there are many areas where there is potential for improvement. While I would not count myself as someone who is eagerly awaiting further installments, I wouldn't be surprised if Molles manages to develop the story here into something fresh and epic. He certainly has the necessary ingredients and potential for just the same.
3.5/5
March 16, 2023
After listening to (and loving) every book in the Remaining series I had to give the Godbreaker books a try. D.J. Molles brings it yet again... Breaking Gods (Godbreaker, #1) was so much better than I could have imagined - so glad to finally give it a go.
The plot revolves around Perry McGowan, who lives a world controlled by demigods left behind - after the gods annihilated the earth - five hundred years prior. They view the humans as nothing more than entertainment as they watch them fight each other in a ceaseless civil war.
Perry finds himself sentenced to death after brutally killing a man in a bar fight while he was trying to protect his friend's (Teran) honor. Perry cannot believe his fortune when Teran and an ex-legionnaire named Stuber risk their lives and set him free. Initially, Perry is left shaking his head as to why they would be willing to sacrifice so much for him. Especially knowing they will face the same fate when - and the chances are almost certain - they are hunted down.
After some close calls and much running aimlessly for their lives, Stuber and Teran reveal that their reasons for setting him free are not selfless. Perry's fellow lawbreakers reveal the reason they fought so valiantly for his freedom is because they have strong information which meant he must be saved at all costs. There is a much bigger purpose for his life, and he alone is the instrument to turning the tides in their favor.
The storyline starts out as a slow-burn - as the characters are well developed and the plot is laid out - and then it takes off like a bullet, with nonstop action and suspense. The ending is a fantastic cliffhanger, and left me eager to start - The Nine - book two.
Christian Rummel is always amazing and it is such a delight to hear him narrating this series. He does a fantastic job with the endless pace changes and the multiple - male and female - voices.
The plot revolves around Perry McGowan, who lives a world controlled by demigods left behind - after the gods annihilated the earth - five hundred years prior. They view the humans as nothing more than entertainment as they watch them fight each other in a ceaseless civil war.
Perry finds himself sentenced to death after brutally killing a man in a bar fight while he was trying to protect his friend's (Teran) honor. Perry cannot believe his fortune when Teran and an ex-legionnaire named Stuber risk their lives and set him free. Initially, Perry is left shaking his head as to why they would be willing to sacrifice so much for him. Especially knowing they will face the same fate when - and the chances are almost certain - they are hunted down.
After some close calls and much running aimlessly for their lives, Stuber and Teran reveal that their reasons for setting him free are not selfless. Perry's fellow lawbreakers reveal the reason they fought so valiantly for his freedom is because they have strong information which meant he must be saved at all costs. There is a much bigger purpose for his life, and he alone is the instrument to turning the tides in their favor.
The storyline starts out as a slow-burn - as the characters are well developed and the plot is laid out - and then it takes off like a bullet, with nonstop action and suspense. The ending is a fantastic cliffhanger, and left me eager to start - The Nine - book two.
Christian Rummel is always amazing and it is such a delight to hear him narrating this series. He does a fantastic job with the endless pace changes and the multiple - male and female - voices.
February 5, 2020
This is just bad story telling. You get tossed into a book that is depressing as hell. 2 hours into it, nothing is explained about the world or a timeline of sorts. Basically this "Special" unit picks trash from the dead to sell off. You get talks about dogs, spiders and ants over and over. Do you get told how many or how large these dogs, spiders or ants are? Hell no. You do get details on how shell cases are made and that they are made of brass. You also get a MC "Perry" that is a total jackoff of a character, you also see in the book how the characters don't get out much. Like seeing a woman naked! OMG my hormones must go crazy no matter what, I can't control myself and the big bad Perry must defend the helpless woman who is part of the same unit?!
Giving me a fraking break. The testosterone levels of BS in this book is beyond 9000.
Giving me a fraking break. The testosterone levels of BS in this book is beyond 9000.
September 8, 2019
The writing style is consistent with Molles’s other books. And that is to say that there is a lot of action, and a lot of focus on tactical military weaponry. I did find some issues with the novel: Some modern slang that seemed out of place… And part of the plot points felt removed from the overall arc of the war for much of the book… I just couldn’t get a full grasp on the whys at times.
