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Virtuous Sons #1
Virtuous Sons: A Greco-Roman Cultivation Epic
The Heavens fear a shining soul. Defiant, the virtuous cultivator ascends.
Lio Aetos is the Young Aristocrat and heir apparent to a legendary Greek sect, a prodigious talent born and bred for glory.
Solus is a slave, a disgraced patrician from the fallen city of Rome with nothing to his name.
They're as different as the East is from the West. Yet both of them hunger—to cast off the threads of Fate they’ve been given. To reach for a higher purpose.
In this world of ruined empires and long-forgotten gods, the Young Aristocrat and the Son of Rome share an unyielding conviction. As brothers, they will face tribulations and climb the divine mountain of Olympus.
It is a mad thing. It is utterly against the will of the Fates.
It is cultivation. It’s the mark that every philosopher bears plainly on their soul.
Ingeniously combining xianxia and cultivation elements within the world of ancient Greece, Y.B. Striker brings a fresh take on progression fantasy that is brimming with wit, adventure, and larger-than-life characters.
A top-rated novel on Royal Road with millions of views, now edited. Buy a copy today!
Lio Aetos is the Young Aristocrat and heir apparent to a legendary Greek sect, a prodigious talent born and bred for glory.
Solus is a slave, a disgraced patrician from the fallen city of Rome with nothing to his name.
They're as different as the East is from the West. Yet both of them hunger—to cast off the threads of Fate they’ve been given. To reach for a higher purpose.
In this world of ruined empires and long-forgotten gods, the Young Aristocrat and the Son of Rome share an unyielding conviction. As brothers, they will face tribulations and climb the divine mountain of Olympus.
It is a mad thing. It is utterly against the will of the Fates.
It is cultivation. It’s the mark that every philosopher bears plainly on their soul.
Ingeniously combining xianxia and cultivation elements within the world of ancient Greece, Y.B. Striker brings a fresh take on progression fantasy that is brimming with wit, adventure, and larger-than-life characters.
A top-rated novel on Royal Road with millions of views, now edited. Buy a copy today!
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First published October 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 25, 2022
This was recommended to me by a friend who read this series in its early days being published as a webnovel on Royal Road. I believe the ebook version (available on KU) is much more polished; more editing, & more illustrations which I enjoyed.
However, this series failed me in its cast of characters. I didn't care for any of these people. In fact, if I want to see a bunch of pompous assholes with way more power than they deserve, I'd just go to work, ok? 😂
Also, the two main characters in this series are SO closeted gay it blew my mind. You really be telling me only friends do this:
- stalking out of "fascination"
- picking fights with each other to have more chance of interaction
- TRYNA HOLD HANDS
- running away together
- sleeping in the same bed
Bruhhhhhh. Anyway, as my friend eloquently explained: "They're not gay, they're Greeks, which is kinda close." Enjoy! 🤣🤣🤣
However, this series failed me in its cast of characters. I didn't care for any of these people. In fact, if I want to see a bunch of pompous assholes with way more power than they deserve, I'd just go to work, ok? 😂
Also, the two main characters in this series are SO closeted gay it blew my mind. You really be telling me only friends do this:
- stalking out of "fascination"
- picking fights with each other to have more chance of interaction
- TRYNA HOLD HANDS
- running away together
- sleeping in the same bed
Bruhhhhhh. Anyway, as my friend eloquently explained: "They're not gay, they're Greeks, which is kinda close." Enjoy! 🤣🤣🤣
February 17, 2023
Some of the most exciting fantasy I've read in a long time- well written, witty, and clever, it focuses not on the progression of the characters (for all that this is lumped in with "progression fantasy" quite a bit by fans and even by the author's promotional material, it's really not at all about that in the end!) but on the meaning of virtue, on the worship of Greek mythology, and on the nature of personal growth. The series strikes equally at my eternal love for the heroic myth of the Hellenic spirit, my love of fantasy, and my love of cool as fuck combat all together. Can't wait for more!
October 19, 2022
3.5/5
Virtuous Sons started out as a really good cultivation novel but lost its charm in the middle and couldn't find it till the end.
Intriguing characterisation let down by needlessly complicated narration and half explored storylines. I was confused by what was going on by more than few occasions.
The Young Griffon character was sometimes just too much and I personally could have liked this one if it had less of Griffon and more of Sol and other secondary characters. Griffon's over enthusiasm was a bit too much for me.
Virtuous Sons started out as a really good cultivation novel but lost its charm in the middle and couldn't find it till the end.
Intriguing characterisation let down by needlessly complicated narration and half explored storylines. I was confused by what was going on by more than few occasions.
The Young Griffon character was sometimes just too much and I personally could have liked this one if it had less of Griffon and more of Sol and other secondary characters. Griffon's over enthusiasm was a bit too much for me.
October 28, 2022
It's well written and first third was good, but I just didn't really get what was even happening in the rest. Will not be continuing.
October 28, 2022
I only write views for series I’m passionate about one way or the other. Either I love it or I hate it aggressively. In this case I LOVE this book! Like I am obsessed over it. I genuinely think it’s a perfect book for what it tries to accomplish. It joins the list of my favorite books of the year alongside Bastion, DreadGod, and The Umbral Storm. As always, I don’t believe in non-spoiler reviews so full spoilers below.
