Myth and Science Interwoven into a Story that Spans Both Worlds

“What we believe is like water, always changing, ever flowing.”

Lykaia

Stats

Paperback, 272 pages

Published December 3rd 2012 by Lir Press (first published August 30th 2012)

ASIN

B00UEQFHZS

Edition Language

English

Series Sophia Katsaros #1

Book Synopsis

“We are the terrors that hunt the night.And we have never been human”

In Greek mythology there’s a story of King Lykaonas of Arcadia and his fifty sons who were cursed by the father of the gods, Zeus, to become wolves. The very first Lycanthropes.

Forensic pathologist, Sophia Katsaros, receives a cryptic phone call from Greece telling her that her brothers are missing and leaves to search for them. With the help of Illyanna, her brother’s girlfriend, Sophia examines the evidence but cannot accept a bizarre possibility: Has one or both of her brothers been transformed during the Lykaia, the ceremony where Man is said to become Wolf?

Who is Marcus, a dark stranger that both repels and excites her? And what is the real story behind the 5000 year old curse of King Lykaonas?

My Thoughts…

Lykaia by author Sharon Van Orman’s is a story about the importance of family. It is a world where science and magic coexist equally. The first book of the series is Lykaia and is a much deserved SPFBO semi-finalist.

The story swirls around the life of a forensic pathologist, Sophia Katsaros. Sophia, after a long day of work, receives a call that her younger brothers have gone missing while on a trip to Greece. Very much in the vein of the forensic scientist that she is, Sophia sets out to discover where her brothers are and save them if necessary. What comes about is a combination of family drama, mystery, intrigue, and just a touch of horror.

Van Orman keeps up a breakneck pace most of the novel, bouncing the reader from situation to situation in a quest for Sophia to find her brothers. But unlike many books in this genre, the pace never feels exhausting — quite the opposite. I spent much of the novel trying to keep myself from tearing into future pages because I wanted to know what was happening so bad.

The real strength of the story is how Van Orman weaves important plot points together of both science and magic. She draws the reader in by latching it onto reality and science, and then adds in the fantasy giving everything a plausibility that is entertaining and it makes the book unputdownable Most werewolf-based stories are either one or the other and usually not in a plausible way. Lykaia does both beautifully. Werewolves could exist in this world; they may be your neighbor or tour guide. They might even be your worst villain or stalwart ally.

Anything is possible.

Sharon Van Ormen is a fabulous writer who did something remarkable, made an urban fantasy novel with werewolves feel fresh and new. It is a tired idea that she breathed new life in to. I highly recommend this story, I enjoyed the hell out of it and cannot wait to see what happens in the next books.