Hello! Grew up hearing great things about Rick Riordan’s books but never reached for it for many years. It was only in recent years that I decided to finally start, and there were already four series out. Now that I’m slowly catching up, I can tell you that every book is hilarious, fun, and filled with adventure. Here are the reviews for each book in The Heroes of Olympus series!
Navigate through this post with the titles below:
The Lost Hero | The Son of Neptune | The Mark of Athena | The House of Hades | The Blood of Olympus
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The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #1
Published October 12th 2010 by Disney-Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Rating:
Synopsis:
JASON HAS A PROBLEM. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and his best friend is a guy named Leo. They’re all students at the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids,” as Leo puts it. What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? Jason doesn’t know anything—except that everything seems very wrong.
PIPER HAS A SECRET. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out, whether she wants to or not.
LEO HAS A WAY WITH TOOLS. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason’s amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?
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Although The Lost Hero has similar vibes and elements to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, it’s entirely unique on its own. The humor and witty dialogues found in all of Rick Riordan’s books are present throughout the book. Adventure ensued right from the beginning so I was entertained with this page-turner. I couldn’t stop reading.
Before entering this whole new series, I didn’t know what to expect from the new trio. Would it be like Percy, Annabeth and Grover or would they be different? After reading The Lost Hero, our new main characters stand on their own. Jason doesn’t remember who he is, Piper is his girlfriend (maybe?), and Leo is his best friend (apparently?) On top of that, they have their own issues: Jason has amnesia, Piper with Daddy issues, and Leo doesn’t feel belonged.
“You must forge your own path for it to mean anything.”
The Heroes of Olympus series included a fascinating concept of Roman vs Greek mythology. The immortal beings are facing internal conflict. Though set in the same world as the Percy Jackson series, it already felt vastly different in the first half. As we revisit old characters we’re familiar with, we were introduced to new gods and goddesses in Roman mythology that are fighting with their Greek counterparts.
Even though The Lost Hero is the first book, the stakes felt higher. It’s greater than Kronos because should they fail, the world might go along with them. Rick Riordan has expanded the world more than ever, and I’m anxious to find out where things will go. It’s a whirlwind of events and I’m consistently enjoying my time. Rick Riordan kept everything entertaining with phenomenal world-building, as always.
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Do not enter the next review if you aren’t done with The Lost Hero! I’ve warned you! Beware!!
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The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #2
Published October 4th 2011 by Disney-Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Rating:
Synopsis:
PERCY IS CONFUSED. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn’t know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn’t ring any bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth.
HAZEL IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. When she lived before, she didn’t do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem—when the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her “gift” for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn’t say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wishes she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.
FRANK IS A KLUTZ. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn’t see it. He doesn’t even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery—although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially in front of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely—enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.
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Seeing and experiencing adventures through Percy’s point of view feels incredibly nice. I never thought he would be a crucial character in this series too since I expected the entire series to surround the new trio – Jason, Piper, and Leo. Nevertheless, every single moment in The Son of Neptune was enjoyable. It was also refreshing to see Percy interacting and working with the Romans.
Percy Jackson: Lost his memory like how Jason did and was tasked to join the Roman version of Camp Half-Blood. I enjoyed reading about Percy in action once again. He’s probably one of my favorite narrators in this universe. Quick-thinking and unwaveringly loyal.
Hazel Levesque: Shrouded with secrets. Given another chance to prove herself now that she’s alive (again), Hazel wants to correct her wrongdoings. Fearful and uncertain of her future, every day is a question mark as she never knows when she’ll die again. However, we soon find out that she’s much more than her past.
Frank Zhang: Always doubtful of himself, never thinks he’s good enough and vastly insecure about his large physique. I loved Frank’s bravery even though he has so much to lose, he’s willing to sacrifice anything for his friends.
“You seem to be clean,” Terminus decided. “Do you have anything to declare?”
“Yes,” Percy said. “I declare this is stupid.”
Rick Riordan expanded this world of gods and demigods into much more than that of the Greek’s. He’s exploring the various history of both Greek and Roman mythologies. His take on both, simultaneously, was entertaining. Readers are meeting many new gods, demigods, animals and creatures! I’m loving where things are going.
Also, absolutely adored Ella the red Harpy! Imagine reading all the books in the library AND remembering everything, word for word. My dream.
