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The Metis Files #1
Havoc Rising
Eternal life. Eternal battle.
Steve—Diomedes Tydides to his Trojan War buddies—just had a bad day on his charter fishing boat in San Diego, but when the goddess Athena calls on her faithful warrior for another secret mission, he’s ready. The bomb that exploded inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art isn’t the crime American authorities think it is. Someone also stole the Cup of Jamshid, and Diomedes knows its fortune-telling abilities won’t be used for anything benign.
Though Diomedes recovers the Cup from a determined shaman holed up beneath Central Park, when he finds his allies slain and the Cup taken once more, he knows he’s up against a truly powerful enemy. Over a millennium has passed since Diomedes last contended with Medea of Colchis, deranged wife of Jason the Argonaut, but neither her madness nor her devotion to Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, has waned, and she intends to use the Cup of Jamshid to release across the world a dark brand of chaos unseen in human history.
Immortal since the Trojan War, Diomedes must once again fight for mortals he understands less and less, against a divine evil he may never truly defeat.
Steve—Diomedes Tydides to his Trojan War buddies—just had a bad day on his charter fishing boat in San Diego, but when the goddess Athena calls on her faithful warrior for another secret mission, he’s ready. The bomb that exploded inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art isn’t the crime American authorities think it is. Someone also stole the Cup of Jamshid, and Diomedes knows its fortune-telling abilities won’t be used for anything benign.
Though Diomedes recovers the Cup from a determined shaman holed up beneath Central Park, when he finds his allies slain and the Cup taken once more, he knows he’s up against a truly powerful enemy. Over a millennium has passed since Diomedes last contended with Medea of Colchis, deranged wife of Jason the Argonaut, but neither her madness nor her devotion to Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, has waned, and she intends to use the Cup of Jamshid to release across the world a dark brand of chaos unseen in human history.
Immortal since the Trojan War, Diomedes must once again fight for mortals he understands less and less, against a divine evil he may never truly defeat.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2015
38 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Brian S. Leon
5 books53 followersBrian S. Leon is truly a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. He began writing in order to do something with all the useless degrees, knowledge, and skills–most of which have no practical application in civilized society–he accumulated over the years.
His varied interests include, most notably, mythology of all kinds and fishing, and he has spent time in jungles and museums all over the world, studying and oceans and seas across the globe chasing fish, sometimes even catching them. He has also spent time in various locations around the world doing other things that may or may not have ever happened.
Inspired by stories of classical masters like Homer and Jules Verne, as well as modern writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, David Morrell, and Jim Butcher, combined with an inordinate amount of free time, Mr. Leon finally decided to come up with tales of his own.
Brian currently resides in San Diego, California.
His varied interests include, most notably, mythology of all kinds and fishing, and he has spent time in jungles and museums all over the world, studying and oceans and seas across the globe chasing fish, sometimes even catching them. He has also spent time in various locations around the world doing other things that may or may not have ever happened.
Inspired by stories of classical masters like Homer and Jules Verne, as well as modern writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, David Morrell, and Jim Butcher, combined with an inordinate amount of free time, Mr. Leon finally decided to come up with tales of his own.
Brian currently resides in San Diego, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 19, 2018
Havoc Rising is the first novel in the Metis Files featuring Steve, aka, Diomedes Tydides an immortal assigned to protect mankind. He reports directly to Athena the Goddess of wisdom and war. If you know your Greek mythology, you'll recognize Diomedes from the Trojan war. Today, he lives among humans and owns a fishing business, that is when he isn't working for Athena.
When a suicide bomber attacks the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and an ancient artifact known as the Cup of Jamshid is stolen, Athena sends Steve to New York to retrieve the cup. The tale that unfolds was filled with mythological creatures, intense action scenes, and snarky banter.
I loved all the references to mythology, mostly Greek, but we do see others including Celtic and Arabian. It appears each book in the series will feature a mission. The reader/listener will enjoy intense battle scenes, humor, magic, and tidbits on history, mythology and more.
The story is delivered from Steve's POV as we fought for the cup. If you love paranormal creatures, Loen's story will delight you with Fae, Jinn, Witches, and Titans. Leon vividly brought the creatures and scenes to life with detailed descriptions that flowed effortlessly as the action unfolded. You could hear the creatures slither, feel their hackles rise and smell the decay.
There is a hint of romance when Steve meets Sarah, a detective investigating the museum bombing. This is a small side thread, but Sarah does factor into the story, and I hope we see more of her.
Loen weaved the worldbuilding throughout the tale which kept the story fast-paced. After binging the Iron Druid Chronicles, I couldn't help but draw a comparison between Steve and Atticus. Fans of the chronicles will feel at home while reading the Metis Files. Steve is funny, easily annoyed and at times anxious to get back to quietly fishing. The stories and friendships he has made were fascinating and highly entertaining. I liked Steve but loved him when he began assembling a team. The back and forth banter between him and two ancient Fae had me laughing aloud. While he claims to like working alone, he was prime when surrounded by a team.
