Daughter of Chaos

The Dark Pantheon #1

by A.S. Webb

For mortals to be free, the gods must fall in this sweeping epic fantasy debut.
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In ancient Greece, mortals suffer under the tyranny of the gods—forced to sacrifice the food they depend on, their worldly possessions and even each other at the whims of the Twelve. But an ancient prophecy speaks of hope, of one who will set humankind free.

On the island of Naxos, Danae, a fisherman's daughter, develops strange powers tied to a mysterious tree bearing golden fruit. Driven from her home, she seeks guidance from the oracle but finds only more questions…and whispers of a secret network of believers who have long been awaiting her arrival.

Determined to learn more, Danae joins forces with the legendary Heracles and his crew. Together they battle monsters and gods alike on a quest to the end of the world as Danae seeks the one who holds the key to her destiny.

But a terrifying truth is yet to be unlocked. A truth that could destroy the world as she knows it. Danae must choose to follow her destiny or her heart, while the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Greek Mythology, Romance, Romantasy, Fiction, Adult

464 pages, Hardcover

First published January 14, 2025

About the author

A.S. Webb is the Sunday Times bestselling author of DAUGHTER OF CHAOS and DAUGHTER OF FATE, the first two instalments of The Dark Pantheon trilogy. She holds a BA in English Literature and Theatre Studies from the University of Leeds and is inspired by stories rooted in history and mythology. She lives in London with her family.

Reviews

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the ALC! 💖

Okay, so Daughter of Chaos is definitely an interesting ride, but I’m not sure if I’ll be continuing the series. The premise? 100% up my alley—Greek mythology, gods, and prophecies? YES PLEASE! But, the execution didn’t quite live up to the hype for me.

First off, let’s talk about the plot. Danae’s journey of overthrowing the gods (and saving humanity, no biggie) has all the potential to be EPIC. But… there’s just too much telling and not enough showing. I wanted to feel the tension, the action, the chaos (heh, get it?). Instead, I felt like I was reading about it rather than experiencing it. Some parts dragged on, and others felt way too rushed. It was like the pacing couldn’t decide if it wanted to be fast or slow. It left me kind of confused? 🤔

Now, Danae. Hm. I wanted to love her, but girl just felt kinda flat. She has this huge, world-changing mission, but I didn’t really feel invested in her as a character. Her inner monologues? They felt repetitive, and honestly, I wasn’t worried for her even when things were supposed to be life-or-death. I think I was waiting for some major character growth, but it didn’t quite land for me.

BUT, I have to give credit where credit is due—the secondary characters, like Heracles, Jason, and Atalanta, were chef’s kiss. 😍 Every time they showed up, I was like, “YES, THESE ARE THE STARS!” The gods and heroes were reimagined in such a cool way, and I was totally hooked on that part of the story. I would read more just for them. 💥

I really do think this series has potential. It has the foundation for something great, but it needs some work—especially with pacing and character development. I’m intrigued enough by the world and the twist on mythology to keep an eye out for the next book, so... who knows? 🤷‍♀️

Overall, this debut was a mixed bag for me, but I’ll be rooting for the next installment. Fingers crossed for improvement! 🤞

And one last thing—Lucy Walker-Evans absolutely nailed the narration! 👏 She really brought the story to life and gave the characters a bit more depth, especially when things got intense. Her voice was the highlight of the audiobook for me, and I can totally see myself enjoying her narration in future books. 🙌

Happy reading, y’all! 📚🖤

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook is definitely an odyssey…if you were a millennial who became obsessed with Greek mythology right around the time of Hercules (Zero to Hero!) and now still maintains at least one active Wikipedia tab about some kind of Greek myth, this is for you. I was able to listen to this as part of The Hive and the narration was excellent, although it is one that I’d want to get a physical copy of to tandem read to reference back to names/places that I may not have absorbed the first time. It was hard to listen to this while trying to focus on another task, but super enjoyable to kick back and listen to when I could focus on it. It skews nearly all mythology/fantasy and very little romance, which didn’t bother me at all but is worth knowing if fantasy romance is more your thing. It ends on the cliffiest of cliffhangers and I will be eagerly awaiting book 2!

[Alex Z (azeebooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I would have just had more fun reading the Wikipedia page

[Avani ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb marks a strong fantasy debut from the author, blending mortals, gods, and elements of Greek mythology into a captivating narrative. The story follows Danae, the daughter of a fisherman, who embarks on a journey filled with revelations and discoveries.

I had been wanting to read this book for quite some time, especially after a streak of underwhelming fantasy reads lately. Fortunately, this one lived up to my expectations. It’s a fast-paced, accessible read that quickly draws you in. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment and the continuation of this intriguing, suspenseful journey.

