Published: Aug. 12, 2012
Words: 108,614 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781452448435

Short description

Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos (the god of sleep) and Thanatos (the god of death). She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world. Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart.

Extended description

Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos (the god of sleep) and Thanatos (the god of death). She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world.

Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her.

The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive.

Tags

fiction, romance, adventure, young adult, novel, greek mythology, teen fiction

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Videos

New Book Trailer
Here's the official book trailer for The Gatekeeper's Sons, the first book of the Gatekeeper's Trilogy.

Reviews

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Review by: Rose Wilcox on April 02, 2013 :
Very easy read, quite enjoyable!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: nicole kellman on March 19, 2013 :
"No one - human or god - had ever touched him like that.. Only now did he become aware of what he was missing."

When Therese Mills kisses Thanatos, the Greek god of death, in a near-death dream state, it rocks him to his core. Undone by the feelings Therese's kiss evokes in him, Than makes it his mission to find her and help her avenge her parents' murders. It is his goal to make her a goddess and his eternal bride.

The Gatekeeper's Sons is a book unlike any other. It chronicles the love story of Therese and Than while exploring the intricacies of the dealings between the Gods and Godesses on Mount Olympus. Author, Eva Pohler, has created a story in which a modern, teenage girl captivates Death, making him realize even he deserves to know happiness. Mrs. Pohler weaves this beautiful love story through the intrigue and action involved when hunting down murderers on an international stage. The span of emotions in this story ranges from sadness to happiness and all that falls between. Readers get a glimpse into the world of ancient Greek deities and the fragility of their relationships with each other. It is an adventure into the modern day and into Greek Mythology that will thrill and entertain readers of any age.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Alisa Ables on March 18, 2013 :
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love nothing more than a great series that I can really sink my teeth in to and I think this series will end up being one of my favorites. The Gatekeeper's Sons draws you in right from the start and has enough twists and turns to keep you enthralled all the way to the end. Not to mention building a love story that is so powerful but at the same time remains innocent enough for a young adult book.
The book starts out with the murder of Therese’s parents and Therese’s near death experience. In this book the traditional Western view of heaven and hell have been replaced by the Greek myth of the afterlife. In the Greek tradition souls of the deceased are escorted by Thanatos, or Death as he is sometimes called, to the underworld where they are transported for judgment and placement in to paradise or in to ‘hell’ where they are tormented forever. When Therese’s parents are killed she is close enough to death herself that she is able to follow the souls of her parents to the underworld. Therese believes she is dreaming the entire thing so when she meets Hip (Hypnos, god of dreams) and his brother Thanatos (Than for short) she has no problem being forward and she wraps Than in a huge hug and gives him a big kiss. No big deal for the girl that is dreaming but to Than that kiss changes his world completely. Than’s job as Death means that he rarely has any interaction with anyone other than dead souls and Charon, the man who ferries the souls down the river. Suddenly Than feels drawn to Therese and know that he wants to always be near her. He gets his father, Hades, to allow him to travel to the mortal world in order to win Therese’s love.
I had so much fun reading about all of Than’s experiences of being mortal. You can’t help but feel sorry for him because of his destiny. What a horrible existence he must have had before Therese came in to his life. Imagine an eternity of escorting the dead to the underworld and living there. Than describes it almost like living in a cave, no suns, no stars, no wind, nothing that we humans take for granted. You long for him to be with Therese so that he can finally have some joy in his life.
Therese is like the perfect girl that doesn’t know how great she is. She is always more worried about others, loves animals and nature and is so giving and loving. It is no wonder Than wants to be with her. She is such a great person that she ends up garnering the favor of many on Mount Olympus and most of the gods and goddesses are rooting for her and Than to get together. Between her the strange experiences Than brings in to her life and the drama of her parents murder her life becomes very interesting but Therese is able to see how strong she can be and continues to fight for her and Than to be together and for the safety of her family.
There was only one thing that I did not completely love about the book and that is Than’s sisters, The Furies. Anyone that knows anything about Greek mythology will know how scary The Furies are and this book does not disappoint when it comes to these characters. The Furies are sent to earth to help find out who killed Therese’s parents. They do not operate under any rules when hunting down criminals so their methods of gaining information can be a bit intense and disturbing. They do get the job done quite easily with these methods so I do see why the author chose to write their encounters the way she does. Just know that these scenes may be a little intense for younger teen readers.
I have been given book two to read and review also so I am anxiously waiting to get in to the book. It is killing me that I have other books lined up first but I am trying to be a good girl and read those first even though book two is calling to me. Keep a watch out for that review as I am sure I will love book two just as much if not more.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Nancy Lindley on March 18, 2013 :
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