Plot:
Surprisingly This is wasn’t my favorite aspect of the books, every time I write a review, I mention this but I am a plot over character reader. The plot matters to me way more than anything else. Not to say this had a bad plot or anything, far from it. The beginning of the story was slow, and I heard a lot of people claim they dropped it early on because they were bored. If I’m being honest, I can see where they’re coming from, the prose and unique world held me over until I became completely invested. I still loved everything that happened though, getting to know Griffon and seeing the beginning of his relationship with his family and Sol was amazing. I said this recently too but if your heart wasn’t beating out of your chest when Griffon and Sol ran through his estate, fought off Griffons family and Sol cast off his shackles and demonstrated Gravitas for the first time, then this series might not be for you. That moment was epic. The storyline in Olympia felt fun and gave me the whole small fish and huge pond kind of feeling when seeing our heroes deal with Heros and Tyrants. Socrates introduction was so funny and badass to me and I like his dynamic with Sol already.
World building
This was surprisingly the weakest part of the book for me, it wasn’t bad but for such an unique world we only ever spent time in 2 distinct places. The parts where Grifon was only top of the mountain fighting lighting beast was the most fun aspects of the world building. Though I did like hearing about the different cultures and people around the world. We learnt a lot about Rome and Greece, the free cities and a few smaller places that the heroes were from. And I loved the information we got about the Kyrios and their domains. I can tell the world is a lot bigger than even the characters know with all the monsters we keep hearing about and the demon dogs that overtook Rome. I can’t wait to see more of that going forward
Characters:
Surprisingly this was my favorite section of the book! I can’t tell you how much I loved every character we met in this book! Even the one off side characters were memorable(Hello random old lady that gave Griffon his golden sash)
Griffon: This man was hilarious and badass in equal measure. Witty, snarky, aloof, flamboyant, whimsical, stubborn, determined, easy going, and a thrill seeker. He reminds me of Eithan from Cradle, except Eithan always felt like he knew more than he was letting on while Griffon just feels like he’s winging it and having a good time doing it. I love selfish characters tbh (Hello Luffy). I like the idea of a character doing whatever they want to make themselves happy and is willing to accept the consequences that comes along with it. Griffon encapsulates that perfectly but has the intelligence and gumption to make it believable. I can talk about Griffon for hours so I’ll stop here. He’s definitely my favorite character in the book though. “I am who I am”
Solus: The legend in the making himself. He was the straight man to Griffon jokester. He’s also where most of the heart of the story comes from. His back story is equal parts sad and badass (such a cool flashback). He’s genuinely a good guy that wants to do good but is held back by the world around him but instead of accepting that he strives to break those chains. You root for him because he wouldn’t want you to. You love him in spite him not thinking he deserves it. His relationship with Griffon is hilarious and heartwarming. Despite how they argue and fight they care about each other. They would move heaven and earth for each other without a second thought. They are the purest and best depiction of brothers that I have ever read. Sol feels like the big brother watching out for his crazy little brother. When Griffon came after Sol to fight Socrates I screamed. Love these guys. “A captain leads from the front”
Supporting cast:
Like I mentioned before every character was memorable. Sorcrates and Daemon Aetos were both badass and felt larger than the heavens. I thoroughly enjoyed the Heroes cultivators that we met, Kyno, the sword song, Schrythas, and the others (forgetting their names right now) all felt ancient and powerful at all times. Like they’ve seen a thousand battles and lived a thousand lives. Sometimes I found it hard to believe they would follow Griffon and Sol. I kind of wish we got to see them all fight more and got to see what they’re abilities are but I’ll be patient.
Action:
Like Always this is my favorite part of any good progression fantasy. I have to admit I was nervous at first since it took so long to see the first real fight and use of any ability. I was nervous the action was going to be at a minimum. While I won’t say this book was action packed but what we got was high quality.
I really like our protagonist abilities. Neither are super unique but I have never seen protagonist use them. The Mutiple hands thing by Griffon could seem silly but he uses them to deadly effects. Gravity (or gravitas) might seem generic but every time it was used, I felt the tension and my heart leapt to my throat with excitement. It might be how the book was written but the way the powers and fights were used always felt dynamic and impactful. I can’t wait to see other abilities used throughout the story.
The magic itself being based around philosophy and rhetoric is super unique. I’ve always been told I’m an argumentative person so when Griffon fought Socrates and their argument can actually have a physical effect on their opponent, I got giddier than from reading most epic battle scenes. I never thought I would see the day where arguing makes you stronger. It’s a magic system made for me.
