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Tapestry of Fate #1
The Gifts of Pandora
The winding road of fate unfolds …
In the last days of the Silver Age, the tyrant god Zeus takes whatever and whomever he wants with impunity. He has already torn Pandora from one home and now he threatens to destroy another. When he turns his wrath upon Atlantis, Pandora flees with the Titan Prometheus.
Despite her bitterness, Pandora finds a friendship she never imagined possible. But Zeus is not done with Prometheus, and what Pandora will face next will make all she has endured pale in comparison.
But Pandora has considerable gifts of her own, not least her cunning mind. When Zeus binds Prometheus, Pandora swears to turn all those gifts toward bringing Zeus down and saving her one true companion.
In the last days of the Silver Age, the tyrant god Zeus takes whatever and whomever he wants with impunity. He has already torn Pandora from one home and now he threatens to destroy another. When he turns his wrath upon Atlantis, Pandora flees with the Titan Prometheus.
Despite her bitterness, Pandora finds a friendship she never imagined possible. But Zeus is not done with Prometheus, and what Pandora will face next will make all she has endured pale in comparison.
But Pandora has considerable gifts of her own, not least her cunning mind. When Zeus binds Prometheus, Pandora swears to turn all those gifts toward bringing Zeus down and saving her one true companion.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
89 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
About the author
Matt Larkin
99 books174 followersAlong with his wife and daughter, Matt lives as a digital nomad, traveling the world while researching for his novels. He reads approximately a bazillion books a year, loves video games, and relaxes by binge watching Netflix with his wife.
Matt writes retellings of mythology as dark, gritty fantasy. His passions of myths, philosophy, and history inform his series. He strives to combine gut-wrenching action with thought-provoking ideas and culturally resonant stories.
As a child, Matt read The Lord of the Rings with his parents. This sparked a lifelong obsession with fantasy and started him on a path of discovering the roots of fantasy through mythology. In exploration of these ideas, the Eschaton Cycle was born—a universe of dark fantasy where all myths and legends play out.
Matt writes retellings of mythology as dark, gritty fantasy. His passions of myths, philosophy, and history inform his series. He strives to combine gut-wrenching action with thought-provoking ideas and culturally resonant stories.
As a child, Matt read The Lord of the Rings with his parents. This sparked a lifelong obsession with fantasy and started him on a path of discovering the roots of fantasy through mythology. In exploration of these ideas, the Eschaton Cycle was born—a universe of dark fantasy where all myths and legends play out.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 7, 2021
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/05...
I edited this book, and I feel like I’ve been waiting a small eternity to be able to tell you about it.
Matt Larkin is the kind of fantasy author I really love. He takes mythology and lore, stories and peoples and gods you might have heard of and twists them, and makes them uniquely his. His retellings are some of the best I’ve ever read, and the amount of research he puts into each one of his books is staggering. It also shows through each and every carefully written page. He isn’t just telling stories, he’s transporting his readers. He’s giving you a new way to look at history, and the world itself.
I really love mythology and retellings of stories we all know of and have heard about. Who hasn’t heard of Pandora’s box? It’s a story I remember hearing way, way back in my childhood. I always was pretty captivated by the idea of Pandora and her box, but it never really went beyond that.
The Gifts of Pandora took that story of Pandora’s box I’ve heard since I was a child, and tells it in a way that had me consistently sitting back saying, “WOW, I never thought of it like this.” In this world, gods and mortals intermix and mingle fairly regularly. The divine and the mundane bump up against each other in a way that somehow makes makes the first seem more mundane and the second more divine.
Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of this book was how Larkin twisted the idea of the gods. Zeus was a man I viscerally hated from the second I read about him. Rather than deified, he’s presented as a powerful man with temper issues and a penchant for stealing and raping women. He’s a pig, and Larkin doesn’t shy away from that at all. To stay in this man’s good graces, some people have to do things they may not be comfortable with, and the morality toyed with in that relationship is both cleverly dealt with, and a string that binds a good chunk of the novel itself. More on this in a bit.
And through this humanization of the gods and their offspring, you see the world in a different light. Not everything for those of Olympian (or Titan) stock is wonderful and easy. Prometheus’s notorious punishment is led up to, and then begins in this book. His soft spot for humanity, and the payment for said soft spot is all the more acute and poignant because Larkin shows just how Prometheus got to that point, and while physical pain is involved, it’s the emotional turmoil that struck me and (literally) brought tears to my eyes. His sacrifice isn’t just in measures of pain, but also love, family, kinship, and life.
Pandora was a character I was extremely interested in from the novella I edited that precedes this novel. She appeared in that book in fits and starts, and I told him I was really excited to learn more about this character. He told me he’s writing a series with her, and I just about jumped for joy.
Pandora is a bit of a mystery, even to herself, I’d say and that’s part of what makes her so compelling. She’s had a bit of a hard-luck life, and through her own strength and ingenuity, she’s managed to not only survive but become a powerful person in her own right, and in her own circle. Someone everyone wants to have around. She is extremely smart and beautiful, and she knows how to use both instruments to her full advantage. Her personal evolution throughout this story was absolutely stunning. She was a character I sympathized with from her very first appearance, but somehow as the book goes on, she becomes even more human, and more relatable, and that makes her story even more tragic.
Love and loss, family, and what all those mean, are dealt with through numerous lenses here. Not just Pandora and Prometheus, but through the offspring of the gods who also make appearances in the book. Timeline here is not linear. The book works on a few timelines, and I know the author was nervous about how that would play out, but it was absolutely one of the core strengths of the book, making the “ah ha!” moments all the more powerful once the reader sees how they weave together. This also created some emotional gut-punches that literally blew the air out of my lungs and had me wiping away tears. The power of story transcends time, and Larkin seems to show that in his entire body of work, but especially in The Gifts of Pandora, where time seems to be almost as much a character as the people themselves.
