Andrew J. Peters' "Banished Sons of Poseidon"

[Ulysses]

“Banished Sons of Poseidon” is the sequel to Andrew J. Peters’ novel “The Seventh Pleiade.” It is a high-concept YA saga like the “Gregor the Overlander” series by Suzanne Collins, but with a strong LGBT theme that suits its setting in pre-historic antiquity. Although the plot continues the chronicle begun in the first volume, there is a striking difference in the entire feel of the second book. Peters writes with an apparent ease and narrative authority that was hampered in the first book by clumsy language. It’s as if he was trying too hard, and has in this book simply let the story flow and the characters grow for the second go-round.

Prince Aerander of Atlantis plays second fiddle in this book; this is Damianos’ story. Aerander’s cousin, Dam is an orphan and a poor relation to the house of Atlas. Pushed apart by circumstance, Dam and Aerander now face a new challenge in the underworld, where the survivors of Atlantis’ destruction must both fend for themselves and find some kind of future for their kingdom. Because he was slandered and cast aside by the royal family, Dam has trouble trusting anyone, including himself. Peters focuses on this boy and his feelings of inadequacy and guilt. We watch him grow and develop as challenges are hurled his way, and that gradual transformation is what makes this story compelling and moving. Moreover, Peters has written a plot that is action-filled and gripping, richly seasoned with his understanding of ancient mythologies.