The Immortal Crown: Age of X #2 (Age of X, #2)

by Richelle Mead

The Immortal Crown is the second novel in the acclaimed Age of X series from New York Times bestselling author, Richelle Mead.

Religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen, the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him, have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect-special humans marked by the divine-are turning against one another in bloody fashion.

Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin's old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA's dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity.

Meanwhile, Mae-grudgingly posing as Justin's concubine-has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter's connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission-and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

The Age of X is a new fantasy series from Richelle Mead, containing all the mythological intrigue and relentless action of her bestselling Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. The Immortal Crown is the second novel in the series following Gameboard of the Gods. Fans of Chloe Neill and Jim Butcher should look this way.

Praise for Richelle Mead:
'The book is fast-paced and suspenseful' Booklist

'An engaging read, with an unusually tangible, believable, living story world, featuring a protagonist of unexpected depth and sympathy' Jim Butcher (on Succubus Blues)

Richelle Mead, the New York Times bestselling author of Vampire Academy, lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and baby. Gameboard of the Gods, the first in the Age of X series and Richelle's first adult novel, is also available from Penguin.

• ISBN10: 1405913584
• ISBN13: 9781405913584
• Publish Date: 5 June 2014 (first published 29 May 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 October 2023
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[lisacee]

The last one ended on such a tease; I couldn't wait to read this one. A little too long-winded, but still entertaining.

[rakesandrogues]

I didn’t think I would love another series as much as Vampire Academy but Richelle Mead proved me wrong. I was glued to the first book and the sequel, The Immortal Crown was even better. The plot is fast-paced and the romance has loads of unresolved sexual tension. I’m counting down the days til the next book because I could not get enough of Justin and Mae! The series is a fantastic mix of supernatural, science fiction, mystery, and romance!

[Linda]

*I received a free ARC of The Immortal Crown from Dutton Adult in exchange of an honest review*

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

The Immortal Crown is a vast improvement over Gameboard of the Gods, but it still didn't wow me. This time, Mae and Justin were off to Arcadia, which use to be what we currently know as the southern US. The trip is suppose to help build peace between the two regions, but of course, something has to go wrong (or right, depending on how you look at it). Justin and Mae are each being directed by their own god to carry out separate missions, but these gods may be more connected than these two know.

I really enjoyed the main plot of The Immortal Crown. Arcadia is a fascinating and disturbing place. Women are second class citizens, who are sold as wives and concubines as soon as they turn thirteen and have started puberty. They have to stay fully covered in order to not tempt the men, which is punishable by beatings and "Cloistering" all in the name of their god, Nehitimar. Unfortunately, Mae and the other women in their party have to follow this culture during their stay, but Mae finds opportunities to sneak away. Especially when she learns that her niece is in one of the "brothels" nearby. Exciting rescue mission, ahoy!

While I loved all of the Arcadian stuff, it was occasionally interrupted by Tessa back in RUNA. I still find her POV completely pointless. She is not an interesting character at all. She just seems to serve the role of sweet foreign girl trying to make a name for herself in the big city, which was exactly what her plot was. She gets an internship with a news station, and gets caught up in all of the unethical story chasing business. Of course, she sees the error of her ways. Tessa does uncover some important facts for the overarching plot, but her story wasn't interesting enough to hold my attention.

In the end, I did really like The Immortal Crown. It was less overwhelming than the first book since we already know the basics of the society, so the terms weren't confusing anymore. I'm still not the biggest fan of the characters, although I am warming up to Justin and Mae. The romance hasn't sold me either, but at least I'm becoming invested in the plot. Hopefully this is a series that continues to build momentum as it goes along.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.