Combine Greek mythology, a retelling of the trials of Hercules, severely possessive men and the reverse harem trope—anime fans will know—and you get Jasmine Mas’ Blood of Hercules, the first book in the Villains of Lore series. From an academy setting and unique world-building, to hot professors and deadly trials, this fantasy romance has it all!
When we say severely possessive male characters, we mean Zade Meadows and Damon Torrance level of obsession. This dark fantasy is definitely not for the pure or faint of heart, as it turns into a dark romance where everyone wants to make Alexis Hert their own. Kudos to Jasmine Mas for the humorous and engaging writing style as well, definitely a big plus for us!
For our dark romance fans, check out our Haunting Adeline summary, quotes, and characters analysis. And for those daring souls that want to venture into the Devil’s Night series, we recommend our suggested reading order.
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Then again, if you are a romantasy fan at heart, go check What Happens in Onyx Storm, and some of our favorite Sarah J. Maas Theories.
Now, let’s take a closer look at those slightly psychotic characters and get all up in their business. There will be spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned!
It is the year 2090, Spartans have become only a minority of the population, and titan attacks occur every day. Spartans are divided into Olympian and Chthonic Houses, one with the power to heal and protect, while the other can destroy with a touch. WSDL, a task force of Chthonic heirs and warriors, protects the world from titans. Alexis Hert is a foster child, growing up with cruel and uncaring human parents. Her only friend, a snake only she can see. When a new foster child is brought into her family, she vows to protect him. After a series of events that leads to them being left alone and homeless, Alexis will do everything for Charlie, including sitting for a test that reveals she has Spartan blood.
With female Spartan mutts being so rare, she is thought to be the daughter of Zeus and deemed an Olympian. After surviving a massacre, she is then made to do the Crucible to become a full immortal Spartan. Her mentors, Patro and Achilles, despise her or maybe not. Slowly and surely, she climbs to the top of her class and despite Kharon and Augustus’ efforts to deter her, she keeps risking her life for others. An attempt on her life will lead her to discover she is a Chthonic heiress in her own right, and she finds herself betrothed to not only Kharon, but Augustus as well, and desired by Patro and Achilles too—what a lucky gal! Despite being bound forever to two fearsome Chthonic heirs, she is sworn to vengeance and making their lives a living hell.
Spoiler alert, they are all insanely hot and the character art, though limited, pretty mouth watering!
A grenade, ready to explode, is the most accurate representation of Alexis. Mistreated and neglected by her foster parents, she is blind and deaf from her right side—which, surprisingly, nobody knows. Life’s injustice has taught her how to be a survivor at the cost of her physical and mental health. She is a mathematical genius, and tutors kids in her school to get free meals for her and her foster brother. In a random blood test, she is found to have Spartan blood. Malnourished, weak and with a crushed spirit, she is forced to survive a massacre and leave all she has known behind. Her mentors, Patroclus and Achilles, the famous pair of Chthonic mutts, treat her like crap, but slowly open up to her.
Her interactions with Augustus and Kharon, the two full-blooded Cthonics, leave her confused and vulnerable. The realization that she herself is Chthonic—and unbeknownst to her, a murderer—drives her to the edge. When her powers are revealed, the Spartans realize she is the lost daughter of Hades and Persephone, the strongest Chthonic House. Finding herself betrothed to Augustus and Kharon is the cherry on top of a painful era, and despite having no way out of this marriage, she is determined to make them pay. A full Spartan now—after graduating from the crucible—and part of the titan hunting team (WSDL), she plans to bring it on in the next book and make everyone suffer for what they’ve done—and we are so here for it!
Son of Artemis and Erebus, Kharon is half-creature half-Spartan and the full-blooded Chthonic heir of the House of Artemis. His familiars are two ghost hellhounds only visible to him and whoever his used his powers on. He, along with Augustus, were asked to become a part of the Spartan War Academy. Meant to drown the unworthy candidates in the river Styx, he is taken by Alexis immediately.