I liked the progression system too, At first, I wasn’t too sure about just four separate tiers (as opposed to the like 10 different tiers in Cradle and Bastion) but I like that it made each realm feel like a whole different class of person. A hero was one who defied the odds to make the impossible possible, to challenge the heavens in pursuit or Glory. A Tyrant crushes the world under his boot and always fights for more power and influence. They can’t help but dominate the world around them. Its not just about being stronger, It’s an ideal that you have to embody to get to that level. That’s fun
That does go into my one critique about the progression system. I did not understand why Griffon and Sol were so easily able to fool the other Heros about how strong they were. Its already been established that you can detect someone's cultivation lvl (though it's been shown too that you can hide it) but it just seems like they would eventually figure it out after having fought alongside them repeatedly. Also how were they able to so easily and regularly defeat Hero lvl cultivators. It kind of makes the tiers mean less if it's something you can overcome so easily. I never really got that.
Prose:
This is one aspect I don’t talk about much in progression fantasy. It’s not even something I normally care about a whole lot. But it worked for me in this book. I loved the beautiful way scenes were described, how dialogue was conducted and just the multitude of cool turn of phrases sprinkled in throughout the whole thing. I kept wanting to highlight some of my favorite phrases but it got to the point where I was highlighting the entire book. It took me longer to read this book because I kept rereading paragraphs over and over again, just because of how amazing it was. I’ve already started my next book but I already miss reading Virtuous Sons. I can’t wait until the next book!
Plot:
Surprisingly This is wasn’t my favorite aspect of the books, every time I write a review, I mention this but I am a plot over character reader. The plot matters to me way more than anything else. Not to say this had a bad plot or anything, far from it. The beginning of the story was slow, and I heard a lot of people claim they dropped it early on because they were bored. If I’m being honest, I can see where they’re coming from, the prose and unique world held me over until I became completely invested. I still loved everything that happened though, getting to know Griffon and seeing the beginning of his relationship with his family and Sol was amazing. I said this recently too but if your heart wasn’t beating out of your chest when Griffon and Sol ran through his estate, fought off Griffons family and Sol cast off his shackles and demonstrated Gravitas for the first time, then this series might not be for you. That moment was epic. The storyline in Olympia felt fun and gave me the whole small fish and huge pond kind of feeling when seeing our heroes deal with Heros and Tyrants. Socrates introduction was so funny and badass to me and I like his dynamic with Sol already.
World building
This was surprisingly the weakest part of the book for me, it wasn’t bad but for such an unique world we only ever spent time in 2 distinct places. The parts where Grifon was only top of the mountain fighting lighting beast was the most fun aspects of the world building. Though I did like hearing about the different cultures and people around the world. We learnt a lot about Rome and Greece, the free cities and a few smaller places that the heroes were from. And I loved the information we got about the Kyrios and their domains. I can tell the world is a lot bigger than even the characters know with all the monsters we keep hearing about and the demon dogs that overtook Rome. I can’t wait to see more of that going forward
Characters:
Surprisingly this was my favorite section of the book! I can’t tell you how much I loved every character we met in this book! Even the one off side characters were memorable(Hello random old lady that gave Griffon his golden sash)
Griffon: This man was hilarious and badass in equal measure. Witty, snarky, aloof, flamboyant, whimsical, stubborn, determined, easy going, and a thrill seeker. He reminds me of Eithan from Cradle, except Eithan always felt like he knew more than he was letting on while Griffon just feels like he’s winging it and having a good time doing it. I love selfish characters tbh (Hello Luffy). I like the idea of a character doing whatever they want to make themselves happy and is willing to accept the consequences that comes along with it. Griffon encapsulates that perfectly but has the intelligence and gumption to make it believable. I can talk about Griffon for hours so I’ll stop here. He’s definitely my favorite character in the book though. “I am who I am”
Solus: The legend in the making himself. He was the straight man to Griffon jokester. He’s also where most of the heart of the story comes from. His back story is equal parts sad and badass (such a cool flashback). He’s genuinely a good guy that wants to do good but is held back by the world around him but instead of accepting that he strives to break those chains. You root for him because he wouldn’t want you to. You love him in spite him not thinking he deserves it. His relationship with Griffon is hilarious and heartwarming. Despite how they argue and fight they care about each other. They would move heaven and earth for each other without a second thought. They are the purest and best depiction of brothers that I have ever read. Sol feels like the big brother watching out for his crazy little brother. When Griffon came after Sol to fight Socrates I screamed. Love these guys. “A captain leads from the front”
Supporting cast:
Like I mentioned before every character was memorable. Sorcrates and Daemon Aetos were both badass and felt larger than the heavens. I thoroughly enjoyed the Heroes cultivators that we met, Kyno, the sword song, Schrythas, and the others (forgetting their names right now) all felt ancient and powerful at all times. Like they’ve seen a thousand battles and lived a thousand lives. Sometimes I found it hard to believe they would follow Griffon and Sol. I kind of wish we got to see them all fight more and got to see what they’re abilities are but I’ll be patient.
Action:
Like Always this is my favorite part of any good progression fantasy. I have to admit I was nervous at first since it took so long to see the first real fight and use of any ability. I was nervous the action was going to be at a minimum. While I won’t say this book was action packed but what we got was high quality.
