AGE OF AZTEC PDF, EPUB, EBOOK James Lovegrove | 512 pages | 27 Mar 2012 | Rebellion | 9781907992810 | English | Oxford, United Kingdom Black Gate » Articles » Gods, Monsters and Mayhem: The Pantheon Novels of James Lovegrove Sep 06, Matt Kelland rated it really liked it Shelves: fantasy , sci-fi , alt-history. This is a cracking good adventure - alt history, mixed with science fantasy and mythology, in the form of a thriller. The only one of the series I've read before is Age of Voodoo , and I was expecting this to be set in the same world. It isn't. The two are completely standalone, linked only by the theme of gods interfering in human affairs. I've seen a lot of people claiming that Lovegrove's Pantheon series is inventing a new form of sci-fi aka "godpunk" - which is as lazy a way a describing a li This is a cracking good adventure - alt history, mixed with science fantasy and mythology, in the form of a thriller. I've seen a lot of people claiming that Lovegrove's Pantheon series is inventing a new form of sci-fi aka "godpunk" - which is as lazy a way a describing a literary form as tacking "-gate" onto every political scandal. It's not new - it's very much following in the footsteps of Roger Zelazny and the sort of thing he was doing with Lord of Light , but updated to reflect modern pacing and style. That's not to take anything away from it - the SF world sorely needs someone who can handle this genre with such mastery, who has an appreciation for the expanse of world mythology, and who can tell a damn fine story. Neil Gaiman offered a more gentle an dreamlike take on similar ideas in books like American Gods , but Lovegrove goes straight for the action and energy. It's like a collaboration between Zelazny, John Woo, and the Stargate team. It would make one hell of a good movie. I hope to see many more in the series. Aug 20, James rated it it was amazing. James Lovegrove is back with another entry in his Pantheon Series, and he doesn't disappoint. Age of Aztec is another satisfying sci-fi romp through a world filled with cool technology, violent fights, advanced weaponry, and of course, gods. The thing I like most about Lovegrove's Pantheon books is the way he ends up explaining the existence of the gods he's depicting. Each book centres around a different mythology, and he's been very creative about how his gods are incorporated into each book. Age of Zeus did the best job, and Age of Odin did it impressively too--but Age of Aztec is right up there. They take a while to appear, but when they do, the whole tone of the book changes. It's an--excuse the expression--"oh shit" moment; the gloves are thrown, the writing's on the wall, the world has changed. The human characters realize it, too, and go through some really nice processing to deal with it. I thought the integration was fantastic, and the revelation of their motives was one of the best in the series. The other nice point about this book is the way it deals with the whole phenomenon. I won't get into the debate of whether is supposed to be the end of the world or not, but this book treats that question in a very responsible and fun way. I thought I knew exactly where it was going, then it throws a turn--just the way good fiction should be. The only real complaint I have about this book--and it's one that I share with all in the series--is that it's so incredibly fast paced. I love a book I can't put down, but these books are devoured, fast enough that it's sometimes hard to sit back and appreciate the journey you've been on. It's clear that the books are meant to be that--you don't get dropped into a world with living gods and not come out unscathed--but it always leaves me wanting just one more chapter. Oct 29, Matthew rated it liked it. For some reason, this installation of Lovegrove's 'Age of Is it perhaps because the Aztec mythology was the least familiar to me, and there was no frame of reference that I could tap into, no well of previous knowledge to fill the inevitable gaps that Lovegrove left in? Or was it just because of the tough nature of this totally foreign mythology? It's probably a combination of all three options mentioned above. I am not as familiar with the Aztec myths, and when the inevitable plot wholes arose as they will with any myth book just because of the dynamic nature of mythology , I was unable to refer back to previous knowledge and understanding. Perhaps the friction I felt while reading this was solely due to the nature of the Aztec myths. They are rare, and never seen in today's media as opposed to Greek Myths which frequently appear and Norse which are appearing more frequently. Criticism aside, I think Lovegrove did a good job tackling this tough field. His characters were once again interesting, and the plot --while similar in nature to his other Age novels --had its own signature. Age of Aztec was my least favorite thus far from Lovegrove's Age series, but I would still recommend reading it --especially if you enjoyed previous novels in the series, or just enjoy mythology. Juts keep Google open in case you need to look up any histories to give you as basin of knowledge. Jan 10, Jason Freezer rated it it was amazing. I really enjoyed this book. It had good pacing and it went from what I was expecting it to be to something far different. There were plenty of twists and turns and the introduction of the gods was also done well. It was interesting getting a bit of a look at the Atex gods which I really knew very little about. The writing is what I expect from Lovegrave which is pretty solid hard hitting sci-fi. I had a few little nitpicks with the editing of the book where some things were worded oddly or the g I really enjoyed this book. I had a few little nitpicks with the editing of the book where some things were worded oddly or the grammar wasn't correct but overall those where minor complaints. This is the second book in his "Age of The idea of a godpunk genre is nice to me and I always enjoy what Lovegrove does with his gods. They are never what you'd expect. The one thing which at times gets a little boring is in both this and Age of Odin the love story elements are a bit unsubtle. Not that they are bad but you can see them coming pretty early on in the story. The upside to this is the fact that it dosen't detract from the overall action of the story. Overall I'd pass this book along to any of my friends interested in science fiction or interesting twists on the mythic gods. Aug 10, Timothy rated it liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I definitely enjoy Lovegrove's pantheon series. My favorite remains the Age of Ra. Possible spoilers small below One of my favorite things about the pantheon series is that each is its own universe. As much as I'd be interested in reading more about the world created in the Age of Ra, I appreciate that each new book, while on theme, is its own. So while I went in expecting the aztec gods, by halfway through my expectations had changes so that when they finally appeared it was more surprising. As such the book is really two different stories, the first, the adventures of the Conquistador, and the second a battle between aztec gods. Both parts of the story were fun. I would have been just as happy seeing the Conquistador adventure continue as it had at the beginning of the book but the new direction it took was just as good. I hope another pantheon book is in the works. Nov 25, Joseph Farand rated it really liked it Shelves: military-sci-fi. Another excellent novel in Lovegrove's Pantheon series - it's the 20th century and the Aztec Empire has conquered the world with the help of advance technology. They are all powerful, even able to control the environment on a planetary scale. In a tropical Britain the reader is introduced to the two main characters: the "Batman-like" Conquistador battling the Aztec oppressors and the female Jaguar Warrior assigned to stop his acts of terrorism. Events take these characters to the heart of the Az Another excellent novel in Lovegrove's Pantheon series - it's the 20th century and the Aztec Empire has conquered the world with the help of advance technology. Events take these characters to the heart of the Aztec domain where they learn the truth behind their power and get involved in a final confrontation that will decide the fate of the world. Lovegrove has created an interesting world with its "modern" Aztec society and their "Chariots of the Gods" origin. An enjoyable action-oriented Sci Fi adventure - highly recommended. Jun 20, John Walker rated it it was ok. The last few chapters have great combat and I enjoyed the ending.