JOSHUA A LANDEROS

In ‘Pantheon’ the reader follows two major characters who despite coming from different locations, have a connection that the reader gets to love later in the book. Athaliah Sowell is an exceptional character. She is the child of a war hero and despite having a father who was part of the people that brought freedom to their land, Athaliah has a different mindset from the rest. She is the first child of her father and so she understands the responsibility that comes with being the first kid. On the other end, we have Yaphet. For a long time, Yaphet has been treated unjustly by his community. He has been denied access to some things just because of his oddities. What I liked about Yaphet was his resilience despite the unfair treatment he got. He put his eyes on the prize and always thought ahead. How do these two characters who seem polar opposite connect?

‘Pantheon’ is an intriguing and fascinating book that will have readers that enjoy fantasy, drama, adventure, action, and horror appreciate Joshua Landeros’ writing. Every chapter is uniquely written and new characters are peculiarly and nicely revealed. I like Joshua Landeros’ arrangement of the book as it makes the reading smooth and easy to follow. ‘Pantheon’ is the kind of book that you read once and wish to read again days later because of how good the story is. Joshua Landeros knows how to capture the reader’s attention through minute things like attention to detail when describing characters and events, names of characters, and contrast in their roles.

Gorgeous worlds and intricate characters with intertwining destinies: these very crucial pieces of Joshua Landeros’ book Pantheon help set the stage for his next series. We follow not one, but two main characters in this first installment: a strong female lead in Athalia and an equally strong character in Yaphet. Their origins couldn’t be more different, but their destination seems tied together. Those who might be concerned about the genre shift for Landeros can put those fears behind: he’s still a master craftsman when it comes to weaving a sophisticated and fascinating tale.
Landeros is well known for his Reverence series which can only be described as a saga. His penchant for writing deep characters and keeping a reader engaged over such a long period of time is sure to pay off as he ventures into a more fantasy-adventure-type tale. While this is the first installment it is clear that his skills in building an entire world and filling it with real, complex characters are sure to be put to great use. It’s exciting to have him back writing again and even more so that he’s taking this change of genre. This first installment is definitely proof that Landeros is a man unbound by genre boundaries.
It’s complicated to have two leads in a singular novel; especially two leads that come from very different origins. Keeping their story lines straight, their accompanying supporting characters and tying them together can be extremely difficult. It will be interesting to see how far Athalia (Atty) and Yaphet will go in their character development and just how much Landeros pre-plans his books, or if his books write themselves. Just from this volume alone it feels like Landeros is in it for the long haul again: he beings with such soft, unobtrusive ways to build the world around his characters before allowing them to carry on the building and explanation. There is no waste in his writing: every thing, every character has a purpose and they play their parts well.
If you are looking for an exciting fantasy-adventure tale then you have arrived at the right book. With beautiful descriptions Joshua Landeros unveils the beginnings of a wonderful adventure in Pantheon. Following up his own impressive saga of Reverence is not going to be easy. There is a lot of anticipation and expectation put on him now as a writer. Here’s hoping that Landeros can live up to his own reputation. If you’re a first time reader of Landeros, you have definitely picked the right author to being an epic journey with.

For anyone looking to delve into a rich and beautifully crafted world, complete with fascinating characters and a deep storyline, Pantheon, by Joshua Landeros, is well worth a read. If you are looking for a quick rating, I’d give this book 5 out 5 stars. Here’s why:
Pantheon is clearly a story written by a writer with an eye for detail and a love of creation. A fact that is clearly evident from the first pages to the last. Landeros does a wonderful job allowing his characters’ lives to unfold before you in a natural way that feels surprisingly real, despite the obvious break from reality that the story requires. As a result, it is easy to get attached to the characters which is always a great feature of an adventure story.
One thing that really stood out to me was how much time and effort the author took to build the setting of Pantheon. The world that the author builds is so well developed that it feels like it could be a real place. The included maps help with that, but the unique features and details given to the various regions provide an excellent backdrop for the story that unfolds on Sebel.
The story, by the way, is quite dark and involves the intertwining of two different characters, from two different worlds. It’s hard to say which of these ‘main’ characters I liked more because they are both so unique, but it is impressive how the two end up in one another’s lives.
If there is a sequel to Pantheon, I will be sure to read it. I really enjoyed reading this one and I am sure that the author, Joshua Landeros, has a few more adventures lined up for Athaliah and Yaphet.