I mentioned morality, and I want to touch on that a bit because I think this was also a huge strength of the book, though to avoid spoilers, I probably won’t say as much as I really want to. Suffice it to say, each character in this novel is forced into situations that are so uncomfortable for them, I felt them in my bones. Sacrifices take many different shapes and forms, and you see a myriad of them here. Some people make good choices for good reasons. Some people try to do the right thing, and it ends up going horribly wrong. Addiction becomes an issue in this book, as well as a sort of drug trade. Prometheus and his own morality is a bit of an issue. However, the one that really stuck to my ribs was the story of a woman who works as Zeus’s sort of strong right arm, his “witch”. Her story, once I saw how it connected to everyone else, is something I still can’t stop thinking about.
And truthfully, it’s these moral conundrums that really appeal to me when I read and edit. I like it when characters are forced into uncomfortable situations, or when people try to do things they think might be beneficial but it ends up going wrong. Problems arise, and characters have to deal with that. Life is messy and so are people, and this sort of thing really makes books and the characters in them feel so realistic. Where Larkin takes it one step further is not just showing the morality and the domino effect of actions, but laying in this added emotional sucker-punch with the relationships he’s got developed, and forming. By the time you realize what’s happening, you’re also realizing just how central to each character’s soul this struggle really has been, and these vast implications he’s been subtly laying out throughout the book hit you all at once and you’re just left reeling.
So, I’ve said a lot here, but what do you really need to know?
This book was probably one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. It was a masterful work in every respect. Lyrical prose, a world that was so vividly wrought I felt like I was there, dynamic characters that blazed with realism and a complex, unpredictable plot that surprised me, and brought me to tears, The Gifts of Pandora is truly something special. I urge you all to read it.
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/05...
I edited this book, and I feel like I’ve been waiting a small eternity to be able to tell you about it.
Matt Larkin is the kind of fantasy author I really love. He takes mythology and lore, stories and peoples and gods you might have heard of and twists them, and makes them uniquely his. His retellings are some of the best I’ve ever read, and the amount of research he puts into each one of his books is staggering. It also shows through each and every carefully written page. He isn’t just telling stories, he’s transporting his readers. He’s giving you a new way to look at history, and the world itself.
I really love mythology and retellings of stories we all know of and have heard about. Who hasn’t heard of Pandora’s box? It’s a story I remember hearing way, way back in my childhood. I always was pretty captivated by the idea of Pandora and her box, but it never really went beyond that.
The Gifts of Pandora took that story of Pandora’s box I’ve heard since I was a child, and tells it in a way that had me consistently sitting back saying, “WOW, I never thought of it like this.” In this world, gods and mortals intermix and mingle fairly regularly. The divine and the mundane bump up against each other in a way that somehow makes makes the first seem more mundane and the second more divine.
Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of this book was how Larkin twisted the idea of the gods. Zeus was a man I viscerally hated from the second I read about him. Rather than deified, he’s presented as a powerful man with temper issues and a penchant for stealing and raping women. He’s a pig, and Larkin doesn’t shy away from that at all. To stay in this man’s good graces, some people have to do things they may not be comfortable with, and the morality toyed with in that relationship is both cleverly dealt with, and a string that binds a good chunk of the novel itself. More on this in a bit.
And through this humanization of the gods and their offspring, you see the world in a different light. Not everything for those of Olympian (or Titan) stock is wonderful and easy. Prometheus’s notorious punishment is led up to, and then begins in this book. His soft spot for humanity, and the payment for said soft spot is all the more acute and poignant because Larkin shows just how Prometheus got to that point, and while physical pain is involved, it’s the emotional turmoil that struck me and (literally) brought tears to my eyes. His sacrifice isn’t just in measures of pain, but also love, family, kinship, and life.
Pandora was a character I was extremely interested in from the novella I edited that precedes this novel. She appeared in that book in fits and starts, and I told him I was really excited to learn more about this character. He told me he’s writing a series with her, and I just about jumped for joy.
Pandora is a bit of a mystery, even to herself, I’d say and that’s part of what makes her so compelling. She’s had a bit of a hard-luck life, and through her own strength and ingenuity, she’s managed to not only survive but become a powerful person in her own right, and in her own circle. Someone everyone wants to have around. She is extremely smart and beautiful, and she knows how to use both instruments to her full advantage. Her personal evolution throughout this story was absolutely stunning. She was a character I sympathized with from her very first appearance, but somehow as the book goes on, she becomes even more human, and more relatable, and that makes her story even more tragic.
Love and loss, family, and what all those mean, are dealt with through numerous lenses here. Not just Pandora and Prometheus, but through the offspring of the gods who also make appearances in the book. Timeline here is not linear. The book works on a few timelines, and I know the author was nervous about how that would play out, but it was absolutely one of the core strengths of the book, making the “ah ha!” moments all the more powerful once the reader sees how they weave together. This also created some emotional gut-punches that literally blew the air out of my lungs and had me wiping away tears. The power of story transcends time, and Larkin seems to show that in his entire body of work, but especially in The Gifts of Pandora, where time seems to be almost as much a character as the people themselves.
I mentioned morality, and I want to touch on that a bit because I think this was also a huge strength of the book, though to avoid spoilers, I probably won’t say as much as I really want to. Suffice it to say, each character in this novel is forced into situations that are so uncomfortable for them, I felt them in my bones. Sacrifices take many different shapes and forms, and you see a myriad of them here. Some people make good choices for good reasons. Some people try to do the right thing, and it ends up going horribly wrong. Addiction becomes an issue in this book, as well as a sort of drug trade. Prometheus and his own morality is a bit of an issue. However, the one that really stuck to my ribs was the story of a woman who works as Zeus’s sort of strong right arm, his “witch”. Her story, once I saw how it connected to everyone else, is something I still can’t stop thinking about.
