Charlie Pendergast's adoptive family moved to Silverton, Colorado when he was six. His stepmother is a drunk, his stepfather an abusive philanderer. His only friend is Marc Taylor, who isn't liked in town because he's Black. Charlie's only escape from the abuse is the Taylor home or a wilderness on the other side of a pasture guarded by a huge bull with a bad reputation. Just after graduating from high school, home life really goes south and he determines to leave, going to his special place in the wilderness. It's a place devoid of people until meeting and falling in love with Penelope who lives on top of a mountain. Going to see her father about becoming married, Charlie is in for a really big surprise. Her father is the Greek god, Prometheus and Charlie's father is the great Greek hero, now a god, Herakles. In addition, the Oracle at Delphi has declared Charlie the one chosen to bring peace to Olympia. That seems a big challenge, especially when someone is making a serious attempt to end his existence and take control of Olympus, and earth.