The Lost Hero

If you haven't seen or heard of Percy Jackson, let me take a minute to introduce you. Percy is the main character in the first series of books about Mount Olympus and the Greek gods. The series is called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Fabulous books. You must read this series before moving on to the next series, The Heroes of Olympus. I first heard about these books from my then 10-year-old daughter. Yes, these are kids books but a lot of fun. Think Harry Potter meets mythology.

Title: The Heroes of Olympus Book One: The Lost Hero

Author: Rick Roirdan

Length: 576

Genre: Fiction, Mythology

How long will it take to read: 4-5 days. This is an easy but very fun book to read.

If you have read the Percy Jackson series, many of the characters that you love do continue to show up in this series. Chiron, Annabeth, and Thalia are not only mentioned, but are vital characters. As is Percy. But the new characters, and the characters that this series is set around, are Jason, Leo, and Piper. And yes, they are all demi-gods.

The story begins with Jason appearing on a school bus with no memories of who he is or where he came from. Piper and Leo are on the same school bus and convinced that they have known Jason for months, thanks to the Mist. After an attack, Jason, Piper, and Leo are rescued by Annabeth and taken to Camp Half-Blood where they learn of who they are and what they need to do. This all goes along with the prophesy that Rachel, the oracle, gave at the end of Book 5 in Percy Jackson. Which is why you need to read that series first. It explains a lot. The really intriguing part of this story is that Jason knows the gods by their Roman names and he speaks Latin, unlike the other half-bloods who speak ancient Greek.

Jason, Piper, and Leo are sent on a quest to free Hera. They experience many hardships and road blocks on the way. And the quest ultimately ends in a epic battle. Of course, right? I mean, it is mythology.

Rick Roirdan writes in such a way that you do not want to put the book down. He makes mythology, dare I say, FUN! It has been several years since I learned about Greek Mythology, but he writes it in a way that makes it easy to understand and remember. The only down side of this book-it is the first book in the series. The next one is due out in the fall. I really hate waiting which is why I got into the Hunger Games, Twilight, and Harry Potter towards the end of the series. Well, not so much Harry Potter, but the first four books were done so I could just keep reading at first.

If you find you love Percy Jackson and The Lost Hero, Mr. Roirdan also has a book out called The Red Pyramid. I have yet to read it, but it is on my list. I am sure it is just as wonderful as his other books. And he also has written adult book. These I haven't read either.

Favorite Character: Piper. I love her because she completely underestimates herself and her power over others until she realizes that it is a blessing.

Rating: 5 stars

Published by Hyperion Book CH 2010