FOR MORTALS TO BE FREE THE GODS MUST FALL

In Ancient Greece, the Gods reign with barbaric cruelty.

Scorned by their rulers, mortals starve and die, and some are stolen from their loved ones, vanishing forever.

But a prophecy foretells of hope. When Danae, a fisherman's daughter, starts exhibiting strange powers, a treacherous destiny begins to unfold before her.

Her search for answers sets her on a collision course battling monsters and Gods alike, and joining forces with the mighty Heracles. Little does she know the truth may be more terrifying than she could have ever imagined . . .

Soon, she will learn that she was born to face the challenge.

To hunt the Gods.

To end their tyranny.

To set the mortals free.

absolutely loved this read!!! the world and character building, especially considering this will be the first in the dark pantheon series, was spot on! the narrative has been set up perfectly and i’m really excited for the next book of the series to see the fall of the pantheon through the fmc serving her own personal agenda, alongside that of the mortal world. as with many books of this (sub)genre, i love how mythological tales weave and interact with one another. in this instance we come across theseus, jason and heracles. also a really awesome portrayal of hera.

‘but now she saw it was just a fantasy. an illusion like heracles himself.’

Romance is delicately woven into the story, enhancing the natural and convincing relationships between characters. The ending left me eagerly wanting to know more, I’m already looking forward to the next book!

There’s a lot to like about this book. It’s a good fantasy/mythological retelling romp with an engaging central character. I think the problem with my relationship with this book is entirely me.
I’m pretty much maxed out on mythology at the moment and really need to reach into a different genre. I’m giving it four stars because I think it deserves it but I probably won’t be revisit..

This was a fantastic novel, beautifully paced and full of action, with an authentic feel. I absolutely loved it. Hopefully the typos got fixed in the final published version (e.g. "Burial rights" rather than "rites" and horses' "reigns" rather than "reins"). I hope there's going to be a sequel and I look forward to reading it!

I received a copy to review from netgalley in return for a fair review.

Daughter of Chaos is a Greek mythology retelling. We follow a young woman named Danae, from a family of fishermen, trying to find out what happened to her sister and what the gods have to do with it.

I really struggled with this one. In the beginning of the novel I thought it was really great, very slow but I really felt that the author did a good job with it. Slow enough where you could really get to grips with the character and the setting.

But as I got closer to the halfway point, I found that the writing went a bit downhill. It almost reminds me of a writing exercise, trying to find something exciting and fast-paced to get the main character where they needed to be. Within a very small percentage of the book a lot happens, and it felt very inorganic.

If you are into Greek mythology retelling, I think this book has a lot for you, and if you enjoy this genre, that may be enough. For me, it just wasn't.

Daughter of Chaos is a unique re-imagining (as opposed to simply retelling from a different perspective) of classic Greek myths which has become an instant favourite of mine. Our female protagonist, Danae (created for the purpose of this novel), is inserted seamlessly into well-known stories with this new narrative that is intricately weaved. The end of the Olympian Gods is nigh, and Danae is fated to be their downfall.

Danae is smart, determined and brave - such an instantly memorable and likeable character; Webb also does an incredible job with her characterisation of other familiar names - Heracles, Atalanta, the Argonauts, Theseus, Ariadne and Phaedra...

The first of a trilogy, I found myself unable to put this down. The characters and plot equally matched in quality, this is one of the best reads of the year for me.

Thank you to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House & NetGalley for the arc of Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I’d become a bit overwhelmed with Greek mythology retellings over the past few years but, the concept of a mortal girl and a high-stakes conflict with the gods definitely attracted me and I’m definitely not one to turn down a good story.

Overall Daughter of Chaos has all the elements of a great read, despite a slower than anticipated beginning the pace improved and the action began, and I was engaged. The story itself follows the adventures of Danae as she is forced to leave her small village due to a sequence of events. Thus begins an exploration of the blend of fantasy with Greek mythology that brings to life mythological heroes and worlds with an added magical element that I’ve only ever dreamed of.

Whilst, I enjoyed the pace and plot, I didn’t fall in love with the story to the extent that I didn’t want to put the book down to sleep, but despite that I enjoyed the flow and the fantasy/mythology mix and I definitely enjoyed Danae’s adventures.

I’d definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a new perspective on retelling – A.S. Webb has truly taken a retelling of Greek Mythology and made it so much more with the thrilling combination of magic, fantasy, and amazing world building!

This is a good novel and it well plotted. I force myself to forget it's based on mythological characters as I'm starting to feel as I read too many stories featuring any possible nymph, goddess, and mythical or archetypal characters.
The problem with the retelling is that talk about characters who are part of the collective memory and if you grew up in country where mythology was part of you curriculum it can be an issue.
I enjoyed this one and I thing it's the beginning of a good series. I appreciated the storytleling and the character development
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was one of the most original stories I have ever read. As a Classical studies student, I was very wary of it but was really pleaseantly surprised and this book really had me turning the pages. I cannot wait to read more from this author because she truly has a talent in writing and building stories that is rare to see. I really enjoyed the way that the Greek gods are tied into this and the cover is also really cool. Danae is one of the coolest and most interesting characters and I love how she doesn't back down. Thoroughly enjoyed!

I really enjoyed this book. The author takes names of people and places we know from Greek Mythology and turns them into a completely different and unique fantasy/mythology retelling... The struggles of the FMC with following her destiny and realising that not everything is as it seems.. Woven with lies and betrayal, death and difficult decisions this epic journey takes her one step closer to fulfilling her destiny. The world building and description in this book was amazing and I really felt like I was sucked right in.

