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Δάιος: A Call Me Icarus Novel
A queer and anti-establishment retelling of the fall of Icarus.
The Elysians are here to protect us. They uphold order, they keep citizens safe… unless you are their kid. When you are the child of an Elysian you get to see what they are truly like. You get to see their fears, their anger, their hatred. You get to be subjected to their wants and whims. Most importantly, you get to be trained by the ‘best of the best’ to become an Elysian yourself. At least that’s what we were told. We weren’t told what that training would cost us. What it would do to our bodies and our minds. How it would make us into what the Elysians really are, mindless abominations.
These monsters are in every corner of our society. They are heralded as Gods among men, but not for long. I am doing everything in my power to show who they really are behind their masks. Soon, everyone will see these nasty creatures for what they are…
Δάιος is a tragedy following Icarus as he takes a look behind the curtain of the Elysian Program and sees the disgusting framework that he was disillusioned to. Now the only thing on his mind is bringing down the program and the entire ATLAS corporation. Will he be able to when the world seems set against him?
Content Warnings: Immolation, Child Abuse, Death, Hallucinations (both visual and auditory), Violence, Gore, Slut Shaming
The Elysians are here to protect us. They uphold order, they keep citizens safe… unless you are their kid. When you are the child of an Elysian you get to see what they are truly like. You get to see their fears, their anger, their hatred. You get to be subjected to their wants and whims. Most importantly, you get to be trained by the ‘best of the best’ to become an Elysian yourself. At least that’s what we were told. We weren’t told what that training would cost us. What it would do to our bodies and our minds. How it would make us into what the Elysians really are, mindless abominations.
These monsters are in every corner of our society. They are heralded as Gods among men, but not for long. I am doing everything in my power to show who they really are behind their masks. Soon, everyone will see these nasty creatures for what they are…
Δάιος is a tragedy following Icarus as he takes a look behind the curtain of the Elysian Program and sees the disgusting framework that he was disillusioned to. Now the only thing on his mind is bringing down the program and the entire ATLAS corporation. Will he be able to when the world seems set against him?
Content Warnings: Immolation, Child Abuse, Death, Hallucinations (both visual and auditory), Violence, Gore, Slut Shaming
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2023
26 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Andromeda Ruins
6 books32 followersAndromeda is a queer author from a small town in the Midwest. He recently graduated his undergrad program with a Classics major and loves to take the themes and stories he learns about and adapt them to the modern day.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 28, 2024
To start, this is a self-published book and I do think it's really cool that the author was able to achieve something like that. However, Δάιος reads as exactly that: a self-published book.
I do believe that this book could've benefitted from a few more rounds of editing. The pacing is all over the place, so much so that time feels inconsequential. Outside of the standard grammatical errors (there were many), there were a lot of clunky paragraph/sentences and incorrect uses of dialogue indentation; all of which made it extremely hard to follow along, as the clunkiness of the paragraphs would pull me out of the experience, or in other situations, I would not be aware of whose talking due to the way dialogue was formatted. To add onto that, every character spoke with the same dialect so that only made it more difficult; everyone called Achilles "kid", more than one character calls Icarus "kiddo", "my guy", and so forth. There was no uniqueness the way these characters speak, they all sound the same.
Before I go further into this review, I would like to acknowledge the aspects of this book that I actually liked. This book is queer, very queer, and as a queer myself, I REALLY enjoyed that the characters just... Existed. It is really important in the media today that the existence of LGBTQ+ people is normalized; this book did a great job at normalizing these aspects of a character's identity. Icarus is trans, and it isn't the characters entire identity. He has a life (and trauma) outside of his transness and I really enjoy the fact that the author didn't capitalize on this; it felt like it was simply "hes trans, but that's not all that he is" and we moved on, and I genuinely loved that. It's the same for Andromeda, their non-binary identity was never questioned or doubted; the same could be said about Achilles and Patroclus' pre-established relationship. The queerness of these characters were never shamed, they simply existed, and I truly think that is the best way to normalize LGBTQ+ culture, especially in the world that we live in now. The representation of neurodivergency, sign language, and autism was refreshing. I genuinely believe that this aspect of the story is what kept it from dropping down to a single star review.
