Jason

Blades of Bronze #2

by Mark Knowles

The quest is far from over
They may have won the prize, but will any of them make it home alive?


Jason has fulfilled the mission set him by his uncle, the scheming King Pelias of Iolkos: he and the Argonauts have won the fabled Golden Fleece of Colchis. Jason dreams of glory – of taking his uncle's throne, rightfully his – and, like his warrior shipmates, of home.

But it is not only Pelias who wishes Jason ill. Before the Argonauts can make it back to Iolkos, they must contend with a legion of foes who would see them dead – and a web of allies who are not quite what they seem.

Jason and his warriors must outwit the recondite Circe and the spies of mighty Troy, overcome hostile tribes beyond the Danube, and sail the troubled waters of the Archipelagos, where the Sirens wait to snare unwary seafarers.

Yet Jason's perils are only beginning, for he will soon discover that a truer evil lies closer to home...

Genres: Greek Mythology, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Retellings, Historical, Greece

528 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2022

About the author

I've loved ancient history ever since I sat down with my folks when I was a little boy and watched my first Ray Harryhausen movie. I read degrees in Classics and Management Studies at Downing College, Cambridge, and emerged not really having a clue about what to do for a wage. After various jobs and a decade working as a frontline officer and supervisor within the Metropolitan Police Service, I changed careers to run a Classics Dept at a school in Harrogate. I am a big fan of experimental archaeology and rowed on the reconstructed Ancient Athenian trireme ‘Olympias’ during her last sea trials in Greece in 1994. I hope somebody builds something similar in the next few years before I'm too decrepit to pull an oar!

The Night Watchmen (vigiles) represent an under-researched element of ancient Roman society that really fascinates me. We know so little about them from archaeological and literary evidence, and yet they were such a common, perhaps even comforting, sight for citizens going about their daily (and nightly) business. I hope that 'The Consul's Daughter' gives readers a flavour of what life might have been like for the forgotten multitudes as well as providing an entertaining story...

You can follow me on:
Twitter: @mark77knowles
Facebook: @mark77knowles
Website: markknowles.info

Reviews

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark Knowles’ “Jason” begins after the protagonist successfully retrieves the Golden Fleece from the island of Colchis, with help of Medea, daughter of Aeetes, King of Colchis. Jason and the Argonauts, with Medea joining them are in the process of fleeing from Colchis, on the Argo. The story chalks the return journey of Jason and the Argonauts from Colchis to Iolkos and details the different challenges and dangers the group has to face on their return journey- from turbulence on the Inhospitable Sea, hunger and starvation, and the dangers they face on the different islands they moor their ship on- unsure of whether it would be friend or foe they would confront. The novel ends with a fierce confrontation between Jason and his scheming uncle King Pelias in Iolkos when Jason returns to claim the throne.

The author also incorporates segments from the story of Persephone and her mother’s search for her kidnapped daughter as well as that of King Celeos of Eleusis and his three daughters within the narrative. The different threads of the story progress in parallel , with Celeos’ daughters' and the Argonauts' stories converging in a brief segment towards the end of the book. Persephone’s segment is very brief with a blink-and-miss appearance of Persephone and two short, but impactful scenes featuring her mother. The narrative shifts (often abruptly) between these three threads.

First and foremost, Mark Knowles’ "Jason" is the second book in his "Blades of Bronze" series- a fact I was unaware of when I chose this book. Luckily, I did not have trouble jumping in mid-series as I am familiar with the story of Jason and the Argonauts. Though this book can be read as a standalone novel, I do feel that those with a general idea of these stories from the Greek myths would enjoy this book more. This is a meticulously researched retelling of a part of Jason’s story. The author, in his notes at the end of the book, details the multiple sources he has taken from in chalking the mythology, geography and archaeology that feature in this story. While I enjoyed parts of this story, especially the segments covering the Argonauts’ encounter with Circe and the battle with the Colchian Army , their experiences on the Cretan island of Megalonisi, and the segment about the daughters of Celeos, much of the journey segments on the seas though vividly descriptive, feel repetitive and a tad tedious. Medea, though an important character in Jason’s story, is more of a supporting character in this novel. The narrative felt clunky in parts and the abruptly shifting narrative was confusing. This is a lengthy book, very descriptive and slow in parts. Overall, while I did not dislike Mark Knowles’ Jason, I wasn’t as enthralled with it as I have been with other retellings!