I received an early e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This book was fantastic! I've read a lot of Greek mythology, but this book was really a breath of fresh air.
The story blends classic elements and characters of the mythology (the Argonauts, Heracles, Prometheus) with original characters and plot. I absolutely loved Danae (not to be confused with Perseus's mum). She's a fantastic strong female lead and her journey from starting to question her blind faith in the Gods, to finding out the truth about them is fantastically written.
I can't wait to read more of this series! 5 stars :)

Thank you to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House & NetGalley for an ARC - Daughter of Chaos was unlike anything I have read before - in all the best ways!

A true blend of fantasy and Greek mythology, Danae's journey is one of fate, destiny but also sheer grit. She battles the societies classism and sexism as much as she battles monsters and the myths of legends she has been raised with.

I think it would be selling A S Webbs writing short to think of Daughter of Chaos as a 'Greek mythology retelling' as they have achieved so much more than that, but if you are a fan of mythology, symbolism and fantastical journeys this will definitely be one for you!

ARC was in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a long time since I've suffered a book hangover, but Daughter of Chaos has left me bereft! I honestly can't think about what to read next, because I am desperate to return to the world A.S. Webb has built, and find out what happens next.

The clever use of well-known Greek mythology, symbolism and imagery, but with a twist, kept me engaged from start to finish.
The characters are well-rounded and believable. And with well-known names such as Jason, Heracles and Atalanta thrown into the mix, I've been left wanting to know more about them and their original Greek stories.
The writing is beautiful and engaging, with an almost cinematic quality - the story played out in my head like a film.
I cannot wait for the next part of this story!

Thank you Netgalley, and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, for giving me the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb is the first action-packed book in The Dark Pantheon series. From the description alone, I knew that I was going to love this book. It has elements of Greek mythology, a strong female main character and centres around a struggle against a pantheon of Gods. This focus on questioning deities and challenging their authority reminded me of the Godkiller series (which I absolutely love) so I had high hopes for this book. I’m happy to say that it was a great start to a new trilogy.

One of the things that I found refreshing about this book was the way in which it took elements of many stories from Greek mythology and combined them in a new way. Objects like the Golden Apple appear in the story of Atalanta (it is even said to be responsible for the Trojan War and called the Apple of Discord in some myths). I love that Webb took inspiration from stories like these and was able to give these pieces of myth new purposes. Similarly, I really enjoyed reading about Heracles. Strangely enough, despite being one of the most noteworthy demi-gods in the canon, there have been few retellings of his stories and trials. I enjoyed seeing his character develop into a more recognisable hero and I liked that he was not the main character of this tale.

Some of the deeper elements of the book also deal with themes of sacrifice, destiny and the struggle of living up to a prophecy. These are heavy topics and make the story more nuanced. These themes also often appear in Greek Tragedies which makes me nervous to read the other books in the series. I grew really fond of the characters in this novel and I’m hoping that their lives aren’t as tragic in this series as they are in Ancient Greek narratives.

I would recommend this book to fans of Godkiller and Lies we sing to the sea. As in these amazing books, Daughter of Chaos examines the role of deities in Ancient (or fantasy) societies and focuses on the sacrifices that people are forced to make to indifferent beings. And if those topics seem to heavy too you, don’t worry. This is also a book about growth, adventure, friendship and romance.

Holy Hector!!

This was so delicious and satisfying. I stayed up late 2 nights in a row to finish it because all I wanted was to know either what was going to happen with Danae or what she was.

I thoroughly enjoyed that it was a different retelling, as well. I wasn’t familiar with the Diolions and I was not expecting stymphalian birds so that was a nice trip.

I love Danae and I’m already so invested in her trials. I need to know what happens next and I went into a moment of shock when I realised this book isn’t out until January and we might not get the next part for ages. I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS!

I also am so piqued by the gods and I really can’t wait to see what happens next!

A fantastic, strong start to a fantasy series! I always love a Greek myth retelling, and Daughter of Chaos took this to the next level. The world building is brilliant and the characters, especially Danae, are well thought out and realistic (even while having magical powers).
I’d highly recommend this for fantasy and Greek mythology lovers, especially if you want something completely new (which is rarely done now). I’m so excited to see what happens next.

Thank you, Netgalley and A.S.WEBB, for giving me an early copy exchange for an honest review.

Cover: The cover gives a fantasy and thrilling invitation to pick up the book!

Plot: Following Danae and how she is the last daughter. She thought she was just a fisherman's daughter, but her destiny is ready for her to take the gods.

Storyline: The story is captivating and easy to follow. The flow of the story is medium to fast pace. I really enjoyed the story and had a lot of reactions to what was happening to Danae.

Would I recommend the book to others: Yes. If you like geek mythology, this book is one for you!

Daughter of Chaos is an interesting blend of fantasy and Greek mythology retellings. We explore a world filled with stories and heroes we already know and love (or love to hate) with an added magical element.

Following Danae from her backwards village to her grand adventures, this is truly action-packed. I did find the pacing a little strange at times and felt that we didn’t spend much time exploring the idea of the Last Daughter. It was deemed a focal point fairly early on but seemed to fall into the background as the story progressed, however, I am hoping this will become clearer as the series develops.

I did feel the author got a little lost at different points, or was possibly trying to do too many things that resulted in the story feeling very disjointed. The premise is strong but I feel the execution missed the mark. Again, I hope the flow of the story will improve as I really like the idea of this mix of fantasy and mythology.

Personally this book isn’t one I will likely return to, but I would still recommend it, and think it will appeal to those starting to explore Greek mythology retellings.

I don’t normally like mythical retellings however I thought I would give it a try and it did surprise me in a good way.. I would recommend this book and I am glad that I have read it but it isn’t book I would go back and read again.