GIVEAWAY & Guest Post: Verses of Athine by Shannon McRoberts

Title: Verses of Athine

Author/Cover Artist: Shannon McRoberts

Publisher: Obsidian Poet Press

Publication Date: April, 2013

Pages: 358

Genre: Fantasy

Source: ARC from Author

ISBN: 978-1-48393-411-2

ISBN: 978-1-30195-746-0

ASIN: B00C0FZ53A

Rating: 

Summary (from the Author):  Take what you know about mythology and throw it out the window....

Do you have any idea what Zeus, Odin, Pandora's Box, Atlantis, Machu Picchu, Hera, Nike, Dragons, Vlad, Clones, and Vampires have in common? Athine does!

Athine is not your ordinary immortal born goddess. Learn of her mysterious origins, learn why Zeus hates her so much, find out where vampires come from, and learn what really happened to the dragons.

The Daughter of Ares Chronicles follows Athine as she uncovers the secrets of her destiny while interacting with key figures from many mythologies. 

This printed version contains novellas one through four in one complete edition.

Website Amazon  Smashwords  Print

My name is Shannon McRoberts.  I am an independent artist, author, and poet. I have been self-publishing books of all kinds since 2005. My first book was a poetry book called Poetry for the Chronically Heart Broken and Depressed. That book has since been replaced with a more robust collection called Erosion of the Heart.  I am currently working on bringing this book to paper format and expanded distribution through Smashwords.   

My first ever sci-fi book, The Secret of Genetic Corp X, has been compared to Blade Runner.  I am also currently working on having this book brought back to a paper edition.  

My favorite series, The Daughter of Ares Chronicles, features Athine, an immortal born goddess that I created for the series.  In this series, I take mythologies of all kinds and turn them on their ears!  

When I am not working or creating fantasy worlds for my characters to live in I enjoy being lost in MMORPGs, good books, and in the company of my friends and family.  

I currently live in Kentucky with my wonderful husband and beautiful daughter. 

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

So I wasn't scheduled to do a review on this book, but I decided I shall anyway! If you have the occasional inkling for an entirely new world conjured utterly from a person's imagination, then Verses of Athine is for you. When I first read the description, I'll be honest, I was a little wary that it would be significantly overwhelming. At first it was with the lineage of the characters listed in the same format you find throughout the Bible. That was probably the worst part about this book. I still thought it was cool that Miss McRoberts chose to include the lineage this way, but it made me just a tad bit dizzy. After that part, however, I found myself engrossed through the work. It was very well written and the plot and characters written with a mythological style. I found it interesting and innovative and Shannon McRoberts truly did a wonderful job. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys delving into a magical land they've never ventured into before...and be prepared to meet some new friends on the way, while learning new things about characters you thought you once knew!

“Athine, hold the sword in one hand and cast a spell with the other!”  My mother, Raelin, was always barking orders.  It was always practice and then practice some more.  Didn’t she know how bored I was?  I had been practicing for eons to protect a land that was at peace.  I could cast magic with my eyes closed and my fighting skills were second nature to me.  Why did I need to practice so much if my skills were already honed?   

“Mother, this is useless.  No one has attacked Olympus, Draosia, or Ximira for several centuries.  Why must I keep practicing to be a protector of the lands with these poorly made weapons?  They break when I use them.  How can I possibly fight with this stick?”  

“Athine, you are a goddess of war born from three different bloodlines.  You must to live up to your legacy.  That is why you have to keep practicing.  I do not know why the weapons keep breaking.  Maybe if you focused more on using your Sh’cersay and less on your poor attitude the weapons would perform better.”

Ah yes, my ever present poor attitude.  Perhaps it was borne out of sheer boredom.  I had no desire to be a warrior protector.  That was supposed to be my mother’s job.  Yet, she kept trying to make it mine. Something about a vision or prophecy; I never really paid attention. 

“Athine, stop day dreaming.  Andraste and Sabrina will be here tomorrow for your A’samrad.  Do you want to embarrass your grandmother by not completing the rite of passage?   As a potential ruler of Ximira and maybe even Olympus you are expected to do well.  Anything less would be an embarrassment to the bloodlines; all three of them.”

“Embarrassment?  Potential ruler?  Has anyone asked me if I cared lately?  I practice day in and day out just for the possibility that I may be ruler of a humdrum, peaceful country.  Maybe if I did fail the A’samrad you all would let me be.  I have no desire to be a ruler.   I do not care that my entire family is of noble immortals that love to rule.  I want to see other worlds.  I want to live a life of adventure.”   

How much clearer could I get?  I had no desire to rule any of these lands, yet they all hoped I would rule one day.  Any of my other siblings, cousins, aunts, or uncles would love to play this role.  I was meant for so much more, but alas no, becoming a “ruler” keeps being dumped on my lap.  I secretly wished I could fail the A’samrad and become an embarrassment.  That way I could go off on an adventure and discover what lay beyond the walls of our palace.  I knew there were harsher worlds out there ready for me to conquer.  I just had to get out of this world to find them.

"Of all the mythological characters you wrote about in Verses of Athine, which one would you choose to take out for a picnic by the riverside and why?"

That is a very interesting question. I am sure the first thought would be Athine or Harmonia....or maybe even Nikeda. However, I think maybe today I would like to take Asryni, the Queen of the Dragons. I mention her briefly in book 3 (The Blood Sisters) and she doesn't show up again until book 5 (Cursed Bloods) which is still being written. I have found that she will play an integral part to the story and we will get into more layering of who is related to who in this book. We will also see how dragons came into Athine's world and what their appearance there signifies. 

I would want to take Asryni because I want to get to know her better. I would want to ask her some probing questions. What was she thinking when she realm jumped? What is it like to turn into her battle dragon form? Did she love Luson's father or was he merely a rebound after her first love disappeared mysteriously? What exactly did she think would happen to the curse she uttered upon Zeus and his kind? What does she think of Athine who, after all, does have Shutharja magic in her veins? Does she feel sorry for Morain'a?

Now for the best part, the giveaway! Miss McRoberts is being incredibly gracious with this giveaway and providing 5 eBooks and 2 5x7 prints of her choice of character art. After you enter for your chance to win below, stay tuned because there will be another chance to win something from the Verses of Athine Tour. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Okay, now that's out of the way, head over to Goodreads and enter to win a paper copy of Verses of Athine!

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