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Paternus Trilogy #1-3
Paternus: The Complete Trilogy
All three books in the The Paternus Trilogy, together in one box set.
Even myths have legends. And not all legends are myth.
BOOK 1: PATERNUS: RISE OF GODS
When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peter—and find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fi’s enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems—not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore—they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
BOOK 2: PATERNUS: WRATH OF GODS
On the run from an ancient evil and his army of terrors straight out of myths from around the world, Fi and Zeke aid Peter in his globe-trotting quest to seek out the remaining Firstborn, uncover the enemy’s plans, and gather the warriors of old for what may become the final battle in the world's oldest war. Along the way, Fi and Zeke discover they, too, have strengths of their own—though they come at a cost neither may wish to bear.
BOOK 3: PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS
From Africa to Asgard, to an invisible island in the Pacific and the Bone Road of a forgotten realm, Fi and Zeke must come to grips with who and what they are—and accept what they are becoming: wielders of ancient and dangerous powers, warriors, and maybe even heroes. But the end of worlds is coming, and time is short…
Cry havoc, and let slip the gods of war!
Even myths have legends. And not all legends are myth.
BOOK 1: PATERNUS: RISE OF GODS
When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peter—and find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fi’s enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems—not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore—they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
BOOK 2: PATERNUS: WRATH OF GODS
On the run from an ancient evil and his army of terrors straight out of myths from around the world, Fi and Zeke aid Peter in his globe-trotting quest to seek out the remaining Firstborn, uncover the enemy’s plans, and gather the warriors of old for what may become the final battle in the world's oldest war. Along the way, Fi and Zeke discover they, too, have strengths of their own—though they come at a cost neither may wish to bear.
BOOK 3: PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS
From Africa to Asgard, to an invisible island in the Pacific and the Bone Road of a forgotten realm, Fi and Zeke must come to grips with who and what they are—and accept what they are becoming: wielders of ancient and dangerous powers, warriors, and maybe even heroes. But the end of worlds is coming, and time is short…
Cry havoc, and let slip the gods of war!
1929 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2020
About the author
Dyrk Ashton
11 books654 followersDyrk Ashton was born in Athens (Ohio, not Greece), on a chilly Halloween morning. He whiled away his adolescent years and teens in cornfields, woods, rivers, ditches and haymows, climbing trees, running along barn beams, riding, wrestling, soccering, fighting BB gun wars, reading Stuart Little, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, everything Verne, London, Kipling, White, Lewis, Doyle, Burroughs, Poe, Howard, Fleming, Lovecraft, Tolkien, Zelazny, and generally ignoring school -- though he somehow managed excellent grades (except in Algebra, of course).
Dyrk earned a BFA and masters degree in filmmaking at The Ohio State University, which lead to working in film production in Columbus, OH, where he crawled his way up from production assistant to grip then production manager and producer for commercials, industrial films and low budget features. He then headed west to Los Angeles where he wrote and pitched scripts but fed and clothed himself as a "jack-of-all-trades”: editor, assistant editor, location sound recordist, cinematographer, assistant director, production manager, producer, you name it.
Mostly, however, he made his living as a SAG/AFTRA actor, appearing in nothing you have ever seen. And if you have seen it, he was probably in it so briefly you missed him. It can be done, acting professionally, even if you have no talent but are good at auditioning and have a look that very few actors and no regular folks can pull off. He didn’t earn a lot of money and whatever he did make is long gone (L.A. is expensive), but he did get to travel quite a bit, including an eight week stint in Kandy, Sri Lanka (and it was awesome).
After nearly six years of scraping by in L.A., he realized he probably wouldn’t, in all actuality, die if he never got to make a big Hollywood film, so he moved back to the Midwest and went to Bowling Green State University for a PhD in Film Studies. He wrote a dissertation on The Lord of the Rings movies. And they gave him a diploma. Shocking. Then he got hired as a professor. Even more shocking. Apparently PhDs are tossed out like parade candy these days and just about anyone is allowed to warp the minds of our precious youth.
After four years in a tenure track position he began teaching entirely online, and found he actually had time to read books again -- fiction, sci-fi, fantasy -- not just academic journals and textbooks. Then he realized he actually had time to write. And so he did, bringing to bear his lifelong fascination with mythology and storytelling and gathering together (some clearly ridiculous) ideas he’d had for years.
The result is Paternus, the first in a trilogy of contemporary mythic fantasy adventures for grown ups. Writing novels is something he’d always wanted to do but never had the time, gumption, or the maturity, more likely, to actually do. He’s found he loves the writing process, actually needs it, and will continue to write even if nobody buys the stuff. Still, he’s been heard to paraphrase the immortal line of Billy Mack (played by the ever fantastic Bill Nighy), from Love Actually: “If you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Dyrky does, buy my festering turd of a novel.”