I finished The Son of Neptune within two days. It was fast-paced, consistently action-packed, and filled with lots of emotional connections. That’s what I liked most from Rick Riordan’s books. He always managed to balance the establishment of friendships and the action perfectly. Also, the humor. Rick Riordan is an expert in inserting hilarious moments even in the direst situation.
spoilers, very wordy:
- octavian: ANNOYING! someone needs to zip his mouth up. he’s blackmailing hazel!! UGHHHHH
- NICO IS BACK!!!!!! and he brought back hazel from the dead. holy shit. i’m devastated that nico couldn’t meet bianca in the afterworld. but i’m sure they’ll meet again because rick riordan doesn’t mention things for nothing!.. i hope 🤞🏼
- i wish the day that frank is going to die will never come. it would be devastating and painful to read. no thanks. i don’t want hazel to go back to the forever loneliness of nothing at the fields of asphodel for the crimes caused by her gaea speaking into her mom’s ears. WHY IS HIS LIFE HANGING ON A WOOD?!!!😭😭 & he used this precious wood to melt the ice chains that were chaining Death. wtfffff. oh and how is his family power literally TURNING TO ANYTHING HE WANTS AS LONG AS HE KNOWS THE LIVING THING PROPERLY?! that’s dopeeeeee.
- 💬 hazel: so am i being sent back to hell? death: *whips up iPad* you’re not on the list. TECHNOLOGY EVERYONE. HELL IS UPDATED.
- ⚔️ terminus: i’ll never fight, i only guard borders. giant enter border with weapons terminus: oh no you don’t you piece of shit. i said NO WEAPONS.
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Do not enter the next review if you aren’t done with The Son of Neptune! I’ve warned you! Beware!!
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The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #3
Published October 2nd 2012 by Disney-Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Rating:
Synopsis:
Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon figurehead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.
And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket, Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving command: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?
Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader—but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side
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Like every Rick Riordan book, I read The Mark of Athena so freaking fast. I’m amazed by how the author kept me engaged all the time. Rick Riordan’s writing is just that entertaining. He’s constantly expanding the world without repetition.
All of the seven have gathered into an airship and I was terrified of what might happen because trouble seemed to find them regardless of any preventions and precautions made. The dynamic within this group was fascinating too. Since Percy and Jason are used to being leaders of their respective groups, there was a low-key alpha male tension between them. Sometimes it’s hilarious but other times, it strained things with others. Something is happening between Hazel, Leo, and Frank. They were so awkward together. Annabeth was the most amazing character. She used her cleverness and was focused even at the worst scenarios.
“We’re staying together,” he promised. “You’re not getting away from me. Never again.”
Other than going on this quest, each character has their own burdens to carry and worries to ponder upon. Annabeth has to deal with the mark of Athena. After the depletion of his firewood that was burned to free the death god previously, time is ticking away for Frank. Hazel worries about Nico while Leo is consistently reminded that he’s the seventh wheel and that he’ll never fit in. Piper feels like she can’t contribute anything to the group.
Leo’s inventions were a joy! He’s putting his skills to use, and it’s fascinating to see his ideas come to life. I just wish he feels less self-conscious about the fact that everyone’s paired off. When Hazel and Leo found out how they were related, my heart broke for her. 😭 Frank making use of his shapeshifting skills blew my mind and got me laughing too. He’s such a softie.
🦉 MOMENTS THAT GOT ME GIGGLING:
annabeth and percy’s reunion:
➜ run towards each other, hug and kiss
➜ annabeth flipping percy over her shoulder
I LOVE THIS.
“On the bright side,” Percy said, “both Jason and I outrank you, Octavian. So we can both tell you to shut up.”
➥ yes!!! octavian was a pain in the butt for the past two books AND even more annoying now since he’s instigating the romans to fight against the greek demigods and is bringing them to camp half-blood. UGH
one of the chauvinist ghost: “kill her”
ghost: *passes right through annabeth*
annabeth: “you’re dead, sit down.”
ghost: *becomes embarrassed and sits down*
coach hedge’s hilarious. a definite comedic relief whenever things are tense and unpredictable:
#1
Hedge grudgingly agreed. “Stay where I can see you.”
“What are we, kids?” Jason asked.
Hedge snorted. “Kids are baby goats. They’re cute, and they have redeeming social value. You are definitely not kids.”
#2
“Bacchus said something about breaking through. Coach, you still have ammo for those ballistae?”
The satyr grinned like a wild goat. “I thought you’d never ask.”
spoilers, very wordy:
- REYNA WAS ONE OF THE SERVANTS WITH CIRCE. WHAT THE FFFF. THEY ACTUALLY MET BEFORE.
- piper weeding out who’s still possessed by eidolons is to raise their hands made me chuckle.
- frank turning koi in time of distress is HILARIOUS. hehe.
