Reviews
5Q 5P M J Riordan's original demigod hero returns to the spotlight in this highly anticipated second book in the Heroes of Olympus series. With two indestructible gorgons hunting him, an amnesiac Percy Jackson arrives at Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of the secret Greek demigod camp, Camp Half-Blood. There he learns that Death has been imprisoned and that the titan Gaea is assembling an army of escaped souls and immortal monsters to reclaim the world from the gods. Percy embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to free Death before Gaea's army obliterates Camp Jupiter. At his side are two new Roman friends: Hazel Levesque, who conceals mysteries about her past, and Frank Zhang, who wonders about his immortal lineage and likewise harbors his own secrets. Together they journey to the land beyond the gods to fulfill a prophecy and to each assume a role as one of the seven heroes of Olympus. Riordan's seamless weaving of various cultural mythologies into a modern landscape continues to shine in Son of Neptune. As in previous books, the plot is engrossing, the characters robust and compelling. Percy, Frank, and Hazel alternate as narrators without missing a beat of pace, suspense, or humor. Readers will find themselves automatically consumed by the story without having read the first book, though some knowledge of Percy's previous adventures will help fill in minor gaps of background information. Son of Neptune is yet another absorbing and exciting addition to Riordan's chronicles.-Grace Enriquez.-- VOYA