And yes, Dyrk Ashton is his real name. He’s been told many times it sounds like the screen name of a Soap actor or porn star. Cool. Truth is, his father is of (mixed) English decent, and his mother (mixed) Scottish, (a Campbell, no less, though her father always emphasized that they were highland Campbells, not lowland. The highland Scots fought against the English, the lowlands sided with them, you see). Anyway, Dyrk’s mom liked the way the name looked when spelled with a “y” instead of the more common “i”. So there.
Dyrk earned a BFA and masters degree in filmmaking at The Ohio State University, which lead to working in film production in Columbus, OH, where he crawled his way up from production assistant to grip then production manager and producer for commercials, industrial films and low budget features. He then headed west to Los Angeles where he wrote and pitched scripts but fed and clothed himself as a "jack-of-all-trades”: editor, assistant editor, location sound recordist, cinematographer, assistant director, production manager, producer, you name it.
Mostly, however, he made his living as a SAG/AFTRA actor, appearing in nothing you have ever seen. And if you have seen it, he was probably in it so briefly you missed him. It can be done, acting professionally, even if you have no talent but are good at auditioning and have a look that very few actors and no regular folks can pull off. He didn’t earn a lot of money and whatever he did make is long gone (L.A. is expensive), but he did get to travel quite a bit, including an eight week stint in Kandy, Sri Lanka (and it was awesome).
After nearly six years of scraping by in L.A., he realized he probably wouldn’t, in all actuality, die if he never got to make a big Hollywood film, so he moved back to the Midwest and went to Bowling Green State University for a PhD in Film Studies. He wrote a dissertation on The Lord of the Rings movies. And they gave him a diploma. Shocking. Then he got hired as a professor. Even more shocking. Apparently PhDs are tossed out like parade candy these days and just about anyone is allowed to warp the minds of our precious youth.
After four years in a tenure track position he began teaching entirely online, and found he actually had time to read books again -- fiction, sci-fi, fantasy -- not just academic journals and textbooks. Then he realized he actually had time to write. And so he did, bringing to bear his lifelong fascination with mythology and storytelling and gathering together (some clearly ridiculous) ideas he’d had for years.
The result is Paternus, the first in a trilogy of contemporary mythic fantasy adventures for grown ups. Writing novels is something he’d always wanted to do but never had the time, gumption, or the maturity, more likely, to actually do. He’s found he loves the writing process, actually needs it, and will continue to write even if nobody buys the stuff. Still, he’s been heard to paraphrase the immortal line of Billy Mack (played by the ever fantastic Bill Nighy), from Love Actually: “If you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Dyrky does, buy my festering turd of a novel.”
And yes, Dyrk Ashton is his real name. He’s been told many times it sounds like the screen name of a Soap actor or porn star. Cool. Truth is, his father is of (mixed) English decent, and his mother (mixed) Scottish, (a Campbell, no less, though her father always emphasized that they were highland Campbells, not lowland. The highland Scots fought against the English, the lowlands sided with them, you see). Anyway, Dyrk’s mom liked the way the name looked when spelled with a “y” instead of the more common “i”. So there.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 10, 2020
This series is simply amazing. The depth of research that went into making it is extraordinary. Dyrk Ashton is a true master of his craft.
Want to read
December 9, 2020I won't be reviewing my own book here, that would be weird, but using this space to post updates I think folks might want to hear.
December 9, 2020: The audiobook box set of The Paternus Trilogy is now available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. All the gods for your ears, all for the price of one!
Audible US: https://www.audible.com/pd/Paternus-T...
Audible UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Paternus...
December 9, 2020: The audiobook box set of The Paternus Trilogy is now available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. All the gods for your ears, all for the price of one!
Audible US: https://www.audible.com/pd/Paternus-T...
Audible UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Paternus...
July 8, 2022
One of the very best!
Every so often you come across a book (or a set of books) that is special, it’s not just that you can’t put it down, although you can’t, it’s that you know you are going to read it again and probably quite a few agains.
This, for me, is one of those books. It’s up there with Tolkien, Peake, Carole, King (a couple), Hammett, Banks, Barker and probably a few others but,you get the idea.
I first read Paternus a couple of years back, then, a year or so later War of the Gods - finally I realised I had to read everything again so got the Trilogy. Best way to read it.
Every so often you come across a book (or a set of books) that is special, it’s not just that you can’t put it down, although you can’t, it’s that you know you are going to read it again and probably quite a few agains.