I really like our protagonist abilities. Neither are super unique but I have never seen protagonist use them. The Mutiple hands thing by Griffon could seem silly but he uses them to deadly effects. Gravity (or gravitas) might seem generic but every time it was used, I felt the tension and my heart leapt to my throat with excitement. It might be how the book was written but the way the powers and fights were used always felt dynamic and impactful. I can’t wait to see other abilities used throughout the story.
The magic itself being based around philosophy and rhetoric is super unique. I’ve always been told I’m an argumentative person so when Griffon fought Socrates and their argument can actually have a physical effect on their opponent, I got giddier than from reading most epic battle scenes. I never thought I would see the day where arguing makes you stronger. It’s a magic system made for me.
I liked the progression system too, At first, I wasn’t too sure about just four separate tiers (as opposed to the like 10 different tiers in Cradle and Bastion) but I like that it made each realm feel like a whole different class of person. A hero was one who defied the odds to make the impossible possible, to challenge the heavens in pursuit or Glory. A Tyrant crushes the world under his boot and always fights for more power and influence. They can’t help but dominate the world around them. Its not just about being stronger, It’s an ideal that you have to embody to get to that level. That’s fun
That does go into my one critique about the progression system. I did not understand why Griffon and Sol were so easily able to fool the other Heros about how strong they were. Its already been established that you can detect someone's cultivation lvl (though it's been shown too that you can hide it) but it just seems like they would eventually figure it out after having fought alongside them repeatedly. Also how were they able to so easily and regularly defeat Hero lvl cultivators. It kind of makes the tiers mean less if it's something you can overcome so easily. I never really got that.
Prose:
This is one aspect I don’t talk about much in progression fantasy. It’s not even something I normally care about a whole lot. But it worked for me in this book. I loved the beautiful way scenes were described, how dialogue was conducted and just the multitude of cool turn of phrases sprinkled in throughout the whole thing. I kept wanting to highlight some of my favorite phrases but it got to the point where I was highlighting the entire book. It took me longer to read this book because I kept rereading paragraphs over and over again, just because of how amazing it was. I’ve already started my next book but I already miss reading Virtuous Sons. I can’t wait until the next book!
September 11, 2025
5 STARS! I absolutely love this adventure buddy story - give it a try, you won't regret it!
Characters 5/5
This story is all about two reckless, ambitious, smack-talking young men called Griffin and Sol. A Greek and Roman respectively. They're the best warriors around and they know it. As a result, they're unbelievably audacious, delighted in the equal competition each presents to the other, and at times completely and excellently ridiculous. I laughed so much while reading this story. They're like oil and water and rib each other constantly. Griffin is cavalier, spoiled, restless, and desperately thirsty for a fight worthy of him. Sol is depressed, rigidly disciplined, aloof, and quietly confident in his own superiority. They're arrogant and violent, yes, but not unintelligent or too foolish (though I know a certain philosopher who'd loudly disagree). They're sharp, strategic, passionately loyal, with a talent for drawing others to them. It's really quite a delightful dance watching these two. And it's not just fun and games either - they aren't afraid to touch on deeper topics such as grief, fear, trust in the face of lies, and more. Their journey is rich.
Story 5/5
This plot isn't what I expected from the blurb, and it's all the better for it. The description made it sound like a quest story, with two young men wandering around killing monsters and climbing a mountain - a plot you may very well expect from a Greek myth about a demigod or other talented hero. I don't like quest stories much, and based on the blurb alone, I wouldn't have picked up this book myself (it was a birthday present). To my delight, this was a character piece which evolved into political (& action) fantasy.
The entirety of the story takes place in 2 Greek city states and the characters run around kicking hornets nests for the heck of it while seeking to prove their prowess to themselves and each other. As they stretch themselves in such a furnace, we learn more and more about their families, pasts, traumas, and dreams - and of course enjoy as they bond (beat each other up and talk trash). The discussions and situation are more "mature" than I initially expected. Navigating a political hellscape takes a lot more brains and nuance than traveling from point A to point B killing monsters. I hope other readers aren't misled by the blurb, but are willing to give this quite unique story a try.
That said, the plot did rather jump all over the place to me. These characters don't really have a plan, so most of what they did felt incredibly random. It felt like the author was making up a lot of it as he went along. At times it felt like I was suddenly reading a different book from the one I'd picked up. Sometimes, this is enjoyable as it leaves readers feeling continuously surprised, and I think it works because of who these characters are. But reader expectations are important, and if not for loving these characters so much, it might have been a bit too much of both whiplash and meandering. But not all books need a tightly woven series of events to be great - and you bet there is a master plan deep in the background...
Worldbuilding 5/5
The author has clearly steeped himself in classical literature. It goes beyond his use of Greek and Roman words or his accurate inclusion of popular philosophies and trends of the time - he gets it. After a certain threshold of absorbing a culture's art, myths, history, and literature, a person begins to intuitively understand what makes that culture tick. Their fears, desires, aspirations, jokes, and more. It's a delight to encounter a book so immersed in the classical mindset.
But Striker doesn't stop there. He presents an alternate version of Mediterranean history - the gods are dead and their names have slipped from the minds of men. And what did you just say about Rome? He also weaves in an alternate magic system based upon the Chinese concept of chi cultivation. He incorporates the popular tropes of progression fantasy perfectly into the realm of Greco-Roman heroes. Because demigods and Roman legionnaires would absolutely love the concept of leveling up! And so do we.