Dillon Siedentopf narrated and my thoughts regarding his performance are decidedly mixed. During action scenes, he brought Steve and the others to life, but in-between, his tone was dry, flat and filled with audible swallowing sounds. Ugh. However, I played with the audio speed and found 1.30 worked perfectly. I am not sure if I will continue on Audio, although it is my preferred method for urban fantasy. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
When a suicide bomber attacks the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and an ancient artifact known as the Cup of Jamshid is stolen, Athena sends Steve to New York to retrieve the cup. The tale that unfolds was filled with mythological creatures, intense action scenes, and snarky banter.
I loved all the references to mythology, mostly Greek, but we do see others including Celtic and Arabian. It appears each book in the series will feature a mission. The reader/listener will enjoy intense battle scenes, humor, magic, and tidbits on history, mythology and more.
The story is delivered from Steve's POV as we fought for the cup. If you love paranormal creatures, Loen's story will delight you with Fae, Jinn, Witches, and Titans. Leon vividly brought the creatures and scenes to life with detailed descriptions that flowed effortlessly as the action unfolded. You could hear the creatures slither, feel their hackles rise and smell the decay.
There is a hint of romance when Steve meets Sarah, a detective investigating the museum bombing. This is a small side thread, but Sarah does factor into the story, and I hope we see more of her.
Loen weaved the worldbuilding throughout the tale which kept the story fast-paced. After binging the Iron Druid Chronicles, I couldn't help but draw a comparison between Steve and Atticus. Fans of the chronicles will feel at home while reading the Metis Files. Steve is funny, easily annoyed and at times anxious to get back to quietly fishing. The stories and friendships he has made were fascinating and highly entertaining. I liked Steve but loved him when he began assembling a team. The back and forth banter between him and two ancient Fae had me laughing aloud. While he claims to like working alone, he was prime when surrounded by a team.
Dillon Siedentopf narrated and my thoughts regarding his performance are decidedly mixed. During action scenes, he brought Steve and the others to life, but in-between, his tone was dry, flat and filled with audible swallowing sounds. Ugh. However, I played with the audio speed and found 1.30 worked perfectly. I am not sure if I will continue on Audio, although it is my preferred method for urban fantasy. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
October 16, 2015
Whenever given the chance to read a new (for me) urban fantasy story that not only combines Greek mythology but Arabian and Celtic too, I jump at the chance. I mean, truly what is there not to love about an action packed story told in the male point of view all set in a modern world full of gods and goddesses?
Add in the very fact that there is a (very) slight romance, and a main protagonist that is every bit as sarcastic as he is smart and you have a read that stands out in so many ways.
Although this did have a slow start in the beginning as the world and back story of Steve was fleshed out, it didn't take too long for me to get into it and for the real action and adventure to begin and before I knew it, I was immersed in the mythology aspects, the magic, and the very story itself.
This was well written, well plotted, and had many elements I love in a good UF series.
Add in the very fact that there is a (very) slight romance, and a main protagonist that is every bit as sarcastic as he is smart and you have a read that stands out in so many ways.
Although this did have a slow start in the beginning as the world and back story of Steve was fleshed out, it didn't take too long for me to get into it and for the real action and adventure to begin and before I knew it, I was immersed in the mythology aspects, the magic, and the very story itself.
This was well written, well plotted, and had many elements I love in a good UF series.
July 24, 2016
Havoc Rising by Brian S. Leon
Havoc Rising isn’t the type of Urban Fantasy I generally enjoy reading. The Mythology, Gods, and Goddesses sucked me in. Diomedes Tydides is a Guardian, who was recruited thousands of years ago by the Goddess Athena to protect humankind. The story starts with a suicide bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where we are introduced to the bomber and his mind ramblings, which explains his motive to the reader.
As authorities are scrambling at the scene, Athena, as head of the Metis Foundation, employs Diomedes, who goes by Steve Dore, to join the investigation and recover a stolen item. The foundation’s primary focus is finding peaceful solutions to human conflict. It is known as one of the most respected think tanks in the world. Athena is sure the bombing served as a distraction for a theft of an ancient bronze cup on exhibit in an upper level of the museum. The novel is told through Diomedes point-of-view, and he readily tells us he excels at clandestine operations, intelligence gathering, and combat. He also admits he does not play well with others. But he's forced to overcome this and build a small team to help him.
The plot is fast moving and has many surprising twists as the drama unfolds. The battles are vivid, tense, and grisly as magic is thrown around against seemingly impossible odds while battling unearthly monstrosities. Humor is interspersed throughout to lighten the severity of the story. Diomedes is the perfect tragic hero; he is engaging, courageous, and intelligent, with just the right amount of biting wit.
