BOOK REVIEW: Olympus and the Orbs by CT Ortega

Same goals different methods. Who's right? Who's wrong?

As this is book four in the five book Warfare of the Gods series, you pretty much know what you are going to get. Coming out of the middle book of the series, I was excited going into this one knowing that we are on the downward slope to the conclusion of this epic mythological adventure.

This one picks up right where the last one ended. This is something that I have appreciated about all the books. There is no passage of time from one to the next. It truly feels like one very long book that is just broken up into five segments.

Bastet is still at war with herself in her mission to save her sister from Ishtar and to figure out a way to get Sekhmet her memories back. Sekhmet, on the other hand, is driven by her anger and internal conflicts and has no issues killing everyone that stands in her way, including her sister. However, there are those moments where it is clear that some connections may go deeper than surface level memories. There is a reason that she keeps Kushim at her side. He acts in many ways as her conscience.

The book starts immediately with Ishtar’s army making it through the crossing in Tundra’s Forest and laying siege to Asgard. I loved that the action started right from the beginning and it became a battle of wit and strategy. How else do you even stand against an army that outnumbers everyone in Saggilmut? The battle scenes are great and the diversity of characters is empowering.

My favorite part of the book really was the cleverness that is portrayed in how Bastet works with others to try to outwit Ishtar. Her strategic plan in Olympus with Artemis was really fun. These are the aspects of books that I love - the creativity of the author really shines through. Knowing that from the moment the scene starts that there is a plan in place that is still secret not only from Ishtar but from us as readers. It really engages and draws the reader in because you simply want to know what happens next. Each stage of the plan leads to the next, and it’s like woah.

There was a small segment in the book approaching the end that was a little dialogue heavy, but it supported the delivery and development of each of the major characters' motivations and desires, but it did slow the momentum of the story in the process. However, it is, ultimately, these motivations that drive the themes of the book, which is stated numerous times in a variety of different ways.

We all may have the same goals, in this case peace, but it is the motivation and actions taken to achieve it that set people apart. What makes someone good and bad? Ishtar wants peace - but she erases everyone’s memory, manipulates them and kills anyone who will not submit to her. The kinds of Saggilmut, with Osiris as King of the Gods, want to achieve peace through collaboration, communication and respect.

There is a lot of debate and philosophical discussion throughout the book regarding the difference between the goal and motivation and methods. Who is right? Who is wrong? We see this discussion on both sides of the battlefield. I enjoy this aspect of the story, and this structure is one that I have come to expect in Ortega’s books. There is this not-so-subtle look at mankind and how we go about achieving what we feel is important and pushing that belief and those methods onto others.

In the end, there is only one more installment to this series. I am excited to see how all these pieces fall together. There are a few puzzle pieces that haven’t been placed yet, and I’m not sure that Ishtar is aware of all of them. There are still some unanswered questions about the orbs and the ‘source,’ and there is something to be said about those with AND without their memories.

Where does this land on my bookshelf?

I enjoyed this installment. I still think that my favorite was #2, but this one probably comes in as my second favorite. With that said, I would put it on my top shelf. I like the uniqueness of this story and that it is not a genre/style that I have read outside of Ortega’s books, and I look forward to reading them. I am really excited to see how this all ends in the next book. It is clear that the epic showdown is going to be a definite page turner. The final confrontation between Sekhmet and Bastet will probably be the defining moment of the entire series. If you like mythology and stories that are unique and not cut from the common mold, I definitely recommend these books!

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