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Olympus Trilogy #1
Athena's Champion
The first in a thrilling new historical fantasy series; Odysseus must embrace his secret heritage and outwit the vengeful gods who would control or destroy him… Prince Odysseus of Ithaca is about to have his world torn apart. He’s travelled to the oracle at Pytho to be anointed as heir to his island kingdom; but instead the Pythia reveals a terrible secret, one that tears down every pillar of his life, and marks him out for death.
Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.
When one of Athena’s schemes goes drastically wrong, and the young Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, Odysseus must journey past the gates of Hades to save her. Falling in love with a Trojan princess, a bewitching woman who poses a deadly threat to both his homeland and Athena, won’t make his task any easier…
Drawing from classic Greek mythology, Athena's Champion, first in the epic Olympus Trilogy, is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and David Gemmell
Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.
When one of Athena’s schemes goes drastically wrong, and the young Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, Odysseus must journey past the gates of Hades to save her. Falling in love with a Trojan princess, a bewitching woman who poses a deadly threat to both his homeland and Athena, won’t make his task any easier…
Drawing from classic Greek mythology, Athena's Champion, first in the epic Olympus Trilogy, is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and David Gemmell
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2018
30 people are currently reading
524 people want to read
About the author
David Hair
47 books535 followersDavid Hair is the author of The Bone Tiki, winner of Best First Novel (Young Adult Fiction section) at the 2010 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. The Bone Tiki and its sequel The Taniwha's Tear are fantasy novels set in New Zealand. David is a New Zealander, who has worked primarily in financial services. He has a degree in History and Classical Studies. He has lived from 2007 to 2010 in New Delhi, India, but usually resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from writing, he is interested in folklore, history, and has a passion for football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 17, 2019
WHY DIDN'T I KNOW THAT I WAS CRAVING THIS BOOK?!
Actual rating: 4.5⭐
I was given an ARC of the second book in this series and thought that, just maybe, I should read the first book before giving the 2nd one a go. And man, was I glad that I did!!! Holy crap, I love this book! I have always been a fan of Greek mythology, The Iliad and The Odyssey, but rarely have a read a take on these legendary stories that impressed me as much as this one!
Blurp
When Odysseus finds out, that the thing he had believed all his life - that he was the son of King Laertes of Ithaca - was actually a lie, his entire life changes. Odysseus' real fahter is actually Sisyphus, a descendant of Prometheus, and that means that Odysseus has god's blood in his veins. But not just any good, a deposed, hated god, an enimy of the Olympian Skyfather, Zeus. That means that Odysseus' life is in danger and he must flee to safe himself. He gets caught up in Olympian politics when the goddess of war and wisdom, Athena, claims him and in order to survive, he must face and embrace his heritage.
THE GOOD STUFF
The prequel: Usually, Odysseus' story starts with the Iliad. But that is not the start of his story. It's not something that I have usually thought about, but when I was reading this book, I was so glad that somebody else did! I especially loved the explanation to how Odysseus came to be claimed by Athena, because that is something that is just stated and accepted in the Iliad and the Odyssey. I didn't know it until I read this book, but I was actually really craving Odysseus' background story.
Mythology: I love Greek mythology, but sometimes it is hard to keep all the stories straight. Just take the origin story of Aphrodite - is she the daughter of Zeus or did she rise from the foam made when Cronos threw Uranus' severed penis into the ocean? Yeah, it can be hard to figure it all out. What I was perhaps most impressed with about this story was the insanely complex mythology, that the authors spun for this book. It gave answers to so many questions about the Greek pantheon. And the relationships between the gods, the god's relationship with the Greek and Trojan people as well as the politics of the gods was amazing!
Alternative: For someone like me, who loves Greek mythology and who is acquainted with most of the Greek legends and stories, I really loved that this book had some alternative versions of the ususal stories, such as the story of the Golden Apple - here called the apple of contention. I always love retellings like this, but only if they serve a purpose and are done right for the story. And that was certainly the case here
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF
Insta-love: This was really just a minor thing that sort of bothered me, but that didn't really ruin this book - hence my 4.5 rating. From the moment Odysseus lays eyes on the beautiful, Trojan princess Kyshanda (Cassandre), he is enamoured by her. And she by him, it would seem. While I love the idea of Odysseus loving another women before Penelope, and especially someone that would later become an enemy of his, I am not a lover of instant loveconnections. Odysseus and Kyshanda hardly spent more than a few minutes in each others company, but afterwards Odysseus is absolutely hooked. Not my cup of tea.
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
Actual rating: 4.5⭐
I was given an ARC of the second book in this series and thought that, just maybe, I should read the first book before giving the 2nd one a go. And man, was I glad that I did!!! Holy crap, I love this book! I have always been a fan of Greek mythology, The Iliad and The Odyssey, but rarely have a read a take on these legendary stories that impressed me as much as this one!
"If the facts change, Odysseus, a wise man changes with them."
-Doripanes
Blurp
When Odysseus finds out, that the thing he had believed all his life - that he was the son of King Laertes of Ithaca - was actually a lie, his entire life changes. Odysseus' real fahter is actually Sisyphus, a descendant of Prometheus, and that means that Odysseus has god's blood in his veins. But not just any good, a deposed, hated god, an enimy of the Olympian Skyfather, Zeus. That means that Odysseus' life is in danger and he must flee to safe himself. He gets caught up in Olympian politics when the goddess of war and wisdom, Athena, claims him and in order to survive, he must face and embrace his heritage.
THE GOOD STUFF
The prequel: Usually, Odysseus' story starts with the Iliad. But that is not the start of his story. It's not something that I have usually thought about, but when I was reading this book, I was so glad that somebody else did! I especially loved the explanation to how Odysseus came to be claimed by Athena, because that is something that is just stated and accepted in the Iliad and the Odyssey. I didn't know it until I read this book, but I was actually really craving Odysseus' background story.
Mythology: I love Greek mythology, but sometimes it is hard to keep all the stories straight. Just take the origin story of Aphrodite - is she the daughter of Zeus or did she rise from the foam made when Cronos threw Uranus' severed penis into the ocean? Yeah, it can be hard to figure it all out. What I was perhaps most impressed with about this story was the insanely complex mythology, that the authors spun for this book. It gave answers to so many questions about the Greek pantheon. And the relationships between the gods, the god's relationship with the Greek and Trojan people as well as the politics of the gods was amazing!
"Glory. You can't touch it, or hold it, or store it. It satisfies every need you have and yet leaves you hungry for more.
-Theseus
Alternative: For someone like me, who loves Greek mythology and who is acquainted with most of the Greek legends and stories, I really loved that this book had some alternative versions of the ususal stories, such as the story of the Golden Apple - here called the apple of contention. I always love retellings like this, but only if they serve a purpose and are done right for the story. And that was certainly the case here
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF
Insta-love: This was really just a minor thing that sort of bothered me, but that didn't really ruin this book - hence my 4.5 rating. From the moment Odysseus lays eyes on the beautiful, Trojan princess Kyshanda (Cassandre), he is enamoured by her. And she by him, it would seem. While I love the idea of Odysseus loving another women before Penelope, and especially someone that would later become an enemy of his, I am not a lover of instant loveconnections. Odysseus and Kyshanda hardly spent more than a few minutes in each others company, but afterwards Odysseus is absolutely hooked. Not my cup of tea.
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
November 23, 2018
This is a fun prequel to the Iliad and the Odyssey, portraying a life of Odysseus as a young man and forging new heroic adventures to creatively fill in gaps in his backstory. Without the poetry and voice of Homer eerily reaching to you across the millennia, the many recastings of his plots over the centuries have had to fly with either by some revitalization of the plot, by digging deeper into the character of the players of the stories, or by dwelling longer in the pathos of their tragedies and moral choices. In this version, author David Hair does a good job in all three of these spheres and does so by drawing on his strengths gained from writing about 10 epic fantasy tales.
We start with a bang as Odysseus in a visit with his family to the Oracle learns that he is not Ithacan King Laertes’s son but instead that of Sisyphus, in the lineage of Prometheus. (Though considered a descendant of Hermes in Homer, his being Sisyphus’ bastard was a non-Homeric version Wiki notes as found in Sophocles’ “Ajax”). A fight with his father over the king’s cruel reaction to his mother leads him to be banished. At the same time he realizes he must hide from the gods. Zeus has long put a jihad on all the descendants of Prometheus for bestowing too much knowledge to humans, such as the gift of fire (recall the punishment of the god to be chained forever to a rock ripped by an eagle and of the man to forever roll a rock up a hill). On the plus side, he was smitten at the temple with a brief encounter with Cassandra, a beautiful seer and daughter of Priam and Hecuba of Troy attending the Oracle with a royal delegation from that kingdom on the eastern Aegean. Also, he gathers in many clues to his fate which he must puzzle out through the rest of the book:
He comes before you humbly, purified and desirous of knowledge.
…Then the Pythia speaks, obliterating all thought. Her voice is at times shrill, at others a low growl, her facing staring into a void, looking past me, looking through me.
“Purified? Where is the purity? He came to be purged yet he has been touched by another! Another? Nay, by two! Spawned in fire, born of lust, the renegade, the trickster, eternal traitor, eagle’s prey! Who dares! This is my place! Mine!”
… the fingers she jabs at me are violently accusing.
“Wit before wisdom! Concealed hands and hearts! Faithful yet false! Loved and loathed! Touched, more than touched: claimed, by another! I see you, False Daughter, the owl that swoops! But this one is not for you! Tainted chalice! Envenomed blade! Honorless, perilous! Lost wanderer! Twin-finder! And dangerous: yes, most dangerous! Wall breaker! Lock picker! True-hearted deceiver!
..I see you, cuckoo’s egg! Seed of the cursed! Rotted fruit of the tainted seed! I see you: son of Sisyphus!”
