Review - Old Time Religion by E. H. Lupton

Months after Ulysses kept Sam from being taken over by the god Dionysus, the two men are still sorting things out. Sam may not be a god, but he’s not entirely human any more either. The pair still have feelings for each other, but aren’t sure where it’s going. It doesn’t make things any easier when Ulysses’ ex-girlfriend shows up seeking his help with her dead husband. It all forces Sam and Ulysses to take another look at the machinations of Sam’s grandfather.

“Old Time Religion” is a followup story to Dionysus in Wisconsin, so you will need to have read that story to know who all the characters are. This sequel features another paranormal mystery as Sam and Ulysses discover that Sam’s grandfather may have attempted to create more demigods besides Sam. It’s a mystery that once again puts our two heroes in danger.

As in the previous book, the narration switches between Sam and Ulysses. Sam remains a genuinely nice guy. His concern for Ulysses’ sometimes reckless behavior is very understandable and relatable. Our picture of Ulysses as a man almost obsessed with making things right, even at great personal cost is strengthened. We do learn a lot more about Ulysses’ unusual family and the heavy influence that his grandmother has on his life.

In this book, we get a much clearer picture of the bigger mystery that is driving the series. There are even a few obvious clues as to who might be the evil genius behind things, although our two heroes don’t seem to pick up on them. I’ll have to wait for the next book in the series to see if I might have it right.

“Old Time Religion” is available from Smashwords Amazon (commissionable link).