I Suddenly Remembered My Charlemagne

Okay, I read "The Lost Hero" under weird conditions (ie. really fast while doing other fannish things at sache8's house at Christmas), so I didn't really love it. I enjoyed the Kane Chronicles a lot, but they were definitely missing that certain je ne sais quois that the Olympian books have. "The Son of Neptune", on the other hand? SOLID GOLD OF AWESOMENESS.

Again, let me say that I MISS THE CHAPTER TITLES. This book isn't written in first person (as is the case with the Kane Chronicles), so I'm not sure why there can't be funny chapter titles instead of the character's name. IT MAKES ME SAD.

But aside from that, PERFECTION. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. Just for those of us keeping track at home, we're adding a black heroine and a Chinese Canadian hero (to go with the Mexican American Leo and the Native American Piper), which means that if The Seven are who I think they will be, the non-white kids will outnumber the white ones, which is cool. And it's not a huge issue, most of the time (unlike in the Kane Chronicles, where being black and/or not looking related is central to both Sadie and Carter), but neither are their cultural heritages ignored. Hazel's mother was, basically, a witch, and Frank's bizarre crossover of ancestors was both historically plausible and awesome with regard to the plot! If we get an Indian-descended-from-Alexander hero in The Mark of Athena, I will die happy. ;)

I had two favourite parts. The first was when we learned that the Amazons actually run amazon.com, and are slowly taking over the world as a result, and the second was when Frank and Hazel distracted and killed (respectively) the first giant. In addition to Hazel being all warrior/awesome, Frank got to say my favourite line in the book: "Here's a tip! Next time you choose the biggest state for your home, don't set up base in the part that's only ten miles wide. Welcome to Canada, idiot."

The Romanisms in the book also made me laugh ridiculously hard throughout. I'm glad I'm home alone. And I am BEYOND PUMPED that the next book will a) take place in Rome and/or Greece, and b) possibly feature Annabeth quite centrally. Of course, it doesn't come out until fall of 2012, but at least there will be another Kane book between then and now. And Riordan is starting a Norse series, which makes me so happy I might cry.

I love the way Nico keeps coming back. I'm so glad he's not a villain. Also "Nico buys happy meals for the dead" is probably my favourite chapter title of ANYTHING EVER, and the fact that I read it so many years ago and can still remember it shows that Riordan should TOTALLY START NAMING HIS CHAPTERS AGAIN. :)

AND HAZEL! I mean, I love Frank because he is Canadian, but Hazel? *pets her* She is so awesome. I won't ruin any of the great character moments with spoilers, but SHEESH, Frank and Hazel might be my favourites. Ever.

I'm not entirely clear on how Sammy is Leo. But whatever. Except now we're going to have a very bizarre love triangle, and I am not sure how I feel about that.

I really like that these books are no longer paced quite as frenetically as the first series was. They are still fast moving and action packed, but they're a bit easier to follow, and since I no longer have access to my books to reread them before I start the new one, that is important to me.

9.5/10 for being hilarious, brilliant and excellently paced; for including Canada; and for making fun of the Romans. ;)

(ARGH, my "Zeus is crazy!"; "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky!" icon is gone...)