The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus #2)
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: 2011
On Goodreads
My Rating: 
Rated F for powerful friendships and bonds that make even the gods jealous.
Percy is confused.
Hazel is supposed to be dead.
Frank is a klutz.
Percy Jackson has lost his memories, but somehow, he’s made it to Camp Jupiter, the camp of roman demigods where Juno sets him on a quest to save the gods and the world. Thanatos, the god of death has been captured. As a result, nobody is dying. He and his two knew demigod friends, Hazel and Frank, with detailed histories, set out on a quest to set Thanatos free and meet up with those of Camp Half-Blood.
While Percy works to recover his memories of his friends and family, Hazel is struggling with her past that could be responsible for the end of the world and Frank is trying to bring honor to his family because of past transgressions that destroyed the camp. But, the two harbor family secrets and they worry it may derail everything.
If they survive this quest, Percy then must figure out how he’s going to help unite Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter without war erupting. Otherwise, everyone and everything is doomed.
The Heroes of Olympus series is one of the series on my New Year’s resolution and this is book 2 of 5.
The return of old characters, as well as the introduction to new ones, were blended together so beautifully and totally welcome. Riordan did something magnificent here. I truly love the way he keeps Percy Jackson and others involved with his new storyline. He doesn’t let them be forgotten. He piled on the detail and emotion. Oh man, was their emotion! Each character had so much to handle on top of this quest. Percy struggled with his memory loss. Knowing everything he’d lost was heartbreaking too! Annabeth, Grover, Tyson and so much more. Hazel having lost so much and determined to protect what she has now and Frank’s life hanging on the edge of a piece of tinder while he’s on the precipice of great power had me attaching to them so quickly. And now, seeing where Jason Grace, who was introduced in The Lost Hero, came from, my heart ached for him too!
While the book takes place after book one and not during, the story follows almost the same direction as it with Percy trying to regain his memories. Seeing the other side of the gods and even the other side of other creatures, such as satyrs/fauns and cyclops and harpies was really intriguing. It’s an opportunity to realize that monsters aren’t always monsters and not everybody is the same even though they’re grouped together. Even his world has expanded and evolved. All of this has kept him fresh
This book really took things to a higher level than ever before. While we know that characters die, they usually find a way back. However, there was a much closer look at death and the heroes and others its effected. It was such an important theme that provided growth for these characters. They’re not little kids anymore.
Overall
In the exciting and invigorating way that Riordan does it, I was hooked and on the edge of my seat with this installment. He doesn’t ever go too far, but he does keep his characters realistic. I really admire that. The dialogue is fun and kept me on my toes. Riordan is a fantastic writer of the fantasy/mythos genre and I have so much appreciation for his work.
Quotables:
“I don’t even know where I come from…but I’ve got a feeling this isn’t the first time I’ve been an underdog.” (Percy, p. 101)
“Pluto’s cool. It’s not his fault he runs the Underworld. He just got bad luck when the gods were dividing up the world, you know? Jupiter got the sky, Neptune got the sea, and Pluto got the shaft.” (Frank, p. 111)
“Life is only precious because it ends, kid. Take it from a god. You mortals don’t know how lucky you are.” (Mars to Frank, p. 363)
“I am frequently mistaken for the god of love. Death has more in common with Love than you might imagine. But I am Death. I assure you.” (Thanatos, p. 445)
More to come soon…
-K.
P.S. Song today? Bright by Echosmith
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The Scarlet Reader 
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