Epic of Helinthia

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.

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.

⭐️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.

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.

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.

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.

About 3/4 of the way through this book I realized it was going to have at the very least a sequel if not a series following it.
I was equal parts thrilled and enraged. Thrilled because I am absolutely loving @authormjpankey dive into Greek mythology and I am unbelievably excited that there is more coming. But so upset that I am finished and now have to wait to see what happens next. I do know it will be well worth the wait!

I have a big thing about character development, and I love our flawed band of hero’s. You can see where their weak spots are going to get them into trouble or where they might chose to grow, but it’s not being rushed. I love the set up and can’t wait to see how it plays out.

The Gods are petty, their pride is easily wounded and they will seek retribution. For the people of Helinthia their lives become a battle ground over their goddesses careless words and Hera’s need to prove her wrong. As their island is thrown deeper into chaos oracles and hero’s will emerge to fight for their home.

This was masterfully done and I massively enjoyed watching events unfold. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next instalment.

You can check this one out October 1 2023.
Thank you to @netgalley and Muse and Quill Press for letting me read this one early in the exchange for a review.
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My second read of Epic of Helinthia - it’s that good! Each character you meet tugs on your soul and leaves an ache in your heart for more.

Thanks NetGalley and all involved in this masterpiece. Big thanks to MJ Pankey.

Amazing! What an "epic" read, I want more of Helinthia now! Each of the main characters leaves a piece of their soul in your heart. I am so invested in their futures, please don't keep your readers waiting.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Muse and Quill Press for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, and despite my intention of reading this for 2-3 days, I finished it in one sitting as I could not put it down. It’s a fresh take on Greek mythology retellings, in that the author has created her own mythos within the story - and yet, it fits perfectly into any other Greek myth retelling. It honestly felt more like reading a mythology retelling that I was unfamiliar with, and less like a brand new original story, as everything fit together into established mythology so well.

(It’s almost frustrating, [in a “I can’t wait for the next book" kind of way!”] that I can’t look up the story of Helinthia to learn what happens next, because part of me is convinced that I’ve simply missed an epic by Homer somewhere. By this I mean, the author has done phenomenal at incorporating her own story into existing Greek myth to the point that it’s near impossible to find the lines of what is taken from the myth, and what is original to this story.)

I did have a little difficulty understanding what was going on at the beginning of this book, as it began already extremely in-depth with the assumption you would know the characters and places - when we, as the reader, do not. However, I felt like this almost enhanced the believability of this being a mythology retelling and not an original story, as every retelling I’ve read begins in the same way. This story isn’t any more confusing, in my opinion, than any other novel on Greek mythology read by someone not overly familiar with the story.

I personally believe it’s better to read through the confusion - which only lasts with the first 2-3 chapters, before we (the reader) start being able to more easily understand and connect the dots. After this point, I had no confusion about anything I was reading, and despite the large cast of characters I found it fairly easy to identify them, their relationships with one another, and their goals. So personally I enjoyed the slight confusion, and the feeling that I should already know this setting and these characters, as it really made Helinthia feel like a real place and a real goddess. It simply felt like an aspect of Greek mythology I wasn’t aware of, and not that I was reading an original story.

The title being The Epic of Helinthia I feel as very apt, as reading this provided similar feelings to when I had read The Odyssey or The Iliad years ago. This isn’t written in the same epic poem format, but reading it definitely provided the feelings of reading an epic poem while still written as a typical novel. And the ending absolutely lends itself to the feeling that this is the first step to an epic journey that will stretch for years and have many twists and turns throughout it - just like the epic poems by Homer.

To be completely honest, I was putting off reading this book for a while because I personally wasn’t in the mood to read a Greek myth book. However, this book quickly and easily changed my mind within the first few chapters and by the end I forgot why I was even putting this off. I wish I had read this earlier, as it’s absolutely worth it.

I will warn readers to absolutely check the trigger warnings, as there are a few parts that could be alarming, but there’s nothing too overly graphic.

Also, this is only partially a joke but how much money can I bribe to bring a certain character back in the next book? Asking for a friend. (The friend is the same character that I refuse to believe is really dead.)

(For the publisher - Review to be posted to Instagram and Tumblr the week of Sept 18..)