When the Gods Are Away

by Robert E. Harpold

It is Blasphemer's Week, an annual period during which the gods vacation at Mount Olympus and ignore the inconsequential mortals, and it always begins with blood. The first victim is a former police officer getting butter from his fridge. Virgil Glezos, the city-state's first detective on his first case, must track the killer by inventing his own techniques combining magic and technology. He is aided by a professional dance choreographer, a biowarfare expert who doesn't want to be there, two police officers who hate him, and a priest who might or might not be incompetent and who might or might not be trying to kill him. Virgil uncovers something deeper than a single murder, and he is the wrong person at the right time to stop it.       About the Author Robert E. Harpold has been writing stories since he was seven years old, and most of those stories will be shown to no one. In previous jobs, he traveled to Greenland and Antarctica and operated spacecraft. Now he designs spacecraft trajectories, which is his realistic-dream job. His dream job is the same as everyone else' astronaut.  

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2022

Reviews

[Ty A Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harpold drops you into a terrifying world where murders are solved by instinct and trial by combat, not facts. Our protagonist struggles to find his place in an antiquated world in a new profession, homicide detective, and seeks to solve a crime using both ancient magic and new technology.

I loved the strange world where the story is set, a world with modern technology and archaic Greek culture and customs. The protagonist, Virgil, is an underdog that you will love. Harpold's writing ranges from dark to hilarious in his first published novel and leaves me looking forward to his future works.

[Afra Binte Azad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually in a book rut when I received the ARC of this book. However, the premise of a murder investigation and the accusatory use of 'God' in the title sounded promising enough for me. The storyline is compact and straight, and the writing is sophisticated. The author shows great potential, utilizing an adequate amount of detailing and metaphors. The meshwork of political intrigue, imperialism, and power play, paired with the sporadic momentum, created an enjoyable ambiance. The character composition of the protagonist was brilliant as well. The only drawback is that the mystery part wasn't fully fleshed out; it felt very underdeveloped. Other than that, it was an enjoyable read.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica Coulson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting take on the traditional whodunnit is mixed with Greek mythology to create a fantastical adventure to hell and back. Slow to start and oftentimes completely confusing, the story picks up speed in the second half on its way to an ending that turns everything on its head once more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Wiccan Gal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised. Interesting characters and very funny dialogue. I like that it combined Greek mythology with current technology and the end result is a comedic adventure with some interesting characters. I absolutely loved the priest. The humorous language and style of writing had me laughing out loud at times. All in all, awesome book and one that is thoroughly entertaining.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

the idea of Gods going away and that causing chaos is a scary concept to me, this was a great idea for a mystery novel and worked well with what I was hoping for. I enjoyed the idea a lot and thought the characters felt like they belonged in this universe. Robert E. Harpold has a great writing style that I enjoyed a lot, it had a great satirical feel and I was enjoying what I read. I appreciated the use of Greek mythology in this and glad I was able to read this.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Julie Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book that you want to read from the start to finish in a matter of days. Dynamic characters where you liked some and dislked others. I enjoyed reading and can't wait to read more of Robert Harpold's books.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this novel but it grabbed my attention from the start. It takes traditional homicide suspense to a whole new level. Blending Ancient Greek mythology with a bleak authoritarian and misogynistic dystopian future we follow chronically depressed homicide detective Virgil as he tries to uncover who murdered a fellow officer.

Complicating this, is a magic-wielding priest who may or may not be trying to kill Virgil, and the rest of the police force who definitely is trying to kill Virgil. Virgil's worst enemy is himself and at times I did want to slap him out of his own mindset which made for some frustrating reading… but… it was a great read with some interesting turns and solid character development. Definitely recommend!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved the unique idea of Ancient Gods having a tight control over a dystopian Greece, alongside the brutality and misogyny of the police force.

Virgil is what you would normally expect to be the forgettable comedic relief character. Throwing him into this world shows how out of place he is, along with his personality. Yet somehow, he's the main character and has to discover a murderer, which evolves into something bigger than expected.

I enjoyed this book - it began a bit slow, but about 30% in it picked up and became difficult to put down. It was well-written and easy to read, a definite recommend.

[Joshua Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating read about an alternate history in which Greek civilization never fell. The characters are tantalyzingly drawn, especially the protagonist, and the themes discussed throughout the book are quite compelling.