Many thanks to Head of Zeus, Mark Knowles and NetGalley for the digital review copy! All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is scheduled to be released on August 4, 2022.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting re-telling of the story and journey of Jason from the classics

[Matthew Harffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A richly detailed and bold reimagining of one of the greatest heroic myths ever told. Mark Knowles's depth of knowledge and passion for the ancient Greek world shine through on every page. With powerful prose and gripping action, the Blades of Bronze series glitters like the Golden Fleece itself.

[Robert Lambregts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason is the second book in the Blades of Bronze trilogy by Mark Knowles and after reading the first book earlier this year I got round to read this one. I have to say I liked this one a lot better than Argo, the first book. Mainly because the story had been developed more from the start and this book is action packed again. The plotlines are worked out wonderfully and I felt the dialogues came more naturally to the characters. I do, however, notice that the biggest difference between this trilogy by Mark Knowles and most of the other Greek mythology books out theree, is that it's written by a man. It's lacking the emotional connection one can have with the characters that other books, mostly written by female authors have. That makes the story feel a bit more distant to you as a reader, especially when you, like me, read these kinds of books often. It doesn't make the book worse, but it does read differently with that one layer missing.
That said, the story of Jason, Argo, and all the others, is on it's way to a great ending, which will be told in the third and final book in this trilogy 'Hades', which will be released in November 2023. This is a trilogy that I would recommend to anyone who's into Greek mythology as well as strong, well written battles and action scenes. 4 stars.

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jason didn't work for me overall. Firstly, when I requested the book on NetGalley, nothing on the page indicated it was the second book in a series; I only discovered that once I was approved and went to add it on Goodreads. I had seen in the blurb that this was set after obtaining the fleece, but I'd assumed that was simply the author's choice for the narrative. That wasn't a major issue, though, as luckily I know the story of Jason well, so could pick up the thread where the novel started. I struggled with other aspects, such as the erratic pacing and the frequent and badly marked head hopping between the huge cast of characters, most of whom we didn't spend enough time with to get to know very well. Medea was the only one who felt a little more fleshed out and whose thoughts and feelings we could follow. It probably doesn't help that all the best bits in Jason's story happen in the effort to obtain the fleece, and that leaves this book only with them being chased on the way home. Usually I lap up retellings, but nothing about Jason managed to capture my interest, and although I tried to concentrate throughout, I frequently found myself skimming. It might have worked better to concentrate on telling the story through just Medea and Jason, so it felt more like a personal story than an historical narrative. Upon reading the afterword, it's clear the author is knowledgeable and passionate about his topic, but sadly that didn't come through in the text, at least not for me. Therefore, I am giving it 2.5 stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Curry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Ioana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the after Jason, after conquering the Golden fleece and his very long road he and his crew has to endure to return home with it.

This felt like a large story, like the epic of Jason. It features a lot of characters, a big number of crew member with divergent opinions and agendas, a lot of encounters and a lot of different scenes to keep up with. I read this as a standalone and it probably makes more sense to be read after the first book in the series.

The authors knowledge and passion for the Greek myths and stories is obvious and should be celebrated. However, the book was not really easy to read and I didn't feel close to it or any of the characters. Fans of classical retellings would love this, but other than being the after story, I didn't feel it was a fresh, different perspective on the tale. On this note, I would have loved to read more about Medeea or maybe a more focused approach on a small number of characters.

This is an expansive, very descriptive book, that feels of epic proportion. In this aspect it's a valuable presentation of the myth that would probably be more appreciated by fans of historical facts and classical stories.

I received this book in order to offer my personal view on it.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

“Jason” is the second book in the “Blades of Bronze” trilogy by Mark Knowles. “Jason” picks up after Jason and the Argonauts (and Medea) have taken off with the golden fleece. This book covers their journey back to Iolcus. “Jason” is more of a historical fiction retelling than one that emphasizes the mythological parts of the story. Knowles is obviously passionate about Ancient Greece. The sheer amount of research that went into this book is evident from the detailed descriptions of sailing the Argo to the close attention to the geography. I learned quite a bit, and there were several times I googled a character or a place to learn more. This book attempted, more than any other mythology retelling I’ve read so far, to be historically accurate. I really commend Knowles for that. If that’s your jam, you’ll probably love this book.