Writing 4/5
The place this book shines most is in the dialogue. Witty exchanges, perversely convoluted (aka Greek) discussions, and lots of hilarious B.S.-ing and grandstanding by our two endearingly reckless protagonists. However, almost every single chapter begins with an exposition dump, which grows rather tiresome. The prose is written well enough, though it can feel a bit dense at times. And it slows down the pacing when, despite the exciting shenanigans of the previous chapter, the next one almost always steps back with an omniscient voice to explain some element of history or culture.
This story alternates between Griffin and Sol's perspectives, but they're both written in first person, which led me to experience quite some confusion when switching chapters. Their voices are incredibly distinct - everything from their manner of speech to attitude and energy - but it's still mentally difficult to change who "I" is when reading, even when each chapter title names the POV. It didn't help that I tore through this book in 2 days, so perhaps I just didn't give myself enough time to mentally shift from one character to the other.
Impact 5/5
It's been a long time since I had so much fun reading a story! I went and devoured the next two books in the series immediately after finishing this one. I am ALWAYS on the hunt for stories about rivals and blood brothers, but it's a strangely difficult itch to satisfy. My sister searched for ages to find a book for me for my birthday, and she is rightfully smug to have gotten it so right! These two, Striker absolutely nailed on the head. I light up talking about them. Now I've gotten my mother to read it out loud to my father and youngest siblings back home, and I Facetime in to listen to them all chuckle. I'm in withdrawal waiting for the fourth book! I miss Griffin and Sol!
Find more reviews here: https://creativecornerstones.com/2024...!
Characters 5/5
This story is all about two reckless, ambitious, smack-talking young men called Griffin and Sol. A Greek and Roman respectively. They're the best warriors around and they know it. As a result, they're unbelievably audacious, delighted in the equal competition each presents to the other, and at times completely and excellently ridiculous. I laughed so much while reading this story. They're like oil and water and rib each other constantly. Griffin is cavalier, spoiled, restless, and desperately thirsty for a fight worthy of him. Sol is depressed, rigidly disciplined, aloof, and quietly confident in his own superiority. They're arrogant and violent, yes, but not unintelligent or too foolish (though I know a certain philosopher who'd loudly disagree). They're sharp, strategic, passionately loyal, with a talent for drawing others to them. It's really quite a delightful dance watching these two. And it's not just fun and games either - they aren't afraid to touch on deeper topics such as grief, fear, trust in the face of lies, and more. Their journey is rich.
Story 5/5
This plot isn't what I expected from the blurb, and it's all the better for it. The description made it sound like a quest story, with two young men wandering around killing monsters and climbing a mountain - a plot you may very well expect from a Greek myth about a demigod or other talented hero. I don't like quest stories much, and based on the blurb alone, I wouldn't have picked up this book myself (it was a birthday present). To my delight, this was a character piece which evolved into political (& action) fantasy.
The entirety of the story takes place in 2 Greek city states and the characters run around kicking hornets nests for the heck of it while seeking to prove their prowess to themselves and each other. As they stretch themselves in such a furnace, we learn more and more about their families, pasts, traumas, and dreams - and of course enjoy as they bond (beat each other up and talk trash). The discussions and situation are more "mature" than I initially expected. Navigating a political hellscape takes a lot more brains and nuance than traveling from point A to point B killing monsters. I hope other readers aren't misled by the blurb, but are willing to give this quite unique story a try.
That said, the plot did rather jump all over the place to me. These characters don't really have a plan, so most of what they did felt incredibly random. It felt like the author was making up a lot of it as he went along. At times it felt like I was suddenly reading a different book from the one I'd picked up. Sometimes, this is enjoyable as it leaves readers feeling continuously surprised, and I think it works because of who these characters are. But reader expectations are important, and if not for loving these characters so much, it might have been a bit too much of both whiplash and meandering. But not all books need a tightly woven series of events to be great - and you bet there is a master plan deep in the background...
Worldbuilding 5/5
The author has clearly steeped himself in classical literature. It goes beyond his use of Greek and Roman words or his accurate inclusion of popular philosophies and trends of the time - he gets it. After a certain threshold of absorbing a culture's art, myths, history, and literature, a person begins to intuitively understand what makes that culture tick. Their fears, desires, aspirations, jokes, and more. It's a delight to encounter a book so immersed in the classical mindset.
But Striker doesn't stop there. He presents an alternate version of Mediterranean history - the gods are dead and their names have slipped from the minds of men. And what did you just say about Rome? He also weaves in an alternate magic system based upon the Chinese concept of chi cultivation. He incorporates the popular tropes of progression fantasy perfectly into the realm of Greco-Roman heroes. Because demigods and Roman legionnaires would absolutely love the concept of leveling up! And so do we.
