‘The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus)' – Rick Riordan (Puffin)

 

Page Count: 552 Pages

I told you I’d be looking at something that’s about as far away from ‘Grimdark’ as you can get ;o) Well, there are hints of ‘grim’ here but not that many…

My youngest daughter absolutely loves the ‘Percy Jackson’ books and has wanted me to read her favourite series for a long time. I’m wrapped right round her little finger (and her sisters) so in the end, I agreed to give it a shot. Well, she did say she’d read some Stephen King (if I read ‘The Lost Hero’) but I’m not going to hold her to that. Like I said, I’m pretty soft-hearted when it comes to my kids. Anyway… Here we are, lets talk about ‘The Lost Hero’.

Seven Heroes. One Prophecy. Destiny Calls.

When Jason, Piper and Leo crash land at Camp Half-Blood, they have no idea what to expect. A haven for the children of the Greek Gods, like the famous Percy Jackson, they are apparently safe here – despite the monsters roaming the woods. . .

But before they can settle into their new lives as demigods, the trio are thrown into a quest – to rescue Hera, Queen of the Gods, from the clutches of a new, and terrifying, enemy.

If they fail? Demigods will turn on each other, the Giants will overrun Mount Olympus and it’ll be the end of them all…

I thought that ‘The Lost Hero’ would be a nice, easy read that would get me through a slightly bumpy week and into the weekend. And it was just that, the only thing I wasn’t expecting was that I’d enjoy it as much as I did. ‘The Lost Hero’ isn’t going to change my life (other than that youngest daughter owes me a read now…) but it certainly did more than enough convince me to keep going with the series.

I’m coming at this having read precisely none of the preceding books (although I have watched the movies) but the open ended nature of how ‘The Lost Hero’ kicks off makes it really easy to pick up and get into; we do get a little back story, as we go, as well so there is plenty of help at hand for newcomers.

What kept things moving for me was Riordan’s knack of not only leading us into an intriguing mystery but also for hiding bits of Greek myth more or less in plain sight; springing them on me when I least expected it. This makes for some great action but also makes it clear just how a part of this world the gods are. Whether it’s Golems that are hugely into construction equipment or a god of the winds that acts as the ‘Olympus Weatherman’, the worldbuilding on display is really detailed and with a note of humour that I really appreciated.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been reading about quests (in one form or another) for years now and ‘The Lost Hero’ doesn’t offer much that’s new here. Thinking about it, isn’t that the point though? Especially as the Ancient Greeks more or less cornered the market in tales of heroic quests etc. Riordan really captures the sense of high stakes here and the sense of tension that’s arising between the demi-gods and their parents. More importantly though, there’s a real sense of camaraderie between the three main characters that adds some emotional depth to the quest. Jason, Piper and Leo may not know each other, as well as they think, but there is a bond here that pushes them to succeed no matter what. The outcome may not be in doubt but every now and then, Riordan had me wondering…

I may not have found an answer to the ‘Greek Myth Question’ that bugs me the most (how does King Midas safely use the bathroom…?) but I can live with that, for now. ‘The Lost Hero’ was a lot of fun, full of mystery and a hefty dose of action backed up by heroes worth spending time with. Onto the next book I think ;o)