One problem for me is inherent to this story: as a character, Jason is just not very interesting. But to be fair, I believe that, traditionally, Jason was more of an everyman—in contrast to the obvious greatness of other heroes. However, because the crew of the Argo was absolutely stacked with celebrities, it means that Jason is often the least interesting character around. And of course, there’s Medea. In this version, she’s mainly floating around the margins of the action, doing or saying something uncanny. Her character was just not quite scary enough in this version. (Perhaps I’d like the next book more, as this book ends right when they get back to Iolcus.)

A few other thoughts. First, there are two other stories that are interwoven with the main story: the story of Eleusis and the story of Persephone (which are, in a loose sense, one story, but the novel does not focus on Persephone). Though it was interesting, I did not see what Persephone’s story had to do with Jason. The story of Eleusis was better developed though, again, only tenuously connected to the Argonauts. However, I actually quite liked it and thought it made a nice narrative break from the Argonauts’ slog home.

Second, the novel changes viewpoint frequently, sometimes without warning and often without real purpose. Every single Argonaut is famous in some way, but I don’t think it helped the story to jump around so much within the same group. Using fewer characters' viewpoints, but giving more time and background to each, would be more compelling. I’d like to know what Peleus thought of sailing on the Argo, for instance. But I’m not sure I need to get into the head of every crewmate.

Third, the novel is long, and a lot of it follows the same beats: the Argonauts land somewhere; the locals are not very friendly; they all fight; and then the Argonauts escape, sometimes losing a crewmate in the process. Some of these episodes are much more interesting than others.

Overall, it was obvious that this novel was a true labor of love for the author. I recommend this book if you’re a big fan of Ancient Greek mythology or history. It was a solid story, and some editorial changes could make it shine.

[Lauryn Pearl · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Head of Zeus in exchange for my honest review of the novel**

Jason takes place after the events of Knowles’ first book Argo, and follows hero Jason on his return home to claim his uncle’s throne. While this is the second book in the series, in my opinion, it can be read as a stand-alone novel, and it is not necessary to read the first book to grasp what is going on.

It is evident that Knowles is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about Greek mythology. It is clear that a lot of research went into the novel, and I appreciated the accuracy of the myths that Knowles took and retold. The novel is extremely detailed, and goes into great depth in many sections. I loved that many of the both major and minor characters in Greek mythology were present. The storyline is rich, and packed with action and the heroics expected from a retelling of Jason’s story.

However, this is not a story for someone who has a limited knowledge of Greek mythology. There is little to no explanation of what is going on, or background on the characters and myths. Even as someone who knows a fair amount of Greek mythology, I found myself having to look up a lot of characters and their subsequent myths to fully understand what was going on.

Unfortunately, there are a fair number of technical issues with the book. The writing is convoluted and confusing. It feels as though Knowles took a thesaurus and changed every fifth word. Rather than enhancing the story, or providing more accurate language, it makes the writing seem immature. Additionally, the written tense flip-flops from past to present throughout the book randomly which is confusing. While the novel does go back and forth between the past and the present, the tense often switches in the middle of a chapter. Finally, the semi-omniscient POV, rather than providing more detail, stints the storyline. I think this story would be much more enjoyable if it was told from solely Jason’s POV. With it being in third-person limited omniscient, it becomes confusing to tell who is speaking and thinking, and when.

At the state it is currently in, I do not think I would necessarily recommend this book. I think it needs to be significantly edited down and simplified. I think there is a lot of great potential for this story. It is an excellent concept, and could be quite good. In my opinion, Knowles’ biggest struggle is with moderation. I am all for using large vocabulary words, but I should not be grabbing a dictionary for every other sentence. Additionally, the POV needs to be altered to allow for a more emotional story. I found myself unable to establish an emotional attachment to any of the characters due to the POV currently being used.

Overall, I think this is an excellent concept for a novel, and I would be interested to read further work if it was edited down, and had some stylistic changes.

Overall rating 2.5/5 (rounded up to three stars).

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the advanced copy.

