Wrestling with Proteus: Toward a new analytic framework for understanding the Iliad, the Cyclic poems and the Trojan War.

Date: February 11, 2025 Author: Owen R. O'Neill

The Trojan War is one of our oldest and most debated traditions. The conflict’s historicity has become increasingly accepted, but its nature is poorly understood. This essay suggests one issue may be the approach to both literary and historical analyses, which generally assume a basic outline for the Trojan War that is “taken for granted.” Performing an all-source analysis of the literature in the context of history from the Late Bronze Age to the Archaic period, I suggest taking this outline for granted may be an impediment to understanding the Trojan War literature and the history of the war itself. Keep reading…

An Update: What a Long Strange Trip it’s Been!

Date: February 10, 2025 Author: Owen R. O'Neill

It’s been about 5 years since we’ve posted anything here, so I thought I’d post an update on what the last half-decade has been like. As the post title says, it’s been a long strange trip, both for us and the world at large. We’ve both faced heath issues, including a bout of COVID that landed me in the hospital for 2 months, and in rehab for another 3, other changes and challenges.

The good news is we’re both doing well now, I recovered fully (or better), Jordan (says “Hi!”) is pursuing her music and art along with her business and I’ve been working on two related projects I started serious about4 years ago, a history of the Trojan War: The War for Helen: A Reexamination of History’s Most Misunderstood Conflict, and When Homer Flinched: The Shade of Penthesilea and the Birth of Western Literature.

After years of climbing an intense learning curve, I’ve started posting my thoughts, findings and conjectures on Substack. If anyone is curious what I’ve been up to (instead of finishing up the series like we should), the link is: https://oneillo.substack.com/. I’ll continue to post notices here as I publish new essays.

Thank you for all your support over the years! Wishing everyone the very best in 2025 and beyond!
Owen (& Jordan)

Hiatus

Date: June 2, 2018 Author: Owen R. O'Neill

Dear Readers,

It is with regret that we announce we will be postponing work on the series indefinitely. With numerous life-changing events happening this year, we unfortunately don’t have the time to commit to writing the book worthy of you.

We very much appreciate all the support you have given us, and thank you in advance for your understanding.
Owen & Jordan

Happy Fifth Birthday, Alecto!

Date: May 7, 2018 Author: Owen R. O'Neill

Hello again, Readers!

It was five years ago today that we hit the publish button for The Alecto Initiative. We had no idea what that would mean and close to zero expectations anyone would actually read it. That you did read it, and the books that followed after it, continues to fill us with joy and wonder. After all, you spent time reading our work that you could have spent doing many other things, but you chose to spend it on us and that is an extraordinary gift.

A deep and heartfelt “Thank you” to each and every one of you for that. You mean the world to us.

Keepers of the Wellsprings, New Release!

Date: November 25, 2017 Author: Owen R. O'Neill

Hello Readers!

For those of you who enjoy fantasy as well as sci-fi, we’re happy to announce that Missy Sheldrake will be releasing the fifth and final book in her Keepers of the Wellsprings series, Call of Elespen, on November 29! It is now available for pre-order here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077MTB5KH/. Galleries of illustrations and excerpts from the Keepers of the Wellsprings series can be viewed on her website and blog. We urge you to check it out!

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Get the first 3 books of of the Loralynn Kennakris Series for 99 cents!

Date: November 22, 2017 Author: Owen R. O'Neill

Hello Everyone!

In honor of Thanksgiving and the release of The Bonds of Orion, we are making our box set of the first three books of the Loralynn Kennakris Series available for $0.99, starting this Friday, November 24th, and going through this Sun, November 26th. This is an unprecedented chance to get all thee books for less then a dollar. That is over 1100 print pages! For those of you who are new here, this collection includes the following:

The Alecto Initiative (Book 1): A freedom to die for?
Eight years growing up in hell prepared Kris for everything but freedom, and her new life is not what she imagined. Not only must she find her way in a bewildering society full of bizarre rules, but the very people who rescued her think she’s a terrorist plant, a beautiful interstellar celebrity is complicating matters in more ways than one . . . and now someone is trying to kill her.

The Morning Which Breaks (Book 2): It was supposed to be the beginning of a new life . . . not a replay of her old one.
Enrolled as a cadet at the Nereidian League’s military academy, all Kris brings with her is a unique set of skills, a profound ignorance of ‘civilized’ society, and a large chip on her shoulder. But if she isn’t quite sure what to make of the Academy, the Academy has no idea what to make of her. So when she’s approached to help capture a terrorist warlord, Kris is more than happy to leave the halls of academia behind for awhile. Kris knows she’s not signing up for any pleasure cruise. What she doesn’t know is that the key to the mission’s success is reliving her very worst nightmare.

Wogan’s Reef (Book 3, Pt.1): War is all hell . . . and there’s no place like home.
War has erupted between the Nereidian League and the Dominion of Halith, and it’s not going well. The League’s Colonial Expeditionary Forces have been forced to bend repeatedly but they have yet to break. For Ensign Loralynn Kennakris, Lieutenant Commander Rafael Huron, and a Marine captain named Minerva Lewis, the time for bending is over. They’re on a mission to start breaking things, and they don’t much care if they have to go through hell to do it.

Asylum (Book 3, Pt.2): Armed. Dangerous. And nothing left to lose . . .
First they called her a hero. Then they called her a medical problem. Now they’re calling her a criminal. It’s been an exciting first year of active duty for Lieutenant Loralynn Kennakris. Pushed too far, Kris did the unforgivable and her enemies finally have the excuse they’ve been looking for. But they are right about one thing: Kris is dangerous, and now she has nothing left to lose.

Get the Loralynn Kennakris Series Boxed Set: Books 1-3 (Kindle Edition only) here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CPLN5MG!

And as always, Thanks You for your support!