the mark of athena by Rick Riordan

40th book of 2021

Third book in the Heroes of Olympus series

Reading period: May 10th 2021 – May 14th 2021

Summary

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Half-blood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six—who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land—Greece itself—to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery…

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan. 

Rating

Review

For now, this book is my favourite of the series. I exceptionally give a .5 rating as it merits it.

Even if we have all the main clues with the first two books in this one, the adventure begins. And what adventure!

This book has a primary focus point which is the Mark of Athena (so Annabeth). I like how this element is included in the story and how little you know initially, but everything unravels while you continue the book. Those parts of the story were my favourite and the ones I struggle the most with (hint: look at the cover.) 

Like always, the whole book is logical, and you have an explanation for everything. My favourite was about the gods and how they appear and their state of mind towards that future war. 

Also, I like how the characters are shown in this book. They are now a group of seven coming from a different side, and they need to work together, which can be difficult sometimes. I like how this quest helps them introspect themself and find their place in the group. I like those moments where they are questioning their actions or relationships or trust. 

I can’t wait to continue this series with the fourth book: The House of Hades.

Liz.