Zeus Rising

Zeus is living anonymously in the hills of Los Angeles when he gets an unexpected marriage proposal, which triggers a mid-life crisis. He fights to find renewed purpose and even considers coming out of the shadows and reclaiming his power. Living forever has its problems, like losing everyone you love and carrying around baggage from thousands of lifetimes, but things get much worse when an ancient, vengeful force closes in on him and his loved ones. In this memoir, Zeus also recounts memories of the Big Bang, the development of humankind, the Battle of Marathon, and the rise of America—he's seen it all. And, he's met everyone from Socrates to Jesus to Washington. Zeus has evolved and has great empathy for our plight—life and certain death—and our fight to be free of tyranny. This is the tale of Zeus, his loves, his children, and our collective history.

Zeus is living anonymously in the affluent hills of Los Angeles when he gets an unexpected marriage proposal from a gorgeous professor. He's in love with Greta but needs more time, since he can't divulge his true identity to her. This brings on a mid-life crisis. Zeus, the former king of the gods, seeks advice from his son Perry and his sidekick Yorgo but nothing eases his anxiety. And only Yorgo knows his true identity. Zeus struggles to find renewed purpose and even considers reclaiming his power. He's grown tired of his truce with God, which has come at a heavy cost. He also fears that his son is immortal. Living forever has its problems, like losing everyone you love and carrying around baggage from thousands of lifetimes. This memoir also swings back into ancient times. Zeus recounts the literal dawn of man, his first sighting of Hera—the biblical Eve—and the Persian invasions of a free Athens. These flashbacks chronicle how he came to admire the freedom-loving impulses of man and woman, even though it came at the expense of his own power. He celebrates humankind but is also trying to exorcise his past, which includes a violent start. In present day Los Angeles, Zeus even considers seeking public office as a way to seize power in the modern world. But all these earthly considerations come to an abrupt halt when an ancient, vengeful force closes in and threatens everyone he loves. Will he be up to the threat, or will his time on Earth come to an end? And will humankind—and its expanding urge for freedom—lose a key ally? Zeus has met everyone from Socrates to Jesus to Washington. And he has evolved greatly and also has boundless empathy for our plight—life and certain death. This is the memoir of Zeus, his loves, his children, and our collective history. A tale only Zeus could tell.

Louis Anastas is a writer and creative director who has created hundreds of videos and campaigns for brands like Boeing, GE, Honeywell, L3Harris, and SureFire, among others. The Blue Agency, which he founded and runs, helps great companies expertly use stories to deeply engage fans and grow their brands. Louis has also written and directed personal work, including a dozen screenplays, a few TV pilots, and a feature film. "Zeus Rising" is his first novel. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Nicole and their two daughters Sophie and Isabel. Louis' family immigrated to the United States from Greece in the mid-20th century. Learn more at louisanastas.com.