Metanoia is the second book in the mythological fantasy series The Ruined Gods, written by Alex Robins, acting as a direct sequel to Panacea. While the first book acted as an introduction to the world and their mythology, this second one ups the gear and goes deeper into the mythological aspects, as Zeus, first of the Ruined, prepares to attack the Olympus after his plan exploiting Dexios had success.

After Hades' death, the barrier between realms have disappeared, allowing Zeus to bring back to existence Thena's phalanx, including Keres; but first he needs to gain more strength, planning to raise an older army, led by a fanatic of the god. His journey will also take him to discover more about the destiny of other Ruined, whose help will be necessary for his attempt.
Makar has assumed his legacy as the son of Hades, and that means he's the only one that can repair the barrier between realms; but the influence of Hades won't make this an easy task, including to travel to the Underworld. Luckily for him, he won't be alone, being in the company of the priestess Graycea and sophistes Elena, who act as guides for Makar, while also discovering more about their true nature.
And finally we have Dexios, a broken man who was tricked by Zeus; Panacea was a lie, and Thena has been captured after the thauran herd attacked. His city, under the control of Polydius; he will need to move smartly if he wants to liberate Thena from the oppressor, having an arc that will touch all the nuances a man can experience.

While the first book was relatively simple in terms of storyline, in this one, Robin splits the plot into different threads that slowly converge together, even if we might not see it clearly; the world is expanded, adding a whole plane of existence (the Underworld), which acts as their own place, and the politics are explored. Gods take the main role we could have expected from the start, but that doesn't make them less flawed, especially in terms of hubrys.

Metanoia is more; Panacea was an excellent book, but Metanoia is that jump that makes this series a really memorable one. If you are craving to see how the old myths are given life into a really enjoyable and thrilling story, you should try The Ruined Gods series.