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The Heroes of Olympus
Chances are, there...
Chances are, there is a lot of threads about The Heroes of Olympus, and many more to come, but I wanted to make my own. I just started the series on Friday or Saturday of last week and I am now on the House Of Hades (meaning I got to wait until October for the last book).
*Spoilers up ahead*
Out of the whole series so far, my favorite character (not counting the Percy Jackson series characters) is Leo Valdez, but the other people are great too. And even if Leo does not have great powers like the other six, he is really good with two things: machines and fire. He saved his friends countless times thanks to those talents. Also, the Argo II is amazing! Not to count how it is controled (a Wii remote? Now that is cool!). And the dragon is also really cool too.
And before on my thread about the Percy Jackson series (and part of this series) I mentioned how I think Percy gained his memory back to quickly. Well, now that I think about it, he gained his memory back at a good time.
And about Hera's plan... well I thought before I read the Mark of Athena that it would work. But now that Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus to close the other side of the Doors of Death, I don't see how the statue will help them defeat Gaea and the giants. The whole quest was to close the Doors of Death to stop Gaea from waking but first, if Annabeth and Percy DO survive, what is the chance of them defeating the forces of Gaea and closing the doors? And second, Camp Half-Blood is about to go to war with the Romans, which is NOT part of the quest. But if Greeks and Romans go to war, there is no chance they can stop Gaea (or for Hera's plan to work). If only the Romans would listen (since it was not Leo's fault he blasted New Rome). So I just hope the seven will be able to win in the end.
And about Athena... she was (and sort of still is) my favorite goddess, but why must she be so mean to Annabeth? I see no way of how Annabeth had failed her when she did not even start to follow the Mark of Athena. And I know the whole Roman/Greek switch changed her a lot and made her confused (slightly) but still, she should be nicer.
Now I wonder just what Nico saw down in Tartarus, and if Percy and Annabeth can survive, close the doors, and excape Tartarus alive...
submitted by Ashlee G., age 12, Washington
(February 17, 2014 - 12:31 am)
(February 17, 2014 - 12:31 am)
I must say I didn't like this series quick as much as I did the Percy Jackson series, mostly because the pace of the books are considerably slower.
The Lost Hero was really good, especially since most of it was at Camp Half-Blood and we got to see Annabeth again. Jason, Piper and Leo were really fun characters, and getting to know them was quite enjoyable.
The Son of Neptune wasn't that great, mostly because Hazel and Frank weren't that different, and New Rome wasn't NEARLY as awesome as Camp Half Blood.
The Mark of Athena was really awesome because there was so much Annabeth and it left you with a really gripping cliff-hanger.
The House of Hades I was a trifle disappointed with. Nothing really seemed to happen, and there wasn't enough battle action. The last battle, where Frank and Hazel kicked butt, was ok, but the rest of it wasn't all that fantastic.
I'm really looking forward to reading The Blood of Olympus, though, and seeing how the story turns out.
Regarding the characters: Jason was all right in the beginning, but he didn't have enough character or real stumbling blocks. Piper also seemed cool, like a kind of antithesis to the usual assumptions about Aphrodite children, but she doesn't seem different enough from Hazel. Leo's pretty awesome, especially his comment about the world being like a well-oiled machine, with a definite purpose (which was like the most religious thing ever mentioned in all the books), and his "romance" with Calypso was kind of original. I really really hope he doesn't die. The fact that Hazel's from the last century was a neat insertion--and how she can control the Mist. Frank is ok, but all his sudden metamorphoses into this great Mars-ish hero are a little too sudden. Percy is not nearly sarcastic enough, like he so loveably was before, and the thing is, why doesn't he ever think of Camp Half Blood anymore??? Or Grover! I miss Grover...Annabeth seems to keep her character, but she's getting dangerously near being too lovey-dovey with Percy. I liked her as a tomboy.
I said this before, but I wished some important character died. I think the worst problem with this seven-person prophecy is that there are too many main characters that Riordan can't insert any more minor characters. I wish there was a kind of Zoe Nightshade or Bianca or Silena to sacrifice without touching any of the important people. I hope someone dies in Blood of Olympus. At this rate, probably Nico. He's too morbid. I also wouldn't mind if Jason died, though. Then he can be regarded as a hero, but he doesn't have to keep clogging up the imperfection of the other characters.
Wow, this post got entirely too long. Sorry. :/
(February 17, 2014 - 2:49 pm)
OH MY GOSH, THANK YOU. You said exactly how I've always felt about Heroes of Olympus.
*potential spoilers*
I thought the Lost Hero was good too! You got new and old characters, interesting twists, and it was exciting. It had a good enough pace I didn't get bored.
I didn't like Hazel or Frank much from the beginning, even in Son of Neptune. As you've said before, they could be good supporting characters, but there's not enough to them for a narrative. And I've always felt Camp Half-Blood was far superior to Camp Jupiter.
I liked the cliff hanger at the end of Mark of Athena, but there wasn't a whole lot to make it stand out to me from the rest of the stuff they're constantly running into.
People know my viewpoint on House of Hades. I shall say no more.