What stood out to me the most was Danae’s encounters with the Greek gods and the rich layers of mythology and ancient history woven throughout the story. The audiobook is also wonderfully done and enhances the experience.

[Amber's Book Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to love Daughter of Chaos as much as I did, Greek mythology isn’t usually my thing, but this story was so fresh and action-packed that I couldn’t put it down. Following Danae, a fisherman’s daughter with a wild destiny, the book is full of gods, monsters, and intense quests. Seeing familiar names like Heracles woven into the story was such a treat, and the twists kept it feeling unique.

Danae wasn’t always easy to root for, but her struggles and growth made her feel real, and I couldn’t help but get invested in her journey. The worldbuilding was rich, and the action scenes were everything I wanted. If you love mythology or just need an exciting fantasy escape, I’d definitely recommend this one. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

[rose ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

“you are the last daughter. you alone are the reckoning.”

look at me, already breaking my resolution to dnf books i don’t enjoy. i am nothing if not consistent 🫶

meet danae. she is Not Like Other Girls even before she develops mysterious powers and learns that she is the object of an ancient prophecy. forced to leave her island home on naxos, she travels first to the oracle at delphi and then joins the argonauts on a quest to the end of the world in search of answers.

i picked up daughter of chaos knowing i was either going to love it or hate it. “for mortals to be free, the gods must fall” sounded like either a fresh, intriguing take on greek mythology or a cheap fanfic with the author’s super special OC running about and generally wreaking havoc, and unfortunately it fell into the latter category for me. the beginning was okay, i guess, but everything went downhill as soon as webb started introducing familiar faces.

this book is action-packed, and yet most of the time it felt like nothing was happening. the characters rush from event to event until the big reveal at the end—a twist that i found more stupid than shocking. webb’s writing style was not for me, but my larger issue was how poorly informed her storytelling seemed to be. i’m no greek mythology scholar, but some of the changes she made were just baffling or outright annoying to the extent that they pulled me right out of the story. i’m not opposed to changes, but here they often felt more like sloppy plot conveniences than intentional changes made by someone who did their research.

i also found the bi rep underwhelming. danae’s attraction to women is only vaguely hinted at in a couple of scenes, while she has explicitly romantic storylines with two male characters.

…so no, i will not be picking up the sequel, thanks for asking! i’m sure this series has an audience, but it is not for me.

thank you to netgalley and MIRA books for the eARC!

rating: 1.0/5.0 stars

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet Jesus I had a bad time with this. Rant to come later. 🗡️

(FINAL REVIEW:)

(This is going to be a combination of a longer version of the review I left on my bookstagram and added bits that I think need to be pointed out as to why I didn't like this book)

This is going to be a bit of a hard review for me. For one, I wasn’t expecting to have a disappointing read this early in the year, and the other for it to be a Greek mythology inspired fantasy/retelling. 😔

Before I get into the full extent of my raging disappointment, I think it should be in the conversation of any mythology/folklore retelling/inspired fantasy reader’s mindset: at what point do we need to step up and say this is not mythology/folklore, but a bastardized version of it for a quick cash grab. I was having this thought after reading what was supposed to be a Hades and Persephone retelling last month where I was so mad about the way in which the author went about depicting certain goddesses that it really made me start questioning whether or not I want to even continue spending my time and energy reading (at best) mediocre retellings and reimaginings of classic myths. 😵‍💫

Now, this goes into where do we draw the line of what is the evolution of a myth/tale. Myths and tales like these are meant to be spread and reinterpreted by the teller and audience. But is it okay for someone to go completely off script and start adding things that are not a part of the original belief just because the teller feels like it works better for them? These are the kinds of questions that I had to deal with when reading Seeds and this book because while I can see where the authors have decided to try and add their own spin to the ancient tales and characters, it was so poorly done that I feel like they should’ve known it was going to be badly received. 😮‍💨

Now, do I like to want to solely throw the blame on them? No, it’s the publishing industry that I would like to primarily set it on. Greek mythology has come into a wonderful renaissance in modern day readers that are eager to step back into a mythology that feels so unlike what today’s world is. However, as we’ve seen with weird romances that badly set Greek gods in modern day settings and reorder the dynamics of the gods to fit their stories, why are we allowing an ancient mythology to be bastardized this way? Why are the authors who have done the time consuming research and even have degrees in this field overlooked and even rejected in favor of the authors that have done simple Google searches and happen to create “good prose?” Because in this case, I would take the book that took a decade to write than something that was slapped together within the span of a few months and then went through a few rounds of edits. Also, would we be okay if this happened to say a non-European culture and its mythology? No, we’d be up in arms crying foul (and I’ve seen this happen especially with Hindu retellings that are stunningly and respectfully done), but because it’s a European mythology, it’s in the public domain and free game. Okay double standards. 🙄

