Synopsis:
20 Climbers. 20 Watchers. 5 Hunters. 1 Colossus.
After both their parents die during the live broadcast of the Tournament of the Colossus, Quinne promises to always keep Benn safe. Even from the deadly Hunters who scour the slums for those who can wield magic. But when Benn’s rare ability manifests during a public confrontation, the Hunters see them for what they truly are: riveting contestants.
Quinne will be a Climber, where she’ll be chased by Hunters and mechanized monstrosities through a trapped forest before attempting to climb a thousand-foot-tall destructive god. And Benn will be her Watcher, as his consciousness will be transferred into nothing more than a glorified camera in the form of a metal bird.
The odds of survival are low, the likelihood of death and blood great. Tune in today, for this Tournament will be a ratings juggernaut!
Review:
Death Show Colossus was crazy, and I mean that in the best way possible. It features a giant mech, wild “magic”, and a game show where most of the contestants don’t expect to survive. It’s a standalone (but with some lore tie-ins to the author’s Divine Godsqueen Coda series.) It’s fast-paced, gritty, brutal in parts, and a whole lot of fun.
The story is dual-POV between Quinne Vox and Benn Strife. Quinne is a twenty-something flux-blessed (flux is this world’s version of magic/superpowers), and she’s been trying to stay under the Honours’ radar for most of her life. Benn is fourteen and is as close to a younger brother as Quinne has. She protects him as much as she can, but he’s at that age where he wants to push boundaries, which lands them both into trouble. I really liked the found family/sibling dynamic between Quinne and Benn.
The trouble comes in the form of Death Show Colossus, a game show where flux-blessed are pitted against hunters and mechanized beasts. The premise is to survive and reach the top of the Colossus, where the winner will be granted a better life in the higher tiers of society.
But there are a lot of secrets revolving around the show that most people are unaware of, and those come into play throughout the story. There are some big twists and turns in this plot, making it unpredictable, chaotic, and so damned hard to put down (I read this in 3 ½ days, which should tell you something.)
To say I had a good time with this book is an understatement. With great characters, epic worldbuilding, and a deadly game show, what’s not to love? (Seriously, go check it out.)
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