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Timelessness #2
The Dharkan
The enemy is defeated.The gods strike a truce.And the Dharkan strike against the gods.Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly.The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence. Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of the soul and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. And although their goals may seem similar, the motivations behind them couldn’t be more at odds with each other.Meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches.Or maybe it’s already here...
- GenresFantasy
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2020
About the author
Susana Imaginário
15 books105 followersWriter and reader of unusual books.
Susana Imaginário is a misfit from Portugal. She now lives in Ireland with her husband and their extremely spoiled pups.
Her hobbies include reading (a lot), playing board games, hanging upside down, poking around ancient ruins, talking to trees and being tired.
Timelessness combines mythology and slipstream fiction with a generous dose of dark humour and psychology.
Susana Imaginário is a misfit from Portugal. She now lives in Ireland with her husband and their extremely spoiled pups.
Her hobbies include reading (a lot), playing board games, hanging upside down, poking around ancient ruins, talking to trees and being tired.
Timelessness combines mythology and slipstream fiction with a generous dose of dark humour and psychology.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 19, 2021
The Timelessness series by Susana Imaginário is the perfect mixture of lore prickled with wicked and cunning gods, banter, mystery, and darkness.
I read book 1 of this series (Wyrd Gods) back in May 2021 and gave it 5 stars. Now, I'm left with a serious problem, because I liked book 2 - The Dharkan - even more. In this book, we get to see the real personality of the goddess behind the Wyrd we met in book 1, and let me tell you, she's even more awesome, genuine, unconventional, and spectacular than I imagined. A strong type of female lead we rarely see in fantasy books.
Even though her storyline was no longer the main focus of this book, the Wyrd we've come to love on the first installment of this series has continued to influence events all around her, whether she was aware of it or not. I loved the transition of the narrative between books 1 and 2. Susana brings us even more fascinating characters and races in The Dharkan while still managing to advance the arcs of the characters we met in book 1.
What I loved the most about this book:
>>How the author was able to use Aedan - an obtuse and obnoxious character - to create an entertaining and gripping narrative (the amount of times I rolled my eyes during Aedan's chapters was epic, but I always looked forward to reading them - especially because I loved seeing our former Wyrd driving him insane)
>>The ending just blew my mind - the way Susana foreshadows who the Nephilim really are was simply amazing
>>Persephone was without a doubt one of the most entertaining characters of this book. Bonus points if you listen to Sarah Kempton's interpretation of the goddess of Spring! The love triangle between Hades, Hel, and Persephone was also added a lot of depth to the rulers of the underworld.
>>How the author made me care for characters I considered obnoxious in book 1 such as Arianh.
That being said, I already started listening to Nephilim's Hex and I'm curious to see how deep this rabbit hole goes!
I read book 1 of this series (Wyrd Gods) back in May 2021 and gave it 5 stars. Now, I'm left with a serious problem, because I liked book 2 - The Dharkan - even more. In this book, we get to see the real personality of the goddess behind the Wyrd we met in book 1, and let me tell you, she's even more awesome, genuine, unconventional, and spectacular than I imagined. A strong type of female lead we rarely see in fantasy books.
Even though her storyline was no longer the main focus of this book, the Wyrd we've come to love on the first installment of this series has continued to influence events all around her, whether she was aware of it or not. I loved the transition of the narrative between books 1 and 2. Susana brings us even more fascinating characters and races in The Dharkan while still managing to advance the arcs of the characters we met in book 1.
What I loved the most about this book:
>>How the author was able to use Aedan - an obtuse and obnoxious character - to create an entertaining and gripping narrative (the amount of times I rolled my eyes during Aedan's chapters was epic, but I always looked forward to reading them - especially because I loved seeing our former Wyrd driving him insane)
>>The ending just blew my mind - the way Susana foreshadows who the Nephilim really are was simply amazing
>>Persephone was without a doubt one of the most entertaining characters of this book. Bonus points if you listen to Sarah Kempton's interpretation of the goddess of Spring! The love triangle between Hades, Hel, and Persephone was also added a lot of depth to the rulers of the underworld.
>>How the author made me care for characters I considered obnoxious in book 1 such as Arianh.
That being said, I already started listening to Nephilim's Hex and I'm curious to see how deep this rabbit hole goes!
January 26, 2022
The hardest part about writing a story from multiple perspectives is keeping your characters unique in their own way while threading a grand plot throughout the entire story, all the while keeping your readers in the dark and craving more. Susana does an incredible job at this.
In my opinion, The Dharkan is much better than Wyrd Gods. For starters, the writing is phenomenal, whether it's for world-building or characterization. There are so many things being said, so many thoughts from our characters perspectives and never once does it feel like Susana's repeating herself. "The thing about gods is..." I just loved the analogies and thoughts from our cast. There's some solid lines worth remembering from this book.
Each chapter is uniquely tailored to the characters perspective and written in such a great, flawless way that it almost feels that the characters are writing themselves. They're dark, twisted, conniving, and so mysterious that you never know what side they're on.
There was a large gap between reading Wyrd Gods and The Dharkan, so it was a little tough for me to grasp what was happening again, but once I started remembering what happened prior, and began piecing together what was coming next, I felt that everything was perfectly executed. I never felt like the story dragged and, although there wasn't much for action, the story was still "intense."
Such a creative story. If you liked the first book, then you're going to love this. I'm honestly shocked there isn't more attention on this series.
In my opinion, The Dharkan is much better than Wyrd Gods. For starters, the writing is phenomenal, whether it's for world-building or characterization. There are so many things being said, so many thoughts from our characters perspectives and never once does it feel like Susana's repeating herself. "The thing about gods is..." I just loved the analogies and thoughts from our cast. There's some solid lines worth remembering from this book.
Each chapter is uniquely tailored to the characters perspective and written in such a great, flawless way that it almost feels that the characters are writing themselves. They're dark, twisted, conniving, and so mysterious that you never know what side they're on.
