In a land where magic’s feared, a rare magical kind exists: the Blest, products of the Goblets Immortal. Aidan’s a Blest on the run, forced to return home. He made his family vanish decades ago, but believes there’s a way to bring them back.
Whispers of a new fear take shape in Meraude, a mage who hates all magic-kind. When she appears in Aidan’s dreams offering a bargain for the return of his family, Aidan’s desires battle with his self-preservation.
Is it wise for Aidan to seek the Goblets Immortal for Meraude’s unknown purposes? Friend and foe blur the magical lines, and Aidan must discern who will shake his hand or slit his throat.
It's my pleasure to be closing the blog tour for The Goblets Immortal today. Many thanks to Beth Overmyer, Flame Tree Press and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance digital copy of the novel.
The Goblets Immortal is fairly unusual for a fantasy novel in that it's quite a short book. This means that there isn't a great deal of world building here but consequently, the action begins almost immediately.
The book opens to find Aiden making a deal with an old friend and it's clear from the start that he isn't an ordinary man but has unique magical abilities. Having read quite a few fantasy novels, I enjoyed discovering powers I've not come across before - Aiden can Summon or Dismiss objects with his mind, meaning he has a handy store of items available to him in what he calls his Nothingness. He is also able to sense the Pull of people which allows him to recognise when somebody is close by - an useful asset for a fugitive to have. It's this Pull which alerts him to the danger he soon finds himself in and he makes his escape, although not before he learns that must seeks out a woman called Meraude and unite the Immortal. Aiden is obviously burdened by a terrible sense of guilt regarding his family and it's this often drives his actions in this character-led novel.
I think because it's not an especially long book, there are a few incidences where fortunate (or otherwise) coincidences help to move the plot along; it's not something which bothered me and I appreciated the steady pace of the writing throughout. There is a feeling of constant movement to the story as he finds himself on a quest despite not having full knowledge of all the facts.
Alongside the action scenes there are also several moments of a more practical nature, something I really enjoyed because how often in books are characters allowed regular toilet stops?! Although magic obviously has an important part to play in the proceedings, I liked the ordinariness of the characters - they need to break for rests and food and aren't just able to keep travelling miles without it seeming to effect them.
Aiden is joined by a young woman, Slaine and the relationship between the pair is the most interesting - and challenging - part of the novel for me. There is a imbalance of power between the two and there are a few uncomfortable scenes where I felt Aiden acted inappropriately. I do realise that 21st Century expectations regarding consent don't necessarily fit in with a different, imaginary world and so it was never enough to stop me wanting to read more but it did mean there were times where I didn't particularly like him. That said, I also wonder whether his uncomfortable behavior is included to indicate that he is a man who was raised without a proper guiding hand and his awkwardness around people in general is a consequence of that.
Slaine is a fantastic character and I loved that despite her lowly position in the world and the curse that she bears which prohibits her from gaining her freedom. she is still able to be a strong, resourceful and opinionated woman. As the book progresses, more is learned about who she is and it's something I look forward to be explored further in any subsequent novels.
Discovering more their past and their abilities is an ongoing subject throughout the story and I thought that ensuring the characters are often unaware of the facts and so having to learn alongside the readers worked well. Aiden doesn't even realise that he is a Blest straightaway or the origin of his gifts. Although I'm sure that there is still much to come, what we learn here is absolutely intriguing and I am looking forward to further surprising revelations for Aiden and Slaine in the future.
The Goblets Immortal is a solid start to a new fantasy series and is interesting and engaging throughout. The cliffhanger ending may not be to everybody's tastes but it has ensured that I will definitely be reading the next book to see what lies in store for Aiden!
The Goblets Immortal is published by Flame Tree Press and can be purchased from Amazon, Hive and the publisher's website.
Don't forget to check out the previous blog tour stops, details are below.
About the Author
Beth Overmyer has authored several books—In a Pickle,a middle grade novella,and Circus in a Shot Glass,a women’s fiction novel, being among them. She’s in love with the fantasy genre, mysteries—especially when there’s tea and/or a quirky sleuth involved—,and wouldn’t say no to reading and writing in every genre but hardcore horror and erotica. Influencers to her writing include J.R.R. Tolkien and Brandon Sanderson, though Douglas Adams may be lurking in there somewhere.
Love of writing and reading has led to her leading a creative writing group at her local public library, where she once was a pupil. But she doesn’t see herself as a teacher: she’s more of a facilitator and encourager when needed. Every other week during the school year, they meet and perform various writing exercises, which each individual’s encouraged to then share.
When she’s not writing, reading, editing, drinking tea, or facilitating creative writing meetings, Beth enjoys hanging out with her writing pals for fellowship, brainstorming,and great company.
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Thanks for the blog tour support Karen xx
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