I received a copy of Epic of Helinthia by M. J. Pankey from NetGalley. The book ties in elements of mythology and fantasy in the setting of Ancient Greece. The thing that fascinated me about the Epic of Helinthia was the combination of fantasy and mythology in an alternate sort of Ancient Greece. It’s something that is fresh for me as a reader.
The story begins with Dargos setting out to seek allies to join a rebellion against the King. Dargon believes that the island of Helinthia is going towards ruin because the Gods are unhappy with a madman on the throne. He feels that removing the current King will improve the situation for Helinthia and its people. But their journey is not as smooth as they hoped. The King’s spies have been watching them, and not everyone on Olympus wants to see the island recover.
The setting of Ancient Greece adds to the mythology of the story. There are only a few blessed, who can see the Gods and Furies amongst them. The main protagonists of the story are two pairs of siblings – Dargon and his younger sister Gonivein and Kelric and his younger brother Gadnor. Gonivein is betrothed to Kelric. Dargon and Gonivein have their differences, but they stick together. Gadnor and Kelric, on the other hand, have a difficult relationship. Gadnor is often belittled and mocked by his older brother. These four are the narrators of the story, and as they are on a quest to save the island, their distinctive personalities clash, making the atmosphere tense.
Helinthia is described as a beautiful island. A once thriving island is now empty and barren since the namesake goddess’s disappearance. The main aim of the team is to restore the island to its former glory and save the people living on it. Dargon and the others are on an adventure to save Helinthia, but at times, they come across scenes of desolation that hurt but also, in a way, motivate them. I loved the way Greek mythology is woven through this fantasy novel. It does feel like you are reading an epic. I enjoyed how the mythology is explained and described; it helped me understand the narrative and not have to do any extra research for it.
Each character has their own personality, and it is interesting to see this come out and create dynamics in the group setting. The war between mortals and immortals is something that I didn’t exactly anticipate, but I liked how it came to be. The different perspectives give different takes on the situation while understanding the character’s motives and reactions. The story has intrigue, fantasy, mythology, romance, and drama blended really well with each other. It keeps you hooked and engaged to find out what happens next.
Epic of Helinthia by M. J. Pankey is the first book of the trilogy. It took me a while to understand the world and characters created, but once you get a hang of it, the tempo of the narrative increases too. The novel is an adventure fantasy, but the mythology mixed with the fantasy is my favorite part of the novel. It is described and laid out beautifully, which makes it easy to imagine this world while reading. I enjoyed reading the Epic of Helinthia and can’t wait for the next books.
*Click on the book cover above to get a copy.
Books and blues 