But really though, this book had me SEETHING while reading it. I will never claim to be an expert in Greek mythology and count myself as a ordinary enthusiast, but the way in which this story was executed was not only cringeworthy, but had my academic heart wanting to off itself because of the lack of clear research that was done in preparation for this. I can see why the synopsis was so vague because my god I wouldn’t have gone near this if I had a better idea of what was going to happen in this plot. 😡

The points that just left me speechless with literal rage are as follows in the bullet points because this is going to be the only way in which I can get my thoughts out coherently.

• It is heavily known that the island of Naxos holds a special place in Dionysus's heart and thus why the island still to this day holds festivals for him. And while yes Apollo and Demeter have beautiful temples on the island to showcase how they were revered there, making Demeter out to be the patron goddess of the island just doesn't make sense to me. Not is it not really specified WHY she holds such great influence over these particular islanders in the story, but having the Maenads as an outcast society simply because they are associated with Dionysus just leaves me infuriated for no other reason.
• WHY ARE WE STILL USING HUMAN SACRIFICES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY "RETELLINGS" AS SOMETHING THAT WAS AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE????" Jesus f**king Christ, like it's WELL KNOWN that human sacrifices were seen as barbaric even during the period of the FREAKING ILIAD. God, get it f**king right.
• Apollo as the patron god of Athens. . . . APOLLO AS THE F-ING PATRON GOD OF ATHENS. . . . How. Did. You. Get. It. So. WRONG?!! And the best part is that Webb tries to fix this by stating not even five pages later that it's actually Athena who's the patron goddess, but girl. . . You literally had Danae questioning why there were so many statues of Athena in the city because it's Apollo's town. Get the f**k out of here with that bullshit.
• Speaking of that miserable character, there's literally no redeeming quality to Danae. She's brash, quick to anger, doesn't really think things through, and doesn't really go through any character development other than complain. And the side characters like her family, Manto (this really hurts because Webb could've done something amazing for a nonbinary character in Greek mythology but didn't), and the others? Yea, they're just there to push Danae further into the story. Nothing else needs to be known about them other than “character development” points.
• On another note, I feel like this book queer baits you. It's being marketed as a chaotic bisexual who is kickass and is the heart of a prophecy. In reality, Danae is incredibly inept at just about everything, attracted to Hylas and Heracles (WHY ARE THESE TWO NOT LOVERS?!), sleeps with the latter, and is only really considered a bisexual character because she comments on one woman's sagging tits and happens to have a lot of eye-f**king with Atalanta WHICH WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY IN MY OPINION!!! GIVE ME MY LESBIAN ATALANTA!!!!
• The decision to make the women of Lemnos into the lotus eaters, while it could've been done well, was just horribly executed. For one, the decision to make Lemnos, AN ACTUAL F**KING ISLAND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, something like a magical island that isn't on any map makes literally no sense, and also making it out to be a jungle full of darker skinned women just screams hidden racism to me because of the way that they are made out to be barbarians by the Greeks. I THOUGHT WE WERE PAST THIS BULLSHIT!!!
• Also, how was there so much going on in the story and all I felt was like NOTHING was happening?? Like, the story doesn't really kick off until maybe 50% in, but even then. The first 30% of the book could've been a nice and simple prologue, but NOOOOOO: we gotta give the boring bitch a beginning in which to "sympathize" with.
• And the ending? . . . . SO SHE'S A TITAIN BUT GODS ARE JUST HUMANS WITH MAGICAL ABILITIES THAT HAVE MASTERED DEATH. MAKE THIS MAKE SENSE TO ME!!!!! Also, the entire time that Danae has her powers, it literally makes no sense because it's never really explained well; that and the fact that it took over 30% of the book for her to even get her powers in the first place. Like excuse me??? My last problem is WHY IS SHE CALLED THE LAST DAUGHTER?!! Who were the other daughters before her???
• And the crowning tip that is the shit pile of this book: Webb stating that Hera is the mother of all the children of Zeus. . . . THAT HERA IS THE LOVING AND CONCERNED MOTHER OF APOLLO, HERMES, AND ATHENA. . . . WHAT THE ACTUAL F**K?!?!?

Okay, I think I got what I needed to out of my system, but seriously though, this book just BOGGLED MY MIND, and not in a good way.