[Ed Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Argo on Kindle, I went with the audiobook for Jason, the second instalment of the Blades of Bronze series. And, I have to say, hats off to narrator Andrew Kingston. Voicing a cast of characters that size must have been as epic a task as the one facing the Argonauts. He pulls it off with inventive aplomb.

As far as the story goes, I may actually have enjoyed this even more than the first book (which I already liked a great deal). While Argo’s crew continues to battle the relentless challenges – namely, keeping their sanity when in the boat, and confronting mortal danger when out of it – the maturation of Jason into a leader of men gathers pace here, culminating in some gasp-inducing examples of what he is now capable of.

The addition of the ever-mysterious Medea adds a different element to the masculine environment, while there are also evolutions in other crew members; none more so than Oileus, who emerges from the wings to become every bit an alpha Argonaut (okay, I admit the Sean Connery edge to his accent was a favourite of mine).

Action sequences are as well-drawn and cinematic as ever, and the fact that being a major character carries no guarantee of survival brings its own sense of jeopardy. Similarly, the ever-growing sense of a band-of-brothers, allegiances forged in blood, gives the author access to more powerful emotional levers this time round, and he makes full use of these when it comes to matters of loss and loyalty (and, sometimes, disloyalty).

On a broader note, the series’ ethos of creating a ‘real world’ version of mythological events continues to fascinate. The ship-wrecking Sirens, the shifting Labyrinth, the living statue of Talos etc. Each individual myth finds itself grounded in reality in ingenious ways by the author – a feature that is one of the joys of the series all on its own. It is impossible not to read these books without thinking: ‘Huh… I wonder if the myth’s origins really are something like that.’

Ultimately, this book leaves the ongoing saga at a satisfying jumping off point. Without giving spoilers, there is a sense of great matters having been concluded and great matters yet to come (there were also some serious surprises lying in wait). It goes without saying that I will be purchasing ‘Hades’, the concluding part of the saga. The only question is whether to read it or listen to it. Decisions, decisions…

[Suanne]

Jason, the retelling of the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, is a 528-page version of Jason's journey home after he's stolen the golden fleece. He has accomplished the mission his uncle, King Pelias of Iolkos, set for him and hopes to take over the throne that Pelias stole from Jason’s father. On this voyage, Jason and his compatriots must deal with Circe, the Sirens, warring kingdoms, and hostile tribes. It isn’t mentioned on the title page or the first few pages of the novel that this is the second in the Blades of Bronze series. Jason stands well as an independent volume, however, if one has a basic knowledge of Greek myths and can piece together the myth.

Knowles is very knowledgeable about Greek mythology and the depth of his research is apparent. The novel is populated with many of the major and minor characters of Greek mythology: Theseus, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux, etc. The storyline is rich, flashing out the myth well while packing in enough action and heroics to engage a modern reader of Marvel comics.

However—and this is a big however—this is not a story for someone who has little knowledge of Greek mythology. Knowles provides no transition from Argo (book 1 in the series) to Jason nor background on the many, many characters. Unfortunately, I found a number of fair number of technical problems with the writing. The writing is convoluted, switching randomly from past to present, sometimes within a paragraph. There are multiple points of view with no indication of whose POV the reader is in for several paragraphs. For instance, in the prologue, the she in is never clearly identified. Even after rereading, I couldn’t decide if the POV was that of one of Celeus’s daughters (Demo, Callidice, or Saessara) or Persephone. While I enjoy learning new words, too often the erudite and literary words were too obscure and had to be looked up, thus removing me from the story. Some of the problems were simply amateurish, such as having two or more males in the same paragraph with whichever he is meant being clear. Overall, the prose itself was stilted and lacked rhythm.

I think the concept of the novel interesting and, if properly edited, I’d enjoy it immensely. While Jason is compared to Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, the prose never comes close to the majesty of Miller’s.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Gregory Mele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second novels are hard, and middle volumes of a trilogy even harder as you need to advance the story in a satisfactory way, yet leave the larger plot unresolved. Even more challenging for Knowles, the various Jason legends say very little about the Argonauts'' return journey.

Taking those scraps, parallel stories happening at the same TIME as the Argonauts' adventure, and leavening with a dash of Ray Harryhausen (his take on Talos is somewhere between Harryhausen and George R. Martin's The Mountain!), Mark Knowles creates a compelling, action-packed tale of Jason's home journey. As in volume 1, this is a 'realistic ', his-fic version of the tale, albeit with a dusting of magical realism the reader can take at face value, as the characters do, or not. Jason's character develops quite a bit, not entirely for the better, though, as is her want in any version of his story, Medea constantly upstages the other characters.

