Review - The House of Hades

Original Title: The House of Hades
Series: The Heroes of Olympus, #4
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: October the 8th, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

In my previous review I said I would grab this book faster than the speed of light. So I did, and so I read it, and it deserves five solid stars, just like the previous one in the saga! After that mean cliffhanger, I practically flew through the pages.

One of the things that impressed me the most in this book were the vivid, terrible description of Tartarus. Riordan truly outdid himself, because it is described all too well. I swear I had nightmares about it, and the worst part is that its aspect wasn’t even the real one, as it was only what Annabeth and Percy’s human eyes could see without going insane. Which means that the Rivers of Fire and Lamentation, the red-blood, poisonous clouds, the infectious-looking, skin-like surface, full of blisters like amniotic sacs where monsters reform… weren’t the worst thing to see there. My applause, it is really appalling, and it creates such images, that, while reading, I couldn’t help wrinkling my nose out of disgust and horror. Plus, the characters in there! So clear, I could see them and hear them in my head, thanks to Riordan’s amazing storytelling skills -like with Nyx, the elemental goddess of Night, her image simply got seared in my brain: her eyes like quasars, the black void of her dress, her whip like a string of stars… It really reflected how terrible she is. But I also loved that scene, because even with the scary appearance, it was very funny. Perhaps it came out repetitive the fact that Percy and Annabeth relied too much on their enemies’ stupidity to make them fight each other all the time, but still, I loved this book.

As I read Percy and Annabeth’s trip through Tartarus, I couldn’t help but being grateful for the fact that they are already a solid couple, confirmed soulmates who love each other and they know it, being willing to do anything to avoid separation. Their scenes could have been difficult to bear, as a reader, if I had to see them circling around each other, stealing glances and saying phrases with double meaning, as it often happens with a couple about to fall in love. They survived Tartarus, with all its horrors, because they had each other.

That being said, I can’t help feeling bad about Nico. He had the misfortune of seeing Tartarus’ real aspect, and it almost drove him insane; there was no one there to help him through that horrible experience. He’s such an interesting character… in some ways, he is like the Underworld. Cold, distant, unpredictable, and only the people who understand him feel comfortable around him. That’s why he gets along with Hazel. They both have a connection to their father’s realm, and can truly understand each other’s mind. As for the big revelation about him, that not many people were happy to read, well… I’m just going to mention it to say that, certainly, it was unexpected, that I couldn’t see the previous hints of it (or if it was hints at all), and, no matter if we agree with it or not, we have to say that it is realistic. He struggles with something that it is real every day, for many people, and it doesn’t make them any less human. Moreover, let’s not go any further than the Greek mythology itself that is the foundation for this entire world: check Ganymede’s myth (a Trojan prince, so beautiful that attracted Zeus himself), or Callisto’s (a beautiful nymph, follower of Artemis, who was seduced by Zeus in the form of the goddess herself). I mean, Nico’s true nature would not be a rarity in the ancient Greek world, and it allows many readers to feel identified with him. However, nothing could ever happen with Percy, because The House of Hades -along with the two previous books-, left more than clear that Annabeth and Percy are soulmates, each other’s destiny, and nothing could ever drive them apart. 

Oh, and by the way, I definitely prefer Aphrodite over Cupid as goddess of love… I never thought I would say that.

Oh, my, Leo’s story! He’s still one of the best characters, as he is funny, resourceful and smart, with those gags and phrases that had me cracking up as I read. I think his part on this story, besides of him being the son of Hephaestus and the mechanical genius of the group, is something not even the gods saw coming. Calypso is condemned to fall in love with the heroes stranded on her island, but I don’t think the gods considered what would happen if the hero in question falls in love with her in return. Everything I guessed as I read (with a pain in my heart) was confirmed when the raft bubbled out of the sea to take Leo away from Ogygia; it was heartbreaking, knowing that they fell in love, and it was worse than any curse, because she wanted him to stay, and he didn’t want to leave. Leo is not like the other heroes who happened to meet Calypso. There’s no Penelope, Elizabeth or Annabeth waiting for him. But there is a Calypso who helped him, kissed him, and would accept him, and he can’t wait to find his way back to her. He even swore to return on the River Styx, and we all know what that means! I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I think this book gave us the chance to see the true reach of these seven demigods’ powers before the final battle to stop Gaia. Through their fights, their true abilities could come to light, as their understanding of them grew. Like Piper’s charmspeak, that proved capable of awakening a machine, no less, to help defeat a goddess. As for Hazel, she saw she’s more than just her curse. Her destiny is not only to bring death to the surface, but one of great power and magic. She’s brave, and smart, and I understand her frustration, because, as all heroes, she received instructions from Hecate, but no explanations at all about how to do what was asked from her. With every test, she grows stronger, and here, she got to prove herself, and rightfully earn the title of heroine. As for Jason, he’s changing, and with each passing day, he is less Roman and more Greek, as it is in Camp Half-Blood where he’s been the happiest, and met Leo and Piper, who are like family. For some reason, he’s my least favorite in this group of seven, but he’s still great, and powerful. Only one tiny thing about his part in this story: when he and Leo chased the Kerkopes through Bologna, he got trapped by Neptune’s statue, that Leo had previously recognized as mechanic, but there’s no further explanation of it. It doesn’t affect the story, but I can’t help wondering, why was it activated when Jason approached it, and not Leo? Which purpose does it have a monumental fountain with an internal trap mechanism? We don’t know why it is there; it only delays Jason, and then, that’s it. Nothing more. And perhaps it would have been interesting to know why a figure of Neptune -a god that was feared by the Romans, not very popular- would trap a son of Jupiter, no less.