- HOUSE OF HADES. THIS BUILD UP OF THE NEXT BOOK IS CRAZY. rick riordan literally left us on a cliff hanging with percy and annabeth. the both of them falling into a deep dark never-ending darkness is giving me anxiety.
- percy and jason fought so hard against the two giants while bacchus’s watching the show, and then he just booped them on the head and nose to make them disappear. lol
- annabeth using her smartness and wit to trick the weaver was amazing. i love her mind. she’s the only one who managed to retrieve the statue of athena, but she couldn’t deliver it personally because SHE HAD FALLEN INTO A BLACK HOLE WHERE THE WEAVER HAS FALLEN INTO AS WELL. OH SHIT.
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Do not enter the next review if you aren’t done with The Mark of Athena! I’ve warned you! Beware!!
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The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #4
Published October 8th 2013 by Disney-Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Rating:
Synopsis:
Hazel stands at a crossroads. She and the remaining crew of the Argo II could return home with the Athena Parthenos statue and try to stop Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter from going to war. Or they could continue their quest to find the House of Hades, where they might be able to open the Doors of Death, rescue their friends Percy and Annabeth from Tartarus, and prevent monsters from being reincarnated in the mortal world. Whichever road they decide to take, they have to hurry, because time is running out. Gaea, the bloodthirsty Earth Mother, has set the date of August 1 for her rise to power.
Annabeth and Percy are overwhelmed. How will the two of them make it through Tartarus? Starving, thirsty, and in pain, they are barely able to stumble on in the dark and poisonous landscape that holds new horrors at every turn. They have no way of locating the Doors of Death. Even if they did, a legion of Gaea’s strongest monsters guards the Doors on the Tartarus side. Annabeth and Percy can’t exactly launch a frontal assault.
Despite the terrible odds, Hazel, Annabeth, Percy, and the other demigods of the prophecy know that there is only one choice: to attempt the impossible. Not just for themselves, but for everyone they love. Even though love can be the riskiest choice of all.
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What I love about Rick Riordan’s books is that the crew always meets unusual friends and creates surprising alliances. In this, it’s Bob and Damasen. I couldn’t help but care for the memory-loss Titan and the peaceful giant.
Trapped in Tartarus surrounded by monsters they have previously killed, Annabeth and Percy have to avoid the creatures that want a piece of demigod meat. Relying on one another was the only way to ensure their safety.
Individually, the crew is facing problems of their own. Jason is conflicted between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter. One was his past, and the other his present. Piper’s feeling useless. Although she’s not good at fighting, her charm speaking skills helped her through some difficult situations.
“You cannot control your parentage, but you can choose your legacy.”
At a young age, Hazel is going through challenging times but I loved watching her powers grow. Frank stepped up a lot too. As the son of Mars, Frank was born to lead and he accepted the burden of his diminishing firewood.
Leo finds someone in The House of Hades that I didn’t expect to make an appearance once again. Nico’s quietness was unnerving. Nobody knew what he was thinking until the point when he had to confront his feelings. Poor baby.
As always, Rick Riordan injected humor flawlessly and effortlessly even in the most dangerous of situations. It’s one reason why I’m always reaching out for his books too.
very wordy spoilers:
- when hazel revealed that only one of hades’ kids will make it to the doors of death, i almost died.
- BOB THE FRIENDLY TITAN IS THE MVP!!!!!!! i really liked him, even though he doesn’t remember anything about his past as a titan. nico really saved percy and annabeth on this one because he has been going down to talk to bob and telling him that percy is a friend not a foe. i loved small bob the kitten too, he’s adorable.
- NICO HAS A CRUSH ON PERCY!!!!! 💔 WTFFFF. I WASN’T EXPECTING THIS but my heart goes out for him cause annabeth is percy’s only one. rick riordan, please let nico meet his one.😭
- i wasn’t expecting calypso to be back into the picture but i really liked that leo’s the one who meet her after percy. i hope leo’s going to release her from that island asap. like in the last book of this series because she needs to be freed after living in exile for SO LONG. although i’m still a little ‘ehhh’ about the attraction between leo and calypso cause it’s a little bit too fast, and the age group is 😳 .
“Tell the sun and stars hello for me.”
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Do not enter the next review if you aren’t done with The House of Hades! I’ve warned you! Beware!!
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The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #5
Published October 7th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Rating:
Synopsis:
Nico had warned them. Going through the House of Hades would stir the demigods’ worst memories. Their ghosts would become restless. Nico may actually become a ghost if he has to shadow-travel with Reyna and Coach Hedge one more time. But that might be better than the alternative: allowing someone else to die, as Hades foretold.