I found it easy to get totally swept away in this thoroughly engrossing tale. The relationship develops between Diomedes and Sarah is cautious and endearing. The story comes to a satisfying close with some promise of Sarah being included in future missions, which left a smile on my face, especially after she decked Diomedes. I would highly recommend Havoc Rising to any reader who enjoys mythology brought forward in a contemporary setting that includes epic battles between good and evil.
FYI: Havoc Rising contains graphic violence and gore. Colorful obscene adult language with plenty of F-bombs. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** July 18, 2016
Format/Typo Issues: I found no proofing or formatting issues.
Havoc Rising isn’t the type of Urban Fantasy I generally enjoy reading. The Mythology, Gods, and Goddesses sucked me in. Diomedes Tydides is a Guardian, who was recruited thousands of years ago by the Goddess Athena to protect humankind. The story starts with a suicide bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where we are introduced to the bomber and his mind ramblings, which explains his motive to the reader.
As authorities are scrambling at the scene, Athena, as head of the Metis Foundation, employs Diomedes, who goes by Steve Dore, to join the investigation and recover a stolen item. The foundation’s primary focus is finding peaceful solutions to human conflict. It is known as one of the most respected think tanks in the world. Athena is sure the bombing served as a distraction for a theft of an ancient bronze cup on exhibit in an upper level of the museum. The novel is told through Diomedes point-of-view, and he readily tells us he excels at clandestine operations, intelligence gathering, and combat. He also admits he does not play well with others. But he's forced to overcome this and build a small team to help him.
The plot is fast moving and has many surprising twists as the drama unfolds. The battles are vivid, tense, and grisly as magic is thrown around against seemingly impossible odds while battling unearthly monstrosities. Humor is interspersed throughout to lighten the severity of the story. Diomedes is the perfect tragic hero; he is engaging, courageous, and intelligent, with just the right amount of biting wit.
I found it easy to get totally swept away in this thoroughly engrossing tale. The relationship develops between Diomedes and Sarah is cautious and endearing. The story comes to a satisfying close with some promise of Sarah being included in future missions, which left a smile on my face, especially after she decked Diomedes. I would highly recommend Havoc Rising to any reader who enjoys mythology brought forward in a contemporary setting that includes epic battles between good and evil.
FYI: Havoc Rising contains graphic violence and gore. Colorful obscene adult language with plenty of F-bombs. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** July 18, 2016
Format/Typo Issues: I found no proofing or formatting issues.
October 16, 2015
Having never heard of this prior to seeing it come up for a blog tour, I went into it with no expectations, and I have to say that it was freaking fantastic!!
This started with a bang, literally! When a suicide bomber bombs a museum, Diomedes Tydides aka, Steve is sent in to investigate by Athena (yes that Athena). He realises that the bomb was a distraction for a robbery of an ancient and powerful cup. It's up to him to find out who's behind the theft and what they want the cup for.
Let's start with Steve. He is an ancient warrior, from the Trojan War times, whom Athena made immortal. He is her warrior and protector of innocents. He is the longest and best serving warrior Athena has ever had. I absolutely adored his character!!! Despite being an immortal, he was surprisingly human. He was strong, brave, tough, loyal and charming. His job is to protect humans from things they don't know exist, and he takes it seriously. When he meets Sarah, a detective who is investigating the bombing, he is in turmoil because of the feelings he is developing. He knows he can't drag her into this life but with the feelings he is developing, it's hard. I loved seeing both of their interactions and even the feelings developing between them. I so hope we get more from these characters because I want to see what happens!!
The world the author created was fantastic, mythology mixed with the modern world. We have magic, mythology, jinn, ifrits, witches, faeries and a large number of creatures all rolled into one compelling read. I loved the sheer number of creatures and beings involved in the story. We also have Greek gods and Titans!!! There is so much happening in the book that it's impossible to put down. So much awesomeness!!!!
In all this was a fast paced and gripping read. At times laugh out loud funny, and at other's edge of your seat tense, Havoc Rising is a must read. I loved everything about this and really want to see more from this universe. Highly recommend!!
This started with a bang, literally! When a suicide bomber bombs a museum, Diomedes Tydides aka, Steve is sent in to investigate by Athena (yes that Athena). He realises that the bomb was a distraction for a robbery of an ancient and powerful cup. It's up to him to find out who's behind the theft and what they want the cup for.
Let's start with Steve. He is an ancient warrior, from the Trojan War times, whom Athena made immortal. He is her warrior and protector of innocents. He is the longest and best serving warrior Athena has ever had. I absolutely adored his character!!! Despite being an immortal, he was surprisingly human. He was strong, brave, tough, loyal and charming. His job is to protect humans from things they don't know exist, and he takes it seriously. When he meets Sarah, a detective who is investigating the bombing, he is in turmoil because of the feelings he is developing. He knows he can't drag her into this life but with the feelings he is developing, it's hard. I loved seeing both of their interactions and even the feelings developing between them. I so hope we get more from these characters because I want to see what happens!!