And finally, we get to my favorite demigod in this book, besides Percy and Annabeth. Frank really outdid himself. Both he and Hazel grew a lot in this book, but Frank… He proved he’s a hero, and a born leader, fighting for love and duty. A true son of Mars, worthy of the title, and his blessing. The battle in Venice’s bridge was awesome, but the one in the House of Hades was EPIC. When Jason raised him to praetor, and he brought his true leadership and temper to the surface, was probably his best moment, that sent a shiver down my spine. He’s a leader worthy of being followed, and he truly turned the tide to his favor. The battle was won, because of him. Long live Praetor Frank Zhang!

Once again we are in front of a book with too many details to do properly justice to them. Characters like Bob the Titan and Damasen made Tartarus a bit less traumatic for Percy and Annabeth, and they proved themselves heroes, too. And there’s also those crazy, funny gods like Triptolemus, Calais and Zethes, that at least can make you crack a smile, but also mean, vengeful deities, like Khione, goddess of snow, who are always there to make our heroes’ lives more complicated. 

The ending was not the terrible, maddening cliffhanger we read in The Mark of Athena, but still, there’s a quest to look forward to. Definitely, a great book, in an awesome saga that I’m glad I decided to read!

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Review - The Mark of Athena

Original Title: The Mark of Athena
Series: The Heroes of Olympus, #3
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: October the 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I’m utterly speechless. This book is, no doubt, the best of the saga so far. It had everything; moments that were funny, sad, terrible and romantic, and of course, there’s that ending, the meanest cliffhanger ever. Thanks a lot, Riordan! I’m afraid this review won’t cover all the amazing details it has, because that would be impossible. I’ll do my best, but know that to understand its awesomeness, and how much I loved this book, you’ll need to read it.

I don’t know where to start to describe my favorite moments! The Mark of Athena is one more proof that, no matter how many new characters come, Percy and Annabeth are always going to be my favorites, but, nevertheless, is great to see the Seven finally together. Every one of them has their own voice, and powers, and it is great to get to know each of them individually, as the book switches their POVs all the time, and you can get to join them to each adventure. Definitely, I fell in love with Leo in this one. I already liked him, but here, it had some of his best moments. I can truly relate to him, I know what it is to be in a group where all the others are couples, so Leo, I feel you, buddy! Oh, my God, in the scene with Narcissus, he completely outdid himself! I cracked up during the whole scene, I couldn’t stop laughing out loud as he tried to distract the fan club, and give Hazel the chance to get the Celestial bronze, delivering some of the cleverest and funniest lines in the whole book! He may be the so called “seventh wheel”, but the whole group would be lost without him. In fact, each demigod has something utterly necessary for the quest to succeed, so Nemesis, shut your ‘dam’ mouth! 

The demigods’ powers are amazing, and I love to see them learning every day a bit more about how to use them, like Leo, when he used his wits to save his friends from the eidolons, and then from Gaia’s power, but also when they work together, combining their abilities, like Jason and Percy summoning the storm. And talking about powers, there’s something I want to mention. Annabeth, upon the quest she must face alone, resented her lack of special powers, unlike the other six people in the Argo II. But that doesn’t mean a thing. She proved that power is not what makes a hero, and that she’s incredibly powerful in her own way, because her wits and her knowledge are unique; they come from her heritage, and she’s gone where no child of Athena ever went and survived to tell the tale! Not having powers like Percy’s, for example, doesn’t mean she lacks of them completely. She’s smart and wise, and is everything a hero should be. She’s a daughter of Athena worthy of the title.

Every book seems to be a challenge to see if I can love Percy and Annabeth even more, and the worst part is that I keep growing fonder and fonder with each passing chapter. Their relationship it isn’t just a silly teen crush. It is love, and the ending proved what Aphrodite said in The Lost Hero: that the noblest, bravest acts are done for love. Their quiet night in the ship’s stables was utterly beautiful and priceless, as they decided to live in the moment, and for a few hours, not to worry about anything else than each other. I loved that scene, because, even for a little while, they stopped being the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Athena. They were, simply, Percy and Annabeth, the missing piece of each other, and the very reason worthy of literally, any sacrifice. Percy preferred to fall into Tartarus itself -a destiny far, far worse even than the Underworld- than being separated from Annabeth again, and I want to sob in pain…! I love them so much! Each loving instant is adorable:

“Percy threw his arms around her. They kissed, and for a moment nothing else mattered. An asteroid could have hit the planet and wiped out all life, and Annabeth wouldn’t have cared.”

