Official Review: Pantheon by Josh Strnad
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Official Review: Pantheon by Josh Strnad
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Pantheon" by Josh Strnad.]
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Life is hard enough for Lamont and Emma. Lamont, who treks across the woolly wasteland on his stead, is on the run from a past that haunts him, even in his dreams. Emma, a young girl plagued by years of shame, boards a fast train out of a life that has blackened her conscience like night. All either of them want is a life free of anxiety and guilt, to start anew. But trouble is brewing in "Pantheon" for which Josh Strnad's debut novel is named. As the skies grow more threatening by the minute, two seemingly ordinary men with blue collar jobs are getting ready for something big, for which Lamont and Emma are unknowingly, crucial. Abducted from their getaways, Lamont and Emma are plunged head first into the middle of a war that has been waged since the beginning of time. There’s no use in trying to escape it. Its destiny; and these two men are Gods.
Being chauffeured by Hades: The God of Death and Apollo: The God of Light and Prophecy is the last thing either of our two main protagonists expected. Clever and offbeat I found myself humored at the dialogue exchanged between our ordinary humans and two, historically powerful Gods. Whether its Hades, who would rather clean up the dead rather than the dishes, or Apollo who spends all his nights with his nose in a book, I was intrigued at the way Strnad was able to take Mythology, generally a dense topic, and give it a modern, lighthearted spin.
But savvy references and witty dialogue is not all you'll find in Pantheon. A war is coming, and it's coming fast. Commissioned by a powerful being called Pneumos, Lamont and Emma play important roles in a war that they know nothing about. Not only this, but whatever is coming, whatever they are expected to do, neither feel adequate to uphold. Through small reveals of Lamont and Emma's conscience we begin to see why they were running in the first place, and how their personal inadequacies are inextricably tied in with Pneumos plans.
What the future holds for Lamont and Emma is one of courage. They will have to face demons they thought they put to rest. They will be tested and taunted to the extreme. And they, different in almost every way, will have to do it together. Even a hindrance of doubt will allow the enemy to win. But even so, it is up to them to make things right, for what makes them greater, even in all of their power, than Gods, is the ability to Hope.
I loved the dynamic of this story. Wild West meets Greek Mythology. I wasn't sure if this was something I would be interested in initially, but I loved the originality of it. I also found the plot of this story especially addictive. Even though I would characterize this story as an action/adventure novel, there was never any long, drawn out battle scenes, for which I was especially glad. Not at any point did I find a lull in the writing or parts I felt irrelevant to the rest of the plot either. Stripped of everything else Pantheon is a story about love, hope and the existential question of human existence. If you ever wondered "What does it all mean anyway?" This novel provides an answer to this in more ways than one. I also liked how religious overtones were present, but not obtrusive, which had me thinking on my own life and things that I've held on to in the past.
I give "Pantheon" 4 out of 4 stars for a highly enjoyable plot, well-developed characters and noticeable attention to plot progression. For a debut novel, I think Strnad did a really phenomenal job in creating an original story that harbored many moral principles and raw nuances of the human condition. Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of Greek Mythology or Westerns for that fact, it doesn't make a difference. Pantheon goes beyond time and place and delivers a solid story which will leave you in want for more. I look forward to seeing what this author writes in the future.
***
Buy "Pantheon" on Amazon
Buy "Pantheon" on Barnes and Noble
Share This Review
Being chauffeured by Hades: The God of Death and Apollo: The God of Light and Prophecy is the last thing either of our two main protagonists expected. Clever and offbeat I found myself humored at the dialogue exchanged between our ordinary humans and two, historically powerful Gods. Whether its Hades, who would rather clean up the dead rather than the dishes, or Apollo who spends all his nights with his nose in a book, I was intrigued at the way Strnad was able to take Mythology, generally a dense topic, and give it a modern, lighthearted spin.
But savvy references and witty dialogue is not all you'll find in Pantheon. A war is coming, and it's coming fast. Commissioned by a powerful being called Pneumos, Lamont and Emma play important roles in a war that they know nothing about. Not only this, but whatever is coming, whatever they are expected to do, neither feel adequate to uphold. Through small reveals of Lamont and Emma's conscience we begin to see why they were running in the first place, and how their personal inadequacies are inextricably tied in with Pneumos plans.
What the future holds for Lamont and Emma is one of courage. They will have to face demons they thought they put to rest. They will be tested and taunted to the extreme. And they, different in almost every way, will have to do it together. Even a hindrance of doubt will allow the enemy to win. But even so, it is up to them to make things right, for what makes them greater, even in all of their power, than Gods, is the ability to Hope.
I loved the dynamic of this story. Wild West meets Greek Mythology. I wasn't sure if this was something I would be interested in initially, but I loved the originality of it. I also found the plot of this story especially addictive. Even though I would characterize this story as an action/adventure novel, there was never any long, drawn out battle scenes, for which I was especially glad. Not at any point did I find a lull in the writing or parts I felt irrelevant to the rest of the plot either. Stripped of everything else Pantheon is a story about love, hope and the existential question of human existence. If you ever wondered "What does it all mean anyway?" This novel provides an answer to this in more ways than one. I also liked how religious overtones were present, but not obtrusive, which had me thinking on my own life and things that I've held on to in the past.
I give "Pantheon" 4 out of 4 stars for a highly enjoyable plot, well-developed characters and noticeable attention to plot progression. For a debut novel, I think Strnad did a really phenomenal job in creating an original story that harbored many moral principles and raw nuances of the human condition. Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of Greek Mythology or Westerns for that fact, it doesn't make a difference. Pantheon goes beyond time and place and delivers a solid story which will leave you in want for more. I look forward to seeing what this author writes in the future.
***
Buy "Pantheon" on Amazon
Buy "Pantheon" on Barnes and Noble
Latest Review: "December Rain" by A.L. Goulden