There was a large gap between reading Wyrd Gods and The Dharkan, so it was a little tough for me to grasp what was happening again, but once I started remembering what happened prior, and began piecing together what was coming next, I felt that everything was perfectly executed. I never felt like the story dragged and, although there wasn't much for action, the story was still "intense."
Such a creative story. If you liked the first book, then you're going to love this. I'm honestly shocked there isn't more attention on this series.
April 16, 2021
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The enemy is defeated and the gods strike a truce. The Dharkan on the other hand strikes against the gods.
Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly. The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence.
Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. Although their goals might seem similar, the motivation behind them couldn't be more at odds with each other. But meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches, or maybe it's already here...
I'll try not to compare this book much with the Wyrd Gods, but I do need to make the point how beautifully the transition was made from the first to the sequel. While in Wyrd Gods the author's main focus is on the goddess of soul, who was trapped in mortals body, The Dharkan, while she still plays a major role in the novel, focuses more on other characters that were represented in the first novel too. What I loved was how easily Susana manages to switch the story perspective from one character to another and The Dharkan is written from many different gods perspective. Yet still, the story is not confusing at all and it flows naturally. I absolutely loved how the Greek and Norse gods were portrayed in this book. You can feel something divine when you read their perspective, but still, they felt human with all their flaws. They portrayed jealousy, anger, resentment, and it all felt very real. The dialogue was really well written and the connection made between them worked perfectly.
When it comes to world building, the link between the worlds is crafted with great imagination on an epic scale. It gives a feel like their worlds are intertwined even though they originally come from different mythologies. Putting that aside, the book is primarily still very character driven and it's done very well. As much as I love action packed books, there's no need for it in the Dharkan. There's so much psychology behind it that sometimes it comes across as a quite hard book to read, but the reward in the end when it all comes to a conclusion is worth your while.
Did I also struggle reading it? Yes. There's a lot of characters and it's deep to the point of being quite dark at times. Did I love it despite that? Absolutely. It's one of the best character driven books I've read lately and it follows Wyrd Gods in a wonderful way.
The enemy is defeated and the gods strike a truce. The Dharkan on the other hand strikes against the gods.
Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly. The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence.
Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. Although their goals might seem similar, the motivation behind them couldn't be more at odds with each other. But meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches, or maybe it's already here...
I'll try not to compare this book much with the Wyrd Gods, but I do need to make the point how beautifully the transition was made from the first to the sequel. While in Wyrd Gods the author's main focus is on the goddess of soul, who was trapped in mortals body, The Dharkan, while she still plays a major role in the novel, focuses more on other characters that were represented in the first novel too. What I loved was how easily Susana manages to switch the story perspective from one character to another and The Dharkan is written from many different gods perspective. Yet still, the story is not confusing at all and it flows naturally. I absolutely loved how the Greek and Norse gods were portrayed in this book. You can feel something divine when you read their perspective, but still, they felt human with all their flaws. They portrayed jealousy, anger, resentment, and it all felt very real. The dialogue was really well written and the connection made between them worked perfectly.
When it comes to world building, the link between the worlds is crafted with great imagination on an epic scale. It gives a feel like their worlds are intertwined even though they originally come from different mythologies. Putting that aside, the book is primarily still very character driven and it's done very well. As much as I love action packed books, there's no need for it in the Dharkan. There's so much psychology behind it that sometimes it comes across as a quite hard book to read, but the reward in the end when it all comes to a conclusion is worth your while.
Did I also struggle reading it? Yes. There's a lot of characters and it's deep to the point of being quite dark at times. Did I love it despite that? Absolutely. It's one of the best character driven books I've read lately and it follows Wyrd Gods in a wonderful way.
June 23, 2021
I was sent a digital copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Susana!
The Dharkan is the second installment in the Timelessness series by Susana Imaginário, and is a heavily character-driven dark fantasy combining time travel and Greek, Norse and Egyptian mythology, with a witty slant. This review contains spoilers for the first book, Wyrd Gods.
Unlike the first book, this one no longer concentrates on the goddess of the soul, who was the main character from Wyrd Gods. Still present in this story, she is no longer a Wyrd, or fated god. Along with her, many of the secondary characters from Wyrd Gods are still there in The Dharkan. The story continues from the cataclysmic events at the end of Wyrd Gods.
There are Interludes told in first person perspective from the point of view of both Psyche and Aedan, the Dharkan who killed the Suzerain god. The main chapters are told from the perspective of many different characters. The dreamlike feel of the narrative established in Wyrd Gods continues in this novel.
The setting of the book is once more in Niflheim, which is now ruled over by Hel, daughter of the trickster god, Loki. The first half takes place almost exclusively within the stump of the World Tree and focuses on conversations between the characters as they come to terms with everything that happened at the end of Book 1. The gods are celebrating the death of the Suzerain, who was in charge of Niflheim. Now, however, they feel threatened by the expected appearance of the Nephilim at any time.
The goddess Psyche is now being kept prisoner by Aedan inside the stump of the World Tree, where gods are powerless. He blames her for the death of his beloved dryad, Ileana, whose body was hosting Psyche’s soul during Book 1.
“Gods are resilient creatures, after all.”
Hel wants to leave Aedan in charge of Aegea and for him to guard Psyche while she returns to her duties in the other parts of Niflheim, but he is really not happy with this appointment:
“Goddess, with all due respect, I’m a Dharkan! I should not be dealing with the living except to change their state of being. I am the creature other creatures fear, not who they look to for answers and guidance. I live in dark, icy caves deep underground, not atop giant trees.”
There are a lot of different races in this book: the Dharkan, the Annan, the Narrum, the Aossi, dryads, gods, Chiron the Titan to name a few and at times I found it quite confusing trying to remember who everyone was. This was especially the case when a god was being hosted in another character’s body as a Wyrd. I would recommend this book to fans of Greek and Norse mythology who already know something of the characters involved!
The Dharkan is the second installment in the Timelessness series by Susana Imaginário, and is a heavily character-driven dark fantasy combining time travel and Greek, Norse and Egyptian mythology, with a witty slant. This review contains spoilers for the first book, Wyrd Gods.
