The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
In early January, I read the fifth and final book in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series, which followed his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and introduced some new characters. I loved this series and this book just as much as all the ones that came before; there really is something magical about his storytelling.
There isn't a great deal I can write about the actual plot without spoilers (and those are just ahead), but I'll say that I think everything happened the way it needed to. The ending was satisfying, and while I think it would be tough to come up with another enemy worthy of a five-book series for this particular group of demigods, I like that Riordan left the door open for short stories. And I generally don't even like short stories! But my issue with them is that they're over so quickly that I either don't get attached to the characters or I do, and then I'm upset that they're gone. Stories revisiting characters I know and love are a completely different animal, which Riordan has proven with two or three previous demigod short story collections.
It had come up a few times that since the larger quest to stop Gaea from rising had started with Jason, Piper and Leo, it would end with them as well. So I guess it makes sense that they are the only ones of the Seven narrating this book. It was a little odd not to hear things from Percy's and Anbabeth's PoVs, though maybe I just got spoiled by so much of their narration in The House of Hades. I missed Hazel's narration too, just because she's one of my many favorite characters. But I LOVED the addition of Reyna and Nico as narrators. They're both complicated characters who keep so much inside that it's difficult to learn too much about through someone else's eyes. Not only was it wonderful to get to know them, but also absolutely necessary for this story, since they were away from the Seven bringing the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood.
I think Gaea had to rise. I know the quest was to prevent it, but it was more dramatic and exciting that they didn't, and it added a level of desperation that the demigods probably needed for their final victory. Apparently Nico felt bad about Octavian's death at the end, but I thought it was great. Not every character needs to repent or be redeemed at the end. (*cough*Luke*cough* - or maybe that's just my bronchitis) Octavian was a full-on psycho, and it's ok that he was. It worked for the story.
It made me so happy that Nico decided to stay at Camp Half-Blood, even before he realized that he may have found a potential boyfriend. And I think Riordan did a great job writing about Nico coming out; it was a struggle for Nico, but no one else wasn't at all bothered or even found it to be a big deal. Percy was typically dense in figuring it out, but in a friendly and endearing way. Thankfully, for the most part, it seems like every generation is more accepting and understanding, and I hope that will continue to be the case in real life. (If we can avoid electing so many ultra-right-wing politicians who try to quash civil rights and make sexuality such a divisive issue, that would be another step in the right direction!)
And oh, it made me happy that Leo found his way back to Calypso on Ogygia. I knew he would, but I love how he did it, and even that he died along the way, because one of them had to; the prophecy was clear. But thanks to Hazel, Frank and Festus, he returned! Leo and Calypso off for adventures on Festus seems like one of the most obvious opportunities for a short story - or several - which I hope Riordan is writing!
Also fun that Riordan's next series will be about the Norse gods. I don't know much about them beyond what I learned from Stargate, so I look forward to learning more this fall! As I've said many times before, Thank goodness he's such a prolific writer!
There isn't a great deal I can write about the actual plot without spoilers (and those are just ahead), but I'll say that I think everything happened the way it needed to. The ending was satisfying, and while I think it would be tough to come up with another enemy worthy of a five-book series for this particular group of demigods, I like that Riordan left the door open for short stories. And I generally don't even like short stories! But my issue with them is that they're over so quickly that I either don't get attached to the characters or I do, and then I'm upset that they're gone. Stories revisiting characters I know and love are a completely different animal, which Riordan has proven with two or three previous demigod short story collections.
It had come up a few times that since the larger quest to stop Gaea from rising had started with Jason, Piper and Leo, it would end with them as well. So I guess it makes sense that they are the only ones of the Seven narrating this book. It was a little odd not to hear things from Percy's and Anbabeth's PoVs, though maybe I just got spoiled by so much of their narration in The House of Hades. I missed Hazel's narration too, just because she's one of my many favorite characters. But I LOVED the addition of Reyna and Nico as narrators. They're both complicated characters who keep so much inside that it's difficult to learn too much about through someone else's eyes. Not only was it wonderful to get to know them, but also absolutely necessary for this story, since they were away from the Seven bringing the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood.
I think Gaea had to rise. I know the quest was to prevent it, but it was more dramatic and exciting that they didn't, and it added a level of desperation that the demigods probably needed for their final victory. Apparently Nico felt bad about Octavian's death at the end, but I thought it was great. Not every character needs to repent or be redeemed at the end. (*cough*Luke*cough* - or maybe that's just my bronchitis) Octavian was a full-on psycho, and it's ok that he was. It worked for the story.
It made me so happy that Nico decided to stay at Camp Half-Blood, even before he realized that he may have found a potential boyfriend. And I think Riordan did a great job writing about Nico coming out; it was a struggle for Nico, but no one else wasn't at all bothered or even found it to be a big deal. Percy was typically dense in figuring it out, but in a friendly and endearing way. Thankfully, for the most part, it seems like every generation is more accepting and understanding, and I hope that will continue to be the case in real life. (If we can avoid electing so many ultra-right-wing politicians who try to quash civil rights and make sexuality such a divisive issue, that would be another step in the right direction!)
And oh, it made me happy that Leo found his way back to Calypso on Ogygia. I knew he would, but I love how he did it, and even that he died along the way, because one of them had to; the prophecy was clear. But thanks to Hazel, Frank and Festus, he returned! Leo and Calypso off for adventures on Festus seems like one of the most obvious opportunities for a short story - or several - which I hope Riordan is writing!
Also fun that Riordan's next series will be about the Norse gods. I don't know much about them beyond what I learned from Stargate, so I look forward to learning more this fall! As I've said many times before, Thank goodness he's such a prolific writer!