The only way that I can recommend this to any reader is if they have the smidgen of understanding in Greek mythology (and when I say this, I really mean, just ONLY know the names of the 12 Olympians and Persephone) or really don’t care that the mythology is horrifically skewed. If you are either of these kinds of people, you might enjoy this book and this is in no way an attack on you because I wish I could be that kind of reader. 😭

Thank you goes out to MIRA and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. I really do wish I could say something a little nicer about this book. 💔

Publication date: January 14

Overall: 1.5/5⭐️

[BookGirlAngie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a lot of potential. A plot involving Greek myths will always draw me in and I do so enjoy one that sticks closer to the true tales from Ancient Greece. However, the execution was lacking. I genuinely am intrigued by the story of Danae overthrowing the gods that rightfully deserve it and would love to give it another go after it’s completely finished and published.

The writing feels as if the author was attempting to mimic the style of other authors but couldn’t quite grasp it and ended up losing their own style in the process. There is a lot of telling and very little showing and the parts where showing was attempted felt rather forced.

I enjoy the way the plot shows contradictions in the beliefs of the gods and their abilities in so many ways. But overall, as it currently stands, too much of the writing felt forced and awkward, some parts too convenient and unbelievable even for fantasy standards.

Again, I feel this has so much potential. I feel it has the makings of being a hit and a five star read but it definitely would require a lot more work. But I had to dnf it for now.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked so fast, I genuinely couldn't put it down. I had no idea what the next twist or adventure would be and the slow unravelling of the truth kept me frantically turning pages.

It is an incredibly interesting and unique take on Greek mythology, featuring many of the names from popular stories but not as you know them. The take on the gods of Olympus is fascinating and I can't wait to see where it goes.

Perhaps most importantly, seeing as the story follows her journey, Danae is not annoying at all. She is naive at the start after being raised in a fairly sheltered environment but she quickly realises what she has to do to survive and doesn't get all mopey about it.

Usually I wish that books are standalones rather than being the start of a series, but the world created in Daughter of Chaos is so rich and the story is so captivating, I'm glad this is a series and I really can't wait to sink my teeth into the next installment.

[Maryna Skydarenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ну що сказати. В цілому не погано. Але
Це просто історія по грецькій міфології. Романтичної лінії немає. Була просто маленька інтрижка за зачиненими дверима. Чому на книзі позначка 18+ я не знаю. 4 з натяжкою, по суті це 3 зірки

[DianaRose · Rating 3 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

while i do enjoy greek/roman retellings, the genre is definitely oversaturated and needs to be a superstar in originality for me to truly be blown away.

i’ve got the gist of this book — our fmc is destined to destroy zeus, but danae went on such an odyssey that i forgot this was the original plot.

as for the alc, the narrator did a fine job!

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb is a an epic fantasy tale, it’s a well paced, fresh alternate version of some of the Greek Mythology tales I’ve grown to love. I found the action packed plot entertaining and enjoyed the characters and suspense. Fast paced at times and engaging!

The story follows our main character Danae a Fisherman’s daughter forced to flee from her home and survive a quest to forever set free mortals from the barbaric cruelty of the gods. Along the way Danae joins forces with the mighty demi-god Heracles and Atalanta, along with Jason from the Argo and his crew.

Our protagonist Danae’s destiny is at the centre of an ancient prophecy to liberate mankind from the gods and she will hunt them down…..although Danae has no clue about her power and what to do.

Woven into the plot are many well known characters from Greek mythology. The romance in the book is very minimal although there are a few sparks.

Overall a mighty impressive debut I throughly enjoyed.

I look forward to reading the next sequel and see where Danae’s journey goes.

Publication Date 21 January 2025
Publisher Imprint Michael Joseph

A huge thanks to the lovely team at Penguin Books Australia for a copy of the book.

[Mel Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

This book is exquisite.

I don’t usually fawn so much over a book and a 5 star from me really has to be earned. That said, this was the perfect escape for me, and I completely fell in love with it.

A Greek retelling doesn’t really cover it in my opinion, it is more of a Greek overhaul and it’s exactly what this genre was missing. I have plenty of experience with Greek history being a self proclaimed ancient history sponge, so I am always apprehensive when heading into fiction based in that world. I needn’t have worried.

What is exciting with this book is that A. S. Webb managed to create a world which is both faithful to myth and legend whilst also creating a narrative which reconstructs those myths in a satisfying, gripping and believable way. This is Ancient Greece in a whole other light and it is so refreshing.

World building is passionately done and is truly absorbing, descriptive sections are concise and clear without being tedious and overwhelming.

