Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Orbit; 16 July 2013
ISBN: 978-0316226431
ASIN: B0092XNDR8
Standalone
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson
Amazon
Synopsis: "Witness the epic battle of the cyclops!
Visit the endangered dragon preserve! Please, no slaying.
Solve the mystery of The Mystery Cottage, if you dare!
Buy some knick knacks from The Fates! They might come in handy later.
On a road trip across an enchanted America, Helen and Troy will discover all this and more. If the curse placed upon them by an ancient god doesn't kill them or the pack of reluctant orc assassins don't catch up to them, Helen and Troy might reach the end their journey in one piece, where they might just end up destroying the world. Or at least a state or two.
A minotaur girl, an all-American boy, a three-legged dog, and a classic car are on the road to adventure, where every exit leads to adventure. Whether they like it or not."
Last year I reviewed Martinez Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain, which I also chose as one of my best books of 2012. Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest is his follow up. Martinez has taken the mythical world and turned it on its head. Helen is a minotaur and Troy is a handsome (Asian) adonis. They find themselves working late one night when an ancient and banished god puts them on a course that could change the world.
The first thing that I noticed with Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest is that Helen is not only very sharp but also quite strong. This quickly takes the damsel in distress and throws it out the window. Troy is also very bright and the handsome, yet dumb is also taken away. While the typecasting is gone it doesn't mean that you have two Mary Sues or a Mary Sue and a Marty Sue. They are much more than skin deep and as the story progresses we learn all their idiosyncrasies.
The world building is also really humorous. Martinez takes a lot of roadside attractions and puts a mythological spin on them. Visit a national park and it turns out to be a dragon preserve and other interesting sights (not going to spoil it for you). The author does a very good job of capturing the myths and legends of yore and bringing them to the present with a funny spin.
Like all myths, our heroes need to collect various artifacts while facing mortal peril, the danger isn't as obvious as one would expect and often leads to some awkward challenges and situations. It doesn't help that Helen and Troy are also being chased by a motorcycle gang bent on killing them and ending their divine quest.
Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest packs a lot into the story and Martinez does a great job with the characters, the problem I had with the book is that I didn't find myself having as much fun as I should have. Whether you were rooting for the motorcycle gang or Helen and Troy the conclusion just doesn't grab you. There were a lot of laughs found within the pages but it just wasn't as ingenious as his last novel. While I still feel that the novel was a decent read it just didn't have that punch I was expecting. Recommended but with reservations.
Plot 6.5/10
Characters 7/10
Style 6.5
Overall 6.5/10
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