The “False Daughter” turns out to be Athena, referring to the myth of her being born from the head of Zeus as just being a pretty tale for the common man. Athena soon enlists Odysseus as her champion and puts him with her other champion, Theseus, who helps train him up to use his extra boost of strength and speed she has endowed him with. That Theseus, the Minotaur slayer and first king of Athens, now deposed for his lecherous and drunken ways. The conflict between these two heroes is a core of this version, initially a source of comic relief in the crude egotism and amoral bloodlust and regular lust shown by Theseus compared to the more refined, logical, and moral deportment of the budding master of craft and diplomacy. Later, Theseus betrays team Athena and they become deadly enemies. Together you have in store for you their teamwork in kidnapping Helen and her twin brother Polydeuces at age 13 from their family palace in Sparta, the same Helen stolen later by Paris from husband Meneleus of Mycenae as the kickoff of the Trojan War. The why on Helen’s earlier abduction here provides a fascinating alternate twist on the origins of the Trojan War. A doublecross by Theseus has him absconding with them and hiding out in Hades, and lots of action attends both Odysseus and Trojan forces racing to free the twins in separate passages through that dangerous realm ruled by Hades and Persephone.
Among the pleasures of epic fantasy—clever world-building, quests that require both physical prowess and problem solving talents, and mastery of magic systems—the latter often flops for me as a rewarding element. Here, Hair impressed me with his scheme by which godly qualities in those with a lineage from human-god matings can be activated and lead to humans, the “theioi” (god-touched), who can serve the god behind their activation, who are in turn protected by their god. Aside from champions, the other types of theioi are the seer, the avatar (one whom can host a god’s personality), and the magus (who can tap into a gods supernatural powers), examples from which appear in this tale. An avatar for Athena, Iodama explains the system for the gods need to mess with human destiny:
“Imagine our world is an amphora like this one, too small for the gods to enter lest they destroy it, but with many holes through which they can reach inside. They do so to protect the ones they love—their people—from the people of other gods. But they can only act through those with the right blood …the god-touched. …The Trojans desire ascendancy over Achaea, so they attacked you, our “Man of Fire.”
…Gods compete; gods die. In this world, we theioi are their weapons, and can be turned on each other”.
“If there were no gods, would there be no war?”
Iodama snorts. “We are mankind, doomed to struggle and strive and fight and kill. As above, so below”. She jabs my chest with a bony finger. “Life is a struggle, Ithacan. Would you not prefer a world shaped by Athena—a place of wisdom and reason—than one made in the image of Skaya-Mandu’s Ishtar, or even Ares, the War God of Olympos?”
Yet who can you really trust anyone in the face of such a mercenary scheme? A member of Athena’s team who operates through a succession of human bodies casts the following ultimate puzzle for Odysseus to resolve by the end of the story:
That story she fed you—of gods creating the world, and of gods and men intertwined in a battle for survival—might not be the only explanation. … Here’s a thought for you—which came first: the egg, or the bird that laid it?
In terms of personal enjoyment, this one equalled my read of Miller’s prequel on the love relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, “Song of Achilles”, but wasn’t at the peak of my pleasure meter in my love for Dan Simmon’s sci fi version of the Trojan War, “Ilium.”
This book was provided by the publisher for review through the Netgalley program.
We start with a bang as Odysseus in a visit with his family to the Oracle learns that he is not Ithacan King Laertes’s son but instead that of Sisyphus, in the lineage of Prometheus. (Though considered a descendant of Hermes in Homer, his being Sisyphus’ bastard was a non-Homeric version Wiki notes as found in Sophocles’ “Ajax”). A fight with his father over the king’s cruel reaction to his mother leads him to be banished. At the same time he realizes he must hide from the gods. Zeus has long put a jihad on all the descendants of Prometheus for bestowing too much knowledge to humans, such as the gift of fire (recall the punishment of the god to be chained forever to a rock ripped by an eagle and of the man to forever roll a rock up a hill). On the plus side, he was smitten at the temple with a brief encounter with Cassandra, a beautiful seer and daughter of Priam and Hecuba of Troy attending the Oracle with a royal delegation from that kingdom on the eastern Aegean. Also, he gathers in many clues to his fate which he must puzzle out through the rest of the book:
He comes before you humbly, purified and desirous of knowledge.
…Then the Pythia speaks, obliterating all thought. Her voice is at times shrill, at others a low growl, her facing staring into a void, looking past me, looking through me.
“Purified? Where is the purity? He came to be purged yet he has been touched by another! Another? Nay, by two! Spawned in fire, born of lust, the renegade, the trickster, eternal traitor, eagle’s prey! Who dares! This is my place! Mine!”
… the fingers she jabs at me are violently accusing.
“Wit before wisdom! Concealed hands and hearts! Faithful yet false! Loved and loathed! Touched, more than touched: claimed, by another! I see you, False Daughter, the owl that swoops! But this one is not for you! Tainted chalice! Envenomed blade! Honorless, perilous! Lost wanderer! Twin-finder! And dangerous: yes, most dangerous! Wall breaker! Lock picker! True-hearted deceiver!
..I see you, cuckoo’s egg! Seed of the cursed! Rotted fruit of the tainted seed! I see you: son of Sisyphus!”
The “False Daughter” turns out to be Athena, referring to the myth of her being born from the head of Zeus as just being a pretty tale for the common man. Athena soon enlists Odysseus as her champion and puts him with her other champion, Theseus, who helps train him up to use his extra boost of strength and speed she has endowed him with. That Theseus, the Minotaur slayer and first king of Athens, now deposed for his lecherous and drunken ways. The conflict between these two heroes is a core of this version, initially a source of comic relief in the crude egotism and amoral bloodlust and regular lust shown by Theseus compared to the more refined, logical, and moral deportment of the budding master of craft and diplomacy. Later, Theseus betrays team Athena and they become deadly enemies. Together you have in store for you their teamwork in kidnapping Helen and her twin brother Polydeuces at age 13 from their family palace in Sparta, the same Helen stolen later by Paris from husband Meneleus of Mycenae as the kickoff of the Trojan War. The why on Helen’s earlier abduction here provides a fascinating alternate twist on the origins of the Trojan War. A doublecross by Theseus has him absconding with them and hiding out in Hades, and lots of action attends both Odysseus and Trojan forces racing to free the twins in separate passages through that dangerous realm ruled by Hades and Persephone.
Among the pleasures of epic fantasy—clever world-building, quests that require both physical prowess and problem solving talents, and mastery of magic systems—the latter often flops for me as a rewarding element. Here, Hair impressed me with his scheme by which godly qualities in those with a lineage from human-god matings can be activated and lead to humans, the “theioi” (god-touched), who can serve the god behind their activation, who are in turn protected by their god. Aside from champions, the other types of theioi are the seer, the avatar (one whom can host a god’s personality), and the magus (who can tap into a gods supernatural powers), examples from which appear in this tale. An avatar for Athena, Iodama explains the system for the gods need to mess with human destiny:
“Imagine our world is an amphora like this one, too small for the gods to enter lest they destroy it, but with many holes through which they can reach inside. They do so to protect the ones they love—their people—from the people of other gods. But they can only act through those with the right blood …the god-touched. …The Trojans desire ascendancy over Achaea, so they attacked you, our “Man of Fire.”
…Gods compete; gods die. In this world, we theioi are their weapons, and can be turned on each other”.
“If there were no gods, would there be no war?”
Iodama snorts. “We are mankind, doomed to struggle and strive and fight and kill. As above, so below”. She jabs my chest with a bony finger. “Life is a struggle, Ithacan. Would you not prefer a world shaped by Athena—a place of wisdom and reason—than one made in the image of Skaya-Mandu’s Ishtar, or even Ares, the War God of Olympos?”
Yet who can you really trust anyone in the face of such a mercenary scheme? A member of Athena’s team who operates through a succession of human bodies casts the following ultimate puzzle for Odysseus to resolve by the end of the story:
That story she fed you—of gods creating the world, and of gods and men intertwined in a battle for survival—might not be the only explanation. … Here’s a thought for you—which came first: the egg, or the bird that laid it?
In terms of personal enjoyment, this one equalled my read of Miller’s prequel on the love relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, “Song of Achilles”, but wasn’t at the peak of my pleasure meter in my love for Dan Simmon’s sci fi version of the Trojan War, “Ilium.”
This book was provided by the publisher for review through the Netgalley program.
November 13, 2018
Odysseus was never one of my favourite heroes in Greek mythology partly because I sided with Troy and Hector in the epic battle of Troy. Yes, not even Brad Pitt as Achilles could change my loyalties in this regard. Since Odysseus had more than paid up for his treachery and the fact that he never wanted to be a part of the Trojan war in the first place had favoured him to me a bit. And Tennyson's poem invoking him as a tireless fighter who is intended to live life to the lees only accentuates this image.
David Hair and Cath Mayo's recent addition to this literary corpus brings yet another side of this Ithacan hero. Following the non-Homeric tradition which sees Odysseus as the son of Sisyphus, the book traces his journey of survival as a champion of Athena, the warrior goddess of logic and reason.
From the beginning itself, we feel a comradeship with Odysseus who are scared to wits when his stable world comes tumbling down. He knows his limitations and his silver tongue sets him apart from the usual heroes who are known for bloodshed and deeds of valour. The man we find here is fragile as any other human but refuses to be a pawn in the games of gods. How he will manage to do that is yet to be seen.
Though first in the part of a series, the story has a satisfying end so that the readers can keep their excitement leashed until the arrival of the next one. I loved the way the authors managed to give a modern interpretation to the existence of Greek Gods; they are alive till they are worshipped and thus the Trojan war turns out to be a decisive one regarding their survival.
