One Series I Refuse to Give up Hope on

Growing up in the age of Twilight, I got to read so many new and wonderful YA books as they came out. The vampire craze swept YA readers everywhere. Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy and the following series, Bloodlines, were among those books that took us from teenagers to adults.

So it may not come as a surprise that readers continued to follow Mead even after Vampire Academy and Bloodlines ended, going on to show love to her other series, The Glittering Court, and a standalone novel, Soundless.

However, Mead released one series that bombed at the store shelf, causing the publisher to put a permanent hold on the continuation of the series, much to my and many others’ dismay. Despite this, I refuse to give up on the series, and books 1 & 2 have a permanent place on my shelf.

The Age of X series takes place in a future where the current national boundary lines of North America no longer exist, and religion has taken on an entirely different meaning and role in society.

Mead wove enough modern-day aspects into her world that readers may suspect regional location based on behavior. Additionally, the histories of the main characters, Justin and Mae, were written with the intent that they should play a part in the unfolding changes being meted out by old gods who supposedly no longer hold sway over the RUNA (Republic of United North America) and its people.

The Age of X series did a fantastic job of combining the role of gods from various parts of the world into a futuristic society. In RUNA, religion is rigorously monitored, and societal actions are dictated by religious practices. This was especially obvious in book 2, The Immortal Crown.

Some gods, previously banished from the world, began dipping back into everyday life, working through their more religious followers, and even those who didn’t sign up for the job. The unique adaptation of these old gods into a futuristic world was wonderfully done. I especially enjoyed reading through the old gods working with and around the main characters, Justin and Mae.

Justin and Mae are complete opposites, an unlikely duo, but the exact type of team we’ve been rooting for for years! Throughout entertainment history, unlikely duos have stolen the hearts of fans. Duos featured on television series like Castle, Bones, The Mentalist, etc, remind us why we love the banter and tension that tends to rise up between the main characters.

Justin is a disgraced investigator of religious groups, while Mae is a skilled and trained warrior, bred and born for specific purposes. Justin challenges Mae’s crisp view on life, his personal life being a bit more chaotic. Their banter and ability to work together are unique and beautiful. I was truly enjoying their story and just knew it would end with an HEA.

Both Justin and Mae have unique backstories, centered within some of the more intrinsic ideas that arose with the futuristic world they live in. Born into an uppercrust of society, Mae is expected to make a good match and continue on a purebred line. Meanwhile, Justin falls into a completely different category, a creation of mixed blood and histories.

Despite their differences, or maybe because of them, Justin and Mae are able to work together closely, learning from their differences and finding an understanding and trust between them.

Book 2, The Immortal Crown, was published officially on May 29, 2014, almost 11 years ago. This book explored the region of the Deep South of RUNA and the strong existence of a religion that created stifling conditions for women, a fact that did not sit well with Mae. Book 2 ended with a pretty intense cliffhanger, and readers have been not so patiently awaiting an answer for 11 years without an official answer.

Unfortunately for readers who enjoyed Age of X, the publisher decided to shut down the series, and Richelle Mead has yet to take up the call of her fans to self-publish Book 3, though rumors have circulated for years.

Every few years, a new “release date” is mentioned; the latest release date being May 2025. However, I would think with Mead’s popularity that we might have heard something else about this project before now.

Also, Richelle Mead seems to have taken a big step back from the official publishing world as well as her social media accounts, leaving fans to wonder, What happened?

Though the publishing house cited low reader interest, plenty of readers would love to see a book 3 release date for The Age of X series, especially with the rise of reader interest in sci-fi and romantasy and the increase in independent authors. Who knows, it took them 14 years to release The Incredibles 2, so maybe there is still hope.

While I wait, it may be time for a reread.

Happy Reading!