"The Son of Neptune" (2011) by Rick Riordan REVIEW

WARNING: If you have not read the previous book in this series or the previous series this is following up on, I think it'd be best to not read this post due to spoilers.

After eight months of slumber, Percy Jackson wakes up without any memory of his past. Nothing, except a name: Annabeth. Trained by the Roman wolf teacher Lupa, Percy tries to find a safe haven for demigods like him, finding it in San Francisco, California. Percy knows he is safe there, but he also knows he doesn't belong there. Everything seems... off. Maybe because he somehow knows Greek mythology facts and Camp Jupiter, the safe place for demigods, uses Roman mythology. However, his safety is short-lived when he and his new friends, big, clumsy Frank Zhang and mysterious Hazel Levesque, are set to go on a quest to Alaska to free Thanatos, the god of death, from the hands of the giant Alcyoneus. The clock is ticking with less than five days on the counter as Percy struggles to lead his new friends to victory and simultaneously grasps for memories.

I'm certain most readers would agree with me when I say that this book is superior to The Lost Hero, and not just because of the return of Percy Jackson. Frank and Hazel's characters are equally intriguing, the whole cast of new characters more developed than the previous book. Rick Riordan still maintains his great storytelling, full of action and wit, throughout this entire installment (and maybe the return of Percy Jackson does have something to do with that). The only problem with the book is the unbalanced pacing in the first half, focusing more on the flashbacks of Frank of Hazel than what is happening in the present. However, this isn't a big fault because the flashbacks are still interesting and helps the readers connect with the new characters more.

The Son of Neptune broadens the modern/mythological world and takes the Heroes of Olympus series in the right direction, leading to an ending where all you can think of is how the next book will be.

4.5/5 Stars

You can buy your copy of the entire series right here!

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