This first instalment of David Hair's classic Greek historical fantasy series has received some rave initial reviews.

Unfortunately, this reviewer was not too enamoured with Hair's writing style and I had great difficulty being engaged in the story.

In particular, I just couldn't appreciate the novel being written from the first-person perspective - so instead of being brought into the unfolding plot, I felt detached and removed.

Athena's Champion simply wasn't my cup of ambrosia...

Athena’s Champion tells the story of Odysseus as a young man. Think of this book as a prequel to the infamous Iliad by Homer. Its obvious that the authors did their research as they told of the events and arguments amongst the Gods that lead up to the Trojan War.

This book expands on the idea in Greek mythology that the Gods and Goddesses constantly meddled in the lives of mortals, and used them as pawns, to win favor with Zeus, start wars, gain worshippers, etc.

The writing style was very direct and just focused on the action and dialogue. It did take me a chapter or two to really get into the story, but after that, I was fully engrossed and refused to put the book down. I had fun geeking out throughout the novel by looking up the characters and places found in the story.

As I read the story I felt like I was living the re-telling of an old tale; however, that tale was fresh, like I had just unearthed some long-lost scrolls with new stories that hadn't been told for ages. I had flashbacks of all the wonderful things I learned in my favorite college courses: mythology, ancient literature, humanities, world history.

The development of characters, that you'll recognize from Greek myths and legends, plus the endearing love story woven throughout the novel, made everything even more enjoyable.

I knew I was hooked when I thought to myself, “Mom would love this book. I’ll have to buy her a copy.” There were several references, such as Jason and the Argonauts and the Battle of Thermopylae between Sparta and the Persian Empire, which all reminded me of story-time with my Mom growing up. She loved to read me mythological stories and the book brought back very fond memories.

The authors brought Ancient Greece back to life and I can’t wait to read the next book in the Olympus Series.

What a thrilling read ATHENA'S CHAMPION was. Odysseus has long been a favorite hero of mine and when I saw this book and read the blurb did I just knew that I had to read the book. The book is action filled and I love how David Hair and Cath May right from the start make Odysseus life miserable. Well, that sounds bad, but just think about his little trip home from Troy that lasted a little longer than expected. Odysseus discovery about his heritage at the beginning of the book and all the obstacles, later on, will just show that he's on a road to more obstacles in the future...

I really liked this new take on Odysseus life. How he learns more about the world and about the Gods. Not to mention all he learns about himself. I like how the myth of Prometheus is added to the story and the struggle between the Gods for power. Poor Odysseus is but a pawn in the hands of Athena, but he proves quickly that he is very cunning.

As a big fantasy fan historical fiction fan was this book a real winner for me. David Hair and Cath Mayo have written a great book that makes me eager to get the next book in the series. I was a bit worried that the book would end up with a cliffhanger, but I found the ending satisfying. This is definitely a book to read if you like Greek mythology and/or historical fiction about gods and heroes.

Prince Odysseus of Ithaca travels with his family to Pythos to be anointed as his father's successor. It was supposed to be simple and straightforward. However, the words that leave the Pythia's mouth turn his world upside down, estrange his parents, and result in his expulsion from the family and his home. Now on the run to stay alive (as his line is destined for death), he ends up being blessed by Athena, becoming her newest champion and putting him in the middle of a brewing war between the gods and mankind. He becomes instrumental in one of Athena's schemes that goes horribly wrong and only his wits and history as a youth in Sparta spare him. But it also takes him into Hades and puts him head to head with the legendary Theseus.

As a huge fan of Greek mythology, I couldn't wait to read this one. While I love the traditional stories, I also enjoy modern takes. This book was certainly a twist on the  myths, but I can't say I enjoyed it as much as I have other twists.

Athena's Champion is basically a story about Odysseus's youth. We see him as a young man, newly come of age and heir apparent. He has streaks of naivete and signs of the great tactician he becomes during the Trojan War. He is most definitely a thoughtful character in this book, and I was often put off by how much thinking he did during the first half. I almost felt like all he did was think, think, train, and then think some more. I get it; he is wise and analytical, but I feel like he thought a little too much.

If you're looking for a story that aligns with the myths, this book doesn't always do it. I appreciated the fact that it does follow some of the stories, puts them in a chronological order, and tells the story of a youthful Odysseus, but it was definitely not fully in line with the myths, taking certain liberties that had me frowning. Now, I love a good twist, but this felt like it went a little too far, especially since it's supposed to be historical fiction. Yes, I know creative license is common and taken, but I'm too big of a fan of the originals to really appreciate it. Though I did absolutely love that the authors mentioned Heracles instead of the Roman equivalent Hercules that so many other writers use.

Since this book did put several events into a plausible order, I could forgive quite a bit. However, what was truly jarring to me was this weird modern impression I got. Some of Odysseus's thoughts felt a little to modern and I'm not sure the Ancient Greeks would agree that that's how they thought about people and the world back then. Again, historical fiction, so I do anticipate artistic license, but also expect some historical accuracy. Overall, this felt like it was a more modern Odysseus who was sent back in time, so he lived during the Ancient Greek times, but had modern day thoughts about the gods.