This, for me, is one of those books. It’s up there with Tolkien, Peake, Carole, King (a couple), Hammett, Banks, Barker and probably a few others but,you get the idea.
I first read Paternus a couple of years back, then, a year or so later War of the Gods - finally I realised I had to read everything again so got the Trilogy. Best way to read it.
April 13, 2021
This trilogy is one of the best I've read in a very long time. The author's handling of mythology from around the world was adept and well researched. The world building was excellent. But, what engaged me the most were the fully realized characters. Thank you Dyrk for a great read!
Read
October 16, 2020If anyone is interested in this, the whole trilogy became available on Kindle today for $12aus/ $8.50 US. Yowzas! ;)
June 16, 2021
Fun
So much fun to read. Immersive world and entertaining. The inclusion of ancient mythical characters was a bonus. Hoping for more.
So much fun to read. Immersive world and entertaining. The inclusion of ancient mythical characters was a bonus. Hoping for more.
June 17, 2021
An enjoyable epic tale with a large cast across all mythologies. It's a tough act to balance the scale of the players with characterization and readability, but Ashton does a good job.
October 21, 2021
great series!
March 3, 2021
What a fun and amazing ride
This series starts off with a bang and doesn’t slow down right up to conclusion. You can’t help but become attached to the wonderful characters and their unique stories as they interlace into this beautifully crafted world. If you are looking for a story that takes you not just on an exciting ride but one that tugs as well on your emotionally this series is it. In my opinion a truly talented and gifted author captures not just your attention but also pulls you in to emotionally attach you to the characters and world they’ve created-this series does exactly that.
This series starts off with a bang and doesn’t slow down right up to conclusion. You can’t help but become attached to the wonderful characters and their unique stories as they interlace into this beautifully crafted world. If you are looking for a story that takes you not just on an exciting ride but one that tugs as well on your emotionally this series is it. In my opinion a truly talented and gifted author captures not just your attention but also pulls you in to emotionally attach you to the characters and world they’ve created-this series does exactly that.
April 28, 2021
What are you waiting for?
Wasn’t sure quite what to expect when I bought this series. Based on Dirks own descriptions of the books (on a podcast that he co-hosts) I felt it could go one way or the other. Lengthy pros and a “cast of thousands” isn’t really my cup of tea but by the end of chapter one I was hooked.
Their is way to much to go into in one review so I won’t even try. Suffice to say, beautifully crafted characters and a well developed world (and associated history/mythos) make this an absolute joy and a must read for anyone (regardless of your preferred genera).
Go get a coffee (or a cup of tea), some biscuits and a cozy corner and get stuck in. You won’t regret it.
Wasn’t sure quite what to expect when I bought this series. Based on Dirks own descriptions of the books (on a podcast that he co-hosts) I felt it could go one way or the other. Lengthy pros and a “cast of thousands” isn’t really my cup of tea but by the end of chapter one I was hooked.
Their is way to much to go into in one review so I won’t even try. Suffice to say, beautifully crafted characters and a well developed world (and associated history/mythos) make this an absolute joy and a must read for anyone (regardless of your preferred genera).
Go get a coffee (or a cup of tea), some biscuits and a cozy corner and get stuck in. You won’t regret it.
January 3, 2021
I couldn’t put these books down, I read all three in quick succession as each one left me on a cliffhanger wanting for more. I love how the mythologies of all parts of the world were intertwined and linked to a larger reality. Amazing! These books must be read!
June 2, 2021
A wonderfull read, such a rich an unique myths woven by the author by mixing and extrapoling on known mytholgies. Great characters innteractions not to mention the grown shown by all of them. A great series.
February 18, 2021
Once again the Goodreads app obliterated my long and cleverly worded review and I'm not recreating it. Summary review: some great characters, some of whom have great arcs; tons of terrific action; lots and lots of blood, battle, betrayals, beauty; some horrific grotesques; attempts at portrayals of true love; so much info on every conceivable cultural historical mythological philosophical religious story of life, divine pantheon, creation, extinction, weapon and character it's frankly too much; a huge, multi-chapter climactic final battle; followed by an overly long denouement that tried to deliver some overall messages. Great imagination used in a pretty terrific story told in a writing style I did not enjoy, so I feel no urge to particularly recommend it and I won't be reading this author again.
