I am an absolute sucker for anything mythology related. I loved MJ Pankey's twist on greek mythology and the interesting and intricate world she created.

The Epic of Helinthia is set on the Island of Helinthia and follows a group of characters as they set off on an adventure to save their island from the tyrannical anax (king) Charixes who has taken over the throne. They start their journey very hopeful and confident that they are fighting for a cause that they believe in, but very soon everything goes awry. This story had twists and turns that kept me so intrigued.

I found the map, hierarchy, and glossary to be extremely helpful and necessary as I read this book. Since I was reading this in e-format it was a little difficult to go back and forth so often. I would definitely recommend reading this book in physical format if accessible to you.

I've seen other reviewers share dislike for some of the characters, especially Dargos, but tbh he was one of my favorite POVs to read. I found that all of the characters had a lot of depth, which made even the least likeable to be intriguing. Gadnor was my absolute favorite character. This book is the first in what is meant to be a 3 (maybe 4) book series. I can't wait to see what comes next!

Overall, I rate this book 4.5 stars.

I would like to thank the MJ Pankey, NetGalley, and Muse and Quill Press for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A magnificent debut. At first I wasn’t sure, and it took me to the wedding before I finally submerged myself into the world of Helinthia and started to fully understand who was who and the words used. By halfway I was hooked and had to get to the end. MJ Pankey has created an incredible world with some incredible characters. I originally didn’t like Kelric, but my mind is definitely changed by the end. I can’t wait to see what happens with Tor and Gonivein and the Princess as this story continues to unfold.

The plot is full of depth and intrigue. We are led through the ancient world as the story develops and the end reveals some incredible secrets deftly hinted out throughout. I loved the use of Greek mythology to help make this story come alive and I really cannot wait now for the rest of the series. I honestly think this has been one of my favourite reads over the last few months.

Thank you NetGalley, MJ Pankey and Muse and Quill press for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Epic of Helinthia is a story woven from politics, relationships, and betrayal with Greek inspiration. Through multiple character POVs, we watch the fate of Helinthia unfold with twists and turns at every corner provoked by the gods and man alike.

Multiple POVs can be a challenge, and Pankey artfully rises to this! Despite switching between a large cast, her character portrayals remind you as you're reading how they each fit into the plot without feeling pedantic. She does a particularly great job with having characters remain true to their experiences and decision making, even if it makes you want to yell (& As an avid fantasy fan, my favorite parts of the book involved the appearances of gods and goddesses. They retain their wildness, and aren't afraid to show consequences for not heeding their warnings.

Epic of Helinthia paints a rich environment, however it did make the beginning a bit slow to work through. Pankey leverages traditional terms (and thoughtfully included terminology index at the beginning) which, though confusing at first, created an immersive experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Epic of Helinthia and can't wait to see what happens on the island next. If you were enthralled by Greek mythology as a child, or continue the love affair now, this book is definitely for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Pankey for the ARC so I could provide this review.

A beautiful tale is full of spell-binding characters who go through betrayal, loss, and newfound family. As in any greek mythology you can come to expect betrayal however, it never gets old. Epic of Helinthia is a story that we see through multiple povs. We have Dragos and Gonie, who are siblings who rule one part of the island. Then we have Kleric and Gadon who are sons ofa neighboring town. Kleric is Gonies fiance for almost 5 years. Then we have Forluna,a nymph who is interconnected with everything going on. A rebellion is in its first stages of development as the king that has been ruling for the past 18 years isn't helping with the issues the island has been facing such as famine, drought, and sickness. Dargos set out on a mission to recruit men for the upcoming rebellion at the king's marriage banquet. However, tragedy and death soon follow the kingdom.
My heart was racing every moment and I couldn't put it down! I’m ecstatic to learn this is just book one and I’m looking forward to the next installment to a wonderful new series. First, I thought I would come to be eager to every Gonie and Kleric exchanges but lets just say my heart is rooting for the come up of Loric. Gadnor is another character that I’ve been cheering for, he is so kind-hearted and unlike his brother in so many ways (good ways). Admittedly I had to go back to the glossary to see what each word meant or the hierarchy. If you love Greek mythology, second chance, and new found family... this is definitely for you. Fair warning though it isn't a quick read there will be times you have to take notes on what each new vocabulary means but that just comes with exploring a new world. Author, I can't wait to see what comes next!


Thank you to Netgalley as well as the Muse and Quill Press for providing the ARC and giving me a chance to review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Muse and Quill Press, and M J Pankey for giving me an arc of this book in exchange for and honest review.

When the throne of the fictional island of Helinthia is seized by Anax Charixes, a reign of famine and terror begins for its citizens. This book follows the POV of 5 individuals, and even those that were not likable were interesting to read to see the story's twists develop.

