Chris LedbetterCritiques

It's been awhile since I read the first book in this series, but I was looking forward to seeing where the tale went next.

Returning from his last adventure, Zeus returns to the school for the start of the new term. A new student brings a little change, while the school attempts to return to normalcy despite the upcoming trials. When the earth giants attack and Zeus finds himself battling a deadly poison, it's clear that this term won't be any less exciting than the last.

This story is told in first person from Zeus' perspective and leads right on where book one left off. In other words, this is not a stand alone. While the academic life attempts to hum a familiar atmosphere from book one, and Zeus again faces normal classes, the questions and open-ends from the first book keep tension close. There is a lot going on and never a boring moment as the powerful teens face usual social issues (on a different scale) and continue with the fantastical, mythical adventures. It makes for characters readers can relate to, while still being pulled into the exciting adventure of the gods.

Zeus faces an inner struggle as he deals with the poison (a theme which is a bit confusing at times) and how this effects him and his friends adds a nice depth to the read. When the trials begins, everything kicks into a slightly higher gear. While many questions are answered, others open up and promise much more excitement to come.

Fans of fantasy, mythology and the atmosphere of high school will enjoy this series.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading the adventure.

The education of the mythical Gods from 'The Shay Throne' are back!
The students and faculty of Mount Olympus Prepare anxiously awaiting the trial of Kronos to fulfil justice from his past evils.
Zeus and Metis has become "an item" since her aid in the previous book.
Now, the students are preparing "War Games" with competing schools, when the students encountered gargantuan Stone Giants while on a training trip. Zeus was poisoned priory, by a dragoness. While shape-shifting and trying to avoid the Giant until help came, the poison now is passing through him, causing him to act in bizarre ways.
What will become of him?
Is there any hope for a continued relationship with Metis?
Will they all be able to be sure a trial is held and justice done?
​The mythical characters are interesting.
The author has been very creative in his restituion of many forgotten ones.
This is a, somewhat, unique series, full of action,to delight youth needing a change of genre.
The one problem I had with the books is a slightly weak beginning. In both books, the action and clarity increases as te story builds.
I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating.
*This book was gifted me with no requirement of a positive review. This is my honest review.½

Zeus and the rest of the Mount Olympus Prep students are back. If you have not read the first book, I would recommend it. These books are meant to be read in chronological order. As this book does not have a lead into it. It kind of just picks up from the first one.

Just when I thought this series could not get any better, Mr. Ledbetter surprised me. I really like Zeus and the other young gods. They are very relatable. As I stated before, young adult readers will enjoy these books as well as getting to know Zeus like I have.

There is tons of action. In fact, there is so much action that you might be exhausted trying to keep up. So what are you waiting for...pick up these books today.

We are welcome back to MO Prep and it students right before the start of a new term. Zeus and his siblings and friend Metis are all visiting Crete. They are there to visit and get introduced to his adoptive family. I loved this book and story behind it.

Things get tense when they run into his former professors. There seem to be heated conversation with Zeus and Metis. We also find out who Metis parents are? Chris Ledbetter doe a wonderful job with his characters.

We seem to see the confrontation once again with Zeus and Titans students or at least some of them. What will happen at Othrys Hall? They seem to start their new term and find new member to join MO Prep. Once they do, they go about their day. Once in the afternoon they seem to get attacked by something of a Giants Creatures on their war game practice. What are they? Who sent them?

If you want to know how it starts, I would suggest reading “The Sky Throne” by Chris Ledbetter. This one continues it. If you want to know how Zeus ends up with his struggles with toxin that Zenus has and is deal with during this book. Read the first book which I mentioned above.

I also really think there something going on with how the professors of the lower and upper academy are treating the MO Prep students. I can not wait for the next installment of this story. I am left wondering what Kronos means and why he got sentence he got? There are surprises and secrets spilled. What happens to Hyperion? There are two trials that goes on.

The Sky Throne by Chris Ledbetter is a re-imagining of Greek mythology unlike any other. A teenage Zeus attends the academy of Eastern Crete with his friend Anytos. A rough day at school gets the pair tossed out due to Zeus’ mischievousness. The next day, the sun greets the pair. Literally. Hyperion descends with the sun chariot, demanding 'the orphan boy’. The ensuing scuffle leaves Anytos dead, and Zeus’ ma, Amalthea, gravely injured. Zeus is whisked away, to Mount Olympus Prep in order to be protected, where he learns he was Hyperion's true target. MO Prep, as the scant six students call it, used to have many more students before Kronos broke from it, taking the majority of students and forming Othrys Academy. Unfortunately, no sooner has Zeus found a home here, then it all begins coming unravelled. He has several run-ins with students from Othrys, his fellow male students give him the nickname 'Spruce’ due to his scrawny frame, and then students begin to go missing, along with Ouranos, the Headmaster. Can they all survive, and find their missing mates before the academy closes for good?