August 14, 2021
An absolutely awesome saga
I really enjoyed these books, their depth, lore and monumental scope. I'd reccomend to any fans of fantasy and world building especially :)
I really enjoyed these books, their depth, lore and monumental scope. I'd reccomend to any fans of fantasy and world building especially :)
March 20, 2022
This trilogy was jam packed with epic battles and plenty of action. Lots of twists and turns with surprises throughout. It was a great story, very imaginative. It is a long read, so be prepared to spend some time on these. It is worth it, in my opinion. The Audible version has some minor recording sounds in the background. Not a deal breaker, just a bit noticeable at times.
November 6, 2022
Paternus is the accounting of the third and last great war of the gods. It’s also the story of the Last Daughter of the Father, the fight against evil, the end of days, and the destruction of not just our world, but of all known worlds.
It’s easily the most epic contemporary fantasy story I’ve ever read.
To clarify, by contemporary I mean that it takes place in the real world and in modern-day times. In fact, it begins just at the end of September, in Ohio.
For Tanuki, it begins with buying a nice rug for his brother. For Kabir, it begins with being attacked by Maskim Xul. For Baphomet, it begins with an encounter with a witch no one has heard from in thousands of years. For Fiona, it begins with walking home alone after a rather disappointing date.
It continues with death, magic, and violence – lots and lots of violence, and death, and magic. After all, this is the beginning of the third great war of the gods, and not just any gods, but all of them.
It’s not uncommon for urban fantasy stories to include mythological figures, but Paternus takes it to a whole new level.
There are characters from Greek, Indian, Egyptian, and Norse mythology, to name but a few. Gods, heroes, demons, and villains. Monster and abominations. The knights of the round table, plus Merlin. They’re all baked into the story, and they all come with their own explanations and information about what other names they may be known under.
I read the audio version of the book (all three in one), and I’m glad I did. There are a lot of details, and there is a lot of information, and I fear I might not have had the patience to keep up with it had I been reading the text version. Fans of mythology, intricate world building, and brutal action will probably love either version, though.
What I’ll whine about
Hidden Information. During the second half of the third book, when things are starting to go seriously wrong, there are several flashbacks to things happening a few days previously. These show important preparations that I wasn’t made aware of the first time I read about what happened during that time. In fairness, there were hints, but even then, it still annoyed me.
Information Overload. Throughout the entire series, there is so much information about the origins of the characters featured in the story. It’s interesting for sure, and the story wouldn’t be the same without it, but even so, it felt a bit much.
What I’ll gush about
The scope. This really is a story of epic proportions. The fate of our world and life as we know it hangs in the balance, and many will pay the ultimate price for a chance at victory – willingly and unwillingly. Even great heroes and gods are not spared.
The cast. It’s fantastic to see all these mythological characters appear and play off of each other. Despite many of them being millions or billions of years old, they’re still people (after a fashion), and they’ve got their own quirks and personalities. The story’s not above going a bit silly from time to time.
I mentioned the amount of information as something I’d whine about, but I’ll bring it up here as well. It really does add a lot to the story and it’s for the most part quite interesting. It says a lot for the author that for the most part, the infodumps don’t feel like infodumps.
Final words
If you’re looking for an epic fantasy tale, set in the present day real world and brimming with mythological heroes and villains, give this one a go.
It’s easily the most epic contemporary fantasy story I’ve ever read.
To clarify, by contemporary I mean that it takes place in the real world and in modern-day times. In fact, it begins just at the end of September, in Ohio.
For Tanuki, it begins with buying a nice rug for his brother. For Kabir, it begins with being attacked by Maskim Xul. For Baphomet, it begins with an encounter with a witch no one has heard from in thousands of years. For Fiona, it begins with walking home alone after a rather disappointing date.
It continues with death, magic, and violence – lots and lots of violence, and death, and magic. After all, this is the beginning of the third great war of the gods, and not just any gods, but all of them.
It’s not uncommon for urban fantasy stories to include mythological figures, but Paternus takes it to a whole new level.
There are characters from Greek, Indian, Egyptian, and Norse mythology, to name but a few. Gods, heroes, demons, and villains. Monster and abominations. The knights of the round table, plus Merlin. They’re all baked into the story, and they all come with their own explanations and information about what other names they may be known under.
I read the audio version of the book (all three in one), and I’m glad I did. There are a lot of details, and there is a lot of information, and I fear I might not have had the patience to keep up with it had I been reading the text version. Fans of mythology, intricate world building, and brutal action will probably love either version, though.
What I’ll whine about
Hidden Information. During the second half of the third book, when things are starting to go seriously wrong, there are several flashbacks to things happening a few days previously. These show important preparations that I wasn’t made aware of the first time I read about what happened during that time. In fairness, there were hints, but even then, it still annoyed me.
Information Overload. Throughout the entire series, there is so much information about the origins of the characters featured in the story. It’s interesting for sure, and the story wouldn’t be the same without it, but even so, it felt a bit much.