Jason’s ghost is his mother, who abandoned him when he was little. He may not know how he is going to prove himself as a leader, but he does know that he will not break promises like she did. He will complete his line of the prophecy: To storm or fire the world must fall.
Reyna fears the ghosts of her ancestors, who radiate anger. But she can’t allow them to distract her from getting the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood before war breaks out between the Romans and Greeks. Will she have enough strength to succeed, especially with a deadly hunter on her trail?
Leo fears that his plan won’t work, that his friends might interfere. But there is no other way. All of them know that one of the Seven has to die in order to defeat Gaea, the Earth Mother.
Piper must learn to give herself over to fear. Only then will she be able to do her part at the end: utter a single word.
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A little surprised that the point of view for The Blood of Olympus only dealt with five different characters but it didn’t diminish my enjoyment. The plot still ran smoothly and my favorite demigods still got their stories told even without the point of view chapters.
It’s difficult not to become emotional when I read the last book of any series. I ventured into The Blood of Olympus terrified for their lives. There was no knowing what Rick Riordan would do.
One of the demigods we follow is Reyna whose perspective is fascinating to read. From the moment we met her, she was brave, courageous, and level-headed. As the praetor, she couldn’t afford to stumble or make a mistake. This time, Reyna showed her vulnerability, and readers realise what she was protecting herself from.
Nico has been acting strange since the beginning of the series. We didn’t truly know what was bothering him until he was forced to face it in The House of Hades. From his perspective, readers understood the internal turmoil and the despair he was carrying on his shoulders this whole time. Hearing whispers and nosy of the dead isn’t an easy thing, and Nico didn’t feel like he belonged.
"I know. You can't plan for feelings. Like with Percy, and your future – you can't control every contingency. You have to accept that. Let it scare you. Trust that it'll be okay anyway."
More of a behind-the-scenes character, Leo thrived while tinkering and engineering the mechanics. Bringing his ideas to life and creating amazing inventions just amazed me. Though he always undermines his own abilities, without Leo, there won’t be Festus, the Argo II, nor a 3-legged table shouting at them in Coach Hedge’s voice. He deserves much more recognition because of his bravery, brain, and character.
I loved that there was always a little glimpse of hope when it comes to Rick Riordan’s books. The friendships and camaraderie are always tender and sweet. Even in the worst situations, the friends still banded together to fight against evil.
“My people were the original Athenians – the gemini.”
“Like your zodiac sign?” Percy asked. “I’m a Leo.”
“No, stupid,” Leo said. “I’m a Leo. You’re a Percy.”
very wordy spoilers:
- oh the last few moments with leo was so painful to read. he could only say goodbye to piper and jason, and not the rest of them who are like family to him. my heart. and i can’t believe piper’s charmspeak could make gaia fall asleep that they can actually kill her. i’m a little disappointed that their battle with gaia (aka EARTH MOTHER) ended so easily. i remember percy jackson’s fight with kronos was far more intense and tough. but it was entertaining in its own ways too so i’m not that upset about it.
- underrated character: coach hedge. he was always there during serious situation with encouraging words, constantly charging into danger to protect and to kill. always worrying about the demigods, and always worrying about his own baby and wife.
- i loved that while percy didn’t know how to react to it, annabeth was like “yeah, alright”. nico deserve so much more happiness than anyone else. losing a sister wasn’t easy, losing a crush wasn’t easy and having to shoulder all the grief wasn’t easy. please let him be happy onwards. maybe, perhaps, probably with will solace?
- leo isn’t dead and he’s reunited with calypso. I LOVE IT!!! i do hope he reunites with the rest of the seven demigods soon. i love that he went back to find her and somehow his invention brought him back to the island that nobody could ever find unless they were sent there on purpose.
let’s chat:
i can’t believe i’m done with the heroes of olympus series. it’s definitely a thrilling and entertaining journey with the seven of them. if you’ve read the series, which of them is your favroite book?
thisbellereadstoo.wordpress.com 
Ah this is one of my fav series of all time!! I am so glad you enjoyed it. The aesthetics are stunning 😍 and I was wondering, how do add that arrow thingie with the drop down for the spoilers if you don’t mind? 😅
Lovely post
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hehe thank you! i use in html for the drop down (:
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I loved these reviews! Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson hold a special place in my heart 🥰I completely agree with your thoughts. My favorite book was probably Mark of Athena (Annabeth is the best).
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thank you! rick riordan’s books are amazing, i can’t believe it took me so long to pick it up. yes! annabeth is so freaking badass. she’s always on the move and thinking about solving the problems in front of them. LOVE HER
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