Will contain SPOILERS (like, major spoilers) if you haven’t finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or read The Lost Hero.
Title: The Son of Neptune
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: October 4th 2011
Length: 513 pages (Hardcover)
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #2
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn’t know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn’t ring any bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth
Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn’t do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem — when the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her “gift” for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn’t say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.
Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn’t see it. He doesn’t even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery — although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially in front of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely — enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.
Beginning at the “other” camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.
Review:
Okay, I’m just going to be blunt and say it:
I absolutely, a 100 %, mother freaking LOVED this book!
If you have read my review of The Lost Hero, you know I was a bit hesitant to it in the beginning. Hesitant and well, scared. I wasn’t ready for things to change, and I missed the characters that weren’t as present as I was used to.
When I picked up this book on the other hand, I was more familiar with the idea of another camp, different gods, and new characters. Unlike with The Lost Hero, I was now able to embrace the change, and just go with the flow from the start. Because of that, I could enjoy everything from the first page, to the very last.
Chapter after chapter, Riordan kept giving me it all: adventure, action, humour, and of course, awesome characters. Basically everything I usually ask for when I pick up a book of his..
He has really found his element, after all. You know, mythology. In this series, though, he takes a break from Zeus and co, and instead introduces us to something new and fresh, namely a Roman camp, full of Roman demigods. Before reading this book, I wasn’t very familiar with Roman mythology, and while that felt like a problem in The Lost Hero, it did not in this one. Sure, there were some names and words I didn’t recognise, but after a while, I got used to it, learned, and also came to really enjoy the stern, Roman gods.
Seeing, experiencing, and getting to know Camp Jupiter through Percy’s eyes was also very fun. Even though almost everything, from their architecture and traditions, to their ways of living, are very different from Camp Half-blood, they still have one thing in common: their sense of friendship and belonging. This is what I love the most about Camp Half-blood, and therefore I can’t help but love Camp Jupiter as well. I still prefer the Greek mythology and their more relaxed ways, but I think they can learn much from their Roman neighbours and improve in many ways.
When it comes to the adventure…well it was thrilling as usual. Throughout the book, you get to meet a lot of enemies, both old and new, and I found it all very exciting. :) I could barely stop reading, and was probably horrible company to the people around me. ;)
One of the highlights of this novel, though, was Percy Jackson (surprise, surprise). I love Percy’s sense of humour, his dedication to his friends, and well, his voice. The way I see it, Riordan is so familiar with Percy, that he’s able to write him better than any other character. Percy’s whole personality shines through in every word, and I love it! What really did come as a surprise, though, was that I actually enjoyed the other two protagonists, Hazel and Frank, almost as much. They both managed to be super strong warriors, and total sweethearts at the same time. ;)
Last but not least, I do admit that there is a certain pattern in Mr Riordan’s books, but I actually don’t mind the similarities…not yet at least. His novels just continue to capture and enchant me with the mind-blowing plotlines, the lovable characters, and all the humour.
I can’t contain myself…I need to read The Mark of Athena right NOW!
5/5 Moustaches
Quotes:
“Um…is that thing tame?” Frank said.
The horse whinnied angrily.
“I don’t think so,” Percy guessed. “He just said, ‘I will trample you to death, silly Chinese Canadian baby man’.”
“They’re Lares. House gods.”
“House gods,” Percy said. “Like…smaller than real gods, but larger than apartment gods?”
“Back in my day, we died all the time, and we liked it!”
“The thing about plummetting downhill at fifty miles an hour on a snack platter – if you realize it’s a bad idea when you’re halfway down, it’s too late.”
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