Unlike the first book, this one no longer concentrates on the goddess of the soul, who was the main character from Wyrd Gods. Still present in this story, she is no longer a Wyrd, or fated god. Along with her, many of the secondary characters from Wyrd Gods are still there in The Dharkan. The story continues from the cataclysmic events at the end of Wyrd Gods.
There are Interludes told in first person perspective from the point of view of both Psyche and Aedan, the Dharkan who killed the Suzerain god. The main chapters are told from the perspective of many different characters. The dreamlike feel of the narrative established in Wyrd Gods continues in this novel.
The setting of the book is once more in Niflheim, which is now ruled over by Hel, daughter of the trickster god, Loki. The first half takes place almost exclusively within the stump of the World Tree and focuses on conversations between the characters as they come to terms with everything that happened at the end of Book 1. The gods are celebrating the death of the Suzerain, who was in charge of Niflheim. Now, however, they feel threatened by the expected appearance of the Nephilim at any time.
The goddess Psyche is now being kept prisoner by Aedan inside the stump of the World Tree, where gods are powerless. He blames her for the death of his beloved dryad, Ileana, whose body was hosting Psyche’s soul during Book 1.
“Gods are resilient creatures, after all.”
Hel wants to leave Aedan in charge of Aegea and for him to guard Psyche while she returns to her duties in the other parts of Niflheim, but he is really not happy with this appointment:
“Goddess, with all due respect, I’m a Dharkan! I should not be dealing with the living except to change their state of being. I am the creature other creatures fear, not who they look to for answers and guidance. I live in dark, icy caves deep underground, not atop giant trees.”
There are a lot of different races in this book: the Dharkan, the Annan, the Narrum, the Aossi, dryads, gods, Chiron the Titan to name a few and at times I found it quite confusing trying to remember who everyone was. This was especially the case when a god was being hosted in another character’s body as a Wyrd. I would recommend this book to fans of Greek and Norse mythology who already know something of the characters involved!
August 3, 2021
I gave book one 5 stars and this one is better. I love how original and fresh the story is and it is very well written.
August 11, 2021
This is my second outing with the Timelessness Series. And again, I listened to this on audio, which was given to me by the author who said, “Do you want to have a listen to the next one then?” Obviously, I nodded my head off my shoulders in response for the chance to carry on with the series and listen to Sarah Kempton’s great narration.
Now to say that I like this one is a bit of an understatement. In fact I absolutely loved it!
If you haven’t read the Timelessness series, here’s a bit of what it’s about (and I will try to do this spoiler free, but I don’t think I can in all honesty, because in this second book we know who ‘Butterfly’ is from the first book. Hmm! It’s going to be a little difficult! Okay, if you haven’t read the first one and you don’t want it spoiling then I would advise turning back now! Otherwise, read at your own peril!).
Right, let’s crack on then, shall we?
The Suzerain is dead! Frozen by The Dahrkan and smashed into a thousand iddy biddy jewelled crystals of ice (there ain’t no coming back from that one!). However, unfortunately there were casualties, and not only is The Suzerain dead, but so is Zeus, who for some unknown, inexplicable reason was attached to the Suzerain. And it was the Goddess of the Soul, Psyche, who sent him on his merry way. In addition to these two, Ileana, the daughter of the Suzerain, is also dead, which slightly rankles Aedan, the Dharkan as he might have had a bit of a thing for the Dryad which housed the soul of Psyche.
Psyche soon finds out that not only is Aedan a bit pissed off, but all the other gods think she’s a bit Wyrd! And a little bit dangerous! I mean she can kill a god, and none of the other Gods want that kind of power knocking about, so they lock her up! Coz that’s what Gods are good at – giving out punishment.
As this is the second book of the Timelessness series, I think I am used to how Susana Imaginario’s book works. It is such a unique way that she writes. To say that the whole world is a stage is an understatement. She uses different perspectives to tell different parts of the story. She flits about the world using different points of views, different characters, different times - all sorts and it just works. The book just clicked, and I was able to settle in and just go with the ride.
Initially, the story is compact and revolves around the events of the first book, and moving the story on to where it has to go. There is the return of some of the old characters and there is also the introduction of some new ones, Iva, the Dharkan, who has a rag tag group of disparates that she finds herself the leader of. Hades’s wife Persephone also makes an appearance, as does Hephaestus, and they all have their part to play in this epic tale of the war of the gods.
The Dharkan is mainly a character driven novel, but there is a very clear endpoint to the book and The Dharkan moves the story on further as events unfold.
In this book Psyche, is more like herself, and I have to say, I do love Psyche. She drinks, she swears and she makes full use of her not so secret power - her snarkiness. Yep, she is as snarky as ever, and this is what makes her such an endearing character. She sees things as they are without any rose tinted glasses, and happily tells it like it is without impunity. The rest of the characters all have their part to play. I have to say I find Aedan pretty annoying, and again that is the beauty of Susana Imaginario’s writing, in that he is supposed to be a bit annoying, so her characterisations are totally on the ball.
There are many plots going on throughout the book, with each god having their own agenda, and these plots carefully weave through the narrative to reach its ultimate conclusion.
The Gods are a capricious lot, and they lie, they plot and they scheme. Each one bouncing off the other one, interplaying and interconnecting intricately.
The Dharkhan is an excellent entry into the Timelessness series and I cannot wait to get on the next one Nephilim’s Hex.
Again I listened to this on audio, and special mentions go to Sarah Kempton for bring this book to life. Her narration and vocal talents are second to none.
Now to say that I like this one is a bit of an understatement. In fact I absolutely loved it!
If you haven’t read the Timelessness series, here’s a bit of what it’s about (and I will try to do this spoiler free, but I don’t think I can in all honesty, because in this second book we know who ‘Butterfly’ is from the first book. Hmm! It’s going to be a little difficult! Okay, if you haven’t read the first one and you don’t want it spoiling then I would advise turning back now! Otherwise, read at your own peril!).