So. Therese, a 15 year old, watches her parents die. While unconscious and hovering near death, she meets Hades' sons, Hypnos, god of sleep, and Thanatos, god of death. Though she believes she is experiencing a lucid dream, her experiences are real. While in this unconscious state, she kisses Than, the first one to do so, as most mortals - and even immortals - fear him because of his role in the world. Unable to stop thinking about the girl, Than convinces his father to allow him 40 days as a mortal to win the girl's heart and convince her to return to the Underworld as his queen. But there's one catch: To prove she's worthy, Therese must personally avenge her parents' murders. The book climaxes with a battle to the death in the arena at Mount Olympus.

I don't normally read mythology-based books; though my interests are pretty varied, and I'll read anything that catches my eye, I'm not normally drawn to mythology. I think the last mythology book I read was Mythology by Edith Hamilton, in high school. While it was fascinating - and had the added bonus of ticking off the members of the horrible church I attended at the time (not insulting churches in general, just the controlling cult I went to) - I've never had the urge to find fictional novels about the various gods and goddesses. I found myself wanting to read the Greek stories in Edith Hamilton's book again as a refresher. Luckily, Eva Pohler gives a bit of background and short retelling of the myths to remind those who can't remember and inform those who have never read Greek mythology. Even though this isn't the kind of subject I would normally choose, the description sounded interesting, and I found myself wanting to check it out. I'm glad I did.

I was expecting, based on the cover and my own assumptions of the description, to read a story of brother-gods competing for the love of a mortal. Nope! While Hip does want affection from Therese, it's mostly because he's the playboy dream god who simply expects kisses and make-out sessions from the females he visits in dreams. While this story was romance, it's also quite the adventure story. The author managed to pull me in right away and keep my attention throughout. If I hadn't been so busy, I would have most likely read it in one sitting, like I did the second book of the trilogy.

Fantastic book. Great trilogy, at least the first two books. I now want to read more stories with mythology themes. That is one of the best compliments I can give a book. If it's a genre different from what I normally read and can make me want to seek out more books with the same theme, it truly is a great book.

Only complaint: I noticed a few spelling errors. I don't think there were more than maybe 5 or so; nothing I can't look past for the sake of a great story.

This review originally appeared on GoodReads.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Cheryllynn Dyess on Feb. 23, 2013 :
The Gatekeeper's Sons is not the book you would expect! Its so much more. This story puts the Greek Gods of mythology in your back yard, quite literally. While taking us through the life of Therese and being thrown into a whirlwind of activities with the great Gods it shows us just how human they can be. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants some suspense, thrills, a little bit of romance while getting a twist on the school days lesson of Greek mythology!
I gave it four stars because it is well written, the timeline is well kept, and the story line never falters.

I am very eager to read book #2 in this trilogy.... Thank you, Eva Pohler, for sharing your very imaginative mind with the world!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Cheryllynn Dyess on Feb. 23, 2013 : (no rating)
The Gatekeeper's Sons is not the book you would expect! Its so much more. This story puts the Greek Gods of mythology in your back yard, quite literally. While taking us through the life of Therese and being thrown into a whirlwind of activities with the great Gods it shows us just how human they can be. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants some suspense, thrills, a little bit of romance while getting a twist on the school days lesson of Greek mythology!
I gave it four stars because it is well written, the timeline is well kept, and the story line never falters.

I am very eager to read book #2 in this trilogy.... Thank you, Eva Pohler, for sharing your very imaginative mind with the world!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Jacqueline Pierce on Feb. 22, 2013 :
I want to begin by thanking the author for the chance to read and review this book. I am a big fan of mythology and I absolutely loved this book. Therese was ok and I really liked Than. I really enjoyed the characters in this story. I was a little shocked at the end and can't wait to see what happens in the next installment. (Which I already have!) I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a modern day mythology story. Happy Reading! ;)
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Dii on Feb. 19, 2013 :
Take one immortal Greek god of Death, add a fifteen-year-old girl who barely survived the murder of her parents and blend well and we have a nice take on a YA paranormal romance by Eva Pohler!

Thanatos, the god of death, who looks around eighteen, but is, in fact, an ancient immortal son of Hades, twin brother of Hypnos, the god of dreams falls instantly in love with Therese, a mortal girl who gave him his first kiss. Actually, she gave him his first taste of being around humans, because, really, who WANTS to be visited by death, you know?