To conclude, 'Athena's Champion' will hook anyone who loves Greek mythology. You feel right at home with Odysseus and with each turn of the page, we are pulled deeper into the story. It was an enjoyable and educative read which made me revisit some of my mythology references. Thank you, Ellie Pilcher of Canelo, for sending me an ARC and for the invitation to the blog tour.
David Hair and Cath Mayo's recent addition to this literary corpus brings yet another side of this Ithacan hero. Following the non-Homeric tradition which sees Odysseus as the son of Sisyphus, the book traces his journey of survival as a champion of Athena, the warrior goddess of logic and reason.
From the beginning itself, we feel a comradeship with Odysseus who are scared to wits when his stable world comes tumbling down. He knows his limitations and his silver tongue sets him apart from the usual heroes who are known for bloodshed and deeds of valour. The man we find here is fragile as any other human but refuses to be a pawn in the games of gods. How he will manage to do that is yet to be seen.
Though first in the part of a series, the story has a satisfying end so that the readers can keep their excitement leashed until the arrival of the next one. I loved the way the authors managed to give a modern interpretation to the existence of Greek Gods; they are alive till they are worshipped and thus the Trojan war turns out to be a decisive one regarding their survival.
To conclude, 'Athena's Champion' will hook anyone who loves Greek mythology. You feel right at home with Odysseus and with each turn of the page, we are pulled deeper into the story. It was an enjoyable and educative read which made me revisit some of my mythology references. Thank you, Ellie Pilcher of Canelo, for sending me an ARC and for the invitation to the blog tour.
November 15, 2018
Athena's Champion was really, really interesting. Thanks to the novel I now know about Theioi and the politics of Greek gods
October 9, 2018
What a thrilling read ATHENA'S CHAMPION was. Odysseus has long been a favorite hero of mine and when I saw this book and read the blurb did I just knew that I had to read the book. The book is action filled and I love how David Hair and Cath May right from the start make Odysseus life miserable. Well, that sounds bad, but just think about his little trip home from Troy that lasted a little longer than expected. Odysseus discovery about his heritage at the beginning of the book and all the obstacles, later on, will just show that he's on a road to more obstacles in the future...
I really liked this new take on Odysseus life. How he learns more about the world and about the Gods. Not to mention all he learns about himself. I like how the myth of Prometheus is added to the story and the struggle between the Gods for power. Poor Odysseus is but a pawn in the hands of Athena, but he proves quickly that he is very cunning.
As a big fantasy fan historical fiction fan was this book a real winner for me. David Hair and Cath Mayo have written a great book that makes me eager to get the next book in the series. I was a bit worried that the book would end up with a cliffhanger, but I found the ending satisfying. This is definitely a book to read if you like Greek mythology and/or historical fiction about gods and heroes.
I want to thank Canelo for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
I really liked this new take on Odysseus life. How he learns more about the world and about the Gods. Not to mention all he learns about himself. I like how the myth of Prometheus is added to the story and the struggle between the Gods for power. Poor Odysseus is but a pawn in the hands of Athena, but he proves quickly that he is very cunning.
As a big fantasy fan historical fiction fan was this book a real winner for me. David Hair and Cath Mayo have written a great book that makes me eager to get the next book in the series. I was a bit worried that the book would end up with a cliffhanger, but I found the ending satisfying. This is definitely a book to read if you like Greek mythology and/or historical fiction about gods and heroes.
I want to thank Canelo for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
August 22, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Egmont Audio for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great depiction of the adventures of Odysseus. The story behind with our hero, Odysseus finding out that he is a bastard and King Laertes is not his true father. This leads to him falling from grace and seeking sanctuary with the Goddess Athena. We are then told the tale of Odysseus entering Hades realm in search of Theseus and the kidnapped Helen of Sparta. Along the way we meet various characters of Greek mythology including, Athena, Zeus, Hera, Hades, Persephone, Theseus, Bria the daemon, and Helen of Sparta, among others. It is an epic tale and is the first in the Olympus Trilogy, which are essentially prequels to the Odyssey, I believe. Great for fans of Circe, Song of Achilles or Ariadne, three of my favorite Greek mythology fantasy novels.
Great story with great writing. I will definitely be picking up the entire trilogy on my Kindle. That being said, I must now review the audio, as this book is actually three years old, but the audiobook is brand new, hence the ALC. I've listened to several audiobooks and have not found a narrator that I despised until now. This narrator was terrible. The only voice I thought was even close to appropriate was his rendition of Theseus. Other than that, it was so off. The Greek gods and goddesses sounded weak, despite the description of strength. Athena was whiny and Hades sounded weak. His voice for Bria was awful, but I guess all of his female voices were just awful. I will never listen to another book narrated by this same guy.
Great book overall. Four stars. But definitely skip the audiobook and get the physical or Kindle copy.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great depiction of the adventures of Odysseus. The story behind with our hero, Odysseus finding out that he is a bastard and King Laertes is not his true father. This leads to him falling from grace and seeking sanctuary with the Goddess Athena. We are then told the tale of Odysseus entering Hades realm in search of Theseus and the kidnapped Helen of Sparta. Along the way we meet various characters of Greek mythology including, Athena, Zeus, Hera, Hades, Persephone, Theseus, Bria the daemon, and Helen of Sparta, among others. It is an epic tale and is the first in the Olympus Trilogy, which are essentially prequels to the Odyssey, I believe. Great for fans of Circe, Song of Achilles or Ariadne, three of my favorite Greek mythology fantasy novels.
Great story with great writing. I will definitely be picking up the entire trilogy on my Kindle. That being said, I must now review the audio, as this book is actually three years old, but the audiobook is brand new, hence the ALC. I've listened to several audiobooks and have not found a narrator that I despised until now. This narrator was terrible. The only voice I thought was even close to appropriate was his rendition of Theseus. Other than that, it was so off. The Greek gods and goddesses sounded weak, despite the description of strength. Athena was whiny and Hades sounded weak. His voice for Bria was awful, but I guess all of his female voices were just awful. I will never listen to another book narrated by this same guy.
Great book overall. Four stars. But definitely skip the audiobook and get the physical or Kindle copy.
October 10, 2018
Athena’s Champion tells the story of Odysseus as a young man. Think of this book as a prequel to the infamous Iliad by Homer. Its obvious that the authors did their research as they told of the events and arguments amongst the Gods that lead up to the Trojan War.
This book expands on the idea in Greek mythology that the Gods and Goddesses constantly meddled in the lives of mortals, and used them as pawns, to win favor with Zeus, start wars, gain worshippers, etc.
The writing style was very direct and just focused on the action and dialogue. It did take me a chapter or two to really get into the story, but after that, I was fully engrossed and refused to put the book down. I had fun geeking out throughout the novel by looking up the characters and places found in the story.
As I read the story I felt like I was living the re-telling of an old tale; however, that tale was fresh, like I had just unearthed some long-lost scrolls with new stories that hadn't been told for ages. I had flashbacks of all the wonderful things I learned in my favorite college courses: mythology, ancient literature, humanities, world history.
The development of characters, that you'll recognize from Greek myths and legends, plus the endearing love story woven throughout the novel, made everything even more enjoyable.
I knew I was hooked when I thought to myself, “Mom would love this book. I’ll have to buy her a copy.” There were several references, such as Jason and the Argonauts and the Battle of Thermopylae between Sparta and the Persian Empire, which all reminded me of story-time with my Mom growing up. She loved to read me mythological stories and the book brought back very fond memories.
The authors brought Ancient Greece back to life and I can’t wait to read the next book in the Olympus Series.
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book expands on the idea in Greek mythology that the Gods and Goddesses constantly meddled in the lives of mortals, and used them as pawns, to win favor with Zeus, start wars, gain worshippers, etc.
The writing style was very direct and just focused on the action and dialogue. It did take me a chapter or two to really get into the story, but after that, I was fully engrossed and refused to put the book down. I had fun geeking out throughout the novel by looking up the characters and places found in the story.
As I read the story I felt like I was living the re-telling of an old tale; however, that tale was fresh, like I had just unearthed some long-lost scrolls with new stories that hadn't been told for ages. I had flashbacks of all the wonderful things I learned in my favorite college courses: mythology, ancient literature, humanities, world history.
The development of characters, that you'll recognize from Greek myths and legends, plus the endearing love story woven throughout the novel, made everything even more enjoyable.
I knew I was hooked when I thought to myself, “Mom would love this book. I’ll have to buy her a copy.” There were several references, such as Jason and the Argonauts and the Battle of Thermopylae between Sparta and the Persian Empire, which all reminded me of story-time with my Mom growing up. She loved to read me mythological stories and the book brought back very fond memories.
The authors brought Ancient Greece back to life and I can’t wait to read the next book in the Olympus Series.
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2021
First off - Why did ancient civilians not understand that going to get a prophecy from the oracle is NEVER A GOOD THING. Come on people, learn that valuable lesson. Nothing good will ever come from knowing your fate.
Athena’s Champion is a prequel retelling of Odysseus’ past before we all knew and loved him as the famed person he would later become. It all starts after an oracle’s prophecy proclaims him as a champion of the goddess Athena, and as such, makes him a target for the discontented.
The storyline was a bit of a slow burn for me, but the narrator, Ben Onwukwe, was the perfect choice for this audiobook based off of his voice alone. I love both The Iliad and The Odyssey but it was nice to read something that is loosely based off of them but gives it a new take.
TW: rape
Athena’s Champion is a prequel retelling of Odysseus’ past before we all knew and loved him as the famed person he would later become. It all starts after an oracle’s prophecy proclaims him as a champion of the goddess Athena, and as such, makes him a target for the discontented.
The storyline was a bit of a slow burn for me, but the narrator, Ben Onwukwe, was the perfect choice for this audiobook based off of his voice alone. I love both The Iliad and The Odyssey but it was nice to read something that is loosely based off of them but gives it a new take.