Right, let’s crack on then, shall we?
The Suzerain is dead! Frozen by The Dahrkan and smashed into a thousand iddy biddy jewelled crystals of ice (there ain’t no coming back from that one!). However, unfortunately there were casualties, and not only is The Suzerain dead, but so is Zeus, who for some unknown, inexplicable reason was attached to the Suzerain. And it was the Goddess of the Soul, Psyche, who sent him on his merry way. In addition to these two, Ileana, the daughter of the Suzerain, is also dead, which slightly rankles Aedan, the Dharkan as he might have had a bit of a thing for the Dryad which housed the soul of Psyche.
Psyche soon finds out that not only is Aedan a bit pissed off, but all the other gods think she’s a bit Wyrd! And a little bit dangerous! I mean she can kill a god, and none of the other Gods want that kind of power knocking about, so they lock her up! Coz that’s what Gods are good at – giving out punishment.
As this is the second book of the Timelessness series, I think I am used to how Susana Imaginario’s book works. It is such a unique way that she writes. To say that the whole world is a stage is an understatement. She uses different perspectives to tell different parts of the story. She flits about the world using different points of views, different characters, different times - all sorts and it just works. The book just clicked, and I was able to settle in and just go with the ride.
Initially, the story is compact and revolves around the events of the first book, and moving the story on to where it has to go. There is the return of some of the old characters and there is also the introduction of some new ones, Iva, the Dharkan, who has a rag tag group of disparates that she finds herself the leader of. Hades’s wife Persephone also makes an appearance, as does Hephaestus, and they all have their part to play in this epic tale of the war of the gods.
The Dharkan is mainly a character driven novel, but there is a very clear endpoint to the book and The Dharkan moves the story on further as events unfold.
In this book Psyche, is more like herself, and I have to say, I do love Psyche. She drinks, she swears and she makes full use of her not so secret power - her snarkiness. Yep, she is as snarky as ever, and this is what makes her such an endearing character. She sees things as they are without any rose tinted glasses, and happily tells it like it is without impunity. The rest of the characters all have their part to play. I have to say I find Aedan pretty annoying, and again that is the beauty of Susana Imaginario’s writing, in that he is supposed to be a bit annoying, so her characterisations are totally on the ball.
There are many plots going on throughout the book, with each god having their own agenda, and these plots carefully weave through the narrative to reach its ultimate conclusion.
The Gods are a capricious lot, and they lie, they plot and they scheme. Each one bouncing off the other one, interplaying and interconnecting intricately.
The Dharkhan is an excellent entry into the Timelessness series and I cannot wait to get on the next one Nephilim’s Hex.
Again I listened to this on audio, and special mentions go to Sarah Kempton for bring this book to life. Her narration and vocal talents are second to none.
August 11, 2021
I enjoyed this one even more than the first. Now that I have more to go on I can’t wait to know how it will all play out with the new threat to the main characters.
December 28, 2021
Continuation of an immersive, adult science fantasy.
I suffer from the curse of knowledge in writing this review. I enjoyed the first in the trilogy - Wyrd Gods- so much that I read this second book with relish and anticipation. I was not disappointed. However, because of my knowledge from the first book, I had more understanding and appreciation of the significance of events and interactions between the cast of characters whose backstory and fate is further elaborated here. Consequently, I am not sure how well this instalment will entertain and inform you as a standalone or entry to the trilogy. It certainly does not spoil the plot and main storyline of the first book. It enhances and embroiders the multiple character and plotlines. Susana Imaginario skilfully and deftly weaves the stories together of multiple characters, beings and races so that their internal and external conflicts are experienced and shared by the reader. Their skills, limitations and foibles become apparent and vivid to an extent that I had wavering sympathies. I suspect the author intended this as it is written for an adult and sophisticated audience. There are sexual scenes and swearing, but for me the best of these was when I had to imagine it after the tension had been built up between two contrasting characters. None of these inclusions is gratuitous or salacious.
I also admired the skill with which the author played with the reader by exploring themes of truth, reliability of memory, the difference between love and lust as well as gender politics and environmentalism and social responsibilities. That list sounds dry in comparison to how they were threaded through the story, relevant and central without being didactic. Several story arcs were resolved, several progressed and some left hanging with tension building throughout. I started being bewildered, became informed and appraised and ended as satisfied and expectant - just like several of the main characters. I am relishing reading the next volume of the trilogy. I advise you to start at the beginning to get most pleasure and immersion.
I received a free advance review copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I suffer from the curse of knowledge in writing this review. I enjoyed the first in the trilogy - Wyrd Gods- so much that I read this second book with relish and anticipation. I was not disappointed. However, because of my knowledge from the first book, I had more understanding and appreciation of the significance of events and interactions between the cast of characters whose backstory and fate is further elaborated here. Consequently, I am not sure how well this instalment will entertain and inform you as a standalone or entry to the trilogy. It certainly does not spoil the plot and main storyline of the first book. It enhances and embroiders the multiple character and plotlines. Susana Imaginario skilfully and deftly weaves the stories together of multiple characters, beings and races so that their internal and external conflicts are experienced and shared by the reader. Their skills, limitations and foibles become apparent and vivid to an extent that I had wavering sympathies. I suspect the author intended this as it is written for an adult and sophisticated audience. There are sexual scenes and swearing, but for me the best of these was when I had to imagine it after the tension had been built up between two contrasting characters. None of these inclusions is gratuitous or salacious.
I also admired the skill with which the author played with the reader by exploring themes of truth, reliability of memory, the difference between love and lust as well as gender politics and environmentalism and social responsibilities. That list sounds dry in comparison to how they were threaded through the story, relevant and central without being didactic. Several story arcs were resolved, several progressed and some left hanging with tension building throughout. I started being bewildered, became informed and appraised and ended as satisfied and expectant - just like several of the main characters. I am relishing reading the next volume of the trilogy. I advise you to start at the beginning to get most pleasure and immersion.
