The Son of Neptune is the second book in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus Series. Which is a spin off from his Percy Jackson Series... In the first book, The Lost Hero we are introduced to Jason and the entire Roman encampment. We discover that yes, the gods evolved with Roman times and they have created Heroes from Rome as well as from Greece. Jason had been the leader of the Roman Camp and had been abducted, his memory erased and told he was a Greek. The entire lesson was for the Greek and the Roman heroes to learn to work together.
In the Son of Neptune, we find Percy.. EIGHT MONTHS LATER.. I capitalize that cuz well, Percy was most irked. Anyway, we find Percy, alone and with no memories of his past attempting to enter the Roman Camp. A son of Neptune is rare in the Roman Camp, Romans don’t value the sea like the Greeks do. Upon arriving in camp, in his usual I bring trouble on my heels manner. Percy is allowed to join the camp and placed in the 5th cohort, which is the least of all.. The joke of the camp and yet it is from this group that the heroes chosen to go on the quest are chosen.
Frank, a big bumbling, stumbling boy..unsure of anything and as yet to be claimed by his father even though he is 16 and Hazel a beautiful daughter of Pluto, who has actually been returned to life by her brother Nico immediately befriend Percy. Together, even in camp they begin to turn the fortune of the 5th.. by becoming the first to enter the enemies fortress (in wargames) and capturing their flags. A team bonding experience that is only the beginning of their travels.
A quest is called for by Mars, the god of war, who conveniently claims Frank as his son.. much to Frank’s dismay, disgust.. Frank is called to lead the quest and he chooses Percy and Hazel to go with him. A quest only allows for three members.. Politics at the camp leave them with limited resources and only four days to accomplish their quest. Which involves getting from California to Alaska, killing Gaea's oldest son, saving Thanatos, the lieutenant to Hades and the god of death and retrieving the legion’s eagle (their most sacred banner) which had been lost to them 30 years earlier.
Along the way, they must deal with crazed grain babies, a goddess gone hippy, a blind seer returned from the dead, harpies (and they are the good guys), Amazons in the midst of pending civil war, Ogres and Gryphons. All the while, learning their skills, Percy beginning to remember his past, Frank finding out he is much more than he thought he was and Hazel letting go of her past.
Rick Riordan does it again! This is just a wonderfully fun book. A complete joy to read and yes it ended way too soon! Already, I am wondering what happens next? and how the two camps will unite. Will the power struggles continue, will they be able to work together? All of these questions make for a promising third book.
I want to read it, but I'm not ready to buy it. I loved the entire Lightning Thief series and book one of this series was pretty good too; however, it's starting to get old. Seen one monster seen them all. I'll probably read it one day, probably when it goes to paper back and a kid buys it for my classroom from the school's bookfair fundraiser. Interestingly though, I hated book one of the Kane Chronicles.
ReplyDeleteJoyce
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It really is an excellent series.. The Percy Jackson series is written on the Harry Potter concept of aging a character book by book.. each year a different challenge, different age.. The Heroes of Olympus are a bit different as they seem to be more continuous.. although The Lost Hero takes place about 8 months earlier..
ReplyDeleteBut an excellent book