Only one of the best moments they shared. *sigh*

Just like with the other books by Rick Riordan I’ve read so far, I find myself in the impossible task to do justice to all the amazing little details and characters that turn this book in a literary gem. Not a page is a waste, and it has everything that makes a story great, making you want to know more and more with each chapter. You seriously need to read this! The whole saga!

As for me, I’m grabbing The House of Hades faster than the speed of light, I’ll assure you that!

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Review - The Son of Neptune

Original Title: The Son of Neptune
Series: The Heroes of Olympus, #2
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: October the 4th, 2011
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I loved this book! I seriously did; it is another proof of Rick Riordan’s amazing talent as a storyteller, and an awesome way to introduce young people to ancient mythology and history, in a world in which they are both alive, and fending off monsters, hearing prophecies and fighting with swords and bows are everyday things. Here, we found the second installment in The Heroes of Olympus saga, and it was as good as the previous one.

One of the best parts in this book was, definitely, having Percy back. He’s one of my favorite characters, and although in this one I missed both Annabeth and Thalia, I have the hope they will reappear, especially after that ending! But Percy… If he could make me love him even more, he did it here. Even when nothing in his life was certain, and he didn’t remember a thing about himself, he knew that somewhere out there was a girl named Annabeth, looking for him, and even when he didn’t fully recall her, he knew she was his anchor to the world, someone he needed and would give anything to be reunited with her. They are destined to each other, and I can’t wait to read more about them, now that they are officially together. In short, as far as Percy and Annabeth are there, it will be a must-read!

I liked Camp Jupiter, it is the Roman counterpart to Camp Half-Blood, where not only demigods find a refuge, but also their families, and their descendants. It has ancient Rome’s organization and urban plant, and the campers, instead of being divided according to their godly parent, are put in cohorts -a military unit-, and in Percy’s case, he ends up in the Fifth Cohort, the most mocked and maligned one, along with two other demigods, Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang.

I liked Hazel, and I’m excited to read more about her, to see how her story plays out. She’s a brave, smart and strong heroine, daughter of Pluto (Hades), who goes for what she wants, and is always willing to sacrifice herself for those she loves; but she hides a secret. She’s not supposed to be alive, as she died decades ago, trying to stop Gaea and the giant Alcyoneus from rising, but she was brought back from the Underworld by Nico di Angelo, whom I loved to see back. I liked that, even when her curse costed so much (her mother’s disrepute and death, for instance), and she hated herself for it, she eventually learned how to use it on her behalf. Her story is sad, and tragic, but it shows how corruptive riches can be, and the way that, whatever comes from the Lord of Death, even in the shiny guise of gold, silver, platinum and gemstones, won’t bring anything less than death itself. The only thing that bothered me a little was the fact that she kept mentioning her curse, and all the problems it brought her, but she didn’t give any details, so there was a point in which I was thinking “Please, explain something to me, for once!”. The whole suspense is good, but it can be tiresome, as it takes forever to finally learn, for example, why people who touch the gems and metals that she makes come to the surface end up paying such terrible prices. But still, I loved her, and I’m eager to see the part she will play in the Prophecy of Seven.

As for Frank, I really liked him, and I even felt a bit identified with him. I understand -perhaps all too well- what it is wanting to be accepted, doing your best to fit in, and still, feeling laughed at, bullied, left aside. I felt like I could be friends with this guy. His powers are amazing, he’s a natural warrior, even with all his doubts and insecurities, and comes from an old family with Roman roots, and powers of their own. It wasn’t fair that his life depended on a piece of wood, but he’s a true hero, because even when he was aware of that, was willing to give his life in order to save the Camp and the world. However, there’s something about him that I need to mention. It bothers me when the characters in a book don’t seem to be able to connect the dots. Frank waited for months to be claimed by Apollo as his son, given that his most remarkable talent was archery. But it was pretty obvious that his father wasn’t Apollo. I knew from the start that he was Mars’ son, for the simple and plain fact that his mother was a soldier. I mean, think of all the other demigods’ parents we know, and ask yourself what they did that could attract a god’s attention. Gods are attracted to that very same thing that makes them alive and powerful (otherwise they would fade), Mars is the god of war, and Emily Zhang was a soldier. It wasn’t very difficult to guess. But still, Frank is a great character, and I want to keep reading about him. I loved his relationship with Hazel, seeing how trust grew between them, and changed the way they saw themselves and each other.