TW: rape
November 9, 2018
This is a book I deeply enjoyed, it has a mix of Greek Mythology and Fantasy. The authors created a plausible young Odysseus, it doesn’t feel out of place or character. Its Odysseus through and through, and for me that adds a lot of value to the story.
Odysseus is a theios, “god-touched” awakened by Athena that offered him her protection. He was sceptic about the gods to later discover they were real and mankind is at their mercy. He’s also portrayed as idealistic, I would like to highlight his conversation with Bria about honor: “‘I thought Athena stood for honour.’ ‘Honour? No, she stands for logic, and logic has little place for irrational concepts like honour.”
Sometimes I felt as if the book goes in separate ways with Homer’s original story, nevertheless, the authors always manage to bring the story back to the original. It has a good ending and I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many Thanks to Canelo, David Hair, Cath Mayo and Netgalley for the opportunity.
Odysseus is a theios, “god-touched” awakened by Athena that offered him her protection. He was sceptic about the gods to later discover they were real and mankind is at their mercy. He’s also portrayed as idealistic, I would like to highlight his conversation with Bria about honor: “‘I thought Athena stood for honour.’ ‘Honour? No, she stands for logic, and logic has little place for irrational concepts like honour.”
Sometimes I felt as if the book goes in separate ways with Homer’s original story, nevertheless, the authors always manage to bring the story back to the original. It has a good ending and I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many Thanks to Canelo, David Hair, Cath Mayo and Netgalley for the opportunity.
August 17, 2021
Review in English | Reseña en Español
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for providing a free copy of the audiobook in exchange of a honest review.
Unfortunately, Athena’s Champion was not the book for me, but I think this is more an “it is me, not you” situation. And I believe it’s time to face it: I am not so fond of Greek mythology and therefore, of its retellings. While I am familiar with basic facts of Greek gods and goddesses along with its heroes and I know the general outline of The Odyssey and The Iliad, well…I’ve just never loved them nor felt passionate about it.
Therefore, why do I want to read retellings?
To be honest, I don’t know. Maybe it was just after reading Hair’s novel that I have finally realized this and hence, that would explain why other novels from the genre have failed to truly become favorites, going from the Percy Jackson series to other books such as Circe and The Song of Achilles. The stories are interesting, but they are not for me.
In Athena’s Champion we follow the life of Odysseus, years prior to the Trojan War and how he becomes involved from an early age with mortal and immortal kings and personalities. His life changes completely when an oracle reveals he is not who he thought he was and he is forced to leave home to escape his father’s wrath. He then meets a demon who serves Athena and who promises protection if he serves her. From there, Odysseus meets more gods and goddesses, fights mortal beings in order to rescue a very young Helene of Troy and must use his intelligence and tricks to survive very, very envious and jealous deities.
The story is action packed and there is always conflict –whether caused by Gods or by humans- where the main character is always trying to survive. Having said that, however, I could not really get immersed nor interested in the story –I disliked how mortal and immortal beings are presented on the same level, with deities being even worst that humans and how Odysseus simply fooled them. I would have liked a more classical retelling in terms of the separation between men and gods and perhaps a bit less action and more focus on some key characters. For, while I liked Odysseus and Bria’s dynamic, I believe a lot of time was spent on dialogues and conversations of Gods and Goddesses that were too much because from the beginning we already got a pretty good idea of how dislikable and fallible gods can also be. I also felt there was not a great depiction of Odysseus as a man and of all his relations –for example, he has a love interested but this was not really explored nor really significant to his life.
In any case, as said, I believe my lack of enjoyment of this book might stem from the fact that I am not that interested in the source material, and not because the story is bad. I am sure those who love Greek mythology and retellings might love this book as it is a different approach to other retellings and some dialogues are hilarious.
Finally, a note on the audiobook: the narrator was fine but at some parts his voice was too strong and he spoke too quickly which made it hard to follow. I disliked when he imitated accents –I mean, in the end we all assume all the characters are Greek and therefore are not native English speakers, so why emphasize the difference?
___
Seré breve: este iibro funcionará para lectores que aman la mitología griega y están interesados en los retellings. Desafortunadamente, para mi no funcionó pero creo que es más una situación "de no eres tu, soy yo". Y es que he de enfrentarlo: creo que no me interesa tanto ni la mitología griega y por ende, cualquier reinterpretación sobre el tema. Lo cual, de alguna forma, explicaría por qué no me he apasionado tanto con libros como la serie de Percy Jackson, o las novelas de Madeline Miller. De mi parte, creo que solo no estoy tan interesada. El libro tiene mucha acción y presenta una perspectiva de las relaciones humano-dioses, pero no fue suficiente para convencerme ni engancharme. A mitad, la historia se vuelve un poco densa, con muchos conflictos entre dioses y semidioses que hicieron que me parecieran ociosos y creo que no exploran realmente al personaje de un joven Odiseo, muchos años antes de los eventos de la guerra de Troya y con varios problemas generados, nuevamente, por los dioses. En resumen: interesante para los que aman el tema que pueden encontrar una historia divertida.
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for providing a free copy of the audiobook in exchange of a honest review.
Unfortunately, Athena’s Champion was not the book for me, but I think this is more an “it is me, not you” situation. And I believe it’s time to face it: I am not so fond of Greek mythology and therefore, of its retellings. While I am familiar with basic facts of Greek gods and goddesses along with its heroes and I know the general outline of The Odyssey and The Iliad, well…I’ve just never loved them nor felt passionate about it.
Therefore, why do I want to read retellings?
To be honest, I don’t know. Maybe it was just after reading Hair’s novel that I have finally realized this and hence, that would explain why other novels from the genre have failed to truly become favorites, going from the Percy Jackson series to other books such as Circe and The Song of Achilles. The stories are interesting, but they are not for me.
In Athena’s Champion we follow the life of Odysseus, years prior to the Trojan War and how he becomes involved from an early age with mortal and immortal kings and personalities. His life changes completely when an oracle reveals he is not who he thought he was and he is forced to leave home to escape his father’s wrath. He then meets a demon who serves Athena and who promises protection if he serves her. From there, Odysseus meets more gods and goddesses, fights mortal beings in order to rescue a very young Helene of Troy and must use his intelligence and tricks to survive very, very envious and jealous deities.
The story is action packed and there is always conflict –whether caused by Gods or by humans- where the main character is always trying to survive. Having said that, however, I could not really get immersed nor interested in the story –I disliked how mortal and immortal beings are presented on the same level, with deities being even worst that humans and how Odysseus simply fooled them. I would have liked a more classical retelling in terms of the separation between men and gods and perhaps a bit less action and more focus on some key characters. For, while I liked Odysseus and Bria’s dynamic, I believe a lot of time was spent on dialogues and conversations of Gods and Goddesses that were too much because from the beginning we already got a pretty good idea of how dislikable and fallible gods can also be. I also felt there was not a great depiction of Odysseus as a man and of all his relations –for example, he has a love interested but this was not really explored nor really significant to his life.
In any case, as said, I believe my lack of enjoyment of this book might stem from the fact that I am not that interested in the source material, and not because the story is bad. I am sure those who love Greek mythology and retellings might love this book as it is a different approach to other retellings and some dialogues are hilarious.
Finally, a note on the audiobook: the narrator was fine but at some parts his voice was too strong and he spoke too quickly which made it hard to follow. I disliked when he imitated accents –I mean, in the end we all assume all the characters are Greek and therefore are not native English speakers, so why emphasize the difference?
___
Seré breve: este iibro funcionará para lectores que aman la mitología griega y están interesados en los retellings. Desafortunadamente, para mi no funcionó pero creo que es más una situación "de no eres tu, soy yo". Y es que he de enfrentarlo: creo que no me interesa tanto ni la mitología griega y por ende, cualquier reinterpretación sobre el tema. Lo cual, de alguna forma, explicaría por qué no me he apasionado tanto con libros como la serie de Percy Jackson, o las novelas de Madeline Miller. De mi parte, creo que solo no estoy tan interesada. El libro tiene mucha acción y presenta una perspectiva de las relaciones humano-dioses, pero no fue suficiente para convencerme ni engancharme. A mitad, la historia se vuelve un poco densa, con muchos conflictos entre dioses y semidioses que hicieron que me parecieran ociosos y creo que no exploran realmente al personaje de un joven Odiseo, muchos años antes de los eventos de la guerra de Troya y con varios problemas generados, nuevamente, por los dioses. En resumen: interesante para los que aman el tema que pueden encontrar una historia divertida.
October 22, 2018
This is the story of Odysseus. It starts when he is a young prince getting ready to go before the oracle at Pytho. He wants nothing more than to rule Ithaca one day just like his father. His life will be turned upside down after hearing the oracle. He will be marked for death. He will be hunted.
I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read any Greek mythology in a while, so this was a nice change of pace. I loved some of the characters, and absolutely hated some others. Reading about how the women were treated then never fails to piss me off! This was my first time reading anything by David Hair and I will definitely read more.
I received a copy of this book from Net Gallery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read any Greek mythology in a while, so this was a nice change of pace. I loved some of the characters, and absolutely hated some others. Reading about how the women were treated then never fails to piss me off! This was my first time reading anything by David Hair and I will definitely read more.
I received a copy of this book from Net Gallery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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February 9, 2019Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo publishing for a free copy. This is an honest review.
I love mythology so I was excited to read this. I didn't even read the description. This was well written. I just had Odysseus so I really didn't like this book. I wanted to but its about a character I dislike.
I love mythology so I was excited to read this. I didn't even read the description. This was well written. I just had Odysseus so I really didn't like this book. I wanted to but its about a character I dislike.
October 12, 2018
I love reading about Greek mythology. One recent read of mine was based on Greek mythology: Circe.
Athena's Champion is a beautifully written story of Prince Odysseus. Odysseus's life took a turn for the worse after visiting the oracle at Pytho. Note, that you will be angry at many places, reading about the vile treatment of women under the rule of gods. The book shows scenarios and dialogues that are eerily similar to today's realities.