Characters are sturdy, relatable and engaging. Danae is everything you want in a heroine, a normal girl with a feisty flare. She deals with the testing situations in the book in a way that feels natural. Webb artfully avoids falling into the ‘look how normal she is, (ten page montage later) unbeatable warrior’ trap, which so many fantasy heroines lose all credibility in.

Romance in the book is dosed in small measures, it's sweetly navigated and the relationships between characters are natural and convincing.

The pacing in the majority of the book is pretty spot on, though I felt it was maybe a little too fast towards the end … having said that I did start reading faster (greedy for what happened next) so that may have been a me problem.

Around eighty percent through the book my book hangover was already fogging up the corners of my mind. I didn’t want to have to leave the world behind.

Suffice it to say I loved every part of this book, I am desperate for more and thank the author and the publisher for the privilege of reading an ARC.

You can get the book on 25/01/2025 and frankly if you are a fantasy/greek retelling fan you will seriously be missing out!

[Page_2_Pen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a glorious, deep, epic adventure with tons of Greek mythology creatively woven in! The spice level is .5 but it deserves all 5 stars for the world building, plot, and character development. The FMC learns to embrace her true self and her destiny, and finds a new family along the way. I loved this epic journey so much and can't wait to see this story continue, as it is the first in a trilogy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC, which I also read along with in a physical book copy, in exchange for my honest review.

[Kerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughter of Chaos is an absolutely action-packed greek mythology retelling that was blurbed and recommended by Saara El-Arifi which was all I needed to know prior to reading this.

Daughter of Chaos takes place in a world where mortals suffer under the tyranny of the Greek gods. Danae, a fisherman's daughter with mysterious powers, embarks on a perilous journey to uncover her destiny and fulfill an ancient prophecy of liberation from those gods. Joined by mythical hero Heracles and his crew, she battles monsters and divine forces, uncovering a truth that could reshape the fate of humanity.

I must make a disclaimer here that I do not typically read mythology retellings ( greek or otherwise) so I can NOT speak to the integrity of the retelling so take that into consideration in my review. This book is true adventure fantasy that maintains a breakneck pace as Danae traverses the world to find the source of her power. The fast paced plot MAY have at times been at the detriment of the character development, but honestly, especially for a debut novel, I was impressed.

The beginning of the story is absolutely BRUTAL (please check your trigger warnings because they are significant) and these characters are just continually put through it and I was fascinated by how they overcame obstacles. There is minor queer rep (sapphic characters, mm yearning, and nonbinary rep), although not as significant as I was hoping. I do love me a good grumpy lesiban bow and arrow wielding warrior like the story’s Atalanta, however the potential for romance between her and the FMC was squandered.

Especially for a debut novel I found this to be a highly entertaining read and I will likely move forward in the series, but I do hope that if the gods play a more predominant role in book two that their characters are more fleshed out because in the little we did see them in the story, they almost seemed like caricatures rather than full formed characters (The last line with Zues was a bit cringe...)

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishing and The Hive Influencer program for the opportunity to read Daughter of Chaos as a digital arc.

[Jolie Lennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to The Daughter Of Chaos in advance! The beginning of this book was a little slow but the pace eventually sped up when she meets Hercules and his warrior friends. I really enjoyed the adventures they went on and at times the main character. I didn’t like reckless choices she kept making but I could see her maturing more and more as the book went on! The ending has me very excited for book 2 and seeing what happens with her relationship with Hercules and seeing what the Gods will do next!
If you love Greek mythology and retellings then I think this book is for you!💕📚

[LadyAReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter of Chaos is one for those that love: Greek Mythology, Retellings, Morally Grey Characters, Action, Greek Tragedies, and of course Heroes of Old.

# Daughter of Chaos (The Dark Pantheon, #1)
# 4/29/2025 ~ 5/3/2025
# 5.0 / 5.0

[Ky (kys.bookish.adventures) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook review: I love mythology books so this was so up my alley and I was very hooked in the beginning! The main character is interesting, dynamic and relatable even though she was naive at times it was never annoying - I was immediately interested in the story. The world building was fantastic and such a unique take on Greek Mythology. The ending was a bit rushed and not what I expected but still really enjoyed. I thought the audio was done very well and enjoyed the narration.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley and The Hive for the ALC of Daughter of Chaos.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you MIRA and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m a big fan of Greek mythology and always appreciate different takes on it, but Daughter of Chaos fell flat for me. I have to praise Webb for the book’s strong start and the way she used mythology we know and made it something original and fresh. Though I struggled with liking the characters, I thought they all felt pretty realistic and their reactions and actions, while frustrating, made sense in context. I quite enjoyed the first third or so of the book, where Danae was living (and suffering) in her village and when her adventure started, but my interest started waning once she met figures from mythology we do know, like Heracles and Jason.

