Crown of Cinders

This gritty sequel to King’s Wings of Fury brings the battle between the ancient Greek gods to a head, led by confident and decisive Althea, who only recently discovered she’s not a mortal but the Titan goddess Hera, daughter of the brutal Cronos. Learning that Cronos survived their previous encounter, Althea rallies her forces for another attempt to defeat her father. Her allies include her loving sisters, Bronte (really the goddess Demeter) and Cleora (Hestia), and her petulant and impetuous young brother Zeus. After an oracle prophesies that Cronos will not fall unless all of his children are united against him, Althea and her demigod lover, Col. Theo Angelos, search for her two remaining brothers: Poseidon, held prisoner on the enchanted island of Keos, and Hades, hidden in the underworld. Along the way, Althea attracts others to her cause: sun god Helios, moon goddess Selene, and a flurry of Titanesses gathered by her mother, Rhea. Greek myths get a creative makeover with a refreshing female perspective as Althea contends with earthquakes, sorcerers, and monsters from Tartarus, and leads her troops into battle against Cronos’s formidable General Atlas. The strong female characters and enticing mix of romance and adventure make this a winner. Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary. (Oct.)