I really wanted to like this book. I truly did, the concept was incredibly interesting and I felt the chosen set of characters were solid. It had potential, but it was poorly executed. This book didn't know what it wanted to be. It claims to be a "retelling of the fall of Icarus", but also makes it clear that Icarus is aware of the myth he is named after and makes an oath to himself to not end up dead like the figure from Greek myth.
This theme is also shown in the way Andromeda, when asked if that was truly their name, states simply "that's what they told me" (page 85), which suggests that ATLAS named their students (victims? Trainees? Volunteers? It's hard to say what they truly were, it's not explained) after works of greek myth. This would have made for an amazing concept, if the idea was actually implemented. The author couldn't decide if these characters are the ones from myth, or simply named after them. After all, the characters look, act, and naturally associate with other figures of their myth; with the first example being Icarus and his father, Daedalus, and then the romantic attraction between Achilles and Patroclus. However, there's an excerpt explaining that Achilles was dropped off at ATLAS by his Elysian mother, and if referred to the myth, Achilles's mother was not human.
To add, Apollon was described to be a "God of a man" (page 164) one moment, but within the next few chapters, the same character was described with "warm tan of Apollon's skin and... His blemishes—reminders that he, too, is human" (page 199), and then later, when the two are close to having sex (right after Apollon accused Icarus of sleeping with Achilles, someone they've been calling a kid from the start, so they're doing this while Achilles is in the other area crying at the accusation, but I digress), Apollon's actions are then described as "every piece of skin that he touched burns, as if the sun itself we're tracing its fingers over him. And maybe it was, maybe the man—no, the God—in front of him was the sun and Icarus had flown too close to his heat" (page 222), followed by "the first thing Icarus sees when he opens his eyes is the God [Apollon] standing before him" (page 254), which only furthers the weird divide between myth and character. That's not even touching the weird rabbit-hole of their lustful relationshop and how those forced kiss and close-call sex/teasing scenes feel more like assault than anything else. Nothing is done about that, it is not brought up again, and Apollon is never held accountable.
I would understand if the characters were just human adaptations, but the fact that they're aware of the actual Greek Myths—and continuous switching between being a standard human being versus embodying that myth—makes everything more confusing, even more so when it wasn't explained in the slightest.
This level of inconsistency is everywhere; in the plot, the characters, and the world building. The story tells itself in a way that suggests the reader should know everything already, which is virtually impossible as this is a retelling with completely different elements, accompanied by a different world and plot than their respective legend. However, I will give credit to where it's due and recognize that this is only the first book in what seems to be a series. Some information could have been left out for the sake of storytelling, but it feels like there was too much left out for the first book. Half way through and I still don't understand a lot of what's going on outside of "Elysians are bad", or why some of these characters are acting this way, or how these characters are affording two bedroom apartments without an income. It was at this half way point that we are finally told what happened to Earth, but it spanned maybe a few sentences and was never brought up or expanded upon again. We also don't know what happens to the Elysians in the process of becoming "heroes", just that they adopt this weird purple color and descend into monstery.
To add onto that, the author seemed to forget a lot of their own setting. For example, it is explained in chapter two that the rooftop of Icarus's old apartment complex lacks a fencing around the barrier, stating that that's the best part about the building. However, on page 154, Icarus returns to that same rooftop and "slots his legs through the guard rail and sits himself down on the edge of the roof". Additionally, when in enemy territory, Icarus gets hit with a mace-wielding monster under the name of Sisyphus; he proceeds to suffer a huge fall on the run home that is hinted to crack a rib, injuring himself to the point where he couldn't stand and had to be carried home. The following day, none of these injuries are brought up again. All Icarus feels is a little soreness in his bones, and he's so okay in fact that he goes to the roof to dance and stretch his muscles. This can be called back to what I mentioned about the pacing being all over the place; I had no clue how long time/days passed between events outside of them sleeping.
