The Lost Hero
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books
4½ out of 5 stars
To wake up and be thrust into a whole new world, a whole new life. You are surrounded by people who seem to know you, yet you have no idea who they are. Could they be family, friends, or maybe they are complete strangers that you just met today? Either way, what matters is that you have no idea who these people are. All of your memories are gone, wiped out of your brain. Is this amnesia you might wonder? Have I hit my head? All this is very possible, but what if I told you that on top of everything else, you are a demigod, half-mortal, and half-god.
You might be shocked, surprised, bewildered, or any number of things really, but that is understandable. Jason, Piper, and Leo definitely experienced a mixture of emotions when they discovered this life-changing fact. Leo Valdez, Piper McLean, and Jason (well, he actually can’t remember his last name at the moment) have all just been told that they are demigods, children of the Greek gods and mortals. One of their parents is a Greek god from the tales and legends, such as Zeus, Athena, or Ares, and the other is a mortal. But that’s not all. Because of this unusual birthright, as demigods, they are constantly attacked by monsters and many have ADHD. To protect these kids, and to train them, they are brought to Camp Half-Blood.
Camp Half-Blood is a camp that teaches them how to train, fight, learn about their heritage, and learn about a whole other side to the world that they never knew about before. However, you usually don’t have memory loss when you find out that you are a demigod, but for some reason Jason does. He wakes up to find Leo and Piper right there next to him on the bus just like any other day. The only problem is, they have memories of him, yet he doesn’t even know who they are. He doesn’t even know who he is. He can’t remember anything, including his last name. Jason knows that something is going on with him, and others realize it too. Will Jason ever discover who he is? Will he ever discover his real purpose? All is revealed in Rick Riordan’s mythological quest of monsters, gods, and memories in, The Lost Hero!
What a whirlwind adventure this book is! Nothing is as it seems, and Leo, Piper, and Jason have to learn that the hard way. I have read Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and The Olympians series, which comes before The Heroes of Olympus series. I would highly suggest reading the five-book Percy Jackson and The Olympian series before starting The Lost Hero, as it explains much more of this alternate world and enables the reader to get to know some of the original characters better. However, this is a book that can be enjoyed by all ages even if you have not read the first series.
I especially enjoyed how many of the characters in this book were the same characters that I already knew and loved from the prior books. This provided me with a sense of familiarity that I don’t always get with other books. Plus, I was thrilled to get to spend time with some of my favorite characters, like Annabeth, Rachel, Chiron, and, of course, the gods. I hope to see them all again in the sequel to The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune.
However, times have definitely changed from the past series to this current one. The Lost Hero has a very different take on Greek mythology than The Percy Jackson books. When I found out about the truth of certain characters, Jason especially, I was shocked. At the same time, I was also filled with anticipation, as I couldn’t wait to see how these two different worlds would collide. This provides for a phenomenal ending!
At times I felt that certain parts were just too predictable. For example, when it came to the big realization about Jason, I had already guessed at it and my assumptions were confirmed. If Rick Riordan had made the overall plot a little more mysterious, then I feel that would have helped bring more anticipation to the story.
On the whole, The Lost Hero is a book that went beyond my expectations. I took great pleasure in the mix of old and new that Rick Riordan provided, as he combined aspects of both series. Join Piper, Jason, and Leo as they travel on a fateful quest of discovery that will determine who they are and reveal the truth in, The Lost Hero!
-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…
Until Next Time, Keep Reading!
Check out The Lost Hero website at http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/heroes-of-olympus/.
The Lost Hero is available from Amazon here.
great review! I haven't heard much about this book, but from your review and thoughts, it sounds awesome! I've only read one of the Percy Jackson books from Mr. Riordan, but between us, I loved it :) It looks like I'll be adding The Lost Hero to my TBR pile! thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteDiana
The Percy Jackson series was wonderful, and Rick Riordan really stayed true to the legends of Greek mythology. I didn't think I was going to enjoy The Lost Hero, and I didn't even want to read it at first, but once I started I couldn't stop! I was also glad that it took place a year after the Percy Jackson novels. I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI love Greek mythology and this book introduced a brand new twist on it. It was great to read and get a different perspective than the Percy Jackson series. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!
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