Writing 4/5
The place this book shines most is in the dialogue. Witty exchanges, perversely convoluted (aka Greek) discussions, and lots of hilarious B.S.-ing and grandstanding by our two endearingly reckless protagonists. However, almost every single chapter begins with an exposition dump, which grows rather tiresome. The prose is written well enough, though it can feel a bit dense at times. And it slows down the pacing when, despite the exciting shenanigans of the previous chapter, the next one almost always steps back with an omniscient voice to explain some element of history or culture.
This story alternates between Griffin and Sol's perspectives, but they're both written in first person, which led me to experience quite some confusion when switching chapters. Their voices are incredibly distinct - everything from their manner of speech to attitude and energy - but it's still mentally difficult to change who "I" is when reading, even when each chapter title names the POV. It didn't help that I tore through this book in 2 days, so perhaps I just didn't give myself enough time to mentally shift from one character to the other.
Impact 5/5
It's been a long time since I had so much fun reading a story! I went and devoured the next two books in the series immediately after finishing this one. I am ALWAYS on the hunt for stories about rivals and blood brothers, but it's a strangely difficult itch to satisfy. My sister searched for ages to find a book for me for my birthday, and she is rightfully smug to have gotten it so right! These two, Striker absolutely nailed on the head. I light up talking about them. Now I've gotten my mother to read it out loud to my father and youngest siblings back home, and I Facetime in to listen to them all chuckle. I'm in withdrawal waiting for the fourth book! I miss Griffin and Sol!
Find more reviews here: https://creativecornerstones.com/2024...!
May 1, 2023
I love classics, have studied some Latin and Greek (Koine), and like progression fantasy, so I thought this was gonna be a perfect book for me. There was definitely a lot to like about it. But the two main drawbacks for me were that it took a long time to get to the main story, and once it got there, the narrative was pretty muddy. Loose explanations or no explanations. Things would happen and I wouldn't have a clue why it should be interesting, often due to lack of foreshadowing. People of differing power levels interacting in ways that make it unclear what the difference in power levels actually is. He finally gets to an Oracle, she makes an ominous declaration, then rather than diving into that, the book wanders in a different direction, killing the rising action.
But there were some bomb scenes that I really enjoyed reading, like the first time they drink bone marrow. I quite enjoyed some of the prose and dribbles of philosophy. "The heavens are never fair. Justice is the responsibility of mortal men." "If you want the truest measure of a man, observe the world when he dies." "Some things were just too painful to accept unless they were staring you in the face, and some of those things didn’t show up in a mirror’s reflection. They could only be seen in others."
This book felt like a first draft with heaps of potential that was in dire need of additional polishing. But I understand that it was published as a web serial, which is a different format.
But there were some bomb scenes that I really enjoyed reading, like the first time they drink bone marrow. I quite enjoyed some of the prose and dribbles of philosophy. "The heavens are never fair. Justice is the responsibility of mortal men." "If you want the truest measure of a man, observe the world when he dies." "Some things were just too painful to accept unless they were staring you in the face, and some of those things didn’t show up in a mirror’s reflection. They could only be seen in others."
This book felt like a first draft with heaps of potential that was in dire need of additional polishing. But I understand that it was published as a web serial, which is a different format.
October 25, 2022
Philosophy meets Cultivation
Absolutely fantastic book, set in Greece, the setting isn't the only thing that differentiates this book from other cultivation novels, the focus on philosophy as Dao is amazing, must read for cultivation fans, progression fans and philosophy enthusiasts alike!
Absolutely fantastic book, set in Greece, the setting isn't the only thing that differentiates this book from other cultivation novels, the focus on philosophy as Dao is amazing, must read for cultivation fans, progression fans and philosophy enthusiasts alike!
February 6, 2023
This was really different from what I'm used to. It was slightly confusing at first, but by the end I think I grasped some meaning (heh).
I'm not into philosophy so I don't think I will be reading the sequel. While interesting, it's not something I think I would want to read. So my understand ends here.
I like Greek mythology, not philosophy.
3/5 Stars
I'm not into philosophy so I don't think I will be reading the sequel. While interesting, it's not something I think I would want to read. So my understand ends here.
I like Greek mythology, not philosophy.
3/5 Stars
October 9, 2022
A fulfilling conception
A Greco Roman wuxia with a spin on Greco Roman thought? This story fulfills a need the was never known. Sol and Griffin are a great pair of contrasting brothers.
A Greco Roman wuxia with a spin on Greco Roman thought? This story fulfills a need the was never known. Sol and Griffin are a great pair of contrasting brothers.
November 6, 2022
While the undercurrent of philosophy slips through at times, Cultivation rarely occurs and each chapter is in desperate need of an editor.
April 6, 2025
A Greek-Roman cultivation novel: a match made in heaven.
The author is a real nerd for Roman and Greek history which shows. I truly appreciate the cultivation having a nice philosophical spin which is often so lacking in many other Western cultivation novels. Sometimes, it's even a bit too much philosophy... Every battle is slowly-paced, because it's a dialogue in form of combat and the plot moves only falteringly as soon as the big philosophical discussions start.
What truly makes the book shine, however, are the protagonists and the fantastic banter, great relationship dynamics and just how fucking gung-ho they are about each other (especially Lio). I love them. I especially adore Lio, but Sol makes for a great straight man in this pairing while Lio looks even more funnily outrageous.
