I read the preview off the authors website and knew I'd like it. The Last Goddess is a well crafted novel, with all those qualities that make me enjoy authors like Jim Butcher. The story is well thought out, with unexpected developments, the characters are believable with great personalities, and you get the feeling that there is so much more to discover in this world.I was left with one thought once I finished this: I want more.

While it doesn't have any characters as interesting as Kvothe or Locke Lamora, The Last Goddess is still a good, fun read. Lost magical arts, secret societies, imperial politics, mystery woman, there is a lot happening in the book, but the pacing is well done so the reader is never overwhelmed.Definitely worth the 5 dollars for the Kindle version. A great first effort from a new author. Looking forward to the next book to resolve some of the lingering questions.

I loved the book's summary, and after reading the sample I was hooked. Unlike a lot of epic fantasy, the author doesn't drown the reader in strange names and overly lengthy descriptions right off the bat. The world is developed naturally over the course of the whole book, and the pacing is very good. I don't remember a single useless or dull chapter, and the dialogue in particular is great - I actually chuckled out loud several times at some of the banter. The book follows around a group of 'rogues' who find a strange woman in a coffin that they think might be the messiah. They get caught up in the middle of a big religious squabble and spend most of the story on the run while they try and figure out who she is. The mystery is handled really well and it keeps the story moving along. It's balanced with a fair amount of fantasy action (some sword-fighting, some spell-slinging) and a nice double romance subplot that makes the characters seem a lot more human without bogging down the story. I think both men and women should enjoy it - it has strong characters of both genders (plus the best bard character ever!).I'd highly recommend it to anyone wanting to jump into a new world and enjoy a fast-paced adventure.

I really enjoyed this book and bought the 2nd in the series while only 1/2 way through the first as I knew I would want to go right on in to the second without pause. The characters are all well developed and they behave as I would expect people to behave when in their situations. There are several strong female characters and the main male characters act like men without being overly macho most of the time. The politics in the story are well written without being overly long or boring. We get the gist of what factions exist in the world without endless back stories and histories. The world is interesting in that sabers exist alongside muskets and blasters and there is plenty of magic to go around.The writing was well done and I didn't run across any obvious typos or editing errors. The book flowed along smoothly and not once did I feel that I was bogging down or getting bored with the story.I felt that this book was a refreshing change from the standard Scifi/fantasy genres as it took elements from both but never pigeon-holed itself into either category. It reminded me a bit of the Star Wars legacy as it combined technology with spiritualism and magic and had similar characters in the rogue type character, Rook (Han Solo) and the princess Tryss (Princess Leia)as well as similar supporting characters. It was never overtly a copy of Star Wars but there were definitely reminders of it throughout the book but in a good way.I highly recommend this book and hope the author keeps putting out more in the series as I have grown to really like the characters and would like to see more of them in the future.

A very enjoyable read. Good world building, the characters are fun and the pace is good. The writing is good, and flows well. I will definitely look for more by this writer.

I never saw ahead of time how this would be resolved, and was not disappointed at all. Great story, great characters, great twists throughout. This avid reader highly recommends!

After seeing several recommendations online for this I picked up last week. Two days later I'd read the entire book, and am ordering the sequel. Stalbaum introduces richly developed characters that are a fascinating mix of personalities and relationships. The plot moves quickly, with a great balance of story depth without getting stuck on irrelevant details. The writing is smooth and polished, and truly enjoyable to read. Overall a fantastic book I highly recommend!

I don't have time to read a lot of books and when I do read them it's usually over a long time period. So when I started this book like any other during a Friday lunch break and found myself turning the last page by the following evening I was quite surprised! Very engaging fast paced story with a lot of depth, intrigue, and great surprises. Typically books that have the engaging fast pace of a book like this lack in character development and depth but that is definitely not the case here! The author has a talent for building great depth and detail into the world and the characters in such a way as to never be boring and flow well with the ongoing story. I highly recommend The Last Goddess and am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series!