I wish I could do justice to all the great details in this book. Just like in the Percy Jackson saga, The Son of Neptune is full of Riordan’s clever adaptations and gags, like the Amazons being the owners of Amazon (by the way, I had to go to The Sea of Monsters to remember who Hylla was), Percy understanding Arion’s language, Iris in the organic food business, Thanatos owning an Ipad… Things only Riordan can do so well, making me laugh out loud. I’ll definitely keep reading the rest of the saga, even when I still love Camp Half-Blood better than Camp Jupiter. I’m excited about getting to know more about these characters, including those we already know from the previous saga. If it means I can join Percy, Annabeth and Thalia, in their quests to save the world, I’ll read anything!

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Review - The Lost Hero

Original Title: The Lost Hero
Series: The Heroes of Olympus, #1
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: October the 12th, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I never thought I would read this book, after seeing it in hundreds of bookstores, and wondering what that cover with a big, mechanic dragon may be about. But Rick Riordan is easily becoming one of my favorite authors. His stories, besides being fast-paced, funny and engaging, have a strong, solid foundation, that links everything and widens the already big and multilayered world ancient Greek mythology built, and in this case, keeps building every day.

First of all, I have to admit that I wouldn’t have liked this book so much if I hadn’t met Percy Jackson and Camp Half-Blood first. I really missed him on this one, especially as narrator, because The Lost Hero is told in the third person, following the quest of three demigods, Jason, Leo, and Piper, who arrive at Camp Half-Blood in strange circumstances, as Jason’s memories have been stolen, and he has no idea who he is, and what is is he doing in a school bus full of kids on their way to a field trip. I liked the fact that the author chose to switch the heroes’ POV, so that way we can get to know the three of them at the same time, with their own personalities, struggles, personal stories... And they are demigods, so that never gets boring.

Camp-Half Blood is one of those places that always welcomes you back, and with every book, it feels like coming home. I love to go there, every time to find something new, and meet new campers, and now it is even more interesting, because there’s new cabins and new demigods, so that means new powers, and a new set of characters. Personally, I find really interesting to get to know the children of minor gods, like Iris’, Hecate’s, and Hypno’s, and I really hope there’s more about them, because they were underrated for a long time, and I’m really curious about what they can do. Sadly, I had unintentionally spoiled myself some things before reading this book, like Jason’s last name and Piper’s godly parent, but I have to say that it didn’t kept me from passing one page after another, and easily spending four or five hours straight reading non-stop. Every chapter finishes with a mean cliffhanger that makes you need to keep reading. As for the characters we already know from the Percy Jackson series, I must say, before this book, I really disliked the Aphrodite cabin (except for Silena Beauregard), along with their mother, but Piper really makes me rethink it, especially after her dream with her mother, in which she exposes the true power love has, that it is more than just beauty, pink, and the designer clothes and perfums that seem to be the cabin’s trademark. 

“Love is powerful, Piper. It can bring even the gods to their knees.”
“My point is that love is the most powerful motivator in the world. It spurs mortals to greatness. Their noblest, bravest acts are done for love.”

I still can’t believe my favorite quotes from this book came from Aphrodite, but there’s truth in her words. More than once, the gods, in their imperfection, acted out of love and passion (sometimes with catastrophic consequences), proving that Aphrodite, even when she’s usually considered shallow and fickle, is more powerful than she’s given credit for.

I really liked Piper, she’s a strong, powerful demigod, destined for something great, and she really gives another meaning to what it is to be a child of Aphrodite. However, the love story with Jason seems a bit forced. He has no memory of her, and her memories of him are a product of the Mist, so I don’t really like the whole “he’s mine” thing Piper comes up with. I get it when she practically spits it to Drew’s face to get her out of the way, but still, she doesn’t even know the guy!

As for the other characters, well... The ones from the Percy Jackson’s saga are still my favorites, as Annabeth and Thalia (by the way, I also liked to read again about the Hunters of Artemis). I liked Jason, but I still love Percy better. He’s powerful, and I really want to know more about him, the camp he comes from, his family, the battle in Mount Othrys... There’s a whole lot of things to find out about him, and I guess that’s why I didn’t fully liked him; because I need to know more. As for Leo Valdez, I liked that through him we get to know a lot more about both the Hephaestus cabin, and his talents are amazing, as he did a few things not even his siblings could do, in addition to be able to create and manipulate fire, which makes him even a more powerful demigod. He’s a Latin character, moreover! You don’t get to know many of them, and almost always they are horrible stereotypes based in no research. That’s not the case, and I really hope he grows even more to be an awesome character; the only thing about him is that I needed to be reminded of his age, because sometimes he doesn’t seem to be sixteen, but rather twelve or thirteen, by the way he talks and thinks. But still, he’s a great character.

The Roman mythology part sounds interesting and I’m more than willing to keep reading, especially now that we know where Percy is. I want to know more about Lupa the she-wolf, and of course, about the other camp in which the kids born from the Roman version of their godly parent are. I’m really curious about it, and I can’t wait to keep reading! I have the feeling that this saga won’t be better than the Percy Jackson one, but still, it promises to be really good. I’m always open to new fantasy sagas, and after of a couple of trashy ones, I’m very happy that I found an author who can really work magic with his words! Definitely a keeper!

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Review - The Last Olympian

Original Title: The Last Olympian
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: March the 9th, 2009
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Oh, my. What an ending! You know, with this book, I did what I always do with the great stories I have the good luck to find. I leave them for days, but not because they are bad, but because I don’t want to finish them. With The Last Olympian, I read wanting to know what would happen, but at the same time, not wanting to reach the ending, or I’d have to say goodbye to Percy, Annabeth, Grover and the rest of Camp Half-Blood. Something amazing happened to me with this book (and also with the rest of the saga), and I can only attribute it to Rick Riordan’s great talent. He wrote the dialogues in such way, and I was so into the stories, that I could actually imagine the voices of the characters in my head, with their emotions and tones, like I was actually there. Titans, satyrs, demigods... All of them speaking with their own voices, and that can only be accomplished by a true writer. I don’t know how he did it, but it was a truly magical experience that sent shivers down my spine, especially when Poseidon and his army came to save the day. My applause!

The battle of Manhattan was... I don’t have enough words for it, because “epic” isn’t enough. I was there, the whole time, fighting with Percy, holding back monsters, riding pegasi, sword fighting... It was just amazing. I don’t mean to go into detail, because you need to read the book to know how wonderful it is, but I do want, however, mention a few things. First of all, the blending of ancient Greek mythology with the 21st century is flawlessly written, just like in the other books; in this case, the most remarkable reference is the one to the Trojan War. Silena and Clarisse are much like Achilles and Patroclus in the Iliad. Just look: Patroclus/Silena wears Achilles’/Clarisse’s armor to take the Myrmidons/the Ares cabin into battle. Then, Hector/the drakon kills Patroclus/Silena in the battlefield, dying later at the angry hands of Achilles/Clarisse, and their bodies are dragged behind their chariots in front of the enemy lines. It is really well done! 

I have to admit that the truth about Silena really took me by surprise, but then I thought that I should have seen it coming. The poor girl... She never got over Charles’ death, but at least they both gave their lives as true heros; I was sorry to see them gone, even when I don’t really symphatize with the Aphrodite cabin. They are the only demigods I don’t quite like (but I don’t like their mother, either, so I guess that’s where it comes from). Oh, and I laughed so much! Like with the mother-daughter moments between Demeter and Persephone, but mostly, when the Apollo cabin cursed the Ares kids, forcing them to talk in poetry. I just cracked up, when the Ares kid couldn’t but rhyme all the insults towards Michael Yew! Moreover, I remember it now, and I can’t help laughing again! 

But, well, back to Percy. I already loved him, but in this book, I love him even more. He really outdid himself in this book. He rejected immortality to give some importance to the minor gods, and finally give other demigods a chance to know who they were, and forced them to fullfil their duty to their children; they may not have intented to have them, but they did, so now, they had to claim them and give them an identity; after all, it isn’t the poor demigod’s fault if his/her godly parent couldn’t resist the charms of a mere human. But still, Percy is my hero, and if I could love him even more, I do now, thanks to his completely selfless request, making the gods swear on the River Styx. And through that, it is possible to see, clearer than ever, that the Olympian gods are powerful (very), but they are not perfect. They exist through human nature, and represent the best and the worst in it; although they consider themselves superior, they are not different from us. They are not free from mistakes. They symbolize what man can do, create, build, imagine and think. They can be artists, philosophers, warriors, and sovereigns. But they need humans, because for them, they exist. Otherwise, they would fade. There’s a reason why they are not the guardians of hope, because only humans can fully understand it. Just like Dyonisus and Chiron say, they need the heroes, because they carry the hope of humanity into the realm of the eternal. And here a “mere mortal” (as they call them) had to teach them about responsability, no less!

A hero’s death is never in vain. Or at least, it shouldn’t. Among the things this book teaches is that you can be a hero if you choose to be, and your decisions are actually what define you, not your blood. Fear can make you do terrible things, but also love, as it takes your fear away and takes you down paths that, perhaps, you never thought you would ever take. The prophecy loomed over our heros as an evil omen, and although it mentioned the actions of a hero, it actually referred to three of them. The decisions of three demigods, in one, critical moment, sealed the fate of humanity, as none of them could fulfill their destiny without each other. But mostly, those heroes prove that your greatest strenght can lie where you least expect it; your greatest weakness can save you, and become your anchor to the world. In the end, Luke surprised me, but he earned my respect, becoming the hero he always could be, in despite of his terrible backstory. By the way, I loved the fact that we could get to know a lot more about his past (along with Annabeth's and Thalia's), and most of all, about Nico and Bianca di Angelo. One of the things I wanted to know the most was about what woman could possibly enchant the Lord of Death like that, and although there’s not a lot of details about it, we get to know what we need to and no more. Also, I grew to like Rachel Elizabeth Dare (yes, you say her full name), and even when I guessed her gift, I didn’t think she could end up like that. But I was glad she could find her destiny, along with the demigods.

