Fall of Icarus: Epic retelling of Classic Greek myth

by H.M. Roberts

Deep in the labyrinth of Ancient Greek mythology, a new tale emerges, filled with intrigue, heartbreak and “The Fall of Icarus”. In this heartbreaking tale, the lives of father and son are revealed like never before. The famed Daedalus, inventor and genuis, mastermind of the labyrinth. His son, the ill-fated Icarus, who flew too close to the sun. But what is the truth behind these two characters? Discover the path of the father and the flight of the son.

Daedalus's story begins with a tragedy that forces him to flee his homeland and seek refuge in Knossos with the notorious King Minos. It is here that perhaps some of his most well-known and glorified inventions were created, but is being craftsman to the King quite the honour it is made out to be. Facing heartbreak, loss and a constant battle against his own morals, Daedalus is determined to keep his son safe at all costs.

Icarus however, feels injustice deeply and when the darkest truths of the palace of Knossos are revealed to him, he is determined to take a stand. Will this stand however, prove to be his downfall?

Explore the untold tale of father and son—The Fall of Icarus is a must read for Greek Mythology lovers.

Grab your copy today!

Previously published with a different cover. Content remains the same.

Genres: Mythology, Greek Mythology

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2024

About the author

Hayley Mitchell is Winner of Indies Today Best Poetry 2021 and Silver Recommended Read Literary Titan.

She started her writing career with children’s picture books, including Readers’ Favourite “My Healthy Foods Feelings alphabet” . Her children’s books are inspired and devoted to her three sons, her reason for writing and her reason she lacks time to write! She works part time as an Early Years Teacher and a private tutor and is also a trained Children’sYoga Instructor.

Because she felt life wasn’t busy enough Hayley decided to write poetry, releasing her debut novel in verse Breaking Birds in 2021.

When she is not reading, writing or playing with her boys, she enjoys yoga and chocolate (sometimes at the same time).

Reviews

[Gnomereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to begin with my thoughts for this book, I absolutely loved it. HM Roberts is a master when it comes to Greek mythology- her writing is superb and so beautiful. I love mythology retellings and each book that I’ve read from this author is just as stunning as the last. The stories are always reimagined in such a way that is achingly beautiful and haunting, but still holds true to the original stories. It’s a true gift and I am incredibly glad she has shared it with us. The Fall of Icarus is phenomenal and I am so glad to have this in my home collection to read many times over.

[Tiffany Saucier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovers of Greek mythology will absolutely fall (no pun intended) for this novel!

H.M. Roberts dazzles in this memorable retelling of the famous Greek mythological story of Daedalus and his son Icarus. The author breathes new life and new light to the well known mythological tale, but still manages to stay true to the original. I was in awe of the story and could not wait to see how it unfolded.

The characters had many redeeming qualities and excellent growth. She paints wonderful imagery of the settings around them including Daedalus’s workshop and the astute palace of King Minos. The writing was superb and the story flow was ever-flowing, coaxing the reader to continue through the story at breakneck pace to find out what happened next.

I loved The Fall of Icarus by H.M. Roberts and can’t wait to read more of her Greek retellings!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! Such a good retelling of the original myth. I loved the use of accurate terminology - it was well researched - as well as the writing, complexities of each character, and the way in which the author made the story their own! Keen to read the others :)

[Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way the story explored the dark secrets behind King Minos’ palace. It added depth and tension that made the tragedy of Icarus even more powerful. A great read for anyone who enjoys Greek mythology retold with emotion and humanity.

[Jayah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written, almost like poetry.

[嘉 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very impressed with this book, and I finished it in one go during the new year. I really enjoyed the background regarding Asterion, which is a new concept compared to the more popularized image of him that we see nowadays. The writing is so smooth and fluid, there's some sort of poetic rhythm to it. I even caught something like an iambic pentameter as I was reading it.
I really enjoyed the emphasis on the connection between each of the characters, as they are very commonly seen as individual characters in separate stories. In fact, there's something both beautiful and tragic about these connections, and how their actions affect the others around them. 5 out of 5 would recommend.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second novel of Roberts' I have read and it did not disappoint. The prose flowed and the story reframed a myth into a relatable, fleshy -- and very human -- tale of expectations, disappointment, and earthly relationships. Readers both familiar and new to Greek mythology will find enjoyment in this novel. If you are a fan of the current trend of mythological retellings, this is a novel to add to your TBR.
The characters are familiar ones: Daedulus, Minos, Icarus, Aegeus, Pasipae, etc. But Roberts makes even the monsters human; their worries and fears, their reactions are ones which make sense of their fantasy world. It is, in short, a fantastic retelling of the classical Greek myth, one which imbues the story with reality and allows the reader to connect with the events and characters even more deeply than the original.
All this said, in some parts of the novel -- short and succinct as it is at 271 pages -- the story moves at a slow pace; readers who prefer a quick tale may be challenged by the slow unravelling of this myth, but should know that this allows the tension between characters to build. Once the events that lead to Daedulus and Icarus' imprisonment occur, the pace does speed up and there is a lot of action.