I am a huge fan of military thrillers, and have been known to read a lot of science fiction as well. So when I got the chance to read Pantheon 2: Ares and Athena, I jumped at the opportunity. I had not read KRP’s debut novel, Pantheon, but I liked the premise and wanted to see how she was going to pull this off. I am very happy to say that she did it in spades. This book combines intense kick-ass military action, with just enough of a science fiction element, to keep you reading far into the night.
Ares and Athena starts off in the immediate aftermath of the first book in the series; Pantheon. The Pantheon is a group of military “Jumpers”, who have the ability to teleport from one location to another. This “ability” lets the Pantheon team conduct seamless military missions in the blink of an eye. This book starts out after Air Force Captain, Valerie Hall, is injured on a mission that does not go as planned. While she is convalescing, she is learning the “ins and outs” of being a full time Pantheon Operator. Simultaneously, we see Staff Sergeant Murphy Hawkins and his canine partner, Zora, on patrol in Syria. After they are ambushed by terrorists, “Murph” and his team are seconds away from imminent death, when his stress unleashes his ability to jump. This jump not only saves his squad, but makes him an immediate candidate for the Pantheon team, or as it is known by its public name, Limitless Logistics.
Initially, Val (codename Athena) and “Murph” butt heads, as he has a hard time getting rid of his Marine Corp ego. He soon gets with the program, and his heroics earn him the codename Ares; who is the God of War. No spoilers, but the Limitless team is soon not only dealing with newly recognized abilities, but with corrupt politicians and home grown terrorists.
As I stated, I did not read KR Paul’s first novel in this series, Pantheon, but it is definitely on my TBR pile. I’m sure that it adds some needed backstory on the Pantheon team, but this one read like a stand-alone novel. I was curious about the mixing of the military component and the sci-fi, but she definitely pulled it off. Pick this one up if you love action, intrigue and a pretty unique story. Better yet, start at the beginning and read the entire Pantheon series. You won’t be disappointed.
Follow Derek on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Pantheon 2: Ares & Athena
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