If you’re looking for fast-paced action and some fun characters, start this new series by the writer of The Remaining zombie books.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/09/08/br...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
If you’re looking for fast-paced action and some fun characters, start this new series by the writer of The Remaining zombie books.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/09/08/br...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
October 17, 2020
I can honestly say I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did. I really loved the main character here, and found the entire concept of the power of the gods stemming from an ancient, lost technology interesting. This is another one of those books I never wanted to put down once I got started with it.
The story is well written and compelling, and the narration was quite good contextually.
If I had any complaint here, it would be that the story ends just when you want to know more, but admittedly, that was probably the point. It did leave me needing to know more, and I'm sure I'll pick up the sequel when I have time to listen to it, or when it pops up on sale.
The story is well written and compelling, and the narration was quite good contextually.
If I had any complaint here, it would be that the story ends just when you want to know more, but admittedly, that was probably the point. It did leave me needing to know more, and I'm sure I'll pick up the sequel when I have time to listen to it, or when it pops up on sale.
February 9, 2020
A boy grows up in a small village, he considers himself ordinary, but then strange things start to happen pulling him into adventure where he finds out about his heritage, unique powers and maybe a destiny to save the world... Sounds like every fantasy novel doesn't it?
However this one has an intriguing setting: roman mythology meets post-apocalyptic world. It's well written and fast paced.
I recommend it if you are looking for a good fantasy with something different than swords and dragons.
However this one has an intriguing setting: roman mythology meets post-apocalyptic world. It's well written and fast paced.
I recommend it if you are looking for a good fantasy with something different than swords and dragons.
March 20, 2020
It was okay. I really wish I'd known going in that this was going to be part of a series. I started it expecting it to be a complete novel but it just ended abruptly in the middle of the story. The abrupt end was more of an intro to the next step in their quest though, and the questions of Perry's origins were addressed by the end.
As interested as I would have been in reading the rest of the story, it just doesn't pull me enough to be anxious for the next offering. I don't especially care about the characters, and ultimately it feels like the direction it's going won't be very surprising.
As interested as I would have been in reading the rest of the story, it just doesn't pull me enough to be anxious for the next offering. I don't especially care about the characters, and ultimately it feels like the direction it's going won't be very surprising.
September 20, 2021
This book seemed interesting enough based on the premise, and the reviews were pretty good; but damn...was this written by a high school boy trying out a various strings of immature profanity? The dialogues were so distracting, that my eyes are tired from rolling them. The story was just OK, with various chapters giving bits of background on the characters, but none of them were particularly likable. What could have been been a cool story was more like an adolescent fantasy about what junior thinks military men sound like. It was just dumb.
May 13, 2023
I enjoyed this book, I think the original storyline with demigods and legionnaires gave it a historic twist, coupled with the modern armament of guns it appeared; at first, to be an interesting story.
While the book on the whole was enjoyable it started to slow towards the end of the book. The characters were individually developed well and they all added something to the chemistry of the team.
I’d recommend it, I believe the next two books have a higher rating so I’m expecting good things.
While the book on the whole was enjoyable it started to slow towards the end of the book. The characters were individually developed well and they all added something to the chemistry of the team.
I’d recommend it, I believe the next two books have a higher rating so I’m expecting good things.
August 23, 2019
Very different!
Very different type of story. For the most part very well written. Initially I did not like any of the characters and almost put this book down very early in the story. But for the most part did learn to like them. Certainly a different story, but overall a good one.
Very different type of story. For the most part very well written. Initially I did not like any of the characters and almost put this book down very early in the story. But for the most part did learn to like them. Certainly a different story, but overall a good one.
October 16, 2019
Fantastic Young adult book. Sadly it’s part of a series so it leaves you hanging. Orphaned child finds out he has powers and is he key to solving the world problems. Boy has an obvi wan to train him. There’s a hint if a love triangle. Just so funny how these YA books feel the need to hit the same notes every time
July 8, 2021
A slow start and crusty good ol' boy attitudes towards women almost had me stopping after a few chapters. So glad I continued on.
The story does pick up and the good ol' boy mentality only describes some of the males in the story and the setting of the times. This mentality does not include any of the main male characters.
Looking forward to the next book!
The story does pick up and the good ol' boy mentality only describes some of the males in the story and the setting of the times. This mentality does not include any of the main male characters.
Looking forward to the next book!
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