Book Details:
Book Title: The Sky Throne by Chris Ledbetter
Category: YA Fiction, 300 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Month 9 Books
Release date: April 18, 2017
Tour dates: Sept 18 to Oct 20, 2017
Content Rating: PG + M (No f-words but there may be some mild profanity, and mild religious expletives such as “damn”, “hell” and “Oh God!”, some depictions of violence. No drug use or underage drinking. Some semi-mature themes – suggestion of sexual misconduct by certain characters, but not the actual performing of it.)
Book Description:
Duality dwells at every turn, and an adolescent Zeus will learn that all too well when Hyperion attacks his family on Crete.
When the dust settles, his mother is unconscious and his best friend left for dead.
Stacking epic insult upon fatal injury, Zeus discovers the woman who raised him is not his biological mother. But to ensure her safety while she recovers, a heavy-hearted Zeus leaves her behind to seek answers at Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia.
Zeus embarks on a quest to discover who ordered the attack on his home, avenge the death of his friend, and find his birth mother. When some of his new schoolmates vanish, Zeus’s quest is turned upside down, and the only way to make things right is to access the power of The Sky Throne, confront a most dangerous enemy, and take his life back.
On his way to becoming king of the Greek gods, Zeus will learn to seize power, neutralize his enemies, and fall in love.
To read reviews, please visit Chris Ledbetter’s page on iRead Book Tours.
Author Post:
The Academic World of THE SKY THRONE
What makes THE SKY THRONE unique is that it is set in a time that is pre-human, where only deities exist. THE SKY THRONE follows the general plotline of the ancient text of Hesiod’s Theogony, which is the basis for the Hellenic Pantheon’s creation myth. I then scoured other pantheon’s creation myths in order to bridge the Hellenic versions with theirs as if they were occurring simultaneously. Even though my story focuses solely on the Hellenic pantheon, I do try to show the reader echoes of other happenings around the world. As such, the Hellenic gods interact with deities from all the other pantheons in what is called The Pantheon League.
The Pantheon League encompasses the scholastic systems of each mythical pantheon around the world, from the Aztecs to the Egyptians. The Hellenic system is named the Olympus Academic District. It’s comprised of six lower academies and two upper academies. The lower academies are situated on the islands of Limnos, Samos, Euboea, Crete, Kithira, and Kephalonia. The two upper schools are Othrys Hall Academy and Mount Olympus Preparatory Academy.
All godly students across Hellas were homeschooled until they turned thirteen, which is when they’d begin lower academy. Subjects studied included language arts, math, music, science, music, and physical fitness. Students also participated in competitive sports such as swimming, rowing, wrestling, running, and throwing. Upper academy curriculum consisted of such advanced classes as Metallurgy: Weaponry and Jewelry, Shapeshifting, Horticulture, Rhetoric, Creature Creation, Philosophy, Game Theory, Leadership, and Astronomy.
Meet the author:
Chris Ledbetter is an award-winning author of short fiction and novels for young adults. “Jason’s Quest,” a short story retelling of the Jason and Medea Greek myth was published in the anthology, Greek Myths Revisited. His first full-length novel, Drawn earned him two awards, Library of Clean Reads Best YA 2015 and Evernight Publishing Readers’ Choice Award Best YA 2015, as well as a USA TODAY “Must Read” recommendation. His second novel, Inked, concludes that duology. The Sky Throne is his newest young adult novel. The second book in the series is set to release in 2018.
He’s a proud member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and a strong supporter of the Need for Diverse Books. He now writes and lives in Wilmington, NC with his family, including three cats.
Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ facebook ~ Pinterest
Prizes:
Grand Prize: One winner will get a signed paperback of The Sky Throne + $20 Amazon GC (open USA only)
First Place: Two winners will each get an ebook copy of The Sky Throne + $10 Amazon GC (open internationally)
Second Place: Two winners will each get an ebook copy of The Sky Throne (open internationally)
TOTAL: 5 winners
(Ends Oct 28)
Although I don’t actively review these days, I was immediately interested in The Sky Throne by Chris Ledbetter. I love learning of various culture’s mythologies and Greek mythology I learned about in middle school, which seemed appropriate for this book. I don’t normally read YA but when something intrigues I find it fun to just go with it!
You’re introduced to the protagonist, Zeus, and get to experience the imaginative Greek island scenery and fantasy world building while his personality unfolds. He’s the raucous, prankster teen that you would expect knowing anything about the namesakes’ story. He is also an underdog in his current situation, neither excelling at school or carrying any of the prestige that we normally think of when envisioning Zeus. In this story he must work hard to become the god of legend, even though he might try a little too hard for eternal glory from the get go. All in all, he is easy to like and root for, particularly when he is standing up for people he wants to protect.
The pace of the story unfolds in a way that keeps you guessing and delivers the payoffs that are desired. The scenes lead you along and urge you to continue reading. Conspiracy among the ruling gods, death, betrayal, romance and battles, this story delivers all of it. Although The Sky Throne is a standalone story, it builds a world and leaves the door open to the next story in a way that I think many readers will enjoy. If you like imaginative, quick paced stories that bring to life old characters in a new way you should check this out.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
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