Friday, October 17, 2014

Review: The Blood of Olympus

The Blood of Olympus is the final book in the Heroes of Olympus series.  I couldn't wait to open the book and begin the story but also felt a bit sad knowing that every page I read was bringing me closer to the end and there would be no 6th book to continue the adventures of these beloved characters.

Synopsis from Amazon:
Though the Greek and Roman crew members of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen-all of them-and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood-the blood of Olympus-in order to wake. 

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.


My Review: 
For me, Percy Jackson took over where Harry Potter left off.  I exchanged one group of heroes for another, hoping that I could enjoy this series as much as I enjoyed the Harry Potter books.  I did.  

This final installment of the series was fast-paced with almost non-stop action.  The chapters kept the usual format of switching point of view and none of the chapters were told by Percy or Annabeth. We read much of the story through the eyes of Jason, Reyna, Piper, and Nico.  I was sad at first that Percy and Annabeth weren't as prominent in the story, but once I got into the book, it didn't really matter as much.  I especially loved Nico's story and he is the character who I think grew and changed the most in the story, becoming someone who could finally see his self worth, be trusted, and a true ally to his friends. 

The mythological creatures in this book were fantastic, the quests exciting, and the ending satisfying.  It was hard to put down.  While I was pretty sure these characters would be able to save the world from impending doom, I often wondered if someone would have to be sacrificed for the greater good.  The anticipation for how the big battle would turn out in the end was almost tangible. The battle itself and its aftermath were totally worth the wait. No spoilers here though so you'll have to grab the book for yourself.

So now, I'm looking for another great book or series that can rival The Heroes of Olympus. Will I find one?  I don't know.  If you have any suggestions, please share.  I can truly say after finishing these books that Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Nico, Frank, Hazel, and all of the other wonderful characters Rick Riordan brought to life will always have a place in my heart and on my shelf, right next to Harry Potter.
                                                                                                                                       

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