I received a free advance review copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 3, 2021
Susana Imaginário (author) and Sarah Kempton (narrator) have weaved another wonderful story of betrayal, intrigue and fantasy in a world of myths and gods.
The story is brilliant, the pace is perfect, the characters are well written and believable, and perhaps most important of all it is entertaining and enjoyable. What else do you want in a story?
As I said in my review of ‘Wyrd Gods’ If you like your fantasy to be hack and slash, then this is not the audiobook for you. If you like your fantasy, intelligently written, character-driven, and full of Mythology (though not quite in the way you would imagine) then this is the perfect audiobook for you.
if you haven’t yet listened to ‘Wyrd Gods’ do yourself a huge favour and go and buy it along with ‘The Dharkan’ and let yourself, be immersed in this fantastic tale.
Will I be getting the third instalment? Oh yes, I want to know how it finishes. Is there any greater compliment for a trilogy than that?
Because it an audiobook I have to mention the narrator, Sarah Kempton. You can tell that she is enjoying herself and enjoying bringing this tale to life. Her work on this audiobook is simply brilliant.
The story is brilliant, the pace is perfect, the characters are well written and believable, and perhaps most important of all it is entertaining and enjoyable. What else do you want in a story?
As I said in my review of ‘Wyrd Gods’ If you like your fantasy to be hack and slash, then this is not the audiobook for you. If you like your fantasy, intelligently written, character-driven, and full of Mythology (though not quite in the way you would imagine) then this is the perfect audiobook for you.
if you haven’t yet listened to ‘Wyrd Gods’ do yourself a huge favour and go and buy it along with ‘The Dharkan’ and let yourself, be immersed in this fantastic tale.
Will I be getting the third instalment? Oh yes, I want to know how it finishes. Is there any greater compliment for a trilogy than that?
Because it an audiobook I have to mention the narrator, Sarah Kempton. You can tell that she is enjoying herself and enjoying bringing this tale to life. Her work on this audiobook is simply brilliant.
October 16, 2021
New adventures of old gods. This sequel to Wyrd Gods has the Dharkan and Psyche navigating the world filled with Greek, Norse, and Egyptian gods. They have to figure out who is plotting against who while clearly being used in power struggle games.
I am in love with Ms Imaginário’s writing and world building. The thoughts, emotions, motivations, and individual insights she imbues each god with are rich and convincing; all influenced by their own pantheon’s ideologies.
I am in love with Ms Imaginário’s writing and world building. The thoughts, emotions, motivations, and individual insights she imbues each god with are rich and convincing; all influenced by their own pantheon’s ideologies.
January 16, 2022
Susana Imaginário brings her A-game, once again, in her novel The Dharkan. This second novel in the series keeps the Norse and Olympians mashed up in an intriguing way. But, this time, it’s one of the Dharkan running the show.
Once again, Sarah Kempton does an incredible job with the narration. Her voice is soothing and calm, making me want to listen to her forever. Though, she does speak quite fast. Sometimes I have a hard time catching all the dialogue without slowing down the play speed. That’s okay with me, though. I still love Sarah and think her an artful narrator.
I’m still unsure how to spell all the names from this book. I apologize to Susana for any misspellings. All in all, I loved this book. I enjoyed book one more, but this novel complements the first one beautifully. I’m excited to move on to the next book.
I award The Dharkan a full 5 out of 5 stars. The story has amazing elements that readers don’t find anywhere else. If you want a different look at mythology, fantasy, and psychology, this is the series for you.
I was gifted an Audible copy of this book with a request for an honest review.
Once again, Sarah Kempton does an incredible job with the narration. Her voice is soothing and calm, making me want to listen to her forever. Though, she does speak quite fast. Sometimes I have a hard time catching all the dialogue without slowing down the play speed. That’s okay with me, though. I still love Sarah and think her an artful narrator.
I’m still unsure how to spell all the names from this book. I apologize to Susana for any misspellings. All in all, I loved this book. I enjoyed book one more, but this novel complements the first one beautifully. I’m excited to move on to the next book.
I award The Dharkan a full 5 out of 5 stars. The story has amazing elements that readers don’t find anywhere else. If you want a different look at mythology, fantasy, and psychology, this is the series for you.
I was gifted an Audible copy of this book with a request for an honest review.
July 23, 2021
** This book was provided to me at no cost, but I was under NO obligation to leave a review or even read it! **
I think I could copy / paste my review from book 1 and I would almost be happy right there. This was really great mythology-fantasy! I really enjoyed the familiar figures from mythology and the mixing of pantheons, and the use of these divinities as characters! All of the Gods & Goddesses in mythology are always so human, as well as more, and I felt like Susana Imaginário really takes the reader into her stories to let us see that. They have God-sized egos, too, which drives them here like it does in their myths! There is a lot of change near the end of the book and I am wondering about how events will continue! No spoilers, but there is definitely a great set-up left behind when the novel ends.
I continued to enjoy her use of Interludes and her overall writing for the entire story. Things were never too disjointed or jarring when switching perspectives for me.
Here, I actually WILL use a copy/paste of previous book. Exact same response works for narration!
Sarah Kempton was a fantastic narrator. Wonderful emotion and nuance everywhere I wanted to have it. Absolutely flawless narration. I should note that I listen at 1.5x and found that a very natural pace. Everything was still very easy to understand and follow along with.
I think I could copy / paste my review from book 1 and I would almost be happy right there. This was really great mythology-fantasy! I really enjoyed the familiar figures from mythology and the mixing of pantheons, and the use of these divinities as characters! All of the Gods & Goddesses in mythology are always so human, as well as more, and I felt like Susana Imaginário really takes the reader into her stories to let us see that. They have God-sized egos, too, which drives them here like it does in their myths! There is a lot of change near the end of the book and I am wondering about how events will continue! No spoilers, but there is definitely a great set-up left behind when the novel ends.
I continued to enjoy her use of Interludes and her overall writing for the entire story. Things were never too disjointed or jarring when switching perspectives for me.
Here, I actually WILL use a copy/paste of previous book. Exact same response works for narration!
