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Pantheon #2
The Phantom
What were once mere whispers are now a looming threat. The signs of a large-scale rebellion have revealed themselves across the world known as Avah. The source of the sickness is a group made up of members from across the continents. They call themselves the Pact of Ram. With the threat now out in the open, the people of Sebel have been recruited to squash the insurrection. Leading them into battle is Athaliah’s very own father, Palkan Sowell. A veteran of the Hollow Wars, the chieftain again sets out for the war path. The fate of his family and his village lies with his mission.
In the eastern sea, a bounty hunter prepares for another job. The pay is good and the gig seems easy enough. Yubira hails from the desert continent in the west and has seen much in the world. Wars and the grueling trials of the underworld are what she’s used to. With her partner by her side, nothing seems impossible. That is until the day she runs into an old acquaintance from her past. Their encounter will change her life forever.
The destinies of these individuals will soon intersect. Dreams and desperation will collide. Fans of adventure, fantasy, and horror will rejoice with the Pantheon series. The epic continues with The Phantom.
In the eastern sea, a bounty hunter prepares for another job. The pay is good and the gig seems easy enough. Yubira hails from the desert continent in the west and has seen much in the world. Wars and the grueling trials of the underworld are what she’s used to. With her partner by her side, nothing seems impossible. That is until the day she runs into an old acquaintance from her past. Their encounter will change her life forever.
The destinies of these individuals will soon intersect. Dreams and desperation will collide. Fans of adventure, fantasy, and horror will rejoice with the Pantheon series. The epic continues with The Phantom.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 13, 2021
3 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Joshua A. Landeros
32 books14 followersJoshua Landeros was born in Pomona, CA, but was raised in Perris of Riverside County for years uncountable now.
Landeros grew up on anime, Japanese monster films, Batman the Animated Series, and Star Wars. Not to mention an infinite love for all movie monsters. He obsesses over novels and comic books, eating up the work of Stephen King, Alan Moore, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Mike Mignolia, and Chris Hedges.
In June 2018, he graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor's in History Administrative Studies. In 2020, he graduated from the University of Redlands with a Master's in Education.
Landeros grew up on anime, Japanese monster films, Batman the Animated Series, and Star Wars. Not to mention an infinite love for all movie monsters. He obsesses over novels and comic books, eating up the work of Stephen King, Alan Moore, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Mike Mignolia, and Chris Hedges.
In June 2018, he graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor's in History Administrative Studies. In 2020, he graduated from the University of Redlands with a Master's in Education.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 4, 2023
Pantheon: The Phantom is Joshua Landeros’s second book in the Pantheon series. It is a sweeping fantasy epic that manages to carry on the first book’s story while expanding its world and bringing in enjoyable new characters.
The book is set in Landeros’s world of Avah and follows its people as they come to terms with the events of the first book and struggle to recover from the Hollow Wars. Just as people were hoping things were calming down, a new threat, the Pact of Ram has, arisen. As this new threat rises every allied nation is called to combat it. But who is really behind this new threat, and who can be trusted?
While this may be a conflict that spans nations, Landeros makes the wise choice of focusing his narrative on the everyday people dragged into it. The Phantom primarily focuses on Palkan Sowell, his daughter Athaliah and the rest of their people as they are pulled into a conflict they want nothing to do with.
The book features a diverse range of characters, and Landeros excels at fleshing them out. As in his earlier works, Landeros focuses on characters from all sides of the conflict, emphasizing their motivations, whether political, religious or purely self-preserving. While at first, the lines between good and evil seem clear cut, over time, it becomes increasingly clear that not everyone can be trusted, and even the heroes might have to get their hands dirty.
This is still a sweeping epic, however. When Landeros isn’t focusing on his individual characters, he is writing massive battles that often follow several different perspectives at once. While his writing is excellent across the board, Landeros’s writing is at its best when he is in the thick of battle. His battles are bloody, violent, and well-paced.
The pacing, in general, is excellent. Landeros deftly manages the balancing act of fleshing out the world he has created, forming deep characters, and keeping the pacing brisk. While his characters are enjoyable enough that I would have liked to spend more time with them, Landeros makes the wise choice to keep the plot moving ever onward.
