Fall Reading 2013 Hit the Road, Helen!

Hit the Road, Helen! by Kate McMullan is the story of the Trojan War as explained by Hades. It is very entertaining. He says that his brother Zeus is to blame for the whole war and that he lets Helen get blamed because he's such a coward. There are many funny things about the book. The steeds that pull Hades' chariot are named Harley and Davidson. He likes to watch wrestling on his TV, with matches between cyclops and other creatures. Cupid calls one of his arrows the Smoochie Woochie. Hades earns frequent flyer miles zipping around trying to prevent the war and then trying to end it. His wife convinces him to cash in the miles to take a cruise and they meet Thor on board the ship.

There is also a "Quick-and-Easy Guide to Myths" in the back of the book. It provides the names of many famous characters from the story, how to pronounce them and some information on who they are. There's a glossary for a few of the more challenging words and some ideas for discussion topics. There is a whole series of these books called Myth-O-Mania. Helen's story is the latest addition to the series, but there are also books about Hercules, Theseus, Medusa, and other mythological figures.

If you like funny versions on famous stories, or like to hear a story told from a very different point of view - you will probably enjoy this very much.  Or, if you like Kate McMullan's style in her other books like the Drag no Slayers'  Academy, then you should give this one a try. 

The author's website has tells about the series and her other books. There is also a video trailer for Hades' own story on YouTube. You can check out the publisher's website for more information  on the series.



I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley, but the book will go on sale September 2, 2013.