#Review - Storm of Olympus by Claire Andrews #YA #Historical #Fantasy

Series: Daughter of Sparta (#3)
Format: Hardcover, 480 pages
Release Date: September 5, 2023
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Historical

The heart-pounding conclusion to the Daughter of Sparta series forces Daphne to face her past, her deepest fears, and an enemy who can defeat even the all-powerful gods of Olympus in this epic reimagining of classic Greek mythology, for fans of Circe. 
 
After fighting in the Trojan War against her own people, Daphne is plagued by memories—of her family, of her shortcomings, of her lover, Apollo, and of the secrets he and the gods keep. As she reels from the horrendous sacrifice she had to make and her own failure in the battle for Troy, she knows the Titans are out there—just beyond the island of Aeaea where she has taken refuge—raging a war against the world.
 
As Daphne struggles to regain her will to fight as well as rein in the new abilities that have been thrust upon her, the gods call for her help once more. But it has been prophesized that she will bring about the ruin of Olympus and the downfall of Sparta, just as she caused the destruction of Troy. Now, as she begins to witness her terrible destiny coming true, she must become a hero to rival those of myth and save the gods, her people, and the world. Or she will watch it all burn around her.
 
Claire M. Andrews has crafted a jaw-dropping conclusion to an epic series that gives women a powerful place among Greek mythology, flipping the world of gods and goddesses on its head. This breakneck race to the finish will have readers devouring its pages late into the night with one mind blowing twist after another, in a finale fit for a heroine who rivals any Ancient Greek hero.     

 

Storm of Olympus, by Claire Andrews, is the third and final installment in the authors Daughter of Sparta trilogy. This story follows Daphne Diodorus aka Shield of Helen, Savior of the Muses and Storm Incarnate. Since we last read about Daphne, Troy has fallen, the Titans have been released from their prison, Olympus has been taken over by Titans, and most of the Gods and Goddesses have fallen in battle and been sent to Tartarus including Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, Persephone, Hades, and Apollo.

During the cliffhanger ending to Blood of Troy, Apollo found a dying Daphne who had just been stabbed by her brother. Thanks to the seed of Ambrosia, Daphne is now immortal with the powers of the Titan who is allegedly her father in her veins. But she is also stuck on Circe's Island along with Odysseus and his men who found her and brought her to the island. Here, Daphne needs to learn how to control her new found powers that are derived from her alleged father Oceanus. 

As Daphne struggles to regain her will to fight as well as rein in the new abilities that have been thrust upon her, the gods call for her help once more. But it has been prophesied that she will bring about the ruin of Olympus and the downfall of Sparta, just as she caused the destruction of Troy which has caused her to face judgment by not only her own surviving brother but possible allies. Now, as she begins to witness her terrible destiny coming true, she must become a hero to rival those of myth and save the gods, her people, and the world. Or she will watch it all burn around her.

She also has to find a way to save Hermes who was poisoned while also being aware that the Titans are on the hunt for her, especially Oceanus. Hermes needs Daphne to free the Gods from Tartarus before it is too late. The Titans have not only taken Olympus, but they are leaving a trail of death and destruction behind them wherever they go. With the fear of the Serpent of the Deep rising before Daphne and her allies can stop the Titans, every moment is precious. Every moment brings Daphne closer to winning, or losing everything, including Apollo.

*Thoughts* Storm of Olympus also dips into Norse mythology, with special appearances by Thor, Loki, Odin, Frigg, Freyja, and Hercules. The most curious aspect of the Norse Gods showing up is Frigg's prophecy saying that Daphne will either bring about the end of the world, or a new beginning. She also hints that the Gods of Valhalla will fall in battle. In one God falls, they all fall. The classic character of Daphne is reinterpreted as a compellingly capable Spartan warrior able to hold her own in a fight against Olympian gods, mythological creatures, and some of the best fighters in Ancient Greece. The romantic tension between Daphne and Apollo continues in Storm of Olympus, woven into a fast-paced, action-heavy plot, and is a huge fan favorite, with the added bonus of even more Hermes and Daphne page time. Claire Andrews has crafted a sweeping story of war, heartbreak, romance, magic, and mythology that has left readers longing for this epic conclusion. You won't want to miss this epic conclusion that was anything but expected, or predictable. 