I admit, I'm looking forward to Blood of Olympus, though I don't know if I'll necessarily buy it. I don't want to waste my money on something I might be disappointed with.
Jason: You can ship with a brick. Enough said.
Piper: I agree was cool at first, but became way too wrapped up in herself and Jason. All the couples became too wrapped up in each other. They weren't working together as well, and it got annoying.
Leo: Is awesome. There's simply nothing left to be said.
Hazel: Being from another time was neat, and she'd be a good supporting character, but I don't like her for a narrative.
Percy & Annabeth: These two are the reasons I started reading Heroes of Olympus, and one of the reasons I have stopped. Okay not totally, I had other reasons. But Percy isn't funny, sarcastic, sweet seaweed brain we all fell in love with! And you're right, Annabeth is coming to close to being totally wrapped up in Percy. She was great when she was looking for him, with the whole "give me Percy Jackson or die" thing. But then that whole thing in the hold of the Argo II between her and Percy put me off a little, cause it was really Annabeth like, and then she just started going that way, and I wasn't really happy with it. I miss the old Annabeth and Percy.
I MISS GROVER AND TYSON! A lot! And I wish Rachael were in it more! I really like Rachael, and she's so cool! And Clarisse. I frankly really like Clarisse, and I wish she were in this!
I wish we had a minor character that would hurt you if they died too. Zoe, Bianca, and Silena were fantastic characters. Everyone loved them, and yet there's no one like that in this series.
Rick Riordan has tweeted that one of the seven won't survive. I have immediate thoughts of who that could be, but then again, this is Rick Riordan, so who knows? Though I'm not necessarily rooting for this, Piper would be a unique and interesting choice to die. She'd be unexpected.
Nico can die. I'm good with that. I really don't like him. He's just dark and freakish on levels I just, I'm not going into that. I just really really really don't like Nico anymore. He can die.
I agree about Jason, but then he's already regarded in a way as a "hero". Why give him more glory? Plus, you know he's going to live at Camp Half-Blood, and Percy's going to live in New Rome, and they're going to be the "bridge" and I'm going to be ticked. Cause Percy belongs in Camp Half-Blood, but it's going to be stupid and I'm going to be mad. Really mad.
And now mine is too long, and if possible, I would keep ranting, but I won't for ya'll's sakes. So there.
(February 17, 2014 - 9:28 pm)
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(February 17, 2014 - 5:59 pm)
Wow I am surprised how people WANT characters to die. But okay if any of them was to die, I hope it would be Jason out of the seven. And Nico is one of my favorite characters (after Annabeth, Leo, and Percy)! He is more of a darker character than the rest, and is sort of creepy but still he is a good character.
Also: It made me trim this, I will add the rest as soon as this part gets posted (Which I hope is soon).
(February 17, 2014 - 11:12 pm)
Here is the rest:
Having Hazel from the past does add a twist to the whole story, but I do agree she is nearly like Piper (I mixed them up once when I was reading).
I am still wondering how Leo is the "seventh wheel". Maybe because the other six leave him out sometimes? Well as I said before, Leo is one of my favorite characters, and reminds me of a extra funny Percy (Before he became more serious in this series).
Frank is cool I guess, but still not my favorite person. I know he is simular to someone, but I cannot remember who...
Jason is to way to plain. He can fly (by controling the air), he can fight, and he is powerful, but I don't like him. And he is too much of a leader, and slightly too serious. Oh well, maybe I will find something I like about him soon.
Piper is also sort of plain. I like that she can charmspeak but I just don't know about her...
Annabeth is still amazing! In my opinion she is a really good leader, and in the Mark of Athena, she did amazing searching for the statue alone. In the House of Hades (I started it yesterday) I see no way of how she could survive without Percy with her.
Percy has lost a lot of his old funniness, and has became more serious, but I blame that on two things: Hera taking his memory, and him having to worry about Gaea, the camps, and his friends. Oh and he still is funny at times too (but he is serious when in battle of course).
And that just leaves the dark, creepy boy Nico. I think he adds quite a lot to the books. He can talk to ghosts, live in a bronze jar for how long? Five days I think. And I hope he does not die later on, because first, he is one of my favorite characters, second, he lost a lot already, and third he nearly died in that jar once! Anyways, let Nico live this series.
Oh and I do wish Grover and Tyson were in this book more. Wait, Grover was not even IN this series (only in Percy's dream). And why has Percy not thought about his mom much? Or his half brother Tyson, or his best friend Grover? I guess too much to worry about right now.
Now I think this post is a little too long... Oh well.
(February 18, 2014 - 12:45 am)
As I’ve said on other threads, I like Heroes of Olympus a
bit more then Percy Jackson in some ways and vise versa in others. Why I like
it if because it reminds me a lot of my own writing style and I like that.
Also, I love how we get to know each of characters a lot more and how they are
all entwined a huge quest. Also, I like how we get to travel the world and see
how it is from a demigod’s point of view. Why I like the other more is because
of Percy and also because we got to focus more on a couple characters. It was
also more Percy-y and I love Pery-y-ness.
