The fate of the world hinges on a forsaken spirit, a mad god in a sword, and 12 mythological beings.

To be honest, I was sold on the book at this point, because I have a definite weakness for fantasy that involves Gods – and a mad god in a sword? Sign me up. I also had a love at first sight reaction to the cover too, and the book didn’t disappoint!

Limbo is a fascinating, twisting tale that blends together religion, folklore and legend with a delicious dash of history to complete the mix. What I particularly enjoyed was how the author used real-world myths and legends, changing them just enough and weaving them seamlessly into his own narrative. It was great to see different cultures being woven together, creating what is essentially a tour-de-force of mythology.

This is not a book for those who want a lot of fast-paced action, as it is a slower-paced, almost meditative tale, although not without action. However, that is not to say that a lot doesn’t happen within the pages of this book. As while the main character searches for and encounters the twelve souls, it is tasked with finding, we are also discovering the history of the main character, and it makes for a strange and compelling story. Limbo is more of an intellectual exploration than an adventure. This is reflected in the fact that while it is a short book, it explores a lot of themes within its pages, from religions and the ideas of virtues – and not in the way you would necessarily think about those virtues – to humanity, and it’s existence and way of life. Limbo is one of those books, that slips under your skin and makes you think, without it being too overbearing, and it made for a fascinating read from start to finish.

The writing was what sold me on this book because the world-building was delivered in beautiful detail, and the descriptions were the kind that pulled you into the world and the narrative with ease. There were a couple of errors here and there, but I would put that down to it being a translated work and certainly didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. However, this was a quick, fascinating read and my only real wish is that there had been more of it because I could have quite happily read a lot more of this wonderful book, and I look forward to seeing what the author will write in the future.

The review can also be found Beneath A Thousand Skies: Limbo - Thiago d'Evecque