James Wolff’s latest offering, Spies and Other Gods, has certainly been generating a buzz, with early reviews pointing to a genuinely positive reception. It seems to have all the components of a compelling espionage novel but I must confess, I just wasn’t feeling it.
This book has the distinct, tantalizing quality of a novel that could be great. The premise is intriguing, and the stakes feel appropriately high. However, the core issue for me lay in the execution: the writing style simply wasn’t for me. It felt dense and unrelenting, making it a struggle to connect with the narrative’s rhythm.
My reading experience was notably impacted by the structure. Even after hitting the 20% mark of the book, I still hadn’t encountered a chapter break or any structural element designed to provide a pause or a shift in focus. This continuous, unbroken stream of text contributed heavily to the difficulty I had in settling into the story.
As an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC), a few blemishes are always expected. Unfortunately, in this case, the number of typos seemed slightly higher than usual for a book in its pre-publication stage. While not a reflection on the final story, it was an added distraction that further broke my immersion.
Verdict
For a particular type of reader, one who loves a complex, immersive spy story and prefers to consume their fiction in one intense, unbroken sitting Spies and Other Gods might be a perfect, gripping read. For me, however, the compelling core was overshadowed by a structure and style that ultimately proved too demanding.
One More Chapter 