Review: APOLLO: THE BRILLIANT ONE by George O'Connor

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: January 26, 2016

Type: Graphic Novel, Comic Books, First Second Books, Mythology, Series, Book 8, Teen/Young Adult, Just Call Me The Brillaint One

About the Book: George O'Connor's popular Olympians graphic novel series continues with Apollo. Told by the Muses, readers will encounter some of the most famous Greek myths featuring the god of music and prophecy.

My Review: Another good Olympians book! I originally picked this series up a few years ago when I needed a nonfiction graphic novel book for my Library Services to Young Adults class - and I have not been disappointed since. George O'Connor clearly knows his mythology, and does an excellent job bringing it to life in this full color book.

Apollo is often linked to the Muses, and O'Connor uses that in this book. Each of Apollo's stories is told by one (or more) of the Muses, further linking them together in the reader's mind. What I like best about these graphic novels is that they are great for visual learners. Mythology is a fun topic for a lot of middle schoolers, and can even be a great gateway into reading. But for those that might struggle with the stories, the Olympians series is a great go-to. I've pimped these books out plenty at my own library to middle grade and young adult readers.

Cover Lovin': Nice one. The image of Apollo fighting the serpent is one of the stories in the book - and definitely makes for a rockin' cover.

Recommendation: For fans of Greek Mythology, this series is a definite go to. I also think this series would be great for a reluctant reader struggling with Greek Mythology.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). A great read! The illustrations are great, and the story structure presents the myths in a fun way.


                                       Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction~!~

Review: "Ares: Bringer of War" by George O'Connor

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, History, Greek Mythology, Mythology, Ares, The Iliad, War of the Gods, Book 7, Series, So Much Death and Destruction

About the Book: The myth continues in the tenth year of the fabled Trojan War where two infamous gods of war go to battle. The spotlight is thrown on Ares, god of war, and primarily focuses on his battle with the clever and powerful Athena. As the battle culminates and the gods try to one-up each other to win, the human death toll mounts. Who will win this epic clash of power? And how many will have to die first?

My Review: This volume felt like a let down when compared to the previous ones - especially the Poseidon and Aphrodite volumes, since those were particularly awesome. The art is still on par with the rest of the series, but it was the story itself that didn't work for me.

I didn't like this volume as much as the previous ones. The author decided to take on The Iliad for Ares' story and it became a confusion of names more than once. Unless the reader is already familiar with the story, this would have been a bumbling mess. But the quality of the previous volumes is still there. 

That said, I think this would be a great companion story to anyone working their way through the Iliad. The rest of the series I recommend giving to anyone struggling in a mythology class, or maybe just someone who can't stop devouring mythology books - but this volume isn't something I would just hand to someone. It almost feels like it comes with some extra homework.

I am hopeful there will be more books in this series. George O'Connor does a fantastic job capturing the Greek myths in graphic novel form. And hey - he hasn't even finished the 12 Olympians, so he better keep going!

Cover Lovin': Well done on the cover. It matches the rest of the series, and I'd say this battle cry stance fits the god of war perfectly.

Recommendations: For fans of Greek Mythology, and Graphic Novels. This would be a good companion for a high school or college student reading the Iliad, as well.

Final Rating: TWO POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (2.5/5). As stated above, this seems like a step down in quality compared to the previous books in the series. Unless the reader has a good grasp of Greek history and/or the happenings of the Iliad, this book will seem like an info dump.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: "Aphrodite: Goddess of Love" by George O'Connor

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: December 31, 2013

Type: Graphic Novel, Series, Book 6, Mythology, Love, Gods and Goddesses

About the Book: In volume six of Olympians, graphic novel author/artist George O'Connor turns the spotlight on Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Look for the same thoroughly researched and wonderfully accessible comics storytelling as O'Connor tackles the story of the Aphrodite from her dramatic birth (emerging from sea-foam) to her role in the Trojan War.

O'Connor has outdone himself with this volume: the story is riveting and the artwork is beyond compare. Greek mythology has never been so vivid! (Description from Amazon.com)

My Review: This is the sixth volume of the Olympians series by author George O'Connor. Each volume (series order below) tells the tale of one of the Olympians from Greek Mythology, mixing story and art to tell each God or Goddess' most well-known stories. The first ones I read was done so for an assignment for a young adult services class. This whole series is a great suggestion for anyone that needs a visual reference for Greek myths, or anyone seriously in love with Greek mythology - like myself.

The art is very well done, and while it might be a bit cartoonish in places - it fits. I mean, these Greek gods aren't exactly human. The art fits the story, and everything is told well without being too long or going into too much detail. I do think the choices of stories told were great! Aphrodite's entrance was included, the Pygmalion story, as well as the apple Discord threw to the goddesses. While I would have loved to see Aphrodite's little tryst with Ares played out, I'm glad the author chose to give us stories that show Aphrodite as a strong female lead instead of a lusty lady. 

A fun, great read, I would suggest it to anyone that wants a great Greek Mythology graphic novel!

Cover Lovin': This cover is in line with the rest of the series, and does a good job depicting Aphrodite's stories without giving too much away.

Recommendation: This is a great book, and indeed a great series, for fans of Mythology. For students or avid readers that want a visual retelling of Greek mythology.

Final Rating: FIVE out of FIVE (5/5). I'm a big fan of this series. The art is very well done, and it is a wonderful retelling of the mythological stories featuring Aphrodite. I would definitely reread it in the future.

Series in Order:
1. Zeus: King of the Gods
2. Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess
3. Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory
4. Hades: Lord of the Dead
5. Poseidon: Earth Shaker

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Review will be cross-posted on Goodreads.com.