Reviews for The son of Neptune
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Percy Jackson is back! Following his absence in The Lost Hero (2010), book 1 of the Heroes of Olympus series, Percy returns to fight another day, and another, and another, and yes, several others. As the story begins, he clashes with two Gorgons and finds Camp Jupiter, the modern West Coast refuge for demigods. There, he befriends Frank and Hazel, who join his quest to free Thanatos (aka Death) from Gaea's evil minions in Alaska. Personal challenges, fierce battles, and self-discovery await the three teen demigods, even as Percy struggles with amnesia. Though diverse in ethnicity, physical characteristics, and magical gifts, Percy's friends in both series seem relatively interchangeable. Still, Riordan creates an original minor character in Ella, the lovable harpy. While the narrative includes lengthy explanations, flashbacks, and dreams, there is plenty of fast-paced action, including combat scenes with formidable enemies, as well as occasional comic relief. Along the way, readers will learn more about both the ancient Roman gods and the Roman legions. Fans will find plenty to cheer about as Percy and his allies move slowly toward fulfilling the mysterious Prophecy of Seven.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Gr 5-9-No one does cliff-hangers quite like Riordan. In this installment in this series, he jumps off the one he left at the end of The Lost Hero (Hyperion, 2010) and hits the ground running. Percy Jackson makes a long-awaited reappearance on page one, with almost no memory of his identity, except for hazy recollections of a girl named Annabeth. He's in San Francisco, home of Camp Jupiter. It's the other camp for demigods, only here, the gods appear in their Roman forms. Most of the campers are suspicious and scared of Percy, but misfits Hazel and Frank welcome him. The demigod world is in an uproar. Monsters keep reappearing after they're killed, and the campers discover that it's because Thanatos, better known as Death, has been chained by Gaea, goddess of the earth. They must go on a quest to free him, and the heart-pounding adventure amps up even more. Riordan's ability to create characters that readers care about is extraordinary. Hazel, daughter of Pluto who leaves precious gems jumping from the ground in her path, and Frank, son of Mars who just might be the key to everything, are two of the most endearing demigods introduced so far. The vernacular of today's teens is captured masterfully, making the writing fresh and funny. The ending will make readers smile, even though they'll need to wait for the rest of the story. It can't come soon enough.-Mandy Lawrence, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
