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A review by mashara
Rituals by Roz Kaveney
5.0
This might just be the best book I have ever read about gods.
It is not a book about religion or belief, in that way it is not at all like Good Omens, where the Powers That Be never even appear, because they are not important to the story.
In Rituals the mechanics of power are what matter. And what people would do to gather power.
This book might very well end up in a fire, so if you are one of those who cannot fathom other cannons beside Christianity, this book is not for you. Seriously.
Rituals is a book about how rituals of different kind makes gods. In the same way of politics, the best person for the job, is usually the one that doesn't want it, so you get the gods we've gotten.
I'm not usually inclined to tell what happens in my reviews but I think this books needs it.
The narrative is split in two, one is told by Mara The Huntress, a being as old as most gods and a constant reminder that somebody knew them when they were just a barely dressed ambition with some poorly feed followers (this seriously doesn't fly with the newer gods. Awesome scene: Mara in Jehovah's office). Her job is to punish those that rise to godhood by the means of the rituals of blood, so you can say her job has taken her all over the world, and she has seen what people would do to people for power. Because that is mostly the point, that it all starts with people, then legend, then myth...etc.
Then there is Emma. Emma has the coolest super power. Evah.
She has a great abundance of common sense. She is calm and collected, and above all, polite.
And armed with better weapons than most heroines, Emma battles evil, and the morally confused, by mostly talking to it. And yes, the help of her lover ghost Caroline (Long story, seriously, read the book).
Finally, the most interesting thing about this book, is that in all it's destruction of the dogmas of most religions (the rest are not mentioned), it's not in any way an atheist book. The gods exist. Is just that they somewhat seem more real looked though the eyes of Roz Kaveney.
PD: I will address the cover, because is the biggest disservice to a book I have seen in along while, so please, read the book, we might get another edition with a better cover.
It is not a book about religion or belief, in that way it is not at all like Good Omens, where the Powers That Be never even appear, because they are not important to the story.
In Rituals the mechanics of power are what matter. And what people would do to gather power.
This book might very well end up in a fire, so if you are one of those who cannot fathom other cannons beside Christianity, this book is not for you. Seriously.
Rituals is a book about how rituals of different kind makes gods. In the same way of politics, the best person for the job, is usually the one that doesn't want it, so you get the gods we've gotten.
I'm not usually inclined to tell what happens in my reviews but I think this books needs it.
The narrative is split in two, one is told by Mara The Huntress, a being as old as most gods and a constant reminder that somebody knew them when they were just a barely dressed ambition with some poorly feed followers (this seriously doesn't fly with the newer gods. Awesome scene: Mara in Jehovah's office). Her job is to punish those that rise to godhood by the means of the rituals of blood, so you can say her job has taken her all over the world, and she has seen what people would do to people for power. Because that is mostly the point, that it all starts with people, then legend, then myth...etc.
Then there is Emma. Emma has the coolest super power. Evah.
She has a great abundance of common sense. She is calm and collected, and above all, polite.
And armed with better weapons than most heroines, Emma battles evil, and the morally confused, by mostly talking to it. And yes, the help of her lover ghost Caroline (Long story, seriously, read the book).
Finally, the most interesting thing about this book, is that in all it's destruction of the dogmas of most religions (the rest are not mentioned), it's not in any way an atheist book. The gods exist. Is just that they somewhat seem more real looked though the eyes of Roz Kaveney.
PD: I will address the cover, because is the biggest disservice to a book I have seen in along while, so please, read the book, we might get another edition with a better cover.