The world the author created was fantastic, mythology mixed with the modern world. We have magic, mythology, jinn, ifrits, witches, faeries and a large number of creatures all rolled into one compelling read. I loved the sheer number of creatures and beings involved in the story. We also have Greek gods and Titans!!! There is so much happening in the book that it's impossible to put down. So much awesomeness!!!!
In all this was a fast paced and gripping read. At times laugh out loud funny, and at other's edge of your seat tense, Havoc Rising is a must read. I loved everything about this and really want to see more from this universe. Highly recommend!!
October 20, 2015
Steve aka Diomedes, the protagonist of the novel, works for the Goddess Athena to protect the humankind from ‘other’ evils. When a suicide bomber attacks the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Athena calls on Steve’s help on the matter. The attack was also accompanied by a stolen artefact, the Cup of Jamshid. Steve is on the mission to find the Cup.
According to Wikipedia,
Diomedes is a hero in Greek mythology, known for his participation in the Trojan War.
He was born to Tydeus and Deipyle and later became King of Argos, succeeding his maternal grandfather, Adrastus. In Homer’s Iliad, Diomedes is regarded alongside Ajax as one of the best warriors of all the Achaeans (behind only Achilles in prowess). Later, he founded ten or more Italian cities. After his death, Diomedes was worshipped as a divine being under various names in Italy and also in Greece.
I have to admit that I haven’t heard about Diomedes before now, but his profile seems pretty impressive. I am a sucker for novels with references of Greek mythology. Steve’s character is pretty smartly thought out by the author. A Greek hero in modern day New York City, with thousands of years of experience in various combat and fantasy creatures, is now faced with a task that is getting worse than he originally thought. This really was a great storyline, but the author pulled it out like it was nothing.
Steve’s correspondence with various Gods and otherworldly creatures are humorous and fun. The writing was good and I was sucked into the book from the start. There are some places where I spaced out, like large descriptions when I was expecting some action. Except this one small thing, this book was really a great read!
4 STARS!
According to Wikipedia,
Diomedes is a hero in Greek mythology, known for his participation in the Trojan War.
He was born to Tydeus and Deipyle and later became King of Argos, succeeding his maternal grandfather, Adrastus. In Homer’s Iliad, Diomedes is regarded alongside Ajax as one of the best warriors of all the Achaeans (behind only Achilles in prowess). Later, he founded ten or more Italian cities. After his death, Diomedes was worshipped as a divine being under various names in Italy and also in Greece.
I have to admit that I haven’t heard about Diomedes before now, but his profile seems pretty impressive. I am a sucker for novels with references of Greek mythology. Steve’s character is pretty smartly thought out by the author. A Greek hero in modern day New York City, with thousands of years of experience in various combat and fantasy creatures, is now faced with a task that is getting worse than he originally thought. This really was a great storyline, but the author pulled it out like it was nothing.
Steve’s correspondence with various Gods and otherworldly creatures are humorous and fun. The writing was good and I was sucked into the book from the start. There are some places where I spaced out, like large descriptions when I was expecting some action. Except this one small thing, this book was really a great read!
4 STARS!
December 28, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
3.5/5
FULL REVIEW UP ON NERDYCHAMPAGNE
Overall, Havoc Rising is a action-filled novel that can be funny at times and is definitely well-written. The characters were cool and funny if they want to be. For me, this has been a long read which is weird because only 334 pages. Also, I had to start on this book for three times before I actually got into it. Even though I said that, I was in some pressured reading pace right now so that might be the slump acting because Havoc Rising is definitely an interesting read from the first page up to the last. (I rarely say that so here’s a minute for you to soak that up). If you are into Mythology and magic, this book is definitely a must-read. From a cool lead to the badass love interest (that ends them in an it’s complicated relationship status but still cute) plus impressive battalion and all the action scenes.
3.5/5
FULL REVIEW UP ON NERDYCHAMPAGNE
Overall, Havoc Rising is a action-filled novel that can be funny at times and is definitely well-written. The characters were cool and funny if they want to be. For me, this has been a long read which is weird because only 334 pages. Also, I had to start on this book for three times before I actually got into it. Even though I said that, I was in some pressured reading pace right now so that might be the slump acting because Havoc Rising is definitely an interesting read from the first page up to the last. (I rarely say that so here’s a minute for you to soak that up). If you are into Mythology and magic, this book is definitely a must-read. From a cool lead to the badass love interest (that ends them in an it’s complicated relationship status but still cute) plus impressive battalion and all the action scenes.
September 7, 2015
When a bomb explodes in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, everyone assumes it was a terrorist act. But things aren’t quite what they seem. Under cover of the explosion, someone has stolen a very dangerous artifact and the goddess Athena calls in Steve AKA Diomedes Tydides, charter boat captain and ancient Greek warrior, hero of the Trojan Wars still fighting the good fights after all these centuries (so take that, Achilles).