The world-building is excellent here. Landeros has created his own world and filled it with different nations, races, and peoples, all with their own in-depth histories. Thankfully Landeros avoids too much exposition, and the reader gets to learn about his world in an organic way rather than being bogged down in lengthy explanations and exposition. If you’re a fan of fantasy epics, exciting battle scenes, or political intrigue, The Phantom is the book for you. While it might be a good idea to start with the first book if you want to follow everything, as a newbie Landeros made me feel welcome and I was never too lost. Highly recommended.
The book is set in Landeros’s world of Avah and follows its people as they come to terms with the events of the first book and struggle to recover from the Hollow Wars. Just as people were hoping things were calming down, a new threat, the Pact of Ram has, arisen. As this new threat rises every allied nation is called to combat it. But who is really behind this new threat, and who can be trusted?
While this may be a conflict that spans nations, Landeros makes the wise choice of focusing his narrative on the everyday people dragged into it. The Phantom primarily focuses on Palkan Sowell, his daughter Athaliah and the rest of their people as they are pulled into a conflict they want nothing to do with.
The book features a diverse range of characters, and Landeros excels at fleshing them out. As in his earlier works, Landeros focuses on characters from all sides of the conflict, emphasizing their motivations, whether political, religious or purely self-preserving. While at first, the lines between good and evil seem clear cut, over time, it becomes increasingly clear that not everyone can be trusted, and even the heroes might have to get their hands dirty.
This is still a sweeping epic, however. When Landeros isn’t focusing on his individual characters, he is writing massive battles that often follow several different perspectives at once. While his writing is excellent across the board, Landeros’s writing is at its best when he is in the thick of battle. His battles are bloody, violent, and well-paced.
The pacing, in general, is excellent. Landeros deftly manages the balancing act of fleshing out the world he has created, forming deep characters, and keeping the pacing brisk. While his characters are enjoyable enough that I would have liked to spend more time with them, Landeros makes the wise choice to keep the plot moving ever onward.
The world-building is excellent here. Landeros has created his own world and filled it with different nations, races, and peoples, all with their own in-depth histories. Thankfully Landeros avoids too much exposition, and the reader gets to learn about his world in an organic way rather than being bogged down in lengthy explanations and exposition. If you’re a fan of fantasy epics, exciting battle scenes, or political intrigue, The Phantom is the book for you. While it might be a good idea to start with the first book if you want to follow everything, as a newbie Landeros made me feel welcome and I was never too lost. Highly recommended.
November 29, 2021
Pantheon: The Phantom by Joshua Landeros is the second installment of the fantasy adventure series that loosely centers on Palkan Sowell, his daughter Athaliah, and their people, the Sebelians, as they are dragged into a conflict that spans well beyond their lands. It seems that the Pact of Ram, only rumored to exist at one time, have now been discovered. Their existence and spread has now become a threat, and all of the allied nations have been called to combat it. But, are there spies within the ranks of the Expeditionary League already? Who is pulling the strings behind the scenes as these groups vie for power and control?
This story takes another step deeper in terms of the themes it evokes. For one, I enjoyed the exploration of religious beliefs and how powerful entities work to keep their religions in the majority. And within that theme, how far can one go to keep that power but also do what is right? It’s a balancing act between following orders and following a moral compass, and it is compelling within the pages of this book. The coming-of-age characters also tear at the heartstrings, in stark comparison to the violence and intrigue elsewhere.
On a technical level, the book is well-constructed. I wish I could spend some more time with a few of these characters, but the pacing pushes it along, and that is also welcomed. The text needs a quick copy-edit, but there were no mistakes big enough to shake the immersion. Landeros has sharpened his craft well enough to keep this reader clinging to the pages, and I’ll be happily waiting for the next installment, especially to learn more about the powerful beings that inhabit this world. 5/5 stars, a great improvement from the first book.
This story takes another step deeper in terms of the themes it evokes. For one, I enjoyed the exploration of religious beliefs and how powerful entities work to keep their religions in the majority. And within that theme, how far can one go to keep that power but also do what is right? It’s a balancing act between following orders and following a moral compass, and it is compelling within the pages of this book. The coming-of-age characters also tear at the heartstrings, in stark comparison to the violence and intrigue elsewhere.
On a technical level, the book is well-constructed. I wish I could spend some more time with a few of these characters, but the pacing pushes it along, and that is also welcomed. The text needs a quick copy-edit, but there were no mistakes big enough to shake the immersion. Landeros has sharpened his craft well enough to keep this reader clinging to the pages, and I’ll be happily waiting for the next installment, especially to learn more about the powerful beings that inhabit this world. 5/5 stars, a great improvement from the first book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews