The Heroes of Olympus

(Not your normal Percy Jackson series)

By Rick Riordan

Behind the Scenes

 The Heroes of Olympus  is the series that came out after the final book The Last Battle in the Percy Jackson series. I myself am a die-hard Percy Jackson fan and the question I am most commonly asked is "Is the new series any good?" I must say Rick Riordan has pleasantly surprised me with this series. I was very careful about picking it up, but I am now convinced that it is a good addition to the Percy Jackson legend.

****Warning Spoilers**** 

(I will do my best but there will be some spoilers in this review. Not life-threatening spoilers but spoilers none the less. If you are picky about that then go to the end and read the conclusion. ;) )

  The Prophecy for this book series.

Book 1: The Lost Hero

 Summery: In book one we begin the series by opening with Jason, Piper, and Leo. Jason has lost his memory and doesn't know where he is or who he is. Piper and Leo think they know Jason and convince him that he goes to school with them. As the story progresses they run into Annabeth (!!!) and she takes them to Camp Half-Blood.  Piper, Jason and Leo seem to sense that something is off at camp and their right, something is off. Percy Jackson has gone missing. Annabeth had found Jason, Piper, and Leo when she was searching for Percy. Meanwhile while Annabeth is running around looking for Percy, Chiron is worried about Jason who keeps spitting out Roman terms and has some weird markings on his arm that seem to make Chiron worried. Of course, in all Percy Jackson books there has to be a good quest, so that is what they do. These new characters run all across the country trying to save the goddess Hera, who has been captured. This is just the beginning, I will not reveal the rest of the book because you will have to read it and find out for yourself! Overall though I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. 

Good: The points I loved most in this book were that we were introduced to some great new characters with a vibrant personality. Jason gives you that little bit of Percy in the book, and Piper gives you that bit of Annabeth mixed with a girl we have never met before. Leo is a lot like Grover but brings  a side to the story that only he can bring. You will quickly fall in love with these characters. Jason slowly gets his memory back along the side.

Bad: I am sorry to inform you that Percy Jackson is not in this book. :( That is really the only part that I am torn up about.

Book 2: The Son of Neptune

Summery: Finally we get to Percy. The Son of Neptune starts with Percy doing what he does best. Fighting monsters. Unfortunately just like Jason he doesn't know who he is. The only difference is that he does remember one name. Annabeth. Percy is pretty sure that this is important but he can't tell why. Percy is found by a Roman camp a lot like camp Half-Blood. Camp Jupiter. There he meets Hazel and Frank. He befriends them quickly but they are pretty much the only friends he has for a while. Everyone else is very cautious about him.  The person who is most cautious of him is *SPOILER* Nico! Yes Hazel's "brother" Nico Valdez. Surprised? I was too. Anyway as the story goes on they, Percy, Frank, and Hazel, go on a quest. It is now in the series that we learn what the end game is. Gaea, the earth goddess, mother of Titans and all things creepy, is awakening. This quest brings Percy to places that he has and has not been. Along the way remembering stories from his past that will have you excited all the way to the end. Overall I give this book another 4 out of 5 stars.

Good: Personally I think this whole story is good. Rick Riordan did a good job at revealing some things about Percy that we never knew and bringing back, that same old Percy Jackson that we know and love.

Bad: Nico is the only thing that gets me in this book. He stands there and watches as Percy struggles to remember everything. I get where he is coming from. If he tells Percy who he is then it will ruin the prophecy but he still could have been nicer.

                                    

Book 3: The Mark of Athena 

Summery: The third book in the series is one of my favorites. We open the book with Percy finding Annabeth again (!!!) but we also open on Romans and Greeks. By now we have come to realize that there were to camps for half-bloods that never got along. Romans and Greeks have been fighting since the beginning of time. They are not exactly friends but must work together in order to defeat Gaea and stop her from rising. This book is really all about the half-bloods in the prophecy learning how to work together and become one team or family. The half-bloods are Percy, Annabeth, Frank, Hazel, Leo, Piper, and Jason. As the quest to find Gaea, save Nico and find the Mark of Athena, threatens to pull them apart it also pulls them together. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. As you probably noticed I did not give as much detail in this book as the others, this is because I would be giving away to much and that is why you need to read it. This book is very good and well written.

Good: While some of the characters will get on your nerves at times you will grow to love them. I also enjoyed the relationship between Percy and Annabeth and how it really has not changed since the last time they were together. They both stay the same. 

Bad: It is hard to explain the bad aspects about this book. Annabeth gets a little it to stubborn at times and Piper is constantly worried about her relationship with Jason but other than that I enjoyed this book immensely.

Book 4: The House of Hades 

Summery: We finally get to the most interesting of these books. Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus. Nico is safe but weak. The team is not sure what to do other than do what Percy asked right before he fell into Tartarus. They have to go to the Doors of Death. This book is very good but it seems to have some things in it that I do not consider necessary ***Warning Spoiler!!!*** Rick Riordan does something in this book that ruined a character for me. He made Nico gay. This was probably the worst part for me, because I believe it is unnecessary to the plot. I have had many people tell me that they will not read this book because of what Mr. Riordan did but I disagree! This is still a very good book and if you skip that one part it can be very exciting like any other Percy Jackson book. I am not condoning that Mr. Riordan wrote in a gay character, but I do not like it when people judge a book just because of one part in which they disagree. I am giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

Good: Throughout the book it is very touching how Percy and Annabeth are there for each other during their struggles. Being stuck in Tartarus can really stress a relationship, (if you know what I mean) but they pulled through and came out stronger than ever. 

Bad: I already explained the low part.

Conclusion: 

The story ends with the group getting back together to go and fight Gaea. The next book will be coming Fall 2014, The Blood of Olympus.

The Heroes of Olympus  is well made and rather enjoyable. In the title of this article, I said that this was not your normal Percy Jackson book. I was not kidding. This series deals with some topics that are not for the 9 to 12 age range. They deal with relationships and topics that are pressing on society. Do not take me the wrong way, Rick Riordan never does anything inappropriate with the relationships but he does make these books for an older audience. That is why I suggest this book for 13 years and up. 

For the whole series, I give it a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I loved this series! I didn't enjoy it as much as the first Percy Jackson series but it did give a satisfying sequel.

I hope that you enjoyed this preview of The Heroes of Olympus  by Rick Riordan.

Feel free to comment and ask questions below.

Peace out! God bless,

                Piper Diamond :)