Pantheons [Kindle Edition]

E.J. Dabel (Author)

Book Description

On the streets, they call fifteen year old orphan Isaiah Marshall the Indestructible Diamond. Isaiah is the leader of the Redrovers, a group of teenage misfits consisting of his friends Jeremy, Monty, and Pipsqueak, but when they trespass into Kaliber Academy to get even with the arrogant Jason Ollopa, they are in way over their heads.
Principal Webb enrolls them into the High School and Isaiah soon learns about the existence of the gods of the Ancient World. Because the gods have refused to fight the last War for fear of the Mysterious Dark, the Powers-that-Be have stripped them of their spiritual bodies and given them mortal, teenage forms.
Isaiah discovers he's not only a god, but that he's the child of the Greek goddess Metis, the son destined to overthrow his cruel and sadistic father Zeus, the Darkener of the Sky, and become the greatest god in all the Pantheons.
Isaiah is thrown into a world where the democratic Olympians, war-mongering Norse, Gothic Celts, firstborn Egyptians, the enlightened Hindu, the animal-like Aztecs, the martial artist Asians, the intelligent Babylonians, the great spirits of the Native American Indians, and the fierce Finnish will war against one another for the greatest of all prizes: the Dominion.

Product Details

• File Size: 580 KB
• Print Length: 257 pages
• Publisher: Sea Lion Books (January 8, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006V7NPJE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,192 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Chaotic mix of mythology, automatons and action May 7, 2012

By Jessie Potts TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

Pantheons is a coming of age story about an unlikely hero with a speech impediment... it's also about gods and goddesses of different Pantheons all over the world... oh it's also about war, murder, action, adventure and romance with an automaton. If it seems like the author poured a whole lot of plot and details into this story it's because he did. For those of you who aren't that familiar with mythology from different civilizations, especially Greek, be prepared to flip back and forth trying to remember which gods go where. For those of you, like me, who adore mythology then be prepared to enjoy a great story where different Pantheons collide. Oh and did I mention they're all teenagers?

After the Last War, one where there was much blood and slaughter, the Powers-that-Be cursed all the gods and goddesses to live in mortal teenage bodies. This sucks, but they can still use their powers, they can just die too. Kaliber Academy is where these godlings (so to speak) have come together. This is where our hero Isaiah comes in. A rich snot (turns out it's his dad who he has vowed to kill... long story) belittled his street gang and Isaiah wants revenge. He follows the rich kid into the Academy and is met by the principal who ends up offering his little gang the option of enrollment. The story gets kicked off from there when Isaiah saves a gold and silver girl who ends up being an automaton who was created to solely love one of the smith gods. There's a tournament, coming of age, powers, jealous godlings, pissed off goddesses, and something everyone wants... the Dominion.

Dabel has written a detailed and intricate story. His hero isn't a typical hero and has a speech impediment; he can't pronounce the letter `s'.... This causes some of the other kids to call him `retard', so while yes it's realistic, if this word greatly bothers you then you might not want to pick up this book. The different Pantheons of gods and goddesses can get confusing at times, and at the end of the book during the Tournament, there are multiple POVs and it can get a bit chaotic. For a debut novel Dabel has done well, and I would definitely buy the second book in the series when it comes out. You find yourself wanting to know how much more Isaiah will grow and discover about himself. Read more ›

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm In Love With This Book!!! It's Amazing & So Much Fun!!! April 24, 2013

By Amy Conley

Format:Kindle Edition

I love when I find a book that captures me and won't let go and that's exactly what I found in this book! From the very first page it draws you in and keeps you in amazement and surprised! It's irristible and hard to put down! I love that the author took an old classic and threw in a modern twist and we get to learn about some really cool history along the way! There are some really amazing scenes and even some that will have you heartbroken and crying but you'll always come back for more! Pantheons is about the different gods from ancient times who refused to fight in the last War were punished and stripped of their spiritual bodies and came back as mortal teens who have to go against each other in an ultimate battle! Sounds amazing right?? Believe me it is!! You'll be blown away by this amazing book! I can't wait to go and dive into book two!

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't wait for the next book March 25, 2013

By bassgiraffe

Format:Kindle Edition

**WARNING** May contain some spoilers!

Before I start I wanted to say I LOVED this book and can't wait to read the rest of the series. It was hard for me to write my review without giving some key information away. That is why some of my description sounds so general. I hope through my review you'll be excited to go out and read this book.

Isaiah Marshall is a 15 year old street thug and the leader of the gang called the Redrovers. His gang thinks he's a mute. But little do they know he can talk but chooses not to because he can't pronounce his letter "s". The Redrovers learned street smarts and they don't like anyone pushing them around, they stick up for each other and support each other even if they think one of them is going too far.

