One of the most interesting fantasy authors I’ve come in recent years is A. Lee Martinez. I first discovered him through the novel ‘Monster’, which I read through very quickly and fell in love with. In this novel, cleverly titled DIVINE MISFORTUNE, Martinez takes a look at the world from a different perspective… with a twist, if you will. He bases the book on a “what if” scenario of the world being populated with all the Gods that anybody has ever believed to exist. Norse, Greek, Roman… Martinez goes through what it would be like to have to choose only one God or Goddess to worship and pay tribute to.
Here’s the official synopsis for you:
DIVINE MISFORTUNE is a story of gods and mortals---in worship, in love, and at parties.
Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again-it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online.
Choosing a god isn't as simple as you would think. There are too many choices; and they often have very hefty prices for their eternal devotion: blood, money, sacrifices, and vows of chastity. But then they found Luka, raccoon god of prosperity. All he wants is a small cut of their good fortune.
Oh -- and can he crash on their couch for a few days?
Throw in a heartbroken love goddess and an ancient deity bent on revenge and not even the gods can save Teri and Phil.
As a really big fan of mythology… especially Greek mythology, the concept of the novel is what initially drew me to the book, that and Martinez being the author.
While the story has several perspectives that sometimes distract from the main story, overall it’s a fun, quirky and smart comedy that people will be able to appreciate. It has some flaws, but the originality of the book, the characters and the humor make it definitely worth checking out.
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