Graphic Novel Review: ZEUS-KING OF THE GODS

Written and illustrated by George O'Connor, ZEUS: KING OF THE GODS is the first in a graphic novel series entitled "The Olympians" that tells the story of the ancient Greek gods and their mythology. ZEUS: KING OF THE GODS isn't just an origin story about Zeus. It's also an origin story about the creation of the universe and the world according to the ancient Greeks: from Kaos came Gaea (Mother Earth), from Gaea came Ouranos, and from Ouranos & Gaea came Kronos, and from Kronos came Zeus. ZEUS: KING OF THE GODS explains what happened to Zeus' ancestors, how Zeus freed his siblings, and the war that raged between Zeus and Olympians and the Titans. Although tastefully done, the story doesn't shy away from the violence surrounding the creature of the universe. The story is wonderfully illustrated and lends itself well to the visual medium of a graphic novel. At the end of the book, there is a note from the author, some notes about the text, a few charts about various characters in the story (Cyclopes, Metis, and Kronos), a bibliography, and some study questions. Overall, ZEUS: KING OF THE GODS is a great book that anyone with an interest in Greek mythology is sure to appreciate.