What I’ll gush about
The scope. This really is a story of epic proportions. The fate of our world and life as we know it hangs in the balance, and many will pay the ultimate price for a chance at victory – willingly and unwillingly. Even great heroes and gods are not spared.
The cast. It’s fantastic to see all these mythological characters appear and play off of each other. Despite many of them being millions or billions of years old, they’re still people (after a fashion), and they’ve got their own quirks and personalities. The story’s not above going a bit silly from time to time.
I mentioned the amount of information as something I’d whine about, but I’ll bring it up here as well. It really does add a lot to the story and it’s for the most part quite interesting. It says a lot for the author that for the most part, the infodumps don’t feel like infodumps.
Final words
If you’re looking for an epic fantasy tale, set in the present day real world and brimming with mythological heroes and villains, give this one a go.
September 18, 2022
What a read! The premise is simple. Fiona Megan Patterson and her friend Zeke suddenly find themselves fighting for their own and the universe’s survival as it comes under attack from the massed legions of darkness.
The pace of the three books never lets up as we encounter gods and monsters from every mythology known to man; and then some. The scope of the trilogy is truly epic and what makes it even better is the character development. There are numerous plot twists and genuine surprises along the way that keep the reader eager for more. Best urban fantasy I��ve read in years.
The pace of the three books never lets up as we encounter gods and monsters from every mythology known to man; and then some. The scope of the trilogy is truly epic and what makes it even better is the character development. There are numerous plot twists and genuine surprises along the way that keep the reader eager for more. Best urban fantasy I��ve read in years.
December 10, 2022
Wow. Loooooong book I read this year. Loved the intensity with which story gets faster and grips reader. I thought few pages author could've easily removed from the story.
But i am not complaining about it. Liked everything about this book.
But i am not complaining about it. Liked everything about this book.
March 30, 2023
I was not the target audience for this and it did not work for me.
May 15, 2023
What a wild ride
After the first couple of chapters better buckle up this story takes off like a rocketship ... really enjoyed it.
After the first couple of chapters better buckle up this story takes off like a rocketship ... really enjoyed it.
August 18, 2023
Interesting & pretty original, the way it wraps together various mythologies from throughout history & around the world.
October 19, 2022
Wow! I read this trilogy straight through and truly had a hard time putting the books down. The amount of research and thoughtful planning that went into the mythos of this trilogy is absolutly incredible and mind blowing. So many characters that you come to love and look forward to seeing throughout the series. I think what i loved the most is the final battle in the final book was not some short, lame one chapter wrap up but a truly EPIC battle, the scale truly amazing at how Dyrk is able to pull you throughout the combat to all the various places. If my kindle doesn't lie, i believe the Final battle is actuall 20% of the entire series! What book does that? Absolutley amazing! This is a must read!
If you enjoy Ancient Aliens or the Unxplained on History Channel, read this trilogy, it explains everything!
If you enjoy Ancient Aliens or the Unxplained on History Channel, read this trilogy, it explains everything!
August 19, 2023
This is one of those series that I liked the overall story but the writing and pacing really took away from my enjoyment of the book. I read a few reviews before I bought it to make sure that it wasn't a YA novel but it defs reads like a YA novel. ( Spoilers) --> The main protagonist (Fi and Zeke) are both orphans, she starts out as an emotionally distant asshole and he's the quirky lovable nerd who seeks connection. She turns out to be a chosen one ( last daughter) who thinks she is normal but within the span of 5 or so ish days ( the time span of all three novels) goes on to become Valkyrie and the queen of an army of jaded immortals (some of whom are millions of years old) because she brings a fresh sassy perspective that all the others (adults) can't see. Zeke is the super smart one who knows everything about mythology and can provide uncanny insight and context for all the various mythological figures that we meet. Despite having a rough life in foster care Zeke helps Fi work through her trauma. Zeke also finds out that he has a special superpower and ends up saving her (figuratively and literally). Throw in an awkward teenage romance and an ever more awkward first-time sex scene and I was kinda done.
The author really did a great job researching and connecting a lot of mythical figures but the overall story and lack of character development left me wanting more. The fact that it read like a YA novel just didn't really appeal to me.
The author really did a great job researching and connecting a lot of mythical figures but the overall story and lack of character development left me wanting more. The fact that it read like a YA novel just didn't really appeal to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2022
The Paternus trilogy is huge and epic on a universal scale. I highly recommend reading it in all it's chaotic glory. I'm not going to go into much more detail here as I have written more on each book individually. Overall, fantastic in the true sense of the word. And obviously, highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews