The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus, #5)

by Rick Riordan

Though the Greek and Roman crew members of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen - all of them - and they're stronger than ever.

The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over . . .

• ISBN10: 1410472868
• ISBN13: 9781410472861
• Publish Date: 1 October 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thorndike Press
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 657
• Language: English

Reviews

[thepunktheory]

So, this is the last time I get to talk about how much I love Greek mythology. What Rick Riordan really excels at, is weaving bits of story together. Not only did he pick up ancient myths and transfer them to today, he also managed to pick up stuff from his past books and perfectly tied it into the last novel in the series without it seeming repetitive or unoriginal.
Furthermore, I really appreciate how Riordan never fails to make me smile. This story has a very dark tone and you will be tense throughout the whole book, holding your breath at times. However, at some points I just couldn't help but bursting into a loud laugh. Despite the gloomy plot this never seems out of place!
Throughout the entire Heroes of Olympus series, the characters had to face big challenges and were shaped by them. The all grew up, changed and adapted. I hate it when a character remains static during and entire series just because the readers like him or her tha way. Riordan really makes a point of developing his characters well. They do not only grow with each task, but you can also tell that they get older and thus change too.
And finally, let me state how thrilling this story was. In Riordan's novels basically everything is possible, you never know what happens next.

Not only The Blood of Olympus, the entire Heroes of Olympus series is a big recommendation! Amazing books, and guess what, you can even learn something while reading!

FEEEEEEEEEELS! OMG I just love this motley crew so much. I finally read this because a student wanted me to finish so we could talk BUT I AM NOW INCOHERENT! This series is just so wonderful and full of sass and heart and courage and GAH! I LOVE IT! Everything wraps up so wonderfully and I really just want to be friends with them and hug them all. What a wonderful journey.

Full review to come.

[ellieroth]

Por un segundo pensé "y con esto acabo con el mundo de Riordan" JAJAJA NO

[Ashley]

I don't want it to be over!!

[Nessa Luna]

At the beginning of this year, I started reading the Heroes of Olympus series - a companion series to the Percy Jackson series that I'd read and loved the years before. I didn't fall in love with this series immediately - mostly because I missed the old characters (even though most of them made appearances in this first book) - but I enjoyed it very much. Then, as I read on, I started to love this series more and more. A couple of days ago I finally started reading the last book in this series, and let me tell you: Oh my gods! 

At the end of The House of Hades the group found Percy and Annabeth at the doors of death, and Nico, Reyna and Coach Hedge decided to take the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood. In The Blood of Olympus we follow both groups as they struggle to get to their destination - being chased by venti, challenged by goddesses and hunted by giants. They need to find where Gaia is being resurrected, but of course - that is not an easy job when you're a demigod.

I personally really loved this book, very very much. The last book in the Percy Jackson series - The Last Olympian - was mostly about the battle in New York, I seriously think half of that book was filled with battle, and it got a bit annoying after a while. BoO is filled with more quests and trouble, and while I also find that a slight bit annoying (so many delays whyyyyyyy), it was also very exciting, because what will happen next - who will they have to find/fight next?

My personal favourite part was the part where they had to find and capture Nike, goddess of victory. For some reason she reminded me of the White Witch in Narnia, on her chariot demanding the demigods fight each other and see who was victorious - Greek or Roman.

The final battle - or well battles, seeing as there were two - where exciting and thrilling and all of the above, I just couldn't stop reading. I was in bed last night trying to finish the book before 12 because I really really needed to sleep before 12 because I had to get up at 7 today. But I hadn't expected the ending to be that sad, so instead of sleeping I sat in my bed sobbing for a while. I won't spoil anything, obviously, and honestly I had seen it coming, but oh my gods it was just so effing sad.

Characterwise, I think my favourites were definitely Leo, Piper and Reyna. I had liked Leo since the first book already, and he just grew on me more throughout the series. He was the comic relief, but he was also more than that. He was the incredible inventor who created so many things, heck he built the Argo II, and Festus and all those amazing things that saved the Demigods' lives throughout this entire series. When he died I got so sad I sobbed for the rest of the book. But I kept hope, and eventually he ended up not being dead. I had never been so happy! Honestly I wasn't that surprised he was still alive, because he had a promise to keep to Calypso, but yeah you know I was a bit afraid. Piper was just so cool, for a daughter of Aphrodite (just kidding); her charmspeak got so much better in this series, she was able to used it on gods and goddesses, something the Piper from The Lost Hero probably wouldn't have been able to do. (They all just grew so much in this series, but Piper's growth was amazing, I loved that battle between her and Khione and those two dudes whose name I kept on forgetting).

And Reyna, oh gods - I didn't like her that much when we first met her, mainly because she just seemed so... cold. I honestly didn't really know what to think of her, but in this book we got to read from her POV, and we got to know more about her past and I just started liking her more and more. It's save to say she's one of my favourite characters in this series now - and that's counting PJO.