So, in short, this saga is amazing, and I’m already planning to read more by Rick Riordan. It has to be great for me to give 5 stars. I’m so glad I could catch the movie that lazy Sunday afternoon, because, otherwise, I would never have decided to read this amazing saga that I’ll never forget. Every fantasy lover should read it, and now, I’ll count it among my favorites! 

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Review - Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades

Original Title: Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4.5
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: February 2009
Publisher: Puffin Books

Short, fun novella in which we join Percy, Thalia and Nico (the children of the Big Three) sent by Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, in a quest to retrieve Hades’ sword for the war to come. It doesn’t add much to the story, but I will read anything if that means I can join Percy and the other demigods in their quests and keep knowing more about the world they live in, in which myths are forever alive and he keeps moving forward, discovering new abilities and powers, and living up to the ‘hero’ title he rightfully earns with every adventure. I only missed Annabeth in this one, but as she’s Athena’s daughter, Persephone didn’t summon her, she only called the most powerful demigods.

The book is only four chapters long, I read it in little more than an hour, and just as I feel with every Percy Jackson story, I didn’t want it to end. Awesome read!

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Review - The Battle of the Labyrinth

Original Title: The Battle of the Labyrinth
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: March the 6th, 2008
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Seriously, I can’t stop reading this series! With every book, it gets better and better, and I’m getting that feeling in which I want to know how it ends, and at the same time, I don’t, because I feel like I’ll never be ready to say goodbye to Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, and the whole Camp Half-Blood.

I can’t explain how much I loved this book. Here, Rick Riordan does it again, taking us to an epic adventure, through the many twist and turns of Daedalus’s Labyrinth, in their pursuit to avoid the inminent uprising of Kronos, and the destruction of the Olympians. I said it in my other reviews, and I’ll say it again: it is amazing how Rick Riordan manages to adapt ancient Greek mythology to the 21st century. I don’t get tired of seeing how he has an answer to every question I ask myself as I read, and every new character he introduces is both lovable and interesting. In this book, particularly, I grew quite fond of Annabeth; I already liked her, but here, I got to like her even more. She’s smart and brave, and she unhesitatingly takes the chance to prove herself leading the quest through the Labyrinth, even with the weight of the prophecy on her shoulders, but she’s also kind and loving, and doesn’t always let people know how she really feels, terrified to expose her weaknesses, even to her best friend Percy. That’s why, when she suddenly kisses him, I stood stunned, pretty much like Percy himself, but I had an instant smile on my face. The only thing that bothered me a little that they didn’t mention it again, but I hope they get more moments together in the next book.

Oh, and the battle! Grab your sword, and get ready for an epic fight! I read it holding my breath, and I felt like I was truly there, in the middle of the noise, the screaming and the roaring of monsters, with the heroes, satyrs and nymphs, fighting back to protect the Camp, and the world. This book (and the rest of the saga) truly makes me feel like I’m there, with them, going every step of the way at their side, and I have no words to say how much I loved it, and how badly I didn’t want this book to end. I have lots of questions I hope to answer soon, like, who was Nico’s mother, that attracted a god like Hades himself? What happened exactly to Luke, and is he still there, now that Kronos is gaining strenght? I can’t wait to know!

Just like the Labyrinth in itself, this book is full of twist and turns, and you have to keep reading to discover its secrets and know where you will end up, but also, you can get lost; the only difference is that there’s no hurry to find the way out. I was gladly surprised when, as I read, discovered that the whole book doesn’t take place inside the Labyrinth, which is a good thing (otherwise it would be repetitive and tiresome). Through our heroes’ quest, the old myths get interwined and mixed with each other, as Percy and his friends become a part of them, in this cycle that never ends (like when he cleans the Augean stables, where the flesh-eating Mares of Diomedes live -those are two of Hercules’ labors in one). I love how Percy discovers, in each book, new talents and powers, and his voice as narrator has me laughing out loud, it’s impossible not to love him!

If you like fantasy, you can’t miss this saga! It is the best I read in a long time (and trust me, this year I didn’t had much luck with the genre -it seemed to be one trashy book after another, or a very good first book, and then the rest of the saga simply sucked or got ruined by unnecessary things). It is clever, funny, epic... Everything a fantasy serie should be. Do not take the movies as reference and give it a chance! You will be captivated by this amazing world, and won’t want to leave it!

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Review - The Titan's Curse

Original Title: The Titan's Curse
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: May the 7th, 2007
Publisher: Puffin Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Once again, Rick Riordan delivers a captivating story that I just had to keep reading. I’m so glad I decided to grab this story, it is so great! In this new installment, we find our heroes in a whole new quest, and this time, someone else has come to be a part of the group: Thalia, Zeus’ daughter, and one of the most powerful demigods ever born. 

