Jason wakes up on a bus. He doesn't know where he is, or who he is...or who all the people are around him. Like who is the girl holding his hand? Apparently, she is his girlfriend Piper, and the guy talking his ear off is his best friend Leo. They're on a school field trip for delinquent kids to the Grand Canyon. As if that wasn't weird enough, suddenly a storm appears out of nowhere, Coach turns into a faun, one of his classmates turns into a smoke monster with wings...and apparently wants to kill them. Whoa. Rough day.Annabeth shows up from Camp Half-Blood to explain that Piper, Leo, and Jason are half-bloods. She was hoping to find Percy (her boyfriend) who is now missing. Back at camp, things start to at least get explained - if not make sense - and it seems their presence at camp is getting some unwanted attention. Piper is having scary dreams about her dad being kidnapped, Jason keeps getting weird vibes that he shouldn't be there, Leo is accepted into the Hephasteus house...which seems to be under some curse. Chiron seems to know more than he's telling about Jason and his mysterious tattoo. In the middle of all that turmoil, Jason learns that he has a sister. How could he have forgotten that? In fact, it's Thalia (Percy Jackson fans will recognize her as one of Artemis's Hunters, and a daughter of Zeus). Another weird thing? Jason seems to remember certain things, like fighting, but no real details. He also seems to know all the Roman names for the gods...
After consulting the oracle, it's decided that Piper, Leo, and Jason must undertake a quest to rescue Hera. The circumstances of her imprisonment are sketchy, so they must consult the Wind God for help. As to be expected, there are big names along the way, emerging latent talents, unexpected cameos, and a true test of mettle for all three heroes. Leo, it seems, knows Hera as Tia Callida. He knew her as an old aunt from his childhood, and let's say they aren't exactly friendly. Piper struggles with betraying her friends to save her dad, and Jason struggles to remember who he is. Will they rescue Hera before the rise of the unknown evil?
Another fantastic story by Riordan, full of Greek and Roman god allusions, action, adventure, mayhem...you get the idea. I couldn't scratch the surface much deeper without giving too much away. This will be another epic series, and I can't wait for book 2.
"'Who am I?' Jason asked the she-wolf. 'At least tell me that.' Wolves don't have much of a sense of humor, but Jason could tell the question amused Lupa, as if Jason were a cub just trying out his claws, practicing to be the alpha male. You are our saving grace, as always. The she-wolf curled her lip, as if she had just made a clever joke. Do not fail, son of Jupiter," (Riordan pg. 160, 2010).
*Library Link*
If you liked this, check out:
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus, Book 2) Fall 2011
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson, Book 1)
The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl, Book 7)
Riordan, Rick. (2010). The Lost Hero. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion Books.
They all have insecurities, which makes them all the more likely, ironically. There's Piper daughter of the one Goddess she wishes she weren't. What can she do, if she doesn't even feel comfortable with who her parent is? Then there's Leo. Who would want him around? Nobody ever has before. He may even be the reason his mother is dead. And of course there's Jason. Who was he? Was he even really a hero.
ReplyDeleteThis is a brilliant beginning to what is guaranteed to be an amazing series. Riordan is at his finest. This is a great adventure, one you will not want to miss.