And truthfully, it’s these moral conundrums that really appeal to me when I read and edit. I like it when characters are forced into uncomfortable situations, or when people try to do things they think might be beneficial but it ends up going wrong. Problems arise, and characters have to deal with that. Life is messy and so are people, and this sort of thing really makes books and the characters in them feel so realistic. Where Larkin takes it one step further is not just showing the morality and the domino effect of actions, but laying in this added emotional sucker-punch with the relationships he’s got developed, and forming. By the time you realize what’s happening, you’re also realizing just how central to each character’s soul this struggle really has been, and these vast implications he’s been subtly laying out throughout the book hit you all at once and you’re just left reeling.
So, I’ve said a lot here, but what do you really need to know?
This book was probably one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. It was a masterful work in every respect. Lyrical prose, a world that was so vividly wrought I felt like I was there, dynamic characters that blazed with realism and a complex, unpredictable plot that surprised me, and brought me to tears, The Gifts of Pandora is truly something special. I urge you all to read it.
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/05...
June 2, 2021
In the kingdom of Atlantis, Zeus is the immortal sorcerer king and the gods have overthrown the Titans as well as enslaved the nymphs as their brides. Pandora is a high class courtesan who is struggling with the disrespect that comes from being a human among gods. This is a very fascinating Greek mythology-inspired world with sex, drugs, and intrigue. Easily Matt Larkin's best and something that I am eager to see the result of. The world reminds me a lot of ASSASSINS CREED: ODYSSEY and its take on the Isu civilization but even better. I think fans looking for something other than Medieval England inspired fantasy will like this a lot.
December 21, 2021
The Gifts of Pandora successfully manages to interweave Greek mythology with a compelling, gritty retelling of the story of Pandora.
This is my first introduction to Matt Larkin’s books, and I have to say that I enjoyed this inaugural foray into his writing.
The story itself is a retelling of the myth of Pandora’s box. However, this retelling successfully merges other characters from mythology and even other timelines to make it an intricately woven tale of love and tyranny.
When we meet Pandora, she is employed as a sex worker whose only goal is to service the needs of the men around her. She is bitter and resentful, especially due to the circumstances that has resulted in her current circumstances. As a child, her mother Europa was sexually assaulted and killed by the tyrant Zeus, and she was subsequently forced into servitude.
However, when she meets Prometheus, all this changes. When disaster (and when I mean disaster, I mean the eradication of the line of Pleiades by the God Zeus), Prometheus saves Pandora and takes her to his Aviary on his secluded island. From there, Pandora discovers that he is not like the other Titans and that he has no desires for her and actually wants nothing from her. Pandora is not used to this kind of treatment and subsequently a friendship grows between the pair.
The story is densely populated with figures from Greek Mythology. However, they are presented in a different light to what you would expect. Most of the gods that are in the book tend to be characterised as insufferably spoilt monsters that kill on a whim and have no regard for anything around them.
Zeus for instance, is a hateful, spiteful tyrant who is paranoid about his position as the God of Olympus. He kills with impunity and forces everyone to accept him as the Godlike figure that he sees himself as. He meters out punishment for no apparent reason and his view on the female of the species is that they are to be used and abused as he sees fit.
In fact, most of the male gods are like this.
In turn, most of the female Olympians are malicious and vile, and it is difficult to see them in the light of they had previously been cast in mythology.
The book is done from multiple points of view that span across characters and timelines. At first, this can be a little daunting as there is a fantastically large cast of characters, with the main one’s centring around Pandora in the Silver Age of man, and then alternating to Pyrrha in the Golden age. However other figures in mythology get to tell their points of view, such as Artemis, Athene and Kirke. And again, flitting along different timelines. At times this complexity can confuse the reader, but once you get used to the format of the story, it does become a little easier.
The Gifts of Pandora is not an easy book to read, primarily due to the massive cast and the alternating timelines. However, it is rewarding when you get used to it. Matt Larkin’s writing is immersive, and you become attached to the characters that it is telling the story of, particularly Pandora and Pyrrha and how they intersect through the various timelines.
Furthermore, Kirke’s story is equally intriguing. In the book, she is the manufacturer of Nectar, which in mythology is the divine drink related to Ambrosia, the food of the Gods. However, in The Gifts of Pandora, Nectar is a powerful narcotic that is outlawed by Zeus as it can bestow the power of the Gods on humans, and that is something that he definitely does not want. Kirke manufactures this on Prometheus’s island with Kalliope. However, she eventually has to move her base of operations when she is found out by Pandora, which leads to some disastrous results
Prometheus is a deeply introspective, benevolent individual who throughout the book is accepting of his fate (which we all know). But even that, in the hands of Matt Larkin is altered and twisted to fit his interpretation of the Greek Legends.
The story itself takes many different directions that I did not see coming, and in all honesty left me aghast. Particularly the ending, which I did not foretell at all.
The book is quite a dark book, and there are several references to sexual assault, although there are no graphic scenes. However, it does highlight the brutal and degrading view that the gods have of women. However, at the centre of the story there is a heartfelt tale of love and family in there that keeps you reading the story.
The story itself is complex and it is extremely well crafted. Especially how the timelines, whilst initially seeming quite disparate, eventually manage to converge and give an end to the story that took me wholly by surprise.
This is my first introduction to Matt Larkin’s books, and I have to say that I enjoyed this inaugural foray into his writing.
The story itself is a retelling of the myth of Pandora’s box. However, this retelling successfully merges other characters from mythology and even other timelines to make it an intricately woven tale of love and tyranny.