Kharon is dark, with a no-nonsense attitude, he inspires fear in everyone’s heart, including Alexis. He corners Alexis in the moments she least expects it and reminds her that Chthonic lives matter—hinting at her real heritage. Knowing Alexis’ real identity, he devises a plan to bind her to him for eternity, so he won’t be forced to marry an Olympian. He has been hurt in the past and has a sort of PTSD just like Alexis, but we don’t know any details. He also saves Alexis many a time from life-threatening situations. Does this justify him stalking and forcing Alexis into a marriage? Absolutely not, but in his own twisted ways, he seems to have real feelings for her. After the wedding, we realize he is the “S” in WSDL, standing for Sex, since he can make his partners feel his pleasure—audiobook lovers confirm his voice is living sin as well!
Augustus’ motives are even more peculiar than Kharon’s. War in WDSL, he is the son of Ares and Aphrodite, the heir of the House of Ares and his familiar is a cute raccoon named Pocco. At first, he sees Alexis as someone bringing dishonor to Spartan heiresses, and he is enraged he puts his little sister Helen in danger by participating in the Crucible. However, after Kharon reveals Alexis’ true identity, his annoyance becomes a dark obsession.
Augustus is supposed to be pleasant, wise and the social butterfly of the Chthonics, but not to Alexis. To her, he is mean, judgy and at times a pain in her behind—or in other words, a high-school bully who’s in love with you. His desire for Alexis stems from honor and the need to keep Cthonics powerful and pure-blooded. His smugness can be pretty annoying, and his mind-powers can cripple someone in seconds. Nevertheless, he has been tender and protective of Alexis, and a very generous lover on their wedding night.
The mutt—half-human, half-Spartan—of the House of Aphrodite, Patroclus can tell whether people are lying with just a single touch; hence he is the “L”, Lies, in WDSL. His familiar is a jaguar named Poppae. Patro and Achilles are the Crimson duo, known far and wide for their titan hunting. Patro is very skeptical of Alexis at first, he is arrogant, judgmental, and doesn’t like to share. To his great chagrin, his becoming a General depends on Alexis graduating from the Crucible, who he views as a weak Olympian.
His love and connection with Achilles is his greatest weakness. Seeing Alexis is kind, caring, and intelligent, he starts to care for her as well. When her real identity is discovered, he and Achilles try to protect her, but there is nothing they can do about her betrothal to Kharon and Augustus. They are forced to see her wed them, while having feelings for her, too.
Achilles is the only Spartan who wears a muzzle, not just because he is too feral, but because he can destroy everything with just a word. Patroclus is the only one with a key to his muzzle, and they have both learned sign language to interact. Just like Patro, at first, he feels Alexis is weak and an obstacle to their plans. He has trust issues, especially because of his communication issues.
He tries to protect Alexis, and swears to bring her back to Patro despite her wedding to Kharon and Augustus. He guards his relationship with Patro like a precious jewel, but he is much more reserved than Patro. His eyes are permanently unnervingly red, not just when he uses his powers, which freaks out Alexis a lot.
Alexis’ purple pet snake and her best-friend, Nyx, is snarky, funny, and ready to bite everyone who threatens Alexis. She is also thirsty for a good-looking man, and we can all relate to her commentary of the Spartans.
Alexis’ foster brother, Charlie, is a mystery. Alexis thinks him to be mute, that’s why they communicate using silent language—meaning she understands Achilles perfectly but doesn’t reveal it. However, on several occasions he talks, and he was even brought to her family by a Spartan. So who is he really? Perhaps will get an answer in Bonds of Hercules coming out later this year.
If you like a slow burn romance, this dystopian romantasy is definitely for you. With rapid action, fun interactions and interesting plot twists, it will keep you guessing until the end. If you love Greek mythology and dark romance, we recommend you log into Amazon and give #JasmineMasbooks a chance!
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Alexis, or Hercules, ends up marrying both Kharon and Augustus. After realizing she is a Chthonic heiress, they send her betrothal gifts which she unknowingly accepts, thus trapping her in a betrothal. However, at the end we learn that Patro and Achilles also want to make Alexis theirs.
No, we wouldn’t say so. Blood of Hercules brings a fresh and modern perspective to Greek mythology that is far from the traditional myths. The author does maintain a traditional order, but with many additions and alterations in her lore.
Yes, there is a love triangle in Blood of Hercules. As Kharon points out, he and Augustus have shared partners countless times, so they both go on to tie themselves to Alexis. Apart from a scene in a masquerade ball, we only get a hot and wet glimpse of this love triangle in the first book, but we can safely guess we’ll see much more of it in the second book of the series.
Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
