By iamsandykay on April 5, 2022 ( Leave a comment )

Book Review – God of Neverland

God of Neverland by Gama Ray Martinez book cover

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Book Description:

Peter Pan is missing; Neverland is in trouble. For adults, that might not matter all that much, but for children–whose dreams and imagination draw strength from the wild god’s power–the magic we take for granted in the real world is in danger of being lost forever.

Such is the life of a now grown-up Michael Darling.

Michael returned from Neverland with the dream of continuing his adventuring ways by joining the Knights of the Round, an organization built to keep humanity safe from magical and mythological threats.. But after a mission gone terribly wrong, he vowed to leave the Knights behind and finally live as a “civilian,” finding order and simplicity as a train engineer, the tracks and schedule tables a far cry from the chaos of his youth.

He hasn’t entered the narrative in years. So what could the Knights need from him now?

Maponos–or how he’s better known, Peter Pan–has gone missing, and Neverland is now on the edge of oblivion. Michael realizes he has no choice and agrees to one last mission. Alongside the young Knight Vanessa and some old friends, Michael embarks on the ultimate adventure: a journey to a fantasy world to save a god. Determined to stop evil, fight for Neverland, and find Maponos, will Michael be able to save the magical and physical world? Or will his biggest fear come true?

The clock is ticking, and in Neverland, that’s never a good sign.

My Take:

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#NetGalley

Great story in which to find yourself immersed!

I found this book thoroughly entertaining! Not a retelling. Almost (technically?) a sequel. This book reimagines a story we know and creates a new world to love and explore. From an operational aspect, this book is excellent: the world building was great, the characters were fully formed and brought to life wonderfully, and the adventure itself was great.

This book is a visit to Neverland that I didn’t know I needed.

While bringing along some characters we have known for years – Michael and Wendy Darling – the introduction of a new set of characters only enhances those we’ve known and leaves the reader curious to meet the new. The focus is on the adventure and solving a mysterious disappearance, but as with all grown-up things, there are things that are nuanced and complicated and messy, as opposed to a children’s adventure of following the clues, solving the riddle, and living happily ever after. This book is a visit to Neverland that I didn’t know I needed and does a great job blending those various opposing worlds – childhood vs adulthood, reality vs imagination, overt vs subtle.

The Final Verdict