The author has also tried to set Icarus up to be a prodigy, the "best of the best in the Elysian Program... Born and bred to be number one" (page 236). However, Icarus has done nothing to support this statement. The entirety of the story, Icarus is either rendered immobile or being babysat by every other character. We never see him own up to this title, or give physical hints throughout the story about how strong and capable he is, all that we know is he owns a set of blades that we never see him use. It isn't until he kills Sisyphus more than half way through the story that we see he has potential, but I wish we would have seen more of Icarus's fighting technique. All we read is him getting hit with a mace and disarming Sisyphus, but we don't know how he does so, just that he does, to which he gains the upper hand, and kills the monster.
The only time we get to see Icarus actually fight was against his brother at the end of the story, and it was with a metal baseball bat, which he immediately loses the weapon, and then the fight all together (they were successful in the plan, I'll give them that), so the idea that Icarus is a powerful opponent is not convincing. The injuries he suffered at the end might have been more impactful if he didn't spend the entire book obtaining injuries, or being cared for.
While the book is centered around Icarus and told from his perspective, I feel like we, as readers, never got to see other characters flesh themselves out in favor of looking at Icarus. I would have liked to know more about Andromeda and why they responded in the way that they did towards the crow (which was described as bigger than a raven, which is simply incorrect), and I'm hoping their character is more explored in the following book. The author attempted to hype up other characters, like "the artist" (that's all he was called for a good chunk) for example, but once the name-drop happened, it felt melodramatic and, once again, inconsequential. Nothing these characters did really felt like it had a purpose. There was no exciting lead-up to this character, making the reveal of his name feel flat and pointless.
This kind of approach makes everyone feel one dimension. None of these characters have reoccurring habits that would make them unique, outside of the sudden internal schizophrenic-esque episodes Icarus started experiencing after he killed Sisyphus. Icarus's brother has no weight in the story outside of the one encounter they have. /Everything/ feels flat and pointless.
The ending definitely left the bricks for a second book, however, and I'm hoping that Icarus will have fun in his venture of vengeance. I will not be joining him on that journey.
I do believe that this book could've benefitted from a few more rounds of editing. The pacing is all over the place, so much so that time feels inconsequential. Outside of the standard grammatical errors (there were many), there were a lot of clunky paragraph/sentences and incorrect uses of dialogue indentation; all of which made it extremely hard to follow along, as the clunkiness of the paragraphs would pull me out of the experience, or in other situations, I would not be aware of whose talking due to the way dialogue was formatted. To add onto that, every character spoke with the same dialect so that only made it more difficult; everyone called Achilles "kid", more than one character calls Icarus "kiddo", "my guy", and so forth. There was no uniqueness the way these characters speak, they all sound the same.
Before I go further into this review, I would like to acknowledge the aspects of this book that I actually liked. This book is queer, very queer, and as a queer myself, I REALLY enjoyed that the characters just... Existed. It is really important in the media today that the existence of LGBTQ+ people is normalized; this book did a great job at normalizing these aspects of a character's identity. Icarus is trans, and it isn't the characters entire identity. He has a life (and trauma) outside of his transness and I really enjoy the fact that the author didn't capitalize on this; it felt like it was simply "hes trans, but that's not all that he is" and we moved on, and I genuinely loved that. It's the same for Andromeda, their non-binary identity was never questioned or doubted; the same could be said about Achilles and Patroclus' pre-established relationship. The queerness of these characters were never shamed, they simply existed, and I truly think that is the best way to normalize LGBTQ+ culture, especially in the world that we live in now. The representation of neurodivergency, sign language, and autism was refreshing. I genuinely believe that this aspect of the story is what kept it from dropping down to a single star review.
I really wanted to like this book. I truly did, the concept was incredibly interesting and I felt the chosen set of characters were solid. It had potential, but it was poorly executed. This book didn't know what it wanted to be. It claims to be a "retelling of the fall of Icarus", but also makes it clear that Icarus is aware of the myth he is named after and makes an oath to himself to not end up dead like the figure from Greek myth.
