Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)

Content Warning: This section includes descriptions of death, trauma, and forced marriage.

Unlike the human world, the immortal Spartans of Mas’s world operate according to specific honor codes that affect characters differently, based on outdated and restrictive concepts of gender and social class. While all Spartans are aware of these rules, the Chthonics are specifically “rumored to live by an archaic set of rules centered around maintaining honor” (46), despite how regressive these rules are in terms of social equality. In the case of Augustus, true honor also encapsulates the notion of fairness. As he tells the initiates, he is “known for [his] honor” and “will not torture [them] just to torture [them]” (133). Instead, he insists that “[e]verything [they] will do in [their] classroom has a purpose” (133). However, although the rules of this honor code are never explicitly stated in the narrative, the context of the Spartan characters’ actions reveals that Spartan men are expected to dignify their respective Houses with honor that is measured by their intelligence and their performance of certain physical feats. This notion is enshrined in the slogan, “There are no stupid gods because there are no stupid Spartans” (107).