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Paternus Trilogy #3
War of Gods
War of Gods is the conclusion to The Paternus Trilogy.
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. But the end of worlds is coming, and time is short.
Titans will clash. Gods will battle. Monsters will swarm.
Can 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.
CRY HAVOC, AND LET SLIP THE GODS OF WAR.
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. But the end of worlds is coming, and time is short.
Titans will clash. Gods will battle. Monsters will swarm.
Can 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.
CRY HAVOC, AND LET SLIP THE GODS OF WAR.
852 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2020
191 people are currently reading
1,149 people want to read
About the author
Dyrk Ashton
13 books705 followersDyrk Ashton was born in Athens (Ohio, not Greece), on a chilly Halloween morning. He whiled away his adolescent years and teens in cornfields, woods, rivers, ditches and haymows, climbing trees, running along barn beams, riding, wrestling, soccering, fighting BB gun wars, reading Stuart Little, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, everything Verne, London, Kipling, White, Lewis, Doyle, Burroughs, Poe, Howard, Fleming, Lovecraft, Tolkien, Zelazny, and generally ignoring school -- though he somehow managed excellent grades (except in Algebra, of course).
Dyrk earned a BFA and masters degree in filmmaking at The Ohio State University, which lead to working in film production in Columbus, OH, where he crawled his way up from production assistant to grip then production manager and producer for commercials, industrial films and low budget features. He then headed west to Los Angeles where he wrote and pitched scripts but fed and clothed himself as a "jack-of-all-trades”: editor, assistant editor, location sound recordist, cinematographer, assistant director, production manager, producer, you name it.
Mostly, however, he made his living as a SAG/AFTRA actor, appearing in nothing you have ever seen. And if you have seen it, he was probably in it so briefly you missed him. It can be done, acting professionally, even if you have no talent but are good at auditioning and have a look that very few actors and no regular folks can pull off. He didn’t earn a lot of money and whatever he did make is long gone (L.A. is expensive), but he did get to travel quite a bit, including an eight week stint in Kandy, Sri Lanka (and it was awesome).
After nearly six years of scraping by in L.A., he realized he probably wouldn’t, in all actuality, die if he never got to make a big Hollywood film, so he moved back to the Midwest and went to Bowling Green State University for a PhD in Film Studies. He wrote a dissertation on The Lord of the Rings movies. And they gave him a diploma. Shocking. Then he got hired as a professor. Even more shocking. Apparently PhDs are tossed out like parade candy these days and just about anyone is allowed to warp the minds of our precious youth.
After four years in a tenure track position he began teaching entirely online, and found he actually had time to read books again -- fiction, sci-fi, fantasy -- not just academic journals and textbooks. Then he realized he actually had time to write. And so he did, bringing to bear his lifelong fascination with mythology and storytelling and gathering together (some clearly ridiculous) ideas he’d had for years.
The result is Paternus, the first in a trilogy of contemporary mythic fantasy adventures for grown ups. Writing novels is something he’d always wanted to do but never had the time, gumption, or the maturity, more likely, to actually do. He’s found he loves the writing process, actually needs it, and will continue to write even if nobody buys the stuff. Still, he’s been heard to paraphrase the immortal line of Billy Mack (played by the ever fantastic Bill Nighy), from Love Actually: “If you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Dyrky does, buy my festering turd of a novel.”
And yes, Dyrk Ashton is his real name. He’s been told many times it sounds like the screen name of a Soap actor or porn star. Cool. Truth is, his father is of (mixed) English decent, and his mother (mixed) Scottish, (a Campbell, no less, though her father always emphasized that they were highland Campbells, not lowland. The highland Scots fought against the English, the lowlands sided with them, you see). Anyway, Dyrk’s mom liked the way the name looked when spelled with a “y” instead of the more common “i”. So there.
Dyrk earned a BFA and masters degree in filmmaking at The Ohio State University, which lead to working in film production in Columbus, OH, where he crawled his way up from production assistant to grip then production manager and producer for commercials, industrial films and low budget features. He then headed west to Los Angeles where he wrote and pitched scripts but fed and clothed himself as a "jack-of-all-trades”: editor, assistant editor, location sound recordist, cinematographer, assistant director, production manager, producer, you name it.
Mostly, however, he made his living as a SAG/AFTRA actor, appearing in nothing you have ever seen. And if you have seen it, he was probably in it so briefly you missed him. It can be done, acting professionally, even if you have no talent but are good at auditioning and have a look that very few actors and no regular folks can pull off. He didn’t earn a lot of money and whatever he did make is long gone (L.A. is expensive), but he did get to travel quite a bit, including an eight week stint in Kandy, Sri Lanka (and it was awesome).
After nearly six years of scraping by in L.A., he realized he probably wouldn’t, in all actuality, die if he never got to make a big Hollywood film, so he moved back to the Midwest and went to Bowling Green State University for a PhD in Film Studies. He wrote a dissertation on The Lord of the Rings movies. And they gave him a diploma. Shocking. Then he got hired as a professor. Even more shocking. Apparently PhDs are tossed out like parade candy these days and just about anyone is allowed to warp the minds of our precious youth.
After four years in a tenure track position he began teaching entirely online, and found he actually had time to read books again -- fiction, sci-fi, fantasy -- not just academic journals and textbooks. Then he realized he actually had time to write. And so he did, bringing to bear his lifelong fascination with mythology and storytelling and gathering together (some clearly ridiculous) ideas he’d had for years.
The result is Paternus, the first in a trilogy of contemporary mythic fantasy adventures for grown ups. Writing novels is something he’d always wanted to do but never had the time, gumption, or the maturity, more likely, to actually do. He’s found he loves the writing process, actually needs it, and will continue to write even if nobody buys the stuff. Still, he’s been heard to paraphrase the immortal line of Billy Mack (played by the ever fantastic Bill Nighy), from Love Actually: “If you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Dyrky does, buy my festering turd of a novel.”
And yes, Dyrk Ashton is his real name. He’s been told many times it sounds like the screen name of a Soap actor or porn star. Cool. Truth is, his father is of (mixed) English decent, and his mother (mixed) Scottish, (a Campbell, no less, though her father always emphasized that they were highland Campbells, not lowland. The highland Scots fought against the English, the lowlands sided with them, you see). Anyway, Dyrk’s mom liked the way the name looked when spelled with a “y” instead of the more common “i”. So there.
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January 18, 2021
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ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Bloody magnificent. Urban fantasy novel just doesn’t get more epic than Paternus: War of Gods.
This has unquestionably become one of my favorite indie books. I’ve read 58 books so far this year, and Paternus: War of Gods is the sixth novel to receive a full 5 out of 5 stars rating from me this year. Evidently, 2020 seems to be the year where urban fantasy novels with a contemporary setting continue to surprise me; I thought the probability of them working for me was super low, but Ethereal Earth by Josh Erikson, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and now this stunning final installment to The Paternus Trilogy proved me incorrect. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed Paternus: Rise of Gods and Paternus: Wrath of Gods, but Ashton triumphed over the previous two books—which were great already!—and completely exceeded my expectations with this one.
Paternus: War of Gods is the final book in The Paternus Trilogy by Dyrk Ashton, and Ashton successfully imbued the word ‘epic’ into his ambitious debut series. Clocking in at 235k words and 746 pages long, Paternus: War of Gods revolves around the preparation and the climactic Maha yuga (the final war between all Deva and Asura to decide the fate of the world) itself. It pleased me to find that there was still plenty of content regarding the world-building and revelations surrounding the characters before all hell breaks loose. Essentially, the first 60% of this book—despite some battles happing here and there—was about gathering armies and both sides preparing themselves for the upcoming Maha yuga to come; I truly appreciated this section. It’s been two years since I finished reading Paternus: Wrath of Gods, the recaps of the entire series and the list of characters at the front pages of this novel, plus this “calm before the storm” first half, allowed me to reacquaint myself with the conflicts and characters of the series.
It has been a joy for me to witness Ashton’s rapid improvement as a storyteller. I’ve mentioned it before, I wasn’t a fan of the first half of Paternus: Rise of Gods, but Ashton has repeatedly demonstrated throughout the series that he’s an author that gets better with each installment. Zeke, Fi, Peter, all the Deva, and even the Asura have become characters that I’m very invested in. I felt that the first half of this novel was used effectively to maximize the development and personalizations of all the characters. The Twins, in particular, was a delightful riot; their well-written banter with every other character in this book was constantly entertaining. One out of many examples being:
I won’t apologize for that; I love good puns, and that one was brilliant.
Also, the training montages were compelling; Zeke and Fi learning to harness their respective power were something I enjoyed, and the pacing of the story was splendidly executed. Every character was given distinctive voices to their narration; as I mentioned earlier, this doesn’t apply exclusively to the protagonists. One of the aspects of this book that astonished me was Ashton’s characterizations of Baphomet and the Asura; they amazed me even further than I already am. But get this, the characterizations and their interactions weren’t the only ones that received better treatments. Ashton’s excellent blend of mythologies/legends from around the world with his action were enhanced by at least tenfold from the previous installments.
The main highlight of the novel for me, when it comes down to it, was definitely the jaw-dropping final war of the book and trilogy itself, which ended up filling the entirety of the last 40% of this huge tome. If you don’t like reading long battle scenes that went on for at least 200 pages long, I have bad news for you. There’s no escape; the arrival of the Maha yuga is unstoppable, and it demands every individual to observe this world-changing event.
Fortunately, I am a HUGE fan of well-written action sequences. It’s an all-out war, it’s blisteringly emotional, and it was insanely good. When I look back to the beginning of Paternus: Rise of Gods, there’s no chance of me predicting the scale of the series would ever soar into this level of global cataclysm. We’re speaking about total carnage and pure decimation caused by the clash of gargantuan titans, almighty gods, biblical figures, malicious monsters, and all manner of entities that numbered to hundreds of thousands here; War of Gods is an apt book title. As the Asura strives to void the existence of the world during this Maha yuga, Zeke, Fi, and the Deva face overwhelming odds that requires them to unleash every single inch of their abilities and more. There’s simply no scarcity of explosive powers unleashed in this Ragnarok-scale confrontations; the glinting ancient weapons of destruction rain deaths and carcasses, the vortex of flames brutally scours and incinerates everything in their unforgiving paths. Realistically speaking, some readers will argue that the war was too long, but I personally found it gripping and astonishing to see Ashton coordinate all the terrifically-researched mythologies into this unforgettable war. I don’t want to spoil you here—I’ve said too much anyway—but the bottom line is this: if you love massive battles, mythologies, engaging narrative, and satisfying conclusion, you have to read this book.
Never have I expected something as colossal as Tolkien’s War of Wrath in Silmarillion to ever be reenacted in urban fantasy, but here we are. Paternus: War of Gods is by far the most epic urban fantasy novel I’ve ever read so far. It will probably be a while before anyone—or Ashton himself—top what has been achieved for the sub-genre here. Ashton has wielded everything in his arsenal of storytelling craft to conclude The Paternus Trilogy in an incredibly explosive, memorable, and rewarding manner. I love fantasy, I love mythologies, I love wonderful characterizations, I love epic battles, and I love reading a gratifying conclusion to a series. Paternus: War of Gods has them all. This is urban fantasy at its utter best, do yourself an enormous favor and read it. If you haven’t started this series, let me ask you this:
Why not?
Series Review:
Paternus: Rise of Gods = 4/5 stars
Paternus: Wrath of Gods = 4.5/5 stars
Paternus: War of Gods = 5/5 stars
The Paternus Trilogy = 13.5/15 stars
P.S:
Kudos to John Anthony Di Giovanni for creating another spectacular cover art for this series. Seriously, the entire trilogy has been graced with some of the most gorgeous cover arts—not only in indie publishing—within the entire urban fantasy.
Official release date: 23rd June 2020
You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Bloody magnificent. Urban fantasy novel just doesn’t get more epic than Paternus: War of Gods.
This has unquestionably become one of my favorite indie books. I’ve read 58 books so far this year, and Paternus: War of Gods is the sixth novel to receive a full 5 out of 5 stars rating from me this year. Evidently, 2020 seems to be the year where urban fantasy novels with a contemporary setting continue to surprise me; I thought the probability of them working for me was super low, but Ethereal Earth by Josh Erikson, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and now this stunning final installment to The Paternus Trilogy proved me incorrect. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed Paternus: Rise of Gods and Paternus: Wrath of Gods, but Ashton triumphed over the previous two books—which were great already!—and completely exceeded my expectations with this one.
“Cry havoc, and let slip the gods of war.”
Paternus: War of Gods is the final book in The Paternus Trilogy by Dyrk Ashton, and Ashton successfully imbued the word ‘epic’ into his ambitious debut series. Clocking in at 235k words and 746 pages long, Paternus: War of Gods revolves around the preparation and the climactic Maha yuga (the final war between all Deva and Asura to decide the fate of the world) itself. It pleased me to find that there was still plenty of content regarding the world-building and revelations surrounding the characters before all hell breaks loose. Essentially, the first 60% of this book—despite some battles happing here and there—was about gathering armies and both sides preparing themselves for the upcoming Maha yuga to come; I truly appreciated this section. It’s been two years since I finished reading Paternus: Wrath of Gods, the recaps of the entire series and the list of characters at the front pages of this novel, plus this “calm before the storm” first half, allowed me to reacquaint myself with the conflicts and characters of the series.
