Imagine a world where the existence of Gods wasn’t just an abstract concept, but a very real, tangible part of existence. Think of temples built for worship and patron gods as the norm. The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owens takes place in the modern day where Greek Gods are widely known to be real and reign over humanity and the world itself. Now I don’t know about you, but I do think it was pretty standard practice back in my day to be obsessed with the Greek Gods, so I was immediately on board before I even started reading.
“The gods love to toy with us mere mortals. And every hundred years…we let them.”
Every hundred years, the Olympians hold a tournament called The Crucible where they each choose a mortal to represent them in a series of trials (labors). If their chosen champion wins, they become King or Queen of the Gods for the next century and with it earn a boon and the right to rule over Olympus.
The story follows Lyra Keres, a thief, who has belonged to the order of thieves since she was three years old. Lyra’s grown up knowing that Zeus placed a curse on her deeming her unloveable for daring to be born in his temple. Making it so that even her own parents didn’t or couldn’t love her. A completely reasonable and not at all over the top reaction. Gods, am I right?
Lyra has resigned herself to a life of total isolation, relegating herself to a clerk within the order. Her innate desire to be loved is so fundamental to her character, that it informs every decision she makes. It all comes to a head the eve of The Crucible.
Lyra breaks into Zeus’s temple to demand he reverse her curse and instead runs into Hades, the God of Death and King of the Underworld. Turns out, Hades was watching Lyra verbally decimate his brother in his brother’s temple like she has a death wish and instead of taking offense like the Gods have been known to do, he’s just generally amused? So much so that during the actual crucible (something he has never once in history participated in) he chooses Lyra to be his champion. She’s thrilled as you can imagine.
Lyra is brave, reckless and has absolutely no sense of self preservation. As evidenced by genuinely every single action she takes and her complete lack of brain to mouth filter. Does she react normally to meeting and interacting with Hades let alone all of the Gods? No, no she does not. She’s irreverent to the point of blasphemy (rightfully so if you ask me) and it is my absolute favorite thing about her. One thing about Lyra Keres? She is not going to be impressed by deity status nor will she let it impact how she treats someone. And she definitely will not be treating them with unearned respect. As a matter of fact, she’ll talk back and insult them to their face.
I roll my eyes and give Asclepius a smile.
“Hades apologizes.”
“You trying to manage me again?” Hades grumbles.
“You need a little managing.”
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The way she talks to Hades as if he’s just a regular man delights me to no end. It’s obvious that she doesn’t feel fear and awe in his presence by the way she reacts and speaks to him. In fact, being chosen as Hades’s champion? Zero out of five stars. Lyra would not recommend.
Hades is a mercurial immortal being fated to a lifetime of loneliness in the Underworld. Sure, he has Charon and Cerberus, and he had Persephone until recently, but that’s it. The other gods are terrified of him. Proven by their abject horror when he joins The Crucible. In a who’s who of Olympians, Hades is the guy in charge of the island of misfit toys. It’s also what makes him the only god so in tune with mortality and in turn empathetic throughout the whole process.
Hades has spent an eternity in the Underworld ruling over the best and worst of what humanity has to offer – whether it’s a little girl whose idea of Elysium is a life sized candy land or someone who spent their life taking others. Hades is the one to pass judgment on them all before they find their eternal resting place. An eternity of brushing elbows with human souls has left Hades frankly soft hearted. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still easily the most terrifying of the Olympians, but more often than not he’s the only one to exhibit remorse over how the champions are treated. It’s what makes his partnership with Lyra so easy to root for. Yes, she’s his champion. But, with any luck, she can be his friend too.
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that Hades sees himself in Lyra. Someone forced into a life of isolation against their will. Lyra was cursed to be unlovable and Hades was cursed to always be on the outside looking in on Olympus. Yet despite it all, despite knowing better, they manage to hold loyalty as the cornerstone of their foundation. Unwavering loyalty in the face of imminent danger is Lyra’s go to move (and Hades’s). It’s their similarities as much as their differences that draw them together.
Poor Hades might have chosen Lyra as his champion, but I do not know if he really knew what he was getting himself into with that one. If Gods could go gray, get wrinkles or just age prematurely, I’d worry about what Lyra’s actions are doing to my man because he is stressed.
“If gods could be killed, you’d be the death of me, my star.”
What follows is a story that can only be described as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games and inspired by the myth of the twelve labors of Hercules. Each labor has us tumbling deeper and deeper down a path we can’t come back from and neither can Lyra. As the labors progress, so too does Lyra and Hades’s burgeoning relationship. The growing bond between a thief and the god of the underworld ties together what was already such a beautifully done romantasy.
Seriously, read this. You can thank me later.
The second book in the series, The Things Gods Break, just came out and that is absolutely where I’m headed next. If anyone’s looking for me, I’m taking a hiatus from the Overworld for the moment. You can try reaching me either at Olympus or in the Underworld. Who knows where this next one will take me…