Rick Riordan continues doing what he does best, blending old Greek mythology with the 21st century, in a way that had me laughing, and gasping, and wanting to know more, passing one page after another, not wanting the book to end. In this book, we get to go on a quest with our heroes, who leave Camp Half-Blood with an ominous prophecy looming over them. Here we get to know a new set of characters, as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, and her Huntresses, who are the counterpart to Camp Half-Blood, because even when Artemis has an honorary cabin in the camp, it will be forever empty, as Artemis vowed to stay a maiden forever. Her second in command, Zoe Nightshade, was one of the best characters; her story was both sad and beautiful, but she proved to be a Huntress worthy of the title, and when Artemis turned her into a constelation, I almost cried. It was such a beautiful scene to read, and to imagine, especially after both Zoe and Bianca di Angelo, a powerful half-blood whose parentage is unknown, gave up everything out of love and duty, and proved themselves worthy of the word “heroine”. 

I also liked both Bianca and Nico di Angelo; from the start, with everything they say, you can tell how powerful they are, and they kept me guessing and wondering which god could be their mother or father. And when I finally learned it, I admit, I suspected it, but I wasn’t sure. Hades doesn’t sound like the kind of god who goes out there having children with mortals, but I really hope we get to know more about that story, especially now that Nico is the new possibility to fulfill the prophecy (I felt really sorry about that, I like Nico and I want him to be happy!). I wonder what kind of mortal woman could possibly atract the God of Death himself, she must have been very special indeed.

This book has so many amazing and funny moments that I cannot do justice to all of them. It shows how friendship, love and loyalty can, if not overcome everything, make you do and face anything, awakening your courage and taking you to the most unlikely places. They set off in their quest knowing its price, and for that I like Percy even more, because nothing is enough to stop him from going after Annabeth. Not once he forgets about her, and is even willing to find her on his own if he has too. I love him for that. He may be a hero because he is a demigod, but he rightfully earns the title.

I love Greek mythology. It’s a fascinating universe in which you can get lost, and here, it appears wonderfully adapted to our modern world. You can’t help loving every single character, but, as I said, I can’t do justice to every detail in this book, as much as I would like to. You need to read it to know what I mean! If you love fantasy, then this saga is for you!

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Review - The Sea of Monsters

Original Title: The Sea of Monsters
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: April the 1st, 2006
Publisher: Hyperion Books

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I loved this book! It’s even better than the previous one, and I really hope this saga only gets better and better. It had me laughing, and gasping, and passing the pages not wanting to stop. In fact, when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking that I wanted to go back to it! I love when a book does that.

Once more, Rick Riordan proved himself brilliant, blending the old Greek myths with the 21s century’s reality. This time, he takes us to the Sea of Monsters, where Percy, Annabeth and their new friend Tyson face an Odyssey of their own, going through all those dangers the heroes of old went through on their sea voyages: Circe, the sirens, Scylla and Charybdis… everything within the Bermuda Triangle, in an amazing way to explain some of its mysteries, that mortals simply can’t see or understand by themselves. I loved the way Riordan depicted the Sea of Monsters and the perils they encountered along the way to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Polyphemus, who’s holding Grover captive, and had me laughing out loud! Poor Grover, he wasn’t having any fun, but still, his scenes trying to dodge Polyphemus were so much fun! And it was great how Riordan managed -very cleverly- to adapt a part of Penelope’s tale -Odysseus’s wife- to Grover’s. Well done!

However, there’s something I couldn’t help noticing, and I simply have to mention it. In order to save Camp Half-Blood, Percy, Annabeth and Tyson go on a quest to find the Golden Fleece. At some point, Annabeth tells the Fleece’s story, and perhaps there’s another version of it, but I noticed it is the wrong one. She says Cadmus and Europa were saved by the ram with the Golden Fleece, but that’s not how the story is, and I’ve read it enough times to know it very well. The real story involves the twins Helle and Phrixo, children of Athamas, king of Boeotia, and Nephele, a cloud nymph. Athamas, after divorcing Nephele, marries Ino, a woman who grows to hate her stepchildren, and plots to get rid of them. She burns the crops and bribes some men to lie about an oracle that dictates that, in order to avoid famine, Helle and Phrixo must be sacrificed. But before they can be killed, their mother sends the ram (which is said to have been sired by Poseidon and Theopane, a nymph) to rescue them, and it takes them flying away. They are warned not to look down to the Earth as they fly, but Helle, however, does it anyway, and in her fear, she falls from the ram, and drowns in the sea that later takes her name, Hellespont (Sea of Helle). Phrixus, however, survives and reaches Colchis, where finally King Aeetes gives him his daughter Chalciope in marriage, and in return, Phrixo gives him the Golden Fleece, which the king hangs in a tree in his kingdom, bringing prosperity.