Sarah Kempton was a fantastic narrator. Wonderful emotion and nuance everywhere I wanted to have it. Absolutely flawless narration. I should note that I listen at 1.5x and found that a very natural pace. Everything was still very easy to understand and follow along with.
March 2, 2026
TL;DR: The Dharkan is not only a strong follow up to Wyrd Gods, but a fun and challenging book in its own right.
.
i tried to keep SPOILERS to a minimum, but you know, beware.
.
the book starts out very dark, and overall it’s much darker and more moody than the first. and it makes sense since the Dharkan who give the book its title are creatures of darkness. but it also hits you with something different and unexpected right away, given how the first book ended (with a cinematic bang, let’s call it).
the first third of The Dharkan is instead very theatrical, almost operatic. the setting is suddenly very limited, with characters coming in and out of view as if they are on stage, and mostly talking. this creates a game of shadows, where some characters are shown to hide motivations, scheme, conspire, etc, and it was an intelligent change of pace. a breathing space.
(the division of the series into different books is, to a certain extent, impossible and arbitrary, and i would say this book is the end of act one. this is a difficult part of any story to write, especially given the enormous scope).
.
an interesting thing about this book is that, while it is no longer centered on Psyche as the first one is, we actually get more out of her (or from inside her) on this one. not only does she finally appear in her real form, but in her real, unfiltered and unclouded mind (still, the theme of voices inside heads and identity and memory remain in other characters, and are explored further in different ways too; also in the very theme of writing; we’ll get to that).
.
i’ve read enough of Susana to say that subverting expectations is part of the deal. and because the Timelessness universe is so vast, it allows for very mind bending shifts and contrasts in points of view. and this book goes even further down the interior exploration than the last one. the world building happens as much or more inside each character than outside of them.
the first book was mostly focused on one perspective (well, one and a half), with a few interludes sprinkled in. this one is much more adventurous in its structure. you never really know who you will be following in the next chapter or even section from the outset, and because of another quirk of the universe itself, time skips and time vacuums are also something to contend with. such a complex construction would fail and confuse if not for very individual characterization. but a chapter or section from the perspective of one character, even if witnessing or participating in something we’ve already seen, is totally different from the perspective of another character, and this despite the fact that pretty most characters are shown to have ulterior motives, and are to a large degree conniving even when their motives are clear. shifting alliances (or alliances revealed to have deeper and sometimes contrary motives) is definitely a theme. and as such so is truth, and fiction (again, we’ll get tot that).
.
funnily enough, Aedan, the Dharkan we follow most in this book (and also the previous one) is perhaps one of least dark creatures in the book. and he’s a monster. i mean that literally. so this bit of irony works very well, and is charming. i’m still not sure who i should be rooting for, but, other than Psyche’s, Aedan’s motivations are perhaps the most human in the whole book.
i found it funny though that the romantic expectations built around him in the first book are completely and easily dismissed. (the purposes of the author for this constant subversion of tropes are varied, but this one is probably easier to understand: a big middle finger to the monster romance fad that has killed so many braincells).
.
i have to single out chapter eleven as my favorite. it’s essentially pillow talk about writing, and what writing means, and the specifics of storytelling, and authorship, and truth and memory (yet woven into the story, so that what is being said is not just random thoughts out of nowhere; they appear as part of, and connect to, the overall narrative; which is itself a very meta aspect of the chapter). through the mouth of Seshat (the egyptian goddess of writing), the author is self reflecting on the complex tapestry of her own story and world spread across so many books and shared by so many different characters. and the setting in which this dialogue occurs (sort of a pillow talk, as i said), is very amusing and disarming.
.
as i said, the book is very unpredictable. not only storytelling tropes, but wider cultural ones are turned on their head constantly. after we leave the theatrical setting, the main characters go on a sort of quest, and we get more glimpses into the dynamics between the different races and the political and religious environment of the world. the cultic aspects and the culture clashing were more developed themes in this one, and they appear in the narrative in unexpected ways. i don’t want to say much about this though (and it’s not the heart of the story). analogies with our world are not invited, but it’s easy to make them. let’s just say i can see how the author got in trouble with certain kinds of people for writing stuff like this (still, nothing yet like in Oublié).
.
yet despite all the curve balls and left turns on the plot, throughout the whole of book two there is a looming threat, and we know what it is, so we kind of also know how the book will end and give way to the next. this is not hidden from the reader. the threat is unavoidable and will arrive, despite the character’s quests to attempt its avoidance.
but while we expect it since the beginning, when it does come at the end, the depth of that world (and especially the characters’ motivations) has been greatly expanded (yet still not fully revealed). i have to keep saying this, but, despite its genre (or perceived surface genre) this is a character book, more than it is a fantasy type book. and although there is mystery and it feels like a thriller at times, the fact is we already know what will happen next. but you get to know what the events mean to the people involved, not just that they happened. and that’s what books are for.
as Seshat says in chapter eleven, sometimes you have to see the same event from multiple perspectives to make any sense of it. this is, i think, the main point of book two: what you think you saw in book one, gets so much new context in book two that it almost becomes another book. and that is why the ending of book two is so hilariously brilliant. i won’t spoil it, but it makes so much sense and is so funny (again in a very avant garde sort of way).
.
in short, The Dharkan is not only a strong follow up to Wyrd Gods, but a fun and challenging book in its own right.
.
i tried to keep SPOILERS to a minimum, but you know, beware.
.
the book starts out very dark, and overall it’s much darker and more moody than the first. and it makes sense since the Dharkan who give the book its title are creatures of darkness. but it also hits you with something different and unexpected right away, given how the first book ended (with a cinematic bang, let’s call it).
the first third of The Dharkan is instead very theatrical, almost operatic. the setting is suddenly very limited, with characters coming in and out of view as if they are on stage, and mostly talking. this creates a game of shadows, where some characters are shown to hide motivations, scheme, conspire, etc, and it was an intelligent change of pace. a breathing space.
