As a child, Charlie Reese witnessed something incredible. Now as an architect and fresh out of college, he’s just gotten his first big break working for Harold Lightfoot, billionaire owner of the world’s fastest delivery service. But Harold has another identity, that of Hermes, the Messenger of the Olympian Gods. He wants to bring back worship of the Olympians, and for that he needs Charlie’s help.
The premise of Mythworld and the beginning of the book will no doubt remind some readers of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. Like in American Gods, Mythworld introduces us to a normal guy who gets sucked into a world where mythological gods and goddesses are real and how humanity’s waning belief in them has caused problems.
But the similarities really end there. Mythworld is its own story, and it’s a damn good one. Anderson himself has described the book as American Gods meets The Matrix and it’s easy to see why. When the action starts, Anderson cranks the dial up to 11 and then breaks off the knob.
Charlie is a very well-drawn character and no matter how fantastical the plot gets, he helps keep us anchored. The book is over three hundred pages, but it doesn’t feel like it. I found myself getting sucked into the narrative and especially the dialogue.
To date, Mythworld is the best book I’ve read this year. And though it’s only May as I write this review, it’s going to be very difficult for any other title to top it.
Pick up Mythworld from Amazon.