Only The Beginning

by Maria Ashen

Only the Beginning is about the handsome and kind God named Hyperion. Despite ruling Earth, he feels something is companionship. One day he meets a Goddess named Persephone, and he has a premonition. He sees himself and Persephone with their children running around in a bright and beautiful field. Hyperion's visions are NEVER wrong. Persephone's mother, however, does not like the idea of her daughter being married to a shadow God; therefore, she forces her back to Olympus. Times passes and Hyperion turns to Light Magic, casting spells to make his visions come true. With no results, Hyperion is lured toward Dark Forbidden Magic which threatens to steal his mind and corrupt his kindness.

130 pages, ebook

First published April 13, 13

Reviews

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I wouldn’t even count this as a flame but there is a mention of sex with zero details)
Humor: Not much
Perspective: First person from Hyperion/Hades
Cliffhanger: Yes. I suppose the story could end here but it definitely feels like there’s more to come
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read a print book sent by the author

Should I read in order?
Yes – this is the first book of the series, but definitely leaves off on a cliffhanger and should be read in order.

Basic plot:
Hyperion wills a vision to come true of him and Persephone living in love and happiness.

Give this a try if you want:
- Hades/Persephone retelling
- YA feel – it has some dark elements but none of it is too gory
- Low steam – there is mention of sex and kisses but all events are about 1 sentence long with no details
- Hades POV
- A different take on Hades story

First line:
It began in 1690 with a Pomegranate Flower.

My thoughts:
This is a quick read, and definitely fun if you are into mythology retellings. I think I had a different direction in mind for the book so I struggled a touch with it.

The things I loved:
- Loved that it was all from Hyperion/Hades point of view!
- Enjoyed the emotional pull from Hades and everything he was going through
- Liked that this retelling felt a bit different from others I have tried

Things that didn’t work the best for me:
- I was expecting more Hades/Persephone time but Persephone is hardly in the story
- There was a lot of raw emotion without the background build up – the page count is low so the character depth wasn’t strongly developed and I wanted to understand more of the character’s backgrounds
- I was hoping for more romance?

Overall I think I got in my own head for this one about what I was expecting. Still it was a quick and decent read and I would consider reading more of the series when it’s published.

Content warnings:

- Infertility
- Spell casting
- Animal death (purposefully killing a moth for a spell)
- Deceived intimacy/rape – Hyperion changes his form to that of a king and has sex with the queen the claim the child (there are no details)
- Implied eating of corpses


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:

Pg 30 – kiss (short)
Pg 35 – kiss (short)
Pg 48 – a mention that he laid with her
Pg 62 – Hyperion drinks a vial of blood and changes to the body of a king and lays with a queen to claim her child (short)
Total pages: 137

[Selena Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twist on the Hades and Persephone story you don't want to miss.

Read this is in one sitting and I have to say that I did not expect Hades, or Hyperion, to be the character he was from start to finish. So complex with pain and sorrow as his main motivation--but then turning to something sinister in a way.

I appreciate how the lore and myth of the greek gods and goddesses stay true, from familial lines, to magic spells, and the overall history and law that's presented. As an ancient Greek myth geek myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and can't wait to see how Maria continues this tale!

Highly recommend and grateful that I was able to receive an ARC copy of this book!

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I would like to thank the author for the free copy of the book🥰.
This is a really twisted retelling of the story of Persephone and Hades, I enjoyed it SO much. The book is super short but it has a great story development and once you start I can assure you, YOU WON’T STOP READING.
In the middle of the book I was kinda lost with the names of some characters but then I started to understand more and more.
I can’t wait to read the second book in the series, I’m super anxious and excited for the future of this story.
Thank you Maria for trusting this amazing book to me.

[Mael.Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

... " Sometimes life gets too hard for some people"...

I have to say that I loved this book, I did not expect to read a version of the myth of Hades and Persephone, a story of an impossible love that led our main character to give everything for love even though he no longer had his beloved wife And your daughter. A story of sadness and a lot of pain that shows us the story of a villain who sold his soul to the dark side for happiness. Hades wanted a vision of happiness, but fate had different plans.

