LEX TRENT VERSUS THE GODS by Alex Bell

Law student Lex Trent's world is inhabited by fearsome magicians, ageing crones and a menagerie of Gods and Goddesses. And while Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he's always enjoyed a challenge - which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar 'The Shadowman' who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.

But Lex's luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds?

Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory - all things that Lex is quite keen on - he's going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he's certainly got good experience of cheating.

I'm a huge fan of Alex Bell's other books--The Ninth Circle and Jasmyn--so I was looking forward to reading her latest. Which happens to be a YA.

Lex Trent is seventeen and lives in a world that's very different to ours. I think the world building was great in this book. The concept of the Globe, and the Gods separating themselves from the common people, and toying with them is very well explained. Not to mention all of the other weird and wonderful things in this bizarre mythological place.

Anyway, Lex is a thief and a cheat. He's selfish, arrogant, and is also convinced that he's pretty much the best thief (ever). I have to admit that he's good and knows how to get out of sticky situations, but he's not a very nice guy. Not really. Though, when you consider that he's at an age where most believe they are invincible, it's not hard to accept his self-involved ways.

When Lex is caught and his identity as The Shadowman is discovered, he decides to leave Wither City--mainly to escape Mr. Schmidt, one of the partners in the law firm he's been working in. See, Mr. Schmidt, unlike the other lawyer, Mr. Lucas, hasn't fallen for Lex's charm and has been waiting for the moment to prove he's a scammer. Actually, that's pretty funny since he ends up crossing paths with Schmidt again and (almost literally) gets stuck with him once the Goddess of Luck chooses Lex to take part in the Game. lol. And what follows is a very quirky adventure that takes the reader through a very imaginative world. That's one of the things that I love the most about Alex Bell, she's got such a wonderful imagination and an awesome way of unleashing it on the page.

Lex Trent Versus The Gods is a fun and quirky read. I really enjoyed the pace, the world, and although I found Lex to be a little more than annoying at times, I think that's a good thing. Not everyone's cut out to be a hero. :)

Lex Trent Versus The Gods, March 2010, ISBN 978-075-535518-1, Headline Paperback (B)