Alexios is an eighteen year old Greek prince in a world where gods walk the earth in disguise, myths are real, and fate is both unknowable and inescapable.

Don’t let the blurb fool you: this isn’t just a love triangle (rectangle?). This is a well-researched story with some absolutely phenomenal world building. I am a complete sucker for world building, and… just wow. Alexios’ world hits the right balance between history and mythology, between everyday life in antiquity and epic.

Alexios is supposed to be choosing a mentor. He wants King Lykos and King Lykos wants him, but Alexios’ father has thrown a few other candidates in the mix as well. At the same time as Alexios is being rapidly seduced by Lykos’ commanding presence, he’s also starting to notice his slave Galen. His feelings for Galen are unusually sweet and totally inappropriate: screwing slaves is fine, but you shouldn’t mistake it for anything else. From the beginning it’s apparent that Galen is more to Alexios than convenient.

While Alexios is noticing Galen for the first time, the god Apollo is noticing Alexios. This occurs for a few reasons: firstly, Alexios is beautiful and even Apollo’s got eyes. Secondly, the Muses are all a bit in love with Alexios. (I loved the Muses, BTW, and their different priorities. Clio only cares if Alexios will be historically significant, while Erato is all about turning Alexios and Galen into a love poem…) Most importantly though, Alexios has befriended Cyrus, an ex-slave of Lykos’ who just happens to be Apollo’s son and is on his way to Delphi to become a prophet.

Then, due to circumstances out of Alexios’ control — fate is a bitch. So are The Fates, I guess — suddenly which king he’s going to choose as his mentor becomes the least of Alexios' problems. I’m not going to give any spoilers, but I’ll say this: when the gods pass judgement, look out. Thanks to some judicious foreshadowing, we already know what happens when you run your mouth off in a god’s hearing. This is Niobe, wishing she hadn’t bragged about how many kids she had.



I really, really wanted there to be a happy ending for Alexios, and I had no idea how it was going to happen. I might have teared up a bit. I might have, or maybe that was just something in my eye. You don’t know. Stop judging me.

This looks like it’s the first in a series, and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Also, for those of us who haven’t read Greek myths in so long we can’t tell our Artemis from our elbows, there’s a glossary in the back!

Kayla Jameth may be a new author but she writes the best sex scenes. Reading this was a welcome change from my normal contemporary m/m reading as I was transported to Ancient Greece where sex between men was a normal part of society.The author has done a great job of recreating that time, using just enough imagery to make you feel you are indeed back in that age without being overwhelmed. What's more I have it on good authority that the facts are correct.The story also includes that other element so often present in Greek mythology, the intervention of Gods who interfere with the world and treat humans as their playthings.The sex scenes are hot and fall naturally into the story line. The plot is good. All in all, I found it a very enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys m/m.The book is the first of a series, but is very much able to be read as a stand alone. I'm looking forward to see what happens next.

4 1/2 Hearts

First published at MM Good Book Reviews

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/alexios-fate-by-kayla-jameth/


Alexios has reached the age to take a mentor, but his father is using it as a way to secure allies through a betrothal. Alexios catches King Lykos’ eye and Alexios finally notices his slave, Galen, and a god decides to shape his future for his kindness towards Apollo’s prophet, Cyrus. But, due to the bitterness and jealousy of one man, everything might be snatched away with Alexios’ life.

I absolutely love Greek mythology and this story is a prime example of the wonders of the Greek gods. Alexios is coming up to his eighteen birthday, the time when he is to choose a mentor. After meeting all the visiting Kings there is little doubt in his mind who he wants as his mentor and that man also happens to heat his blood. Galen has watched his master with lust in his eyes for a while and now finally his master is noticing him back. But, then Galen is attacked in his master’s chambers. Lykos has many reasons for courting Alexios and one of them is to punish Alexios’ father.

There is quite a bit going on in this well written novella and it all leads back to Alexios, in one way or another; his treatment of Cyrus brings him to the attention of Apollo, Lykos’ attention leads Alexios to take more notice of Galen and Alexios father’s bitterness and resentment leads him to call the wrath of the gods. This is a really enjoyable story with a twist for Alexios at the end. Alexios is a red-blooded male who is just finding his oats with men so there are some passionate clinches and longing looks with some special lovemaking for Galen.

The characters in this book are great and meld well together to give us an image in our minds of the interactions and attitudes of the ancient Greeks. The image of the gods having such interaction with the mortals and the rules that even the gods had to abide by. and it gives us an interesting tale that I really enjoyed. I know there are two more stories planned in this series and I am hoping that they will have Cyrus in there somewhere, so we can see how he is progressing.

I will recommend this to those who love Greek mythology, hot sex, gods, the wrath of gods, twisty background stories and a happy for now ending.