The Last Olympian

We're at the end and I'm not wanting to have this adventure come to an end because I've been hooked, so much so that I have more from Rick Riordan ready to read in the New Year.

The turmoil and strife that has been building in the last four books come to a head finally as war descends upon Olympus and the mortal realm alike. As each book is read, I didn't think the next would be better but Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian was an incredible read and Riordan should be praised for his fantastic storytelling and world-building that has made these five books so addictive and ones that I am so glad are having a resurgence in popularity.

Obviously there is a lot of action in The Last Olympian as the war is building, there is trouble everywhere and for Percy and his comrades, the stakes have never been higher for the teenagers whose lives have been increasingly more difficult as each confrontation with their enemies. From the first pages, chaos and disaster is all around and unlike so many similar tales? You know exactly how bad things are from the get-go both for the Gods who are fighting their past and for the survival of Olympus and our young demigods are aware that survival can come at a cost - perhaps it's just me but often sacrifice is forgotten or almost comes as a surprise to the heroes in books. Everything can change on the equivalent of a coin flip and everyone knows it, both the Gods and their children and it's refreshing as a reader to witness and sad as a lover of these characters to bear witness to.

The Percy Jackson series is fantasy but death and disaster hitting the reader from the beginning is more real than many books I've read in genres designed for older readers.

This has everything you can ever want in the final book in a series that has succeeded in bringing Ancient Greece to the States, where Riordan has given such character to the Gods that these fantastical beings feel relatable and I didn't want to say goodbye to them. You're reminded of how young some of the demigods are, and their fragility is shown by their hope that they would get through this, knowing all too well that these moments could be their last. They have simple wishes, hopes and dreams for their future; like Percy wanting to return to the ocean with his friends because it just makes him at peace. As a reader of the books who has adored each one and devoured them eagerly, it makes even the most fantastically events feel relatable, and aware of just how hard it is at any age to face loss and sacrifice.

As the war tears everything apart, we see again the perfectly seamless mesh of Mythology with the Titans, the Gods of the Olympus and demigods woven into this story that Riordan is a literal genius for doing and has made him a true favourite of mine since reading both this series and Daughter of the Deep, (doesn't also help that Riordan is vocally proactive in regards to the LGBTQ+ community.)

This book is incredible, I loved it so much and couldn't stop reading it and was torn between turning the page swiftly and not wanting it to end. Despite all the chaos I loved just how much focus there is on family, friendship, and loyalty - there is hope and an understanding that sacrifice and finding peace can be found on both the good and the bad sides of things.

Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan should be read by many and often by those who love magic, mythology and who love to be swept away from the humdrum of life around us.

These five books are incredible, and if you read them and are even a little curious about Greek Mythology? You will be caught in their snare for a long time.