“We never know what life will bring. What course our lives might have taken if we’d made different decisions, from the smallest to the largest. If I had stayed, any number of things would have been different. Better or worse, we'll never know.”
It has been a joy for me to witness Ashton’s rapid improvement as a storyteller. I’ve mentioned it before, I wasn’t a fan of the first half of Paternus: Rise of Gods, but Ashton has repeatedly demonstrated throughout the series that he’s an author that gets better with each installment. Zeke, Fi, Peter, all the Deva, and even the Asura have become characters that I’m very invested in. I felt that the first half of this novel was used effectively to maximize the development and personalizations of all the characters. The Twins, in particular, was a delightful riot; their well-written banter with every other character in this book was constantly entertaining. One out of many examples being:
“This is called a gladius, right?”
“It is,” says Kabir.
Cain looks askance at how Zeke holds it and waves it around. “In your hand, however, it’s more of a sadius."
I won’t apologize for that; I love good puns, and that one was brilliant.
Also, the training montages were compelling; Zeke and Fi learning to harness their respective power were something I enjoyed, and the pacing of the story was splendidly executed. Every character was given distinctive voices to their narration; as I mentioned earlier, this doesn’t apply exclusively to the protagonists. One of the aspects of this book that astonished me was Ashton’s characterizations of Baphomet and the Asura; they amazed me even further than I already am. But get this, the characterizations and their interactions weren’t the only ones that received better treatments. Ashton’s excellent blend of mythologies/legends from around the world with his action were enhanced by at least tenfold from the previous installments.
“Most modern human beings believe themselves to be true individuals, different unique, better and above all other lifeforms and the earth itself. They have lost connection with what they truly are, and can be… We are not and will never be alone, but exist in symbioses with all that surrounds us.”
The main highlight of the novel for me, when it comes down to it, was definitely the jaw-dropping final war of the book and trilogy itself, which ended up filling the entirety of the last 40% of this huge tome. If you don’t like reading long battle scenes that went on for at least 200 pages long, I have bad news for you. There’s no escape; the arrival of the Maha yuga is unstoppable, and it demands every individual to observe this world-changing event.
“Shit happens, my boy. There wouldn’t be any good stories if it didn’t.”
Fortunately, I am a HUGE fan of well-written action sequences. It’s an all-out war, it’s blisteringly emotional, and it was insanely good. When I look back to the beginning of Paternus: Rise of Gods, there’s no chance of me predicting the scale of the series would ever soar into this level of global cataclysm. We’re speaking about total carnage and pure decimation caused by the clash of gargantuan titans, almighty gods, biblical figures, malicious monsters, and all manner of entities that numbered to hundreds of thousands here; War of Gods is an apt book title. As the Asura strives to void the existence of the world during this Maha yuga, Zeke, Fi, and the Deva face overwhelming odds that requires them to unleash every single inch of their abilities and more. There’s simply no scarcity of explosive powers unleashed in this Ragnarok-scale confrontations; the glinting ancient weapons of destruction rain deaths and carcasses, the vortex of flames brutally scours and incinerates everything in their unforgiving paths. Realistically speaking, some readers will argue that the war was too long, but I personally found it gripping and astonishing to see Ashton coordinate all the terrifically-researched mythologies into this unforgettable war. I don’t want to spoil you here—I’ve said too much anyway—but the bottom line is this: if you love massive battles, mythologies, engaging narrative, and satisfying conclusion, you have to read this book.
“This world, your world, is the only one you have, and will ever be. All human possibility, every potential for all things, lies here and here alone, within you all. Prospects for the good, as well as the bad.”
Never have I expected something as colossal as Tolkien’s War of Wrath in Silmarillion to ever be reenacted in urban fantasy, but here we are. Paternus: War of Gods is by far the most epic urban fantasy novel I’ve ever read so far. It will probably be a while before anyone—or Ashton himself—top what has been achieved for the sub-genre here. Ashton has wielded everything in his arsenal of storytelling craft to conclude The Paternus Trilogy in an incredibly explosive, memorable, and rewarding manner. I love fantasy, I love mythologies, I love wonderful characterizations, I love epic battles, and I love reading a gratifying conclusion to a series. Paternus: War of Gods has them all. This is urban fantasy at its utter best, do yourself an enormous favor and read it. If you haven’t started this series, let me ask you this:
Why not?
“The memories of our loved ones cling to us after this life is done, and memories are living things that bring us strength and comfort.”
Series Review:
Paternus: Rise of Gods = 4/5 stars
Paternus: Wrath of Gods = 4.5/5 stars
Paternus: War of Gods = 5/5 stars
The Paternus Trilogy = 13.5/15 stars
P.S:
Kudos to John Anthony Di Giovanni for creating another spectacular cover art for this series. Seriously, the entire trilogy has been graced with some of the most gorgeous cover arts—not only in indie publishing—within the entire urban fantasy.
Official release date: 23rd June 2020
You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.
Want to read
November 14, 2023Hello everyone! Just so you know, I won't be reviewing my own book in this space, that would be weird, but using it to post updates and announcements now and again.
November 14, 2023: RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
Hello everyone! It's been over three years since the release of War of Gods, but I'm back! My newest book, Kraken Rider Z, released today! This is the first book in a new trilogy, and a collaboration with the amazing David Estes. I'm very happy with how it came out, and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Thank you!
KRZ on Amazon
KRZ on Audible (narrated by the one and only Tim Gerard Reynolds!
Paperbacks will be available some time in the next few months.
November 25, 2020: War of Gods for your ears is here! The audiobook is now live and available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. Sorry it's taken so long. I hope you enjoy it :)
June 23, 2020: It's alive! I can't tell you how excited I am. I'm also incredibly relieved and a little dazed that it's actually happening. Thank you all from the very top and very bottom of my heart :)
June 21, 2020: Just two more days, and The Paternus Trilogy will be complete! I also wanted to let all you audiobbookphiles (yes that's a real word... maybe) know that production for the audiobook is underway, and Nik Magill is returning as narrator and producer. It could be two or three months before it's live on Audible. Sorry for the wait, but I'll be sure to let you know as soon as it's up. Thank you all! DA
April 22, 2020: Hello everyone! I'm very happy to announce that the Kindle edition of War of Gods is now available for preorder on Amazon.
As promised, this one is truly epic - or at least epically long compared to the first two books in the trilogy. Book 1 came in at about 135,000 words, and Book 2 was about 156,000. This one is real close to 236,000.
I hope you are all doing well during these difficult times. Be safe, and be well.
December 28, 2019: Hi everyone! I hope you are all having wonderful holidays.
It's with mixed feelings and only after much deliberation that I've decided to push the release of Paternus: War of Gods back by five weeks, from May 19 to June 23.
The reason for this change is that the manuscript just isn't ready to submit to beta readers, which is the next major step before some rewriting and delivery to editors and proofers. At more than 50,000 words longer than book two, the sheer magnitude of finishing it and cleaning it up has proven more than I can handle in the time I had allotted.
That’s the bad part of the news. The good part is I’ll now have time to make the book what I really want it to be and that I think you, the readers, deserve – and not completely lose my mind in the process :)
Thank you for your patience, sorry for any inconvenience, and Happy New Year!
June 10, 2019: The full cover reveal for War of Gods is live on Fantasy Book Critic!
June 8, 2019: In two days, Monday, June the 10th, Fantasy Book Critic will be revealing the cover for War of Gods! I'm absolutely thrilled with it, and some folks have said it's the best yet. Looking forward to hearing what you all think :)
January 6, 2019: Happy New Year!
As a progress report on Book 3, War of Gods: I'm actually very happy with how the writing is going so far. The first act is complete (if you've been reading the series, you know each book has three acts), and I'm well over a third of the way finished with the first draft of the manuscript. I'm an obsessive outliner, so I know exactly where the story is going, I just have to keep producing the words to get there. Without being spoilery, a few tidbits from all the insanity that has happened in the book so far: Fi has managed to recruit herself a century of ogres, Zeke has come face-to-face with the Wendigo, and Baphomet has performed a particularly nasty black mass to summon the devil—much to Tanuki's chagrin. There's a whole lot more going on than that, but we're just going to have to wait to find out what it all entails :)
The projected release date of late Summer still stands. One foreseeable effect on that would be if I do a Kickstarter to help cover production costs for a number of things, including hardback copies of all three books, and possible limited edition hardback and paperback box sets. More than a few author friends and fans have encouraged me to do this. The only problem is that Kickstarters take quite a bit of time and energy and doing one could push the release back a month or even two. I'd love to hear what you think about that if you care to respond here or send me an email at undyrk@paternusbooks.com.
That's all I've got for now. I hope everyone is well as we charge ahead into the new year. May it be your best year ever :)
All the best,
Dyrk
November 14, 2023: RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
Hello everyone! It's been over three years since the release of War of Gods, but I'm back! My newest book, Kraken Rider Z, released today! This is the first book in a new trilogy, and a collaboration with the amazing David Estes. I'm very happy with how it came out, and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Thank you!
KRZ on Amazon
KRZ on Audible (narrated by the one and only Tim Gerard Reynolds!
Paperbacks will be available some time in the next few months.
November 25, 2020: War of Gods for your ears is here! The audiobook is now live and available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. Sorry it's taken so long. I hope you enjoy it :)
June 23, 2020: It's alive! I can't tell you how excited I am. I'm also incredibly relieved and a little dazed that it's actually happening. Thank you all from the very top and very bottom of my heart :)
June 21, 2020: Just two more days, and The Paternus Trilogy will be complete! I also wanted to let all you audiobbookphiles (yes that's a real word... maybe) know that production for the audiobook is underway, and Nik Magill is returning as narrator and producer. It could be two or three months before it's live on Audible. Sorry for the wait, but I'll be sure to let you know as soon as it's up. Thank you all! DA
April 22, 2020: Hello everyone! I'm very happy to announce that the Kindle edition of War of Gods is now available for preorder on Amazon.
As promised, this one is truly epic - or at least epically long compared to the first two books in the trilogy. Book 1 came in at about 135,000 words, and Book 2 was about 156,000. This one is real close to 236,000.
I hope you are all doing well during these difficult times. Be safe, and be well.
December 28, 2019: Hi everyone! I hope you are all having wonderful holidays.
It's with mixed feelings and only after much deliberation that I've decided to push the release of Paternus: War of Gods back by five weeks, from May 19 to June 23.
The reason for this change is that the manuscript just isn't ready to submit to beta readers, which is the next major step before some rewriting and delivery to editors and proofers. At more than 50,000 words longer than book two, the sheer magnitude of finishing it and cleaning it up has proven more than I can handle in the time I had allotted.
That’s the bad part of the news. The good part is I’ll now have time to make the book what I really want it to be and that I think you, the readers, deserve – and not completely lose my mind in the process :)
Thank you for your patience, sorry for any inconvenience, and Happy New Year!
June 10, 2019: The full cover reveal for War of Gods is live on Fantasy Book Critic!
June 8, 2019: In two days, Monday, June the 10th, Fantasy Book Critic will be revealing the cover for War of Gods! I'm absolutely thrilled with it, and some folks have said it's the best yet. Looking forward to hearing what you all think :)
January 6, 2019: Happy New Year!
As a progress report on Book 3, War of Gods: I'm actually very happy with how the writing is going so far. The first act is complete (if you've been reading the series, you know each book has three acts), and I'm well over a third of the way finished with the first draft of the manuscript. I'm an obsessive outliner, so I know exactly where the story is going, I just have to keep producing the words to get there. Without being spoilery, a few tidbits from all the insanity that has happened in the book so far: Fi has managed to recruit herself a century of ogres, Zeke has come face-to-face with the Wendigo, and Baphomet has performed a particularly nasty black mass to summon the devil—much to Tanuki's chagrin. There's a whole lot more going on than that, but we're just going to have to wait to find out what it all entails :)
The projected release date of late Summer still stands. One foreseeable effect on that would be if I do a Kickstarter to help cover production costs for a number of things, including hardback copies of all three books, and possible limited edition hardback and paperback box sets. More than a few author friends and fans have encouraged me to do this. The only problem is that Kickstarters take quite a bit of time and energy and doing one could push the release back a month or even two. I'd love to hear what you think about that if you care to respond here or send me an email at undyrk@paternusbooks.com.
That's all I've got for now. I hope everyone is well as we charge ahead into the new year. May it be your best year ever :)
All the best,
Dyrk
July 4, 2020
I received an uncorrected proof copy of Paternus: War of Gods in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Dyrk Ashton.
Only a handful of days have passed since the hospital attack in Paternus: Rise of Gods but so much has changed for Fi and Zeke. These seemingly average teenagers have been whisked away from their normal lives to become key players in the looming war of ages. Alongside Peter (also known as Odin and the all-Father), the Prathamaja Nandana, Freyja, Kabir, Ganesh, and many more in an all-star Gods and heroes of mythology line-up, they are making the final arrangements before the epic confrontation with Khagan and Kleron's Asura.
"The end of the Maha yuga is coming in only a few weeks, and with it, possibly the end of the world."
We join the action as Zeke and Pratha are off to Africa in search of the Twins of legend and Peter asks Fi if she'd like to go visit Yggdrasil, The World Tree. The Asura are also preparing for the final showdown with Khagan having quite a few tricks and surprises hidden up his Firstborn sleeve.
