Paternus was a really interesting read for me, and probably one of the better researched books I’ve read. It is filled with mythology from all around the world, which I really enjoyed reading about.
It’s narrated in a third person omniscient voice, which is somewhat different to what I’m used to, meaning you can see the internal thoughts of a lot of the different characters as the story progresses. Dyrk creates a sense of intrigue as events unfold, and the reader knows what characters are thinking, but not how the other characters will react.
Setting
Paternus is set on modern day Earth, with one major difference. Mythology is real. All mythology and religion from around the world is loosely based on fact. These mythological beings live for millennia, some friendly with others, some not so much, and they’re all related.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore–they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
Characters
There are a lot of characters in this book, but the main ones are Fiona and Zeke, two hospital workers who get caught up in this world of legend when they save a catatonic old man. Having no idea that the lore on ancient beings is real, they are dumbfounded by the things they experience.
The omniscient point of view gives the reader an interesting insight into the minds and choices of most of the different characters, and allows Dyrk to build them over the course of the book.
Plot
The beginning of the book can be difficult to follow. It takes to around the 10-20% mark for Dyrk to really start kicking off the plot. The beginning portion starts with chapters following different characters around, which at the time does not make much sense, however it does lend itself to a strong ending, and a build up to future books. This makes the beginning somewhat challenging to read, however the strings do come together later on in the book.
The entire book is set over the space of a day or two. A very busy day to say the least. There is a fair bit of action and adventure over the course of this book, and I’m very excited to read book 2.
Other Thoughts
Dyrk does a really good job at describing a lot of things, with the occasional weird metaphor thrown in as well. For the most part I enjoyed his prose and the way the world is built.
Book 2, Paternus: Wrath of Gods is set to release on the 10th of July, 2018, and Dyrk has just revealed the cover over on The Fantasy Hive website.
Audience
This book is probably best for people who like:
- Mythology
- Primary world
- Present tense
- Lots of characters
- Multiple plot threads
- Contemporary settings
- Urban Fantasy
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