Rating: 7.4 out of 10.0
Author: Rick Riordan
About: Released on May 3, Rick Riordan’s next book in his land where Greek mythology is real was an instant hit. From the moment it came out to the time as I write this, it has held a comfortable position at the top of the middle-grade fiction section of the New York Times’ bestseller list.
Likes: I love the Percy Jackson books. A lot. However, if I am judging this book on its own, I must say that I give it a fairly unfavorable review. The things that I did like were that Riordan once again knocks character development out of the ballpark and that his creativity is absolutely outstanding. Additionally, he sets up a strong plot for the rest of the books to follow. Riordan paints vivid characters against a relatable yet fantastical setting. And once again, Riordan sets an underlying humorous tone in this book with characters such as the immortal (and now mortal) Apollo, young Meg McCaffery and Will Solace (who obviously got his humor from his dad, Apollo).
Dislikes: Gay relationships. This is something that stands out starkly to conservative readers and can be a major drawback. There is one gay relationship between characters and then several others are mentioned. This blog is not for me to make a statement about what I think about such relationships, so do not take my statements as saying yes or no to LGBT relationships. I am here only to point out things that may be concerning to conservative readers. Also, there is some violence in the book, as that is a core element. Lastly, the statue of Apollo mentioned in the final battle is unclothed, but not really described in detail (thankfully). I mean, as much as we love Apollo, that's just too much.
Summary: Apollo, trapped in mortal form and bound to an odd demigod, must figure out how to turn back to his immortal, irresistibly amazing self. This will be accomplished through recovering the Oracles and restoring order to the chaos that arose from his mistakes. First, though he must overcome a triumvirate of powerful men who are seeking to gain control of all of the Oracles and thus defeat Camp Half-Blood. Read for yourself in this thrilling sequel to "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" and "The Heroes of Olympus," also by Rick Riordan.
Book Length: 361 pages
Favorite Character: Apollo (obviously)
Suggested Age: 9+