Ashton's Paternus trilogy is a masterclass of Urban Fantasy. The scale and scope of the whole Paternus endeavour is phenomenal and War of Gods takes what I thought I knew of epic fantasy and multiplies the stakes, the action, the drama, and emotional wallop by ten. There are almighty showdowns that have been millennia in the making, the all-star line-ups on the side of the Deva and the Asura includes characters that make the majority of superheroes look dang average, and there were scenes that were so emotionally impactful that this humble reviewer was crying his eyes out on a park bench this morning. The final showdown here rivals that of John Gwynne's in A Time of Courage which was, until today, hands down the finest battle I'd ever read about in fantasy fiction.
War of Gods is still delivered in Ashton's unique head-hopping third person present tense style, which took a while to get used to in the first book but now paints a crystal clear image of all that is going on in the heads of numerous characters on both sides of the war. Talking about characters, the dramatis personae is huge! The size of the ensemble at least doubles here. That is great though as some of the new additions and players who were minor characters previously have great standout moments and performances. (I want my own personal raven like Munin who can slip and has an adorable tiny sword!) Humour in fantasy is very hit and miss with me but Ashton injects it well when it is needed and it doesn't come across forced or overpowering. The below quote is an example that I think works well at adding a smile and a bit of brightness to the impending doom the story brings.
"Fi delivers her own war cry, really just a loud yell, then grins. The theatrics are ridiculous, she knows, but it’s worth the looks on the faces of the soldiers. She knows exactly how they feel. It wasn’t long ago she reacted the same way. And they still haven’t met the ogres, Naga’s children, the habilis, or seen the big scary unicorns."
The Paternus Trilogy is exceptional. Each entry gets stronger and as a collective, they have made my top-10 fantasy series of all-time list. The only self-published work that currently sits on that list. The only question is, what comes next for Ashton? How do you top such a phenomenal first trilogy? Like Khagan, I'm sure he's got something up his sleeve.
Only a handful of days have passed since the hospital attack in Paternus: Rise of Gods but so much has changed for Fi and Zeke. These seemingly average teenagers have been whisked away from their normal lives to become key players in the looming war of ages. Alongside Peter (also known as Odin and the all-Father), the Prathamaja Nandana, Freyja, Kabir, Ganesh, and many more in an all-star Gods and heroes of mythology line-up, they are making the final arrangements before the epic confrontation with Khagan and Kleron's Asura.
"The end of the Maha yuga is coming in only a few weeks, and with it, possibly the end of the world."
We join the action as Zeke and Pratha are off to Africa in search of the Twins of legend and Peter asks Fi if she'd like to go visit Yggdrasil, The World Tree. The Asura are also preparing for the final showdown with Khagan having quite a few tricks and surprises hidden up his Firstborn sleeve.
Ashton's Paternus trilogy is a masterclass of Urban Fantasy. The scale and scope of the whole Paternus endeavour is phenomenal and War of Gods takes what I thought I knew of epic fantasy and multiplies the stakes, the action, the drama, and emotional wallop by ten. There are almighty showdowns that have been millennia in the making, the all-star line-ups on the side of the Deva and the Asura includes characters that make the majority of superheroes look dang average, and there were scenes that were so emotionally impactful that this humble reviewer was crying his eyes out on a park bench this morning. The final showdown here rivals that of John Gwynne's in A Time of Courage which was, until today, hands down the finest battle I'd ever read about in fantasy fiction.
War of Gods is still delivered in Ashton's unique head-hopping third person present tense style, which took a while to get used to in the first book but now paints a crystal clear image of all that is going on in the heads of numerous characters on both sides of the war. Talking about characters, the dramatis personae is huge! The size of the ensemble at least doubles here. That is great though as some of the new additions and players who were minor characters previously have great standout moments and performances. (I want my own personal raven like Munin who can slip and has an adorable tiny sword!) Humour in fantasy is very hit and miss with me but Ashton injects it well when it is needed and it doesn't come across forced or overpowering. The below quote is an example that I think works well at adding a smile and a bit of brightness to the impending doom the story brings.
"Fi delivers her own war cry, really just a loud yell, then grins. The theatrics are ridiculous, she knows, but it’s worth the looks on the faces of the soldiers. She knows exactly how they feel. It wasn’t long ago she reacted the same way. And they still haven’t met the ogres, Naga’s children, the habilis, or seen the big scary unicorns."
The Paternus Trilogy is exceptional. Each entry gets stronger and as a collective, they have made my top-10 fantasy series of all-time list. The only self-published work that currently sits on that list. The only question is, what comes next for Ashton? How do you top such a phenomenal first trilogy? Like Khagan, I'm sure he's got something up his sleeve.
January 27, 2021
A perfectly epic ending to a stunningly epic series. I'm in awe, truly, of how Dyrk raised the stakes higher and higher with every book. A huge cast of enigmatic and empathetic characters, every one of which is so incredibly fleshed-out. What a journey.
I audiobooked this series, and I don't regret it!
I audiobooked this series, and I don't regret it!
October 19, 2021
Wow, what an incredible ending to an epic-in-scope trilogy that has every single element you could ever want in a captivating read. In this final volume we catch up with all of the main characters and supporters of both the Deva and Asura as they prepare for what could possibly be the war to end all wars. The Deva and Asura for those who don't know, are centuries-old combatants who either fall on the good side of the firstborn gods, or the evil side. Many are still scattered in countries across our real world, as well as parallel worlds that can be accessed through jumping or "slipping". As each force amasses, the two main protagonists Zeke and Fi must summon all of their courage and raw abilities if they are to ensure that the right side comes out victorious. Getting to experience their growth as characters is half the fun of this book, and entire series quite frankly.
The other half of the fun is the amazingly fast-paced globe trotting and the magnificent mythological creatures that Dyrk Ashton populates this most mesmerizing urban fantasy story with. I mean, what other series can take you from modern day Detroit to Africa, Asgard (yes THAT Asgard), and numerous other historical locations from ancient times. I can't remember a series that takes the reader on such a mind-spinning trip to so many cool places, each significant and vital to the plot. This isn't just window dressing with no connection to what is going on by any stretch. I had an immense amount of fun reading PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS but was kind of sad that I no longer got to tour all of the places I'd always heard about in stories as a child.
Normally I'd make the observation in a final book of a series that the action picks up considerably, but there's never really been a single lull in the action since the first chapter in book one! It's been one non-stop whirlwind of adventure, and it really makes PATERNUS a series that everyone must pick up and read. Focusing on this book in particular, I will say that you can tell just how much Dyrk Ashton has built these characters in such a way that although they are the most fantastical of the fantastical, they also have a deeply relatable human element that made me even more connected to them than I was previously. It's truly a great achievement to pull something like that off.
I've heard many people compare the Paternus books to Neil Gaiman's American Gods and yes there are some similarities, but in my opinion it's even better because it's spread out over more books and the hostilities are ramped up to 11. I'm a huge Gaiman fan but this series made me a believer in Ashton's extraordinary storytelling prowess.
I'd just like to conclude by saying what a phenomenal finale PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS is. Obviously the title of the book suggests one heck of a climax. All I'll say in that regard is you won't read many last few chapters in any book that will make your jaw drop like these. Heartbreak, anxiousness, hope, so many feelings and emotions passed over me as I took in all that unfolded leading up to that final page. A really fitting conclusion to a stupendous series that I won't soon forget. Ashton is going to have a difficult time topping this, but I suspect that whatever he comes up with will be just as entertaining!
The other half of the fun is the amazingly fast-paced globe trotting and the magnificent mythological creatures that Dyrk Ashton populates this most mesmerizing urban fantasy story with. I mean, what other series can take you from modern day Detroit to Africa, Asgard (yes THAT Asgard), and numerous other historical locations from ancient times. I can't remember a series that takes the reader on such a mind-spinning trip to so many cool places, each significant and vital to the plot. This isn't just window dressing with no connection to what is going on by any stretch. I had an immense amount of fun reading PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS but was kind of sad that I no longer got to tour all of the places I'd always heard about in stories as a child.
Normally I'd make the observation in a final book of a series that the action picks up considerably, but there's never really been a single lull in the action since the first chapter in book one! It's been one non-stop whirlwind of adventure, and it really makes PATERNUS a series that everyone must pick up and read. Focusing on this book in particular, I will say that you can tell just how much Dyrk Ashton has built these characters in such a way that although they are the most fantastical of the fantastical, they also have a deeply relatable human element that made me even more connected to them than I was previously. It's truly a great achievement to pull something like that off.
I've heard many people compare the Paternus books to Neil Gaiman's American Gods and yes there are some similarities, but in my opinion it's even better because it's spread out over more books and the hostilities are ramped up to 11. I'm a huge Gaiman fan but this series made me a believer in Ashton's extraordinary storytelling prowess.
I'd just like to conclude by saying what a phenomenal finale PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS is. Obviously the title of the book suggests one heck of a climax. All I'll say in that regard is you won't read many last few chapters in any book that will make your jaw drop like these. Heartbreak, anxiousness, hope, so many feelings and emotions passed over me as I took in all that unfolded leading up to that final page. A really fitting conclusion to a stupendous series that I won't soon forget. Ashton is going to have a difficult time topping this, but I suspect that whatever he comes up with will be just as entertaining!
August 31, 2020
A truly stunning and magnificent conclusion to an incredibly unique and fun urban fantasy adventure, Paternus: War of Gods cemented The Paternus Trilogy as one of my all-time favourites.
Wow, what a crazy ride that has been! I've been reading a lot more urban fantasy of late, as I found that this fantasy sub-genre tends to be more fun and easy to read. The Paternus Trilogy certainly satisfied these criteria but it was a whole lot more epic than I would've expected urban fantasy to be. As a matter of fact, the concluding climax in War of Gods (which was almost half the length of the book) was even more epic than some epic/high fantasy series that I've read. Not only does this trilogy have everything a fantasy geek would want, it would also bring unending delight to fans of mythology, as it certainly did for me. Moreover, I personally think that mythology and fantasy pretty much go hand-in-hand because these are stories that lie within the realm of the fantastical.
Every form of mythology relates about gods and creatures with powers that defy what humans define as science, and their ability to influence and bring good or harm to the people under their care. Paternus kept to this basic premise of mythology but yet still managed to somewhat turn them on its head with surprising effect. Ashton melded all the interpretations of mythology and lore told throughout the ages and in different cultures into in a cohesive account of creation and power that doesn't lack conviction at all even though it challenges your prior knowledge of world mythology. The result of that was one tremendously fun and engaging story that allows your mind to fly with the unmitigated imagination that was present within the pages of this incredible trilogy.
The visual writing in these books worked really well to conjure all the epic sets into one's mind. The descriptions were effective without being lengthy and the action scenes packed such a powerful punch that it could send you to outer space, or through the fabric of the multiverse, etc etc. Okay, that's just a little clue about the crazy cool concepts that one could find in this non-formulaic urban fantasy that so utterly entertained me for a good part of a fortnight. I was mind-blown by the epicness of the final battle in War of Gods - it was simply phenomenal, and utter mayhem. The sheer scale of the battle was unbelievable. Couple that with the immensely destructive forces of the powers manifest in these mythic beings and artefacts, and the elated fist-pumping moments as well as heartbreaking deaths and sacrifices, and you have one resoundingly satisfying and emotionally powerful conclusion that you'll never forget.
Of course, without emotional investment into the characters, the most well-written conflict and battle will not count for much. That I felt such emotional payoff at the end of the story meant that Ashton did a great job with the characters - and there are so many of them. Firstly, the characterisation of Fi and Zeke was elevated to a level of awesomeness that I could never have imagined when I first met them in Rise of Gods. The relevations continued to astound me as they went through the most extraordinary growth and development, which I might add was executed most believably. While I liked both of them, my favourite was the most adorable and dorky badass, Zeke. I was also more than adequately invested in so many of the other characters that my heart was in my throat during that epic final battle. Seriously, when I say that the stakes were insanely high during this battle, I still feel that I'm understating the fact. And even through all that, the humour did not diminish although it might let up a bit in the midst of heartfelt and grave moments. Although this was the longest book in the trilogy, it didn't feel as such because it was really well-paced, and I felt heavy-hearted at the notion of leaving this wonderful cast of characters behind when I'm finally done.
Fantasy fans, you owe it to yourself to read this insanely imaginative, fantastically fun and enormously epic urban fantasy trilogy. I've mentioned about how the initial quarter of the first book felt a bit rough, and I'm so darn glad that I pushed through. The Paternus Trilogy is a powerhouse urban fantasy that explored the very edge of possibility of what this subgenre could offer, and it was glorious. Highly, highly recommended.
You can purchase a copy from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Wow, what a crazy ride that has been! I've been reading a lot more urban fantasy of late, as I found that this fantasy sub-genre tends to be more fun and easy to read. The Paternus Trilogy certainly satisfied these criteria but it was a whole lot more epic than I would've expected urban fantasy to be. As a matter of fact, the concluding climax in War of Gods (which was almost half the length of the book) was even more epic than some epic/high fantasy series that I've read. Not only does this trilogy have everything a fantasy geek would want, it would also bring unending delight to fans of mythology, as it certainly did for me. Moreover, I personally think that mythology and fantasy pretty much go hand-in-hand because these are stories that lie within the realm of the fantastical.