Athena's Champion was a great historical fantasy read. I lagged in the beginning but my reading up after a few chapters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
Athena's Champion is a beautifully written story of Prince Odysseus. Odysseus's life took a turn for the worse after visiting the oracle at Pytho. Note, that you will be angry at many places, reading about the vile treatment of women under the rule of gods. The book shows scenarios and dialogues that are eerily similar to today's realities.
Athena's Champion was a great historical fantasy read. I lagged in the beginning but my reading up after a few chapters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
October 10, 2018
I received an ARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely adore Greek mythology, so when I saw this book I knew that I just had to read it. I’ve read quite a few mythology inspired books, but most of them have been set in the modern world. Now I don’t mind that at all, but there’s just something magical about ancient Greece, that those books don’t capture in the same ways (that doesn’t make the other books any less magical, it’s just nice to mix it up and see books on Greek mythology set in ancient times as well).
Athena’s Champion tells the story of a young Odysseus who travels with his family to meet the Pythia Oracle, but when an unexpected revelation is made there, he has to flee from assassin's, and is mortally wounded. He is saved however, by the goddess Athena and then the adventure truly begins.
As I mentioned I’ve read quite a lot of books on Greek mythology, but the amount of actual mythology in them differs a lot. I was pleased to find out that Athena’s Champion contained a lot of mythology. There were many gods, heroes and myths mentioned and that, in my opinion, was part of what made this story so good.
The story is complex at times when dealing with the politics of the gods, but it is still easy to understand, and I found this (the politics of the gods) to be very interesting. The action is very well written and the story doesn’t drag. I liked reading about a younger Odysseus and his wit, though some of the other characters felt a little flat to me at times. All in all I very much enjoyed the story though, and I will recommend it to anyone who loves Greek mythology or a good adventure.
I absolutely adore Greek mythology, so when I saw this book I knew that I just had to read it. I’ve read quite a few mythology inspired books, but most of them have been set in the modern world. Now I don’t mind that at all, but there’s just something magical about ancient Greece, that those books don’t capture in the same ways (that doesn’t make the other books any less magical, it’s just nice to mix it up and see books on Greek mythology set in ancient times as well).
Athena’s Champion tells the story of a young Odysseus who travels with his family to meet the Pythia Oracle, but when an unexpected revelation is made there, he has to flee from assassin's, and is mortally wounded. He is saved however, by the goddess Athena and then the adventure truly begins.
As I mentioned I’ve read quite a lot of books on Greek mythology, but the amount of actual mythology in them differs a lot. I was pleased to find out that Athena’s Champion contained a lot of mythology. There were many gods, heroes and myths mentioned and that, in my opinion, was part of what made this story so good.
The story is complex at times when dealing with the politics of the gods, but it is still easy to understand, and I found this (the politics of the gods) to be very interesting. The action is very well written and the story doesn’t drag. I liked reading about a younger Odysseus and his wit, though some of the other characters felt a little flat to me at times. All in all I very much enjoyed the story though, and I will recommend it to anyone who loves Greek mythology or a good adventure.
January 12, 2020
First book in the Olympus Trilogy.
This is written in present tense. I can see why in the first chapter. It gives it an ethereal, mystical past feeling and as it follows some known mythology, it could have made a good start to the story if it hadn't carried on in present tense throughout.
As that's what it did, it reads rather slow. The story itself is interesting so I persevered, but by 18% it was becoming a real chore.
I'm not sure how closely it follows the actual mythology as I'm not that familiar with the Greek stories, but my impression is that it's pretty close. The plot and action are good and I liked the main character. My only problem is that it dragged terribly and could have been a really good read if it had been written properly in past tense. Why is this a thing? No Classics, NONE, are written totally in past tense!
The writing itself was very good. The authors are obviously able to write well. I just hope they progress from using present tense. Unfortunately I'll never know because once stung with this, I never go back to the author again.
This is written in present tense. I can see why in the first chapter. It gives it an ethereal, mystical past feeling and as it follows some known mythology, it could have made a good start to the story if it hadn't carried on in present tense throughout.
As that's what it did, it reads rather slow. The story itself is interesting so I persevered, but by 18% it was becoming a real chore.
I'm not sure how closely it follows the actual mythology as I'm not that familiar with the Greek stories, but my impression is that it's pretty close. The plot and action are good and I liked the main character. My only problem is that it dragged terribly and could have been a really good read if it had been written properly in past tense. Why is this a thing? No Classics, NONE, are written totally in past tense!
The writing itself was very good. The authors are obviously able to write well. I just hope they progress from using present tense. Unfortunately I'll never know because once stung with this, I never go back to the author again.
August 4, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
Athena's Champion is a prequel telling of Odysseus' past before he became the household name he would later be. Tapped as a Champion of Athena after an oracle's prophecy details not only his future, but everything he knows about himself. When the prophecy paints a large target on his back, will he be able to fly under the radar to stay alive? Or will his quest sending him into the underworld become a permanent destination?
This was a solid beginning to a trilogy. The narrator was perfectly selected as he has the booming voice you would expect from the Gods. The middle of this novel became a bit stagnant, but other than the pacing issues this was an easy book to enjoy listening to. It does not, however, peak my interest to continue the series, so it does get three stars rather than four from me.
I recommend this for anyone 18+ who loves Greek mythology and an original tale. There is reference to rape, thus the higher age recommendation.
Athena's Champion is a prequel telling of Odysseus' past before he became the household name he would later be. Tapped as a Champion of Athena after an oracle's prophecy details not only his future, but everything he knows about himself. When the prophecy paints a large target on his back, will he be able to fly under the radar to stay alive? Or will his quest sending him into the underworld become a permanent destination?
This was a solid beginning to a trilogy. The narrator was perfectly selected as he has the booming voice you would expect from the Gods. The middle of this novel became a bit stagnant, but other than the pacing issues this was an easy book to enjoy listening to. It does not, however, peak my interest to continue the series, so it does get three stars rather than four from me.
I recommend this for anyone 18+ who loves Greek mythology and an original tale. There is reference to rape, thus the higher age recommendation.
November 5, 2021
I really enjoyed this story. You're roped in immediately. If you're a fan of Madeline Miller and her work with "Song of Achilles" and "Circe," then "Athena's Champion" is right up your ally. Fans of Greek Mythology will enjoy this too even if you haven't read the other books. Any time there is mention of other Greek gods that we've become familiar with over the years of exposure, gives some excitement. Maybe that's just me? Always love when I know a reference. Feels like I'm in on the whole world.
Speaking of world - in my opinion, there isn't much world building. But maybe that's because when you start a book revolving around Greek mythology and the story being told in a "traditional" sense and not a retelling, I feel like you already know going into it the world and place that's already set.
Here for the characters. Here for the writing and would definitely recommend to others in the future.
I will add, I read this via an audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. That being said though, usually I'm pretty good about multitasking when doing audiobooks. However with this one, i found that if I wasn't paying attention, I would have to go back some and pick up again from when my mind wondered too.
Speaking of world - in my opinion, there isn't much world building. But maybe that's because when you start a book revolving around Greek mythology and the story being told in a "traditional" sense and not a retelling, I feel like you already know going into it the world and place that's already set.
Here for the characters. Here for the writing and would definitely recommend to others in the future.
I will add, I read this via an audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. That being said though, usually I'm pretty good about multitasking when doing audiobooks. However with this one, i found that if I wasn't paying attention, I would have to go back some and pick up again from when my mind wondered too.
August 9, 2021
I received an eARC of this audiobook from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!
Odysseus is about to have his world torn to pieces and thrown upside down, but along the way, can he find not only allies but also his true self?
As someone who loves Greek mythology but has little patience for reading them in their original form, this book was just what I needed! It took such a classic story and turned it into something that I simply couldn't stop listening to. I found myself finally undaunted by Odysseus' story and even wanting more and more of it.
This story was definitely something that took Odysseus, a legend, and made him into a human being that could actually be related to. It took his story and turned it into something that could really reach the reader and give them something to connect to even in the modern-day. I greatly enjoyed being part of Odysseus' story and I cannot wait to see where this series goes!
If you are a fan of Greek mythology retellings, this book is definitely for you!
Odysseus is about to have his world torn to pieces and thrown upside down, but along the way, can he find not only allies but also his true self?
As someone who loves Greek mythology but has little patience for reading them in their original form, this book was just what I needed! It took such a classic story and turned it into something that I simply couldn't stop listening to. I found myself finally undaunted by Odysseus' story and even wanting more and more of it.
This story was definitely something that took Odysseus, a legend, and made him into a human being that could actually be related to. It took his story and turned it into something that could really reach the reader and give them something to connect to even in the modern-day. I greatly enjoyed being part of Odysseus' story and I cannot wait to see where this series goes!
If you are a fan of Greek mythology retellings, this book is definitely for you!
November 5, 2018
For some time now I have been looking to sink myself in a good Greek Mythology book (I chanced upon Circe late but I do want to read it)and that's when I chanced upon Athena's Champion. The blurb looked interesting and when I began reading I was glad I made the right choice.
The opening sequence is dramatic and makes for a good movie screenplay. I don't know why but I always imagine scenes in a book playing out like a movie. Do you guys do that? Anyhoo back to the plot, Odysseus, prince of Ithaca discovers that his true parentage comes from Prometheus lineage who is the god punished for sharing fire with mankind. He is brandished as a bastard and exiled. But the Goddess Athena gives him refuge and turns him into Theoi as well as requires him to play a part in a mission that was propelled by the prophecy that revealed Odysseus's true lineage.