Of necessity, and much like the myths, the narrative is episodic and some episodes work better than others; while the adventure on Crete has perhaps a small misstep in trying to too closely link the Jason and Theseus cycles, much to Theseus and Ariadne's detriment. (Unfortunate, as historically, Theseus is the more interesting figure, even if Jason's adventures are more gonzo.) Still, this is a page-turner, and the conclusion comes in a rush that leaves you gasping like you've just spear-fenced a cadre of Trojans, setting up the triumph and tragedy that awaits in volume 3.

Very well done, indeed!

[Vittorio Mattioli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been reading a lot of these modern retellings of ancient Greek myths these days, for work. This is the second in a trilogy, the third book not being released as of the time of this review. Thus, I can only judge it on the basis of the first two books.

It is always difficult to have to review books in a series, given that in some way, they are always incomplete on their own.

I found 'Jason' to be worse than the first book in the series, 'Argo'. This has to do with the point in which the story starts and ends. Returning to Iolkos from Colchis is a relatively dry business compared to getting to Colchis and stealing the golden fleece. There is a degree of anticlimax that is difficult to deal with, and that is clear by the fact that Knowles keeps adding battles for the sake of having some excitement for the reader. This is also clear by the shorter length of this book compared to 'Argo', something positive, given 'Argo' was far too long, but also telling of the issues with the story.

The addition of the story of the three sisters from Eleusis also shows the dearth of story in the return voyage of the Argonauts. It feels as if Knowles were trying very hard to make this book reach a publishable length.

In order to add some excitement, we find the introduction of new Argonauts, such as Theseus, though these same characters were present in the first book as well, it was as if they did not exist, adding a degree of unbelief.

Ultimately, if you enjoyed 'Argo', you will at least appreciate seeing the end of Jason's voyage, but the issues with the book stand.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Argo but was disappointed by this tale of Jason's return journey from Colchis having stolen the Golden Fleeces. (Yes he took two). The book begins with the wedding of Persephone on Eleusis and the subsequent revenge of her mother Demeter forms a separate thread which continues throughout the book and seems to have little to do with Jason. Together with catching up with the action in Colchis and back in Iolkos this makes for a bit of a disjointed start. The Argonauts meanwhile begin the journey home, revisiting people and places that they had met earlier. There seems a lack of purpose to their efforts, the incentive has gone which was the driving force of the outward journey. Having read Argo I was familiar with the crew, the relationships, rivalries and tensions between them which are complicated by the presence of Medea but I imagine this would be difficult to absorb for a new reader. I was excited at the prospect of meeting Circe but the encounter was disappointing leading only to a prolonged battle with the pursuing Colchian army. This began a repetitive series of rowing, landing, battle that became a bit tedious, together with catching up with what was happening on Iolkos and was all a bit run of the mill. I haven't finished the book yet. I see that Jason is due to arrive on Crete in due course so I might rejoin him there at a later date but sadly this lacks the storytelling and inventiveness of the earlier book.

[Northern Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was only when I began reading it that I realised that it wasn't the first book in the series - there was nothing explicitly said to this effect, but it just felt when I started reading about Jason's voyage that I had picked up half way through the voyage and that there were bits of the story missing - this became more evident as I read through the book and saw references to x months earlier and to Jason having obtained the Golden Fleece. I can't help but wonder whether I would have liked this book better if I'd read the first instalment 'Argo' first. As it was I never really got into this book. I enjoyed reading the Greek myths when I was younger and found them fascinating, but this story of Jason's voyage in the Argo just seemed to go on. The other stories which suddenly appeared part way through Jason's story, ie about Persephone, I just couldn't see why they had been interspersed with the story of Jason's voyage as they had. I was looking for a tale of adventure but unfortunately I didn't find it here. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the writing per se - it was just that there was nothing here that really gripped me

[Jordan Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason

When I requested it from NetGalley I didn’t know it was the second book of a series. It wasn’t until I looked it up on good reads 25% through the book.