This theme is also shown in the way Andromeda, when asked if that was truly their name, states simply "that's what they told me" (page 85), which suggests that ATLAS named their students (victims? Trainees? Volunteers? It's hard to say what they truly were, it's not explained) after works of greek myth. This would have made for an amazing concept, if the idea was actually implemented. The author couldn't decide if these characters are the ones from myth, or simply named after them. After all, the characters look, act, and naturally associate with other figures of their myth; with the first example being Icarus and his father, Daedalus, and then the romantic attraction between Achilles and Patroclus. However, there's an excerpt explaining that Achilles was dropped off at ATLAS by his Elysian mother, and if referred to the myth, Achilles's mother was not human.
To add, Apollon was described to be a "God of a man" (page 164) one moment, but within the next few chapters, the same character was described with "warm tan of Apollon's skin and... His blemishes—reminders that he, too, is human" (page 199), and then later, when the two are close to having sex (right after Apollon accused Icarus of sleeping with Achilles, someone they've been calling a kid from the start, so they're doing this while Achilles is in the other area crying at the accusation, but I digress), Apollon's actions are then described as "every piece of skin that he touched burns, as if the sun itself we're tracing its fingers over him. And maybe it was, maybe the man—no, the God—in front of him was the sun and Icarus had flown too close to his heat" (page 222), followed by "the first thing Icarus sees when he opens his eyes is the God [Apollon] standing before him" (page 254), which only furthers the weird divide between myth and character. That's not even touching the weird rabbit-hole of their lustful relationshop and how those forced kiss and close-call sex/teasing scenes feel more like assault than anything else. Nothing is done about that, it is not brought up again, and Apollon is never held accountable.
I would understand if the characters were just human adaptations, but the fact that they're aware of the actual Greek Myths—and continuous switching between being a standard human being versus embodying that myth—makes everything more confusing, even more so when it wasn't explained in the slightest.
This level of inconsistency is everywhere; in the plot, the characters, and the world building. The story tells itself in a way that suggests the reader should know everything already, which is virtually impossible as this is a retelling with completely different elements, accompanied by a different world and plot than their respective legend. However, I will give credit to where it's due and recognize that this is only the first book in what seems to be a series. Some information could have been left out for the sake of storytelling, but it feels like there was too much left out for the first book. Half way through and I still don't understand a lot of what's going on outside of "Elysians are bad", or why some of these characters are acting this way, or how these characters are affording two bedroom apartments without an income. It was at this half way point that we are finally told what happened to Earth, but it spanned maybe a few sentences and was never brought up or expanded upon again. We also don't know what happens to the Elysians in the process of becoming "heroes", just that they adopt this weird purple color and descend into monstery.
To add onto that, the author seemed to forget a lot of their own setting. For example, it is explained in chapter two that the rooftop of Icarus's old apartment complex lacks a fencing around the barrier, stating that that's the best part about the building. However, on page 154, Icarus returns to that same rooftop and "slots his legs through the guard rail and sits himself down on the edge of the roof". Additionally, when in enemy territory, Icarus gets hit with a mace-wielding monster under the name of Sisyphus; he proceeds to suffer a huge fall on the run home that is hinted to crack a rib, injuring himself to the point where he couldn't stand and had to be carried home. The following day, none of these injuries are brought up again. All Icarus feels is a little soreness in his bones, and he's so okay in fact that he goes to the roof to dance and stretch his muscles. This can be called back to what I mentioned about the pacing being all over the place; I had no clue how long time/days passed between events outside of them sleeping.
The author has also tried to set Icarus up to be a prodigy, the "best of the best in the Elysian Program... Born and bred to be number one" (page 236). However, Icarus has done nothing to support this statement. The entirety of the story, Icarus is either rendered immobile or being babysat by every other character. We never see him own up to this title, or give physical hints throughout the story about how strong and capable he is, all that we know is he owns a set of blades that we never see him use. It isn't until he kills Sisyphus more than half way through the story that we see he has potential, but I wish we would have seen more of Icarus's fighting technique. All we read is him getting hit with a mace and disarming Sisyphus, but we don't know how he does so, just that he does, to which he gains the upper hand, and kills the monster.
The only time we get to see Icarus actually fight was against his brother at the end of the story, and it was with a metal baseball bat, which he immediately loses the weapon, and then the fight all together (they were successful in the plan, I'll give them that), so the idea that Icarus is a powerful opponent is not convincing. The injuries he suffered at the end might have been more impactful if he didn't spend the entire book obtaining injuries, or being cared for.
