Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles.

Achilles, 'best of all the Greeks', is everything Patroclus is not — strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess — and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative companionship gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper — despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel and deathly pale sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.

my thoughts

Patroclus and Achilles.  Historians have argued over whether they were friends, lovers or relatives.

In Miller's retelling of the classic Iliad, they are companions/lovers.  The story is told from the narration of Patroclus.  A whiny, wimpy young boy.  How can the mighty Achilles fall for such a person?  That question is asked by many characters in this book, including Patroclus himself.  

Iliad is one of my favorite classic novels.  The Rage of Achilles.   In Miller's version, we see no rage.  It takes far too long to get to Troy.   I don't know about other readers, but I wanted to read about the battle.   When we finally get to Troy, Patroclus seems to take over the role of wife.  He becomes a healer and mainly stays with the women.  Achilles becomes the fighting machine he was meant to be.  He 'thinks of them as animals, not people' while killing.  

One character I absolutely loved in this novel is Odysseus.  Funny, charming wily and thoughtful.  

One thing I found strange, even after the death of Patroclus, we continue to see the story through his eyes.  We see the eventual death of Achilles and the aftermath of this death.  

This is a good book to read if you're looking for another viewpoint of the Achilles story.   

THE LAST LINE. THE LAST WORDS. THE LAST CHANCE.

Ifferon is one of the last in the bloodline of the dead god Telm, who mated with mortal women, and who imprisoned the Beast Agon in the Underworld. Armed with a connection to the estranged gods in the Overworld and a scroll bearing Telm’s powerful dying words, he is tasked with ensuring the god’s vital legacy: that Agon remain vanquished. Fear forces Ifferon to abandon his duty, but terror restores his quest when the forces of Agon find his hideaway in an isolated coastal monastery.

Weighed down by the worries of the world, but lifted up by the companions he encounters along the way, Ifferon embarks on a journey that encompasses the struggles of many peoples, the siege of many lands, and discoveries that could bring hope to some—or doom to all.

An epic fantasy set in a world replete with its own lands, races, languages, history and mythology. An immersive and lyrical tale with flawed and mysterious characters. A page-turner right up to the last page.

Enter the world of Iraldas.

Answer the Call of Agon.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Fantasy

Rating – PG

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Website http://deanfwilson.com/

my thoughts

A great fantasy debut. The names and places were somewhat difficult at first, but while reading this book they become second nature to the reader.  

 Ifferon is a wonderful character.  He starts as somewhat of a coward but rises to the occasion when his hand is forced.  He is a descendant of the God Telm. He is given the task of maintaining the safety of his people from the beast Agon.  

This book is full of action, suspense and adventure.  It has a wonderful mythological feel to it, not in the Greek-like manner.  Reminded me more of the wild Vikings and Norse mythology. It has a Tolkien feel to it.  As a reader, knowing this is the first in a series, I had an idea how it would end.  The ride to the finish was fun and adventurous.  

I recommend this book to anyone who loves action and adventure with a flair.

THE GODS OF HEAVENLY PUNISHMENT

by

JENNIFER CODY EPSTEIN

about the book:

Publication Date: March 11, 2013

W.W. Norton & Company

Hardcover; 384p

ISBN-10: 039307157X

A lush, exquisitely rendered meditation on war, The Gods of Heavenly Punishment tells the story of several families, American and Japanese, their loves and infidelities, their dreams and losses, and how they are all connected by one of the most devastating acts of war in human history.

In this evocative and thrilling epic novel, fifteen-year-old Yoshi Kobayashi, child of Japan’s New Empire, daughter of an ardent expansionist and a mother with a haunting past, is on her way home on a March night when American bombers shower her city with napalm—an attack that leaves one hundred thousand dead within hours and half the city in ashen ruins. In the days that follow, Yoshi’s old life will blur beyond recognition, leading her to a new world marked by destruction and shaped by those considered the enemy: Cam, a downed bomber pilot taken prisoner by the Imperial Japanese Army; Anton, a gifted architect who helped modernize Tokyo’s prewar skyline but is now charged with destroying it; and Billy, an Occupation soldier who arrives in the blackened city with a dark secret of his own. Directly or indirectly, each will shape Yoshi’s journey as she seeks safety, love, and redemption.

