Review: War of the Ashers, Book 2 of The Petros Chronicles, by Diana Tyler

Book review

War of the Ashers, Book 2 of The Petros Chronicles, by Diana Tyler

YA. Fantasy. Mythology.

5 Stars.

It’s Percy Jackson in Narnia.

A family feud of mythological proportions….

To save the present and secure the future, Chloe must return to the past, to an age when the stuff of myth is a terrifying reality.

With the Councilman’s guards hot on their trail, Chloe, Damian, and Ethan dive through a mystical portal that transports them to the ancient hills of Ourania where they swiftly learn that Petros is literally crumbling in the warpath of Mania, the powerful rogue Asher who’s hell-bent on ruling the world and erasing every trace of Duna, the true creator against whom the rebel gods are fighting.

With the lords of the Underworld on her side, a colossal chip on her shoulder, and a doma by which she commands the elements, Mania appears utterly indestructible. The only thing standing between her and global domination is the last few Ashers hiding in the hills, scrambling to devise a plan and make sense of the mysterious shapeshifter in their midst…

If Chloe and her friends don’t act quickly, Mania will be in possession of the magical ambrosia that gives the gods their immortality. And if she becomes immortal, their fate is inextricably sealed, and the future of Petros will be darker and more hopeless than ever.

In this riveting sequel to Age of the Ashers, Chloe and Damian must embrace their destiny by facing the resistance Orpheus prophesied would come. Will they band together, or will the bitterness between them make everything fall apart?

Full of twists and turns and thrilling surprises, War of the Ashers is an exciting fantasy adventure for lovers of Greek mythology. 

Time travel and the bigger picture, two of my favorite story elements, are well-weaved into this tale and there’s little not to like. Continuing Chloe, Damien and Ethan’s fight for the soul of Petros, we follow them as they learn the use of their newly emerged talents while discovering trust in each other, an unlikely helper and most importantly, a creator who wishes nothing more than to be known and loved.

Well-tied-together situations were a fantastic example of story-telling throughout War of the Ashers. Details brought up in past scenes arise to get our protagonists out of trouble so I was ec7b290edf21ce82265aac71a346b6c5left thinking how I would not have survived if it were me inside the story. My creative problem-solving abilities just wouldn’t have been up to par.

That being said, these characters are far from flawless making them extremely relatable. The entire time I was reading I was thinking how I’m getting this book for my young nephew to read. Each character finds themselves forced to make decisions based on limited information (because when do we ever know everything about something) that ultimately shows a misrepresentation of a previous situation. That they continue to stand tall, strongly facing their trial to be able to turn around these decisions is a lesson we all can take a page from (am I mixing metaphors again).

My first reaction to the ending was – Wait. That’s it. But upon reflection, I realize how perfect it really was. Another conversation I’d love to have, as adding more here will turn into spoilers (talk to me in the comments about your thoughts on the ending of War of the Ashers). I’ll just mention that the perfect symmetry of it, the excellent use of the circle of time, was most respected.

So many themes! I just loved that about this series!

  • Faith.
  • Trust, both in family and strangers fighting for a common cause.
  • The question of doing something just because you can.
  • Weighing personal want against the need of a greater whole.
  • Sticking to your own sense of right in the face of great pressure.
  • Redemption.
  • Forgiveness, both as a personal thing and as the ultimate gift.

As I thought with Book 1, Age of the Ashers, this story is a perfect blend of ancient myth and modern culture, masterfully mixed with just enough to poke the mind about a greater scope watching over all. This Chronicle is definitely a series I’ll be recommending to all the young readers in my life, as well as many of the veterans. A story that teaches while entertains is priceless.

Happy Reading 🙂

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