My congratulations to the author, I am very happy to read this book and it was very addictive, I did not want to stop reading it and I read it in less than 24 hours and I already want to read more.

Dark fantasy, Greek mythology, heartbreak, adventure, prophecy and the sinister world was insane. Personally, I have not read much about Greek mythology and this wonderful book ventured me to read more and I was delighted with the story.

I learned something very important with this book and that is that sometimes we know stories from one perspective, but we do not know other versions of the same story and we judge without having a clear truth.



ESPAÑOL


"A veces la vida se vuelve demasiado difícil para algunas personas"

Tengo que decir que me encantó este libro, no me esperaba leer una versión del mito de Hades y Perséfone, una historia de un amor imposible que llevó a nuestro personaje principal a dar todo por el amor a pesar que ya no tenía a su amada esposa y su hija. Una historia de tristeza y mucho dolor que nos muestra la historia de un villano que vendió su alma al lado oscuro por tener la felicidad. Hades quería una visión de felicidad, pero el destino tenía planes diferente.

Mis felicitaciones a la autora, estoy muy feliz por leer este libro y fue muy adictivo, no quería dejar de leerlo y lo leí en menos de 24 horas y ya quiero leer más.

La fantasía oscura, la mitología griega, el desamor, la aventura, la profecía y el mundo siniestro fue una locura. En lo personal no he leído mucho de mitología griega y este maravilloso libro me aventuró a leer más y quedé encanta con la historia.

Aprendí algo muy importante con este libro y es que a veces sabemos historias desde una perspectiva, pero desconocemos otras versiones de la misma historia y juzgamos sin tener una verdad clara.

[Rebecca Amiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut! I was a beta/advanced reader for this lovely novella. I really enjoyed Maria's storytelling here. I loved learning how Hades came to be. Maria uses such beautiful language that makes you feel as if you are with the characters the entire time. I particularly liked the scenes with the Graeaes. I highly recommend if you're a fan of Greek Mythology and star-crossed love stories.

[Isa (Bookishlifetime) · Rating 3 out of 5]

to come

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only The Beginning is a brand new take on the fabled Hades and Persephone myth. Hades, in love with Persephone, wants nothing more than to see his vision come true - the two of them together, happy and with a child. But fate has other plans. So, Hades turns to dark magic and corrupts his soul.

Let me tell you, this story is AMAZING! Maria’s elegant and descriptive writing style encompasses the beauty of Greek mythology and colorful settings. Her prose flows smoothly, and the details she puts into every scene and encounter bring you right into the story. I love that this is a blend of ancient times and modern day because we get to see the gods and goddesses of old in a new light.

If you’re looking for a new take on the Hades and Persephone myth that stretches from ancient times into the present day, you’ll want to check this out! While this novella is literally only the beginning of the tale, Maria leaves so many doors open for where this story can go next.

[Emily Portman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – fantasy has never been my go-to genre, and it takes a lot to grab me and make me finish reading until the end. It’s rare that happens, but Maria’s words seemed to put me under a spell and captivate every part of me until I read that final page. Her words are magic, enchanting and almost poetic, and the story behind them was one every book lover needs to experience!

I’ve read a LOT of books, especially in recent years, but nothing else quite compares to this one. The author cleverly and seamlessly combines Greek mythology, magic and fantasy with the modern age, introduces us to so many unique and unforgettable characters, and sways our opinions on these characters back and forth to create the ultimate reading experience. I’m so thrilled with how all the author’s ideas have worked in harmony to create such a masterpiece, and I’m genuinely feeling a little desperate for the next book! Five stars without a doubt, and definitely one I’d read again in a heartbeat!

My full review is over on my blog: https://aquintillionwords.com/2021/05...

[Andrés Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and entertaining book. I enjoyed reading from beginning to end. I think the story happens a little bit fast but I like it.

