Lost Child of Hermes

by Alison Sky Richards

When Zeus sends out an edict that all mortals will be killed off due to their disloyalty to the gods, Hermes decides to take matters into his own hands to stop this from happening and makes a hero of his line to fight against the gods.

However, someone forgot to tell Anton about his destiny…

Lost Child of Hermes is the epic story of the mortal son of Hermes; born to stop the annihilation of the mortal race and hidden from the gods out to destroy him until he is ready. Orphaned early in his life, Anton is forced to live among different groups of people and endure some of the worst fates any mortal can live through – racism, slavery, torture, and even death – all because of a destiny no one told him he was to carry. Only when he is face to face with the God of War does he learn his fate, but is given no guidance on how to fulfill his destiny and stop the end of the world as he knows it.

This book is a YA fantasy taking place in ancient Greek times. The trials that Anton goes through in his life are similar to situations that the modern YA reader would be able to relate to, especially if they find themselves a victim of bullying. This book hopes to inspire the younger generations to be able to overcome the feelings of being a victim and finding faith in themselves – and others – when all they feel as if they are “cursed” to be this way.

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 21, 2014

About the author

Alison Sky Richards, originally from Yonkers, NY but now living in Nashville, TN, attended Niagara University where she studied all the background technical elements that go into creating stories and emotions (sound, light, and points of view) in not only theatre, but for television and movies. Since college, she has studied sword fighting and has held certificates of proficiency in both Broadsword and Short Sword with the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD). Her weapon knowledge has made her into a “method writer” when it comes to designing fight scenes for her novels.

Beyond her fiction novels, she is also a staff writer with ThreeIfBySpace.net, a screenplay reviewer with the Nashville Film Festival, teaches writing workshops annually at conventions including DragonCon, Imaginarium, and Conglomeration, teaching authors on how to write and develop fight scenes in their own works, as well as the basics in the romance genre, and using social media as an author.

Currently a graduate student at Western State Colorado University, Alison is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing with a focus in Genre Studies.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't connect with the material until I reached the segment with the centaurs.

I loved the centaurs. I loved the family dynamic portrayed. I loved the centaurs as a method to convey Anton's mental and physical growth as a character. I thought the characters in the centaur village were really well thought out and interesting. The world building and drama in the village segment was great. I loved the parallels for modern societal acceptance and perceptions that reflected in the centaurs vs. humans story.

But then the centaur plot ended and I was reminded that I have no idea what the source material is for this novel. I ended the novel hoping that Anton would make it back to the centaurs because I wanted to return to that fabulous segment of his life.

Overall, I felt really out of my element for this novel, but I felt strongly enough about the side characters that I'd love to see a sequel about any of them. Food for thought.

[Michael Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing blend of classical Greek mythology and creative storytelling. Ms. Richards offers up a hopeful, heartwarming tale. Lost Child of Hermes extols self confidence and self worth even in the face of overwhelming odds, reminding us all that even a small act of kindness has far reaching impact.