Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)

Mas draws extensively upon elements of Greek mythology to construct the world depicted in Blood of Hercules, but although many of her characters bear the names of famous Greek heroes and deities, she reinterprets their affiliations and origins. A prime example occurs in the origin story of the protagonist, Alexis Hert, who was born with the name Hercules. In Greek mythology, Hercules (or Heracles) is the son of Zeus (the god of thunder) and a mortal woman named Alcmene. As a demigod, Hercules becomes famous for his immense strength and his successful completion of the Twelve Labors—a set of impossible tasks set by King Eurystheus. In Mas’s version, Hercules is born as the daughter of Hades and Persephone and is lost at birth. Known as Alexis, her powers are derived from her blood, but similar to the classical version of Hercules, she must complete a series of trials set forth by the Spartan Federation.

Other characters, such as Zeus and Hades, have a stronger similarity to their mythological counterparts. While the original version of Zeus is the leader of all the gods and has a habit of pursuing women and fathering many children, Mas’s version of Zeus, while equally promiscuous, leads the Olympian faction of immortals in Sparta and presides over the Spartan Federation. Likewise, although the original Hades is Zeus’s brother and the lord of the Underworld, Mas alters his origins to make him the most respected Spartan in the Chthonic faction instead. The term “chthonic” refers to something that is of the earth and alludes to the underworld, but in Mas’s world, Hades does not have a specific domain to oversee. However, he is still married to Persephone, who is the daughter of the goddess Demeter in the original myth. In Mas’s version, Persephone is depicted as a sentient creature with specific powers.

Additional references to the ancient Greek mythos can also be found In Mas’s inclusion of the character Kharon. Originally, the mythical Charon serves as the ferryman who waits to escort the souls of the dead across the River Styx—as long as they have paid their passage with two drachma, the coins customarily placed on the eyelids of the dead. In Mas’s version, Kharon watches over the initiates from a boat as they swim across the River Styx.

However, one of the most significant differences between the original mythology and Mas’s world building can be found in her altered version of Kronos (or Chronos). The original Chronos is understood to be the personification of time, but his story evolved over the centuries, and he eventually became known as the leader of the Titans, Cronus, who is the father of Zeus and his siblings. The myth of Cronus famously relates that he eats all his children upon hearing a prophecy that one of them will overthrow him. However, his wife, Rhea saves the infant Zeus, who later returns to defeat his father and save his siblings. He then incarcerates Cronus in Tartarus (according to Homeric texts) or Nyx’s cave (according to the Orphic poems). Within the context of Blood of Hercules, it is not yet clear whether Mas refers to the original personification of time, to the Titan, or to both, but in any case, the Kronos of her narrative is a supreme, godlike figure whose name is often invoked in common expressions such as “Oh my Kronos,” “Kronos saves us,” or “Holy Kronos.”