Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me and advance Ebook.

This story was a good read I enjoyed the Hunger Game vibes and the strong female lead. Well pace world building good supporting characters, I wasn't overwhelmed with too much information and info dumping.
Story was good I believed in the main protagonist motivation and wanted her to succeed, loved the cover of the book it was beautiful and intriguing I would have definitely picked this book up if I saw it in the shop.
Good pacing and romance a nice YA for anyone who likes action and political drama. A solid 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The concept of this world & magic system was so interesting. The slow build up & suspense as we slowly piece the story together to understand what is happening was done well. I did find the first half a little slow but the second half had me hooked. I loved the found family and how the characters from different walks of life learn to work together. There is a slow burn romance but it isn’t a focal aspect of the story but I am interested to see where the story will go.

Apologies for the late review! Things got hectic, and I read as many arcs as I possibly could, but some fell through the cracks.

The Ancient's Game was definitely an okay read, but things happened too fast, partly because it is a standalone perhaps. We didn't have lots of breathing room, and while things kept happening and has us excited, it felt like it was too many things happening.

I liked the worldbuilding and the main character. I mean, carving magic into metal?! WOW! I liked how she was curious and always questioning how things worked etc, and I truly sympathized with her as she was forbidden to do what she loved, and she was forced to do it in secret. That is something women around the globe and throughout history can sympathize and relate to.

And ofc it's always lovely to read a fantasy inspired by African myths and lore. We desperately need more such voices.

LOVED IT, LOVED IT . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the advance reader copy.

I don’t know if I enjoyed reading this book as there was so much of the story I didn’t understand and even when I finished was still confused.

I liked the main character and her friends but felt like we could have spent more time expanding on them within the book.
The idea of the trials and magic system was very interesting but again, I don’t feel like enough time was spent on showing us what it was about.

I think a lot could have been done with this story idea had it been fleshed out more and taken its time.

The Ancient's Game was intriguing and had a lot of twists and turns. The magic system was unique and I felt this alice in wonderland-esque novel was different to many I've read. The dystopian, steam punk genre made this for an interesting read. I felt the characters were all created with a flare and it really made the storyline come together.

This is a very interesting african dystopian story set up in a 1920’s era! And to make it even more compelling, we mix magic and alchemy together with it all. Was it a little overwhelming? A tiny bit. However, the writing is smooth, with witty characters and a tiny hint of legend woven inside. I am not familiar with the African mythology but this book picked my interest in it.

I went in to this one with absolutely no expectations and found this book to be really engaging and packed with twists and turns- it did take me some time to get in to this book but the author does a great job of building an intricate world where unknown dangers lurk and you never know what's around the corner- I am not 100% sure that I understood it all but I had a good time.
The main character was very well developed and complex and I enjoyed their journey and never-ending determination to fight for what she wanted and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those she loved. I would love to have experienced more and had more of a feel of the actual trials I felt that this wasn't explored enough and they were over too quickly.
I gave this one 3.75 stars rounded up to 4

Steam punk, runic magic, dystopian society, and Alice in Wonderland collide in this captivating tale.

In a world where automatons and magical creations coexist, Kellan enters a competition to become an apprentice and save her mentor. However, beneath the surface, sinister forces lurk, and mysterious and catastrophic events unfold.

From the very beginning, the author’s writing style immerses the reader in Kellan’s mind, with its jumping-around sentences creating a whirlwind of emotions. I felt the terror and chaos as they transpired, a testament to the author’s unique and captivating storytelling.

Took me a while to get into and I think that says it all really. Hard to follow and super confusing, I don't think I'd recommend this tbh

Kellan is forbidden by law from practicing carving magic into metal. However, she has been carving in secret, helping out her adaptive Father, Edgar, to help him and his makeshop. But his condition is worsening and the shop is on the brink of collapse. Kellan strikes a deal with someone, that could save Edgar and the shop, but means she must compete in trials to be classed as a makers apprentice.

I really enjoyed the whole concept of this story, from the very beginning I was intrigued. The whole magic concept was like nothing I've read before.

It was full of unexpected twists, and ancient spirits coming to life, and kept me guessing the whole way through.

