Thank you to MJ Pankey and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book caught my eye due to its cover and title. Both call to Ancient Greek mythology and had me very interested. This book did not disappoint this lover of Greek mythology and delivered with the beginnings of an epic adventure battling an evil anax, restoring the rightful heir, all coupled with interactions with Greek gods and oracles! I’m going to try to add some thoughts without spoiling!

The story starts off slow with lots of world building and character introductions. Each chapter is told from a main character’s point of view which adds to the depth of the story. The characters are very well written and well rounded with flaws. Some characters are more likable (Loric) than others who bully (Kelric). The character’ interactions with one another are also dialogued well and includes inner thoughts of the POV character. There is a lot of character development and growth going on especially with Gonivein!! Her storyline was my absolute favorite and the most heartbreaking for this first installment. I hope she gets a happy ending by the end of this trilogy!

The plot is also really interesting when you finally absorb all the information obtained from world and character building. You get a sense of what is really going on and the pace quickens too. If you like mystery, assassination attempts, rebellion plans, divine interventions, and murder… then this book is for you. There is also a sprinkle of romance and heartbreak. All in all this is a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ read for me. I couldn’t put it down last night until I finished and found out what was happening to Gonivein!

Thank you to MJ Pankey, Muse and Quill Press, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review-- all opinions are my own.

I was very excited to receive this ARC because the cover alone is very pretty and the description drew me in from the first few sentences. I am a big fan of Greek mythology, so I was so ready to dive right into this book. Epic of Helinthia tells the story of a group of people, with their own perspectives and stories told respectively, who are on a journey to free their island and discover things necessary for the future of it. I won't go too into detail about said things because I don't want to spoil anything. It is easy to see that the author did a great amount of in-depth research for the story, which I appreciate a lot. The glossary of terms in the beginning was very helpful and I think readers who have a lot or have little knowledge about Greek mythology and terminology will enjoy it and the book more because of it. The pacing, plot, and dialogue between characters was very enjoyable. I really enjoy books that make me think about every possibility of what could be and keep me on the edge of my seat. Epic of Helinthia delivered exactly that. It was a bit hard for me to like some of the characters, for example- Kelric. But that speaks to MJ Pankey's good writing and character building and interactions. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an exciting read that is filled with twists and turns and Greek mythology. The only bad thing is that I have to wait for the next book.

For the girlies who read Percy Jackson as a kid and fell in love with Greek mythology, this is for you. This story takes place amongst multiple POVs in an Ancient Greek setting. It is beautifully written, and the author really immerses you in the setting and each scene. The glossary was very helpful for those terms that I wasn't familiar with at first.

Epic of Helinthia by MJ Pankey
Publication Date 1st October 2023

I loved this story that reads like two of my favourite genres - an epic blend of fantasy and Greek Mythology.

There's a lot of stage setting and world building at the beginning of the story, and a fair few characters to meet. However, once aquantinted with the people of Helinthia, the story becomes completely absorbing and thunders along at a rapid pace - it is certainly deserving of its title of Epic!

King Charixe has upsurped the throne and the Island of Helinthia is falling victim to drought, withering away. The Gods seem to have abandoned the island to its fate. There are four cities and Dargon of Shallianth is convinced in order to regain the favour of the Gods and restore Helinthia to its former glory, he needs to wage a war with Thellshun and Golpathia against Charixe who is residing in Ninenain and reclaim the throne. He garners the support of Kelric and Gadnor and thus follows a mighty action packed adventure.

Each chapter is narrated by a separate character, and their personalities shine through. I have to give special mentions to Fornula, Gonivein, Gadnor and Loric as they were my favourite characters. I adored Fornula the nymph, and the descriptions of the forest of shades were lush and beautiful. We watch Gonivein mature and grow from a pampered princess to a mature and fierce woman. It was a pleasure witnessing Gadnor devlop from a self conscious boy to a brave and respected man and prove himself. I fell a little in love with Loric, loyal and brave until the end.

I also particularly loved the chapters where Artemis and the fury made an appearance - the harmony between the real Gods and MJ Pankeys imagining is seamless.

There's everything you could want in this story - romance, coming of age, battles, deception, grief, love, mystery, magic adventure and plot twists. I love when all the pieces start to come together and you get that "ahhhh" moment.

Part one of a trilogy, I can't wait for the next installment and be transported back to Helinthia!

