Labors of an Epic Punk

by Mark and Sheri Dursin

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GENRE:   YA Fantasy, Myth Retelling

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BLURB:

Mac is an epic punk. No wonder: after his dad went off to fight in the Trojan War and never came back, 
Mac spent his childhood evading his mom's scumbag suitors—all one-hundred-and-eight of them. 
Of course, he turned out this way—a moody, friendless sixteen-year-old who blows off work, 
alienates everyone at school, and pulls pranks. But when he trains a flock of birds to defecate on the 
headmaster, Mac (short for Telemachus) goes too far. The administrators give him an ultimatum: 
prove that he's truly the son of Odysseus by doing something heroic—or get out. 
A school story that just so happens to take place 3,000 years ago, Labors of an Epic Punk is a tale 
of friendship and transformation, regret and redemption, and a reminder to us all that even heroes 
need to survive adolescence.

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EXCERPT

At that moment, Mac felt a prickling sensation as the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood 
on end. Instinctively, he shouted, “Get down!” as he threw himself and Homer into the sand. 
He looked up to see a single arrow buzz over their heads.

“Homer!” A voice—gruff, but unmistakably female—boomed through the courtyard. 
“How many times do I have to tell you? Stop following me!”

Mac looked in disbelief down at Homer, pinned underneath him. “I said I knew her,” Homer shrugged. 
“I didn’t say we were best friends or anything.” As they both stood up, Homer called out to their secret 
attacker, in a lame attempt to sound chummy, “Hey, Andie! What’s up?”

“How did you find me? Did you follow me? Did my roommate tell you? She told you, didn’t she? 
I’m gonna kill her!”

Homer glanced nervously at Mac before calling out, “So, what are you doing way out here?”

“Why should I tell you?” the mystery girl shouted back. Meanwhile, Mac’s eyes flew around, 
trying to determine the source of this shouting. As he squinted, he could make out someone, 
silhouetted against the sun, half-hiding at the top of one of the stone towers.

“Now, get out of here,” the voice called out. “This is my beach!”

“Well, OK, but first, how ‘bout you come on down?” Homer continued. “My friend and I want to ask you 
something.”

“You don’t have any friends, you freak!”

“As a matter of fact, I just made one. Come on down, I’ll introduce you.”

My Review
Labors of an Epic Punk is a fun read that will keep readers engaged and rooting for Mac throughout the entirety of the story.

The story is about Mac, a teenage boy in high school, but the only difference is, the story is set in the past (post-Trojan War times). Mac is a bit of a class clown, but his latest prank ends up being the straw that breaks the camels back, if you will. Mac is given one last chance to prove he deserves to be at the school; he must prove he's a hero like his father, Odysseus.

Mac teams up with his new friend, Homer (!!!), and together, they set off on a quest, picking up a few other new friends along the way, to show everyone just what a hero Mac can be.

Unfortunately, things aren't quite that simple, and Mac's quest ends up becoming an epic adventure that showcases just how important friendship and self-discovery can be.

I really enjoyed Labors of an Epic Punk. I've always been fond of/fascinated with Greek mythology, and mythology in general, and this book is just so easy to read, as well as entertaining. The characters have depth, the world building makes you feel like you've been transported back in time, and the emotion elicited from the words makes it one of my top favorite books I've read this year.

I'm really hoping there will be more with Mac, Homer, and the rest of the gang. The ending left me wanting many more adventures, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be another book featuring these characters.

I'm giving Labors of an Epic Punk 4.5 stars. Check it out!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

For many years Mark, a high school English teacher, and Sheri, a freelance writer and blogger, 
wrote independently. No matter the writing project—newspaper articles, retreat talks, 
college recommendation letters, fan-fiction, blog posts on spirituality or 80s pop songs—
they tended to work alone. Separate rooms, separate computers. But raising their twin sons helped 
them discover an important truth: All Good Things Come in Twos.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Mark and Sheri Dursin will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly 

drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway