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

by Rick Riordan

[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.