Son of War - Raye Wagner (Review)

Son of War by Raye Wagner

Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy

Publication date: April 27th 2017

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Format: ebook/ 78 pages
How I got it: The author for exchange for an honest review
Buy it: Amazon 
My rating: 4/5 

Demigods were meant to be the heroes of Olympus. . . 

Xan was trained by his father Ares to be ruthless and lethal. As a kynigόs, he spends his time hunting monsters that prey on naïve mortals and foolish demigods. When the arrogant sons of Apollo tag along on a routine assignment, an easy kill turns deadly.

Forced to recuperate at a conservatory, Xan is surrounded by the abuse and selfishness of the resident demigods. All he wants is to escape.

Xan may be the son of the god of war, but his fighting skills are no match for the destiny the Fates have woven for him. 

Son of War is a blend of teen fantasy and Greek mythology set in the modern world. Perfect for readers who love the adventure of Percy Jackson with a dash of romance. This story is a companion to The Sphinx series, but can be enjoyed independent of it.

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Review

This book is a companion story for the Sphinx series.  The book follow Xan the son of Ares as we get a look at what happened in the past and how he came to be at the conservatory.

First, you would need to read the Sphinx series in its entirety to be able to follow along with this book.  The characters that are in this book are in other books and it is about building Xan further up as a character.   Xan who is the son of Ares is a hunter of monsters.  While out on a hunt something goes wrong and a demigod is killed and Xan gets hurt.  When Xan recovers, he finds out he was betrayed by the sons of Apollo and he is being brought up on charges for the death of one of the sons of Apollo.

I love Xan in this series he is such a strong character.  He was a little more mysterious in the beginning of the Sphinx series, but now I feel like I totally understand where he is coming from as a character.  In this book, we get a look at some events in Xan’s life that has shaped who he is today.  The author does a great job giving us background information on Xan as well as showing us how he got to where he is today in the series.  We also get to see why Xan is sometimes distrusting and moody.  We also get bits and pieces of why he feels betrayed by friends for their decisions, which adds to learning more about Xan of the present day.

The author does a great job with the descriptions and setting of this book again.  I love the conservatory and I feel like I know exactly how it looks in my mind when the characters are there.  The author creates very vivid images with her writing.

The story is very easy to follow along and flows so naturally.  This is a short novella and was difficult for me to put down.  I found myself reading this in one sitting.   The book has a lot of action with the reader gaining background information in between the different events.  I love that this book sets up parts of the series that I might not have noticed before and adds in important parts of the timeline.

I would suggest this as a weekend read after you have read the other books in the Sphinx series.  You will most likely fall more for Xan in this book!! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!  

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About the Author

Raye Wagner grew up in Seattle, the second of eight children, and learned to escape chaos through the pages of fiction. As a youth, she read the likes of David Eddings, Leon Uris, and Jane Austen. Inspired by a fictional character, Raye pursued a career in nursing, thinking to help the world one patient at a time.
One summer afternoon, when her then young children were playing in the pool, a plot dropped into her head, and she started writing. 
She enjoys baking, puzzles, Tae Kwon Do, and the sound of waves lapping at the sand. She lives with her husband and three children in Middle Tennessee.

Origin of the Sphinx, a novella detailing the story leading up to the creation of the mythological creature, is her first publication. It is the beginning of the Sphinx series. 

Curse of the Sphinx, the first book in the series, is completed, and set to be released in August 2015.

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