Review: Four Stars: Fans of mythology will love the collision of all the Gods in this book.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 7, 2012
Isaiah Marshall has not had an easy go in life.  As a homeless orphan, he lives under a bridge, using newspapers at night to keep out the cold.  Despite his circumstances he is content.  Isaiah is the leader of a small gang, with three other members.  The small quartet are inseparable.  The others, follow Isaiah with loyal admiration, even though he rarely speaks, due to his inability to pronounce the letter "s".  A series of events leads the group to a prestigious school.  Before they know what has happened, the mysterious principal has offered all four of them places in the school.  It is a golden opportunity they simply can't turn down.  They hesitantly accept and head home to prepare for their first day, tomorrow in their new school.  As they turn the corner, a drove of chaotic people running a screaming meets them.  What on earth are they running from?  Isaiah spies a beautiful girl with silver hair sprinting ahead of a giant, charging moose like creature.  Without thinking, Isaiah dives between the girl and the monster.  He is transported to an alternate reality, where he comes face to face with the teenage god, Odin with his two ravens perched on each shoulder.  This is just the beginning of the strangeness that awaits the unsuspecting Isaiah.  He learns he is a minor god, born of prestigious, Greek god parentage.  Isaiah uncovers the truth of his heritage and the circumstances behind the demise of his mother. He vows to kill the one who murdered his mother, despite the fact that his father and mother's murderer, just so happens to be one of the most powerful gods of all time.  Can Isaiah destroy the god who vowed to kill him?What I Liked:*I was fascinated by the presentation of the mythological gods from all over the world.  This book showcases them all from the Greek, Norse, Mexican, Egyptian, Indian, etc.  Rediscovering and learning about all the gods was the highlight of the book.*I admired the main character, Isaiah.  He survives a tough childhood on the streets by utilizing his street skills and smarts.  He is courageous, loyal, protective and refuses to back down to a challenge.  He proves to be an admirable young hero.*I enjoyed the tournament of gods at the end of the book.  The strongest gods from all over the world meet to do battle to determine the ultimate champion.  This battle is fast and furious!*I was drawn to the character of Odin, he was mysterious and calculating.  I liked the two ravens poised on his shoulders, it reminded me of the angel and devil concept.  Later at another appearance, he has two wolves with him, and one of the wolves was smoking.  I wish that there was more of Odin in the story.*I liked the two educators and role models, Prometheus and his brother, Epimetheus.  I loved Mr. Dabel's interpretation of these two Greek Titans.And The Not So Much:*This book presents many story lines, Isaiah discovering his powers, training and fulfilling his quest, protecting his friends, the God battle, the coming fourth war and Zeus' maniacal schemes.  At times the shifting story lines was abrupt and a bit confusing.*The death match at the end is exciting and thrilling, but the author uses multiple view  points, and it was a lot to keep track of.  I think I would prefer a simple third person narrative vs. the varying first person narratives.  I feel this book would benefit with the inclusion of a list of all the gods, their cultural origin and their characteristics.*This is a nit picky point, but several times throughout the book, characters called each other "retard" in derogatory manner.  I would prefer another name to be used, instead of one that is a reference to someone who suffers from slow mental capabilities.*The ending, though not a cliffhanger left me with several unanswered questions.If you are a fan of mythology then you will enjoy Pantheons.  Mr. Dabel presents a complex book filled with mythological gods from all cultures.  If you are a fan of Rick Riordan's books, then Pantheons is a book you want to check out.  Follow the homeless, speech impaired Isaiah as he learns his true identity and sets out to destroy one of the most powerful gods of all time.  Will our reluctant hero conquer and prevail?Favorite Quotations:"Everything you do in life do it with all of your heart.""All I know is I should only be seen for who I am and what I do, that's all.""By Cronos, he's gone and done it," the goddess laughed.  "He never could keep his python in the grass.""You must understand that there is a difference between revenge and justice.  Figure out the difference and you both will have your peace."An advanced copy manuscript was provided to me by Sea Lion Books, in exchange for a fair review.Come back tomorrow for a guest post by the author, E.J. Dabel and a giveaway!