After spinning his wheels in series opener The Lost Hero (2010), Riordan regains his traction with book two of The Heroes of Olympus. Gaea is raising an army of giants to defeat the gods, and Juno has switched heroes Percy Jackson (son of Poseidon) and Jason Grace (son of Jupiter) in order to unite Greek and Roman gods and demigods in battle against her. His memory wiped, Percy knows only that he has another life and a girlfriend, Annabeth; he needs to focus now on winning the trust of the Roman demigods. As per usual, he has two appealing companions with intriguing back stories, Hazel Levesque (daughter of Pluto) and Frank Zhang (son of ?). The three undertake a quest to Alaska to defeat the giant Alcyoneus and free Thanatos, "the border patrol" of the Underworld, assisted and opposed along the way by a pleasing variety of magical beings. Riordan achieves freshness within his formula by giving characters and readers a new environment-Camp Jupiter, similar only in broad concept to Camp Half-Blood-to discover, and his pell-mell pacing has returned. As with all of Riordan's mythological tales, the details that bring the legends into the 21st century delight: The camp's augur reads the entrails of Beanie Babies; tiny, malignant grain spirits dissolve into Chex Mix; the Amazons' headquarters are in Seattle at, well, you guessed it. Should pacing and wit continue unabated into the third volume, whose foretold European setting promises further freshness, fans will eagerly await numbers four and five. (Fantasy. 10-14) Kirkus"

Percy Jackson is back! Following his absence in The Lost Hero (2010), book 1 of the Heroes of Olympus series, Percy returns to fight another day, and another, and another, and yes, several others. As the story begins, he clashes with two Gorgons and finds Camp Jupiter, the modern West Coast refuge for demigods. There, he befriends Frank and Hazel, who join his quest to free Thanatos (aka Death) from Gaea's evil minions in Alaska. Personal challenges, fierce battles, and self-discovery await the three teen demigods, even as Percy struggles with amnesia. Though diverse in ethnicity, physical characteristics, and magical gifts, Percy's friends in both series seem relatively interchangeable. Still, Riordan creates an original minor character in Ella, the lovable harpy. While the narrative includes lengthy explanations, flashbacks, and dreams, there is plenty of fast-paced action, including combat scenes with formidable enemies, as well as occasional comic relief. Along the way, readers will learn more about both the ancient Roman gods and the Roman legions. Fans will find plenty to cheer about as Percy and his allies move slowly toward fulfilling the mysterious Prophecy of Seven. - Carolyn Phelan Booklist"

5Q 5P M J Riordan's original demigod hero returns to the spotlight in this highly anticipated second book in the Heroes of Olympus series. With two indestructible gorgons hunting him, an amnesiac Percy Jackson arrives at Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of the secret Greek demigod camp, Camp Half-Blood. There he learns that Death has been imprisoned and that the titan Gaea is assembling an army of escaped souls and immortal monsters to reclaim the world from the gods. Percy embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to free Death before Gaea's army obliterates Camp Jupiter. At his side are two new Roman friends: Hazel Levesque, who conceals mysteries about her past, and Frank Zhang, who wonders about his immortal lineage and likewise harbors his own secrets. Together they journey to the land beyond the gods to fulfill a prophecy and to each assume a role as one of the seven heroes of Olympus. Riordan's seamless weaving of various cultural mythologies into a modern landscape continues to shine in Son of Neptune. As in previous books, the plot is engrossing, the characters robust and compelling. Percy, Frank, and Hazel alternate as narrators without missing a beat of pace, suspense, or humor. Readers will find themselves automatically consumed by the story without having read the first book, though some knowledge of Percy's previous adventures will help fill in minor gaps of background information. Son of Neptune is yet another absorbing and exciting addition to Riordan's chronicles.-Grace Enriquez. VOYA" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Rick Riordan (www.rickriordan.com) is the author of the New York Times #1 best-selling The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero; the New York Times #1 best-selling The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid; as well as the five books in the New York Times #1 best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series: The Lightning Thief; The Sea of Monsters; The Titan's Curse; The Battle of the Labyrinth; and The Last Olympian. His previous novels for adults include the hugely popular Tres Navarre series, winner of the top three awards in the mystery genre. He lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.