I’m only loosely familiar with Jason so I was pretty caught off guard. But the feeling that I was missing information is what led me yo look at it.

The book has a large cast and it wasn’t until I physically mapped out the characters and how they are related did it start to make sense. The first 10% was painful for me to get through.

Even at that while the story is interesting and you can tell a lot of detail was put into it. The storyline is really very flat to me. Especially considering the first part with Jason obtaining the fleece is the more exciting part of the story itself.

The shift to Pelius as well as Elesius in various chapters proved to be confusing in and of itself as well. I understand the storyline of Elesius but didn’t feel I could strongly connect that to Jason’s story.

Greek retellings are very interesting to me. And I like being able to see how different retellings and different authors tie together. But this one did not jump out and just suck me in. I didn’t get through it with the same intrigue that I’ve gotten with other books previously.

[Jordan Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I requested it from NetGalley I didn’t know it was the second book of a series. It wasn’t until I looked it up on good reads 25% through the book.

I’m only loosely familiar with Jason so I was pretty caught off guard. But the feeling that I was missing information is what led me yo look at it.

The book has a large cast and it wasn’t until I physically mapped out the characters and how they are related did it start to make sense. The first 10% was painful for me to get through.

Even at that while the story is interesting and you can tell a lot of detail was put into it. The storyline is really very flat to me. Especially considering the first part with Jason obtaining the fleece is the more exciting part of the story itself.

The shift to Pelius as well as Elesius in various chapters proved to be confusing in and of itself as well. I understand the storyline of Elesius but didn’t feel I could strongly connect that to Jason’s story.

Greek retellings are very interesting to me. And I like being able to see how different retellings and different authors tie together. But this one did not jump out and just suck me in. I didn’t get through it with the same intrigue that I’ve gotten with other books previously.

[Mr Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful continuation of the Jason saga

Knowles excels again in this unrelenting and unremitting continuation of the Jason saga.

We are immediately thrust back into a world where the difference between life and death is measured in the inches of an arrow's flight, or a javelin's spear.

Death haunts this book; whether it is the form of the mists at start, the successive and sudden violent attacks, the giant Talos, or the hints at supernatural intervention.

The narrative blends beautifully between sea-life and cities left behind. Every character is trying to find a literal and metaphorical way home and trying to recapture a past that has already been lost.

With a claustrophobic boat, full of mistrust, paranoia and betrayals, as well as the unsettling presence of the powerful and formidable Medea, every oar stroke, every wave is felt. What a cathartic narrative.

The characters are relatable and we feel their loss and grief.

I particularly enjoyed how Knowles deconstructs familiar myths such as the Sirens, and suggests a realistic alternative that gives them a human voice.

Do not easily dismiss this as a 'swords and sandals' novel, instead this is a book about family, home and surprisingly, love.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tempo and rhythm of this story started in and stayed at full throttle - battle after battle, going forth to fight, interrupted by gods, goddesses or their lesser immortal relations. Questing apace. Characters blended into other characters, and it was work to keep them apart. As the book progressed, I was better able to keep track of who was who. And I actually know the story of Jason pretty well, but the fleshing out of the story more often confused me than educated me on new findings, new research done. I was very drawn to the Jason and Medea connection more than in past reads.

So, mixed feelings. I wanted to walk away with more than I have. . .most likely a me problem. I was a little dismayed to discover I'd started in the middle of a series, rather than at the beginning. Ah well. I will continue to find reads that tell, retell and reimagine Jason's adventures.

All that said, for me the Epilogue's last paragraph was a solemn, profound statement, right down to the last word of it.

*A sincere thank you to Mark Knowles, Head of Zeus, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #Jason #NetGalley

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Jason and his crew have managed to steal not one but two Golden Fleece from Colchis, they still have to get home. The crew of the Argo is beset by problems, the angry people chasing them, the hostility at each landing place, violent tribesmen, a witch and sirens leading them to their doom. Not all of them will make it home and those that do will be changed forever.
I hadn't read the first book in this series and that made it difficult to get into the ongoing story as there are several strands that are followed. Obviously the set pieces are well set up and written with that visceral urgency that brings life to fights. What I found more interesting was the approach to aspects of myths or culture that is taken, for example, the sirens do lure men to their death but not in the way of myth. I also loved the sly references to Harryhausen's fantasy film including the bronze warrior.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

This was quite a disappointing read.

