Book Tour: Wrath of Olympus by E.M Kkoulla

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

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About the Book

The Roman Empire never fell. The Gods are real. Ships are alive.

In the Province of Britannia, ruled by descendants of King Arthur and on the brink of an industrial revolution, young Maia Abella is on the run.

Something unseen has murdered her cruel mistress and she’s being blamed. The streets and factories of Portus are no place for a friendless girl, trapped in events beyond her control.

The city authorities and the Royal Navy are both desperate to find her – one investigating a killer, the other to recruit her, while the deadly legacy of a tragic past stalks her every step.

Aided by Raven, an ancient, blind Mage with a terrible secret and Milo, Crown Agent and spy, Maia must discover and overcome the fatal consequences of her birth.

Meanwhile, the Gods are making their moves. Not all of them are friendly.

Length: 237 pages

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: Adult

Date Published: 09 December 2020

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/5KjlkuN (Canada)

https://a.co/d/h8ANKUo (USA)

https://amzn.eu/d/3UecmE0 (UK)Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56287354-wrath-of-olympus

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My Review

I had the pleasure of reading this book as a BBNYA panellist last year. It was my favourite of the books I read, and I’m so glad it made 6th place.

This book is set in a fantasy version of England where the Roman Empire is still alive and well and running the world. Even more exciting is the fact that all the pagan gods of myth and legend are real, powerful, and very much up to their old tricks.

Maia works for a cruel abusive woman who treats her servants and slaves abominably. When Maia is blamed for her mistress’s murder, the Royal Navy believe she has magic and claim her for their living ships division. Despite the comfort of her new quarters, Maia is stuck in a terrible position. She will either be found out to be a fraud or have her spirit trapped in a ship so she can serve the empire.

At the start of this book, I was unsure what direction the story would go. I liked Maia immediately, and it was easy to sympathise with her. When she goes from Cinderella like serving girl to candidate for living ship, I was sure the book was going to be a magical academy type tale about Maia making friends and finding her true power. This was supported by one of the other candidates quickly becoming her best friend, and another her almost “mean girl” like enemy. However, as the book progressed, it turned into something much more original, gripping, and mysterious. The ending was so exciting, I couldn’t wait to read the second book.

I loved the scenes with Milo, and his investigation into Maia not only revealed more about her character, but introduced the reader to the magic system, gods, and fantastical creatures. Raven, the old mage, is another wonderful character. I also loved Blossom, the training ship. She made it easy to grasp how the living ships worked, and to understand how it could be desirable to become a magical vessel.

The mix of elements from various mythologies, combined with an historical “what if?”, produced a fascinating world. With a plot that culminates in a showdown of epic proportions, characters you care about, and a richly described fantasy world, I highly recommend “Wrath of Olympus”.

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About the Author

I’m of mixed British/Greek-Cypriot heritage and live with my husband and two feline overlords, Zeus and Hades, in County Durham, UK. After many years of teaching very small children, I decided to put my degree in Classical Studies and long involvement with 17thC re-enactment to good use by combining them in my fantasy adventure series. I love history, reading, gardening and anything with gods and monsters trashing the landscape. You can find me on fb on my Ships of Britannia page and on Twitter @EKkoulla.