When the family of young Zeus is attacked by Hyperion, Zeus’s mother is knocked unconscious and his best friend is left for dead. Stacking epic insult upon fatal injury, Zeus discovers the woman who raised him is not his biological mother. But to ensure her safety while she recovers, a heavyhearted Zeus leaves her behind to seek answers at Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia. Zeus embarks on a quest to discover who ordered the attack on his home, avenge the death of his friend, and find his birth mother. When some of his new schoolmates vanish, Zeus's quest is turned upside down, and the only way to make things right is to access the power of the Sky Throne, confront a most dangerous enemy, and take his life back. On his way to becoming king of the Greek gods, Zeus will learn to seize power, neutralize his enemies, and fall in love. Gr 6 Up—A coming- of-age story involving a rivalry between the Olympians and the Titans. Young Zeus feels invisible at Eastern Crete Lower Academy. Even the bullies don't notice. When tragedy strikes his family, he is swept up in a struggle he doesn't fully understand. Filled with rage, he seeks revenge, but fate guides him to Mount Olympus Prep where he meets Hestia (Tia), Hades (Shade), Demeter (Meter) and other notable mythological characters. Zeus's romantic attraction to girls is woven throughout the tale as he learns about himself and the talents he possesses. The mystery shrouding his past and an internal conflict consuming the school sets Zeus on a life-changing path. The novel offers a blend of Rick Riordan's contemporary Greek heroes and Harry Potter's academic endeavors, a fun story line, fast-paced storytelling, and an endearing protagonist. VERDICT A good choice that will delight readers of Greek mythology.—Robyn Gioia, Seoul American Elementary School, Korea " Destined to have a sequel or two, young teens will appreciate the story , and teachers will appreciate that it instructs readers about the pantheon of gods ." --Kevin Beach, VOYA Magazine Chris Ledbetter is a former high school teacher, football coach, and has worked in various managerial and marketing capacities throughout his life. He has walked the streets of Los Angeles and New York City, waded in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, climbed Diamond Head crater on Hawaii, and rang in the New Year in Tokyo, Japan. But he dreams of one day visiting Greece and Italy. He lives in Wilmington, North Carolina. The Sky Throne By Chris Ledbetter Month9Books Copyright © 2017 Chris Ledbetter All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-945107-87-0 CHAPTER 1 Since the moment I started at Eastern Crete Lower Academy two years ago, I'd felt like such an outcast. The guys, mostly Potamoi and sons of Headmasters Okeanos and Tethys, never regarded me as an equal. I didn't even warrant bullying. It's like I never even existed. If only I'd known how visible I'd become in the coming days. I always got picked last for swim team and crew in physical fitness class. I actually was the third best wrestler overall in school and peerless in javelin throwing due to superior training from my guardians, the Kouretes. When Eastern Crete competed in the Mediterranean Invitational Games against academies from Phoenicia, Egypt, and Libya, I placed first in the javelin event, beating Gurzil from Libya who was the reigning champion from years past. I even won my weight class, the lightest class there was, in wrestling by beating Melqart from Phoenicia. But none of that mattered. I was still invisible. I loved science class. The lessons where we studied energy and matter were like fresh spring water to a parched throat. But the rest of my classes bored me to tears. We had language arts, music, and math in the mornings. Physical fitness, agriculture, and science took up our afternoons. I wouldn't say I was intellectually ahead of them, because, hey, that'd be conceited. But my mother prepared me well, with all the goat tending and such. And she always said when I came home from classes each night that they just didn't know how to teach me on my level. So, I was forced to make my own fun. No one would probably notice anyway. After the big Invitational Games win, I was posted up at the school's entry columns with my best friend, Anytos, watching the Oceanids as they arrived for classes one morning. Sisters to the Potamoi, the Oceanids were the sea nymph daughters of our headmasters. Okeanos and Tethys, aside from being our school administrators, were also Elder Deities of the vast ocean, which is why we at Eastern Crete dominated all water sports. Swimming. Cliff diving. Crew. We bested all comers. But not me. I dove and swam exactly the same ... like an anvil. The Oceanids descended upon the campus from their barracks like a wave crashing against the shore. Telesto, the most beautiful sea nymph by several stadia, smiled at me for the first time since I'd been going to the school. Okay, it wasn't a full smile. The corner of her