Every form of mythology relates about gods and creatures with powers that defy what humans define as science, and their ability to influence and bring good or harm to the people under their care. Paternus kept to this basic premise of mythology but yet still managed to somewhat turn them on its head with surprising effect. Ashton melded all the interpretations of mythology and lore told throughout the ages and in different cultures into in a cohesive account of creation and power that doesn't lack conviction at all even though it challenges your prior knowledge of world mythology. The result of that was one tremendously fun and engaging story that allows your mind to fly with the unmitigated imagination that was present within the pages of this incredible trilogy.
The visual writing in these books worked really well to conjure all the epic sets into one's mind. The descriptions were effective without being lengthy and the action scenes packed such a powerful punch that it could send you to outer space, or through the fabric of the multiverse, etc etc. Okay, that's just a little clue about the crazy cool concepts that one could find in this non-formulaic urban fantasy that so utterly entertained me for a good part of a fortnight. I was mind-blown by the epicness of the final battle in War of Gods - it was simply phenomenal, and utter mayhem. The sheer scale of the battle was unbelievable. Couple that with the immensely destructive forces of the powers manifest in these mythic beings and artefacts, and the elated fist-pumping moments as well as heartbreaking deaths and sacrifices, and you have one resoundingly satisfying and emotionally powerful conclusion that you'll never forget.
Of course, without emotional investment into the characters, the most well-written conflict and battle will not count for much. That I felt such emotional payoff at the end of the story meant that Ashton did a great job with the characters - and there are so many of them. Firstly, the characterisation of Fi and Zeke was elevated to a level of awesomeness that I could never have imagined when I first met them in Rise of Gods. The relevations continued to astound me as they went through the most extraordinary growth and development, which I might add was executed most believably. While I liked both of them, my favourite was the most adorable and dorky badass, Zeke. I was also more than adequately invested in so many of the other characters that my heart was in my throat during that epic final battle. Seriously, when I say that the stakes were insanely high during this battle, I still feel that I'm understating the fact. And even through all that, the humour did not diminish although it might let up a bit in the midst of heartfelt and grave moments. Although this was the longest book in the trilogy, it didn't feel as such because it was really well-paced, and I felt heavy-hearted at the notion of leaving this wonderful cast of characters behind when I'm finally done.
Fantasy fans, you owe it to yourself to read this insanely imaginative, fantastically fun and enormously epic urban fantasy trilogy. I've mentioned about how the initial quarter of the first book felt a bit rough, and I'm so darn glad that I pushed through. The Paternus Trilogy is a powerhouse urban fantasy that explored the very edge of possibility of what this subgenre could offer, and it was glorious. Highly, highly recommended.
You can purchase a copy from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
June 7, 2020
5-stars all day long!
The cover is great! If you like mass combat and well-researched mythological creatures and Gods set in our world, this is for you!
A battle-filled roller coaster ride of Godly thrills and spills!
There's so much going on it's hard to keep track of it all!
As you can tell; I quite liked this book, LOL! The author has quite an unusual style of delivery that I have come to enjoy over the books of this trilogy. He openly points out that this is an unedited review copy but aside from some amusing typos I didn't spot much that needed doing to this.
It starts off with a recap of the first two books, which was very helpful as there was quite a gap for me between reading them. I won't say more as I know some of you are reading Paternus Rise of Gods now, and would not wish to spoil it for you. I'll just say that book 1 sets the scene and after that, it goes from strength to strength. I didn't think it could be built up with much more background knowledge on mythology but I was wrong. The amount of research that must have gone into this trilogy is mindboggling!
There is a section that I found a little hard to read where there is torture-murder-and-satanic summoning. Just as a warning that some of you might find that upsetting.
At around the 42% mark Leshy "The old man of the sea" arrives. And... As you might expect from Mr Ashton, he is described as a "Giant sloth-like creature" of legend.
At 42% the twins refer to the lord of snakes as 'Slinky' which I found rather amusing.
At 52% the Gods are smoking dope and getting stoned!
70-71% The use of going back and forth in time isn't my favourite plot device but it is done very well here, tying things together nicely.
There are a great many battles in this book. How the author keeps track of all the characters and achieves such cohesion pays tribute to his skill and knowledge.
I'd love to see these books get recognition in the form of films. I think that they would work very well as Manga, or perhaps as a new Studio Ghibli project?
So, if you enjoy mythology and like the idea of reading about images like this:
I think you owe it to yourselves to give Dyrk Ashton's books a chance.
This book doesn't release until June 23rd when I will add a somewhat shorter review on Amazon.co.uk and I would like to wish Dyrk Ashton all the best for publication day.
Thanks for reading.
The cover is great! If you like mass combat and well-researched mythological creatures and Gods set in our world, this is for you!
A battle-filled roller coaster ride of Godly thrills and spills!
There's so much going on it's hard to keep track of it all!
As you can tell; I quite liked this book, LOL! The author has quite an unusual style of delivery that I have come to enjoy over the books of this trilogy. He openly points out that this is an unedited review copy but aside from some amusing typos I didn't spot much that needed doing to this.
It starts off with a recap of the first two books, which was very helpful as there was quite a gap for me between reading them. I won't say more as I know some of you are reading Paternus Rise of Gods now, and would not wish to spoil it for you. I'll just say that book 1 sets the scene and after that, it goes from strength to strength. I didn't think it could be built up with much more background knowledge on mythology but I was wrong. The amount of research that must have gone into this trilogy is mindboggling!
There is a section that I found a little hard to read where there is torture-murder-and-satanic summoning. Just as a warning that some of you might find that upsetting.
At around the 42% mark Leshy "The old man of the sea" arrives. And... As you might expect from Mr Ashton, he is described as a "Giant sloth-like creature" of legend.
At 42% the twins refer to the lord of snakes as 'Slinky' which I found rather amusing.
At 52% the Gods are smoking dope and getting stoned!
70-71% The use of going back and forth in time isn't my favourite plot device but it is done very well here, tying things together nicely.
There are a great many battles in this book. How the author keeps track of all the characters and achieves such cohesion pays tribute to his skill and knowledge.
I'd love to see these books get recognition in the form of films. I think that they would work very well as Manga, or perhaps as a new Studio Ghibli project?
So, if you enjoy mythology and like the idea of reading about images like this:
I think you owe it to yourselves to give Dyrk Ashton's books a chance.
This book doesn't release until June 23rd when I will add a somewhat shorter review on Amazon.co.uk and I would like to wish Dyrk Ashton all the best for publication day.
Thanks for reading.
April 23, 2021
What a finale !
As I said in my review for Paternus, I'm not a huge urban fantasy fan but not only did this series make me rethink my dislike for that sub-genre, it also raised the bar for it. This felt like one of the largest squale story I've ever read and that's not something I necessarily expect from urban fantasy. Both the final battle and the ending were everything you can ask from the conclusion to a trilogy and more.
Part of that grand squale feeling was also the inclusion of many characters which is why I'm surprised I managed to get attached to all of them the way I did. And boy did I get attached ! I feel like I cried for a good chunk of the last 200 pages.
There isn't much more I can say in a non-spoiler review except that this trilogy was bloody brilliant and I can't wait to see what Dyrk Ashton writes next !
As I said in my review for Paternus, I'm not a huge urban fantasy fan but not only did this series make me rethink my dislike for that sub-genre, it also raised the bar for it. This felt like one of the largest squale story I've ever read and that's not something I necessarily expect from urban fantasy. Both the final battle and the ending were everything you can ask from the conclusion to a trilogy and more.
Part of that grand squale feeling was also the inclusion of many characters which is why I'm surprised I managed to get attached to all of them the way I did. And boy did I get attached ! I feel like I cried for a good chunk of the last 200 pages.
There isn't much more I can say in a non-spoiler review except that this trilogy was bloody brilliant and I can't wait to see what Dyrk Ashton writes next !
May 28, 2020
One of the most epic, heartbreaking and satisfying conclusions to a fantasy series I've ever had the joy of experiencing.
Basically, if you liked the first two books, you will love this incredible denouement with every square inch of your heart. Even more so than previous books in the Paternus trilogy, War of Gods is packed with awe-inspiring creatures of legend. You can't swing a Cat (or Dog) without hitting some insanely powerful long-lost figure of myth. Gods and monsters from all eras and across all continents finally unite to stand shoulder to shoulder -- and go toe-to-toe with their terrifying counterparts in the fiercest and most epic battle since Ragnarok.
Rarely do I encounter stories that provoke an extreme enough emotional reaction to give me goosebumps, or make me cry or laugh out loud. This book did all of these and more. It's also a ton of fun from start to finish, just like its predecessors. This trilogy has everything I look for in a fantasy series: compelling characters, ever-escalating stakes, edge-of-your-seat action, and even the occasional bad pun. It's also impeccably researched and engagingly written, and manages to convey an incredible number of complex character relationships in ways that make the reader care deeply about the fate of every single one. (Hence the whole 'making me cry' thing, damn it.)
Tl;dr, read this book right now. It's simply phenomenal.
Basically, if you liked the first two books, you will love this incredible denouement with every square inch of your heart. Even more so than previous books in the Paternus trilogy, War of Gods is packed with awe-inspiring creatures of legend. You can't swing a Cat (or Dog) without hitting some insanely powerful long-lost figure of myth. Gods and monsters from all eras and across all continents finally unite to stand shoulder to shoulder -- and go toe-to-toe with their terrifying counterparts in the fiercest and most epic battle since Ragnarok.
Rarely do I encounter stories that provoke an extreme enough emotional reaction to give me goosebumps, or make me cry or laugh out loud. This book did all of these and more. It's also a ton of fun from start to finish, just like its predecessors. This trilogy has everything I look for in a fantasy series: compelling characters, ever-escalating stakes, edge-of-your-seat action, and even the occasional bad pun. It's also impeccably researched and engagingly written, and manages to convey an incredible number of complex character relationships in ways that make the reader care deeply about the fate of every single one. (Hence the whole 'making me cry' thing, damn it.)
Tl;dr, read this book right now. It's simply phenomenal.
August 8, 2020
Bear with me for a moment, I'm off on a ramble.
When I saw the original cover for the 1st in the Paternus trilogy I thought... not a chance I'm reading that. I read the premise and thought 'Sounds odd. Don't reckon I'll try it.' And to top it off, it's urban fantasy which is really not my thing. Why do I start my review by saying all this? To really press home just how much this series was up against to make me like it. You see, the only reason I gave it a go at all was because I had some dealings with Dyrk online and a couple of years back we met at a con and he gave me a signed copy. So I gave his book a go... and I am so glad that I did!
The Paternus trilogy is one of the most unique, spectacular, and jaw dropping fantasy series I have ever read.
I could expound upon all the virtues of the whole series, about how it breaks all the rules and somehow manages to work, about how it ties mythologies from all over the world and across time together in a mind boggling network, about how it retains an emotional core throughout that makes you really care for the characters, even when they're ancient beyond understanding. But I've kinda already been through that in reviews of books 1 & 2, so instead I want to gush about how explosive this final entry is.
About 60% of this book is finale. You know that bit in a film where all the good and bad guys clash in a series of spectacular conflicts. Well it starts at about 40% and doesn't stop until the final couple of pages. It sets a new bar for EPIC conclusion.
And I have to mention the tingles! You know those sorts of tingles you get across your skin when Thor slams into the ground wreathed in lightning and shouts "Bring me Thanos!"... Well this book gave me those tingles... again and again and again. There are that many epic moments.
I guess what I'm trying to get at is this book ends the trilogy in the most bombastic way possible. It delivers on everything books 1 & 2 have been building towards. It is equal parts jaw dropping and heart wrenching, and it nails the landing in a glorious outpouring of scintillating action, touching moments, and a whole spew of tropey goodness.
I've probably gushed enough. 5 stars. This series was up against it for me from the start, but I was wrong to have ever doubted it and Dyrk.
When I saw the original cover for the 1st in the Paternus trilogy I thought... not a chance I'm reading that. I read the premise and thought 'Sounds odd. Don't reckon I'll try it.' And to top it off, it's urban fantasy which is really not my thing. Why do I start my review by saying all this? To really press home just how much this series was up against to make me like it. You see, the only reason I gave it a go at all was because I had some dealings with Dyrk online and a couple of years back we met at a con and he gave me a signed copy. So I gave his book a go... and I am so glad that I did!
The Paternus trilogy is one of the most unique, spectacular, and jaw dropping fantasy series I have ever read.
I could expound upon all the virtues of the whole series, about how it breaks all the rules and somehow manages to work, about how it ties mythologies from all over the world and across time together in a mind boggling network, about how it retains an emotional core throughout that makes you really care for the characters, even when they're ancient beyond understanding. But I've kinda already been through that in reviews of books 1 & 2, so instead I want to gush about how explosive this final entry is.
About 60% of this book is finale. You know that bit in a film where all the good and bad guys clash in a series of spectacular conflicts. Well it starts at about 40% and doesn't stop until the final couple of pages. It sets a new bar for EPIC conclusion.
And I have to mention the tingles! You know those sorts of tingles you get across your skin when Thor slams into the ground wreathed in lightning and shouts "Bring me Thanos!"... Well this book gave me those tingles... again and again and again. There are that many epic moments.
I guess what I'm trying to get at is this book ends the trilogy in the most bombastic way possible. It delivers on everything books 1 & 2 have been building towards. It is equal parts jaw dropping and heart wrenching, and it nails the landing in a glorious outpouring of scintillating action, touching moments, and a whole spew of tropey goodness.
I've probably gushed enough. 5 stars. This series was up against it for me from the start, but I was wrong to have ever doubted it and Dyrk.