I was hooked after I reached the third chapter, as this was where I started to remember the characters and the meanings of words (which were helpfully explained in the glossary). When I wasn't reading I was thinking about the story, and I really appreciate the amount of planning and detail that went into this. The glossary and map are definitely necessary as a result of this, however this was difficult to keep going back to for e-readers when trying to go between pages.

This book is the beginning of a series, and I cannot wait to pick them all up as they are released!

This review has also been shared on Goodreads.

If I could give half stars, I would give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed reading Epic of Helinthia, and for me it falls in the area just between 4 and 5 stars - If I was a little less stingy with ratings, I would round it up to 5.

I can understand how this might not be the book for everyone, as it is quite long, and has a complex plot with what would be unfamiliar and potentially difficult vocabulary for those unfamiliar with the ancient world. However, as someone who is a keen reader of classics texts, enjoyer of Homer and the ancient playwrights, and loves to sink her teeth into a good long book and be absorbed for a few days - I loved this book! I will also just add that you definitely don't need to be familiar with the ancient texts to read and enjoy Epic of Helinthia as there is a helpful glossary and explanations of ancient Greek social hierarchies in the front of the book.

I think the usage of transliterated ancient Greek titles (such as basileus and anassa) and using original words for common objects (e.g. agora, amphoriskos etc) is a clever stylistic choice within the book, as it creates an absorbing and detailed world for the story to take place in. By the end of the book I was close to being convinced that Helinthia was a real ancient Greek kingdom that I had just never heard of before! Whilst I can see that using this form language might make it less accessible or enjoyable for some readers, I personally think that it adds depth and value to the book which would be sorely missed if this vocabulary was swapped for modern terms.

Now, after that little linguistic discussion - on to the plot and characters! I love historical fiction when it is well done, but I dislike reading fantasy (mostly). I was a little worried that there would be too much fantasy within this book for me to enjoy, however I was happily surprised by the skillful usage of mythical/divine themes without it overtaking the other elements of the book. I was very impressed by the way which the author has included gods/goddesses/nymphs - I really liked that the descriptions of them were limited to what served the plot best, so that they came and went from the story without it becoming overly focussed on them and their fantastical powers. This reminded me of the way in which the gods are often portrayed in ancient literature, as driving forces behind human fates, but with their own flaws and without a focus on their magical/mythical sides. I thought this was a very clever nod to the ancient epic poems and classical plays which Epic of Helinthia takes its inspiration from.

A quick note on this subject - from my understanding of it, this book is not a Greek myth retelling. Whilst it deals with similar themes to the Greek myths (as does most of the Western literary tradition..) and it is set in a fictional ancient Greek kingdom, the story and characters are original to this book. There has been a lot of (very good and enjoyable) myth retellings recently, so I found this a refreshing change.

Why not 5 stars? Basically, I am a bit too picky for my own good. There were a few nit-picking things which I felt meant I couldn't give this the full 5 stars, but these really are no big deal - just my personal rating system and literary opinions leading me to be a little harsher than I perhaps should be. For example, I felt that some of the character names didn't quite fit with the world they were placed in, as they seemed more Northwest European than classical (for example, to me, Gonivein feels more like an ancient Britannic name than ancient Greek). However, this did not detract from my overall feeling that this an excellent, generally very well-researched book, with engaging and loveable characters and a deeply enjoyable plot. I look forward to the next book in the series, and many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and MJ Pankey for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this.

The prologue really draws you in! It's a bit challenging to keep track of characters as there are a ton but they are likable and well written so are worth sticking with it.

Epics, otherwise referred to as heroic poems, are one of the oldest forms of literature. The oldest surviving epic, the Epic of Gilgamesh, can be traced back to Mesopotamia and was written in approximately 2100 B.C. Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey date back to the late 8th or early 7th century B.C. The old English Beowulf was most likely composed around 750 A.D. and transcribed at the end of the 10th century A.D. All of this is to say that an author has high standards and old traditions to measure up to when they claim they’ve written an epic. It’s an admirable and lofty goal.

According to A Glossary of Literary Terms by M. H. Abrams’ there are, at the very least, three basic requirements a work of literature must meet in order to be considered an epic. An epic must be “a long verse narrative on a serious subject, told in a formal or elevated style, centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or…the human race” (Abrams 97). Epic of Helinthia by MJ Pankey meets two of these requirements, leaving it one short to be considered an epic. The two requirements met are 1) the Epic of Helinthia does partially focus on a quasi-divine character, Gadnor, whose actions will save or condemn the fate of Helinthia and 2) it is told in a long narrative structure. Epic of Helinthia falls quite short in the elevated style category.