The side-characters are not outstadning, but they are still nice to see and I appreciate the many PoVs that give a bit different perspectives on events and help to flesh out everyone else.
If the pacing of the book was less slow, I'd be even more hyped, but as it stands it's still a great novel and I look forward to reading the next books.
The author is a real nerd for Roman and Greek history which shows. I truly appreciate the cultivation having a nice philosophical spin which is often so lacking in many other Western cultivation novels. Sometimes, it's even a bit too much philosophy... Every battle is slowly-paced, because it's a dialogue in form of combat and the plot moves only falteringly as soon as the big philosophical discussions start.
What truly makes the book shine, however, are the protagonists and the fantastic banter, great relationship dynamics and just how fucking gung-ho they are about each other (especially Lio). I love them. I especially adore Lio, but Sol makes for a great straight man in this pairing while Lio looks even more funnily outrageous.
The side-characters are not outstadning, but they are still nice to see and I appreciate the many PoVs that give a bit different perspectives on events and help to flesh out everyone else.
If the pacing of the book was less slow, I'd be even more hyped, but as it stands it's still a great novel and I look forward to reading the next books.
September 28, 2025
It's funny reading a book when you've personally "know" an author and have read some of their prose ficiton from when they were in their teens to their mid to late 20s. I recall some conversations I was privy to amongst a group of others nearly a decade ago about plot bunnies and other story snippets. It was at that time that I knew one day "Stiker" would be a Menace-ingly published author.
In some of his stories published back in the early 2010s there was a prescient understanding of fun and a particular style and substance that I found to be compelling. As its dedication in the beginning of Virtuous Sons said, Striker writes stories "for the boys" and sometimeds that's what's needed.
Unfortunately, Xianxia - even painted in a pristine coat of Greek Mythology - has grown to have a particular flavor of tedium.
That said, kudos to Striker - happy you got your story picked up by a publisher and have a relatively successful Patreon. Good luck and don't read while driving!
In some of his stories published back in the early 2010s there was a prescient understanding of fun and a particular style and substance that I found to be compelling. As its dedication in the beginning of Virtuous Sons said, Striker writes stories "for the boys" and sometimeds that's what's needed.
Unfortunately, Xianxia - even painted in a pristine coat of Greek Mythology - has grown to have a particular flavor of tedium.
That said, kudos to Striker - happy you got your story picked up by a publisher and have a relatively successful Patreon. Good luck and don't read while driving!
June 28, 2024
I read far more of this series than I should. It really isn't self aware at all, and despite what it tries to tell you it isn't deeper than it appears. It's just about people punching people and trying to pretend that they are righteous and virtuous because they have the strength to enforce their will upon others. The setting is interesting and the writing is lovely, but the characters and their interactions are vapid and empty. Read something else.
October 26, 2023
Fun but confusing
I loved this book for its crazy angles but wow was it hard to get a read on at times. I will continue to read this action packed and confusing series because it has some great ideas on western cultivation. Overall a great read but at times massively confusing and I still couldn't put it down. Loved it.
I loved this book for its crazy angles but wow was it hard to get a read on at times. I will continue to read this action packed and confusing series because it has some great ideas on western cultivation. Overall a great read but at times massively confusing and I still couldn't put it down. Loved it.
July 1, 2024
Amazing prose, but I probably won’t continue the story. It’s not really the kind of story I enjoy. Lots of philosophy and mystic weirdness. Also, it’s a first person POV story where the viewpoint changes every chapter, which is super annoying.
September 15, 2025
This book was epic. The characters are compelling and believable. The back stories drive the plot. Few cultivation books are as well written as this one. Over the top in a believable manner. Enjoy this book!
February 16, 2024
If you like cultivation novels but want something in a different setting that subverts some of the standard tropes this series is great.
April 10, 2024
Fun read with fun characters. the fights were cool and was unique in that they had philosophical arguments during the fights which gave them more power.
April 25, 2024
In place of a well thought out critique, I'll write a meme:
Griffin pov: I sleep
Solus pov: Real shit
Griffin pov: I sleep
Solus pov: Real shit
May 21, 2024
Fantastic breath of fresh air. A greco-roman variant of your standard wuxia cultivation story, except it focuses on two male protagonists.
September 26, 2024
2.5 rounded up
July 21, 2025
Liked the premise, just didn't work for me. Felt like a chore to read.
October 9, 2023
What a breath of fresh air. It's similar but so different from everything else out there. Also pretty funny I had a few good laughs. It does have some of the usual things that I associate with royalroad novels. Like dragging in some places and having random side stuff that doesn't matter much. But overall it's just so unexpected that I have to recommend it. I guess I'm starved for novelty.
Also, the boys are so audacious. It feels right that they succeed where others fail.
Also, the boys are so audacious. It feels right that they succeed where others fail.
June 28, 2023
First up - I read the original version about a year ago and just recently listened to the audiobook. And I'm delighted I picked it up again. The voice acting is phenomenal and makes the characters come to life like I've rarely experienced.
I'll start with first impressions.