Set in ancient times, this humorous tale looks at the war between Titan and Olympian is a rather different, less literal fashion. Kronos doesn't eat his children. The battle between the two is in context of War Games between rival schools- Mount Olympus Prep, and Othrys Academy. With humour akin to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, Ledbetter breathes new life into the classic myth of the rise of the Olympians over the Titans. Besides Anytos, there is another death. I won't give it away, though those who remember their Greek mythology should figure it out fairly quickly, since all the gods keep their original names.

I loved the rivalry between Zeus and Hera regarding the Sky Throne. It's said that others, especially students, should not sit on the Sky Throne. Even just climbing to the foot of it can affect the students, much less sitting on it. Going near it is what gave Zeus, Hera, and Hades unique gifts- thought reading, energy manipulation, cloaking. The author weaves science in as well. In addition to cosmic dust, dark matter and dark energy are mentioned. Erebus, the Elder God and ⅓ of the Khaos Council, is mostly created from dark matter/energy. That's kinda neat. Cosmic dust not only assists nourishment, but plays a part in artifact creation, such as weapons, or the pillars known as Hurlers that serve a transporter function, allowing for near instantaneous travel.

A few things I wish were different: there's a pretty neat mystery going on. For as fantastically advanced as these deities seem to be, there are times common sense seems to fail. Like not securing the crime scene at all… or inviting everyone to traipse through it. I don't expect CSI forensics. After all, still ancient world. But secure the scene, yeah? Also, I know from Zeus’ point of view, Prometheus is a 'bad guy’, but I find it hard to reconcile the culture hero who gave humanity fire with ‘Promo’, who is a bully. Kronos didn't seem as fierce as I'd expected, either. There were times when he got rather whiny. Just saying. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next in the series!

Recommended for those who like Greek mythology, or who enjoy the Percy Jackson series.

***Many thanks to the author and Chapter by Chapter Tours for providing an copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Zeus felt like he didn’t belong, it’s like he was invisible at school and the only thing he had to look forward to was taking over his mother’s goat farm . He was a student at Eastern Crete Lower Academy but he found school boring so he spent his time pulling pranks with his best friend. Life changes quickly though as Hyperion attacks his home, now his best friend is left for dead and Zeus is left with the knowledge that the woman raising him is not his real mother.

Now Zeus is being taken away to Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia so he can be protected from Hyperion and to prepare him for what’s coming. Now he has a new life and is meeting new people in the academy but now his classmates are beginning to vanish and its up to Zeus to find out what’s happening and who is trying to kill him.

The Sky Throne by Chris Ledbetter is a coming of age story for people who love Greek mythology. The story has a lot of action and is a great read for kids with an interest in mythology. I enjoyed how the schools are described and how the book gets into describing what Greek society is like. This is a perfect read for kids in middle school, they will love the introduction to mythology and will find all the characters easy to relate too. This is also a good starting point for kids who are wanting to become better readers and discover the joys of YA fiction.

This is the second book I have read from this author. The second time around was easier. What I mean by this is that I was able to jump right into this story with ease; everything from the storyline to the characters drew me in. Young readers to adults will enjoy this book and you don't have to be into mythology.

Zeus is the perfect lead character. I like that this story features Zeus and the rest of the characters as young teens. Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia is an interesting school. You could say it is like the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I like Zeus would be anxious to try transforming myself as both inanimate objects and living beings. The story picked up towards the last third of the story. This is where we see Zeus and several of his class mates battle the bad Gods. The Sky Throne is a book worthy of the Gods!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review and I am so glad I did. I LOVED this story. Trying to keep up with all the Greek names was a challenge so I was really happy with the nicknames given. I could picture everything so clearly in my mind that it was like watching a movie. I'm an instant fan and do hope there are more stories following this one.

This book follows in the vein of Rick Riordan's mythological tales. The protagonist is a young Zeus with a sense of humor and maturity similar to Percy Jacksons. While there are a lot of similarities between Riordan's tales and this one, there are also several things that set them apart. The Sky Throne presents some alternate and less commonly known aspects of the mythology, and there are fewer characters to get drawn into. We mostly view the story through Zeus' eyes. Overall, young fans of mythology will find this a comfortable read to slip into.

(I received this book free from the Author in exchange for my honest review)

This was a fun read that had me guessing until the very end, but in saying that I have mixed feelings about this read. This book is what I like to call, driving through rush hour. Why? Because there's a lot of fast and slow moments, stop and go.

The beginning sets the stage for our lead, Cameron. For openings, it’s now one of my favourites. It was original and calming, and I felt like I was there with Cameron, watching the waves, and smelling the salt air. The pace is good into those first few chapters. We lear more about Cameron and what his life is like. We meet his crush, Farrah, who is his eyes, can do wrong. She’s already taken, making this “love” a one sided one. I don’t know if I like her or not, she wasn’t really present and all you really get about her is what Cameron thinks and the one, not-so-date, that was sort-of-a-date. It wasn’t enough for me to care about her.

After that point the story takes a bit of a dive, there’s about six pages where he is playing a war type game. I don’t care that he was playing the game, but the six pages were basically a transcript of the game itself. It all honesty it was filler and it didn’t need to be there. One page, maybe two, but not six, I skipped over it because it didn’t do anything for the me or plot.

