For readers of
N.K. Jemisin’s The City We Became, Madeline Miller’s Circe, and Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. Myth in the present tense, where the divine collides with identity, class, and power.
CONTEMPORARY MYTHIC FANTASY
The gods never left.
We only got quieter.
The Olympians still rule. Worship became influence, power became systems, and the foundations of Olympus are beginning to crack. Jaden Pierce walks into the middle of it carrying a camera and his mother’s ashes.
The complete novel is out now on Amazon, also on other platforms, or read Part One free if you want to try it first.
“Jaden’s story gives the novel its emotional center. His grief, anger, and search for meaning feel grounded, which helps balance the larger mythological elements.” — BookInform
Available now on Amazon
FOR READERS
If myth belongs in the modern world
Contemporary fantasy with the character work of literary fiction. Gods who never stopped running things, and a mortal who finds out.
Inside the story
Twelve seats, one family, and less ambrosia every year than the year before. The factions are restless and a war is coming. Settings span Richmond, Amsterdam, and an Olympus that runs more like an institution than a temple.
Set now, not then
The gods argue about house rules and then decide who lives. Funny, character-driven, and considerably darker than it first appears.
EDITORIAL PRAISE
A novel worth the time
Editorial reviews from ShareGoblin, Fans of Fiction, Editmojo, and BookInform.
“One look at the gods arguing over roommates, chores, and house rules tells you this is not a dusty retelling.”
“One of the book’s strongest features is its voice. The gods speak and act like people who have lived far too long and know it.”
“Jaden’s story gives the novel its emotional center. His grief, anger, and search for meaning feel grounded, which helps balance the larger mythological elements.”
“The book keeps returning to one idea: what happens when old systems start to crack and the people inside them refuse to stay in their assigned roles.”
Get the novel.
The complete novel is out now on Amazon.
Buy the NovelAlso on Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play
Not sure yet? Read Part One free before you decide.
Read Part One FreeQUESTIONS Before you start reading
What is The Art of Killing Gods about?
The Olympians still walk the earth, but worship is over. Belief has become influence, power has become systems, and the foundations of Olympus are starting to crack. At the center is Jaden, a mortal caught between grief, anger, and a world where the gods are losing their grip. The whole thing is narrated by Dionysus, who was present for some of it, heard the rest secondhand, and is not a neutral party.
Is this set in ancient Greece?
No. The story unfolds in the twenty-first century, among modern cities, institutions, and the ordinary friction of daily life. This is contemporary mythic fiction, not a scene-for-scene retelling of the classics.
Can I read it before I buy?
Yes. Part One is free on Mythic Matters, the author’s Substack serial. Read at your own pace, then buy the complete novel if you want the full arc.
Who wrote it?
Alvin Svitzer, author of contemporary mythic fiction and creator of Mythic Matters.
What genre is it?
Contemporary fantasy built on Greek myth, with the character depth of literary fiction. Gods in modern institutions, a mortal caught between them, and a narrator who is very funny about all of it.
Where can I buy the full book?
On Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play. Book one of a trilogy. The novel released July 14, 2026.
I loved The City We Became or Circe. Would this fit?
If you want myth embedded in modern life, where divinity works like a system, identity and power matter, and the cost of godhood is personal rather than epic, this may be your kind of book. Start with the free chapters to see.