Zeus The Mighty: The Maze of the Menacing Minotaur

Zeus the Mighty #2

by Crispin Boyer

Leap into the world of Zeus the hamster and his gang of gods as they solve the mystery of the labyrinth in the second book in this hilarious modern-day take on Greek mythology.

Our story begins in the depths of a winding labyrinth, the domain of a fearsome Minotaur who threatens all who live on Mount Olympus. Can Zeus the Mighty save the day?

The critters are back and on the quest of a lifetime! Join Zeus the overconfident hamster, Athena the wise cat, Ares the treat-loving pug, Poseidon the proud pufferfish, and Demeter the loyal cricket in this laugh-out-loud adventure.

Welcome to Mount Olympus, a pet supply and rescue center that sits high atop a hill in Athens, Georgia. By day, the pets there do what all pets do: Chew on a bone or curl up for a catnap. Under the careful watch of their Greek history obsessed caretaker, Artie, the pets listen in to her favorite podcast, Greeking Out, each night. But under the cover of nightfall, Zeus and his cohorts spring free from their cages and pursue quests bestowed upon them by the magical all-knowing Oracle of Wi-Fi. And once again, she has spoken: There's a threat in Mount Olympus Pet Center, and it's going to take guts, smarts, and strength to triumph. Join Zeus and his friends on this rollicking romp through a winding labyrinth (the center's duct system) and Greek mythology.

Genres: Fiction, Mythology, Childrens, Chapter Books

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2020

About the author

Crispin Boyer lives in San Francisco and writes about history, wildlife, and technology. He and his wife, Ramah, are the lord and lady of a 1914 Victorian that is 700 times smaller than a typical castle but almost as drafty. Their microwave might not roast an ox like most medieval ovens, but at least their bathroom isn't a hole in the wall that empties into a stinky moat.

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zeus is a hamster who rules over the Olympian gods, who are pets in an animal shop. Demeter, a little cricket, assists Zeus as he investigates the maze below the Olympian shop. Athena, the cat, and Ares, the dog, prowl around to find clues about how to defeat the blazing minotaur whose heat is making the entirety of Olympus swelter and sweat. But it is Poseidon, the ruler of the underwater kingdoms of fish tanks, who takes charge just when the Olympians are ready to give up.

I loved this second book in the series! It's such a funny and imaginative story. I loved the parallels to old Greek myths and adventures. This time Zeus goes on a quest to find a spear that will help him defeat the Minotaur just as Theseus did in Ancient Greece.

The characters are hilarious and adorable! It's so fun to see how they interpret normal pet shop things to some wild quest or magical object from ancient legends. Zeus has a retractable tape measure that he uses as a magical shield. Athena uses a robot vacuum as the famous ocean ship, the Argo, to get around the vast seas of flooring around the shop. It's really silly and interesting!

The plot has some great twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing, and a little bit of character development for our intrepid crew as they learn to get along and trust each other.

I loved the cute illustrations, and how it plunges the reader right into the action of the story. You can really connect with the characters when you see them drawn and can visualize just what they look like and what they are doing. I love the cartoony art style!

I think it's really cool that this book introduces young readers to some classic Greek myths in a silly way.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Ifrinna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a splendid adaptation of the Theseus and the Minotaur legend! T examined each illustration carefully, now wants to name our next cat Athena, and commented frequently on the similarities between Boyer's story and the original legend.

Now that we have finished reading two Zeus the Mighty books, I'm doubling down on my endorsement of the anthropomorphism therein. Again, only animals representing mythological characters behave like their namesakes. Again, Boyer applies the events of the original legend to the setting of Mount Olympus Pet Center. Again, back matter informs readers of history and mythology. In the first book, Zeus was rather obnoxious (as one would imagine the god of thunder to be) and oblivious to his friend's feelings. In this second installment, Athena guides him to a more respectful appreciation of his comrades - I'd much rather read to T a main character evidencing growth than one who is disdainful of others. T, for his part, was eager for me to read aloud and wanted me to start the third book as soon as we finished The Maze of the Menacing Minotaur. I was happy to read to him frequently and at long because the story is exciting and cute, the animals are inventive, and the mythology takes a starring role. And because several chapters ended on cliff-hangers! Zeus the Mighty and the Maze of the Menacing Minotaur was an enjoyable read for this parent who might be more enamored with myths and legends than her child - it's a tossup, really.

