Greek mythology retelling? ✔️
Great world building? ✔️
Well written? ✔️

Enjoyed the book enough from the above points but it was a bit slow in places which made me think about putting it down at times. But the writing was good enough that it kept me coming back.

Would recommend for anyone who likes fantasy/Greek fiction.

3/5⭐️

Whilst there was a great idea and I found the whole idea so full of possibilities, I have to admit that I did find the book underwhelming. It let me down in it's not so big ways. Just felt a little small compared to what I was hoping for.

Alternate versions of Greek mythology is right up my alley.

This book I would definitely recommend to PJ fans, just for the vibes.

Danae is complex and well thought out and I really enjoyed her relationship to other characters in the book.
Excited to read the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
4 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the storytelling in Daughter of Chaos and the relatable, likable characters,. Loved every single second reading it.

I had high hopes for this one but after a super slow start I kind of feel like it never really took off for me. The synopsis made this book sound great but it just fell completely flat for me.

4.5/5 Stars

Amazing world-building and characters that you grow to love throughout the story's development.
Greek retelling in amazing and the interpretations of the myths was so engaging.
Would love to see more of the side characters and learn more about them in the second book, I already can't wait to read!

I was sent a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.....for a full review please see my Amazon and Goodreads accounts

——FOR MORTALS TO BE FREE THE GODS MUST FALL——

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this as an eARC!

As someone who’s been dipping in and out of Greek Mythology retellings and fictions I went into this book with high hopes and I was far from disappointed.

The story of Danae and the challenges and heartbreak she faces in a small space of time made for an enthralling and emotional read, one which I’m still reeling from! Her character was so complex yet so well written; it was easy to relate to her and feel for her and appreciate her growth.

The world building was exquisite, not once did I find myself having flick back through to remind myself of characters/concepts etc. Despite having numerous characters that were quite prominent it was easy to follow and keep track of individual stories. Watching each character interact with Danae and aid in the telling of her story was also a pleasure, you could really see how each one influenced her in her journey! Heracles was an absolute highlight for me, I loved his character and development with Danae and I really hope we see more of him! His past did make me cry a little but let’s face it the book in general brought out a few tears!

I am so excited to see what’s to come from A S Webb based on this debut! It was marketed as a book for fans of Godkiller and as someone who read and adored this book I wholeheartedly agree, it’s a must read!

One of my top reads of this year! Epic fantasy, dark tragedy, unpredictable story. I was gripped throughout. Danaes character development is subtle but so effective and this book had me cheering her on at every turn. If you wanted the adventure storytelling of Arya Stark but with magic, this is the book for you.

Thank you to the reviewer and NetGalley for the review copy. I do not typically like greek retellings, but the comparison to Godkiller and Priory of the Orange Tree, two books I love, made me want to read this. I don't actually think they are good comparisons, this being much more young adult orientated and faster paced. However, despite that, I did still actually quite enjoy this one. I would say that rather than a retelling it is a reimaging, with a fresh take on the greek mythology. As mentioned, it is a fast paced read, which makes for an easy read however I did feel that certain powerful sections would have had more impact if they had been allowed to brew a little. I also did like Danea as a character. Overall, I would recommend for fans of greek mythology.

This is a retelling of the Greek myth about Danae. She is a multidimensional character in Webb’s retelling - resourceful, capable, demonstrates various emotions, makes interesting decisions.

The prose was one of the strongest suits of Daughter of Chaos - it was gripping and Webb has her own style.
I am looking forward to the second book and I anticipate I will like it a bit more since the slower beginning in this first book will be behind me.

Plot 3/5
Characterisation 4/5
Mood 4/5
Pacing 2.5/5
Resolution 3/5

3.5 stars rounded down. I recommend this book - there are readers who will enjoy this a lot.

The first line on the blur had me... In Ancient Greece .....Greek mythology and history you have me straight away....

This is going to be an amazing series.....

Starting off in a normal Greek island with a religious festival, things only just get started......chaos and tragedy get this book off the starting blocks....Oracles, unknown destinies, and travelling Anciet Greece begin....

This book had everything I love Greek Gods, Famous Hero's, and even Greek Monsters.....A S Webb manages to bring it all together without it being boring making you just want to read just one more chapter when you should be doing something else.....I love the way old Greek tales /Heros were involved with the main character...

Just when you think you know the answers to everything, another spanner gets thrown in to the twist.....so looking forward to how this adventure/destiny is going to turn out....I'm not looking to the wait for the next installment ...

This is definitely going to be a best seller and one of my favourite reads this year.

Daughter of Chaos - A.S. Webb
The Dark Pantheon No. 1
Release Date: 16th Jan 2024
Rating: 5/5 Stars

—

FOR MORTALS TO RISE THE GODS MUST FALL.