Havoc Rising by author Brian S. Leon combines Greek, Arabian, and Celtic myths and legends with modern America to create an action-packed urban fantasy. Told in the first person by Steve/Diomedes, he is just enough of a smarta** to give the story a nice touch of humour and although there is a love interest, romance takes a very far backseat to action. There were times the story got bogged down in descriptions of weapons and technical equipment but, over all, this is one rollicking roller coaster of a ride.
3.5
Havoc Rising by author Brian S. Leon combines Greek, Arabian, and Celtic myths and legends with modern America to create an action-packed urban fantasy. Told in the first person by Steve/Diomedes, he is just enough of a smarta** to give the story a nice touch of humour and although there is a love interest, romance takes a very far backseat to action. There were times the story got bogged down in descriptions of weapons and technical equipment but, over all, this is one rollicking roller coaster of a ride.
3.5
October 12, 2015
In ‘Havoc Rising’ we meet Diomedis Tydides or Steve Dore as he is called now. Diomedis is thousands of years old and he is what they call a Guardian. Years ago he received immortality and power from the goddess Athena, in exchange for acting on her behalf in all matters pertaining to the protection of humankind. And he is really good in his job. So when a supposedly terrorist attic leads to the disappearance of the Cup of Jamshid, Diomedis is send to do his job and find the cup. But soon things get more and more complicated when a lot of strong and evil beings start to work against him. And when Diomedis finds out all this evil is the work of Medea of Colchis, deranged wife of Jason the Argonaut, a very evil witch, this soon becomes a matter of saving the entire world.
To be honest I just can’t imagine why I thought this book wouldn’t be a book for me. From the moment I started reading this book, I just couldn’t stop anymore. When I read the book description I honestly thought this book would take place in some ancient world.. but this book takes place in the modern time and it’s so exciting and fun to read. The author really created an exciting and interesting world which I loved to get to know.
The main character Diomedis has lived for thousands of years, but he really is a normal guy. At least that is what he thinks of himself. Diomedis fights to protect humankind, but he also is just a man. And I really loved that about his character. In ‘Havoc Rising’ we really get a glimpse of what is going on in Diomedis mind. He is a fighter but he also is a really kind guy. When he meets a mortal woman called Sarah, he really just feels like every other man out there. But the thing is that even though he really wants to… he isn’t really ‘normal’. We really get to see his struggles.
‘Havoc Rising’ is an extremely well written book. There are many different creatures in this book like Zombiis, Golems, Witches etc. but somehow you don’t feel like this is impossible and too much. I loved getting to know little ins and outs about these creatures.
There is also a lot of action filled and thrilling moments in this book. I really couldn’t stop reading this book because I just wanted to know how it would end and if everyone would survive.
Yep.. this book is the perfect example that you really need to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. Although I didn’t expect this at all I really really loved this book and all its characters. I really hope there will be more books about Diomedis and his world.
To be honest I just can’t imagine why I thought this book wouldn’t be a book for me. From the moment I started reading this book, I just couldn’t stop anymore. When I read the book description I honestly thought this book would take place in some ancient world.. but this book takes place in the modern time and it’s so exciting and fun to read. The author really created an exciting and interesting world which I loved to get to know.
The main character Diomedis has lived for thousands of years, but he really is a normal guy. At least that is what he thinks of himself. Diomedis fights to protect humankind, but he also is just a man. And I really loved that about his character. In ‘Havoc Rising’ we really get a glimpse of what is going on in Diomedis mind. He is a fighter but he also is a really kind guy. When he meets a mortal woman called Sarah, he really just feels like every other man out there. But the thing is that even though he really wants to… he isn’t really ‘normal’. We really get to see his struggles.
‘Havoc Rising’ is an extremely well written book. There are many different creatures in this book like Zombiis, Golems, Witches etc. but somehow you don’t feel like this is impossible and too much. I loved getting to know little ins and outs about these creatures.
There is also a lot of action filled and thrilling moments in this book. I really couldn’t stop reading this book because I just wanted to know how it would end and if everyone would survive.
Yep.. this book is the perfect example that you really need to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. Although I didn’t expect this at all I really really loved this book and all its characters. I really hope there will be more books about Diomedis and his world.
August 31, 2017
The premise: perfection
The characters: engaging and endearing
The plot: could be worse, could be better
The humor: yes, please
The action: yes, please
The potential for references to the source material and actual depth: mostly unused
The idea of Diomedes of Argos (aka: best Greek hero, full stop) in a modern setting, still working for Pallas Athene, is golden. The main character's personality is very likeable, although I have a hard time actually associating him with THE Diomedes on occasion. Still, he's good.
But man, could this story use more research, more references to the Bronze Age, more references to how damn complex and interconnected the legends of Hellas as a whole, and the war on Ilios, are.
This might have slowed the pace, which more casual readers would probs dislike, but still... so much potential. *although trolling Achilleus is justice, so props for that*
And I should probably bite my tongue at this point, but this whole "of course the Theoi are not actual Gods, just very powerful beings, how silly would that be, haha" angle is... especially disappointing.
So.
This is a good book for what it is supposed to be.