While the book is centered around Icarus and told from his perspective, I feel like we, as readers, never got to see other characters flesh themselves out in favor of looking at Icarus. I would have liked to know more about Andromeda and why they responded in the way that they did towards the crow (which was described as bigger than a raven, which is simply incorrect), and I'm hoping their character is more explored in the following book. The author attempted to hype up other characters, like "the artist" (that's all he was called for a good chunk) for example, but once the name-drop happened, it felt melodramatic and, once again, inconsequential. Nothing these characters did really felt like it had a purpose. There was no exciting lead-up to this character, making the reveal of his name feel flat and pointless.
This kind of approach makes everyone feel one dimension. None of these characters have reoccurring habits that would make them unique, outside of the sudden internal schizophrenic-esque episodes Icarus started experiencing after he killed Sisyphus. Icarus's brother has no weight in the story outside of the one encounter they have. /Everything/ feels flat and pointless.
The ending definitely left the bricks for a second book, however, and I'm hoping that Icarus will have fun in his venture of vengeance. I will not be joining him on that journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2024
I want to start by acknowledging that this is a self-published book, so it should probably be held to a different standard than traditionally published ones. I'm going to do my best to uphold that thinking in this review.
First the positives. There is a lot of representation in this book. We have gay people, nonbinary people, binary trans people, and neurodivergency. Icarus himself is a queer autistic trans man (labels are not used too often in the book so I'm going by descriptions of the characters). As an autistic trans man myself I was pleasantly surprised by this, as it's hard to find trans books in general, and apart from a few authors even harder to find autistic trans ones.
I also really liked the concept of this book. It's a bunch of Greek mythology characters in a futuristic dystopian society. It moves away from the big gods like Zeus, and while I would never call the Icarus story a less well-known one, it's a good change of pace having different characters in the background.
However, I do think the story-telling could use work. As mentioned before it is self-published, but there are a lot of typos that were missed. Combined with the fact that this story happened over the course of a few days it appears, and complete strangers became family during that time, I do wonder at how much editing was done. A few people are acknowledged in the back so I assume there was some, but this book feels a lot like reading an earlier draft than a finished copy.
The characters are also aware of the Greek myths in this. It feels incredibly odd that they're familiar with the myths their names come from, yet every single one is acting out that myth without questioning it. Not to mention there is a character named Andromeda in this book, and while they use different pronouns in the book and are a Greek mythological figure, I do wonder at times how much of a self-insert they are given how fast their plot line moves.
Everyone in this book is also traumatized. Everyone. That can be good reading (I have enjoyed that in series past), however the only one whose trauma seems to matter is Icarus. Even the other characters, fresh from their own trauma, are guarding Icarus against his own, despite being the longest out. It makes it difficult to read at times as it feels like the other characters aren't getting to breathe in this story.
Finally, there are cases of abuse and what in another situation could be seen as rape or sexual assault. Icarus is the victim in all these situations. Perhaps it is not that bad as he is enjoying it, but no consent is given, it is just forced upon him, and the storyline treats it as okay.
This book has potential, and I am glad I read it. If the author sees this, I did in fact like this book. I do think there's the potential for growth, though, so I hope this author keeps writing this series, as I would like to see what it becomes.
First the positives. There is a lot of representation in this book. We have gay people, nonbinary people, binary trans people, and neurodivergency. Icarus himself is a queer autistic trans man (labels are not used too often in the book so I'm going by descriptions of the characters). As an autistic trans man myself I was pleasantly surprised by this, as it's hard to find trans books in general, and apart from a few authors even harder to find autistic trans ones.
I also really liked the concept of this book. It's a bunch of Greek mythology characters in a futuristic dystopian society. It moves away from the big gods like Zeus, and while I would never call the Icarus story a less well-known one, it's a good change of pace having different characters in the background.
However, I do think the story-telling could use work. As mentioned before it is self-published, but there are a lot of typos that were missed. Combined with the fact that this story happened over the course of a few days it appears, and complete strangers became family during that time, I do wonder at how much editing was done. A few people are acknowledged in the back so I assume there was some, but this book feels a lot like reading an earlier draft than a finished copy.
