Hades: Lord of the Dead (Olympians #4)

by George O'Connor (Author) George O'Connor (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: Olympians

Volume 4 of the highly acclaimed Olympians series!

Hades: Lord of the Dead tells the story of the great God of the Underworld and one of the most famous of all Greek myths: Hades' abduction of Persephone and her mother's revenge. Be prepared to see a new side of Persephone in this dynamic adaptation of the story of the creation of the seasons.

In Olympians, O'Connor draws from primary documents to reconstruct and retell classic Greek myths. But these stories aren't sedate, scholarly works. They're action-packed, fast-paced, high-drama adventures with monsters, romance, and not a few huge explosions. O'Connor's vibrant, kinetic art brings ancient tales to undeniable life in a perfect fusion of super-hero aesthetics and ancient Greek mythology. This title has Common Core connections.

Hades is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012

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Kirkus

Starred Review
An outstanding addition to a first-rate series.

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up--O'Connor explores the story of overprotective Demeter; her spirited daughter, Kore (aka Persephone); and Hades, Lord of the Dead. This retelling will encourage readers to think about these characters' motivations, see how and why each of them was conflicted, and empathize with their struggles. This book is atmospheric, with descriptions and images of the Underworld that are so captivating that readers will pore over those pages again and again. O'Connor's illustrations, filled with lots of color and haunting illuminations, are well suited to this exciting story and will attract even the most reluctant readers. Several resources for curious readers, including an Olympian family tree, character profiles, endnotes, and lists of recommended books and websites, are included. An author's note explains that it's technically Demeter, not Hades, who is the Olympian, but since the story is about three mythical characters, he decided to put Hades front and center because he would be the biggest draw.--Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"The writing is well done, the story line is interesting and moves quickly, the characters are colorful, and this adventure is exciting." —Children's Literature

"O'Connor's artwork remains as strong as ever, especially in the glorious illustrations of the underworld." —VOYA


George O'Connor
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 Gods. 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.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781596434349
Lexile Measure
710
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
First Second
Publication date
January 31, 2012
Series
Olympians
BISAC categories
JUV008000 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | General
JUV022020 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, & Fables | Greek & Roman
Library of Congress categories
United States
Comic books, strips, etc
Cartoons and comics
Gods, Greek
Hades (Greek deity)
Young Hoosier Book Award
Nominee 2015 - 2015

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