But it could be so much more.
In conclusion:
This review: is done
Doristhenes Diomedes: needs a break but highly unlikely to catch it anytime soon.
The characters: engaging and endearing
The plot: could be worse, could be better
The humor: yes, please
The action: yes, please
The potential for references to the source material and actual depth: mostly unused
The idea of Diomedes of Argos (aka: best Greek hero, full stop) in a modern setting, still working for Pallas Athene, is golden. The main character's personality is very likeable, although I have a hard time actually associating him with THE Diomedes on occasion. Still, he's good.
But man, could this story use more research, more references to the Bronze Age, more references to how damn complex and interconnected the legends of Hellas as a whole, and the war on Ilios, are.
This might have slowed the pace, which more casual readers would probs dislike, but still... so much potential. *although trolling Achilleus is justice, so props for that*
And I should probably bite my tongue at this point, but this whole "of course the Theoi are not actual Gods, just very powerful beings, how silly would that be, haha" angle is... especially disappointing.
So.
This is a good book for what it is supposed to be.
But it could be so much more.
In conclusion:
This review: is done
Doristhenes Diomedes: needs a break but highly unlikely to catch it anytime soon.
December 16, 2018
A while ago I read Chaos Unbound, the second book of Brian S. Leon‘s The Metis Files series. It was so addictive that I was compelled into a mighty binge read of Havoc Rising, the first book of the series. Now I’m totally wrung out. It was a pleasure meeting Steve, the lead of this series and learning about this immortal warrior who has been round since the time of the Trojan War when he was known as Diomedes Tydides. In this book 1 Athena (yes, the goddess herself) has a mission for him: find the Cup of Jamshid before modern day Medea of Colchis (the deranged wife of Jason the Argonaut) uses it to release across the world “a dark brand of chaos unseen in human history”. The novel was an absolute riot of fun. A thrilling adventure set in a modern-day world that’s also a crazily fun and fantastic mashup of mythology, magic sad urban fantasy. It is well written with a truly strong plot. Frankly, but for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed, I could go on and on with praises about this books. It definitely deserve it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely “one to read”, and it is easy to highly recommend it.
April 2, 2017
I was extremely excited when I received this book to read, the synopsis alone caught my attention, intrigued me. When it comes to books that use mythology I tend to love them right from the beginning. Though what was different was that when I read such urban fantasy books, there is a lot of romance, and honestly it was a nice and fresh change to have a book not be surrounded or based off of romance, and this is coming from the girl that loves paranormal romance novels but truly if this had the same amount as other books I loved, it possibly would not have intrigued me as much. The part that kept my focus was the plot itself and the action, and the character and how well they were created for the story.
I definitely would recommend this book to all other book lovers, looking for a nice change, a point of view from, what I pictured in my head though-out the reading, “eye-candy”.
Then be sure to pick up your copy!
4/5
Marie of Ctrl, Alt, Books
Disclaimer: I received this book in order to review the second in the Bewitching Book Tour of Chaos Unbound by Brian S. Leon (Book 2)
I definitely would recommend this book to all other book lovers, looking for a nice change, a point of view from, what I pictured in my head though-out the reading, “eye-candy”.
Then be sure to pick up your copy!
4/5
Marie of Ctrl, Alt, Books
Disclaimer: I received this book in order to review the second in the Bewitching Book Tour of Chaos Unbound by Brian S. Leon (Book 2)
June 16, 2017
This was a Book Bub recommendation.
I have to say that I am very partial to mythology be it Greek, Norse, whatever. I also really like the stories that blend together mythology and good urban fantasy, which is why I like the Monster Hunter series as well. The author spun a really good, fast paced story that was fun to read. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel. A really good beach read - 4 to 4.5 stars.
I have to say that I am very partial to mythology be it Greek, Norse, whatever. I also really like the stories that blend together mythology and good urban fantasy, which is why I like the Monster Hunter series as well. The author spun a really good, fast paced story that was fun to read. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel. A really good beach read - 4 to 4.5 stars.
May 18, 2017
Interesting twist on fighting crime and terrorism. Only in this case the modern hero is a 3200 year old Greek warrior fighting magical villains.
Also has the benefit of using both modern and ancient weapons. Keeping track of the ancient bad guys is a challenge.
Also has the benefit of using both modern and ancient weapons. Keeping track of the ancient bad guys is a challenge.
June 27, 2017
Heroic in the Ancient Sense
Dawn but this man knows his Greek mythology! No niggling errors to detract from a fast paced, well told, story.
Dawn but this man knows his Greek mythology! No niggling errors to detract from a fast paced, well told, story.
May 10, 2016
Kat Mandu says…
Wow, what wonderful story-telling! Leon takes you on a journey that’s part history, part myth, and yet all modern.
