Greek Mythology Ares

Pittsfield library summer camp focuses on the Alpha Beta Gammas, or ABCs, of ...

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

PITTSFIELD, Ill. -- Don't expect Quinn Corgiat just to curl up with a simple animal story.

"I really like adventure," she said.

The 9-year-old from Pittsfield found just what she wanted in author Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series and a visit to Camp Half-Blood, the training facility made famous in the books and re-created this week at the Pittsfield Youth Library.

The library's annual summer camps "always try to do something kids are already interested in," librarian Deb VanAntwerp said. "Rick Riordan did a very good job in bringing Greek mythology to life. We're just trying to help it along a little."

Separate sessions targeted campers who completed kindergarten through second grade and third through sixth grade.

Campers were sent on quests and learned defense techniques to stay safe from monsters that stalk the demigods and goddesses, the children of mortals and gods, in Percy's world.

Along the way, they learned their Alpha Beta Gammas, or ABCs, about the ancient Greeks, from their architecture to their inventions, all tied into the book series about Percy, who discovers he is not a normal mortal boy but actually a demigod whose father is Poseidon, one of the three major Greek gods. The books trace Percy's summers at Camp Half-Blood, where he learns how to protect himself, meets his future girlfriend and goes on quests.

"We have to have a little bit of fun, too. That's why we have swordfighting," VanAntwerp said. "We do Greek Olympics and a capture-the-flag game. It's a game that's actually played at Camp Half-Blood in the book to teach them about battle. We're going to do the same thing here."

Coming to camp "just sounded like fun," to 11-year-old Joel Cook of Pittsfield, who has read the book series.

"I like Percy. He always kicks butt in battle," Joel said.

Armed with foam swords, campers learned some basics of battle from swordmaster John VanAntwerp.

The first rule, he said, is not to get in a fight in the first place, but if that can't be avoided, then follow the second rule and defend yourself.

The campers practiced attacks and defense, trying their hand at blocking and deflecting the enemy and even taking on the swordmaster. Holding tight to her sword, Quinn lunged forward, pushing her opponent a few steps backward on the grass outside the library.

"The fun part is tricking them into learning," John VanAntwerp said.

Rogue Hunter: Gaia: Into the Abyss, by Kevis Hendrickson | Red ...

Rogue Hunter: Gaia: Into the Abyss , by Kevis Hendrickson, was submitted as a Review Copy to Red Adept Reviews.

Description: (From Amazon Webpage)

ROGUE HUNTER: GAIA: INTO THE ABYSS an original e-book short story, the first in a series that tell the adventures of intergalactic bounty hunter Zyra Zanr and her struggle to maintain order in an increasingly lawless galaxy. INTO THE ABYSS includes an excerpt from ROGUE HUNTER: QUEST OF THE HUNTER and offers a sneak peak into the events of Zyra’s climactic battle against a powerful enemy who is determined to destroy mankind. THE HUNT BEGINS! Zyra Zanr pursues a dangerous fugitive in possession of a mysterious, but deadly weapon. Zyra must recapture this weapon before it is unleashed upon the unsuspecting people of the galaxy. Book 1 of 3.

Overall : 3 stars Plot/Story/Characters: 2 Stars

     This is a very short story. It felt more like the first couple of chapters of a book rather than a complete story.  It was all about setting up the background for a good yarn, and then it cut short. There was no resolution, the climactic scene was a girl-fight including hair pulling, and there was no character development or growth. Readers were introduced to Zyra and her arch nemesis, then left hanging. It feels like an unfinished story, not a cliffhanger, just not finished. The quest was not completed, no portion of the quest was completed.

Writing Style:  4 Stars

    The language used was normal for a science fiction novel. It flowed well, and was easily understandable.

***********************************

From the author, Kevis Hendrickson :

How did you come up with the title?

I think what makes me unusual among a lot of authors is that much of my inspiration comes from video games. There’s an old 16-bit video game which came out in the late 1980’s called Gaiares. The title “Gaiares” is a conjunction of two words taken from Greek mythology: “Gaia” and “Ares”. When I was deciding what my new Rogue Hunter story would be about, I remembered Gaiares and drew inspiration from its title for the plot of my story which is centered around a mythical element called Gaia, which like the Greek Goddess Gaia, is responsible for all life.

There is also the famous quote by Friedrich Nietzsche, “When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks into you” which suggests that the longer one peers at evil, or more specifically, the darker side of human nature, the more the darkness reveals itself to be inside of you. Over the course of the Rogue Hunter series which begins with “Into the Abyss”, the main character Zyra Zanr discovers that in the process of trying to capture the worst felons in the galaxy, she has lost her innocence, and is becoming the very thing she hates. I think Into the Abyss is a very poignant title, since it reflects the nature of Zyra’s true quest which is one of self-discovery and redemption.

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