(the division of the series into different books is, to a certain extent, impossible and arbitrary, and i would say this book is the end of act one. this is a difficult part of any story to write, especially given the enormous scope).
.
an interesting thing about this book is that, while it is no longer centered on Psyche as the first one is, we actually get more out of her (or from inside her) on this one. not only does she finally appear in her real form, but in her real, unfiltered and unclouded mind (still, the theme of voices inside heads and identity and memory remain in other characters, and are explored further in different ways too; also in the very theme of writing; we’ll get to that).
.
i’ve read enough of Susana to say that subverting expectations is part of the deal. and because the Timelessness universe is so vast, it allows for very mind bending shifts and contrasts in points of view. and this book goes even further down the interior exploration than the last one. the world building happens as much or more inside each character than outside of them.
the first book was mostly focused on one perspective (well, one and a half), with a few interludes sprinkled in. this one is much more adventurous in its structure. you never really know who you will be following in the next chapter or even section from the outset, and because of another quirk of the universe itself, time skips and time vacuums are also something to contend with. such a complex construction would fail and confuse if not for very individual characterization. but a chapter or section from the perspective of one character, even if witnessing or participating in something we’ve already seen, is totally different from the perspective of another character, and this despite the fact that pretty most characters are shown to have ulterior motives, and are to a large degree conniving even when their motives are clear. shifting alliances (or alliances revealed to have deeper and sometimes contrary motives) is definitely a theme. and as such so is truth, and fiction (again, we’ll get tot that).
.
funnily enough, Aedan, the Dharkan we follow most in this book (and also the previous one) is perhaps one of least dark creatures in the book. and he’s a monster. i mean that literally. so this bit of irony works very well, and is charming. i’m still not sure who i should be rooting for, but, other than Psyche’s, Aedan’s motivations are perhaps the most human in the whole book.
i found it funny though that the romantic expectations built around him in the first book are completely and easily dismissed. (the purposes of the author for this constant subversion of tropes are varied, but this one is probably easier to understand: a big middle finger to the monster romance fad that has killed so many braincells).
.
i have to single out chapter eleven as my favorite. it’s essentially pillow talk about writing, and what writing means, and the specifics of storytelling, and authorship, and truth and memory (yet woven into the story, so that what is being said is not just random thoughts out of nowhere; they appear as part of, and connect to, the overall narrative; which is itself a very meta aspect of the chapter). through the mouth of Seshat (the egyptian goddess of writing), the author is self reflecting on the complex tapestry of her own story and world spread across so many books and shared by so many different characters. and the setting in which this dialogue occurs (sort of a pillow talk, as i said), is very amusing and disarming.
.
as i said, the book is very unpredictable. not only storytelling tropes, but wider cultural ones are turned on their head constantly. after we leave the theatrical setting, the main characters go on a sort of quest, and we get more glimpses into the dynamics between the different races and the political and religious environment of the world. the cultic aspects and the culture clashing were more developed themes in this one, and they appear in the narrative in unexpected ways. i don’t want to say much about this though (and it’s not the heart of the story). analogies with our world are not invited, but it’s easy to make them. let’s just say i can see how the author got in trouble with certain kinds of people for writing stuff like this (still, nothing yet like in Oublié).
.
yet despite all the curve balls and left turns on the plot, throughout the whole of book two there is a looming threat, and we know what it is, so we kind of also know how the book will end and give way to the next. this is not hidden from the reader. the threat is unavoidable and will arrive, despite the character’s quests to attempt its avoidance.
but while we expect it since the beginning, when it does come at the end, the depth of that world (and especially the characters’ motivations) has been greatly expanded (yet still not fully revealed). i have to keep saying this, but, despite its genre (or perceived surface genre) this is a character book, more than it is a fantasy type book. and although there is mystery and it feels like a thriller at times, the fact is we already know what will happen next. but you get to know what the events mean to the people involved, not just that they happened. and that’s what books are for.
as Seshat says in chapter eleven, sometimes you have to see the same event from multiple perspectives to make any sense of it. this is, i think, the main point of book two: what you think you saw in book one, gets so much new context in book two that it almost becomes another book. and that is why the ending of book two is so hilariously brilliant. i won’t spoil it, but it makes so much sense and is so funny (again in a very avant garde sort of way).
.
in short, The Dharkan is not only a strong follow up to Wyrd Gods, but a fun and challenging book in its own right.
October 6, 2023
This is the second novel in the Timelessness series, which is a four books (plus a novella) series. It is as good as the first one, yet it brings a new flavour and uniqueness that the first one (Wyrd Gods) didn't have.
Like with the first book, this is not a YA story -- this is an adult, dark storyline. It is not a retelling or rehash of any mix; like the first one, I would describe it as the author imagining what the deities of yore are doing outside of Earth and this human-centric world of ours. I think that describing it as "a continuation of mythology" would be more accurate.
That said, my guess is that The Darkhan would resonate more with readers that are keen with not having everything explained in a very guided way. If you have read Abercrombie, you know what I mean -- you end up following characters that are minions so low in the power-chain, that they know nothing of what is actually going on; e.g., they don't know the overarching schemes, or even who is behind it. This is mostly what you get on The Darkhan, albeit throughout the entire book (and following that twist-ending first book, Wyrd Gods) the reader gets a feeling of dread all the time. I was reading and constantly thinking 'okay, but what is he/her planning?'... yet the book doesn't tell you; it hints at it, and I find that so compelling.
The Darkhan is similarly structured to the first book. Regarding narrators, we have Butterfly , who continues to narrate in first person. Second, now in addition to her (and as the title and blurb of the book indicates) we have the Darkhan "prince", namely Aiden, also narrating in first person. If you are listening to the audiobook, this is spectacular because the narrator (Sarah Kempton) actually changes the narration voice and it feels so immersive.