I suggest accompanying the Zeus the Mighty books with some straight-up mythology. My favorite is D'Aulaires' Greek Myths, but T favors graphic novels like Medea Tells All. Whatever way you go, Zeus the Mighty is fun for youngsters who like adventures or mythology.

At the rate we're going, you'll be reading our review of The Trials of Hairy-clees soon!

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zeus’s latest adventure has him lost with is companion Demeter in what they think is an underground maze of Greece but is really the air ducts that they’ve followed right to the furnace and source of heat that has them all hot under the collar. To Zeus it has horns, teeth and is spewing steam from its nostrils. With the help of a fuzzy spider and her web they manage to find their way back home.

Artie tends to the store and as always plays the podcast “Greeking Out” and the Oracle shares the tale of the Minotaur. And of course, Zeus took the tale to be what he had discovered under Greece. He had decided that his Minotaur was a hero-munching monster. In this adventure a few new characters, Phenues, a gray mouse and another menacing tool, a drill are introduced.

In this sequel another hilarious adventure is what young readers will find. The characters are loveable and in between their adventures readers will learn about famous Greek mythology stories and myths. The back pages invite readers to learn about Olympian gods, myth makers and artifacts. There are also short bios featuring the Olympians. A map shares the historical region with fun facts. Parents and teachers can use this book as a tool to pique the interest of young readers who want to learn more about Greek Mythology.

[Kevin Hogg · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've been enjoying reading this series with our kids. The animals are cute and silly, and their misunderstandings lead to fun adventures. It's been good to have quests in which the stakes aren't actually all that high, as it helps the kids focus on the fun parts of the book. I like how each of the "gods" has something that sets them apart from the rest, and each of them is interesting and loveable in their own way. Strangely, the title character is the least likeable due to his arrogance, but it's never overboard, and the situation leaves him with a better understanding of how to be a good king of the gods. I found the plot with Sinis and Phineus a bit confusing, and perhaps unnecessary, but it played a role in advancing the story. The kids are exciting for book 3, so that's definitely a good sign.

[Timothy Burbage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this to my 7yo son. I loved the Greek mythology being introduced. I liked the Rugrats style format of something simple being misunderstood and heightened to their scenarios. My son laughed at all the voices that I gave each character. I was surprised at one of the character reveals due to previous knowledge of the Greek gods.

The art was great as well. My son wanted to make sure that he could see the pictures and there were plenty of them.

[Imagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This chapter book continues the escapades of Zeus and his animal cohorts at Mount Olympus Pet Center. In this second book to the series, the gang must tackle the labyrinth duct system to solve the mystery of a menacing minotaur threatening their home. This story has a perfect blend of humor, adventure, and mythical whimsy.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a hilarious delight. Small animals living in a pet shop convinced they're gods recreate Greek myths with amusing parallels. It was a bit hard to follow if you aren't familiar with Greek mythology, but it was a great way to spark interest in Greek myths!

Edit: We accidentally listened to book 2 before book 1 🤦 Book 1 does a great job introducing all the characters, and with that this wouldn't be hard to follow at all! I love the character development that happens in this book.

A5R5K3.5

[Emily VA · Rating 5 out of 5]

9 year old - 5 stars, it was cool that Poseidon and Zeus got along

Me - 4.5 stars, still a little silly, but enjoyed the. character evolution on several fronts and the adventure seemed a little more… organic?… this time.

[Harry Washburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very good. It has a lot of chapters. I like that it is funny. It's so good.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for our 4 and 7 year old. It's an interesting introduction to Greek mythology.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get a kick out of these books. Fun, simple story that is great for kids.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute

[Henryka Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a child’s story, I quite enjoyed myself reading this book.

[Chun Heuston]

A theme could maybe be is you never give up you can always achieve anything