June 1, 2020
I first came across Paternus: Rise of Gods through the SPFBO, and bought it in my Kindle. And, when I got to know that there will be a sequel, I requested Dyrk for an ARC, and he was kind enough to include me in the list. The first book was the standard urban fantasy with a few mythological elements thrown in, the second book broadened the scope and included more of the myths and legends from across the world, and this third and final book has since evolved and grown into a different beast altogether. It has now become what I would call as epic mythological fantasy, one of the best books in the genre to come out after Gaiman's American Gods, but, more entertaining and action-packed than the master.
This is the final book, and as the title suggests, it is the tale of the preparation for the imminent war that is to come. Dyrk takes us on a journey from the wildness of Africa to a mythical island in the Indian subcontinent, to the realm of Asgard. Dyrk writes with a powerful imagination, and his words brought Asgard alive in my mind. I could envision every nook and cranny of that world. And, the description/characterization of Ygdrassil, my god, it was FANTASTIC. I've never seen the world-tree portrayed like this ever, it's wonderful and jaw-dropping, the immensity, the magnificence comes alive in the pages.
Although this book takes the readers through the preparations for the war and the end of an age, there's ample action in between before the great apocalyptic war begins. I love how Dyrk has Incorporated Hindu mythology into his grand tale, and it corresponds to my own view of the myths and beliefs as a Hindu. Dyrk also explains the magic and the divine weapons, and this is the best I've seen in any fantasy, because, he includes science and though it seems esoteric, it appears to be completely plausible. I loved the portrayal of Hanuman, that was quite clever I must say. What is best about Dyrk's books is that, he subverts the familar stories and twists them into something new, makes them powerful and yet also humane in some aspects.
The characterisation was again well-done. Zeke and Fiona have grown a lot throughout the trilogy. Here we see them honing their powers and capabilities, and also conflicted about their own role in the world. Zeke deals with his split personality and his terrifying powers as an elemental, and Fiona trains as a Valkyrie. Khagan as the villain was absolutely terrifying, and sort of a cool maniac. He's also one complex asshole, who wants to be better by destroying the world in the process. Baphomet's character was quite intriguing, and I don't know how I feel about him. We also get to know about the origin of Peter, and it was quite an unexpected shocker. I wanted more of the Prathamaja Nanadana, and I would hope that Dyrk writes a standalone novel about her. She's the Kali I've always envisioned as a wrathful yet benevolent goddess. Every character gets equal focus, and it's quite the skill of Dyrk to manage a whole plethora of mythological beings in an awesome manner.
The action is cinematic, and the Avengers battle in Endgame pales with the war in this book. It was terrifyingly wonderful to read about. Getting to witness the mythical godly beings/monsters in war was one hell of an experience. There was absolute CARNAGE. The action can be compared to the chaotic and bloody splendour of Malazan by Erickson. It was so well-executed. This is one of the few series which would do well on the silver-screen as well. I hope some big producer picks this up and makes the "real deal." This last book was epic, emotional, and wonderful in its own way. The ending was absolutely justified, and in quite a beautiful way. I can't wait to lay my hands on the paperback/hardback, and hope that Dyrk sells a million copies of this amazing book.
(PS - there are a few errors in spelling, for e.g. Gomorrah is Gamora, worn is warn, and hope that those are rectified).
This is the final book, and as the title suggests, it is the tale of the preparation for the imminent war that is to come. Dyrk takes us on a journey from the wildness of Africa to a mythical island in the Indian subcontinent, to the realm of Asgard. Dyrk writes with a powerful imagination, and his words brought Asgard alive in my mind. I could envision every nook and cranny of that world. And, the description/characterization of Ygdrassil, my god, it was FANTASTIC. I've never seen the world-tree portrayed like this ever, it's wonderful and jaw-dropping, the immensity, the magnificence comes alive in the pages.
Although this book takes the readers through the preparations for the war and the end of an age, there's ample action in between before the great apocalyptic war begins. I love how Dyrk has Incorporated Hindu mythology into his grand tale, and it corresponds to my own view of the myths and beliefs as a Hindu. Dyrk also explains the magic and the divine weapons, and this is the best I've seen in any fantasy, because, he includes science and though it seems esoteric, it appears to be completely plausible. I loved the portrayal of Hanuman, that was quite clever I must say. What is best about Dyrk's books is that, he subverts the familar stories and twists them into something new, makes them powerful and yet also humane in some aspects.
The characterisation was again well-done. Zeke and Fiona have grown a lot throughout the trilogy. Here we see them honing their powers and capabilities, and also conflicted about their own role in the world. Zeke deals with his split personality and his terrifying powers as an elemental, and Fiona trains as a Valkyrie. Khagan as the villain was absolutely terrifying, and sort of a cool maniac. He's also one complex asshole, who wants to be better by destroying the world in the process. Baphomet's character was quite intriguing, and I don't know how I feel about him. We also get to know about the origin of Peter, and it was quite an unexpected shocker. I wanted more of the Prathamaja Nanadana, and I would hope that Dyrk writes a standalone novel about her. She's the Kali I've always envisioned as a wrathful yet benevolent goddess. Every character gets equal focus, and it's quite the skill of Dyrk to manage a whole plethora of mythological beings in an awesome manner.
The action is cinematic, and the Avengers battle in Endgame pales with the war in this book. It was terrifyingly wonderful to read about. Getting to witness the mythical godly beings/monsters in war was one hell of an experience. There was absolute CARNAGE. The action can be compared to the chaotic and bloody splendour of Malazan by Erickson. It was so well-executed. This is one of the few series which would do well on the silver-screen as well. I hope some big producer picks this up and makes the "real deal." This last book was epic, emotional, and wonderful in its own way. The ending was absolutely justified, and in quite a beautiful way. I can't wait to lay my hands on the paperback/hardback, and hope that Dyrk sells a million copies of this amazing book.
(PS - there are a few errors in spelling, for e.g. Gomorrah is Gamora, worn is warn, and hope that those are rectified).
June 19, 2020
Paternus: War of Gods is an appropriately epic conclusion to a series that is already vast in scope.
There are multiple reasons to like this book.
The first is how - like the rest of the series - it manages to bring in most other cultures and their pantheons into the story. The series also makes them into characters that are mostly true to their origin. For example - Ganesh is wise, Indrajit is a master of maya etc. The book also manages to conflate multiple myths into a single narrative with common origins. So, from a story perspective, these myths and deities generally present a coherent structure that makes sense in that Universe.
Read the full review on my site Digital Amrit
July 24, 2020
It took me a long time to finish that one, but that was not at all because I wasn't enjoying myself.
I loved this, I've loved this whole series. I think each one is more exciting than the last, and I shall have a longer review up when I get the chance.
If you liked books one and two, you should really, really pick this one up ASAP!
I loved this, I've loved this whole series. I think each one is more exciting than the last, and I shall have a longer review up when I get the chance.
If you liked books one and two, you should really, really pick this one up ASAP!
October 1, 2020
Oh. My. GODS!!! This is absolutely phenomenal!!!
It's automatically going to my this year's favorites and my all-time favorites shelf. It's that bloody good!! I mean, WOW. I just loved this book so very much! Talk about the finale of the trilogy!
I was pleasantly surprised by the author on his knowledge about mythologies. He should be applauded for the effort it took him to finish this series! I mean, come on! You'll have to read this series to know what I am saying. I just loved the take on Indian mythology. Once more, I am surprised and elated to see my culture and mythology not just scattered here and there but to see it in frontlines as the majority plotline? WOW. Seriously WOW!
I was elated when I saw the place Kumari Kandam. Not many people know that continent, which was once called Lemuria, which was once the lavish Tamil Kingdom, my own mother tongue! It's soo good to see these tiny details mentioned. Many of the Hindu mythology terms have been introduced in this book like the Indrajala, the Maha Yuga, the Ajna Chakra, the Maya, and soo many weapons and characters that I know from my childhood days watching and reading the mythologies.
I also got to know more about other cultures and mythologies. This book is the only positive thing that happened in my life right now. It's absolutely mental in a good way! Do read it!!
It's automatically going to my this year's favorites and my all-time favorites shelf. It's that bloody good!! I mean, WOW. I just loved this book so very much! Talk about the finale of the trilogy!
I was pleasantly surprised by the author on his knowledge about mythologies. He should be applauded for the effort it took him to finish this series! I mean, come on! You'll have to read this series to know what I am saying. I just loved the take on Indian mythology. Once more, I am surprised and elated to see my culture and mythology not just scattered here and there but to see it in frontlines as the majority plotline? WOW. Seriously WOW!
I was elated when I saw the place Kumari Kandam. Not many people know that continent, which was once called Lemuria, which was once the lavish Tamil Kingdom, my own mother tongue! It's soo good to see these tiny details mentioned. Many of the Hindu mythology terms have been introduced in this book like the Indrajala, the Maha Yuga, the Ajna Chakra, the Maya, and soo many weapons and characters that I know from my childhood days watching and reading the mythologies.
I also got to know more about other cultures and mythologies. This book is the only positive thing that happened in my life right now. It's absolutely mental in a good way! Do read it!!
October 23, 2023
I respect the ambition. The scope of this epic contemporary fantasy is undeniable and like nothing else I have read. (Technically The Destroyer of Worlds: An Answer to Every Question exceeds it in scope but that's a cosmic dinosaur Jesus of a different colour.) Every god, every mythology, every storied weapon, every obscure beast of legend thrown together in a climactic battle for all of Earthly existence. Could the author pull it off?
No.
Ha, well, that's just my opinion. Technically all the necessary elements were there. Every storyline wrapped up, every character received its due, it all tied together well enough. Dramatic, last-minute saves, reversals of fortune, hope plucked from the depths of despair, it's all there on the page. Even so, I found the execution lacking and my interest sank throughout the book's second half, and it's not a short book. That half was a lot. I accept that part of it could be on me; did I rush too quickly to the final book after finishing the second, fitting them both in the same free Kindle Unlimited trial month? (For the record I have no qualms about reading this for free; everything I've seen indicates that authors get paid the same on a free or discounted KU period as a full price subscription, and without this KU trial I might not have returned to the series at all.) Would I feel differently if I came fresher to the last book? I suspect not, and a series should stand no matter how long it takes to read it. Was I just in a lousier reading mood that week? Maybe, but I am totally in love with the other book I started amidst this one, so it's like nothing could sway me at the time.
Multiple things sunk this finale for me, some of them pointing to elements of the earlier book; it's sad to read a sequel that makes me think more poorly of its predecessors than I did at first. This harkens back to common praise of the first book, how it breaks the "rules" and gets away with it. Head-hopping is the biggest culprit here. The series is written in an omniscient third-person view, and frequently and drastically shifts character perspectives, telling you what's going on in one character's head in one moment, then jumping to another to relate what they're feeling and doing and seeing, then off again elsewhere. This is commonly avoided because it limits the reader's ability to connect with characters, to experience the character's emotions instead of just being told what they are. The first and second books did in fact largely "get away" with this, but not by doing it in a way that worked well. At best, it's simply that the rest of the reading experience was good enough that I could move past the awkwardness it frequently created; limited, intermittent awkwardness, but with enough collective interruptions that it eventually overwhelmed my capacity for forgiveness.
It might still be forgivable if the last book didn't require the reader's attachment to the characters to pull off the great, final war of the gods. That simply wasn't there for me, even for the ostensible main characters in a large cast. Without feeling attached or invested in these characters, why would I care if one is overwhelmed, in dire peril, or dies? All of these happened a lot but the ultimate effect was, "Meh, so that happened, okay what's next?" Unfortunately this was the prevailing reaction from me throughout the titanic showdown. It remained throughout the finale and epilogues. At so many points, it was supposed to be moving, heartbreaking, touching, or a rush of excitement, but I found it all ho-hum to mildly irritating by that time, and it was because of the approach to the writing. The focus on characters that were only introduced in this book added to the ennui; I was being asked to care deeply about newly-introduced characters, particularly ones who were mostly goofballs, and that's putting too much burden on the reader.
Overall I found the writing sloppier in this third book. It's possible I only felt this way because of series fatigue, but it seemed to me that there was measurably more plain telling over showing in this book. It felt like the author was simply getting exhausted by this point, and who wouldn't be given the scope and ambition of this project? But if that was indeed the case, I felt it. I would have to reread the series to see if I now would feel the same about the earlier books, but I don't think I'll do that.
The pacing was also a major issue for me, and the way that the battleground didn't feel alive outside the narration's points of focus. I'm talking about having literally hundreds of thousands of combatants on the field, a big field to be sure, ranging from mountains to ocean to swamp, but too often it felt like these supposed vast hordes were just sitting still. They actually were sometimes, by order of Satan, but even so it didn't feel like the scope of battle it was supposed to be. Even when mass maneuvers were under way, it was often under-described as "the Blues fought the Greens" (these are literal factions) and the supposed threat of overwhelming, insurmountable hordes never really made itself felt.
So that's all why I enjoyed the first two books but really didn't enjoy the last. Despite all this I'll be happy to read whatever the author comes out with next.
No.