Despite such a heavy story they make it look so effortless and even those who have no patience to read such fantasies can do it. I was admittedly apprehensive going in wondering if I will be able to complete it as my patience is unpredictable but I truly emerged satisfied at the other end.
thank you to netgalley and Canelo publishers
full review on www.bibliogyan.com
The opening sequence is dramatic and makes for a good movie screenplay. I don't know why but I always imagine scenes in a book playing out like a movie. Do you guys do that? Anyhoo back to the plot, Odysseus, prince of Ithaca discovers that his true parentage comes from Prometheus lineage who is the god punished for sharing fire with mankind. He is brandished as a bastard and exiled. But the Goddess Athena gives him refuge and turns him into Theoi as well as requires him to play a part in a mission that was propelled by the prophecy that revealed Odysseus's true lineage.
Despite such a heavy story they make it look so effortless and even those who have no patience to read such fantasies can do it. I was admittedly apprehensive going in wondering if I will be able to complete it as my patience is unpredictable but I truly emerged satisfied at the other end.
thank you to netgalley and Canelo publishers
full review on www.bibliogyan.com
August 13, 2020
Finally finished this book!
I'll admit that I didn't like this book, mainly because it is so different from the Greek myths that I learn from Uncle Rick's books, and you could say that I'm pretty stubborn.
Of course, there are other reasons that I have this book a 3 star.
One of this, is because this book requires a lot of concentration.
Usually, I could listen rock music while reading, but for this book, I needed classical music or even total silence.
The second reason is because I didn't really like the language. I don't know how to explain this, but the style of writing is weird and there are some foul languages.
Anyways, overall, it still is a good book, it's just that I didn't like it.
I'll admit that I didn't like this book, mainly because it is so different from the Greek myths that I learn from Uncle Rick's books, and you could say that I'm pretty stubborn.
Of course, there are other reasons that I have this book a 3 star.
One of this, is because this book requires a lot of concentration.
Usually, I could listen rock music while reading, but for this book, I needed classical music or even total silence.
The second reason is because I didn't really like the language. I don't know how to explain this, but the style of writing is weird and there are some foul languages.
Anyways, overall, it still is a good book, it's just that I didn't like it.
October 12, 2018
This first instalment of David Hair's classic Greek historical fantasy series has received some rave initial reviews.
Unfortunately, this reviewer was not too enamoured with Hair's writing style and I had great difficulty being engaged in the story.
In particular, I just couldn't appreciate the novel being written from the first-person perspective - so instead of being brought into the unfolding plot, I felt detached and removed.
Athena's Champion simply wasn't my cup of ambrosia...
Unfortunately, this reviewer was not too enamoured with Hair's writing style and I had great difficulty being engaged in the story.
In particular, I just couldn't appreciate the novel being written from the first-person perspective - so instead of being brought into the unfolding plot, I felt detached and removed.
Athena's Champion simply wasn't my cup of ambrosia...
December 13, 2018
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca travels with his family to Pythos to be anointed as his father’s successor. It was supposed to be simple and straightforward. However, the words that leave the Pythia’s mouth turn his world upside down, estrange his parents, and result in his expulsion from the family and his home. Now on the run to stay alive (as his line is destined for death), he ends up being blessed by Athena, becoming her newest champion and putting him in the middle of a brewing war between the gods and mankind. He becomes instrumental in one of Athena’s schemes that goes horribly wrong and only his wits and history as a youth in Sparta spare him. But it also takes him into Hades and puts him head to head with the legendary Theseus.
As a huge fan of Greek mythology, I couldn’t wait to read this one. While I love the traditional stories, I also enjoy modern takes. This book was certainly a twist on the myths, but I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as I have other twists.
Athena’s Champion is basically a story about Odysseus’s youth. We see him as a young man, newly come of age and heir apparent. He has streaks of naivete and signs of the great tactician he becomes during the Trojan War. He is most definitely a thoughtful character in this book, and I was often put off by how much thinking he did during the first half. I almost felt like all he did was think, think, train, and then think some more. I get it; he is wise and analytical, but I feel like he thought a little too much.
If you’re looking for a story that aligns with the myths, this book doesn’t always do it. I appreciated the fact that it does follow some of the stories, puts them in a chronological order, and tells the story of a youthful Odysseus, but it was definitely not fully in line with the myths, taking certain liberties that had me frowning. Now, I love a good twist, but this felt like it went a little too far, especially since it’s supposed to be historical fiction. Yes, I know creative license is common and taken, but I’m too big of a fan of the originals to really appreciate it. Though I did absolutely love that the authors mentioned Heracles instead of the Roman equivalent Hercules that so many other writers use.
Since this book did put several events into a plausible order, I could forgive quite a bit. However, what was truly jarring to me was this weird modern impression I got. Some of Odysseus’s thoughts felt a little to modern and I’m not sure the Ancient Greeks would agree that that’s how they thought about people and the world back then. Again, historical fiction, so I do anticipate artistic license, but also expect some historical accuracy. Overall, this felt like it was a more modern Odysseus who was sent back in time, so he lived during the Ancient Greek times, but had modern day thoughts about the gods.
What I did absolutely love are that it was easy to follow, gave a great possible backstory for Odysseus and how he might have come to be the great leader he was during the Trojan War, and provided a most interesting theory for the gods. It certainly made me think and reevaluate the stories that I know, encouraging me to look at them in a different light. As a matter of fact, I feel like I should re-read The Illiad and The Odyssey right now.
What I absolutely did not love was the romance subplot. It was strong at the beginning, barely present in the middle, and weak at the end. By the time I reached the end of the book, it felt like it was there to serve as a plot device to get some action rolling and then the authors had to do something with it, so tried to reinforce it in a convincing way at the end. It just left me puzzled and disgruntled. Especially since the romantic interest was not Penelope, his eventual wife in the myths. Instead it’s Kyshanda (Cassandra, the doom prophetess, though this fact is never mentioned so maybe she has yet to become the doom prophetess?). It makes me wonder when and how the authors will bring in Penelope, or if they will, in subsequent books.
As I said, I’m a huge fan of Greek mythology and will take on just about any book I come across that uses it. I wanted to love this book, but I don’t think I do. I definitely enjoyed it, but it leaves me feeling dissatisfied and disgruntled. However, it is a stunning book full of possibilities and absolutely got me thinking. Whether or not I’ll pick up the subsequent books in this series, I’m not so sure, though I am curious to see how Odysseus’s new story will turn out.
I waver between 3 and 4, but I think I’ll go with 4 because it really is a beautiful book even though the handling of the myths was not to my complete satisfaction.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Canelo, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
As a huge fan of Greek mythology, I couldn’t wait to read this one. While I love the traditional stories, I also enjoy modern takes. This book was certainly a twist on the myths, but I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as I have other twists.
Athena’s Champion is basically a story about Odysseus’s youth. We see him as a young man, newly come of age and heir apparent. He has streaks of naivete and signs of the great tactician he becomes during the Trojan War. He is most definitely a thoughtful character in this book, and I was often put off by how much thinking he did during the first half. I almost felt like all he did was think, think, train, and then think some more. I get it; he is wise and analytical, but I feel like he thought a little too much.
If you’re looking for a story that aligns with the myths, this book doesn’t always do it. I appreciated the fact that it does follow some of the stories, puts them in a chronological order, and tells the story of a youthful Odysseus, but it was definitely not fully in line with the myths, taking certain liberties that had me frowning. Now, I love a good twist, but this felt like it went a little too far, especially since it’s supposed to be historical fiction. Yes, I know creative license is common and taken, but I’m too big of a fan of the originals to really appreciate it. Though I did absolutely love that the authors mentioned Heracles instead of the Roman equivalent Hercules that so many other writers use.
Since this book did put several events into a plausible order, I could forgive quite a bit. However, what was truly jarring to me was this weird modern impression I got. Some of Odysseus’s thoughts felt a little to modern and I’m not sure the Ancient Greeks would agree that that’s how they thought about people and the world back then. Again, historical fiction, so I do anticipate artistic license, but also expect some historical accuracy. Overall, this felt like it was a more modern Odysseus who was sent back in time, so he lived during the Ancient Greek times, but had modern day thoughts about the gods.
What I did absolutely love are that it was easy to follow, gave a great possible backstory for Odysseus and how he might have come to be the great leader he was during the Trojan War, and provided a most interesting theory for the gods. It certainly made me think and reevaluate the stories that I know, encouraging me to look at them in a different light. As a matter of fact, I feel like I should re-read The Illiad and The Odyssey right now.
What I absolutely did not love was the romance subplot. It was strong at the beginning, barely present in the middle, and weak at the end. By the time I reached the end of the book, it felt like it was there to serve as a plot device to get some action rolling and then the authors had to do something with it, so tried to reinforce it in a convincing way at the end. It just left me puzzled and disgruntled. Especially since the romantic interest was not Penelope, his eventual wife in the myths. Instead it’s Kyshanda (Cassandra, the doom prophetess, though this fact is never mentioned so maybe she has yet to become the doom prophetess?). It makes me wonder when and how the authors will bring in Penelope, or if they will, in subsequent books.
As I said, I’m a huge fan of Greek mythology and will take on just about any book I come across that uses it. I wanted to love this book, but I don’t think I do. I definitely enjoyed it, but it leaves me feeling dissatisfied and disgruntled. However, it is a stunning book full of possibilities and absolutely got me thinking. Whether or not I’ll pick up the subsequent books in this series, I’m not so sure, though I am curious to see how Odysseus’s new story will turn out.
I waver between 3 and 4, but I think I’ll go with 4 because it really is a beautiful book even though the handling of the myths was not to my complete satisfaction.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Canelo, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 6, 2019
Finally, here's the review - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2019/01/...
September 8, 2019
You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Canelo, and the authors via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca is about to have his world torn apart. He’s travelled to the oracle at Pytho to be anointed as heir to his island kingdom; but instead the Pythia reveals a terrible secret, one that tears down every pillar of his life, and marks him out for death.
Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.
