The Heroes of Olympus, Book Five The Blood of Olympus (new cover)

Paperback, 560 pages

English language

Published Sept. 24, 2019 by Disney-Hyperion.

ISBN:: 978-1-368-05170-5

(1 review)

Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them, and they’re stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake. The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance.

Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps. The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. …

Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them, and they’re stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake. The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance.

Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps. The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea’s army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

1 edition

DigitalRob@ramblingreaders.org reviewed The Heroes of Olympus, Book Five The Blood of Olympus (new cover) by Rick Riordan

A Heroic, If Familiar, Finale

4 stars

Rick Riordan brings his epic Heroes of Olympus series to a close with The Blood of Olympus, and it’s a fitting end to a massive, globe-trotting, god-battling adventure. The seven demigods of the prophecy finally face off against Gaea and her army of giants.

The book splits the team, sending Nico, Reyna, and the satyr-in-chief, Coach Hedge, on a desperate quest of their own that is just as compelling as the main event. This side quest allows some often-overlooked characters to really step into the spotlight and grapple with their pasts in a powerful way. Meanwhile, aboard the Argo II, the rest of the gang faces down giants and internal conflicts. Leo, in particular, steps up in a big way, and his plan to handle the final showdown is a surprising, gutsy move that really sticks the landing.

That said, plowing through this series back-to-back has made me realize that …

Rick Riordan brings his epic Heroes of Olympus series to a close with The Blood of Olympus, and it’s a fitting end to a massive, globe-trotting, god-battling adventure. The seven demigods of the prophecy finally face off against Gaea and her army of giants.

The book splits the team, sending Nico, Reyna, and the satyr-in-chief, Coach Hedge, on a desperate quest of their own that is just as compelling as the main event. This side quest allows some often-overlooked characters to really step into the spotlight and grapple with their pasts in a powerful way. Meanwhile, aboard the Argo II, the rest of the gang faces down giants and internal conflicts. Leo, in particular, steps up in a big way, and his plan to handle the final showdown is a surprising, gutsy move that really sticks the landing.

That said, plowing through this series back-to-back has made me realize that Riordan has a very successful, but very noticeable, formula. It’s a bit like eating your favorite meal every day for a week; you still love it, but you start to recognize the recipe. The pattern of quest, monster-of-the-week, witty banter, and last-minute saves, while always entertaining, became more apparent to me this time around. It's the literary equivalent of a blockbuster movie franchise—you know what you're getting, and it's almost always a good time, but the element of surprise can start to fade.

Ultimately, The Blood of Olympus is a strong conclusion filled with the humor, heart, and mythological mayhem that fans have come to expect. While the binge-reading effect might have cost it a star for me, the fantastic character moments and the high-stakes climax make it a must-read for anyone invested in the series. It’s a solid four-star send-off for our heroes.