Ha, well, that's just my opinion. Technically all the necessary elements were there. Every storyline wrapped up, every character received its due, it all tied together well enough. Dramatic, last-minute saves, reversals of fortune, hope plucked from the depths of despair, it's all there on the page. Even so, I found the execution lacking and my interest sank throughout the book's second half, and it's not a short book. That half was a lot. I accept that part of it could be on me; did I rush too quickly to the final book after finishing the second, fitting them both in the same free Kindle Unlimited trial month? (For the record I have no qualms about reading this for free; everything I've seen indicates that authors get paid the same on a free or discounted KU period as a full price subscription, and without this KU trial I might not have returned to the series at all.) Would I feel differently if I came fresher to the last book? I suspect not, and a series should stand no matter how long it takes to read it. Was I just in a lousier reading mood that week? Maybe, but I am totally in love with the other book I started amidst this one, so it's like nothing could sway me at the time.
Multiple things sunk this finale for me, some of them pointing to elements of the earlier book; it's sad to read a sequel that makes me think more poorly of its predecessors than I did at first. This harkens back to common praise of the first book, how it breaks the "rules" and gets away with it. Head-hopping is the biggest culprit here. The series is written in an omniscient third-person view, and frequently and drastically shifts character perspectives, telling you what's going on in one character's head in one moment, then jumping to another to relate what they're feeling and doing and seeing, then off again elsewhere. This is commonly avoided because it limits the reader's ability to connect with characters, to experience the character's emotions instead of just being told what they are. The first and second books did in fact largely "get away" with this, but not by doing it in a way that worked well. At best, it's simply that the rest of the reading experience was good enough that I could move past the awkwardness it frequently created; limited, intermittent awkwardness, but with enough collective interruptions that it eventually overwhelmed my capacity for forgiveness.
It might still be forgivable if the last book didn't require the reader's attachment to the characters to pull off the great, final war of the gods. That simply wasn't there for me, even for the ostensible main characters in a large cast. Without feeling attached or invested in these characters, why would I care if one is overwhelmed, in dire peril, or dies? All of these happened a lot but the ultimate effect was, "Meh, so that happened, okay what's next?" Unfortunately this was the prevailing reaction from me throughout the titanic showdown. It remained throughout the finale and epilogues. At so many points, it was supposed to be moving, heartbreaking, touching, or a rush of excitement, but I found it all ho-hum to mildly irritating by that time, and it was because of the approach to the writing. The focus on characters that were only introduced in this book added to the ennui; I was being asked to care deeply about newly-introduced characters, particularly ones who were mostly goofballs, and that's putting too much burden on the reader.
Overall I found the writing sloppier in this third book. It's possible I only felt this way because of series fatigue, but it seemed to me that there was measurably more plain telling over showing in this book. It felt like the author was simply getting exhausted by this point, and who wouldn't be given the scope and ambition of this project? But if that was indeed the case, I felt it. I would have to reread the series to see if I now would feel the same about the earlier books, but I don't think I'll do that.
The pacing was also a major issue for me, and the way that the battleground didn't feel alive outside the narration's points of focus. I'm talking about having literally hundreds of thousands of combatants on the field, a big field to be sure, ranging from mountains to ocean to swamp, but too often it felt like these supposed vast hordes were just sitting still. They actually were sometimes, by order of Satan, but even so it didn't feel like the scope of battle it was supposed to be. Even when mass maneuvers were under way, it was often under-described as "the Blues fought the Greens" (these are literal factions) and the supposed threat of overwhelming, insurmountable hordes never really made itself felt.
So that's all why I enjoyed the first two books but really didn't enjoy the last. Despite all this I'll be happy to read whatever the author comes out with next.
August 6, 2020
Dyrk Ashton has nailed the third and final book in his Paternus trilogy. It's powerful stuff that's left me dazed and wondering how in the holy hells I can write a review to do it justice. Here is a book and series that deserves to be called EPIC fantasy. He's managed to pull together so many legendary characters and make it a satisfying story where everybody gets their chance to shine instead of sitting in the background.
There is more gods and mythology in this book than in anything I have ever ready that isn't some kind of dictionary. And you know what, it's damn good fun too. I admit I learned a few things along the way, but there is no need to look up every little reference, of which there are many if you want to take a sabbatical to deep-dive Wikipedia.
If you haven't already, you should be reading this.
There is more gods and mythology in this book than in anything I have ever ready that isn't some kind of dictionary. And you know what, it's damn good fun too. I admit I learned a few things along the way, but there is no need to look up every little reference, of which there are many if you want to take a sabbatical to deep-dive Wikipedia.
If you haven't already, you should be reading this.
May 13, 2021
If you seek a read so epic it's hard to discuss without saying "mind blown" unironically, or recalling the bombastic fantasy album art of heavy metal artists like Dio and Judas Priest, look no further!
This final volume wraps up Dyrk Ashton's Paternus series in phenomenal fashion by pitting the mightiest benevolent gods and monsters and legends (the Deva) against their wicked counterparts (the Asura) in a grand battle royale to decide the future of all life on Earth AND its incarnations in the multiverse. Like its prequels, Paternus: War of Gods is equal parts heart-pounding, heartrending, and hilarious.
Ashton richly deserves all praise he gets for his cinematic action scenes, exhaustive cultural and mythological research underpinnings, huge stakes, and astonishing imagination. And he doesn't skimp on the gore and horror of facing down vile monsters if you enjoy such thrills. Nor does he ever slouch on the pure wonder of encountering sublimely good entities like Yggdrasil the World Tree and many-armed giantess Kali who also has a devoted healer aspect, the Prathamaja Nandana.
And he's masterful at doling out plentiful (well-earned) reveals and twists and betrayals and tested loyalties and second chances (a favorite theme of mine) along the whole ecstatic ride. Happily he does so without sacrificing plot or character consistency or loyalty for cleverness or shock value.
And as if that weren't enough, he levels up and raises the bar in themes too, discussing philosophy and metaphysics and showing why living each day with hope and doing our best to make positive choices that affect ourselves and others are the only reasonable path.
But it's seeing Ashton always blend humor and poignant relationships so extraordinarily well that drives me to collect all his stories (and gorgeously illustrated Kickstarted editions!) and spread the love for them. [Helpful Kickstarter link for illustrated volume two from September 2020: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...]
And may I say Cain and Abel's brotherly camaraderie and puns are divine?
Combat often takes center stage (not usually my jam but even I admire his style and get enthralled), but he also packs plenty of quips, wordplay, banter, and comedic timing to break (or counterpoint) the tension throughout. All while tightly uniting his enormous cast with deep emotional bonds---i.e. in his universe the gods and demigods and their allies are one big raucous family descended from the Paternus (a.k.a Odin the All-Father, a.k.a. Fiona's long-lost father Peter).
The protective, humanity-loving Deva Firstborn and their descendants and selfish humanity-despising Asura and their descendants alike long to be reunited and at peace with their kin. Every loss is painful, even when they were fighting for their lives moments before.
This third volume kicks off with an indispensable summary of the key events in last two installments AND features rousing callbacks to the previous volumes' cast and key confrontations throughout (which also goes to show Ashton is also a master of foreshadowing).
[Spoilers ahead for books one and two ONLY. But really, why would you choose to read a review for the third book if you haven't enjoyed the first two already? That's on you.]
One such stirring callback provides a marvelous example of how hero Fiona Megan Patterson has grown in power and maturity. Now on the cusp of eighteen, she is no longer gibbering (and seemingly fragile) prey when the Spider (a.k.a. Maskim Xul a.k.a. Anansi) tries to ambush her and inject her with venom again (a move which nearly killed her once). Now she's the newest trained Valkyrie warrior and proud Firstborn (i.e. direct descendant goddess) in her own right, cursing him and fighting back, and she's awesome without being invulnerable.
There are similar heroic callback moments demonstrating inspiring growth for her mythology-loving boyfriend Zeke. In book one he was a gentle guitarist and hospital volunteer with a sudden talent for slipping between worlds, who accidentally got his arm trapped in a solid wall while on the run with Fiona and the no-longer catatonic Peter/Odin. He's revealed in volume two to be a scion and elemental of dangerously unpredictable power, with a twisted double of himself from an alternate Earth trapped in his psyche and rabid to take control.
By volume three Zeke's still learning to use and control all his powers, alternately hindered and aided by "Bad Zeke." His showdowns with vicious Asura are some of the most mind-bending fight scenes (and too hard to discuss further without spoiling surprises), and he too is awesome without being invulnerable.
I adored Fiona and Zeke and how their love for one another and intensely special bond (one soul, two bodies) came to several emotional climaxes in this finale, particularly in the bittersweet afterword.
Even after two volumes bursting with personalities, like the sorcerer he is Ashton still conjured new heroes and villians from world mythology and legends (El Cid Campeador was a childhood favorite of mine) that were captivating and unique (yet true to history) in their own right. Despite the sheer size of the cast I felt attached to nearly all the Deva heroes, too many to name. It made this a tear-jerking read, since of course with multiple apocalyptic battles to be won, some noble sacrifices and lasts stands are inevitable.
And now a word about villains...
A great mythic fantasy series needs a great villain, and the warped and insidious Khagan (a.k.a. the Devil, Satan himself) delivers like no other. He has mastered and combined the darkest necromancies and most cutting edge technologies. And over centuries he has amassed his armies on multiple worlds, squadrons of Asura, monsters, modern warmachines and shock troops, and mecha-locust swarms all poised to wreak planetwide havoc at his summons.
This master strategist who burns with hatred for the Paternus (a.k.a. Peter, and Odin the All-Father who spawned all deities) and humanity has chosen to launch his assault at a crucial time in the cosmic cycle known as the maha yuga which might mean there is no possibility of survival or rebirth for the Earth we know.
Khagan is the epitome of the devious mastermind, always another underhanded tactic up his sleeve, another devastating weapon or force to deploy, another secret plan within a plan to doom and conquer the world his elders have fought to protect from him in multiple holocaust wars and battles like Ragnarok. He and his forces and diabolical schemes within schemes are the believably formidable and daunting threat that the series' epic scope demands.
Khagan's minions like second-in-command Kleron the Bat (a.k.a. Lucifer) and henchmen Baphomet the Goat (a.k.a. Pan) are likewise masters of deception and plotting, worthy adversaries capable of truly devastating evil.
I wholeheartedly support the five-stars most reviewers gave Paternus: War of Gods, and if I were an Olympic judge and writing mythic urban fantasy were an event, I'd give the entire Paternus series straight tens. My dropping one star (or half a star) is for personal reasons, nothing to do with his fathomless talents, the magnitude of his attempt and how perfectly he nailed it.
In short, I offer 4.5 stars because I felt disturbed and heart-bruised by some of the villains' and heroes deeds and choices, and I apply stars not objectively but as a measure of sheer enjoyment. (I don't really have a Content Warning to offer, rape and torture in Khagan's stronghold are mentioned but not too graphically described or emotionally explored.) I'd rather laugh than cry or shudder (so to speak, who actually shudders if they're not cold or in physical trauma?) and this series prompted all three reactions---and I DO respect the writing chops that takes.
In conclusion, Dyrk Ashton has outdone himself in Paternus: War of Gods in every way, including the hope and wisdom presented by his stellar and memorable cast, and I recommend the whole series to readers in all possible worlds who crave astounding stories of adventure and mythology and endearing characters.
IF A STORY MAKES YOU PICTURE HEAVY METAL ABLUM COVERS AND TUGS AT YOUR BRAIN AND HEART, SPEAK UP---BOOST THE SIGNAL!
This final volume wraps up Dyrk Ashton's Paternus series in phenomenal fashion by pitting the mightiest benevolent gods and monsters and legends (the Deva) against their wicked counterparts (the Asura) in a grand battle royale to decide the future of all life on Earth AND its incarnations in the multiverse. Like its prequels, Paternus: War of Gods is equal parts heart-pounding, heartrending, and hilarious.
Ashton richly deserves all praise he gets for his cinematic action scenes, exhaustive cultural and mythological research underpinnings, huge stakes, and astonishing imagination. And he doesn't skimp on the gore and horror of facing down vile monsters if you enjoy such thrills. Nor does he ever slouch on the pure wonder of encountering sublimely good entities like Yggdrasil the World Tree and many-armed giantess Kali who also has a devoted healer aspect, the Prathamaja Nandana.
And he's masterful at doling out plentiful (well-earned) reveals and twists and betrayals and tested loyalties and second chances (a favorite theme of mine) along the whole ecstatic ride. Happily he does so without sacrificing plot or character consistency or loyalty for cleverness or shock value.
And as if that weren't enough, he levels up and raises the bar in themes too, discussing philosophy and metaphysics and showing why living each day with hope and doing our best to make positive choices that affect ourselves and others are the only reasonable path.
But it's seeing Ashton always blend humor and poignant relationships so extraordinarily well that drives me to collect all his stories (and gorgeously illustrated Kickstarted editions!) and spread the love for them. [Helpful Kickstarter link for illustrated volume two from September 2020: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...]
And may I say Cain and Abel's brotherly camaraderie and puns are divine?
Combat often takes center stage (not usually my jam but even I admire his style and get enthralled), but he also packs plenty of quips, wordplay, banter, and comedic timing to break (or counterpoint) the tension throughout. All while tightly uniting his enormous cast with deep emotional bonds---i.e. in his universe the gods and demigods and their allies are one big raucous family descended from the Paternus (a.k.a Odin the All-Father, a.k.a. Fiona's long-lost father Peter).
The protective, humanity-loving Deva Firstborn and their descendants and selfish humanity-despising Asura and their descendants alike long to be reunited and at peace with their kin. Every loss is painful, even when they were fighting for their lives moments before.