Firstly, nothing on netgalley indicated this was a sequel. I thought at first it was a stylistic choice, but part way through I looked on goodreads and saw there was a first book.

Having a sound knowledge of Greek myth I didn’t think this would pose much of an issue, so continued with reading.

The characterisation was basically non-existent. I don’t feel like I know any of the main players, let alone side characters. This was further compounded by the confusing and choppy way different povs were used from chapter to chapter.

The prose left a lot to be desired as well, it was written in a very banal, amateurish way, no world building or effective text to get the reader into the novel.

There are so many Greek myth retellings coming out at the minute, some excellent, some just ok but this is the first one I couldn’t recommend.

[Adam Lofthouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason picks up right where Argo left off, with Jason and his crew aboard ship, their prize safely onbaord.
As with Argo, the first instalment in the series, the main thing that shines through is Mark's knowledge of both ancient Greece and the legend of Jason. Through the eyes of our protagonist and his crew, we are painted an exquisite picture of what it might have been like to live in these times, to face the hardships of those that came before us.
There is quite frankly a ridiculously large cast to this book, but throughout the story I never felt lost or out of place, and you get just enough detail of every character to get a handle on them and a feel for what drives them.
Put this together with a nicely paced plot, and what you get is a really well done, immersive historical thriller. Bring on the next one!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason by Mark Knowles.

This is the second part of the Blades of Bronze trilogy in which the return from Colchis is featured. Knowles has a particular style which keeps it real but if you know your mythology, there are moments when the reader will click on to what is happening and give the book a sort of knowing grin and the author a remote high five.

There are many, many characters in the tales and Knowles manages to flesh each one out and keep the reader interested in their arcs. He writes in a way that is fast paced, yet misses nothing. Reading the first book, Argo, is recommended, to appreciate his style and motives for keeping the monsters away and focusing on the people. His portrayal of Medea is particularly interesting and I'm keen to see how he develops this in the next book. It is refreshing to read a mythology retelling penned by a male author.

[Harry Preston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Safe to say this book took me a while to get into. I struggled with the writing style and having not read the 1st book, was on the back foot from the start. As the book progressed and the story started to unfold, I liked the story line and the different characters started to come to life.

For me the book never really took off. The pace was slow throughout, with the story leading to a big finale at the end. The ending however, was again drawn out and anti climatic.

A good enough read but certainly could be made in to a more thrilling read

[Bethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for a review
this is an interesting take on the story of jason which doesnt seemed to have been covered much despite the recent rise in mythology retellings it is good to medea gets fleshed out a lot during this story when she shes usually skipped over or villainised although the book seems designed to fit between the others of the series rather and standing as its own story so much i feel that if you didnt read the first book or are not otherwise familiar with the story jason you may confused by the narrative

[Rae Nason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in my Ancient Greek Mythology Retelling era. This is the second novel in the Blades of Bronze series that tells the less idealistic tale of the famed Jason and his Argonauts. Taking place after the tale of the Golden Fleece, this book takes Jason and the Argonauts on adventures to Troy, outwitting Circe, and taking on a group of sirens. Faced paced and adventurous, this book (and series) is for all the mythology lovers and historical fiction lovers out there.

[Chloe Bragança · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Loved this book, very unique way of telling the story of the return of the Argonauts, which is often overlooked so the plot felt very original. Good character development, loved the way the side stories weaved into the main story! Think it could’ve been a bit faster-paced (especially compared with the first book), although the pacing could reflect the long, arduous journey the characters faced. Overall, a great conclusion to Argo!

[Ashley Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to a story I did not read. The story was an interesting take on mythology with a fun reimagining. Some of the pacing felt off, but this was clearly a passion driven project.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for a copy of this!

Overall I found Jason to be kind of lackluster, with the author resting a lot on his use of big words but little to no emotional depth for our characters. The story hopped around and just generally felt... boring. I struggled to read a single chapter without taking a break.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Argo and so was familiar with this series and indeed the author, so I had high expectation. I really wasn’t disappointed. Mark Knowles is a wonderful storyteller, and the book (and the series) really does have something for everyone,. Darker than Argo, but thoroughly enjoyable. I cannot wait to read the third book and would highly recommend this.