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#Review - Blood of Troy by Claire Andrews #YA #Historical #Mythology

Series: Daughter of Sparta (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 480 pages
Release Date: September 6, 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Historical / Mythology

The sequel to Daughter of Sparta thrusts warrior Daphne and her love interest, the Olympian god Apollo, into the middle of the Trojan War in an epic YA fantasy reimagining of Greek mythology.
 
A year after saving the powers of Olympus by defeating Nyx, the Goddess of Darkness, Daphne is haunted by still-looming threats, her complicated feelings for the god Apollo, and the promise she made to the Olympian gods that she would help them again when they called upon her. When their command finally comes, it is deceptively simple: secure herself a spot as one of Queen Helen’s guards.
 
A war is coming, and all of Sparta must be prepared.
 
In the midst of a treaty summit among the monarchs of Greece, Daphne and Helen uncover a plot of betrayal—and soon, a battle begins that leads to all-out war. As the kingdoms of Greece clash on the shores of Troy and the gods choose sides, Daphne must use her wits, her training, and her precarious relationship with Apollo to find a way to keep her queen safe, stop the war, and uncover the true reason the gods led her to Troy. But the gods are keeping more than one secret, and Daphne will be forced to decide how far she is willing to go to save those she loves—and whose side she’s on in a war that is prophesied to be the downfall of her people. 

Blood of Troy is the second installment in author Claire Andrews Daughter of Sparta series. I do recommend that interested readers first read the first installment to get a better understanding of not only the world the author has created, but the key characters who are involved in the series. Summary: Spartan Mothakes Daphne Diodorus earned the respect of her people, and brought her Kingdom a year of wonderful harvests and fortuitous alliances thanks to what she did to help the missing Muses. But not everyone is a fan of Daphne or her desire to become a full fledged Spartan warrior.

Last year, Daphne faced off against Ares, Hermes, and Nyx, the Goddess of Darkness, who hasn't forgotten that Daphne interrupted her plans for the Olympians. Nyx now expects Daphne to fear her and is relentless in her wrath appearing everywhere she goes and sometimes causing undo attention. Summoned to Olympus because of the promise she made to the Olympian gods that she would help them again when they called upon her, Daphne finds herself dealing with yet another challenging situation. 

Their command is deceptively simple: secure herself a spot as one of Queen Helen’s guards. Daphne is told that a conflict is coming to Sparta, and she needs to be among those protecting her own Queen Helen or all will be lost. Which means being part of a competition, including her own brother, to gain favor as Shield of Helen. After winning her position, Daphne and Helen have to deal with an alleged treaty summit with all factions of Greece plus Troy showing up. 

At this point, Daphne's world gets much more dangerous after the Fates tell her that a war never seen before will encompass the entirely of the known world and Daphne will be at the center of what happens next. If Daphne fails to protect Helen, she will find herself on the bloody fields of Troy watching as a great country falls to the war of the Gods, and the likely fall of Olympus itself. No pressure! Daphne seriously has her hands full. She has conflicting feelings for Apollo. She ends up in Troy with Helen where we obviously meet characters like Hector, and Paris, and later Achilles and Odysseus. 

So, let me repeat what the author has said. If you think you know everything there is to know about the Trojan War, and how Troy fell, you are about to get your mind blown. I think one of the things the author does well is to give an actual voice to Helen and not just assume that she ran away with Paris thus giving Agamemnon reason to war on Troy. I also had no choice but to feel for Kassandra who has always been portrayed as someone with mental issues. Had her father and brothers listened to her, there may have been a different outcome.

Plus, readers will finally get an understand as to who Daphne really is and what her heritage is and why the Gods are so silent when it comes to revealing who her father is. And, yes, there is a cliffhanger ending, and thus there will be a third installment in this series. This book is a who's who of almost all the key players in the Trojan War including Ares, Hermes who seems to have his own agenda, and of course, Nyx. I noticed while writing this review that the third book has a title. Storm of Olympus. I can't wait to find out what happens next. 

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