Thank you to Netgalley and Muse and Quill Press for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and M.J Pankey for letting me read this before its release.
I am a huge nerd when it comes to Greek mythology and to ancient Greece itself so I'm always excited to read a book that's tied to either or both.
When I first picked up this book I expected a retelling. What I got instead was a very well researched but newly created story. It takes real talent to take Greek mythology and create something entirely new out of it.
The story is set on the island of Helinthia and all the Greek gods we know and (maybe) love exist but a new goddess appears too, Helinthia, the patron goddess of the island.
I really enjoyed the multiple point of views even though I found it really hard to like any of the characters for a very long time. That is also one of the reasons why it took me quite a while to get into it all (the other being a rather slow start for the sake of world building) . But I am glad that with most characters there was serious personal growth because I did want to yell at most of them for a very long time.
Right in the middle of the book I thought I had it all figured out and knew where this was heading so I was a tad disappointed by that only to find out in the last couple of chapters that I couldn't have been more wrong.
All in all I enjoyed reading this and I loved how well researched it was. I am excited for the second book to come out because now I need to know how the story continues.

Have you ever started a book thinking you knew the ending, only to be blown away in the final chapters?

I thought I had this book figured out about halfway through and made my predictions for how I thought the story would end. I am content to say that I was almost entirely wrong.

The pacing for Epic of Helinthia was equal parts story building and action. M. J. Pankey does a great job at creating her own Greek myth with the same twists and prophetic foreshadowing that would make the ancient Greek gods and goddesses proud. Some of the characters were a little flat, but I am willing to give some leniency since this is the first in a series and generally Greek myths are a little weak on character building. After all, who are mere mortals to the gods?

I can hardly wait until the next book in the series is released or for whatever book M. J. Pankey publishes next!

Pankey's writing is descriptive and engaging, painting a vivid picture of the world of Helinthia and its inhabitants. The book's pacing is well-balanced, with a perfect blend of action, suspense, and character development that keeps the reader invested in the story.

Overall, "Epic of Helinthia" is a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys science fiction or fantasy novels. Pankey's imaginative world-building and gripping storytelling make this a must-read for fans of the genre. Highly recommended!

I am currently in my greek mythology and retellings phase and when I saw this book I was immediately captivated. Being not that proficient with the characters and stories, I always find it difficult and enter the google rabbit hole to dig the backstories but this book had a glossary and was super helpful.

I didn't notice the trigger warnings afore and parts of the book were intense for my liking. Please be aware of all the trigger warnings before you go for this one (yes yes it is greek myth but it helps to anticipate). Loved the scifi take on this epic, have never read anything like it.

I'm a huge fan of Greek history and lore, and this Epic definitely delivered!
It's a slow start as the reader adjusts to the different narrators and tries to keep the "who's who" straight in their minds (I was constantly flipping back to the glossary at the start for reference, but then I got the hang of it). Once you've settled in, MJ Pankey takes us on a beautifully written journey that perfectly blends fantasy and Greek epic. The characters are impactful and wonderfully realised, drawing the reader in for more.

The Epic of Helinthia is a fantasy book inspired by Ancient Greece. We are thrown into a world of political intrigue, with rebellions abound and plenty of backstabbing. We follow the story of one particular group, as they try to escape with their lives from those forces set against them, both human and gods.

The story is told from the perspective of each person of this group, and each chapter is dedicated to their own viewpoint. Whilst it can be a little jarring at the start, you learn to get used to it relatively quickly and are able to go on the journey with each character as they develop as people throughout. This way also enables you to feel more like a fly on the wall with each scene and understand from their perspective the actions that they take.

Whilst I did find it hard to get into initially because of this, the other factor that made it difficult was that a number of the main characters were so dislikable in their own ways. Whilst some of them I did warm to in the second half, it made it difficult for me to begin with. There is a real sense of place with this book, that made it easy to picture what was happening. The second half of the book absolutely whizzed by and kept me wanting more, so I am looking forward to the next installment of this epic.

3.5/5

Overall, I really enjoyed the Epic of Helinthia. MJ Pankey has a lovely writing style, fluid and melodious, bringing the reader along between different perspectives. I was a bit confused about who was who for a while in the beginning of the novel, which may be a reader fault. All in all, though, the novel seems like a great set up for further books in the series, which I was excited to see were planned in the author's note at the end of the book.

<i> You died so I could live. So I could do something with my life. And I will. I promise. </i>

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for this eARC.

Epic of Helinthia is EPIC. It has multiple POVs from the characters and I appreciate it. It did change few perspective while reading it. Love the Glossary, the map, the hierarchy as it helps with the world-building for the story.

It was beautifully written although I kind of figured out who is the heir after that one incident, because of how obvious it was. Loved the characters although I want more development in the next series. I just can't wait for the next book! I can sense there will be a lot of things will happen next.

Recommended! Especially those who are a fan of greek mythology.

EPIC is certainly the key word here. I was wonderfully surprised by many of the historical accuracies throughout this story. The pacing was certainly slower than I am accustomed to, but I eventually adjusted. Praise to the author, as it certainly shines how much research and attention to detail was put into Epic of Helinthia. The best way I can describe this is if you were looking to read a history fiction/fantasy but dressed in up in the cloak of Greek Mythology? I thought this was really unique. My only note is the pace of the story especially towards the beginning. However, I believe that I also due to the fact that I have been reading Fantasy for quite a while now. This was an amazing change of pace for me and I am certainly excited for others to read not only this, but for me to experience future works by this author.