The characters are also aware of the Greek myths in this. It feels incredibly odd that they're familiar with the myths their names come from, yet every single one is acting out that myth without questioning it. Not to mention there is a character named Andromeda in this book, and while they use different pronouns in the book and are a Greek mythological figure, I do wonder at times how much of a self-insert they are given how fast their plot line moves.
Everyone in this book is also traumatized. Everyone. That can be good reading (I have enjoyed that in series past), however the only one whose trauma seems to matter is Icarus. Even the other characters, fresh from their own trauma, are guarding Icarus against his own, despite being the longest out. It makes it difficult to read at times as it feels like the other characters aren't getting to breathe in this story.
Finally, there are cases of abuse and what in another situation could be seen as rape or sexual assault. Icarus is the victim in all these situations. Perhaps it is not that bad as he is enjoying it, but no consent is given, it is just forced upon him, and the storyline treats it as okay.
This book has potential, and I am glad I read it. If the author sees this, I did in fact like this book. I do think there's the potential for growth, though, so I hope this author keeps writing this series, as I would like to see what it becomes.
February 10, 2025
First off, I can tell that this book was made with a lot of love, especially for the queer community, and it's great to see trans rep that doesn't entirely focus on the character being trans.
But in terms of a story, it was very disappointing and frustrating to read.
The pacing was everywhere. The entire book takes place within a week? I think? It's very hard to tell, to be honest, but with the great pains the author takes to writing characters waking up, it seems like a week, which makes things very unbelievable.
For example, am I seriously meant to believe that Icarus, who has been "abandoned" by the person he loves the most and has been on the run for the past 10 years to suddenly trust a complete stranger confidential information on their second meeting (the cafe scene)?
And am I seriously meant to believe that breaking into the academy, "the most secure" place in this setting, and rescuing Achilles, The Aristos Achaion, who is detrimental to the Elysians, took maybe a couple hours from planning to execution? It was so easy. It was a non problem. Achilles could've broken himself out. Which completely destroys the conflict between Icarus and Apollon since I kept thinking, why didn't Icarus just break Apollon out?
With the characters, it felt like the author wanted to do too many things for some of them and had no plans for others. Thanatos felt like a waste, that he was only there for name alone. Dimetor as well. It felt like the author just liked Dionysus and wanted to put him in there just because. Him, Thanatos, and Alkibiades could've been the same informant character and nothing would have changed.
And Icarus! Icarus felt so contradictory! He has this reputation of being the best of the best, born and bred to be number one, when he has the survival instinct of a baby. Someone breaks into his apartment, leaving letters, and he goes to sleep? He's on the run from ATLAS and the Elysian Program, and he tries to get a government assigned ID? The run-down aquarium is pristine on the inside, but oh yeah, the weird part is the dilapidated tunnel?
The care it took to write about PTSD and anxiety was incredible, but the symptoms Icarus has felt antithetical to what the author was trying to portray Icarus as. He could have been hypervigilent, he could have had anger issues, he could have had intrusive memories (which would have been great to know more about what actually happens in the academy!). But, no, he was just babied the entire time by everyone.
People just kept making dumb decision after dumb decision, and I still don't know what the point of the Elysians are!
But in terms of a story, it was very disappointing and frustrating to read.
The pacing was everywhere. The entire book takes place within a week? I think? It's very hard to tell, to be honest, but with the great pains the author takes to writing characters waking up, it seems like a week, which makes things very unbelievable.
For example, am I seriously meant to believe that Icarus, who has been "abandoned" by the person he loves the most and has been on the run for the past 10 years to suddenly trust a complete stranger confidential information on their second meeting (the cafe scene)?
And am I seriously meant to believe that breaking into the academy, "the most secure" place in this setting, and rescuing Achilles, The Aristos Achaion, who is detrimental to the Elysians, took maybe a couple hours from planning to execution? It was so easy. It was a non problem. Achilles could've broken himself out. Which completely destroys the conflict between Icarus and Apollon since I kept thinking, why didn't Icarus just break Apollon out?