I heard from a lot of people that they hated the fact that this book didn't have any chapters from Percy or Annabeth's POV, but honestly I didn't really care. We got to read enough about them in the Percy Jackson series - this series wasn't about Percy, even though all the books said something about him on the cover (I just noticed this and it annoys me a lot). The Heroes of Olympus is about Jason, Piper, Leo and Frank and Hazel. Yes Percy and Annabeth are part of the seven of the prophecy, but they aren't the main focus here. That's the reason the first book wasn't Percy's story, but Jason's. I really liked how Jason, Piper and Leo were the ones to defeat Gaia in the end, because they were the ones that this story started with, and they should have been the ones to end it. Percy already defeated Kronos, and honestly he deserves a break from defeating all the evil people all the time.

In the end, I loved The Blood of Olympus as much as it broke my heart. I will definitely reread the series and the PJO series whenever I can/want, and I cannot wait to get started in another one of Rick Riordan's mythology books - The Sword of Summer! And of course I'll try out his Egyptian series as well!

My opinion on this book in one gif: 

[catiebug]

I loved this, however I was expecting more at the end. For all the build of through the series is was just like here is the climax... And it's over. It just wasn't as big as I thought it would be.

[KitsuneBae]

Still torn between giving 3.5 and 4 stars. It felt like a very rushed ending with and some of the loose ends weren't neatly wrapped. Is Rick Riordan still planning to write more books that will cover those?

[Sarah Says]

4.5 stars because Leo is awesome - Lost the 0.5 because there wasn't enough Percy >>>>

The seven demigods of the prophecy Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Leo, Piper, Hazel, and Frank are going on their final adventure to defeat Gaea, while Nico, Reyna and Coach Hedge attempt to bring the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood - Ok, awesome high action and high-jinx to come - Right?

What I was hoping to get out of this final instalment, keeping in mind I’ve invested ten books worth of emotion into this world of Riordan’s:
• More of Reyna.
• Nico coming out.
• Percy being awesome and he and Annabeth living happily ever after.
• Leo recusing Calypso.
• An Epic finale.
• Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter staying separate, but forming a truce and maybe even hinting at inter camp events later on.

The Blood of Olympus is the fifth and final book in The Heroes of Olympus series and the Tenth book if we look at it as one massive Percy Jackson Demigod Olympus saga, Which I Do.

The Blood of Olympus is fast paced and quick to get into the action. The last instalment definitely doesn’t disappoint on action and suspense. It has all the Riordan elements and style I have come to love, even if the Percy awesomeness is a little light (more on that later). We get monster battling and butt kicking, parental god drama, sibling rivalry, bromances and sister hoods forming.

In the five Percy Jackson and the Olympians books Percy was the viewpoint character, The Heroes of Olympus books swap chapter by chapter between the seven demigods of the prophecy. In Blood of Olympus the chapters are from the perspectives of Jason, Piper, Leo, Reyna and Nico, making this book the first time in the series that someone other than one of the seven demigods of the prophecy are the viewpoint character.

So whoop whoop we got plenty of Reyna as she was a viewpoint character – it was awesome I loved being in Reyna a Nico’s heads.

BUT I really missed Percy’s voice. It began with him and I wanted it to end with him. I was totally fine with another demigod saving the day (I love the others too), but I wanted to hear it or rather read it from Percy – major let down.
I was getting quite agitated at one stage when it felt like the book was turning into a bag-out-Percy-a-thon. I felt that maybe a few of Piper or Jason’s chapters could have been given to Percy and it would have made me love the book 100% - Like there was a really sweet scene between Percy and Annabeth, but it was from the perspective of Piper - Seriously, give me some insite into that Seaweed Brain..

Nico finds his place in the end and intends to stay on at Camp Half-Blood. He even opens up and tells Percy about the crush he had harboured for years. I was really nice to see Nico finally at peace with himself.

Leo, that adorable lil Latino and Festus his super-awesome-mechanical-bronze-save-the-day-dragon, Yes! Festus is back! And together they kick dirt mother butt (with help from Piper and Jason) and rescue Calypso from her island prison. Gods Yeah Leo!!!!

In the end a friendship is formed between Camp Half-blood and Camp Jupiter, where weekend visits and inter camp exchanges take place and they band together in times of need etc. So it’s a queasy-cheesy-happily-ever-after that all the demigods deserve. It leaves me imagining old Percy and Annabeth in New Rome with grandkids running amuck as Percy stirs them up.
OR Leo and Calypso, exploring the world before returning to camp half-blood year’s later to accidently (and to everyone’s glee) gate crash Piper and Jason’s wedding.

[Stephanie]

This was just a great Middle Grade series. Thanks, Riordan.