Set Fire to the Gods
Series: Set Fire to the Gods #1
Author: Sara Raasch & Kristen Simmons
Published August 4th 2020 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators, and she knows the brutal nature of war firsthand. But after her mother dies in an arena, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, whose temper has stripped her country of its resources.

Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to pay his family's taxes. But he hides a dangerous secret: he doesn't have the earth god’s powers like his opponents. His elemental gift is something else—something that hasn't been seen in centuries.

When an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, Ash inadvertently throws the fire and earth gods into a conflict that can only be settled by deadly, lavish gladiator games. The fights put Madoc in Ash's path, and she realizes that his powers are the weapon her rebellion needs—but Madoc won’t jeopardize his family, regardless of how intrigued he is by the beautiful warrior.

But when the gods force Madoc’s hand, he and Ash uncover an ancient war that will threaten more than one immortal—it will unravel the world.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Fighting is the name of the game in this series. In a world where the six gods rule, those who are descended from the deities find themselves involved in warfare more than you would expect. Becoming a god's chosen gladiator is such an honour, and Ash's family have been some of the best. As her mother is the current chosen gladiator of the Fire God, Ignitus, she has a more privileged lifestyle, but her fellow citizens, both with fire powers and without, are suffering, and Ignitus seems to be unable to stop declaring wars. After Ash's mother is killed by a gladiator of the Earth God, Geoxus, who cheated, Ash is the new gladiator, and will do anything she can to succeed, and stop Ignitus from destroying their country even more.

Madoc is different. He's descended from Geoxus, but has no Earth powers, and his father kicked him out for this. Living on the streets until he could be rescued by his best friend's family, he's used his own strength and skills to fight, and the inane sense of understanding of his opponents, which sometimes feel as if it's more magical that simply reading body language. When he finds himself chosen as a champion, he knows the jig will soon be up, and he just needs to survive enough to help his loved ones. Soon it seems that Ash and Madoc are the only ones who can stop the evil forces that are interfering, and it just might bring them all down.

As soon as I heard about this book, I was desperate for a copy! Sara has been one of my favourite authors since I first read Snow Like Ashes, and knowing this book took inspiration from Greco-Roman mythology, I simply needed it. Set Fire to the Gods has such a solid sense of world building and fantastic characters, and from the first page, you are invested in the story. Out of the two main characters, Ash is definitely my favourite, and I loved her feisty voice and temperament, and sheer determination to get revenge and fight for her people. Madoc was a little more aloof, and secretive, and his childhood had left inedible scar on his psyche that he needed to overcome as he progressed through the war. War in this book is not like you would expect. Instead it's two weeks of one-on-one combative fights between the gladiators of the warring gods, very much like Achilles and Hector's battle in the Iliad, and something which I was overjoyed to see, as it fully drew on the classical concept. There were so many moments in this book when I was simply blown away. I adored Madoc and Ash, individually, and together, and though they were 'enemies', they worked together when the time came, and the conclusion of this book, and it's epic cliffhanger, was both horrific and outstanding! If I thought I was desperate for this book, I'm even more so for it's sequel, and will be impatiently waiting until I get a hold of a copy!

Dates Read:
September 2-4, 2020

Rating
5 Stars