What I did absolutely love are that it was easy to follow, gave a great possible backstory for Odysseus and how he might have come to be the great leader he was during the Trojan War, and provided a most interesting theory for the gods. It certainly made me think and reevaluate the stories that I know, encouraging me to look at them in a different light. As a matter of fact, I feel like I should re-read The Illiad and The Odyssey right now.

What I absolutely did not love was the romance subplot. It was strong at the beginning, barely present in the middle, and weak at the end. By the time I reached the end of the book, it felt like it was there to serve as a plot device to get some action rolling and then the authors had to do something with it, so tried to reinforce it in a convincing way at the end. It just left me puzzled and disgruntled. Especially since the romantic interest was not Penelope, his eventual wife in the myths. Instead it's Kyshanda (Cassandra, the doom prophetess, though this fact is never mentioned so maybe she has yet to become the doom prophetess?). It makes me wonder when and how the authors will bring in Penelope, or if they will, in subsequent books.  

As I said, I'm a huge fan of Greek mythology and will take on just about any book I come across that uses it. I wanted to love this book, but I don't think I do. I definitely enjoyed it, but it leaves me feeling dissatisfied and disgruntled. However, it is a stunning book full of possibilities and absolutely got me thinking. Whether or not I'll pick up the subsequent books in this series, I'm not so sure, though I am curious to see how Odysseus's new story will turn out.

I waver between 3 and 4, but I think I'll go with 4 because it really is a beautiful book even though the handling of the myths was not to my complete satisfaction.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Canelo, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. It is set to be released on November 8, 2018.

Post Date on Blog: 11/7/18
Blog: https://thelilycafe.wordpress.com/

Beautifully written tale that has a hero, conniving gods, and a quest. The world building is fantastic, my favorite was the level of detail in the realm of Hades and Persephone. The growth of the hero during his quest and the relationship he builds along the way have me looking forward to the rest of this series!

David Hair and Cath Mayo’s Athena’s Champion should come with a disclaimer. I don’t want to put too fine a point on it, but something to like “Warning: This novel is impossible to put down, will very likely leave the reader breathless, and is not recommended for those with conditions that may be aggravated by fast-paced adventure” would be great.

One might think a story about Odysseus would be hard to breathe new life into, but Athena’s Champion is both fresh and creative. Using Theseus’ abduction of Helen as a template, Hair and Mayo craft an imaginative conflict that tangibly threatens both the Gods and those sworn to their service.

The narrative is definitely on the heavier side, but I enjoyed the time I spent with it and look forward to the next installment of the series.

Prince Odysseus of Ithaca, with the flaming red hair, visits the Pythia Oracle, who also happens to be his Grandmother, to be anointed as the heir to his Father’s kingdom.

BUT, an astonishing revelation is made and Odysseus is cast out, and an Assassin is sent after him. He is mortally wounded, but the Goddess Athena saves him and he becomes part of a secret war between the Gods of Olympus.

He is trained by Bria and Theseus but has to rely on his own skill and wits to survive.

This is a thrilling fresh tale, told from Odysseus’ perspective, which David Hair & Cath Mayo have written using modern language interspersed with Ancient Greek, bringing to life the classic Greek myths in an easy to read style to give explosive, exciting action alongside the sometimes complex politics of the Gods. I loved the humour in it too. I think this is going to be the next must read.

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

I love reading about Greek mythology. One recent read of mine was based on Greek mythology: Circe.

Athena's Champion is a beautifully written story of Prince Odysseus. Odysseus's life took a turn for the worse after visiting the oracle at Pytho. Note, that you will be angry at many places, reading about the vile treatment of women under the rule of gods. The book shows scenarios and dialogues that are eerily similar to today's realities.

Athena's Champion was a great historical fantasy read. I lagged in the beginning but my reading up after a few chapters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Great book about Greek Mythology. Hair and Mayo do a great job writing together. Odysseus, the main character, is the son of the King of Ithaca. Athena picks Odysseus as one of her champions. It's an interesting story that I enjoyed.

Thank you to Canelo for the arc of this book,
If you like Greek mythology you will love this book, I found it really hard to put down,, a great take on an old legend(s)

I am a huge fan of Greek Mythology and are always curious on some modern stories to these wonderful tales. I am a huge fans of Percy Jackson and Magnus Chase but I thought they would only be the new modern twist on Greek Mythology...until now!

Athena's Champion tells the story of Prince Odysseus must go on an adventure that could risk his life. Odysseus travels to the Oracle of Pythia to be anointed heir to his kingdom; only to find that Pythia reveals a terrible secret destroying all the Pillars of his life and he is bound towards death. Athena Goddess of war and wisdom offers Odysseus sanctuary and forced into a secret war between the Olympians for domination. As a soldier/warrior Odysseus must outsmart his wits in order to stay ahead of the game and alive. When Athena's scheme's gone terribly wrong and the Princess of Sparta is kidnapped, it's up to Odysseus to save her even if it means crossing through the gates of the underworld and face Hades himself. Will Odysseus triumph and save the princess?

This was edge of your seat excitement and the style it was written was very entertaining and you will all be hooked within the first chapter. This book will do very well on our shelves and we can't wait until our patrons get to read the book for themselves. That is why we give this book 5 stars!