When we meet Pandora, she is employed as a sex worker whose only goal is to service the needs of the men around her. She is bitter and resentful, especially due to the circumstances that has resulted in her current circumstances. As a child, her mother Europa was sexually assaulted and killed by the tyrant Zeus, and she was subsequently forced into servitude.
However, when she meets Prometheus, all this changes. When disaster (and when I mean disaster, I mean the eradication of the line of Pleiades by the God Zeus), Prometheus saves Pandora and takes her to his Aviary on his secluded island. From there, Pandora discovers that he is not like the other Titans and that he has no desires for her and actually wants nothing from her. Pandora is not used to this kind of treatment and subsequently a friendship grows between the pair.
The story is densely populated with figures from Greek Mythology. However, they are presented in a different light to what you would expect. Most of the gods that are in the book tend to be characterised as insufferably spoilt monsters that kill on a whim and have no regard for anything around them.
Zeus for instance, is a hateful, spiteful tyrant who is paranoid about his position as the God of Olympus. He kills with impunity and forces everyone to accept him as the Godlike figure that he sees himself as. He meters out punishment for no apparent reason and his view on the female of the species is that they are to be used and abused as he sees fit.
In fact, most of the male gods are like this.
In turn, most of the female Olympians are malicious and vile, and it is difficult to see them in the light of they had previously been cast in mythology.
The book is done from multiple points of view that span across characters and timelines. At first, this can be a little daunting as there is a fantastically large cast of characters, with the main one’s centring around Pandora in the Silver Age of man, and then alternating to Pyrrha in the Golden age. However other figures in mythology get to tell their points of view, such as Artemis, Athene and Kirke. And again, flitting along different timelines. At times this complexity can confuse the reader, but once you get used to the format of the story, it does become a little easier.
The Gifts of Pandora is not an easy book to read, primarily due to the massive cast and the alternating timelines. However, it is rewarding when you get used to it. Matt Larkin’s writing is immersive, and you become attached to the characters that it is telling the story of, particularly Pandora and Pyrrha and how they intersect through the various timelines.
Furthermore, Kirke’s story is equally intriguing. In the book, she is the manufacturer of Nectar, which in mythology is the divine drink related to Ambrosia, the food of the Gods. However, in The Gifts of Pandora, Nectar is a powerful narcotic that is outlawed by Zeus as it can bestow the power of the Gods on humans, and that is something that he definitely does not want. Kirke manufactures this on Prometheus’s island with Kalliope. However, she eventually has to move her base of operations when she is found out by Pandora, which leads to some disastrous results
Prometheus is a deeply introspective, benevolent individual who throughout the book is accepting of his fate (which we all know). But even that, in the hands of Matt Larkin is altered and twisted to fit his interpretation of the Greek Legends.
The story itself takes many different directions that I did not see coming, and in all honesty left me aghast. Particularly the ending, which I did not foretell at all.
The book is quite a dark book, and there are several references to sexual assault, although there are no graphic scenes. However, it does highlight the brutal and degrading view that the gods have of women. However, at the centre of the story there is a heartfelt tale of love and family in there that keeps you reading the story.
The story itself is complex and it is extremely well crafted. Especially how the timelines, whilst initially seeming quite disparate, eventually manage to converge and give an end to the story that took me wholly by surprise.
June 22, 2021
In Atlantis, the life of a favored hetairai brought Pandora's skills - and her body - before not only kings but godly Titans who effectively rule the world of this ancient empire. As so often happens, power begets ego and the gods care little - if at all - for the "regular" people. But there are exceptions and when tragedy strikes, followed by the inevitable wrath of a mad and uncontrollable force, the empathy of a single Titan saves the royal concubine sending her on a journey that will take her through new joy's and losses that will lead to the fall of a legendary empire.
This is the 1st book in the third era of author Matt Larkin's ESCHATON CYCLE. Larkin's Cycle is a storied universe and history of the gods and myths from cultures around the world that is being woven into a single tapestry of power, lives, and reincarnation (for some). Originally starting with Matt's - to date - magnum opus in the story of Norse GODS OF THE RAGNAROK ERA spanning 17 books, then changing its focus to the World Sea of the HEIRS OF MANA and its trilogy, that were a mash-up and blending of myth and legend from the island cultures surrounding the oceans of the world. Now Larkin has turned his prodigious research and writing skills on that mythology that is probably the most familiar to modern day readers by releasing this - THE GIFTS OF PANDORA - set in the world of Greek and Roman Gods and, with Larkin's normal deftness and craftiness probable inclusion of those myths from cultures that surrounded and were impacted by those major mythologies.
As with all of his previous books, Matt has the ability to mix and merge the many and various shades of his characters that, like most long lived cultures, find the stories changing and growing as the world changes and grows itself. Along with those widely known tales of the gods, Matt adds his own spices and flavorings to take fairly two dimensional gods from legend and bake them into a new being with emotions and drives that are the same as those that we see in the friends and family around us in our own lives. THESE gods may be powerful in their own rights, but the driving ambitions - or the sociopathic issues - that they have are revealed to the readers in a way that will make you love AND hate many of the characters that populate the story.
Another of Matt's writing and story telling talents is his ability to take a well known and time worn story - such as that of the ill-fated box of Pandora - and turn it on its head in a way that will have the readers wrapped up in new turns of old myths and old legends.
This is a wonderful kickoff to the new series and a great addition to the ESCHATON CYCLE...and more to come!!!