With the characters, it felt like the author wanted to do too many things for some of them and had no plans for others. Thanatos felt like a waste, that he was only there for name alone. Dimetor as well. It felt like the author just liked Dionysus and wanted to put him in there just because. Him, Thanatos, and Alkibiades could've been the same informant character and nothing would have changed.
And Icarus! Icarus felt so contradictory! He has this reputation of being the best of the best, born and bred to be number one, when he has the survival instinct of a baby. Someone breaks into his apartment, leaving letters, and he goes to sleep? He's on the run from ATLAS and the Elysian Program, and he tries to get a government assigned ID? The run-down aquarium is pristine on the inside, but oh yeah, the weird part is the dilapidated tunnel?
The care it took to write about PTSD and anxiety was incredible, but the symptoms Icarus has felt antithetical to what the author was trying to portray Icarus as. He could have been hypervigilent, he could have had anger issues, he could have had intrusive memories (which would have been great to know more about what actually happens in the academy!). But, no, he was just babied the entire time by everyone.
People just kept making dumb decision after dumb decision, and I still don't know what the point of the Elysians are!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 4, 2024I thought I would continue this book but my hold came in from the library and I could not bring myself to pick it back up. Literally just because of all the “my sunshine”
March 27, 2024
It is so refreshing to read a Greek mythology retelling that doesn’t revolve around the main Gods of Olympus. Icarus and the supporting characters are written in such an authentic way.
What makes Daios: Call Me Icarus the gem of the book it is, for me, is that I have NEVER read a book that has such raw and accurate representation of post traumatic stress and anxiety as Andromeda Ruins has beautifully written.
I look forward to the next book and the expansion of the fight against the Elysians and their corruption. Also to delve deeper into who and what Icarus is and the continued development of the complex relationships between characters.
What makes Daios: Call Me Icarus the gem of the book it is, for me, is that I have NEVER read a book that has such raw and accurate representation of post traumatic stress and anxiety as Andromeda Ruins has beautifully written.
I look forward to the next book and the expansion of the fight against the Elysians and their corruption. Also to delve deeper into who and what Icarus is and the continued development of the complex relationships between characters.
March 29, 2024
My Rating: 3.5
I'm confused. There are books where you don't really know what's going on and it's bad and there are some where it's good. This is neither? Like I get the main plot? But the world building? Don't know. The character motivations? Don't know. Why they are acting in certain ways? Don't know.
And I know the last chapter/epilogue thing is supposed to be confusing (I hope) but I just don't know.
But I did have a nice time reading so I'll be reading the next one, when it comes out.
I'm confused. There are books where you don't really know what's going on and it's bad and there are some where it's good. This is neither? Like I get the main plot? But the world building? Don't know. The character motivations? Don't know. Why they are acting in certain ways? Don't know.
And I know the last chapter/epilogue thing is supposed to be confusing (I hope) but I just don't know.
But I did have a nice time reading so I'll be reading the next one, when it comes out.
October 26, 2023
Someone (The Author) apparently decided to rip my heart out, throw it in a muddy lake, wring it like a wet towel, giving it a ride in the dryer and stomp on it before putting it back, covering it up with a tiny little band aid on top.
I was so excited about this book, and now I am heartbroken about the fact that I have to wait for the sequel.
In all seriousness. I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to see what Andromeda comes up with next.
I was so excited about this book, and now I am heartbroken about the fact that I have to wait for the sequel.
In all seriousness. I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to see what Andromeda comes up with next.
December 14, 2023
I adored this story! The charas felt so real and diverse. The creative take on Greek Mythos this story felt so unique and original. The world developed around them for these characters to play in is just rounded and whole. I physically gasped, yelled and had my jaw on the floor at times, and they are all the vibes we all want.
March 12, 2024
This was a great start to the Call Me Icarus series. It uses the mythology element perfectly and enjoyed the characters overall in this universe. It uses the tale perfectly and had all the elements that I was hoping for. I enjoyed the way Andromeda Ruins writes this and left me wanting more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 24, 2024
like 3 and a half but i am being nice and rounding it up to four. The worldbuilding was a bit of a mess and I was a little lost through the whole thing (i am so used to Apollo/Apollons being tall supermodels so him being shorter now made me giggle), but .. intrigued.
def want to read more of this.