The thing I’m most impressed with about this story is the writing. Blending bits of real history intermingled with fiction is sometimes hard to do. It requires a lot of research and the ability to make readers believe that even though they’re reading something that’s not real, it feels real. The writing itself is also damn near perfect, full of vivid details and imaginable characters. The action scenes could have used a bit of work but they were understandable and that’s what is important. Writing action scenes is HARD. The author has to convey multiple points of view while sticking to one character if it’s first-person narration. And that’s tough when you have an epic battle on the forecast.
I love that the author can also take a very serious situation (terrorist attacks and lots of manipulative evil beings) and throw in some humor to take the edge off, then rush right back into the thick of things. I even had an interesting conversation with the author on how he pictured Hobs. I kinda think of them as the actual Hobbes in Fable. Squat little things that tend to be kinda ugly. Also, some of the conversations are pretty humorous, especially when you consider that “Steve” is a thousand or so years old and now in modern times, he’s saying things like “squid’s dick” to his friend Ned. That and he’s a guy, so he tends to have pervy thoughts. A lot
Wow, what wonderful story-telling! Leon takes you on a journey that’s part history, part myth, and yet all modern.
The thing I’m most impressed with about this story is the writing. Blending bits of real history intermingled with fiction is sometimes hard to do. It requires a lot of research and the ability to make readers believe that even though they’re reading something that’s not real, it feels real. The writing itself is also damn near perfect, full of vivid details and imaginable characters. The action scenes could have used a bit of work but they were understandable and that’s what is important. Writing action scenes is HARD. The author has to convey multiple points of view while sticking to one character if it’s first-person narration. And that’s tough when you have an epic battle on the forecast.
I love that the author can also take a very serious situation (terrorist attacks and lots of manipulative evil beings) and throw in some humor to take the edge off, then rush right back into the thick of things. I even had an interesting conversation with the author on how he pictured Hobs. I kinda think of them as the actual Hobbes in Fable. Squat little things that tend to be kinda ugly. Also, some of the conversations are pretty humorous, especially when you consider that “Steve” is a thousand or so years old and now in modern times, he’s saying things like “squid’s dick” to his friend Ned. That and he’s a guy, so he tends to have pervy thoughts. A lot
April 6, 2017
Pretty good start of a new urban fantasy series. It's more of a 3.5 star rating due to some issues I had with the novel, but I rounded it up to 4 because I'm a big fan of greek mythology and I like when it's used in urban fantasy novels in new ways.
Issues I had with the novel were mostly minor but they were still there and I hope they get fixed in the sequel because I'll definitely give it a read.
Issues I had with the novel were mostly minor but they were still there and I hope they get fixed in the sequel because I'll definitely give it a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2015
This reminded me of the Kevin Herne series, Iron Druid Chronicles in the way that mythology is real and most people know nothing about it. The main character has to work with and against these mythological entities to help humanity. However, in this series Diomedes is a team player even if he has to lead the team. He works much better with others.
The worldbuilding was well done here and it mostly deals with the Greek mythology. Other mythos are thrown in and also have a place in the world. We deal with unsurmountable odds like in most UF and the fight scenes were well done. I also enjoyed the ending which felt complete but still left enough space for more books in a series. While there is also potential for romance in the book, there is very little of it in this installment. However, foreshadowing tells us there will be more tension in that area in his life. My only small complaint is that I would have loved to have more of the worldbuilding and more about the mythos he works with and against.
I give this book 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys UF and fantasy. It also has some great secondary characters. and I look forward to reading more about this world and Diomedes. Would love to see more of his past worked into his present.
The worldbuilding was well done here and it mostly deals with the Greek mythology. Other mythos are thrown in and also have a place in the world. We deal with unsurmountable odds like in most UF and the fight scenes were well done. I also enjoyed the ending which felt complete but still left enough space for more books in a series. While there is also potential for romance in the book, there is very little of it in this installment. However, foreshadowing tells us there will be more tension in that area in his life. My only small complaint is that I would have loved to have more of the worldbuilding and more about the mythos he works with and against.
I give this book 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys UF and fantasy. It also has some great secondary characters. and I look forward to reading more about this world and Diomedes. Would love to see more of his past worked into his present.
September 8, 2016
I can't say enough good things about this book. The author not only receives feedback, he's congenial about it! It may be because we're around in the same age bracket, but still. His military details are spot on, the tactics make sense, the world building is awesome and the pacing is great.
It's hard finding a good supernatural urban fantasy book with a military angle (this book has a quasi angle, don't worry - it's not focused on the military, the character was just former military) that reads accurately. Brian said in a recent blog post that he throws away many more pages of details just to make sure that he can write accurately and from a headspace that understands what he's saying. I can appreciate that.
I read the book fast once, and started reading it again, and even had the pleasure of a short email conversation with the author. Better yet - when I provided feedback, he didn't point out I spelled 'bated' breath with 'baited', something my English degree wielding wife pointed out with a laugh.
Great book. I'm waiting eagerly for the second! If only he could write four books at once.
