Golden Fleece Stolen

Lady Demiartes is back! And this time it is her pupil Aspyritus, the teenaged daughter of wealthy Hellenic parents during the reign of Zeus, who is in need of an important life-lesson.

Through Demiartes, author Ryan Foley once again seamlessly bridges the gap between the mundane concerns of mortals and the enigmatic actions of the all-mighty Powers high atop Mount Olympus. I've greatly enjoyed all of Ryan's work on Campfire's Greek Mythology series, but Stolen Hearts: The Love of Eros and Psyche is perhaps his most powerful mythic (and human) story yet.

The tale of Eros and Psyche is remarkable as it shines a light on the initiatic path of attaining godhood. Sankha Bannerjee does an awesome job of breathing life into the adventure and the mytho-spiritual world it unfolds in.

Psyche, the human soul, is granted a divine blessing at birth. Alas, In the human sphere being exceptional or 'standing out' can often seem like a burden or a curse instead of a boon.

Those closest to you will not embrace you as you are but berate you for not being as they wish you to be. You may be ostracized or exiled by them.

At times Heaven itself may seem out to get you. However, through your travails you may discover self-love, inner peace and self acceptance. You finally feel blessed as you flex your creative muscles, your dreams start manifesting and your personal world becomes a better place.

You wish to share your good fortune with those closest to you but unused to the heights, and jealous of your attainments, they will seek to diminish you and drag you back to their reality - a reality in which you do not measure up to the norm and are the object of derision.

Familiar with victimization and self-doubt, you may begin to distrust your inner bliss. This may cause you to eventually lose it. Once lost, it will seem like you are forsaken and that it is not possible to reclaim the heights of elation you once enjoyed and comfortably dwelt in.

But tackling the impossible seems to open the door to unexpected (and sometimes seemingly miraculous) assistance, demonstrating that you are not truly forsaken.

It may take some doing but if you persist despite the odds against you, face all your fears and trust that your road will ultimately lead you there, you will reignite your Passion and attain to your full expression. You must lose your self to realize your Self, and the catalyst is Love.

Wow! All this and more in a graphic novel!

Of personal interest to me and my own personal Quest: Heracles makes a brief appearance, and the golden rams of Poseidon (one of which featured prominently in the tale of Jason and the Argonauts) also appear in this awesome story.

Bravo Ryan Foley, Sankha Banerjee and Campfire for bringing us such a wonderfully told, illustrated and polished graphic novel!

Onwards!

Hercules Invictus

A Comment by Author Ryan Foley

When I set out to write LEGEND: THE LABORS OF HERACLES, I came upon what I call a “universal truth.” Universal Truths are rare. If you look at BACK TO THE FUTURE, Marty gets to go back in time and see his parents when they were teenagers. That is part of the appeal of the movie. Everyone wonders what their parents were like when they were their age. So, I was lucky enough to find one in LEGEND. What would give for one more conversation with someone lost to death?

With STOLEN HEARTS, I found another truth. True love is not found. It is forged. Anyone can fall in love when she is sauntering about in lingerie. That’s easy. Can you stay in love when that person is sick? Can you forgive when they have wronged you? Can you continue on? Can you fight back for what you believe in? That’s what I found in STOLEN HEARTS and that’s why it is still one of the stories I am most proud of.

Larger Than Life Living in the World Today
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