Icarus needs a vacation.
def want to read more of this.
Icarus needs a vacation.
May 14, 2025
Given that this book is self-pulblished, I feel like it is very well written. There were many spots that I devoured the words not wanting to wait for what happens next. Other times I had to push myself through the pages. Beyond that, I enjoyed most of the character development, though what was going on with Icarus inside his own at the end is very confusing.
October 10, 2023
AAHHHHHHH!!!!!
(Proper review to follow soon!)
I recieved an ARC copy of this book in return for a fair review (thank you so much Andi!!! 😘)
The Elysians are meant to protect everyone.... or at least that's what people believe.... that's what Icarus believed, until he had to flee for his life from the Elysian Programme as a child. Now with the help of friends old and new Icarus is determined to bring down The Elysian Programme and the ATLAS corporation who run it.
This is a fantastic grim dark fantasy book that is action packed start to the trilogy, right from page one we are thrown into Icarus' life 10 years after his escape from The Elysian Programme. In that time he has been trying to move on with his life but he can never stop thinking about a certain sunshine who helped him escape all those years ago and when the opportunity to take down The Elysian Programme falls into his lap maybe their paths will cross once more.
Call Me Icarus is fast paced, action packed and hilarious making you want to cry and laugh in equal measure. Perfect for people who love anti establishment, queer found families and bickering as a form off affection.
I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters and i loved the relationships between them all and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next.
(Proper review to follow soon!)
I recieved an ARC copy of this book in return for a fair review (thank you so much Andi!!! 😘)
The Elysians are meant to protect everyone.... or at least that's what people believe.... that's what Icarus believed, until he had to flee for his life from the Elysian Programme as a child. Now with the help of friends old and new Icarus is determined to bring down The Elysian Programme and the ATLAS corporation who run it.
This is a fantastic grim dark fantasy book that is action packed start to the trilogy, right from page one we are thrown into Icarus' life 10 years after his escape from The Elysian Programme. In that time he has been trying to move on with his life but he can never stop thinking about a certain sunshine who helped him escape all those years ago and when the opportunity to take down The Elysian Programme falls into his lap maybe their paths will cross once more.
Call Me Icarus is fast paced, action packed and hilarious making you want to cry and laugh in equal measure. Perfect for people who love anti establishment, queer found families and bickering as a form off affection.
I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters and i loved the relationships between them all and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next.
March 23, 2024
I read this for the 2024 trans rights readathon. God or should I say gods it was absolutely beautiful. I love unique retellings and this book makes you instantly interested from page one. Im ready for the next one.
April 4, 2024
Not only is the plot intriguing, amd kept me on my toes, but the character development creates real people. I can't wait to see where this goes in the future.
December 15, 2025
DNF
This book needed several more rounds of editing.
I couldn't make it past the first chapter
This book needed several more rounds of editing.
I couldn't make it past the first chapter
August 3, 2025
this book is kind of a mess but I liked the characters and the way it used mythology more like a palette than a strict guide. the scene where everyone raids Icarus' wardrobe was extremely adorable
August 1, 2025
This book is a queer and neurodivergent retelling of the myth of Icarus. Been meaning to read this for a while and I do NOT REGRET it! It was a sad and riveting story! I can't wait to read the next one...whenever it comes out. This definitely could have done with many more rounds of edits, but I very much enjoyed it regardless!
July 22, 2025
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I met this author at Akron bookfest a few months ago and he was lovely! I really enjoy the world depicted in this book and love all the references to places in Cleveland as a native Ohioan myself. I can’t wait to see what he chooses to do with the rest of this series!
I met this author at Akron bookfest a few months ago and he was lovely! I really enjoy the world depicted in this book and love all the references to places in Cleveland as a native Ohioan myself. I can’t wait to see what he chooses to do with the rest of this series!
June 5, 2025
This was a modern dystopian retelling of a combination of Ancient Greek myths where the main character, Icarus, is a trans man. Has a lot of queer representation (mostly white) but was overall a mediocre read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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