Considered the least among his fellow immortals on Mt. Olympus for being “ugly” and physically deformed, master craftsman Hephaestus embarks on a new invention for the benefit of humankind.  Although Hephaestus is well aware that his efforts might once again earn him the wrath of Zeus, his fear is outweighed by a desire to expedite the advancement of mankind.

Meanwhile, his perfidious wife, Aphrodite—normally oblivious to the endeavors of her hideous husband—becomes uncharacteristically curious and with a bit of help from fellow immortals Apollo and Artemis, goes “undercover” to find out precisely what Hephaestus is up to…

At only 91 pages, Worthy of Prometheus, is a quick, fun novella that takes liberties with certain aspects of Greek mythology. The story begins slowly, but McCauley’s characterization of the tumultuous relationship between Hephaestus and Aphrodite is entertaining, as is the goddess’s bumbling attempt to spy on her husband.