I just had to mention it; mythologically speaking, it is wrong. The story Annabeth tells mentions Cadmus and Europa, that actually are brother and sister, but they have nothing to do with the Golden Fleece’s myth. Actually, she’s another of Zeus’ lovers (and the one from which Europe took its name), and he is a famous monster slayer, each of them with their own myths. But still, it is a minor detail and the story can be understood the same, it doesn’t take away the fact that the book is awesome.

My problem is that, being still a Greek mythology freak (although less enthusiastic as I used to be at thirteen, or fourteen), I knew some things the characters didn’t and when they came out were less surprising as they were intended to be, like Chiron being Kronos’ son. But I simply have to stand up and give a loud applause to Rick Riordan, because of the awesome fact that he was able to make me laugh with a character as terrible as Tantalus. Lets face it, his myth is probably one of the cruelest, but even so, his bad mood and his attempts to catch food had me laughing out loud, and even more through Percy’s eyes: “That was so completely unfair that I told Tantalus to go chase a donut.”. And also “Tantalus made a wild grab, but the marshmallow committed suicide, diving into the flames.”. Really well done, Mr. Riordan!

The book is amazing, and I’ll never get tired of saying so. The ending is a perfectly mean cliffhanger that will make me grab the third book as fast as I can. This series only gets better and better, and it reminds me why I love fantasy so much! You are never too old for stories like this, and I recommend it all of those people who haven’t read it yet! Go for it, you won’t regret it!

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Review - The Lightning Thief

Original Title: The Lightning Thief
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: June the 28th, 2005
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

I said it before and I say it again: “never judge a book by its movie”. I grabbed it after a peaceful Sunday afternoon watching the movie on tv, after mere curiosity, and that very same day I got the book and started reading it. My first thought was that I wish I had read this book back when it was published. I was thirteen years-old back then, and I already used to lock myself up with a collection of encyclopedias to read about gods, goddesses and heroes. I was a Greek mythology freak pre-teen. But also, I’d wish I had met Percy back in a time in which he and I had so much in common. Upon reading about him, I could relate to many of those things he faces, as I faced them as a kid back in school, and that sadly are a reality many adults choose to ignore, especially when it comes to bullying (yeah, I know that firsthand, but back when I was a kid, it didn’t had that name -it was only something all kids do, so I was never defended; in fact, my bullies were defended when I reacted). It was a great read; as I passed the pages I was able to remember lots of things I had read about mythology, and let’s face it, Rick Riordan did a great work adapting the gods and deities to the modern world, and definitely, his image of the Fire is quite accurate. Humanity, basically, hasn’t changed, and those same vices the Greek pictured in paradisiac islands, brought by spells casted by nymphs and goddesses, tempting travelers and heroes alike, are perfectly clear in the most powerful nation in the world. The way he told how those myths we can read are a reality in this story, is brilliant, especially after I, as I read myth after myth, discovered that much of what happens in them isn’t always suited for under-aged readers. There’s however, a few things I have to mention. For starters, Percy’s mom. She knew the whole time she had a son with the Sea God, and she takes it normally, but I want -need- details! How they met, how she knew who he really was, how she believed him and… I mean, how do you take in the fact you ended up pregnant by an old Greek deity? Even when she’s a really good character, Sally Jackson never really gives any explanation of how things happened, except for a few lines that aren’t enough! And on the other hand, we have Poseidon as Percy’s dad. It bothered me a little that nobody seemed to connect the dots. I mean, come on! Percy finally accepts the fact that his father is a god, but he doesn’t know which of them. Although, yes, he has uncontrollable reactions related to water every time he’s bullied or mistreated, like when he made the bathroom pipes explode, or healed his own wounds. It was right there! There’s not much to think if you have twelve cabins for the kids of those twelve main gods to live in Camp Half-Blood, and only one of them belongs to a god related to water. Of course, there’s other Greek sea gods, but they are minor and wouldn’t have a cabin in the camp (like Proteus -a son of Poseidon-, or Nereus), so I think it was quite clear the whole time, even before Poseidon himself claimed him as his son. A thing that also bothered me a little is that everything is very American. Very. And before anyone say anything, I’m not from the U.S.A., but from Argentina. I bring it up only because lately I’ve been thinking, it’s unbelievable how we naturalized all those things we hear about in movies, series and books, about the Northern country; it’s geography, celebrations, summer camps… Even the seasons! This book takes place in the U.S.A, and it has lots and lots of reference to things only those born there will fully understand. But it’s not, however, something I fully criticize. It’s ok. As for those comparing Percy Jackson with Harry Potter, yes, I saw lots of things in common, but this story is great in its own way, no comparison needed. Give it a try; after all, each reader has a different, unique point of view, and Percy and his friends are heroes worth reading, so definitely, I’m going to read the rest of the saga!

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