When one of Athena’s schemes goes drastically wrong, and the young Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, Odysseus must journey past the gates of Hades to save her. Falling in love with a Trojan princess, a bewitching woman who poses a deadly threat to both his homeland and Athena, won’t make his task any easier…
I have always had a fascination with Greek mythology, though I must admit, I don't know it all that well. I know the players and the rough idea of everything but I'm not completely up to date with all the happenings. So when I saw this title available for request, I hit that button as fast as I could. Then I left it sitting in my TBR pile along with around 200 other titles I haven't quite got to yet. So I thought I'd start from the bottom of my netgalley request list and work up to the most current one so I can clear out a bit of backlog and appease the netgalley review Gods.
I found the first half of this story rather slow. I understand the point of everything that happened in that part of the story, I understand why it was slow, but it doesn't change the fact that that first half of the book was a pretty hard slog for me. It was all the set up for Odysseus and what was to come. Once the book hit the halfway mark though, the pacing of the story picked up a lot and just flew by, action all the way. This was great. I really thoroughly enjoyed the second part of the book, but the first half had me wondering if I should bother to continue and contemplating DNFing it.
If you're not completely on the up and up with your Greek mythology and all of the players, it can be a little bit of a task to get your head around the locations and the names. 90% of the names in the story were familiar, though there were a few, I'm not afraid to admit, I was spelling out in my head to make sure I was pronouncing them right. So this could have had something to do with the pacing problem I experienced as I felt like I had to slow down to make sure I was reading things right hahaha.
I've read a lot of reviews for this book saying that Odysseus has never been a favourite of anyone, and sure, he's not my favourite either, but I actually really liked the way Odysseus was portrayed in this story. I really felt for the guy. His whole world is shattered into a million pieces and then he keeps getting kicked in the guts when he's just trying to do the right thing. In a way, I think me not being completely knowledgeable of all the stories worked in my favour here. The character of Bria was interesting, and I liked Eurybates (not sure if I spelled that one right). I also absolutely LOVEDDDD Hades and Persephone. Something about them just made me smile.
The imagery of the world was brilliantly described and set up, the characters were well envisioned and I honestly had no idea what was about to go down which caused Helen of Troy to be kidnapped, I was honestly shocked by that outcome, so that was nice.
All in all, this was an okay story, by the end I did enjoy it but the first half was a major slog. I am interested to see where the story goes from here as this is the beginning of a new series, though I'm unsure at this point whether I will continue.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Canelo, and the authors via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca is about to have his world torn apart. He’s travelled to the oracle at Pytho to be anointed as heir to his island kingdom; but instead the Pythia reveals a terrible secret, one that tears down every pillar of his life, and marks him out for death.
Outcast by his family, hunted by the vengeful gods, Odysseus is offered sanctuary by Athena, goddess of wisdom, and thrust into the secret war between the Olympians for domination and survival. Only his wits, and his skill as a warrior, can keep him ahead of their power games – and alive.
When one of Athena’s schemes goes drastically wrong, and the young Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, Odysseus must journey past the gates of Hades to save her. Falling in love with a Trojan princess, a bewitching woman who poses a deadly threat to both his homeland and Athena, won’t make his task any easier…
I have always had a fascination with Greek mythology, though I must admit, I don't know it all that well. I know the players and the rough idea of everything but I'm not completely up to date with all the happenings. So when I saw this title available for request, I hit that button as fast as I could. Then I left it sitting in my TBR pile along with around 200 other titles I haven't quite got to yet. So I thought I'd start from the bottom of my netgalley request list and work up to the most current one so I can clear out a bit of backlog and appease the netgalley review Gods.
I found the first half of this story rather slow. I understand the point of everything that happened in that part of the story, I understand why it was slow, but it doesn't change the fact that that first half of the book was a pretty hard slog for me. It was all the set up for Odysseus and what was to come. Once the book hit the halfway mark though, the pacing of the story picked up a lot and just flew by, action all the way. This was great. I really thoroughly enjoyed the second part of the book, but the first half had me wondering if I should bother to continue and contemplating DNFing it.
If you're not completely on the up and up with your Greek mythology and all of the players, it can be a little bit of a task to get your head around the locations and the names. 90% of the names in the story were familiar, though there were a few, I'm not afraid to admit, I was spelling out in my head to make sure I was pronouncing them right. So this could have had something to do with the pacing problem I experienced as I felt like I had to slow down to make sure I was reading things right hahaha.
I've read a lot of reviews for this book saying that Odysseus has never been a favourite of anyone, and sure, he's not my favourite either, but I actually really liked the way Odysseus was portrayed in this story. I really felt for the guy. His whole world is shattered into a million pieces and then he keeps getting kicked in the guts when he's just trying to do the right thing. In a way, I think me not being completely knowledgeable of all the stories worked in my favour here. The character of Bria was interesting, and I liked Eurybates (not sure if I spelled that one right). I also absolutely LOVEDDDD Hades and Persephone. Something about them just made me smile.
The imagery of the world was brilliantly described and set up, the characters were well envisioned and I honestly had no idea what was about to go down which caused Helen of Troy to be kidnapped, I was honestly shocked by that outcome, so that was nice.
All in all, this was an okay story, by the end I did enjoy it but the first half was a major slog. I am interested to see where the story goes from here as this is the beginning of a new series, though I'm unsure at this point whether I will continue.
October 5, 2018
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca, with the flaming red hair, visits the Pythia Oracle, who also happens to be his Grandmother, to be anointed as the heir to his Father’s kingdom.
BUT, an astonishing revelation is made and Odysseus is cast out, and an Assassin is sent after him. He is mortally wounded, but the Goddess Athena saves him and he becomes part of a secret war between the Gods of Olympus.
He is trained by Bria and Theseus but has to rely on his own skill and wits to survive.
This is a thrilling fresh tale, told from Odysseus’ perspective, which David Hair & Cath Mayo have written using modern language interspersed with Ancient Greek, bringing to life the classic Greek myths in an easy to read style to give explosive, exciting action alongside the sometimes complex politics of the Gods. I loved the humour in it too. I think this is going to be the next must read.
I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
BUT, an astonishing revelation is made and Odysseus is cast out, and an Assassin is sent after him. He is mortally wounded, but the Goddess Athena saves him and he becomes part of a secret war between the Gods of Olympus.
He is trained by Bria and Theseus but has to rely on his own skill and wits to survive.
This is a thrilling fresh tale, told from Odysseus’ perspective, which David Hair & Cath Mayo have written using modern language interspersed with Ancient Greek, bringing to life the classic Greek myths in an easy to read style to give explosive, exciting action alongside the sometimes complex politics of the Gods. I loved the humour in it too. I think this is going to be the next must read.
I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
November 11, 2018
Odysseus staggers away from this rite of passage an outcast, when he was expecting it to be part of his preparation and training for ruling Ithaca, a small rocky island off the Greek mainland. So he is out of options when Athena appears and offers to provide him with sanctuary, in return for his service. I’ve always had a soft spot for poor old Odysseus, whose – like Heracles – pays a high price for serving the gods, becoming entangled in the Trojan War and then taking ten long years to return home, to the extent that his name has come to mean a long, important journey… odyssey.
This retelling, however, deals with the events that lead up to the Trojan War and explains why the Greeks were such a quarrelsome lot. Once Odysseus has sworn his allegiance to Athena, he is automatically regarded with enmity by other members of the Olympian family, given they spend much of their time plotting against each other, terrified they will lose influence and get swallowed up by competing deities with more worshippers.
In this dangerous, uncertain world, where young Odysseus no longer even has the safety of his own family, he is forced to spend far more time than he’d like with Athena’s other champion, the mighty Theseus. This depiction has the great warrior as a bullying drunken braggart, convinced he is irresistible to woman. I like the fact that the events leading up to the Trojan War are not just explained by the gods’ insecurities, but also by Troy’s growing power as a trading centre that threatens the economy of the Spartan kingdom and the surrounding states.
I am conscious that I haven’t conveyed the pace and drama of this retelling – in amongst the intriguing backstory and strong characterisation, there is a cracking action adventure, full of fights, plots, desperate schemes and dangerous situations. Odysseus, though strong and well trained, is also too short to be able to prevail against might of a gigantic warrior like Theseus in hand-to-hand combat. However, he is clever, quick-witted and able to spin a tale to get himself out of a tricky situation, which is just as well…
I loved this one. And if you have a fondness for well-told retellings of Greek gods and heroes, this comes very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of Athena’s Champion from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
This retelling, however, deals with the events that lead up to the Trojan War and explains why the Greeks were such a quarrelsome lot. Once Odysseus has sworn his allegiance to Athena, he is automatically regarded with enmity by other members of the Olympian family, given they spend much of their time plotting against each other, terrified they will lose influence and get swallowed up by competing deities with more worshippers.
In this dangerous, uncertain world, where young Odysseus no longer even has the safety of his own family, he is forced to spend far more time than he’d like with Athena’s other champion, the mighty Theseus. This depiction has the great warrior as a bullying drunken braggart, convinced he is irresistible to woman. I like the fact that the events leading up to the Trojan War are not just explained by the gods’ insecurities, but also by Troy’s growing power as a trading centre that threatens the economy of the Spartan kingdom and the surrounding states.
I am conscious that I haven’t conveyed the pace and drama of this retelling – in amongst the intriguing backstory and strong characterisation, there is a cracking action adventure, full of fights, plots, desperate schemes and dangerous situations. Odysseus, though strong and well trained, is also too short to be able to prevail against might of a gigantic warrior like Theseus in hand-to-hand combat. However, he is clever, quick-witted and able to spin a tale to get himself out of a tricky situation, which is just as well…
I loved this one. And if you have a fondness for well-told retellings of Greek gods and heroes, this comes very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of Athena’s Champion from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
January 22, 2021
Where to start with this one…With Athena and Odysseus being some of my favourite characters in Greek mythology, I’m always excited to check out novels about them. The drawback is that the characterisation has to be spot-on, which is trickier to find.