The Redrovers are angry at a kid that almost hit them with his car and follows him to his school. Little did they know this would lead to them joining school and liking it. Isaiah wasn't as easy to convince to join but soon he sees he needs to be at this school and learns a lot about his past. Including his connection with the gods of the Ancient World and how they are all teenagers right now. There is a battle and Isaiah must save his own life and tries to save those around him.

The book leaves you with Isaiah declaring his ultimate revenge to the one who has hurt his family and friends. I really can't wait for my chance to read the next book in this series. And I really hope a movie series will come of these books.

While reading I had the feelings of books like Harry Potter, meets Twilight, meets Hunger Games, meets the gods of the Ancient World. It's a wonderful, fresh look at the gods and the battle they must fight.... The battle Isaiah fights there must be only one survivor, but he does not want to be the one to kill his competitors. I found myself rooting for Isaiah and hoping he can win the battle, not only against the other teens but also the battle that is in his heart.

This is a must read book. I guarantee you won't be able to put this book down. And I guarantee you'll want to get the next book in the series, "Pantheons: The Game of the Gods". Each book is under $2 for the kindle on Amazon(as of March 21, 2013). You can't loose with that price and this amazing story. I would love to go into more detail about this book but I don't want to give away the really great twists and surprises. Just trust me it's a book you'll love to read. If you love learning about Ancient gods, a good teen adventure and the similar books mentioned above I really believe you'll love this book.

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* Disclaimer / Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate my review. This post reflects my honest, personal opinion and experience with the product which may differ from yours. Product information courtesy of the sponsor. No monetary compensation was provided for this post. Read more ›

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun book March 14, 2013

By YA lit reviewer

Format:Kindle Edition

This was a fun book with gods as the main story, but it did not focus on one pantheon but multiple. It made the book more like a superhero action story than obsessing on gods like many book in the same genre.

All the characters were fun and there were alot to get to know. I found their interations fun and showed more depth to each character.

Overall it was a fun read and I would highly recommend this to YA- espeically male young adults. This was a great addition to an audience I don't think there are enough good books for right now.

1.0 out of 5 stars A long and shallow look at ancient gods from the perspective of teenage-dom June 10, 2012

By Dark Faerie Tales

Format:Kindle Edition

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A long and shallow look at ancient gods from the perspective of teenage-dom.

Opening Sentence: "Hey Isaiah, what are we up to this morning?"

The Review:

I can safely sum up this entire book in one word: long. Yes, long. Too much time spent on day-to-day happenings without any extra character depth derived from it. And too little details for too many pages. There's too much fighting without character growth arising from it. Pantheons, the first installment of a new series by the same name, reads like an adaptation of a comic book.

Isaiah Marshall is a boy from the streets. He is the leader of a small gang of ruffians, named the Redrovers, and a nobody. He and his friends, through unlikely events, are given an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a prestigious Academy based solely on the Principal liking them. Of course, the real reason is revealed later that Isaiah is actually the son of Zeus, chief-god of the Greek/Roman Pantheon, and the school is a housing ground for those same gods who have been cursed into mortal teenage bodies. Isaiah has been prophesied to be the one that will kill Zeus once and for all. Sounds a little familiar doesn't it. But wait, there's more. Isaiah gets elected as a chief-god of his very own pantheon of godlings, children born of some minor gods, that want to start an all-out pantheon brawl for god supremacy.

Let's start with the story. It's 572 pages long, much longer than most young adult books. Though book size is usually not an issue with me, I found this one tedious to read it in its entirety without losing focus. I mean it when I say that it reads like a novel version of a comic book; only without as many insights.... I would akin it to the old Batman series starring Adam West. Lots of pow, bang, pop that lacks substance. I would like to think that it was geared for a younger teenage audience, but I doubt it due to its sheer size. Perhaps I could have enjoyed it more if it had more visual cues. Maybe even split up into two or more books for an overall story arc with more details in between. While it did pick up the pace toward the end of the book, I felt it was a little too late in the game to hook me in.

The characters were lacking a three-dimensionalness that I could endear myself to. Even though I truly enjoyed the idea of teenaged gods (since most stories have them coming off as spoiled anyway), I didn't think that this book showed their personalities well. Again, it is as if it needed facial features to show the emotions rather than by words alone.

I love underdog stories and this one tries to deliver. I just don't think that it is worth a fan of mythological-themed tales, and the like's, time. If you enjoy a more simplistic storyline, this is the book for you. If you are looking for insight and intrigue, pick something else. Might make a good movie though; just saying.

The Pantheons Series:

1. Pantheons

FTC Advisory: Sea Lion Books graciously provided me with a copy of Pantheons. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys. Read more ›

More About the Author

I'm the author of Pantheons, Pantheons: The Game of the Gods, and Albino. I'm also the President and co-owner of Dabel Brothers Productions, a publishing company specializing in comics and graphic novels. Ernst's company has adapted novels by major authors such as Dean Koontz, Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, Jim Butcher, George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist, R.A. Salvatore, Patricia Briggs, Robert Silverberg, Tad Williams, and many others.