There was a lot of that weird spacing. Especially after the dire situation that left Farrah fighting of her life. The sense of panic, and desperation wasn’t really there at the start, but did pick up towards the end. In truth I felt that it was spaced to far apart or better yet, it was stretched out to make the book longer. The last 30% of the book was fast, there was lots of action, suspense and had my heart pound. It was the true highlight of the book.

I did like Cameron, he does a lot of growing throughout this story. He’s talented and strong in his own right. He owns up to his mistake and takes ownership in that fact. When he was in too deep he reached out for help, knowing the consequences, and knowing that he might get rejected, he knew that in order to fix his mistake he needed help, even if it would cause him his life.

Though I gotta say, my favourite character was Vittoria. She was mysterious, with a hint of evil. You don’t really know who’s side she’s on until the end. She’s a survivor, strong and cunning. She knows how to play her cards and knows what to say to get what she wants. In truth I felt she was the main female lead. That and I felt like she had more of a connection with Cameron then Farrah.I hate to say it, but I was rooting for her.

The ending was amazing, but in my opinion, the ending could have ended with a twist, something unexpected. Cameron has a choice at the end, and I believe he should have taken down the road less traveled. For a spelt second I though he was going to do it, I was biting my nails hoping he would, but that was not the case. In saying all that, the ending was still outstanding and pulled at the heart strings. I had a wicked smile on my face, and it my or may not have looked goofy.

I highly recommend this book. Despite the awkward spacing and my crushed dream for the ending, this story is original and flat out, good. The writing is solid, strong, and the description was exceptional. I felt like I was in that world, both worlds, seeing the bright colours and feeling the sounds. I would to thank Chris Ledbetter for giving me the opportunity to read this one of a kind.

Cameron is an artist. He has a crush on Farrah. He would like Farrah to be his next portrait subject matter. Farrah would be his Rose to his Jack Dawson from Titanic. Cameron's close friend and artist dies. Yet, he sends Cameron a sketchbook with just one warning to draw things and not people. Cameron does not heed this warning. He draws Farrah's portrait in the book. The most extraordinary thing happens next, her portrait comes alive. She tells Cameron that she resides in another realm called Terra Sempre. Terra Sempre is a form of Hell. If Cameron can not find a way to save Farrah in time than her soul will be lost forever.

At first I was not that excited about this book. Although I did think it had promise. I felt that Cameron was too much of a nice guy and reserved within himself. Farrah did not intrigue me and she made me wonder what Cameron saw in her. Yet, as the story went on and I got to about chapter 15/16, this is when the story really picked up for me and I was than in for the long ride. The way that Cameron and Farrah navigated through Terra Sempre was vivid and not a place that I would want to be stuck in. I like the way the author turned this story into more than just about drawing. Also, there was lots of action in the way that Cameron fought to save Farrah.

I took a mythology class in college and have always been intrigued by Greek mythology. I will, however, freely admit that I am not the world's most knowledgeable person on the topic. What I remember about it these days is probably more thanks to Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief, which I read with my son when it was assigned to him in school last year, than to any recent reading of Ovid's Metamorphoses or the like. But the very little bit I have managed to retain did help me out when reading this particular book.

Caenus is a young man just reaching his majority and he has much to prove to his father, the king, before he will be granted charge of the military. He decides to prove his mettle at a famous contest of skill that has previously been won by the same man several years in a row. While there to compete, he meets an elusive woman with whom he has an immediate connection. Rather than try to find her again after being bested through his opponent's dishonorable move, he and his best friend sail home, determined to train well and excel the following year. After completing the grueling training, Caenus and his family are summoned to the wedding of his opponent only for Caenus to discover that the mystery woman to whom he is so drawn is to be the cheater's bride.

In addition to the human plotline, there are hints of mythology and godly intervention in Caenus' contests as the title suggests. But these are little more than hints, not being fleshed out nearly enough to satisfy. Perhaps the question of why the gods seem to favor Caenus without interfering too heavily will be answered in the following books but it seems an important plot point that is never elaborated upon.

And this is my concern with the book as a whole. It is much thinner than it should be, almost bereft of enough to tie all the storylines together. Caenus is determined and has a loyal friend but we as readers don't see enough of him to think of him as a fully rounded character. To be believable, an all-consuming love should grow out of the characters' interaction, even if they do only meet once. Somehow, this seemed more a deus ex machina, a way to get Caenus to fight Makedon than a real and legitimate love. And really, for me, the training with Kheiron and the descriptions of the challenges at Apollo's Tournament were where this book excelled, rather than detailing Caenus and Kalliste's fledgling love.

This has the bones of a good story but it needs to be fleshed out further. There were echoes of Hercules and of the Odyssey but the epic struggle and the love defying all elements need more to bolster them, make them stronger. Perhaps this shouldn't be the first in a trilogy but rather the first part of a longer single book that incorporates the remaining adventures and grows the existing characters more fully.