This is the 1st book in the third era of author Matt Larkin's ESCHATON CYCLE. Larkin's Cycle is a storied universe and history of the gods and myths from cultures around the world that is being woven into a single tapestry of power, lives, and reincarnation (for some). Originally starting with Matt's - to date - magnum opus in the story of Norse GODS OF THE RAGNAROK ERA spanning 17 books, then changing its focus to the World Sea of the HEIRS OF MANA and its trilogy, that were a mash-up and blending of myth and legend from the island cultures surrounding the oceans of the world. Now Larkin has turned his prodigious research and writing skills on that mythology that is probably the most familiar to modern day readers by releasing this - THE GIFTS OF PANDORA - set in the world of Greek and Roman Gods and, with Larkin's normal deftness and craftiness probable inclusion of those myths from cultures that surrounded and were impacted by those major mythologies.
As with all of his previous books, Matt has the ability to mix and merge the many and various shades of his characters that, like most long lived cultures, find the stories changing and growing as the world changes and grows itself. Along with those widely known tales of the gods, Matt adds his own spices and flavorings to take fairly two dimensional gods from legend and bake them into a new being with emotions and drives that are the same as those that we see in the friends and family around us in our own lives. THESE gods may be powerful in their own rights, but the driving ambitions - or the sociopathic issues - that they have are revealed to the readers in a way that will make you love AND hate many of the characters that populate the story.
Another of Matt's writing and story telling talents is his ability to take a well known and time worn story - such as that of the ill-fated box of Pandora - and turn it on its head in a way that will have the readers wrapped up in new turns of old myths and old legends.
This is a wonderful kickoff to the new series and a great addition to the ESCHATON CYCLE...and more to come!!!
August 3, 2023
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/wolfmantula
For more reviews, go to: https://wolfmantula.com/recent-posts/
MY ⭐️ RATING: 3/5
FORMAT: Kindle Whispersync
My love for Greek mythology is very well known to a lot of people, and I’m also a big fan of the GrimDark/dark fantasy genre as well. What Larkin does by combining those elements together by retelling a classic story with darker tones, was right up my alley. What I love about Greek mythology is that there are a lot of ideas for an author to grab to add some meat and depth to. Larkin does a fantastic job of this with his complex story-telling by expanding on this story of Pandora’s Box and adding extra characters that previously weren’t involved. He clearly did a lot of research to bring this story to life and also does a great job of adding in some realistic human motivations by showing just how petty the gods could be.
It features some very dark tones, like abduction and rape, which is not shown, just mentioned that it happened, murder, and even the destruction of Atlantis by Zeus. A major part of the story-line centers around nectar, which is basically a bootleg version of ambrosia that is outlawed by Zeus because of what it can do for mortals along with it’s side-effects for those that use it. Though that is a major part of what motivates Pandora, there is also a lighter side of this story that is centered around family that helps make this story all that more interesting, and an ending that I was not expecting at all!
“If there was one truth that ever guided her life it was this: the very existence of mysteries demanded someone solve them.”
Told through multiple POV’s of Pandora, Prometheus, Athene, Kirke and Pyrrah, and different time periods during the silver and golden age, as well as an insanely large cast that features Artemis, Kratos, Hekate, Kalypso and many many more, which can make the story a bit difficult to follow at the beginning, but it does get easier as the story progresses and you understand the story that’s being told a lot more. The story itself is written very well, but it left me wishing it was more than it was, because nothing really gave that sense of urgency making me want to flip to the next page to see what happened next. For the size of the book, and what it’s about, this should’ve only taken a couple days, rather than nine it took to complete.
Tawny Platis does a great job with her narration by differentiating the voices and getting into the scene when the writing asked for it, like when something was written in ALL CAPS, and I also enjoyed hearing the way she pronounced certain places and names that I always pronounced a different way, some of that is due to Larkin using the correct lettering with K’s instead of C’s, like Kirke instead of Circe. With that said, the voice she used as the narrator was a bit too soft and calm, almost meditation-like and it took me out of it on several occasions where I lost my focus and the drive to continue listening. Even some of the more “exciting” scenes just felt like any other moment because there was no intensity in her voice, since it wasn’t in all caps, that had me on the edge of my seat. I wanted to love this story, but in the end, it was just ok, and likely my only foray into Larkin’s Tapestry of Fate and the Eschaton Cycle as a whole.
For more reviews, go to: https://wolfmantula.com/recent-posts/
MY ⭐️ RATING: 3/5
FORMAT: Kindle Whispersync
My love for Greek mythology is very well known to a lot of people, and I’m also a big fan of the GrimDark/dark fantasy genre as well. What Larkin does by combining those elements together by retelling a classic story with darker tones, was right up my alley. What I love about Greek mythology is that there are a lot of ideas for an author to grab to add some meat and depth to. Larkin does a fantastic job of this with his complex story-telling by expanding on this story of Pandora’s Box and adding extra characters that previously weren’t involved. He clearly did a lot of research to bring this story to life and also does a great job of adding in some realistic human motivations by showing just how petty the gods could be.
It features some very dark tones, like abduction and rape, which is not shown, just mentioned that it happened, murder, and even the destruction of Atlantis by Zeus. A major part of the story-line centers around nectar, which is basically a bootleg version of ambrosia that is outlawed by Zeus because of what it can do for mortals along with it’s side-effects for those that use it. Though that is a major part of what motivates Pandora, there is also a lighter side of this story that is centered around family that helps make this story all that more interesting, and an ending that I was not expecting at all!
“If there was one truth that ever guided her life it was this: the very existence of mysteries demanded someone solve them.”
Told through multiple POV’s of Pandora, Prometheus, Athene, Kirke and Pyrrah, and different time periods during the silver and golden age, as well as an insanely large cast that features Artemis, Kratos, Hekate, Kalypso and many many more, which can make the story a bit difficult to follow at the beginning, but it does get easier as the story progresses and you understand the story that’s being told a lot more. The story itself is written very well, but it left me wishing it was more than it was, because nothing really gave that sense of urgency making me want to flip to the next page to see what happened next. For the size of the book, and what it’s about, this should’ve only taken a couple days, rather than nine it took to complete.
