The Sky Throne by Chris LedbetterThe Sky Throne #1
Published by Month9Books on April 17th 2017
Age Group & Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Duality dwells at every turn, and an adolescent Zeus will learn that all too well when Hyperion attacks his family on Crete.
When the dust settles, his mother is unconscious and his best friend left for dead.
Stacking epic insult upon fatal injury, Zeus discovers the woman who raised him is not his biological mother. But to ensure her safety while she recovers, a heavy-hearted Zeus leaves her behind to seek answers at Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia.
Zeus embarks on a quest to discover who ordered the attack on his home, avenge the death of his friend, and find his birth mother. When some of his new schoolmates vanish, Zeus's quest is turned upside down, and the only way to make things right is to access the power of The Sky Throne, confront a most dangerous enemy, and take his life back.
On his way to becoming king of the Greek gods, Zeus will learn to seize power, neutralize his enemies, and fall in love.
A copy of the book was provided for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore does not affect the opinion or content of the review.
Honestly, I’m starting to trust Chris Ledbetter’s ideas because all of the books I’ve come across/read that are by him all have one thing in common: they’re different, they’re unique and they refreshing take on something. Please don’t ever let me down with bookish concepts. I’m picky now, and I’d probably cry.
Ledbetter doesn’t disappoint, of course. Well before the demigods of Mount Olympus and Percy Jackson existed, there were the Titans and the Olympians. “WAIT, you ask. DOES THIS MEAN IF I LIKE RICK RIORDAN’S BOOKS, I MIGHT LIKE THE SKY THRONE.”
And let’s be honest: the Olympians probably didn’t spring into adulthood straight from birth, so they have to start somewhere, even if it starts with Hyperion attacking young Zeus and killing his best friend in the process. This would be a highly tragic way for Lupe to die because she IS my best friend. He is then sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory, which if we’re putting two things together, all of the students who go there will later be known as the Olympians.
Considering the fact Greek mythology is vast, there is a large cast of characters – anyone who knows little to nothing about Greek mythology might end up lost keeping track of all the characters and who they are. We’ve got the major players: Chronos/Kronos, Rhea, Zeus, the rest of the Olympians, the Titans, etc. – most of them have nicknames that are remotely similar to their original name, but it may be difficult to keep track regardless. Or maybe I’m very strange and have a shabby memory. My brain cries when I try to remember too hard.
“Okay, but the Olympians and Titans usually bicker like nobody’s business. Is that included and will it give me headache (aka make me want to throw the book against the wall)?” Despite the somewhat large cast of characters, Ledbetter has a great balance between what we as readers know about Greek figures depicted in media and a personality each character has of their own. The Olympians have their bickering and putting each other down sometimes, but it’s a lot less bickering and more familial than what I know of, which is 10 tablespoons of bickering and 1/2 teaspoon of actually getting along. Yes, Percy Jackson. I’m eyeballing you, even if I loved you in my middle school days.
The Sky Throne brings back great middle school reading memories without trying to replace them – fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus will most likely find themselves enjoying the first book in Ledbetter’s new series.
And lo and behold, Ledbetter has confirmed! There is a sequel in the works! Secretly I’m dancing around. Shh.
Chatting with Chris Ledbetter
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes. I am the store manager for GNC, a healthy lifestyle, vitamin and supplements store.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since December 2006.
What genre do you write and why?
I write fantasy mostly. I have dabbled in other genres, but I love the creative freedom of fantasy.
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Yasss! Skittles. I must have Skittles to write.
Do you write every day?
When I’m in full on drafting mode, then yes, I write every day. But if I’m not drafting a specific manuscript, then I flit from project to project or research.
What is your writing schedule?
When I’m drafting, I usually get up around 4:30 am to begin writing before work. And then I’ll typically jot down notes about things I need to do story-wise at work. Then I’ll continue drafting when I get home from work. On days off, I write all day.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
Yes. It’s a slower process to write longhand first, then transfer over to the computer. But I have found that my mind works through the process better when I write longhand. My brain thinks better, and I generally produce better initial work that way.
What is your next project?
My next project is the second book in the Sky Throne series. It’s called The High Court and it’s set to release late spring 2018.
Sophia started blogging in February 2012 for the hell of it and is surprisingly still around. She has a GIF for nearly everything, probably listens to too much K-Pop and is generally in an existential crisis of sorts (she's trying her best). More of her bookish reviews and K-Pop Roundups can be found at The Arts STL.
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