So much of the plot is driven by the search for truth, and for the most part I liked unraveling the secrets of the world with Danae. The final mystery and the way this ends is too goofy for me to tolerate, though. The beginning is genuinely strong if a touch slow, and I was very sure that this would be a slam dunk for me, so I’m a little sad that I ended up bouncing off of it very hard. For me, things went downhill once familiar names and faces started popping up (outside of the gods) and I thought the quality of writing ended up suffering a bit as well.

If you’re looking for something different that still utilizes Greek mythology, this will probably be something that interests you at least a little bit. The final twists aren’t interesting to me, but I think that’s more a matter of personal taste than execution, and while I didn’t like this I’m positive it will find its audience.

[Venetia Constantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader who avidly enjoys (in broadly equal measure) Greek mythology and SFF, DAUGHTER OF CHAOS was a dream reading experience.

It combines the stunning prose, rich imagery, historical immersion, and poignant feminist slant of recent Classical reimaginings by authors such as Jennifer Saint, Constanza
Casati and Natalie Haynes, with the pace, drama, intrigue, intricate magic systems, and compelling, diverse ensemble casts of recent female-led SFF releases by authors such as Samantha Shannon, Hannah Kaner and Saara El-Arifi.

Daughter of Chaos serves as a powerful reminder that Greek mythology is the prototype for epic fantasy - the two genres having much in common.

This is the world of Greek myths, only not quite as we know them. An alternate version of the well-loved tales, which pays respect to the source material (Easter eggs abound for the cognoscenti) but doesn’t baulk from offering an entirely fresh riff on them.

Danae is a complex, nuanced protagonist and also infinitely relatable as she journeys towards self-discovery and self-acceptance in the course of the novel. The supporting cast are equally interesting and well-drawn. I enjoyed the sprinkling of romance in the latter stages of the book and am intrigued to see how this develops across the series. The novel touches upon some heavier themes (including SA, shame culture and grief) and I felt the author handled these with delicacy and integrity. My attention was held throughout and I can’t wait to see where A.S. Webb takes the rest of the trilogy.

Definitely one to watch in 2025 🌟

[Amanda Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter of Chaos is the first book in The Dark Pantheon Trilogy and it’s basically a fantasy set during Greek mythology. I honestly loved it so much!

The book begins with a flash forward that reveals several plot points and alludes to a major event in our main character, Danae’s, past. Chapter 1 begins 3 years before the flash forward and I was almost certain I knew what was going to happen but I had no idea how or when. So the first part of the book was like watching a train wreck in slow motion I kept thinking “this is it” but it wasn’t “it” yet. Things go from ok to bad to worse to even worse and the “event” still hadn’t happened. When it finally did it was more terrible than I imagined and I found myself wondering when Danae was going to catch a break. She did not, in fact, catch a break for quite some time and even when she did it was a complicated victory.

Her progress is pretty realistic and although I found the beginning a bit slow, once things started happening they didn’t stop. There were a number of plot twists, several I was shocked by and some that were foreshadowed. When we finally reached the end I wasn’t shocked by the “reveal” but I was shocked by almost everything else that took place during the scene.

This is one of those books that I finished and immediately (literally immediately) wanted to read it again so that I could interpret it with my new knowledge. I can’t wait to read book 2 in this trilogy!


Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Becca Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. This was an excellent book and is completely different to other Greek mythology retellings. I loved that the author takes characters we know and place names we recognise and does something new with them. Throughout the book we get enough answers but where enough questions remain for the continuation of the series and ends in a really interesting place. The tension in this book builds and builds and by the end you are left wanting all of the answers. I will definitely be looking out for the next instalment in the series to find out what happens.

I really loved the writing style of this author and the world and characters that were created. Although it strays from Greek mythology into fantasy it’s completely believable that the story is just another part of Greek mythology. The characters we know are blended so effortlessly with the characters we don’t and all of them are so engaging and enjoyable.

I would say that the beginning of the book seems a little disjointed from the rest and was a bit slower but it was totally worth reading. I would also have liked some more answers to what happens in the beginning of the story however this may be something we find out later in the series.

This is definitely worth reading for those who enjoy Greek mythology and who are looking for an author that does something different with the characters and stories we hear so often.

[Ashley Mural · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC

In Ancient Greece, Danae our mortal FMC, is a fisherman’s daughter whom was forced to run away to learn and fulfill a prophecy after a tragic event happened to her family. This takes place during the Greek Pantheon when the Gods ruled every thing in their day to day lives. I’m a sucker for Greek mythology and this was a great overhaul.

