Metanoia (The Ruined Gods #2), by Alex Robins
The Book
Synopsis:
As above, so below.
Panacea was a lie. An elaborate scheme instigated by Zeus, greatest of the Ruined Gods. Among its many victims was the former strategos Dexios, tricked into murdering Zeus’s brother, Hades, as the city of Thena fell to an unstoppable tauran herd.
With the death of Hades, the barrier between realms has been shattered. The lifeless shades of Tartarus are no longer bound to the Underworld, but free to return to their decaying bodies and walk the lands of Tyrris once more.
Only one can stop this. Makar, son of Hades, reluctant heir to his father’s legacy. Accompanied by the disgraced priestess Graycea and the sophistes Elena, he must find a way to traverse the mists of Tartarus and reclaim his birthright. A long, arduous path awaits. For deep in the fiery pits of the Underworld, someone is releasing the shades of the damned.
Decrepit, pitiful shadows, their tortured minds broken by an eternity of torture.
Yet, despite the madness, a single, overwhelming desire remains.
Vengeance.
My Review
Metanoia is the second book in the mythological fantasy series The Ruined Gods, written by Alex Robins, acting as a direct sequel to Panacea. While the first book acted as an introduction to the world and their mythology, this second one ups the gear and goes deeper into the mythological aspects, as Zeus, first of the Ruined, prepares to attack the Olympus after his plan exploiting Dexios had success.
After Hades' death, the barrier between realms have disappeared, allowing Zeus to bring back to existence Thena's phalanx, including Keres; but first he needs to gain more strength, planning to raise an older army, led by a fanatic of the god. His journey will also take him to discover more about the destiny of other Ruined, whose help will be necessary for his attempt.
Makar has assumed his legacy as the son of Hades, and that means he's the only one that can repair the barrier between realms; but the influence of Hades won't make this an easy task, including to travel to the Underworld. Luckily for him, he won't be alone, being in the company of the priestess Graycea and sophistes Elena, who act as guides for Makar, while also discovering more about their true nature.
And finally we have Dexios, a broken man who was tricked by Zeus; Panacea was a lie, and Thena has been captured after the thauran herd attacked. His city, under the control of Polydius; he will need to move smartly if he wants to liberate Thena from the oppressor, having an arc that will touch all the nuances a man can experience.
While the first book was relatively simple in terms of storyline, in this one, Robin splits the plot into different threads that slowly converge together, even if we might not see it clearly; the world is expanded, adding a whole plane of existence (the Underworld), which acts as their own place, and the politics are explored. Gods take the main role we could have expected from the start, but that doesn't make them less flawed, especially in terms of hubrys.
Metanoia is more; Panacea was an excellent book, but Metanoia is that jump that makes this series a really memorable one. If you are craving to see how the old myths are given life into a really enjoyable and thrilling story, you should try The Ruined Gods series.
The Author/s
Alex Robins
Alex Robins was born in Norwich, England back when it was still trendy to wear lycra tracksuits and bright pink headbands. Norwich School Library was where he first discovered his love of reading, an old converted undercroft packed to the rafters with books. The first fantasy series he read was The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman, quickly followed by The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and David Eddings' The Belgariad.
At the age of twelve Alex moved across the channel to Nantes in France. Speaking very little French, the first few years were difficult and sometimes lonely as he scrambled to get a grip on the intricate grammar and vocabulary of the French language. His taste in books branched out from epic fantasy to science-fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction, but he always came back to his favourite fantasy authors when looking to escape the outside world.
After degrees in agronomy, project management, and computer sciences, Alex founded his own company dedicated to online voting. He met his wife during a game of badminton and they spent several years getting trounced in various regional tournaments before getting married. Alex now lives in the sunny Loire Valley in western France, surrounded by imposing castles, sprawling vineyards, and two children. After reading fantasy books for the last thirty years he decided to write one. The Broken Heart of Arelium is his first novel, and the first in the War of the Twelve series.