Like before, there are interludes and chapters in which the reader finds out the whereabouts of a variety of deities. These are all narrated in a limited third person -- yet they are all so unique! Some of them only appear for a brief chapter, yet the author managed to bring them to life in a way they feel natural and with depth. Let me try to explain that -- because the narrator is the character, the way it is written keeps the style, but changes the presentation of events and, more importantly, how the character sees or thinks about those events. You can see very clearly how something is very important to one character, and not so much to another... and through that implied information, it is up to the reader to start forming their opinion of the actual events.
After all, all PoVs in this book are very unrealiable narrators who are:
a) unwilling pawns in the manipulations of someone else (and thus don't know that much of the events), or
b) deities who believe to have an understanding of what is happening, only for the reader to later learn that these deities' knowledge is actually just a bunch of guesses or outdated information.
So, what can you find in this book? There are certainly elements of whodunit, but don't expect a mystery -- it is just that you can feel that a big plot is at play, but you don't have it explained. There are also clear elements of question (Butterfly and the Darkhan are sent to fetch someone), and a lot of scheming, plotting deities vying for their own interests... which often collide. You will read depictions of blood and murder (come on, this is a dark fantasy about ancient gods!), there are no sex scenes in this one but there are mentions of having had sex. Then, there is also a bit of dryads-vs-humans not liking each other, but this is very passing.
TL;DR: Overall, it is a really interesting and unique book, written with an exquisite prose that blends simplicity and ease of reading with a compelling style. The characters feel so real and well-shaped, there are plenty of opposing interests and, like in the first book -- there is a huge twist at the end that will let you screaming for the third book. Thankfully, the third book is out already.
Like with the first book, this is not a YA story -- this is an adult, dark storyline. It is not a retelling or rehash of any mix; like the first one, I would describe it as the author imagining what the deities of yore are doing outside of Earth and this human-centric world of ours. I think that describing it as "a continuation of mythology" would be more accurate.
That said, my guess is that The Darkhan would resonate more with readers that are keen with not having everything explained in a very guided way. If you have read Abercrombie, you know what I mean -- you end up following characters that are minions so low in the power-chain, that they know nothing of what is actually going on; e.g., they don't know the overarching schemes, or even who is behind it. This is mostly what you get on The Darkhan, albeit throughout the entire book (and following that twist-ending first book, Wyrd Gods) the reader gets a feeling of dread all the time. I was reading and constantly thinking 'okay, but what is he/her planning?'... yet the book doesn't tell you; it hints at it, and I find that so compelling.
The Darkhan is similarly structured to the first book. Regarding narrators, we have Butterfly , who continues to narrate in first person. Second, now in addition to her (and as the title and blurb of the book indicates) we have the Darkhan "prince", namely Aiden, also narrating in first person. If you are listening to the audiobook, this is spectacular because the narrator (Sarah Kempton) actually changes the narration voice and it feels so immersive.
Like before, there are interludes and chapters in which the reader finds out the whereabouts of a variety of deities. These are all narrated in a limited third person -- yet they are all so unique! Some of them only appear for a brief chapter, yet the author managed to bring them to life in a way they feel natural and with depth. Let me try to explain that -- because the narrator is the character, the way it is written keeps the style, but changes the presentation of events and, more importantly, how the character sees or thinks about those events. You can see very clearly how something is very important to one character, and not so much to another... and through that implied information, it is up to the reader to start forming their opinion of the actual events.
After all, all PoVs in this book are very unrealiable narrators who are:
a) unwilling pawns in the manipulations of someone else (and thus don't know that much of the events), or
b) deities who believe to have an understanding of what is happening, only for the reader to later learn that these deities' knowledge is actually just a bunch of guesses or outdated information.
So, what can you find in this book? There are certainly elements of whodunit, but don't expect a mystery -- it is just that you can feel that a big plot is at play, but you don't have it explained. There are also clear elements of question (Butterfly and the Darkhan are sent to fetch someone), and a lot of scheming, plotting deities vying for their own interests... which often collide. You will read depictions of blood and murder (come on, this is a dark fantasy about ancient gods!), there are no sex scenes in this one but there are mentions of having had sex. Then, there is also a bit of dryads-vs-humans not liking each other, but this is very passing.
TL;DR: Overall, it is a really interesting and unique book, written with an exquisite prose that blends simplicity and ease of reading with a compelling style. The characters feel so real and well-shaped, there are plenty of opposing interests and, like in the first book -- there is a huge twist at the end that will let you screaming for the third book. Thankfully, the third book is out already.
December 20, 2021
I truly loved this second book and I feel that this story is even better, which was an outstanding surprise. The author's stories of the Gods are Crazy GOOD!
I hate doing spoilers so I will not. I Loved this second book, make sure you read book 1 first for a fantastic experience!!! No Spoilers, give it a read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I hate doing spoilers so I will not. I Loved this second book, make sure you read book 1 first for a fantastic experience!!! No Spoilers, give it a read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 11, 2021
The second book in the Timelessness series, was simply brilliant. The story is so completely absorbing, that you feel yourself becoming part of the mythical world, the Author has created. When I finished listening to the audio version of the story (the narrator does an amazing job, encapulating the various characters in the book), it simply leaves you wanting more.
I can't wait to listen to the third book "Nephalim's Hex, if ever a story deserved a wider audience, this would be it.
I can't wait to listen to the third book "Nephalim's Hex, if ever a story deserved a wider audience, this would be it.
September 10, 2023
Overall: A great story with a brilliant narrator, who really brought the characters and story to life.Highly recommend!
Narration: I thought Kempton did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life, and the story just unfolded before my eyes as I listened. She has a wonderful way of making each character unique, and conveying their emotions and personality.
Story: I loved this second installment in the series. Imaginário has really outdone herself this time, and I loved how new Gods and characters took center stage, while still incorporating old ones. The interludes were wonderful, and I quickly got lost in this book.
Narration: I thought Kempton did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life, and the story just unfolded before my eyes as I listened. She has a wonderful way of making each character unique, and conveying their emotions and personality.
Story: I loved this second installment in the series. Imaginário has really outdone herself this time, and I loved how new Gods and characters took center stage, while still incorporating old ones. The interludes were wonderful, and I quickly got lost in this book.
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