Tawny Platis does a great job with her narration by differentiating the voices and getting into the scene when the writing asked for it, like when something was written in ALL CAPS, and I also enjoyed hearing the way she pronounced certain places and names that I always pronounced a different way, some of that is due to Larkin using the correct lettering with K’s instead of C’s, like Kirke instead of Circe. With that said, the voice she used as the narrator was a bit too soft and calm, almost meditation-like and it took me out of it on several occasions where I lost my focus and the drive to continue listening. Even some of the more “exciting” scenes just felt like any other moment because there was no intensity in her voice, since it wasn’t in all caps, that had me on the edge of my seat. I wanted to love this story, but in the end, it was just ok, and likely my only foray into Larkin’s Tapestry of Fate and the Eschaton Cycle as a whole.
April 28, 2023
DNF @ 10%
This is an actual quote that our 30yo main character thinks while speaking to a freaking thousands-years-old titan:
How rare to converse with one who can keep up, even challenge her. How precious to debate when she didn’t have to explain both sides to the other person.
If this doesn’t dissuade you from reading on, you’re stronger than I am.
This is an actual quote that our 30yo main character thinks while speaking to a freaking thousands-years-old titan:
How rare to converse with one who can keep up, even challenge her. How precious to debate when she didn’t have to explain both sides to the other person.
If this doesn’t dissuade you from reading on, you’re stronger than I am.
November 16, 2023
I really enjoyed The Gifts of Pandora. I always loved greek mythology, and reading about all those well known names was fun.
While the center of the story includes the tale of Pandora's box, Matt Larkin has brought his own spin on it. Ambrosia plays a big part in this story, and shows what happens when you consume too much of it. The storytelling gives it a modern feel, which makes it easy to read and enjoy.
Looking forward to the rest of the series, and how it ties into Larkin's Eschaton Cycle, which includes not only greek, but also norse and polynesian mythology.
While the center of the story includes the tale of Pandora's box, Matt Larkin has brought his own spin on it. Ambrosia plays a big part in this story, and shows what happens when you consume too much of it. The storytelling gives it a modern feel, which makes it easy to read and enjoy.
Looking forward to the rest of the series, and how it ties into Larkin's Eschaton Cycle, which includes not only greek, but also norse and polynesian mythology.
June 1, 2021
I enjoyed the Norse myths of the "Gods of the Ragnarok Era", was captivated by the Polynesian legends as told by the "Heirs of Mana" stories , but this might become my favorite of the Eschaton Cycle series yet!
Although the focus is on another era and a different world altogether in this new instalment, we can see many familiar concepts and parallels to the books set in the other eras - Matt Larkin is creating a truly beautiful, complex tapestry for his readers, and I appreciate how seamlessly everything is woven together.
Like the other series in the Eschaton Cycle, the story is told from different - and often quite opposing - points of view. So far, Pandora is my favorite shero to follow around, I find it intriguing to experience this new-yet-somehow-familiar world through her eyes.
Although the focus is on another era and a different world altogether in this new instalment, we can see many familiar concepts and parallels to the books set in the other eras - Matt Larkin is creating a truly beautiful, complex tapestry for his readers, and I appreciate how seamlessly everything is woven together.
Like the other series in the Eschaton Cycle, the story is told from different - and often quite opposing - points of view. So far, Pandora is my favorite shero to follow around, I find it intriguing to experience this new-yet-somehow-familiar world through her eyes.
April 21, 2022
Fresh from finishing the 9-book Gods of the Ragnarok Era, which I loved, I plunged into this prequel series featuring Loki as Prometheus and his beloved Sigyn as Pandora, with their daughter Pyrrha who will someday morph into the goddess of death, Hel herself, in Ragnarok. The book contains Larkin's great characterization of gods and goddesses as real people made immortal by food or drink (in this case the drink ambrosia) who are trying to unwind themselves from Fate comes in strong again. This installment was a little harder to follow since it's a time travel story jumping back and forth between Gold and Silver Age Greece but it was well worth the effort. I look forward to the rest of the series!
September 19, 2022
Gods on earth
I found this to be one of the most pleasurable reads I have had in a long while. The style of the writing was a pleasant mix of contemporary and arcane. The plot gave new views to the familiar complexities of historic mythology.
I found this to be one of the most pleasurable reads I have had in a long while. The style of the writing was a pleasant mix of contemporary and arcane. The plot gave new views to the familiar complexities of historic mythology.
February 8, 2023
There are some authors out there who, when they have books for you to read, demand all your attention. You then stumble back into the world a little bleary-eyed, but so much the better for it. Matt Larkin’s books have this effect. Always.
1. Thoughts on the plot
The Gifts of Pandorais the first book in the Tapestries of Fate series, which I just realised is a prequel series to the Gods of the Ragnarok Era series (did I think otherwise literally the whole book? Pffff). No matter what order you read the series in, I can say that the books will not disappoint. This book follows Pandora as she navigates a world ruled by Titans and Olympians, not all of whom take into account the Men around them. Oppressed, especially as a woman, Pandora tries to survive. But when an encounter with the Oracle Prometheus brings about a series of events that are ordained by Fate, Pandora does whatever she can to change it. Including stepping through time.
This book is fascinating in the way that it combines some of the stories that are familiar about the Greek gods, and makes them entirely different, yet recognisable. Stories weave together to create a tapestry, if you will, of events that will change the world. I really can’t say a whole lot about the plot, because a) spoilers and b) everything is so well woven together that it’s impossible to talk about without a) spoilers. All I can say is that it was definitely fascinating, entertaining, and twisty!
