A big part of that may have been the length of the book - this clocks in at nearly 750 pages, so that’s over 350 pages of slow build - but some of it was that it felt like we were retreading old ground. But I have to admit that the first 50% or so felt a bit too slow for me. Now, I’m a huge fan of slow-paced character building moments. We visit Asgard (yes!), Fi and Zeke have a bit of a training montage, and there are a few skirmishes as the characters get prepared and moved into place for the grand finale. The first two thirds of the book are essentially build-up.

They all have their parts to play, and I never really felt that any one perspective was less interesting than another.Īfter the manic, high-speed action of book two, War of Gods takes a bit of time to catch its breath in the beginning stages. Fi, Zeke, Peter, Tanuki, Baphomet… they’re all involved. The last third of the book is pretty much entirely dedicated to the war. This last battle is exciting, multi-faceted, and ties off a whole lot of loose ends and character arcs. With so much build-up and foreshadowing over the course of the last three books, I’m thrilled to say that Ashton stuck the landing. We’re talking about a traditional epic fantasy style final battle, but one where almost every participant is a legend of myth or of religion. The sheer scale of the conflict is hard to put into words. This book is “epic” on a ridiculous level.

And if we run with that comparison, then I guess War of Gods is the Endgame equivalent. It’s like if all the religious/mythological pantheons throughout the world and throughout history came together for an Avengers-esque movie. The Paternus trilogy is an action-packed, mythological blockbuster of a series. As enjoyable as the journey can be, having to accept that it’s actually over can be a little bittersweet. It’s always a slightly sad feeling when you finish a series you really enjoy. Monsters will swarm.Ĭan Peter and the Deva possibly defeat their age-old enemy in the face of overwhelming odds against them? There’s only one way to find out. But the end of worlds is coming, and time is short. From Africa to Asgard, to an invisible island in the Pacific and the Bone Road of a forgotten world, Fi and Zeke must come to grips with not only their newfound abilities but also who they are – and accept what they are becoming: wielders of ancient and dangerous powers, warriors, and maybe even heroes.

Paternus by Dyrk Ashton