The Children of Pantathea is a great sci-fi read, Zaphina, the FMC is growing up in the world of Gods. Her mentor known as the Oracle is well respected by Zaphina and all that know her and teaches her apprentice what she needs to know when the time is right.

I like that from the start, you can tell there is something special about Zaphina. When she meets Rafferty, her interest in mechanics grows and she becomes an expert in her field.

Working on the ratatoskrie, a powerful machine that forms a bond with its pilot, Zaphina forms such a strong bond that she seems immune.

The world of Gitaza is a hard place to be, magic is rife, good and bad mix, unsure who to trust in the world. I like books where gods and magic interweave, this is in abundance.

I really liked Rafferty and Timpany as individuals, also Rosie. Sephtis is one to keep an eye on! Hoping this is part of a series from the ending!

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishing team for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

WOW! The Children of Pantathea is an exhilarating blend of fantasy, steampunk, and space opera, set in a richly imagined world where gods walk among mortals and ancient wars still shape the present. Rather than over-explaining, the story reveals its lore, magic, and politics piece by piece, keeping you hooked throughout. Zaphina is a wonderful lead, and starting with her childhood gives real emotional weight to everything that follows — especially her growing bond with Rafferty and her work on the ratatoskrie, a fascinating machine that pairs pilot and machine in unexpected ways. The supporting cast, including Sephtis, Timpany, and her cousins Enkil and Azzalie, all bring something distinct to the story, and a mysterious black cat left me very intrigued for future books. It's more of a slow burn, but never boring — secrets and twists constantly simmer beneath the surface, some I saw coming, others caught me completely off guard. The writing is vivid and assured, the world feels lived-in, and the ending left me desperate for book two.

A brilliant, original start to a promising series — highly recommended for fans of gods, magic, and richly layered worldbuilding.

This was such a unique setting it had me hooked from the start. Super immersive world building, the characters and plot were multi-layered and interesting. Will definitely be reading book 2!

Note to publisher - the Kindle edition was formatted incorrectly with some sentences starting with the first letter and then falling into the next line.

The Children of Pantathea completely immersed me in its world. I love fantasy that slowly unfolds its history and mythology, allowing readers to discover the world alongside the characters, and this book did exactly that. Every new revelation made me even more invested in where the story was headed.

The characters were easy to root for, each bringing their own strengths, flaws, and motivations to the journey. The pacing kept me engaged throughout, balancing action with quieter moments that allowed the relationships and world-building to shine. By the end, I wasn't ready to leave this world and will definitely be looking for more from G.L. Young.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy

The Children of Pantathea completely won me over as a debut! it's a really cool blend of mythology, steampunk, and fantasy, set in a world where gods walk among mortals and old wars still cast a shadow over everything. Starting with Zaphina as a kid gives her whole arc so much emotional weight, and I loved watching her bond with Rafferty grow alongside her fascination with the ratatoskrie, this wild machine that pairs pilot and tech in a way I haven't quite seen before. The world-building unfolds gradually instead of info-dumping, which kept me hooked rather than overwhelmed, and the supporting cast (especially Sephtis and Timpany) all felt distinct and added their own flavor to the story. It's more of a slow burn than a fast-paced romp, but it never dragged for me; there's always some secret or twist simmering under the surface. If I'm nitpicking, a couple of side plot threads felt like they were being set up for later books rather than fully paying off here, which makes sense for a series opener but left me wanting just a touch more closure. I give it 4.5 stars because it's a vivid, original start to what's shaping up to be a great series, and I'm already looking forward to book two.