obtained a assessment copy from the writer. This doesn’t have an effect on the contents of my assessment and all opinions are my very own.

Sporting the Lion by John Wiswell

Mogsy’s Score: 4 of 5 stars

Style: Fantasy, Mythology

Collection: Stand Alone

Writer: DAW (June 17, 2025)

Size: 384 pages

Writer Data: Web site

After my first expertise with John Wiswell ended up being a bust—I truly DNFed Somebody You Can Construct a Nest In—I wasn’t certain his model was going to work for me. However Sporting the Lion caught my consideration with its Greek mythology inspiration, and I’m glad I gave it a shot as a result of this one undoubtedly clicked!

A reimagining of the Heracles fantasy, the novel follows each Heracles and Hera in alternating POV chapters. Hera, lengthy fed up with Zeus’s countless affairs, reaches a breaking level with the start of the toddler demigod Heracles, who’s yet one more reminder of her husband’s philandering methods. Unable to punish Zeus the way in which she desires, she decides to channel her resentment towards his favored new child son as an alternative. Nevertheless, the irony is that Heracles would develop as much as change into one in every of her most devoted followers, believing her to be the one deity worthy of his worship.

But Hera stays unappeased, rising more and more agitated every time Heracles manages to outlive her schemes or flip them to his benefit. Ultimately, in a second of impulsive cruelty, she goes too far. Heracles is pushed briefly mad because of her actions and, in his confusion, kills his personal youngsters. Devastated and determined to know why this occurred to him, he units off searching for solutions and revenge, sure solely {that a} god is accountable, although he would have by no means suspected his beloved goddess. Racked with guilt however unable to come clean with her mistake, Hera tries to mislead him by sending him on a wild goose chase to slay a bunch of monsters. However Heracles, heartsick and unwilling to take any extra lives, defies expectations and makes them his allies as an alternative. Collectively, he and his crew of monsters got down to uncover the reality behind what occurred, whilst Hera runs out of causes and methods to take duty for what she has executed.

Quite than merely rehashing the acquainted story of Heracles’ Labors, Sporting the Lion gives a contemporary and engaging reinterpretation of the parable, turning it on its head. As a substitute of embracing the violence and brute power usually related to the hero, this model of Heracles chooses empathy over rage, forging sudden bonds with the very creatures he’s been despatched to destroy. However the guide additionally invests a substantial amount of time and a spotlight at the start to assist readers perceive why Heracles may method his duties this manner, utilizing them as a path to course of his overwhelming grief and guilt. The result’s a narrative that feels each tender and subversive, bringing heat and introspection in a approach that’s usually comforting, but at occasions the emotional weight can even make this novel coronary heart wrenchingly troublesome to learn.

Maybe that’s why I discovered the quantity of humor stunning—as a result of there’s truly numerous it. From the very starting, Sporting the Lion adopts a wry, understanding tone that provides a layer of lightness to an in any other case heavy narrative. Hera’s voice is especially sharp, sardonic, and infrequently hilarious, particularly when she directs her exasperation in the direction of the opposite gods, together with Zeus, whom she refers to as her “dipshit husband.” In distinction, Heracles’ POV is far more grounded and subdued, reflecting the load of the sorrow he carries, however even then, there are moments of levity peeking by means of. The Nimean Lion named Purrseus, anybody?

That mentioned, the novel wasn’t with out its tough patches. I discovered the center part to be the weakest, the place Heracles’ spiraling grief and Hera’s ongoing guilt and denial began to really feel repetitive. The plot stalled a bit throughout this stretch, spinning its wheels across the identical matters with out a lot ahead motion. Moreover, a lot of the guide is written in second particular person, which I confess is just not at all times my cup of tea. With the twin POVs and the occasional ambiguity round which “you” the characters could be addressing, it continuously obtained complicated.

Even so, I like John Wiswell’s willingness to take dangers and get somewhat bizarre. Balancing grief with humor isn’t any straightforward feat, however Put on the Lion one way or the other pulls it off with coronary heart and creativity. Greek mythology being the crowded area it’s, there’s no scarcity of conventional retellings if that’s what you’re in search of. However for one thing quirkier and extra emotionally nuanced than the same old fare, you may need to test this one out. With its emphasis on discovered household, compassion, and therapeutic over conquest, it’s a refreshingly offbeat tackle an previous story.