In an effort to make the story accessible by using the vernacular of today, Pankey failed to reach the final qualification of an epic. The use of the word “aye” immediately kicked me out of the story. A brief google search into the etymology of “aye” as an interjection reveals it is a word of unknown (most likely Middle English) origin first recorded in use around the 1570s. For context: It’s a generally accepted fact that the reign of ancient Greece ended in the year 600. “Aye” has no place in an ancient Greek inspired world. The Greeks had their own slang for yes. It’s a baffling choice to use English slang in this story. This was not the only time the language choice kicked me out of the Epic of Helinthia.

Again, this book has branded itself as an ancient Greek inspired epic. This implies that the setting, the plot, and the characters will also be inspired by ancient Greece. Which is why I found it nigh impossible to believe there was an ancient Greek inspired man named Camden. Camden is a name of English and Scottish origin that can be traced back to 1086. There is also a man named Dargos, a name with Slavic origins. Once again, it is almost impossible to believe this name would have just casually popped up in ancient Greece. The other names seem to have been created without any reference to Greek linguistics, to name a few: Tendior, Gadnor, Kelric, Gonivein, and Forluna. They feel like randomly generated D&D character names and not names adhering to Greek linguistics. When one of the tenants of epics is elevated language, fantasy generated names do not make the cut.

While the majority of this sounds harsh, once the strict literary tradition is left behind and the enjoyment of reading takes over, there are parts of the Epic of Helinthia that I really did enjoy. I would like to take a moment to analyze the name Helinthia. There are a few different potential inspirations for this name, and I like both of them. One option is that Pankey took the Greek word for Greece, Hellas, and transformed it into Helinthia; it draws powerful parallels between the creation of Greece and the mythos creation of fictional Helinthia. There is also the option that Helinthia can be traced to one of Homer’s subjects in The Iliad, the face that launched a thousand ships, Helen of Troy. I think this is the strongest name Pankey created. This level of storytelling by reference delivered through one word, Helinthia, happens before we even open the book and enter the story.

The story itself is interesting. I found it fairly predictable but I have been reading myths and epics for quite a bit of time now. I guessed the heir and oracle pretty early on in my reading but I still enjoyed watching the story unfold across the island of Helinthia. Traditionally epics span entire countries, entire oceans, entire worlds and in a smaller sense Epic of Helinthia did travel to its geographical limits. I’m hopeful that the other books will get everyone off the island and into some truly adventurous Greek inspired predicaments. It'd be entertaining to see this cast of characters sailing across the water battling mythical sea creatures along the way.

Forluna the nymph has to be my favorite character. She is no doubt one of the most skilled out of her cohort and her character development has incredible potential. Forluna is a dryad and her forest home is the most richly detailed part of the story. I could have spent pages and pages there discovering more of her home, her life, her story. The description of Forluna’s home added so much depth to her character, her surroundings were an integral part of her storytelling. I wish this storytelling aspect would have been extended to the rest of the universe.

Epic of Helinthia is an ambitious project with a fair amount of potential. It feels unfair to fully judge a work when questions left unanswered may be revealed in the upcoming publications. MJ Pankey has set a decent foundation for the rest of their story with Epic of Helinthia. While it doesn’t meet the full requirement for an epic, I do think it has the potential to grow into its own version of an ancient Greek inspired fantasy series. While I may not search out the next installment of the series, if you’re a fan of Greek inspired worlds this is right up your alley.

Works Cited

Abrams, M. H., and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009.

⭐️Review: Epic of Helinthia🌟

Pub Date: October 1st 2023

This book appealed to me on so many levels. The cover art is beautiful and I love stories which are centred around Greek mythology.

Epic of Helinthia is the first book in a series by M.J. Pankey set on the Greek, fictional island of Helinthia. When a madman steals the throne, outer villages are faced with famine and unrest and the gods are nowhere to be found.

Dargos, one of the village leaders, is hoping to stage a rebellion in order to gain favour with the gods and restore Helinthia to its former glory. When Dargos leaves home with a few allies to rally support for war, disaster and devastation follows.

In each chapter we hear from one of the main characters and learn a little more about the history of Helinthia and the home they are trying to save. The characters are built with an incredible amount of depth which allows us as the reader to understand what they’re going through and the choices they are making along the way.

I really enjoyed this book. It is beautifully written and reads very easily. The suspense at the end of each chapter makes it easy to keep reading and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Muse and Quill Press and M.J. Pankey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Epic of Helinthia is a very original and complex fantasy written by MJ Pankey. It reminded me a lot of Madeline Miller books and the world was very similar to and heavily inspired by Ancient Greece while still remaining very unique.

I loved the writing and thought that Pankey did a great job of bringing the world of Helinthia to life. I enjoyed the multiple povs and the characters were all fleshed out with distinct personalities and growth. I really liked Gonivein and Gadnor but Dargos and Kelric weren’t my favorite just because I thought they were kind of dull. The development of the relationships between characters was done really well too.

