A Bumpy Ride, from Ithaca to the Big Apple
Unlike "The Last Olympian", the final book of the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series, "The Blood of Olympus" had the amusing tone that made "The Heroes of Olympus" an entertaining yarn. It has less of the tongue-in-cheek approach that delighted the young readers of the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians", but Rick Riordan wanted a somber mood in "The Heroes of Olympus". The Great Prophecy and Rachel Dare's prophecy are quite similar to each other, but Young-adult fans don't mind. They can't have enough of Percy's exploits.
"The House of Hades", the fourth book in the series. ended with Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase reuniting with the rest of the crew of Argo II in Epirus. This elevated region, where the Pindus Mountains intersects with the Acroceraunian Mountains, is the location of the Door of Death. The son of Poseidon and the daughter of Athena would have remained in the Underworld if not for Iapetus and Damasen, a pair of outcast giants in the realm of Hades. It was appropriate that the beginning of "The Blood of Olympus" took place in the nearby isle of Ithaca. This was once the realm of Odysseus, or what Homer claimed, suggesting a long, if not bumpy, voyage for the seven demigods. Such a short distance, but it was nothing compared to the journey of Reyna RamÃrez-Arellano, Nico Di Angelo, and Gleeson Hedge.
More recurring characters and more adventures
“You did what had to be done. Just promise me, no more turning people into ghosts if we can avoid it.â€
- Reyna
It turned out that the trans-Atlantic trip of Reyna, Nico, and Coach Hedge was more perilous. In fact, the fate of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter depended on their success. They were tasked to bring the Athena Parthenos back to America, as it would prevent the Greek and Roman demigods from fighting each other. The trio must deal with ancient monsters who were drawn to the power of the statue.
"The Blood of Olympus" may be less interesting if not for this side story, as anyone familiar with the series would sense that the seven demigods prevailed over their confrontation with Gaea and the giants. In fact, the fifth book marked the first time where the points of view (POV) of Reyna and Nico were included. Some readers thought that Riordan should have done it in "The Son of Neptune", the second book in the series, but better late than never.
The fifth book has everything that Young-adult fans are hoping for. A reality-television approach to the deities and demigods, which is what popular culture is all about. A spellbinding excursion into the ruins of Pompeii. Nico even demonstrated the extent of his powers, which horrified Reyna and Coach Hedge. All of these were unexpected, which turned the novel into a great adventure.
Brief encounter
The final chapter of "The Blood of Olympus" didn't hint of another sequel, but don't be surprised if Percy and Annabeth appear in Riordan's future works. Some would call it loose ends, but you can't blame the author.
Riordan's next series will focus on Norse mythology. Magnus Chase, his main character, is the descendant of Norse deities. He can be related to Annabeth Chase, and both live in the East Coast. Fans are hoping that there will be a meeting between the two teenagers.