The Epic of Helena is just that.. an EPIC and as soon as I seen the glossary, I knew this was going to be my type of book.
As with the majority of historical fiction tales, the beginnings can sometimes be a little intimidating and possibly overwhelming when it comes down to the pure wealth of information, however the glossary helps so much with this and even if you are familiar with Ancient Greece I still advise you to check back to it along the way until you have found your feet.
The story contains multiple POVs in third person, which I personally liked.

This book is incredibly descriptive and I found myself imagining the world within in great clarity, it is so beautifully written.
It’s really very clear that the author has done a vast amount of research and put in a lot of themselves into writing this!
I did think perhaps this was going to be a loose retelling, however MJ Pankey has gone above and beyond in weaving and creating a new tale however there are references back to names we already know.

This novel is not a light read and for that reason it took me a little longer than usual to complete, for me this is not a book that you sit down with a coffee to read a chapter or two, its more of a clear time in your schedule to actually sit down, read and let yourself be immersed.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!

I would like to thank MJ Pankey for being so active on Goodreads and interacting with her readers, it’s very refreshing to see! I would also like to include Netgalley in my gratitude for the opportunity to read this stunning novel in advance.

Pankey in this novel really sets out to not retell any particular Greek myth but to create her own. Well-researched and with an interesting writing style, you can tell the author put a lot of them and effort into crafting this novel. 

I’m a Classics nerd so I love things inspired by Greco-Roman culture. I expected to adore this book. While I loved the incorporation of Ancient Greek terms and society in general, I could not connect with this story. 
With it being essentially a new myth, there are not many references that can really ground the reader in what is happening or what to expect. The glossary and hierarchy serve as a lot of the world-building I felt, and I wish that the author had more thoroughly integrated explanations to who people were or what their rank was into the story itself. 

There were also a lot of characters and POV jumps which really did not help the reader get to know the characters. I appreciated the name of the POV character at the start of the chapter, but I really do not feel as if I know them very well beyond the one main trait each had. 

With the issues above, the story somewhat drags until around the 40% mark. I think it got more interesting after that with more magic and action and plots. 

Regardless of my criticisms, I can see the hard work out into this and know some readers will absolutely adore it.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Thank you NetGalley and MJ Pankey for an ARC ebook.

Firstly, I love Greek Mythology and was so excited that I got to read this early.

What can I say about this book? This was brilliantly written and I love the concept, MJ Pankey has a great knowledge of Greek Mythology and this is apparent in this book. Even though this is a fictional book I actually thought it was a real part of Greek Mythology that I had somehow missed over my numerous years of reading it. I can’t wait for the next part to find out what happens. Would absolutely recommend this to anyone and everyone, I can’t wait to buy a physical book so O can add it to my Greek Mythology shelf.

Congratulations MJ Pankey on writing such an incredible book.

This book is an original story set in ancient Greece with all the hallmarks of a good mythology retelling. There is an array of well-developed and lovable characters in this multi POV cast, set in an immerse and historically accurate world.
The glossary is a nice (and needed) addition but it was a bit of pain with an ebook to have to keep flipping back to, so I feel like my enjoyment of the book will be so much more with a physical copy. The issue with this is also that the glossary is vital for understanding the world and our entry into the story is a bit heavy and not as easy to get into as the rest of the book.
Other than that, this is an action filled and plot-driven story that is only the start of what promises to be a grand epic saga. I look forward to future instalments as there is still so much story left to unpack and Pankey has built a complex world that deserves more exploration.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Muse and Quill Press for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book, it grabbed my attention and would not let it go.

Did I know this was going to be a series. No. I got to the cliffhanger and almost raged. The book is that good!!!

I don’t even know how to rate it. The book is just epic. It is a great blend of what we know of gods and goddess, epic journeys (like the odyssey), and even better character arcs and developments.

Was surprised at all the twists and turns along this journey and can’t wait for the next book to come out!! Would and will recommend this to everyone who loves mythology.

I LOVED this book! I was honestly a bit intimidated by this book since it is an epic and seemed very detailed with all the Greek nomenclature. However, after the first chapter or two I was pretty much fluent and it didn’t take away from the plot at all. Once the book started it only got more interesting and action packed and the world building was so detailed it created a truly enjoyable experience. Although there really isn’t any heavy romance, there is a sort of slow burn between many characters that kept me satisfied! This author really impressed me and I can’t wait for the next book in the series! Thank you so much to the author MJ for allowing me to read this as an ARC and for being involved in Goodreads as I posted my progress!

A Greek mythology inspired fantasy. The cover and blurb gave me high hopes, and to be fair to the author the book is well researched - you can tell they have a great love for the period - but unfortunately it wasn't well written and I had to force myself to keep going.