I feel like I would have liked this to be a little bit longer, I do still have a few unanswered questions, particularly about the ending, but I'm hoping we may get a book 2 🤞

Kellan was a great main chararacter. She thought the whole way through the story to get where she wanted to be, but also to get answers around the whole blackouts mystery. She was very selfless, it was evident from the very beginning she had Edgar's health and wellbeing in the forefront of her mind.

What particularly stood out yo me with The Ancient's Game is it's unique perspective on power and loyalty that is something you don't see within the genre.

3.5 stars

The Ancient’s Game by Loni Crittenden is an intriguing fantasy novel that explores the darker side of power, loyalty, and survival in a dangerous, high-stakes world. The book features compelling characters navigating a perilous game with ancient forces lurking behind every move.

While the premise is gripping, some aspects of the plot and pacing felt uneven, which may leave readers slightly adrift at times. However, Crittenden’s vivid imagination and world-building keep the narrative engaging.

Perfect for fans of dark fantasy who enjoy intricate plots with morally complex characters, The Ancient’s Game delivers a thrilling, if occasionally uneven, ride.

Loni Crittenden has created an intriguing retro futuristic world with 1920’s art deco inspiration and an interesting magic system. Straight away the reader is immersed into this world as we join Kellan, the main character, mid heist as she tries to earn money to help her mentor. Kellan’s dreams are to become a Makecraft and an opportunity presents itself in the form of a trial.

I really enjoyed this YA fantasy, the trials felt a little glossed over but the world itself was well defined and I loved the main character Kellan.

I’m not really sure how to rate this one, there were a lot of elements I really liked but others that I didn’t that stopped me being really invested in the story.
I felt like the trials didn’t get enough time enough on the page to be a focus point of the plot and sadly the romance didn’t work for me as I just didn’t think the characters had chemistry.

The Ancient's Game was a great read. There were parts that really had me wondering what was going on, which is great because I'm usually able to guess what's going to happen. I found the "magic" system quite intriguing.
I definitely recommend this one and I'd love to return to this world in a future book. It would be interesting to find out what the traitors did to make it so their descendants are denied a surname.

I’m in two minds. Creative and fun but hard to follow.

In Kellan’s world, anything is possible with the right skill and metal carving, as long as you’re a member of the ruling classes (which she is not). When an encounter with her hero, a master maker, gets Kellan noticed she’s entered into a dangerous competition to join the highly secretive and powerful makers guild. She has been warned not to trust her competition but outside forces are also at play and Kellan might be the only one able to stop the rising dark.

It sounds like a contradiction but the writing was both wonderful whilst also being really hard to follow. It felt like book two in a series, you’re dumped into the story without any context. I don’t mind this as long as I get enough context at some point (which I didn’t). The world was well built as were the rules which govern it, but the transitions were awkward, characters appear and disappear at key moments. In some parts the writing is laser focused and at others (especially in major action) it is incredibly confusing.

I’m not totally sure I understand what happened in this book but I did actually enjoy it. I think the author has something special in the story, I just wish it had been less frenetic. I would definitely give this author another go. As always this is only #IMO

Really appreciative to #netgalley and #harpercollinsuk for my #arc

I love a tournament story, and that's why The Ancient’s Game caught my attention. But sadly the book turned out to not be what I had been expecting. While it’s full of interesting world-building and nice writing, there didn’t seem to be that much attention to the trials. It seemed like they were gonna be the focus point of the story, but in reality they just felt like they were rushed through in order to reach the next milestone of the story. Something that made it hard for me to fully become engaged in the story.

unfortunately, this was a very disappointing read. I think I started this book 3 times before finally being able to read through it and finish it.

it had great potential and the blurb really intrigued me, but nothing about the writing worked for me. the first chapter is a lot of info-dumping that made no sense for someone who is first introduced to the book’s world and setting. everything was confusing - the magic system, the trials, the characters. there’s also a romance subplot that fell flat because the characters barely had any interactions on page. it just wasn’t believable.

I’m sure this book might work for others, but it didn’t for me, sadly.

Thansk to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I like the general vibe of this book, and the magical world-building was fairly strong. Kellan is an interesting character and I felt the relationshop between her and the love interest was done in a way that avoided too many of the usual cliches. I did feel like some of the backstory around the Dus and what actually happened in the past was missing, but maybe that will be covered in later books.