This third volume kicks off with an indispensable summary of the key events in last two installments AND features rousing callbacks to the previous volumes' cast and key confrontations throughout (which also goes to show Ashton is also a master of foreshadowing).
[Spoilers ahead for books one and two ONLY. But really, why would you choose to read a review for the third book if you haven't enjoyed the first two already? That's on you.]
One such stirring callback provides a marvelous example of how hero Fiona Megan Patterson has grown in power and maturity. Now on the cusp of eighteen, she is no longer gibbering (and seemingly fragile) prey when the Spider (a.k.a. Maskim Xul a.k.a. Anansi) tries to ambush her and inject her with venom again (a move which nearly killed her once). Now she's the newest trained Valkyrie warrior and proud Firstborn (i.e. direct descendant goddess) in her own right, cursing him and fighting back, and she's awesome without being invulnerable.
There are similar heroic callback moments demonstrating inspiring growth for her mythology-loving boyfriend Zeke. In book one he was a gentle guitarist and hospital volunteer with a sudden talent for slipping between worlds, who accidentally got his arm trapped in a solid wall while on the run with Fiona and the no-longer catatonic Peter/Odin. He's revealed in volume two to be a scion and elemental of dangerously unpredictable power, with a twisted double of himself from an alternate Earth trapped in his psyche and rabid to take control.
By volume three Zeke's still learning to use and control all his powers, alternately hindered and aided by "Bad Zeke." His showdowns with vicious Asura are some of the most mind-bending fight scenes (and too hard to discuss further without spoiling surprises), and he too is awesome without being invulnerable.
I adored Fiona and Zeke and how their love for one another and intensely special bond (one soul, two bodies) came to several emotional climaxes in this finale, particularly in the bittersweet afterword.
Even after two volumes bursting with personalities, like the sorcerer he is Ashton still conjured new heroes and villians from world mythology and legends (El Cid Campeador was a childhood favorite of mine) that were captivating and unique (yet true to history) in their own right. Despite the sheer size of the cast I felt attached to nearly all the Deva heroes, too many to name. It made this a tear-jerking read, since of course with multiple apocalyptic battles to be won, some noble sacrifices and lasts stands are inevitable.
And now a word about villains...
A great mythic fantasy series needs a great villain, and the warped and insidious Khagan (a.k.a. the Devil, Satan himself) delivers like no other. He has mastered and combined the darkest necromancies and most cutting edge technologies. And over centuries he has amassed his armies on multiple worlds, squadrons of Asura, monsters, modern warmachines and shock troops, and mecha-locust swarms all poised to wreak planetwide havoc at his summons.
This master strategist who burns with hatred for the Paternus (a.k.a. Peter, and Odin the All-Father who spawned all deities) and humanity has chosen to launch his assault at a crucial time in the cosmic cycle known as the maha yuga which might mean there is no possibility of survival or rebirth for the Earth we know.
Khagan is the epitome of the devious mastermind, always another underhanded tactic up his sleeve, another devastating weapon or force to deploy, another secret plan within a plan to doom and conquer the world his elders have fought to protect from him in multiple holocaust wars and battles like Ragnarok. He and his forces and diabolical schemes within schemes are the believably formidable and daunting threat that the series' epic scope demands.
Khagan's minions like second-in-command Kleron the Bat (a.k.a. Lucifer) and henchmen Baphomet the Goat (a.k.a. Pan) are likewise masters of deception and plotting, worthy adversaries capable of truly devastating evil.
I wholeheartedly support the five-stars most reviewers gave Paternus: War of Gods, and if I were an Olympic judge and writing mythic urban fantasy were an event, I'd give the entire Paternus series straight tens. My dropping one star (or half a star) is for personal reasons, nothing to do with his fathomless talents, the magnitude of his attempt and how perfectly he nailed it.
In short, I offer 4.5 stars because I felt disturbed and heart-bruised by some of the villains' and heroes deeds and choices, and I apply stars not objectively but as a measure of sheer enjoyment. (I don't really have a Content Warning to offer, rape and torture in Khagan's stronghold are mentioned but not too graphically described or emotionally explored.) I'd rather laugh than cry or shudder (so to speak, who actually shudders if they're not cold or in physical trauma?) and this series prompted all three reactions---and I DO respect the writing chops that takes.
In conclusion, Dyrk Ashton has outdone himself in Paternus: War of Gods in every way, including the hope and wisdom presented by his stellar and memorable cast, and I recommend the whole series to readers in all possible worlds who crave astounding stories of adventure and mythology and endearing characters.
IF A STORY MAKES YOU PICTURE HEAVY METAL ABLUM COVERS AND TUGS AT YOUR BRAIN AND HEART, SPEAK UP---BOOST THE SIGNAL!
August 13, 2020
Wow.
When I first decided to read book 1 in this series, I posted in a Facebook group that I was going to stat it.
I knew the author was also a member of the group and he kindly sent me a dental health warning about it may rot my teeth if I read it. So I lol, and posted a gif of a set of chattering false teeth saying I have these available so I wasn’t worried. 😁😁😁😁
This is a wonderful book to read, complete which drama, comedy, romance, horror, humour,and a war story of all war stories.
Pacing is fantastic, storyflow excellant , the author has done a great job of merging mythology and fantasy in a modern day setting.
Well this is a fantastic series to read, comes highly recommended to all my good read friends.
When I first decided to read book 1 in this series, I posted in a Facebook group that I was going to stat it.
I knew the author was also a member of the group and he kindly sent me a dental health warning about it may rot my teeth if I read it. So I lol, and posted a gif of a set of chattering false teeth saying I have these available so I wasn’t worried. 😁😁😁😁
This is a wonderful book to read, complete which drama, comedy, romance, horror, humour,and a war story of all war stories.
Pacing is fantastic, storyflow excellant , the author has done a great job of merging mythology and fantasy in a modern day setting.
Well this is a fantastic series to read, comes highly recommended to all my good read friends.
May 29, 2020
Always a sad feeling when you finish a series you really enjoy. I'm sad to see the back of this one, but really enjoyed the journey.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
December 17, 2020
This and more reviews at superstardrifter.com~
Oh Paternus. It is and will continue to be one of those books that just tickles every single bit of the myth nerd in me. This one was absolutely no exception. This is the longest in the Paternus trilogy, by a not-small amount. The audiobook is broken into three parts. It is 28 hours long. And yet, it very much was the type of audiobook that I turned on, and just listened to for hours at a time. Entire workdays flew by. It’s one of those.
This is the continuing story of… well a lot of different characters at this point. It’s a bit difficult to sum up the first two books. I should also point out that this one has a recap of the first two books in the series, and that recap itself is nearly half an hour long. Some of you are probably like ‘omg no’ at that, but let me tell you, that was a pretty awesome half an hour. I have so many books and audiobooks go into my brain in a given year, that sometimes it’s just awesome to have a nice, detailed recap. It worked too. I remembered more and more details as the recap went on.
But yeah, this is the continuing story of… uh, the gods? The gods are all real, some of them are evil and others are good, and things are really coming to a head here. It’s a real good vs. evil throwdown and everyone in the universe is invited. Some of the Firstborn, as they’re called, represent more than one figure from different mythologies, religions, and folklore around the world. Some of my favorites are on the good side and others are on the evil side, and some are somewhere vaguely in the middle. Tanuki, for example, is one of my favorite characters, and at this point, he’s just sort of… gotten a bit caught up with one of his… uh, less reputable brothers. That said, I spent most of this book just hoping that The Goat would defy everyone’s expectations of him.
This world is huge, and having a general interest in some of the different mythologies in it makes it seem even larger in many ways. It’s well described, and the links between characters and their various mythological counterparts are usually well explained. Some people might be turned off by the level of detail that goes into explaining who exactly someone is in the grand scheme of things, but as I said, as a myth nerd, this was like pushing the squee button.
As the title suggests, there is a pretty big war between the gods for a lot of the latter half of the book, which isn’t always my favorite thing to read about. But the terrors of war were interspersed with good bits here and there, so that was nice.
Nik Magill has a very soothing voice, and he is very easy to listen to for 28 hours. This book, just by its very nature, has so many accents in it that it’s sort of amazing that any one person could be expected to perform all of them, but he does. They’re not all the best representations, perhaps, but they’re all recognizable. None were annoying or cringey to me. The narration made the book more enjoyable, and considering this is one of my favorite series ever, that’s kind of saying something.
So, all told… well, if you liked Paternus 1 & 2, you’re very likely going to like 3. It closed out the trilogy very nicely. I was satisfied with the conclusion of everyone’s story, and I can’t wait to see what Dyrk will come up with next!
Oh Paternus. It is and will continue to be one of those books that just tickles every single bit of the myth nerd in me. This one was absolutely no exception. This is the longest in the Paternus trilogy, by a not-small amount. The audiobook is broken into three parts. It is 28 hours long. And yet, it very much was the type of audiobook that I turned on, and just listened to for hours at a time. Entire workdays flew by. It’s one of those.
This is the continuing story of… well a lot of different characters at this point. It’s a bit difficult to sum up the first two books. I should also point out that this one has a recap of the first two books in the series, and that recap itself is nearly half an hour long. Some of you are probably like ‘omg no’ at that, but let me tell you, that was a pretty awesome half an hour. I have so many books and audiobooks go into my brain in a given year, that sometimes it’s just awesome to have a nice, detailed recap. It worked too. I remembered more and more details as the recap went on.
But yeah, this is the continuing story of… uh, the gods? The gods are all real, some of them are evil and others are good, and things are really coming to a head here. It’s a real good vs. evil throwdown and everyone in the universe is invited. Some of the Firstborn, as they’re called, represent more than one figure from different mythologies, religions, and folklore around the world. Some of my favorites are on the good side and others are on the evil side, and some are somewhere vaguely in the middle. Tanuki, for example, is one of my favorite characters, and at this point, he’s just sort of… gotten a bit caught up with one of his… uh, less reputable brothers. That said, I spent most of this book just hoping that The Goat would defy everyone’s expectations of him.
This world is huge, and having a general interest in some of the different mythologies in it makes it seem even larger in many ways. It’s well described, and the links between characters and their various mythological counterparts are usually well explained. Some people might be turned off by the level of detail that goes into explaining who exactly someone is in the grand scheme of things, but as I said, as a myth nerd, this was like pushing the squee button.
As the title suggests, there is a pretty big war between the gods for a lot of the latter half of the book, which isn’t always my favorite thing to read about. But the terrors of war were interspersed with good bits here and there, so that was nice.
Nik Magill has a very soothing voice, and he is very easy to listen to for 28 hours. This book, just by its very nature, has so many accents in it that it’s sort of amazing that any one person could be expected to perform all of them, but he does. They’re not all the best representations, perhaps, but they’re all recognizable. None were annoying or cringey to me. The narration made the book more enjoyable, and considering this is one of my favorite series ever, that’s kind of saying something.
So, all told… well, if you liked Paternus 1 & 2, you’re very likely going to like 3. It closed out the trilogy very nicely. I was satisfied with the conclusion of everyone’s story, and I can’t wait to see what Dyrk will come up with next!
October 10, 2020
Σαν λάτρης της μυθολογίας είπα να δοκιμάσω αυτή τη τριλογία και δεν το μετάνιωσα. Πρόκειται για μία εξαιρετική σειρά όπου ανακατεύονται θεότητες και ήρωες από όλες τις μυθολογίες του κόσμου, σε συνδυασμό με μία δυνατή πλοκή. Ειδικά στον τρίτο τόμο γίνεται ΧΑΜΟΣ, με μία τελική αναμέτρηση να καταλαμβάνει πάνω από 300 σελίδες και που είναι ίσως ότι πιο επικό έχω διαβάσει ποτέ σε μάχη τέτοιου είδους!!! Τη συστήνω ανεπιφύλακτα.
June 30, 2020
War of Gods is a great end to the Paternus series. The novel is awesome. The war at the end was totally worth it. It was a 5 star battle. The flaw of the novel is that is long. I thought its length will be similar to Book 1 and Book 2 but i was so, so wrong.
Overall the novel is good.
Overall the novel is good.
January 9, 2021
I described book 1 as "Take every myth ever, put them in a high speed blender, pick up where their eon spanning war most recently left off and drop it all on top of two unsuspecting college kids volunteering at a nursing home" and book 2 as "Higher stakes, bigger and bloodier action, and even more mythology packed into a story that I seriously thought already featured just about every world myth ever." I didn't think it was possible and I have no idea how he did it. Dyrk Ashton pulled out all the stops, cranking up the dial on everything I loved about the two installments by adding even more myths, raising the stakes yet again and packing an emotional punch in the best way possible. Paternus: War of Gods is insanely epic and a highly satisfying end to the Paternus trilogy.
With a blood-curdling cry, the Deva charge down the slope, and the final battle of the last Great War begins in earnest.
The story picks up where the last book leaves off. There's not much time for Fi, Zeke, Peter and the rest to mourn their losses. The Maha yuga is coming to an end and the Deva must finish their preparations before meeting their enemies in battle, the outcome of which will ripple across multiple worlds.
