Okay, THIS is my favorite book in the Heroes of Olympus series. It’s divided into two plots lines, one that follows Percy and Annabeth’s dangerous adventures in Tartarus, and another that follows our remaining seven demigods (plus Nico!) in the Mediterranean. While I like following Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank, and Leo, it is undoubtedly the Tartarus story that makes this my favorite.
Percy and Annabeth are such a great couple, and that’s largely because they are both so well-developed as individuals. We know that as readers, but Percy and Annabeth know that about each other. They respect each other’s skills and easily accept each other’s help. They are a team, and that is the only way they are able to cross the increasingly horrifying world of Tartarus. Well, that and Bob.
On the surface of the planet, Hazel gains magical powers, which is pretty great. I don’t remember liking her nearly so much the first time I read through this series, but now I adore her! I think before I was reading too much into the supposed love triangle between her, Frank, and Leo, but this time through I’ve realized I was reading what I expected to be there rather than what was. In reality, they clear up the confusion pretty early on, and I really like that Hazel and Leo manage to create a really awesome friendship. It helps, of course, that Leo falls in love with Calypso. They’ve got a sweet annoyance-turned-into-love story, which is one of my favorite kind of meet cutes.
But undoubtedly, my favorite of the seven is….not one of the seven! Every time Nico appears in someone else’s chapter, it gets twenty times better. Of course one of my favorite parts is when Eros, the god of love, confronts Nico. It is SUCH a great chapter, reminding us as readers that love is not a baby cupid, adorable and sweet. Instead, love is a monster, demanding all our attention and devotion, creating chaos and ruining our lives. I mean, sometimes. Still, it’s one of my favorite scenes in….any book ever.
Just one more to go!
Book Jacket
At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?
They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.
Release Date: October 2013
It Is Trish 