The writing style isn’t exactly my cup of tea, and I can’t really find myself in the characterisation of both well-known and new characters. I thought about stopping, but since I can be a bit of a spite-reader at times, I sat it through, and surprisingly the book grew on me bit by bit (though only after the 60% mark). That’s not to say it’ll become my favourite book overnight, but it did drag the rating from 1 to 3 stars.
The plot of the gods wreaking havoc (as they do, because what else) is intriguing enough. That, and seeing how the authors will get about the inevitable war left me interested in reading the next installment. I still don’t really care for the characters, which is a pity, because I do like to get overly emotionally attached to characters, only to see them suffering. Aside the characterisations, the language didn’t work for me. It was unnecessarily crass. Supposedly the book is aimed at ‘adults’, but you can convey that without invoking needlessly course language or sexual jokes every single page.
As for the blurb: “… Athena’s Champion … is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and David Gemmell”; I have been burnt by this before. Yes, I’m a fan of Gemmell’s work, especially the Troy trilogy, but not every work about the Trojan War can convey it in the same way. Funnily enough, the rating for Athena’s Champion is exactly in the middle of my ratings for Gemmell’s Troy trilogy and Miller’s The Song of Achilles. Take that as you will. Either way, I will check out the second book in the series, and may it’ll surprise me just yet.
The writing style isn’t exactly my cup of tea, and I can’t really find myself in the characterisation of both well-known and new characters. I thought about stopping, but since I can be a bit of a spite-reader at times, I sat it through, and surprisingly the book grew on me bit by bit (though only after the 60% mark). That’s not to say it’ll become my favourite book overnight, but it did drag the rating from 1 to 3 stars.
The plot of the gods wreaking havoc (as they do, because what else) is intriguing enough. That, and seeing how the authors will get about the inevitable war left me interested in reading the next installment. I still don’t really care for the characters, which is a pity, because I do like to get overly emotionally attached to characters, only to see them suffering. Aside the characterisations, the language didn’t work for me. It was unnecessarily crass. Supposedly the book is aimed at ‘adults’, but you can convey that without invoking needlessly course language or sexual jokes every single page.
As for the blurb: “… Athena’s Champion … is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and David Gemmell”; I have been burnt by this before. Yes, I’m a fan of Gemmell’s work, especially the Troy trilogy, but not every work about the Trojan War can convey it in the same way. Funnily enough, the rating for Athena’s Champion is exactly in the middle of my ratings for Gemmell’s Troy trilogy and Miller’s The Song of Achilles. Take that as you will. Either way, I will check out the second book in the series, and may it’ll surprise me just yet.
June 12, 2019
I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The novel actually started off a bit slow for me and I put it down for a month or 2. Not wanting to leave it unfinished, I picked it up again and was pleasantly surprised how the story picked up after a 100 pages or so. This novel is part of a series that chronicles the life of the hero Odysseus before the Odyssey.
Full of petty fights between the gods and mortals, love, treachery, loyalty, honour, death, remorse, and quite a few epic battle scenes, I found myself really enjoying it. Odysseus took a while to grow on me though. I wasn’t such a fan of his dialogue both inner and outer at the beginning. By the end, I found it had evolved a bit to a point where I was comfortable with it and it no longer seemed condescending. I love sassy Bria, grey eyed Athena, and wily Odysseus. I loved to hate Theseus.
Good job. I wish I’d managed to get in on the request for the second novel but that’s ok, I may have purchased it already. Looking forward to more in this series.
The novel actually started off a bit slow for me and I put it down for a month or 2. Not wanting to leave it unfinished, I picked it up again and was pleasantly surprised how the story picked up after a 100 pages or so. This novel is part of a series that chronicles the life of the hero Odysseus before the Odyssey.
Full of petty fights between the gods and mortals, love, treachery, loyalty, honour, death, remorse, and quite a few epic battle scenes, I found myself really enjoying it. Odysseus took a while to grow on me though. I wasn’t such a fan of his dialogue both inner and outer at the beginning. By the end, I found it had evolved a bit to a point where I was comfortable with it and it no longer seemed condescending. I love sassy Bria, grey eyed Athena, and wily Odysseus. I loved to hate Theseus.
Good job. I wish I’d managed to get in on the request for the second novel but that’s ok, I may have purchased it already. Looking forward to more in this series.
September 11, 2020
It was ok, I felt pretty luckwarm toward this, which is surprising as I loved the Moontide Quartet by David Hair, and this "prequel" to the Illiad certainly sounded like something I would enjoy but it felt so juvenile and again the characters annoyed me a lot, idk maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it.
October 28, 2018
Find this review and more on my blog.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley and Canelo Digital Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca travels to the Oracle at Pytho to be affirmed as his father’s heir. But what should have been merely a routine ritual takes a shocking turn as a closely guarded secret is revealed, resulting in Odysseus being cast out into the world alone – a world where monsters and worse are bent upon killing him merely for who he is. The goddess Athena offers him sanctuary, awakening him as a theios, or god-touched, plunging him into the world of the Olympians and their constant struggle for power and dominance.
First of all, if you’ve read anything Homer, this is not the Odysseus you will expect to see. Rather, the best part of this story is seeing him grow into the hero of legend. This Odysseus is untried, barely out of his teens, but still embodies the qualities we know him best for – intelligence, versatility, and most of all cunning. In Athena’s service, he is trained as a warrior, and is quickly caught up in one of her many schemes. Several familiar faces make an appearance in rather unexpected places – Odysseus’s old friend Menelaus of Mycenae, Theseus (Poseidon’s son and the slayer of the Minotaur), and more, but perhaps most crucial of all, Helen of Sparta. Being Zeus’ daughter, the Skyfather awakens her and her twin brother Polydeuces in a new scheme to tip the balance of power. The lines of war between the gods as seen during the Trojan war are already being drawn. The beauty contest of the goddesses and the following judgement of Paris (or Parassis in this book) plays out under very different circumstances and leads to Athena’s scheme to spirit the twins away – a scheme that goes horribly wrong, resulting in Odysseus joining the mission to retrieve the young Princess, who, due to her theia powers is currently the most prized asset in the Mediterranean.
Athena’s Champion is essentially the story before the Trojan War, the tales less talked about. There’s an interesting equation between Odysseus and Kyshanda (better known as Cassandra of Troy), and knowing what happens in the Trojan War, I’m curious to see how this is going to play out. Helen is evolving into a very fascinating, and no doubt crucial character in the sequel beyond the obvious and I’m looking forward to seeing how her character in going to be portrayed in events going forward. The story is told in first-person of course, but despite being first and foremost Odysseus’s journey, there are several other key players, all given their due importance in this fast paced and imaginative adventure that will have you hooked from page one.
Among the many mythological worlds I have delved into, Greek mythology ranks among my favourites. Athena’s Champion is definitely one more to add to that list. In some ways, Greek mythology has been turned on its head, but the strongest recognizable elements are still there, just twisted. Most of the events in the book line up with the major myths I know – it turns around and heads off in what seems to be a completely unrelated direction, but always loops back to the original tale, presenting it in an entirely new light – and somehow, it all lines up into a pretty great narrative!
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley and Canelo Digital Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Prince Odysseus of Ithaca travels to the Oracle at Pytho to be affirmed as his father’s heir. But what should have been merely a routine ritual takes a shocking turn as a closely guarded secret is revealed, resulting in Odysseus being cast out into the world alone – a world where monsters and worse are bent upon killing him merely for who he is. The goddess Athena offers him sanctuary, awakening him as a theios, or god-touched, plunging him into the world of the Olympians and their constant struggle for power and dominance.
First of all, if you’ve read anything Homer, this is not the Odysseus you will expect to see. Rather, the best part of this story is seeing him grow into the hero of legend. This Odysseus is untried, barely out of his teens, but still embodies the qualities we know him best for – intelligence, versatility, and most of all cunning. In Athena’s service, he is trained as a warrior, and is quickly caught up in one of her many schemes. Several familiar faces make an appearance in rather unexpected places – Odysseus’s old friend Menelaus of Mycenae, Theseus (Poseidon’s son and the slayer of the Minotaur), and more, but perhaps most crucial of all, Helen of Sparta. Being Zeus’ daughter, the Skyfather awakens her and her twin brother Polydeuces in a new scheme to tip the balance of power. The lines of war between the gods as seen during the Trojan war are already being drawn. The beauty contest of the goddesses and the following judgement of Paris (or Parassis in this book) plays out under very different circumstances and leads to Athena’s scheme to spirit the twins away – a scheme that goes horribly wrong, resulting in Odysseus joining the mission to retrieve the young Princess, who, due to her theia powers is currently the most prized asset in the Mediterranean.
Athena’s Champion is essentially the story before the Trojan War, the tales less talked about. There’s an interesting equation between Odysseus and Kyshanda (better known as Cassandra of Troy), and knowing what happens in the Trojan War, I’m curious to see how this is going to play out. Helen is evolving into a very fascinating, and no doubt crucial character in the sequel beyond the obvious and I’m looking forward to seeing how her character in going to be portrayed in events going forward. The story is told in first-person of course, but despite being first and foremost Odysseus’s journey, there are several other key players, all given their due importance in this fast paced and imaginative adventure that will have you hooked from page one.
Among the many mythological worlds I have delved into, Greek mythology ranks among my favourites. Athena’s Champion is definitely one more to add to that list. In some ways, Greek mythology has been turned on its head, but the strongest recognizable elements are still there, just twisted. Most of the events in the book line up with the major myths I know – it turns around and heads off in what seems to be a completely unrelated direction, but always loops back to the original tale, presenting it in an entirely new light – and somehow, it all lines up into a pretty great narrative!
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