This was a well written book that was high stakes and fast paced. Feels like I’ve read 3 books with how much is packed in. The way the author describes the world was beautiful in an easy to understand way and was appropriate for the time. For example:
“The further she traveled from Naxos, the more she felt herself crumbling away, like the stones of the sea buried-temple eroded by the tide”

Tiniest spoonful of romance included that was a bit surprising

Really hoping the FMC can catch a break in the next one 😅

Side characters were well developed and a certain non-binary one I wanted more of 😭

Excited for book 2, as it will be exploring my favorite Greek mythology story and God. This series will be a trilogy.

Hope a map will be included in the published book

"𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒. 𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑"

Pub date 1/16/25 add this to your TBR!

[Kaavya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. This was an incredible read. I love the world building so much, this is such a fresh and interesting take on Greek Mythology. It took me a couple chapters to get into the story, but once I was invested, it was such a fast and action packed read. I really like the way it started, the set up really helped me connect with Danae's character, I also loved the journey she took, the different places she visited, and the fights she got into. I loved the references to familiar myths from Greek mythology. The stakes and tension were so high, I was constantly wondering whether Danae would get away with what she was doing. That ending was full of revelations and reveals, I love how little clues were scattered throughout the book and how it all tied together so well with the ending. I desperately need the next book. I can't wait to read the rest of this series, I so want to see the aftermath and impact from Danae's actions in book 1. I loved reading this. Also the cover is so pretty.

[Dee Hancocks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daughter of Chaos is an impressive debut.
Greek mythology is reimagined in a unique and fun way. I loved the depiction of the characters, the chaos, feminine rage and the mystery of prophecy. This was a YA Kaos (Netflix show - sadly cancelled after the first season), which is dark, funny and gritty.
I did find the pacing a little inconsistent, there were definitely points I was flying through and immersed fully but then others I wasn’t really connected. The main character is the most fleshed out with everyone else very much a side character. Towards the end there is a hint of a sapphic romance that had some tender moments and you see more of this side character, which I liked.
Overall an enjoyable and fresh take on Greek myth full of adventure. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

[Lanie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danae is a simple fisherman's daughter, living on the island of Naxos her biggest concern currently is her sister's obnoxious fiancé and getting through the Thesmorphia. Fortunately for Danea, that isn't too much of worry, Athena's priestesses never choose loud girls like Danae, and with her sister engaged, she can't be chosen. Besides, hopefully, there won't be a need for a sacrifice this year. Just as everything is getting started, though all hell breaks loose, the Maneads, a group of outcast women attack disrupting the Thesmorphia, and in the process, Danea's sister goes missing Little does Danea know that this attack will mark the beginning of Danea's destiny. She is the Last daughter and the one prophesied to destroy the gods.

I received this in my Caffeine and Legends book box, and I am so glad I did. I'm not a fan of Greek Mythology at all so this probably never would have come across my radar which would have totally sucked because this is *exactly* the type of book on Greek Mythology I do read. Taking out the gods. Webb has written an awesome hero's journey here full of monsters, legends, and magic with the hero's entire purpose to be to kill the gods.

The pacing, world building, and all of that was excellent. Webb build up to Danea's discovery of her destiny is methodical and devastating. The first portion of this book may seem slow, but it is necessary to understand how quickly Danea embraces her role in the world as the Last Daughter. The gods have given her zero reason to love them, and they've proven it and continue to prove it throughout the book, which means Danea, rarely, if ever, deviates from her path. I found this to be wonderful because as the book goes on, we discover that the gods are just a bunch of power-hungry, egotistical assholes who need humanity far more than humanity needs them.

What I liked the most about this though is as we find out that basically the entire world Danea has grown up in is one giant lie the door does open for Danea to actually take the same path that the gods did. And while I don't see that happening, that fact that *it* could be something that Danea may have to struggle with in future books is interesting. Especially since she's kind of a morally gray character herself. With the way this ended, it kicks that door wide open. So, I am extremely interested to see how she deals with whatever she discovers in the Underworld.

Highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a good hero's quest, but especially for anyone like me who can't stand Greek myths. Webb truly turns them on their head.

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Gifted by penguin

Daughter of Chaos is set in Ancient Greece where people are subject to the whims and tyranny of the Gods and Goddesses. Danae flees her home in fear of her life after tragedy hits her family and she develops inhuman powers she can’t explain. What starts as a quest to seek answers from the Oracle about the things she can do, takes Danae to places she never could have imagined. She has to fight for her life (more than once) and allow herself to open up to people again as she becomes part of Heracles’ crew.

