March 29, 2024

30 in my 2011 book blogging challenge.

The Lost Hero is the 8th of Rick Riordan’s fantasy novels for kids that I’ve read in the past 10 days. It’s also my last one. I thought there were two books available now in this particular series, but the 2nd won’t be released until later this year. My Riordan marathon is over now. I’ll have to move on to something else.

The Lost Hero is the first book in a new series (for which there are five books planned), but it actually takes up right at the point where the Percy Jackson series ends. Riordan could have just called it #6 in the Percy series, but I’m glad he didn’t. The 5 books in the Percy series all center around a particular prophecy that isn’t completed until the last book. Now, with The Lost Hero, we have a new prophecy, some new characters (though the old ones are still there too), and a whole new feel. We also have the introduction of Roman mythology.

The Percy Jackson books are all based on Greek mythology. In The Lost Hero we meet Jason, who has no memory of his own past, but who mysteriously knows all of the Greek gods and goddesses by their Roman names and their Roman personalities. Ever the middle school teacher, it seems Riordan couldn’t let us leave his world of modern day demigods without some lessons in how the Romans refashioned the Greek myths.

I think this is actually his best book yet. That may just be because I’ve built up more investment in the characters by reading the other books first, but I really think this one has some distinguishing characteristics.

For one, Jason is a little older than Percy was when we first met him. There’s a world of difference in the kind of story that can be told with a 15-year-old hero and the kind of story that can be told with a 12-year-old hero. I thought the Percy books were better once Percy grew to 15 and 16. I like that we’re starting with Jason at this age.

For another, Riordan has told this latest installment from 3 different points of view. The Percy books are entirely from Percy’s point of view. In the Kane Chronicles series, however, we have a brother and sister team as main characters, and the chapters switch off with some chapters from Sadie’s point of view and some from Carter’s point of view. Riordan must have decided this is a formula that works because he’s carried it over to his new series. Jason has two friends who go with him on his quest — Leo and Piper. The three each get turns as the point of view character. This gives us some variety in the personality telling the story. I find that appealing.

Next, the introduction of Roman mythology does more than just teach us some lessons in Roman history. It adds new layers of tension and intrigue to the story. You’ll just have to read it to find out why.

Percy Jackson starts out as a series that is strictly for kids, and it gradually grows up enough to have some broader appeal for kids at heart. This new series starts at the point Percy Jackson eventually reached in more ways than one. The narrative picks up almost immediately after the end of the last Percy Jackson book, but more than that, the writing style picks up in Book 1 of this series with the level of sophistication that was not achieved until Book 5 of the previous series.

Perhaps with this Riordan shows us that even English teachers are never too old to learn.

That said, I’m sure some might wonder if they should just skip the Percy Jackson series and start with the new series. You could. There isn’t any reason you wouldn’t be able to follow The Lost Hero if you haven’t read the previous books. However, I think you’ll appreciate it more if you have. I know I did.

It’s time for me to leave Mt. Olympus now, but don’t think that means I feel obligated to return to reality. There are plenty of fantasy worlds for kids of all ages out there. I could end up in just about any of them next.

I’ll be sure to let you know.

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