2. Thoughts on the characters
Now, I’ve read several other of Matt Larkin’s books, and have some theories on the interweavings of the characters. One character in particular. And I am gratified to say that I am correct. Of course, I shall say nothing on that matter because, a) spoilers.
All the characters, though, have a depth that is hard to find in other books. I like the history of the characters, their personality, the way that they interact. It’s all fascinating, and whether I liked the character as a person or not, I was eager to read more. A difficult feat when recrafting familiar legends.
3. Favourite part
Having my theories confirmed. I am ridiculously pleased that I managed to piece some of the interweavings together.
4. Critique
Frankly, my only critique is that it ended. I must, as such, immediately go out and read the next book.
Overall, you cannot possibly go wrong with any of Matt Larkin’s books, but The Gifts of Pandora is a great place to start. Be prepared, though. Once you delve into this world, it’s really hard to pull yourself out. Excellent read!
1. Thoughts on the plot
The Gifts of Pandorais the first book in the Tapestries of Fate series, which I just realised is a prequel series to the Gods of the Ragnarok Era series (did I think otherwise literally the whole book? Pffff). No matter what order you read the series in, I can say that the books will not disappoint. This book follows Pandora as she navigates a world ruled by Titans and Olympians, not all of whom take into account the Men around them. Oppressed, especially as a woman, Pandora tries to survive. But when an encounter with the Oracle Prometheus brings about a series of events that are ordained by Fate, Pandora does whatever she can to change it. Including stepping through time.
This book is fascinating in the way that it combines some of the stories that are familiar about the Greek gods, and makes them entirely different, yet recognisable. Stories weave together to create a tapestry, if you will, of events that will change the world. I really can’t say a whole lot about the plot, because a) spoilers and b) everything is so well woven together that it’s impossible to talk about without a) spoilers. All I can say is that it was definitely fascinating, entertaining, and twisty!
2. Thoughts on the characters
Now, I’ve read several other of Matt Larkin’s books, and have some theories on the interweavings of the characters. One character in particular. And I am gratified to say that I am correct. Of course, I shall say nothing on that matter because, a) spoilers.
All the characters, though, have a depth that is hard to find in other books. I like the history of the characters, their personality, the way that they interact. It’s all fascinating, and whether I liked the character as a person or not, I was eager to read more. A difficult feat when recrafting familiar legends.
3. Favourite part
Having my theories confirmed. I am ridiculously pleased that I managed to piece some of the interweavings together.
4. Critique
Frankly, my only critique is that it ended. I must, as such, immediately go out and read the next book.
Overall, you cannot possibly go wrong with any of Matt Larkin’s books, but The Gifts of Pandora is a great place to start. Be prepared, though. Once you delve into this world, it’s really hard to pull yourself out. Excellent read!
February 26, 2024
✨It starts with a whisper, a haunting intimation of a World askew. That we are, in the end, caught in a death spiral, time nearly played out, whilst entropy tugs ever harder upon the Wheel of Fate.✨
Ahhhh Matt Larkin has me hooked with these books! The Eschaton Cycles are such a refreshing new take on mythology origins, and the amount of research that’s clearly gone into these books is phenomenal. Add time-travel, philosophical debates on free will vs Ananke, and Game of Thrones-style politics, and you have The Gifts of Pandora.
✨The sharpest mind in the World was not always a blessing, not for a woman whose intellect might threaten the fragile egos of the men around her.✨
I really enjoyed the feminist angle, particularly as the series is written by a man. Each chapter is from a different female POV, and are powerful in their depictions of each woman’s struggle with the Titan/Olympian patriarchy. There’s a real sense of female strength in this first book, which I hope continues through the series.
✨“We are our choices. For someone to steal those is for them to pilfer pieces of our very souls.”✨
This was just so good, and the last chapter even had me shouting at my Kindle, so I just know this will be added to my top fave series.
Ahhhh Matt Larkin has me hooked with these books! The Eschaton Cycles are such a refreshing new take on mythology origins, and the amount of research that’s clearly gone into these books is phenomenal. Add time-travel, philosophical debates on free will vs Ananke, and Game of Thrones-style politics, and you have The Gifts of Pandora.
✨The sharpest mind in the World was not always a blessing, not for a woman whose intellect might threaten the fragile egos of the men around her.✨
I really enjoyed the feminist angle, particularly as the series is written by a man. Each chapter is from a different female POV, and are powerful in their depictions of each woman’s struggle with the Titan/Olympian patriarchy. There’s a real sense of female strength in this first book, which I hope continues through the series.
✨“We are our choices. For someone to steal those is for them to pilfer pieces of our very souls.”✨
This was just so good, and the last chapter even had me shouting at my Kindle, so I just know this will be added to my top fave series.
March 15, 2022
The gifts of Pandora
By
Matt Larkin
War in Heaven
A very colourful and well-written tale, the author weaves a beautiful web exuding an atmosphere of mystery, intrigue and drama. There is horror occasionally used to drive home the moral of the situation of man versus Titan; a pantheon to be feared and loathed, rather than worshipped and loved.
“…Zeus would build his throne upon a bed of cancer eating away at the foundation of the world, drunk on its poisons…”
We often wonder if these “Gods” deserve our worship, for they think nothing of man’s demise.
In a world of destruction and chaos, Prometheus flees with Pandora, and together they escape Zeus’s madness. A loving friendship ensues, one which they thought unbreakable. But the king of kings is determined to destroy its foundation. Maybe this one God has chosen the wrong person to challenge?
An extraordinarily well-written tale of ancient mythology, of the battle in the skies.
Matt Larkin is like no other, which is why I award the gifts of Pandora 4 stars.