While initially hesitant to keep reading I kept at it, thanks to excellent recommendations. And I'm genuinely thankful that I followed those recommendations. But the first few chapters were hard to get into for me. It felt like it was missing a narrative focus - which was later established well but absent early on.
Despite those early issues I could not stop reading/listening to the story. It got to the point that I read it with whisper-sync whenever I had to keep appearances up of being attentive.
There are some "issues" you should be aware of though (I use issues liberally, as they aren't that perse but might be interpreted as such).
This is a story of subtext, subtly, and posturing. If you do not like any of those, you might not enjoy this book, but I believe it is one of its main strengths next to the fascinating relationship between our two main characters.
A main theme of the story and most likely also the magic system is the perception of character and strength. And we see our main character deftly manipulate his image to accomplish his goals.
I'm sure there are some flaws, but I recommend this story wholeheartedly regardless.
(Not so much the corresponding discord)
I'll start with first impressions.
While initially hesitant to keep reading I kept at it, thanks to excellent recommendations. And I'm genuinely thankful that I followed those recommendations. But the first few chapters were hard to get into for me. It felt like it was missing a narrative focus - which was later established well but absent early on.
Despite those early issues I could not stop reading/listening to the story. It got to the point that I read it with whisper-sync whenever I had to keep appearances up of being attentive.
There are some "issues" you should be aware of though (I use issues liberally, as they aren't that perse but might be interpreted as such).
This is a story of subtext, subtly, and posturing. If you do not like any of those, you might not enjoy this book, but I believe it is one of its main strengths next to the fascinating relationship between our two main characters.
A main theme of the story and most likely also the magic system is the perception of character and strength. And we see our main character deftly manipulate his image to accomplish his goals.
I'm sure there are some flaws, but I recommend this story wholeheartedly regardless.
(Not so much the corresponding discord)
April 20, 2023
Incredibly entertaining from start to finish. Mixing the classic Chinese Xianxia genre with Greco-Roman philosophy, mythology and history is absolutely genius, and the author's love for and knowledge of the culture bleeds through in every aspect of this book. I can understand why some people didn't like the book, though most of them probably aren't familiar with the genre, but the ever-building mystery is excellent, nearly every character is larger-than-life, the dialogue is hilarious, the attitudes of the characters are genuine and fit the culture, the combat is thrilling and cerebral all at once, and the pacing is honestly fantastic. The plot is admittedly winding, but that's also touched on in book two (which I suppose shouldn't be a justifiable excuse for a scattershot plot in book 1), but it fits the characters. The protagonists are exploring a new world unknown to them, and are caught up in various powerful people's plans long in the making. It's not perfect, but it's one of the most entertaining books I've read in a while, with the most memorable protagonists by far. So many protagonists are often cast of very similar molds, so to see one that truly embodies the Greek ideal of a hero, good and bad, with such audacity is a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for something truly unique.
November 6, 2022
It's been established that this book excels at bringing a fresh perspective to the Xianxia genre. The greek setting melds incredibly well, and the author grounds the events of the book with real historical events which rewards the reader for familiarizing themselves with ancient Mediterranean history. Besides all that, what I love about the book is that I feel like I learn real lessons about living a virtuous life from following our protagonists. Whether those lessons are good is another question, but the feeling of experiencing something profound by proxy is intoxicating.
May 18, 2023
There is a massive amount of garbage that comes from published books that start off originally as web novels and many cultivation books fall into this category. This is the greatest take on cultivation fusion with a different setting I have ever read and the only web novel that I feel has such unique prose relevant to the setting and system of magic that is comparable to or surpassing many traditionally published authors. The characters are grounded and feel real, the motivations and themes are all relatable, and the world building is incredible. The research done truly shows. Read it.
November 4, 2022
I have read something Heavenly
This is what I have always wanted. A true western xianxia.
Some thing that beautifully uses western philosophy for cultivation. Not rehash eastern philosophy all the time.
This was an excellent read. This story truly used its Greek setting nicely and felt super close to how Greeks behaved.
Griphon and Sol were a very set of MCs I read about in a long time.
I highly recommend it.
This is what I have always wanted. A true western xianxia.
Some thing that beautifully uses western philosophy for cultivation. Not rehash eastern philosophy all the time.
This was an excellent read. This story truly used its Greek setting nicely and felt super close to how Greeks behaved.
Griphon and Sol were a very set of MCs I read about in a long time.
I highly recommend it.
April 12, 2023
Pretty mixed feelings
Its a weird mix of building complex worldwide mysteries, very tongue-in-cheek action scenes, repetitive language and dozens of story threads that pop up and get dropped with no rhyme or reason. What passes for the main conflict isn't even introduced until more than halfway into the book and having finished it, I am still not sure what that conflict is or what our protagonists have to do with it.
Its a weird mix of building complex worldwide mysteries, very tongue-in-cheek action scenes, repetitive language and dozens of story threads that pop up and get dropped with no rhyme or reason. What passes for the main conflict isn't even introduced until more than halfway into the book and having finished it, I am still not sure what that conflict is or what our protagonists have to do with it.
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