—

Greek retellings aren’t something that I would usually pick up, however, reading the synopsis made me intrigued and I’m so glad that it did. Daughter of Chaos was everything that I would want from a Greek retelling - in which it felt more like an Ancient Greek fantasy reimagined. The world building felt unforced, characters were introduced in an accessible way, and A.S Webb hasn’t shied say from the darker side of the Greek gods.

Danae’s character has me invested, desperately wanting to see where she went next, or more often than not, what she was going to do next. The supporting characters never felt oversaturated and it felt like they all had a place and a reason to be there without diluting the story.

The pace, for me, was perfect. There was never a moment where I felt like I was forcing myself to continue, there was always something going on, and I always wanted to know what was coming next. This being said, the reason I haven’t given 5 stars is because the ending felt slightly out of pace from the rest of the book with a lot happening in a pretty short section.

The epilogue … Yes! It sets up the tone for the next book perfectly. It was not what I was expecting to be introduced, but I’m so excited to see where it goes.

Overall, I would strongly recommend Daughter of Chaos to anyone. A. S. Webb, I can’t wait to see where you take book two too! Definitely one to watch for 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and author A. S. Webb for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

To call this a Greek Mythology retelling would be vastly understating what it truly is. It’s more a complete overhaul. A reimagining and reshaping of the myths we’ve come to know and it does it masterfully.

Danae is a wonderful protagonist. Flawed and wonderfully human in that she is both brave and acts with confidence in the moment, whilst remaining unconfident and questioning of those same choices after the moment. I loved the side characters and how they each played a role in defining who Danae becomes as she navigates her path and grows into herself.

I’m so glad I got to read this eARC but equally I’m so sad I’ll now have to wait an absolute age to continue Danae’s journey and find out what happens next. Gah! It’s such a long wait! But I know this author is definitely on my must read list now. What an absolutely phenomenal debut!

Thank you to NetGalley, A.S. Webb and Penguin Random House for gifting me this eARC in exchange for my honest review. The pleasure truly was all mine!

Webb has created a beautifully written high stakes, fast paced fantasy. While the novel is set up with a heavy amount of world building it is worth it to get to the exciting story that Webb creates. The prose of the novel is expertly written and weaved beautifully with the scene of Ancient Greece. The reader is slammed with a plot twist at the end which only propels them into the next instalment. This is an absolutely exciting read, and perfect for anyone who loves high stakes high fantasy reads.

A Greek myth inspired fantasy following a fisherman's daughter trying to bring down the gods. I wanted to like this but the comp titles in the blurb are entirely misleading. Too many characters all lacking in character development, unconvincing romances, an unbelievable number of side quests and dangerous situations, rushed pacing but somehow the plot takes 90% of the book to actually get back to the opening flash forward. This is a YA at best and not a well written one at that. Not one for me.

Enjoyable but a tad forgetul. I enjoyed the setting but the plot fell flat at certain points. Intrigued to try more.

I loved this, it’s electric, emotional and the ending left me on the edge of my seat. Danae is a fantastic MC, she’s fearless, loyal to her family and such a beautiful enigma.

Huge thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, via NetGalley.

Daughter of Chaos is the first book in The Dark Pantheon series and it is a Greek Mythology retelling. It follows Danae who is a fisherman’s daughter who starts emitting powers. She has a destiny unfolding before her but her search for answers and an understanding of her power means joining forces with Heracles to free mortals from the Gods.

This wasn’t for me at all and I feel bad for requesting an arc. This was just very flat for me and it did absolutely nothing for me in terms of enjoyment. I honestly don’t feel anything towards this story. I’ve been struggling with Greek Mythology retelling’s recently due to how saturated this area has gotten and unfortunately I don’t think this needed to be written. It just didn’t do anything new and it’s the same tired story that you’ll find in most Greek Mythology retellings nowadays.

This is a very different take on a Greek retelling from anything else I have ever read. Jennifer Saint and Madeline Miller are my familiar style of mythology stories, but A.S. Webb’s world building, interconnected characters and historical fantasy made it that much more exciting.

Daughter of Chaos took me a while to recognise that it was in fact fantasy, partly because the storyline was written so well. It can easily blend with Ancient Greek history as the most famous names in mythology are woven throughout.

Danae is effectively in her ‘fake it ‘till you make it’ era as after the death of her sister, a series of events unfolds that she cannot explain, resulting in Danae having no choice but to flee her home of Naxos.

Every challenge, every interaction, every near miss, made Danae’s journey an addictive page-turning experience. A strong female lead, struggling with her own inner-demons whilst having to play the role of unfamiliar characters to get the answers that she seeks.

The Gods are cruel and not as omnipotent as many believe as Danae allies with Heracles and other well-known names from Greek mythology to follow the whispers of a prophecy that is her final hope.

This book was an exciting read that I highly recommend.

I really want to rate it higher but as much as I loved the adventure and challenges of the MC, there were A LOT, that didn’t seem necessary. I also was really disappointed in the ending as it felt rushed and I came away with a lot of questions.

However, I would absolutely read this again.

Thank you Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the arc in return for an honest review!