There are so many things I loved about this book it is making it difficult to write this review. If I go on about everything I enjoyed, we'd be here all day. To keep it simple, let me try a top 5 list:
• Fi and Zeke's training as they discover their own powers and learn how to use them
• Meeting the twins, who are hilarious and bad ass in equal measure
• The Prathamaja Nandana
• Incredible, cinematic battles
• How emotionally invested I became with the characters, both Deva and Asura
The first half of the book, while not lacking in action or drama, is the calm before the storm. Once the battle begins, all hell breaks loose. This is war. No characters are safe and there are plenty of surprises to be had in the chaos of battle. Consider yourself warned.
I finished this series as I began, with the audio book narrated by Nik Magil. Magil picked up the gauntlet thrown down by Ashton and successfully kept the ever expanding cast of character's voices distinct from each other. Job well done.
I'm going to have to give mythology-based fantasy a break for a while as I don't think other books will be able to stand up compared to what Ashton has achieved with War of Gods. For UF fans or anyone who enjoys mythology-based fantasy and also enjoys well written action, you need to give this series a try. For me, the Paternus trilogy has placed Dyrk Ashton as one of my favorite independent authors. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Ashton writes next.
With a blood-curdling cry, the Deva charge down the slope, and the final battle of the last Great War begins in earnest.
The story picks up where the last book leaves off. There's not much time for Fi, Zeke, Peter and the rest to mourn their losses. The Maha yuga is coming to an end and the Deva must finish their preparations before meeting their enemies in battle, the outcome of which will ripple across multiple worlds.
There are so many things I loved about this book it is making it difficult to write this review. If I go on about everything I enjoyed, we'd be here all day. To keep it simple, let me try a top 5 list:
• Fi and Zeke's training as they discover their own powers and learn how to use them
• Meeting the twins, who are hilarious and bad ass in equal measure
• The Prathamaja Nandana
• Incredible, cinematic battles
• How emotionally invested I became with the characters, both Deva and Asura
The first half of the book, while not lacking in action or drama, is the calm before the storm. Once the battle begins, all hell breaks loose. This is war. No characters are safe and there are plenty of surprises to be had in the chaos of battle. Consider yourself warned.
I finished this series as I began, with the audio book narrated by Nik Magil. Magil picked up the gauntlet thrown down by Ashton and successfully kept the ever expanding cast of character's voices distinct from each other. Job well done.
I'm going to have to give mythology-based fantasy a break for a while as I don't think other books will be able to stand up compared to what Ashton has achieved with War of Gods. For UF fans or anyone who enjoys mythology-based fantasy and also enjoys well written action, you need to give this series a try. For me, the Paternus trilogy has placed Dyrk Ashton as one of my favorite independent authors. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Ashton writes next.
March 5, 2021
I was thinking 4.5, but I guess those were just nitpickings on my part, I grew up to stories of gods, devils and etc. I am a proud Chinese Filipino individual(a bit of here and there, but Lam-ang alone, I gave this book a 4, to be able to correctly identify Filipino, as against Philipino or the other ehem, ethnic term. This one deserves a round of applause and BRAVO!!!! And you proceeded to describe him, commit some paragraphs and to read his actions on an Ashtonversian saga!!!!)
Sacrifice, sacrifice to achieve something, to walk down the good path, to seek out the twisting and dark road, the whole Ashtonverse (Dyrk Ashton's universe, I hope I am not insulting, I tend to think of each Author's creation as a universe) has always been about this. The Pater's patermentia, sacrificing his long life to periods of dementia(either voluntary or not)to come back better/worse, Khagan's sacrifice, to hurt the Pater, for what he did to Khagan, Billy/Samson's sacrifice, Arges and a lot more, to think you have these Gods, Goddesses, Ancient and True Ancients, this beings should be invincible, omniscient, omnipotent, and yet SACRIFICE!!!!!
While reading the first and second book, "Oh ok", "Now this is the good stuff"!!!, "Whoaaaaaa, really"???!!!! These were the words floating in my head or sometimes just blurt out.......but the last book, it was all definitely "WOW", THAT GOOD!!!! All expectations were turned inside-out, dragged from left to right, then spin cycled, those last few chapters, gut wrenching and heart breaking!!!! (Damn!!!! Gods, Goddesses, death was not supposed to touch them???!!!!!!)
In the end, we had to have finality, was I satisfied with the ending, uhhhhhhhh, I guess, so hard to say, all that happened in the final book, I wanted to rant, to rave, sigghhhhhh........sacrifice, for the betterment of everyone...
Mr. Ashton, a heartfelt THANK YOU!!!! A wonderful epic!!!
Sacrifice, sacrifice to achieve something, to walk down the good path, to seek out the twisting and dark road, the whole Ashtonverse (Dyrk Ashton's universe, I hope I am not insulting, I tend to think of each Author's creation as a universe) has always been about this. The Pater's patermentia, sacrificing his long life to periods of dementia(either voluntary or not)to come back better/worse, Khagan's sacrifice, to hurt the Pater, for what he did to Khagan, Billy/Samson's sacrifice, Arges and a lot more, to think you have these Gods, Goddesses, Ancient and True Ancients, this beings should be invincible, omniscient, omnipotent, and yet SACRIFICE!!!!!
While reading the first and second book, "Oh ok", "Now this is the good stuff"!!!, "Whoaaaaaa, really"???!!!! These were the words floating in my head or sometimes just blurt out.......but the last book, it was all definitely "WOW", THAT GOOD!!!! All expectations were turned inside-out, dragged from left to right, then spin cycled, those last few chapters, gut wrenching and heart breaking!!!! (Damn!!!! Gods, Goddesses, death was not supposed to touch them???!!!!!!)
In the end, we had to have finality, was I satisfied with the ending, uhhhhhhhh, I guess, so hard to say, all that happened in the final book, I wanted to rant, to rave, sigghhhhhh........sacrifice, for the betterment of everyone...
Mr. Ashton, a heartfelt THANK YOU!!!! A wonderful epic!!!
April 5, 2021
Wow. That's about all that can be said.
Could I dig here and find some faults? Sure. Was it long and could be tighter in places? Yes. Did the very end leave a few unanswered questions? I think so.
But past that, it would be hard to complain. "Epic" is about the only way to describe this, just in the culmination of where the entire series has been leading. It's hard to talk specifics without spoilers but War of Gods genuinely encapsulates the feeling of reading a trilogy and feeling the growing build-up to a massive conclusion ... and then delivering on it. There's personality growth for the main protagonist, losses of familiar and enjoyable characters, and grim satisfaction at the fates of others. And as with earlier books in the series, the research--the blending of the various mythos and pantheons--was remarkably smooth and enjoyable to read about. And the final confrontation, while long, was impossible to put down.
A fitting end for a fun series. It's a 5/5 for the scale and delivery of a satisfying conclusion that'll get the blood racing. Great stuff!
Could I dig here and find some faults? Sure. Was it long and could be tighter in places? Yes. Did the very end leave a few unanswered questions? I think so.
But past that, it would be hard to complain. "Epic" is about the only way to describe this, just in the culmination of where the entire series has been leading. It's hard to talk specifics without spoilers but War of Gods genuinely encapsulates the feeling of reading a trilogy and feeling the growing build-up to a massive conclusion ... and then delivering on it. There's personality growth for the main protagonist, losses of familiar and enjoyable characters, and grim satisfaction at the fates of others. And as with earlier books in the series, the research--the blending of the various mythos and pantheons--was remarkably smooth and enjoyable to read about. And the final confrontation, while long, was impossible to put down.
A fitting end for a fun series. It's a 5/5 for the scale and delivery of a satisfying conclusion that'll get the blood racing. Great stuff!
November 19, 2020
Marvel: “‘Avengers Endgame’ is the most ambitious crossover event in history.”
Dyrk Ashton: “Hold my Mjölnir.”
Binge-reading The Paternus Trilogy in less than a week has solidified it among my favorite fantasy trilogies of all time.
While the genre continues to throw out the stale “Teenage Assassin Eventually Learns That They are Also The Chosen One”, The Paternus Trilogy takes an “old” idea (I mean, literally old - we are talking about a metric ton of different cross-culture mythologies here), and makes it fresh, exciting, and good to the last drop.
Dyrk Ashton: “Hold my Mjölnir.”
Binge-reading The Paternus Trilogy in less than a week has solidified it among my favorite fantasy trilogies of all time.
While the genre continues to throw out the stale “Teenage Assassin Eventually Learns That They are Also The Chosen One”, The Paternus Trilogy takes an “old” idea (I mean, literally old - we are talking about a metric ton of different cross-culture mythologies here), and makes it fresh, exciting, and good to the last drop.
November 23, 2024
A full review to come shortly, but suffice to say this is hands down my favorite trilogy of 2024. And it's not even close.
To Odin!
To Odin!
November 16, 2020
Knocked the finale of this epic trilogy straight out of the park. Such a great cast of characters with a plot that keeps you on your toes. Favourite books of the year easily.
August 19, 2020
A review of
War of Gods
By Dyrk Ashton
The hugely anticipated War of Gods, the third and final book in Ashton’s Paternus series, was a book I have been eagerly awaiting since he announced its completion. This series is now easily one of my favourite examples of urban fantasy, and its conclusion is rather breath-taking.
The plethora of fantastic mythical creatures is one thing that has impressed me with the Paternus book’s and no less in War of Gods. He seems to have used every mythical creature and piece of folklore out there, and populated these books with a staggering cast of amazing creature characters.
This book joins Fiona, the Deva and the remaining forces of good against the terrible Asura. We get all the answers to all the questions we have been waiting for. We finally discover more on the true nature of Peter, Zeke’s character arc comes full circle as his secrets are unveiled, and wow, his story is so so good. Fiona embraces her heritage and trains to stand shoulder to shoulder with her brothers and sisters in the final battle. All as the Asura, led by the formidable foe that is Iblis Thevetat, unleash a final master plan to destroy humanity and seize all the worlds for themselves in the final stages of the war to end all wars.
Like the previous books, there is plenty of humour despite the harrowing and often heart wrenching events that happen in War of Gods. The huge cast of characters are well rendered and I found myself very invested in each and every one of them. I quite enjoyed the theological musings that bind the world together and weave various theologies together into one world. Ashton writes in present tense, which took a little adjusting from the more common past tense most fantasy is written in—I’ve had the same thoughts every time I’ve read a Paternus book—but as usual, I quickly adjusted and became engrossed in the story.
Ashton is a bit of a maverick and a rule breaker with his innovative writing style, which I find both refreshing and a little inspiring—he proves if done right rules can be bent, and in this case with excellent results.
As mentioned this has been one of my favourite series in recent years, masterfully crafted and insanely epic, I would recommend any fan of fantasy through to urban fantasy gives this a read—you will not regret it. I look forward to seeing what Dyrk does next.
Thanks for reading,
Lee C. Conley
War of Gods
By Dyrk Ashton
The hugely anticipated War of Gods, the third and final book in Ashton’s Paternus series, was a book I have been eagerly awaiting since he announced its completion. This series is now easily one of my favourite examples of urban fantasy, and its conclusion is rather breath-taking.
The plethora of fantastic mythical creatures is one thing that has impressed me with the Paternus book’s and no less in War of Gods. He seems to have used every mythical creature and piece of folklore out there, and populated these books with a staggering cast of amazing creature characters.
This book joins Fiona, the Deva and the remaining forces of good against the terrible Asura. We get all the answers to all the questions we have been waiting for. We finally discover more on the true nature of Peter, Zeke’s character arc comes full circle as his secrets are unveiled, and wow, his story is so so good. Fiona embraces her heritage and trains to stand shoulder to shoulder with her brothers and sisters in the final battle. All as the Asura, led by the formidable foe that is Iblis Thevetat, unleash a final master plan to destroy humanity and seize all the worlds for themselves in the final stages of the war to end all wars.
Like the previous books, there is plenty of humour despite the harrowing and often heart wrenching events that happen in War of Gods. The huge cast of characters are well rendered and I found myself very invested in each and every one of them. I quite enjoyed the theological musings that bind the world together and weave various theologies together into one world. Ashton writes in present tense, which took a little adjusting from the more common past tense most fantasy is written in—I’ve had the same thoughts every time I’ve read a Paternus book—but as usual, I quickly adjusted and became engrossed in the story.
Ashton is a bit of a maverick and a rule breaker with his innovative writing style, which I find both refreshing and a little inspiring—he proves if done right rules can be bent, and in this case with excellent results.
As mentioned this has been one of my favourite series in recent years, masterfully crafted and insanely epic, I would recommend any fan of fantasy through to urban fantasy gives this a read—you will not regret it. I look forward to seeing what Dyrk does next.
Thanks for reading,
Lee C. Conley
July 12, 2020
Alright so if you’ve made it to book 3 then you clearly enjoy Dyrk’s books. If you are here then you’ll love book 3 as well. It’s epic in scope and as full of action and info dumps as the first two books. If you’ve made it here and enjoyed the first two books then the term “Info dump” isn’t a perjorative here, it’s a perk. It took me way longer to read this novel just like the first two because of how often I heard a name or a piece of lore and ended up spending the rest of the night researching the history of a character instead of reading the novel. I will admit this at times made it hard for me to stay in that “movie in my mind” but by around page 300 I just decided it was time to stop doing that and really lose myself in the book and before I knew it I was on page 500 and then done.
I don’t think I need to add too much more since this is book 3 and you’ve long ago decided you either enjoyed the style or quit in disgust 2 3/4 books ago.
I don’t think I need to add too much more since this is book 3 and you’ve long ago decided you either enjoyed the style or quit in disgust 2 3/4 books ago.
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