Therese and Than have a few weeks together in the Earth Realm, they are in love. Than must find a way to make Therese his immortal wife, a goddess, but it usually doesn't work out too well for humans, but Hades has made an offer Therese cannot refuse. If she is able to kill the man who arranged for her parents' murder, she will have earned the right to become immortal. Being a truly 'nice' kid, Therese has won the hearts and support of many of the gods. But, is she capable of committing murder, even if it means losing Thanatos forever?

At first, I was sucked right in, then, the story got a little too detailed for me, with too many 'mini' details tucked in the story. Instead of blaming the story, I tried to read it from the eyes of a young teen, and, tada! Suddenly, what the characters said and did made complete sense! I already loved the plot idea, not too many books out there that toss in tons of gods, not only their names, but who they are! A real mini mythology lesson!

Therese's day to day life was real! Her friends and family felt real! Her emotional reaction to different situations was real!

I completely enjoyed this escape from reality and have recommended this book to a couple of teacher friends of mine, for their students.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Martha Campos on Jan. 04, 2013 :
Very curious to know which is Hyp and which is Than. The cover, I mean.

There is one type of book that 99.9% of the time if asked to review I will review and that's just because it's so fascinating! Can you guess what type of book that would be? No? Ok I'll tell you. Any book that delves into Greek mythology. Yeah like this one. Always curious to see what each author will come up with.

In Pohler's version Than and Hyp (funny nicknames!) are Hades' sons. Hyp is the trouble maker (picture a Damon Salvatore) and Than is the more thoughtful brother (picture Stefan Salvatore). Therese is the girl that unfortunately goes through a painful experience that some can relate to: her parent's murder. I couldn't empathize with Therese but I could sympathize and felt the need to help her except I can't obviously, good thing Than stepped in to help her. He's a great guy. Misjudged because of what he does but definitely a good guy. Now ladies if you happen to meet a guy names Hyp in your dreams STAY AWAY! Not because he's evil or anything but because...well you'll see why when you read it ;D.

There one thing I didn't like: Therese knows she has to avenge her parents to be with Than, meaning she has to kill the man who killed her parent's. She just says yes to this craziness! maybe it's because I'm completely against murder and killing people in general but how does one just say yes "I'll kill him"? Even if my parents had been murdered I would let justice do it's part.

From page one I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what Therese would do to get her parents big, if she was going to be able at all, or if Than would figure out a way to help her out. Pit a girl against a grown man and we'll see who exactly wins. One more thing you're in for! Not just romance with the god of death but action in front of...well I won't tell you against who or it'll ruin the AMAZING ending!

Definite page turner, romance, adventure, Greek gods! if you like any or all of these things this is the book for you! Pick it up and read! NOW!
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Martha Campos on Jan. 04, 2013 : (no rating)
Very curious to know which is Hyp and which is Than. The cover, I mean.

There is one type of book that 99.9% of the time if asked to review I will review and that's just because it's so fascinating! Can you guess what type of book that would be? No? Ok I'll tell you. Any book that delves into Greek mythology. Yeah like this one. Always curious to see what each author will come up with.

In Pohler's version Than and Hyp (funny nicknames!) are Hades' sons. Hyp is the trouble maker (picture a Damon Salvatore) and Than is the more thoughtful brother (picture Stefan Salvatore). Therese is the girl that unfortunately goes through a painful experience that some can relate to: her parent's murder. I couldn't empathize with Therese but I could sympathize and felt the need to help her except I can't obviously, good thing Than stepped in to help her. He's a great guy. Misjudged because of what he does but definitely a good guy. Now ladies if you happen to meet a guy names Hyp in your dreams STAY AWAY! Not because he's evil or anything but because...well you'll see why when you read it ;D.

There one thing I didn't like: Therese knows she has to avenge her parents to be with Than, meaning she has to kill the man who killed her parent's. She just says yes to this craziness! maybe it's because I'm completely against murder and killing people in general but how does one just say yes "I'll kill him"? Even if my parents had been murdered I would let justice do it's part.

From page one I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what Therese would do to get her parents big, if she was going to be able at all, or if Than would figure out a way to help her out. Pit a girl against a grown man and we'll see who exactly wins. One more thing you're in for! Not just romance with the god of death but action in front of...well I won't tell you against who or it'll ruin the AMAZING ending!

Definite page turner, romance, adventure, Greek gods! if you like any or all of these things this is the book for you! Pick it up and read! NOW!
(reviewed the day of purchase)

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