The romance story inside is so cute, but it broke my heart🥺. I suffered too haha.

Also, I really love the book edition. It's beautiful. I need a physical copy rn😅🤩.

Español/Spanish👇🏻

Un libro excelente y entretenido. Disfruté la lectura de principio a fin. Creo que la historia pasó un poquito rápido, pero igual me gustó bastante.

El romance que hay en el libro es muy lindo, pero luego me rompió el corazón💔. Además, sufrí jaja.

También, amé la edición. Es realmente hermosa. Necesito el libro en físico ya😅🤩.

[Jesper Aagaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing author, amazing book

[AnneLouise Mogensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story with many details from the geek mythology.

The author is really getting the points and details out clearly. I love how the story brings images inside my head and creates the scenes, as I was watching a movie.

I will recommand this book to all fantasy, geek mythology and book lovers!

[Maria Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro corto, pero narra una historia que es tanto interesante como original. Nunca había leído el mito de Hades y Persefone desde una perspectiva que incluyera a los titanes y la verdad estoy intrigada para saber cómo será la dinámica de Hades y su Hija.

Recomendado para los amantes de la mitología.

[Nadia Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Very captivating action throughout the book. 5 stars from here :)

[Tommy Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dont really read books at least i hadnt for a long time but this different perspective and fresh look on gods and how to tell a story about them har me powering thru in two sittings great book i would gladly recommend it and i cant wait for the next one

[Adqd Adqd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In August 2018, I was interviewed by Maria Ashen.

Time passed, and I learned that she was also an author, with her own series in mind.

She came to me with many story directive ideas but was curious as to how she should apply them. I originally started helping her as a critique partner, then a proofreader, and soon after, a Writing Coach.

There were many things that Maria's story (I felt) could benefit from. And so, I began dedicating my time to helping Maria shape her story, into something she could love. But more importantly, something that reaped benefits from similar stories, that have done it right.

After two years, Maria managed to rebrand herself as the author of 'The Only' series. This story, is the first of many to come.

Brace yourself for the tone that Hyperion sets for the series. Maria does an extremely well job in describing the thought processes of her characters, the environment for the story, and tone. All while having English as her THIRD language! How incredible is that?

At the end of this, you'll see that this story isn't the end. You'll feel that there HAS to be more to this story.

Luckily for you future readers, this is Only The Beginning.

[My · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Only the beginning” af Maria Ashen er en kortroman og er, så vidt jeg ved, første bog i en kommende serie “The Only Series”.

Handlingen er en genfortolkning af historien om Hades og Persephone, som omhandler deres første møde, hvor Hades endnu ikke er en dødsgud.
Da Hades møder Persephone og forelsker sig får han et syn, der viser dem lykkelige sammen som en lille familie med børn. Det går dog hurtigt ned af bakke herfra i takt med Hades’ forsøg på at virkeliggøre dette syn.

Denne bog var desværre slet ikke noget for mig. Som sagt er bogen en kortroman og med relativt stor skrift virker det som om at handlingen er for stor og kompliceret til at finde sted på så få ord.
Jeg var tit forvirret gennem læsningen og følte desværre ofte at karakterernes motiver og handlemønstre var ubegrundede og nogle gange decideret “out of character” - selvom det kunne være svært at sige da karaktererne i sig selv var så flade at det faktisk var svært at få en fornemmelse for dem.
Handlingen springer også rigtig meget i tid, store events sker på få sætninger og der er en masse huller i plottet, som der ikke bliver samlet rigtigt op på igen - også noget der tyder på at der skulle ske for meget på for få ord.

Bogen virker desværre mest af alt som et resumé af en rigtig, rigtig lang og forvirrende bog.

Der skal altså meget finpudsning til for at det bliver noget for mig, men til allersidst i slutningen virker det til at serien kunne blive interessant senere hen, hvis der kom flere ord, forklaringer og dybere karakterer med.