my thoughts

This is a multi layered book.  As the reader, I found myself both liking and hating many of the characters.  All are interwoven in an epic story. The book takes place during WWII.   I loved and hated the Japanese, and I loved and hated the Americans.  Who was right?  Who was wrong?   I loved the character of Yoshi, felt pity for her mother and absolutely hated her father.   I almost cried when Cam's plane crashed in Japanese territory.  One character justifies his actions by convincing himself "It's not murder. It's war."  Reminds me of the saying "War is Hell."  My dad once told me-"War is war and hell is hell.  No one deserves war, everyone in hell deserves to be there."

War is never pretty.  This is a depressing story, but uplifting at the same time.  Confused yet?  You won't be.  The author is able to merge all the characters together in short connected stories.

This is a very well written, well orchestrated novel.  At  times, difficult to read.  It took me a while to finish this book.  My knowledge of WWII is from history books and old movies.  I can't imagine how horrible it was.  

About the Author

Jennifer Cody Epstein is the author of The Gods of Heavenly Punishment and the international bestseller The Painter from Shanghai. She has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Self, Mademoiselle and NBC, and has worked in Hong Kong, Japan and Bangkok, Thailand. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, two daughters and especially needy Springer Spaniel. 

For more information, please visit www.jennifercodyepstein.com.

http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/

http://www.passagestothepast.com/

Praise for The Gods of Heavenly Punishment

“…The book reveals itself to be as miraculously constructed as Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel in Tokyo (which itself is a character). The Gods of Heavenly Punishment is a page-turner thanks to its high-stakes adventure, torrid love affairs and characters so real they seem to follow you around. And in the end, this gripping novel asks us not just to consider a lost chapter of a famous war but also to explore what it means to be lucky—and what it means to be loved. (Amy Shearn, O magazine)

"The Gods of Heavenly Punishment showcases war’s bitter ironies...as well as its romantic serendipities." (Megan O’Grady, Vogue)

"With stunning clarity, Epstein has re-created Tokyo both before and after the bombing in a novel that raises still-unanswered questions about the horrors of war, the cruelty associated with it and the lasting impression it can make on a person, a people or a place." (Shelf-Awareness.com)

“An epic novel about a young Japanese girl during World War II underscores the far-reaching impact that the decisions of others can have.” (Kirkus Reviews)

"Epstein’s second novel (after The Painter from Shanghai) is bursting with characters and locales. Yet painful, authentic (Epstein has lived and worked in Asia), and exquisite portraits emerge of the personal impact of national conflicts—and how sometimes those conflicts can be bridged by human connections." (Publishers Weekly)

“Sweeping….[A] harrowing novel of destruction and creation that will appeal to fans of historical fiction” (Library Journal—starred review)

NayéLi has come from the dark side of the universe to learn as much as she can about the third planet from the sun, and to communicate her findings back to her home world. NayéLi is a Learner - and on Earth she assumes the form of a young human female of the indigenous host species.

NayéLi is bound by her rulers' laws of planetary exploration, which state that there can be no involvement with a member of the host species. But NayéLi is more human now than she realizes. And she is about to fall in love. 

THE LEARNER is the first book in the paranormal Learner Series

my thoughts

Fantastic sci fi story. Very well written. Characters are full and well developed.

NayeLi is an alien. Sent to Earth to learn (Title of book is THE LEARNER) about our ways. She has the unique ability to make her almost invisible to others. Invisible in that no one really notices her. She is the girl in the back of the room, the girl standing near the wall. This works great for her for years, until she meets Jared. He's a young doctor who can't seem to forget about Nayeli. She is somewhat at odds, unable to figure out why he can remember her. 

This is a fun story. We see an alien become more human than many of us. I'm not certain all the alien language was necessary, but hey...there is a glossary and the author takes a great deal of time explaining the meaning of the alien words. After all, what would Star Trek be without the Klingon? I see this series as a great sci fi movie. 

If you love sci fi you should love this series.

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