Thank you, Matt Larkin, for sharing your work with the Book Dragon.
Andrew Bell, Official reviewer for the Book Dragon.
By
Matt Larkin
War in Heaven
A very colourful and well-written tale, the author weaves a beautiful web exuding an atmosphere of mystery, intrigue and drama. There is horror occasionally used to drive home the moral of the situation of man versus Titan; a pantheon to be feared and loathed, rather than worshipped and loved.
“…Zeus would build his throne upon a bed of cancer eating away at the foundation of the world, drunk on its poisons…”
We often wonder if these “Gods” deserve our worship, for they think nothing of man’s demise.
In a world of destruction and chaos, Prometheus flees with Pandora, and together they escape Zeus’s madness. A loving friendship ensues, one which they thought unbreakable. But the king of kings is determined to destroy its foundation. Maybe this one God has chosen the wrong person to challenge?
An extraordinarily well-written tale of ancient mythology, of the battle in the skies.
Matt Larkin is like no other, which is why I award the gifts of Pandora 4 stars.
Thank you, Matt Larkin, for sharing your work with the Book Dragon.
Andrew Bell, Official reviewer for the Book Dragon.
July 20, 2023
In Gifts of Pandora, the tyrant god Zeus is wreaking havoc and taking anything and anyone he wants at any cost. He took Pandora from one world, and he's set to destroy her new home. Zeus takes his anger out on the city of Atlantis, and this causes Pandora to escape with Prometheus. This angers Zeus greatly, and it leads to Prometheus being punished and Pandora having to deal with a punishment that makes what she's already been through look like a fun time at a party. Little does Zeus know, Pandora is cunning and she has considerable gifts that could bring Zeus to his knees. Prometheus is bound up and Pandora vows to turn her wrath to Zeus and she's determined to save her one true companion! I'm a huge mythology nerd, so when Jade asked me to be a part of this tour, I immediately said yes, and boy am I glad I did! This book was exciting and it stayed true to mythology! I hope to read more from Matt Larkin because his ability to tell a mythological story that is original, yet true to mythology, is perfect!
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 8, 2023
It’s interesting to me the jargon of books about myths. The people who write them have such a vast knowledge of these myths and the language that goes with it is both arcane and modern. This book says it’s book 1, but I felt as if I started in the middle of a story instead. I’m not well versed by any means in mythology, but this Pandora was totally unexpected. I found myself enjoying it anyway. The ending was actually shocking.
I’d also like to say that I never could have read this book if it had not been an ebook. The ability to touch a word and instantly have the definition was imperative. As a teenager living in the countryside on a tobacco farm, I ordered a book by mail by Carl Jung. The words were not even in the dictionary my family owned. I never read the book. Now I don’t need to, but then I was quite upset. No more ever, I hope.
I’d also like to say that I never could have read this book if it had not been an ebook. The ability to touch a word and instantly have the definition was imperative. As a teenager living in the countryside on a tobacco farm, I ordered a book by mail by Carl Jung. The words were not even in the dictionary my family owned. I never read the book. Now I don’t need to, but then I was quite upset. No more ever, I hope.
April 13, 2023
I'm a voracious reader, going through several books a week. I really enjoy mythology but I floundered through this one for more than 2 weeks. I struggled with the characters and lack of context as well as the bouncing timeline and only continued reading it because I always finish books that I start. I felt like the author was more in love with the thesaurus than the story.
July 5, 2023
A new five star read
Amazing
The book at start will be a mystery. The more you read the book , the book captivates you more . It's a very interesting story . As you read through the end , you will see all the mysteries reveal . It's a great book . I am glad I picked up this book .
It's based on Greek mythology. Recommended to everyone
Amazing
The book at start will be a mystery. The more you read the book , the book captivates you more . It's a very interesting story . As you read through the end , you will see all the mysteries reveal . It's a great book . I am glad I picked up this book .
It's based on Greek mythology. Recommended to everyone
did-not-finish
August 27, 2023DNF because I borrowed it in audiobook format and the narrator was reading in an odd whisper voice that was too hard for me to hear at work. It just didn't work for me. I might try to read this in physical form in the future.
August 27, 2023
So this book holds captivating story . I wasn't in very much in love with the book at first . But from chapter three I was deeply love with this book . This book deserves a five star.
I got this book from a book tour . Definitely a awesome book tour .
I got this book from a book tour . Definitely a awesome book tour .
July 8, 2024
This is a dark but intriguingly new take on Greek mythology. As someone who has been studying Greek mythology for twenty years and a life long fan of epic fantasy, I’m having fun with this series. It’s full of politicking, magic, drugs, and the ever constant threat of violence.
May 6, 2023
2.5/3 stars
August 27, 2023
The best book I read this year . I just loved it . It was great . A five star . Recommended to everyone
September 18, 2023
An interesting writing style and imaginative retelling of classic stories.
July 22, 2023
Always have been interesting on the Greek mythology and since I have heard about the mystery box of Pandora I wanted to know his secret. This book was indeed a Gift to me as send me to cross this world and go wherever the author decided.
As thrive between the chapter that send you from one age to the other unlocking the mystery not only to the box but to whole ancient Gods society that wasn't all splendid.
You will never be bored as you become part of those ages and gasps will let your throat whenever you risolve a mystery.
Trust me when you arrive at the last pages bewildered will be less to explain your shock.
Enjoy your reading!
As thrive between the chapter that send you from one age to the other unlocking the mystery not only to the box but to whole ancient Gods society that wasn't all splendid.
You will never be bored as you become part of those ages and gasps will let your throat whenever you risolve a mystery.
Trust me when you arrive at the last pages bewildered will be less to explain your shock.
Enjoy your reading!
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews