Book Review: The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

Retellings are fascinating--there's no way around it. I mean, taking something old and metamorphosing it into something of yours? It gives us a completely different way of seeing things, like that optical illusion of the pretty young girl/old grandma. It's mind blowing! Rick Riordan's "The Heroes of Olympus" series, as I'm sure everyone knows, takes the gods and heroes of the traditional Greek myths and gives it a modern twist tailored for readers today. "The House of Hades" is the fourth installment to the series, and was released just last month! I'm pretty sure it flew off the bookshelves in no time--there's a reason Percy Jackson is such a big name!

Ever since Percy and Annabeth plummeted into the pits of the Underworld, things haven't been looking good for the demigods. The Greeks and the Romans are gearing up for war against each other, and Gaea's monstrous armies continue to rise. Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank and Leo have to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death and help Percy and Annabeth out of the Underworld, if, that is, they survive the horrors of Tartarus. The clock is ticking for the prophesied Seven--or it might be too late before the giants free Gaea and the world is plunged into the biggest war in millennia.

It's always exciting to see the demigods of Camp Half-Blood again in a way that's like meeting up with friends you haven't seen in ages. I think it comes from the fact that you bond with the characters in a way that's only possible after being with them for eight years--which is precisely how long a lot of readers have spent with Percy Jackson! In "The House of Hades", I loved the development of Percy and Annabeth's relationship as they traversed the pits of Tartarus. You really see them grow more as a couple than individuals in this part of the series, and it's so heartening to see how committed they are to each other despite the crazy amount of hellish (literally!) obstacles they face. There are so many sweet moments--as sweet as being in the gruesome Underworld can get--that really remind readers of how young they actually are, yet there are also moments when you see that their relationship transcends the normal relationships of mortal teens in both depth and maturity. I've always been a huge Percy and Annabeth fan (Pernabeth? Anncy?), and this certainly satisfied my mulish insistence on some sort of romance in books.

The newer demigods are equally as awesome to be with in the series. While they're all part of a team against the dark forces (cue ominous music here), what's really interesting to read about are their individual issues that they struggle with. For example, Hazel knows that she has to face some adversary witch in front of the Doors of Death, and that if she fails, Percy and Annabeth may be stuck in Tartarus forever. She also has to deal with the fact that her father is Pluto, though he's hardly been around for her--oh yeah, not to mention the fact that she's from history! Talk about issues. Another character I liked following throughout the book was Frank, who undergoes a huge amount of development, more so than any other character in "The House of Hades". He really matures as he embraces his responsibility and role as a son of Ares/Mars, but it's also endearing to see him struggle with these changes, since he started off as a pudgy Asian kid who could change into animals. On the flip side of the coin, I have to admit I wasn't really feeling Jason's character. I felt like he was kind of pushed to the side a little, and he ended up as more of a passive, stock character than anything.

As for the plot of "The House of Hades", it remained interesting and fun throughout, which I think was especially helped by the multi-perspective points of view. However, while quite a lot happened to the demigods, both in the mortal world and in Tartarus, I felt like it wasn't as compelling as it could've been. I got the impression that the book as a whole is kind of a filler or detour before the final climax of the series, especially the portions where we followed the other five demigods. I get that the entire point of these crazy heroic journeys and quests is to go from one place to another, and face different foes and overcome different obstacles, but I feel like if Mr. Riordan had condensed it a little more and got to the point a tad more quickly, it would've been much more gripping.

All in all, "The House of Hades" is a great fourth installment to "The Heroes of Olympus" series, with a lot of exciting character development both in individual and in relationships. I can't wait to get my hands on the fifth book, "The Blood of Olympus" (talk about an ominous title), though it's absolutely killing me that I have to wait a whole year for it!

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Review: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

I love retellings of classic stories. The ways fairy tales, myths and historical events are crafted into new stories with fresh perspectives are unique and super interesting to read. One of the most popular retellings are of Greek myths. My all-time favourite heroic fantasy are David Gemmell's "Troy" series, and it actually amazes me how such a classic tale could be woven into something totally new. Rick Riordan's famous "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series is another retelling of the Greek myths, and luckily it led to a sequel series called "The Heroes of Olympus"! "The Mark of Athena" is its third installment, and was released last week. Don't read the synopsis in the next paragraph if you're new to the series! I don't want to spoil anything for you.

The war against Gaea and her minions is drawing closer. Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel and Frank are the chosen seven demigods, both Greek and Roman, to embark on a quest to defeat Gaea. No biggie, right? Things get a little more complicated when Annabeth has her own quest to fulfill, on her own: to follow the Mark of Athena and avenge her mother. Both quests ultimately lead to the Doors of Death, but the real question is: will the seven demigods reach the Doors alive, or as the next spirits of the Underworld?

As always, Mr. Riordan's masterful storytelling sucks you in and spits you out smack-dab in the middle of a crazy whirlwind of a quest. I love how each and every book, even though they're part of the series, has its own set of quests and trials, and they never bore you. The plot never dropped enough to make the reader lose interest, and there was always so many 'somethings' happening at the same time even though the present narrator was someone who wasn't there. I know that sounds really complicated, but it's not! And that's the magic of it. Everything is presented simply, so that readers don't get confused with what's going on and who's where and what's happening.

Another vital element that makes the books engaging is the characters. Every one of the demigods has their own quirk and distinct personality. For example, you have the laidback yet strong-willed Percy; the serious and thoughtful Annabeth; the stoic yet gentle Jason... and so on. The ways each demigod, as well as the gods and goddesses themselves, embody marked traits are extremely well thought-out and enhance each character. What I particularly love about Mr. Riordan's wit that's present in his characters--I've snorted and giggled at some of the immature humour. And hey, who doesn't need a good dose of childish laughter once in a while?

Overall, "The Mark of Athena" is not to be missed. It's full of crazy, dangerous quests, funny and wonderful characters--and not to mention a cliffhanger that drops your jaw! If you haven't read any of Mr. Riordan's books, definitely check out "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" so you'll be on board with what's happened so far. A must for adventure-lovers and myth-devourers.

Rating: 5/5