About the characters . . . (spoilers for all the books)
Percy first, because Percy is . . . well, he’s Percy. He’s gotten a lot more
serious and close to Annabeth in these books. But that makes sense, because he’s
grown up a lot. Now he’s seventeen, as opposed to his twelve-to-sixteen years
in the other books. He also is a lot closer to some people, like Annabeth, and
he feels a responsibly to protect those people. He understands life more and he’s
ready to be more serious and think more like an adult. I like that.
Now Annabeth. She’s changed a lot too, but that also makes
sense. She used to be a harsh girl who was reluctant to accept people into her
life because she had been hurt in the past. Now, she has friends and she’s
grown up and matured. She had people she cares for a lot and people she trusts.
She’s become gentler and more serious as well, because of the world around her and
her relationships and what’s expected for her. Now for her relationship with
Percy, as some of you have commented on it. In the beginning, she didn’t seem
like the girl who’d do some of the stuff she has. She didn’t seem like she’d be
a very romantic-y girlfriend. But she’s almost lost Percy so many times, she
has a right to be the way she is.
And for the new characters, starting with . . . Hazel!
I really like Hazel. She’s been put through a lot, but she
still comes out strong and that’s amazing. IN House of Hades, she was just
marvelous and I loved her. She’s bright and comfortable with all of them,
seemingly not easy to embarrass which is a contrast to some of the others who
are all a little serious and distrustful.
Next, since I’m already on the girls, let’s do Piper. In the
beginning, when I first met Piper, I went ‘oh great, she’s gonna be a stereotypic
girl-y girl who tries to downplay her girl-y girl ness’. Don’t get me, wrong
she is kinda that, but she’s also deeper then that. What is expected of her is
that she should be a girl-y girl who loves make up and clothes and boys and all
that stuff. She’s not. She doesn’t just downplay it, she just isn’t. She’s more
comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt then any designer clothes, she’s awkward
around boys and probably wouldn’t be able to have a relationship with anyone
else then Jason. She cares for Jason and I hate him for the fact he doesn’t pay
enough attention to her. She tries so hard, but he kinda brushes it off.
Now, because I feel like it, Leo. Leo is cute and funny and
adorable and hilarious. I love him, because he’s such an outcast and a third and
seventh wheel, but he doesn’t show his hurt. He stands tall, joking and
flirting even when everyone else puts him down. And he has his flaws. He can be
a bit of a bully sometimes, and he makes
a lot of mistakes. He’s overly self confident at times and sometimes lacking
any self confidence. He’s pushed out of group a lot, since they are all couples
and he has no one. But it’s shown that they all really do depend on him. And he
hardly ever lets them down. He’s there for them and they hardly ever even thank
him.
Next, Frank. Awesome, mega Frank. He started out as a shy,
bumbling, blushing giant of a kid. He’s maintained that, but he’s shown in
House of Hades that he can be strong and he can hold his own. He would lay down
his life for Hazel or any of their friends in an instant. He’s got many
weaknesses, but eh manages all the same to be a strong, dependable friend.
And last, but not least, Jason. People say Jason is a
typical, predictable character. I don’t agree. He’s meant to be a jock-ish guy.
He’s strong and cute. But usually, jocks are airheads. Jason isn’t. He’s
serious and down to earth, strong and capable. Most of all, he is accepting.
When Nice confessed in him, he wasn’t prejudiced. He accepted Nico for what Nico
is and supported him, but it wasn’t exactly like Nico could change himself.
Also, Nico. I have to say, Nico is one of my favorite characters.
His confession in House of Hades was surprising to me, but I don’t hold it
against him at all. I don’t particularly mind. I feel sorry for him, because he
was born in the what, 1970s? To feel like he does in that time would get you
stoned, thrown in jail, beaten and publicly scorned. He must have been
terrified. Then, his sister was torn away by the guy he liked. That must have
shocked him and confused him. He couldn’t control his feelings, but he didn’t
want them either. He must have been scared out of his mind. Seeing Percy
surrounded by his loving group of friends and his awesome girlfriend must’ve
hurt Nico a lot. Even when he helped them so much, the Seven still made him an
outcast. In the end of House of Hades, Percy tried to talk to Nico. He tried to
thank him and tell him what a great job he did. Nico threw him off, being angry
and depressed and telling him to go away. I feel sorry for him because of how
much it must have hurt to have him say that and not know anything about why.
Why Nico did it all. Why Nico was so confused and upset. Then Annabeth came and
held Percy’s hand, which must’ve just made it worse. He saw how hopeless it
was.
So all in all, I just want to give Nico a hug. Preferrably a
big one. And this post is getting way too long. I should end it now. But I’ll
be back.
(March 20, 2014 - 4:58 pm)
Oh right, the whole dying thing. I don't want Nico to die. He deserves life and he deserves happiness. I hope he lives. Also, I was wondering if 'not surviving' could mean something other then dying. Hazel could return to the past or one of them could become a god.
Maybe Leo becomes a god. We all worship him anyway xD
Or, Frank is close to being a god. Maybe Hazel returns to past and dies and Frank becomes a god.
(March 20, 2014 - 5:01 pm)