Official Review: Immortals by Spartan Kaayn

[Thimble]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Immortals" by Spartan Kaayn.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Immortals by Spartan Kaayn is a thrill ride of a science fiction action book. The first in a series and the debut of the author, the writing is fast-paced, but has clear storytelling. It is the story of two people across the world from each other that only have one thing in common: immortality. With few typos, an interesting premise, and a satisfying ending, this story is definitely worth a read.

Jai is a street-smart, sharpshooting, teenager in the underworld of Mumbai, India. While trying to save the lovely Juliet from the mobster she was sold to as a sex slave, he dies. To his surprise, he ends up alive again on the morning of his death. He ends up using this new advantage to outwit his opponents and figure out what is happening to him.

We also have Ludvig Hansen who is an old hat at this whole death thing. He’s used his immortality to make his technology business succeed across the globe. When his daughter gets kidnapped, he’s determined to use this secret of his to save her. Both Jai and Ludvig get a shock when they find out that despite their apparent immortality, they may die permanently in just a matter of days.

As far as characterization is concerned, Kaayn did a great job with the men. Both Jai and Ludvig are well fleshed out. They are diversely distinct characters and I wish the author had got them together sooner. By the time they meet the climax of the book is over for the most part. It would have been very interesting to see the crafty and rich Ludvig on the streets of Mumbai, working with Jai. Jai is a survivor and has done what he could to get by and thrive in a dark world. He cares deeply for very few people and it’s for these people that he will risk his life. Ludvig is a man in his seventies that cares for his children and his business. Because of his life experiences, he has no doubts about the darker side of mankind. He’s an intelligent, strategic thinker and has no compunctions when it comes to doing what is necessary to further himself in life.

Ludvig’s daughter, Sonja (also called Sonya), seems to be very much like her father. Unfortunately, we don’t see much of her in the story. She seemed like she could have been really interesting, but because most of the story seems to focus on Jai and Juliet, Ludvig and Sonja’s side story is very short.

Juliet (also called Henna) is a problem for me, but she might not bother other readers so I’ll explain why she’s an issue. Juliet almost doesn’t pass the “Sexy Lamp” test. This is the test where you see if the story would change if you replace the character with a sexy lamp. If Juliet were replaced with such an inanimate object, Immortals would not change very much. Juliet does do enough in the story that if she weren’t really there, there would definitely be a big difference in a few parts, but for the most part she’s just there. This is even more disappointing since she has so much potential as a character.

Juliet is a teenager and was sold as a sex-slave to a mobster at approximately the age of 15. All of the characters refer to her as the gangster’s “moll” or “girlfriend”, but it’s obvious that she’s not there by choice. Despite this, she does have some strong moments. The problem is that she mostly just cries and doesn’t take any initiative. If she was more of a secondary character this wouldn’t be bad, but she’s basically the third main character and gets more “read time” than Ludvig.

Aside from the unrealized potential of Juliet, the action and deaths are well done and this makes the book an excellent read. The writer obviously has knowledge of human anatomy, which makes the deaths more interesting. They stand out compared to death scenes I’ve read in other books. I give Immortals a 3 out of 4. It’s a great book, but it wouldn’t keep my interest if I tried to read it again.

I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy action sci-fi, ages 13 and up. The science fiction is akin to the Well World series, but the action is similar to the movie Edge of Tomorrow. There is a lot cursing in foreign languages (and a handy glossary at the end of the book to translate said curse words), death, implied rape, attempted rape, implied torture, and inexplicit sex.

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Immortals
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Like Thimble's review? Post a comment saying so!

[bookowlie]

Great review! The book doesn't seem like my cup of tea, but you did a good job of showcasing all the little things you liked. I love your description of the book being a "thrill ride". Well done.

[Thimble]

Great review! The book doesn't seem like my cup of tea, but you did a good job of showcasing all the little things you liked. I love your description of the book being a "thrill ride". Well done.

Thanks, Bookowlie! I'm glad you liked the review.

[kimmyschemy06]

Sounds very interesting. I like books about immortality as I'm fascinated with the idea. I thought at first that Juliet plays a big part in the story because she was the one Jai was trying to save

[Thimble]

Sounds very interesting. I like books about immortality as I'm fascinated with the idea. I thought at first that Juliet plays a big part in the story because she was the one Jai was trying to save

Hi Kimmyschemy06, the immortality part is definitely interesting. Even the relationship between Jai and Juliet is worth discussing. Juliet plays a big part in that she's the catalyst for Jai's call to action, but other than that she doesn't do much. I think there's a lot that she could do though.

[Levi]

@Thimble this is a fantastic review, thank you! It sounds like something I would like, so I'll add it to my list. You have presented an apparent problem, but in a very balanced way (noting that it may not bother other readers while giving sufficient details as to why it could be an issue for some). That is what authors need, insight, not just a critical thought without detail. Great job, the book sounds interesting. Congrats to the author on a positive review!

[Thimble]

@Levi Thanks! If you get a chance to read it, let me know what you think.

[gali]

Sounds good! Thank you for the lovely review.

[Thimble]

Sounds good! Thank you for the lovely review.

Thanks, Gali!