Obviously anytime Greek Mythology is involved, I’m in. I really loved this book in particular because it takes all the things I love about this niche (prophecies, blasphemy, vengeance) and weaves them into a great fantasy story that doesn’t necessarily rely on the Gods to get by. What I mean by that is yes obviously they are essential to the story but I think if you took the Greek Mythology out with a small rewrite, you’d still have a really compelling fantasy! Danae as a main character is very likeable and you can’t help but root for her. I was very empathetic towards her and this book had me feeling all types of stressed on her behalf. Her backstory which takes up the first chunk of the book was actually my favourite part, her family experiences something traumatic and she ends up having to leave them as much it breaks her heart. Bonus: I loved the way Heracles was written in this book! He’s a character that is hit or miss for me depending on the retelling, and I really enjoyed this version.

The biggest selling point for this book is undoubtedly the PACING! This book is absolutely breakneck (which again is something I expect from Greek Mythology) and there’s probably enough plot in this book to be stretched out between two books (but I’m glad it wasn’t because then I’d have to wait). If you enjoy fantasy but you struggle with long stretches where little happens, I think you’d eat this up. I feel like if you blinked and skipped a page you could very well end up on a new island with 5 new characters. 🤣

This is the first in a new series and I’m really excited to see what happens next.

[Carl (Hiatus. IBB in Jan) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big nerd when it comes to Greek mythology. Therefore, Daughter of Chaos by A. S. Webb seemed like a safe and interesting choice. Unfortunately, this attempt to reimagine Greek mythology as an epic fantasy fell short. The book revolves around Danae, a fisherman's daughter, and her quest to "cure a curse" after she had eaten a golden apple (a clear link to Aphrodite). The narrative starts strongly with a chilling glimpse into her future, effectively setting the stage for the story.

Shortly after the first chapter, Webb rewinds and describes Danae's close bond with her sister and her parents' life on the island of Naxos. Shortly after, Danae has to escape from her hometown and goes to the oracle of Delphi where she finds a mysterious group – trigger warning if you like Greek mythos. Much happens, but somehow the narrative feels stilled and gets lost in the mundane details of daily life and unnecessary/shallow dialogues. There are important themes imbued in this "adaptation"(?) such as sexual assault, the role of religion, feminism, and the exploration of sexuality. However, the themes are quietly mentioned, which lacks the punch it needs to make the story thought-provoking.

With that said, I suspect Webb wrote this book with the themes in mind and pushed it to Greek mythology due to the recent trend in "feminist retellings." This book didn't feel Greek at all. There are many basic mistakes, such as calling Athene patron of Athens instead of Apollo and Apollo the God of the sun instead of Helios. Nothing felt Greek – not the society, not the gods, not the story itself. The character development is superficial and inconsistent. I found Danae's relationship with her mother rather annoying, and at 16 years old, Danae is very childish and innocent. There are too many name-drops of mythological figures that do not add to the story. Here, Ariadne is a Maenad… please, don't. The most mythos disinformation was the banalisation of human sacrifices. Demeter is not happy? Ruin all their crops and demand a human sacrifice. What?

Overall, this book contains too many flaws to recommend, and I cannot say to whom this is aimed. Greek mythology fans will not enjoy this book, and it has too many historical mistakes to be based on Greek mythology.

[Jess (library.of.jess) · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨3.75 stars ✨

’This is only the beginning. You cannot hide from your destiny.’

This was so interesting from start to finish.

To begin, I would like to thank Penguin Michael Joseph for this advanced reader copy. Here is my honest review.

This book was so well thought out. Each word expanded the stories plot and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I have always loved greek mythology so this was right up my alley. I really enjoyed how the author went about this story and found it so unique.

One thing I enjoyed about this is the plot line. The continuous idea of fate and destiny being a major thing for the main character. Along with her new mysterious power the author really made me not want to put this book down.

This was slow paced and I do think that it may have benefited from being more medium paced to amplify the urgency of the main characters mission. In saying that, I do think that the pacing was done well. It did feel like slowly over time the character was understanding the new power and finding out more of the mystery of the books prophecy.

I am definitely intrigued to see what will happen next after the epilogue and the new truths being told.

Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🩶

[Adreanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb is the perfect epitome of what an epic fantasy should be. Set in ancient Greece this novel is booming with fantastic world building, likeable characters and a plot that will keep you on your toes.

Webb has an amazing talent for weaving a story that ties into the Greek mythology we all know and love while still making Danae's, our FMC, journey well paced and extremely interesting! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek mythology, epic adventures, or hidden identity tropes.

As a side note, there is very little romance in the book and only takes place in the last 3rd of the book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing the eARC.