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Small Summary: *This will contain spoilers if you have not read the first four books*
The fifth and final book in the Heroes of Olympus series! So we’re left off with Reyna, Nico and Coach splitting ways with the seven of the prophecy. Reyna, Nico and Coach are trying to bring the Athena Parthenos to Camp HalfBlood to attempt to stop the war that Octavian, gosh darn Octavian, is just insistent on starting. The seven are heading to Greece while trying to avoid death as usual. They need to finish the cure for death. They need to figure out how they’re going to fight off the giants that they can’t kill without the Gods. All before Gaea awakes in a month on August 1st.
First thoughts before reading:
Will Leo go back to Calypso?
Will one of the seven die?
Will Reyna succeed and bring the Athena parthenos to camp? If she does, what will happen to Octavian?
What’s Gaea’s humanoid form look like?
How will they even get to Greece?
Non-Spoilery Review: 4.5/5 stars
The first thing I need to say in this review is that I’m am just so sad now that I’ve finally finished the final book. So sad. I can’t believe it’s over. I mean I know there’s a continuation coming up with Apollo going mortal, BUT, there was just SO MUCH MISSING for me! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved everything that I got out of this book. I loved it all. I just needed MORE! Where was Percy’s POV? Where was Annabeth’s POV? I mean I loved Reyna’s and Nico’s points of view because they were awesome and we really got to see Nico grow and become more social, but… I needed more Percy.
Besides all that, this book was actually pretty good through the middle. We get lots of detail with all the battle and all the stop each group makes along the way in their journeys in different directions. We get to learn TONS more about Reyna and Nico which is awesome because I personally love them. There’s also lots of suspense in this book. Lots of hinting in the early half of the book about things that come together in the end and make a beautiful picture. I just.. I just needed more though. Which I can explain more in the spoilers section down below!
SPOILERY DISCUSSION BEGINS HERE:
Can we address first the MOST devastating part of this whole book for me. The ending. Yes, Leo gets back to Calypso. Yes, Percy and Annabeth decided they were going to go to college in New Rome. Yes, Jason and Piper have this cute moment on the rooftop and kiss. Why didn’t we get to see Leo come back and tell everyone he was alive and celebrations and whatnot?! That could maybe have helped me get over the fact that I didn’t get enough Percy in this one, or any Percy at all. We just got one Leo chapter in the end and that was it. I can’t stop saying how I want MORE MORE MORE.
Anyways now I will talk about the parts I did enjoy which are quite a lot really. The battle where they subdued Nike, the victory goddess, was hilarious. Nike’s personality was just ridiculous in an extremely entertaining way. During the battle is also when Leo and Percy have their little powwow over Calypso and Leo is just like “Dude, I just want to hate you. Stop being such a nice guy.” and I burst out laughing. Percy is perfect. Speaking of people getting close, Annabeth and Piper really have a chance to get close in this book when they face Fear and the other one I can’t remember right now. I think the girl-girl relationship in this book are a nice touch to the testosterone battles we get between Jason and Percy throughout the series. We get to meet Apollo later one with Artemis and they talk about how Zeus will definitely punish Apollo. This is where I was like, OH and that’s how the continuation starts off right? We also get hints here about Leo’s new suicidal plan that doesn’t fully get revealed until the last chapter. They get to Greece after they get the last ingredient to the physicians cure and Percy and Annabeth’s kiss before the battle was just YAS. Why couldn’t we be in one of their POV’s for that?!
All while that’s happening with the seven, Reyna, Nico and Coach are trying to shadow travel the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half Blood and they come across some pretty crappy stuff. Falling from the sky into a volcano. The wolves. San Juan. I thought how Reyna and Nico were getting close like brother and sister almost with the sharing of strength was really adorable. They just seem like the two loners that can lean on each other. Then when Reyna was fighting the wolves. She was keeping them back and when Nico calls her over and she pole vaults to him without any loss of breath.. I was just like wow. She’s such a badass. When the get to San Juan we get to see sister sister reunion with Hylla and Reyna and Thalia makes an appearance too. Hylla’s fighting scene with Orion was so cool. She was like, “I have the strength of all the amazons because I’m queen!” and throws a car at him. Reyna, Nico and Coach have to escape during the battle and end up in an old battlefield. Nico ends up zombifying that one kid basically sucking his soul to underworld without even touching him. That just shows how much Nico can really do and how powerful he could be. Then they get to Camp and have some trouble situating the statue, but it gets done.
That allows the Gods to become one form and help the seven in Greece while Gaea wakes because Percy got a gosh darn nosebleed! After they defeat the giants, Zeus literally SLAPS them to Camp Half Blood and they manage to get there in one piece, but where’s LEO?
Leo comes out with Festus the renewed dragon and grabs Gaea so that Jason and Piper and him can disintegrate her in midair away from her power source. Very smart. The final explosion kills Leo! but we know he’s not dead because that’s too obvious. Sorry to say, I called this one, but I knew Festus would save Leo because I mean.. Leo gave the cure to Festus. Leo gets to see Calypso again and he takes her back to the real world, but we never find out what happens after that. I want like an epilogue or something.
Oh I forgot to mention all about Nico and Will. THAT was great. I can totally see that happening. I hope it happens. I hope it’s a thing because I totally ship. Will has the perfect personality to balance Nico’s. Nico also came out to Percy and Percy was just so stunned, but Annabeth just accepted it like it was nothing and all the air is cleared. Ahhh Nico you have become so grown up and everything. I love it!
Altogether, great action as always. Rick Riordan knows how to write battles and create pictures of places and destinations. I really love the movie he can create in my head with his stories. I fell in love with each and every character in this series. More with Percy and Annabeth because I already loved them from PJO. And I totally love Leo Valdez and his constant humor throughout the series. He’s the reason we have comedy usually beside the Percassiness and sarcasm. Also, Nico. Sweet little Nico is no longer shy and awkward and lonely. He has people that want to be with him and be his friends. There are so many feels from this series. I think I might even like it a smidgen more than PJO. I don’t know yet, can’t decide haha.
Action: 5/5 stars
Characters: 5/5 stars
Satisfaction: 3/5 stars ooooooof.
Questions I’m left with:
What happens when Leo gets back with Calypso because he’s not dead?
Who does Reyna end up with because apparently she can’t be with a demigod?
How to Percy and Annabeth fair in New Rome in college?
Where do Nico and Will end up?
Does Jason get to finish his God project?
I know one thing for sure: This series will always have a special place in my heart for greek mythology.