The place where this book fell short for me though was actually the setting. I enjoyed the world building but it was too confusing and I wasn’t able to fully grasp it and visualize the world. I felt like certain things needed to be described more beyond the glossary at the front. I also wish that there weren’t so many side characters (ex. Loric, Crusates) and I lost track too many times.

All in all, The Epic of Helinthia was a decent book and I really did enjoy it. It was hard to follow at times and it wasn’t very gripping, but it still was a fun read.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, MJ Pankey, and Muse and Quill Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Book Review 📚
Epic Of Helinthia by M.J Pankey - 4.5/5 ⭐

I haven't enjoyed a Greek Mythology book like this in years. Pankey has done a phenomenal job with character descriptions as well as world building! The writing is spectacular and I was hooked from the first page. The glossary of characters/hierarchy/items/places at the beginning of the book is EXTREMELY helpful for those who don't really know about Greek Mythology. There's even an illustration of the Hierarchy in a "family tree" layout. Awesome additions to help anyone who faces confusion.

"The flames consuming the agora rose above the rooftops". Honestly, who isn't gonna be engulfed by this book when it starts like that?! The plot includes love, death, happiness, sadness and heartbreak with twists and turns throughout the entirety. There's so much power and knowledge contained in the pages and they are all incredible. The books follows 5 POVs so we have an understanding to each person from the hierarchy! I think that was a wonderful touch. After the ending of this book the 2nd will be on preorder as soon as I am able!

It becomes very apparent that Pankey has put in some serious research and dedication to this book and Greek Mythology itself. Although the majority is completely fictional, she's done exceptionally well in crossing over the make-believe with mythology.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

This novel is set in Helinthia, an ancient Greek-inspired island whose citizens are embroiled in political and social turmoil. Determined to appease the island's goddess, Helinthia, and end all of the misfortune plaguing the people of the island, Dargos, ruler of the Helinthian city Shallinath, and his companions set out to request aid for his cause. Meanwhile, Dargos's sister strives to lead their city in his absence and soon finds herself immersed in conflict. All of the characters soon find themselves making choices and traveling paths they least expected.

I liked that Pankey blends familiar elements of Greek mythologies and characters with new epic Greek characters and narratives. You can tell they conducted a lot of research. This is seen in different ways, but one of my favorite examples is the presence of xenia (hospitality) in the novel. Xenia was an important ancient Greek custom and is emphasized in ancient Greek epics such as The Odyssey. I liked that it was utilized in the novel.

The plot development and pacing are consistent, and the characterization is nice for the most part. I do have mixed feelings regarding the female characters, Forluna and Gonivein, as they are written as if they will break free from the chains of men, but ultimately both were passive characters within the story. This may be to set up their character arcs for the series, but it was a tad frustrating as the male characters were all much more active participants in their own choices.

Overall, I liked this story. I think this book is perfect for lovers of epic stories with ancient Greek influences.

Thank you to MJ Pankey, Muse and Quill Press, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mj Pankey’s Epic of Helinthia is the fast paced and daring first book of a series taking place on the island of Helinthia. When famine struck harder and harder ever since anex Charixes rise to the throne, A few brave souls set out to put an end to his reign and ensure the survival of the people. They are faced with many obstacles and truths that each of them end up having to face in order to see their mission through. When the truth starts Revealing itself they all have to work together in order to insure their victory.

I must admit it took me a while to get into the rhythm of the story but as the story developed and I got to know the world and the characters I was greatly entranced into the world of Helinthia. I am in awe at the way that Pankey was able to portray her characters emotions and personalities and the way that they developed as the story went on. It was great to see the changes that each character went through as the story progressed as I felt that it gives them a layer of humanity that the readers can relate to.

Helinthia is a fictional island inspired by Greek titles and ranks and I could really see the connections between the real tales to Pankey’s own fictional world. One of my favorite thing about the book from the start would definitely have to be the Glossary that is provided for the readers to better understand the world and I can say that it definitely helps understand and makes a smooth introduction into the world. I would also say that it is highly important to read the content warnings beforehand as some scenes can be really heavy and descriptive.

I would also say that I loved the way that the gods were portrayed and how close of a connection they had to the character and can only hope to see more of them in the later books. I also really loved the sense of mystery the story had as it kept me wondering what would happen next and I was pleasantly shocked when everything revealed itself as I wasn’t expecting any of it.

Prankey really knows how to write a story that will keep her audience engaged from the very beginning but I do believe that her storytelling strength lie in the way that she is able to create suspense that leaves her audience on the edge of their seat. I would also say that I love the way she wrote her characters with their flaws and how beautifully she is able to portray their emotions and changes that they experience throughout the journey. I honestly can’t wait to see where the story will go in the later books and I am excited to follow along in these characters journey.