It's hard finding a good supernatural urban fantasy book with a military angle (this book has a quasi angle, don't worry - it's not focused on the military, the character was just former military) that reads accurately. Brian said in a recent blog post that he throws away many more pages of details just to make sure that he can write accurately and from a headspace that understands what he's saying. I can appreciate that.
I read the book fast once, and started reading it again, and even had the pleasure of a short email conversation with the author. Better yet - when I provided feedback, he didn't point out I spelled 'bated' breath with 'baited', something my English degree wielding wife pointed out with a laugh.
Great book. I'm waiting eagerly for the second! If only he could write four books at once.
July 31, 2015
This book has the most surprising concept, which the author, Brian S. Leon, pulls off like it was nothing. Leon combines the fantasy world of Tolkien with the Greek mythology world of Homer. I did not even think the two worlds could exist together without there being a flaw in the concept but Leon made it work seamlessly. There are Fae creatures like brownies and witches fighting with Greek gods like Athena. There were some pretty graphic scenes that were well written. My only complaint was that I could have done without the all expletives. The scenes with guns was pretty technical for me and made my eyes glaze over, but the rest of the story was full of action and humor. A great read for those who love guns and magic.
July 1, 2016
This book started out great, action started from the beginning and seemed to carry through. About halfway it seemed to lose its speed and started to drag. I started losing interest. Not even the characters kept me interested. They were well written and a lot of research clearly went in to this novel, but by the middle they just started to lose the spark. Diomedes started coming across as arrogant and stared to get annoying.
The story had a great premise, Greek mythology with modern day terrorism, it seemed to work well, I just found the run up to the end battle was unnecessarily dragged out.
The story had a great premise, Greek mythology with modern day terrorism, it seemed to work well, I just found the run up to the end battle was unnecessarily dragged out.
October 31, 2015
A massive mix of so many myths and beliefs. I love it was a real world fight that the real world new nothing of. Was awesome using so many characters that people recognise, I think it helped draw you in to the story. It was pretty flat out once it got going and I almost couldn't find a spot to stop. Cool weaponry and a great cops and robbers story so to speak. Thanks to goodreads for giving me the opportunity to read this I very much enjoyed it.
September 8, 2015
3.5 stars. Quite enjoyable and unique UF. Non-stop action and details that clearly reflect a lot of research into weapons and history. The writing is a bit rough with run-ons and info dumping at times, but otherwise great use of uncommon myths!
April 2, 2018
This was a GREAT read. Really good characters, well written and the details fit. was hard to put down once I got into it. am very much looking forward to the next in this series. Good editing and proper research on tools used. Thanks for taking the time to do this right Mr. Leon
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July 16, 2015Message me for a free copy of the pre-prologue to Havoc Rising!
July 27, 2015
I liked the how the author blended Greek mythology with modern times. The main character, while immortal had a very human side as well. I look forward to other books with the same characters.
July 27, 2015
I liked it,
Hope there will be many more to come. I'm not going to give you blurb on the book. I'm just going to tell you to read it .
Read it! You'll enjoy it.
Hope there will be many more to come. I'm not going to give you blurb on the book. I'm just going to tell you to read it .
Read it! You'll enjoy it.
January 25, 2021
The worse thing about this book was that fact there were so many fascinating characters in it but every this was I, I, I, I. It's a shame that authors are such lazy writers that they write their stories in the first person, just to get the book out faster. You loose so much in a first person story.
Otherwise, this was a good story about an explosion and the hunt for the witch who started it, and the fact she wanted the world in chaos. The last 25% of the book was all about the battle with her and her strange creatures. It was exciting, but long.
The only romance, if you could call it that, was a quick kiss. And the F-bomb was used 21 times.
As for the narration: Dillon Siedentopf was just okay. I mean, really, when you're in a cave with a LOT of killer creatures you would definitely whisper. He did not whisper one time. That was just stupid. His voices for the characters were good, though. But, there's more than just voices in narrating, IMO.
Otherwise, this was a good story about an explosion and the hunt for the witch who started it, and the fact she wanted the world in chaos. The last 25% of the book was all about the battle with her and her strange creatures. It was exciting, but long.
The only romance, if you could call it that, was a quick kiss. And the F-bomb was used 21 times.
As for the narration: Dillon Siedentopf was just okay. I mean, really, when you're in a cave with a LOT of killer creatures you would definitely whisper. He did not whisper one time. That was just stupid. His voices for the characters were good, though. But, there's more than just voices in narrating, IMO.
February 20, 2022
Great book! Havoc Rising by Brian S Leon is an original story that will stay at back of your mind for a long time afterwards. Fascinating book with vivid and tense descriptions, well- developed characters and fast-paced storyline. That book is a great choice if you enjoy mythology, epic battles and brave characters. A page-turner here!
February 20, 2022
Havoc Rising by Brian S Leon is an urban fantasy, that combines Greek, Arabian and Celtic mythology. This is action packed story with interesting and well described characters and fast paced plotline. Fascinating and well-written book!
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