Apollo: The Brilliant One (Olympians Series #8)

by George O'Connor

Overview

George O’Connor’s vibrant, kinetic art brings ancient tales to life in the New York Times Bestselling series The Olympians. This fusion of super-hero aesthetics and ancient Greek mythology is perfect for fans of Percy Jackson!

From high atop Olympus, the nine Muses, or Mousai, recount the story of the powerful and quick-tempered Apollo, the Brilliant One. Born of a she-wolf and Zeus, King of Gods, Apollo is destined for the greatest of victories and most devastating of failures as his temper, privilege, and pride take him into battle with a serpent, into love with a beautiful but unattainable nymph, and into deadly competition with his best friend. Watch closely as Apollo navigates the tumultuous world in which he lives. Will he rise above the rest and fulfill his destiny as the son of Zeus, or will he falter, consumed by his flaws and destroy all that he touches?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626720152
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	01/26/2016
Series:	Olympians , #8
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	9 - 14 Years

About the Author

George O'Connor is the New York Times–bestselling author of Olympians, the series of graphic novels featuring the tragic, dramatic, and epic lives of the Greek Pantheon and its counterpart featuring the Norse Gods, the series Asgardians. His first graphic novel, Journey into Mohawk Country, pushed the boundaries of the genre, using as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert. He also illustrated acclaimed playwright Adam Rapp’s Ball Peen Hammer. He teamed up with writer Daniel G. Newman on Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy, the first volume in the World Citizen Comics series. George is also the creator of popular picture books such as the New York Times–bestselling Kapow! and If I Had a Triceratops. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/01/2016
Gr 4 Up—Narrated by the nine Mousai, or muses, who were worshipped alongside the brilliant son of Zeus, the eighth entry in O'Connor's masterful graphic novel series continues in the tradition of his previous "Olympians" tales. Starting off with Hera's pursuit of Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis, and Zeus's lover, the muses relate different myths, each fleshing out a different aspect of the god of light's personality and legend. From his many charms and character flaws to his often failed romances, Apollo is presented as the most human of the Greek gods. Telling his story through the muses' perspectives is a successful device that O'Connor employs—each of them share a story that is in tune with their area of expertise. For example, Erato, the muse of mimicry and love poetry, recites a poem about Hyacinth, the prince of Sparta, who was caught in a love triangle with Apollo and Zephyros. Within this tale, some of the panels feature her miming some of the particulars. It is details like these, plus the creator's in-depth research, matter-of-fact and humorous tone, and expressive and dynamic art that continue to make each entry in this series a must-have. The variation of panels and the alternating dark and light-infused color palette add to the work's overall pacing and appeal. VERDICT A shining example of a graphic novel that educates and entertains.—Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

"A shining example of a graphic novel that educates and entertains." —School Library Journal, starred review

"As in previous series entries, the backmatter includes commentary, analysis, reading lists, and discussion questions. Apollo's darker tendencies overshadow his divine radiance here but, as usual, make better tales." —Kirkus Review

From the Publisher

2015-11-11
O'Connor makes out his latest Olympian as a tragic hero "who has had many loves, but whose loves seldom prosper." To say the least. No sooner are the frowning lad and his twin sister, Artemis, welcomed to Olympus by their father, Zeus, than Apollo is off to avenge his mother, Leto. He riddles Python, the humongous serpent who had harried Leto at Hera's instigation, with fiery arrows. He then proceeds himself to harry the virgin nymph Daphne until she is transformed into a laurel, gruesomely flense the satyr Marsyas for claiming to be a better musician, kill his bosom buddy Hyacinth, prince of Sparta, with a misguided discus, and get Artemis to shoot the unfaithful mother of his own not-yet-born son, Asklepios. Finally, he later sees his miraculously rescued son himself killed for creating, as Hades puts it, "a glitch in the system" by healing so many mortals. These and other incidents are narrated, sometimes in Classical meter or rhymed prose, by the nine worshipful Muses—lissome figures who pose and dance gracefully through the panels, then gather at the end to explain why their immortal patron's unique blend of gifts and faults is profoundly inspirational: "The most divine god is also the most human." As in previous series entries, the backmatter includes commentary, analysis, reading lists, and discussion questions. Apollo's darker tendencies overshadow his divine radiance here but, as usual, make better tales. (Olympian family tree) (Graphic mythology. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews