"The Son of Neptune" Review

Hey, guys! My finals are like three days away and I'm going hard on studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and History. Anyway, today, I'll write my review on Rick Riordan's The Son of Neptune, the second book in the Heroes of Olympus pentalogy.

BEWARE! SPOILERS BELOW!

IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT READ MORE

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED 

And the main hero from Percy Jackson and the Olympians pentalogy is back! Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, the god of the seas—oh wait, or is it the son of Neptune? o.O The first few chapters flow slowly (plus action and comedy in-between) before Percy reaches Camp Jupiter—apparently another demigod camp, except it was for Romans. And here I thought the Heroes of Olympus series is mostly about Greek gods.

Percy meets Hazel Levesque, a daughter of Pluto (Hades), and Frank Zhang, a son of Mars (Ares), which I guess are also part of the Prophecy of Seven. Then Percy reveals himself as a son of Poseidon Neptune, but what the graecus didn't know is that sons of Neptune aren't appreciated. Ouch. And so he joins Hazel, who everyone condescends for being a child of cursed Pluto, and Frank, who is really naïve muscular Chinese boy from Canada, both of them are actually Camp Jupiter outcasts. The coincidences are strong. From here, Percy (and I) learn the differences between Greek and Roman. This series is really informative, I have to say. :P

Go to Alaska.

Find Thanatos and free him.

Come back by sundown on June twenty-fourth or die.

Mars's not-so-prophecy prophecy.

And then later, Mars comes down and orders Frank, who he reveals to be his son, Hazel, and Percy to embark on a quest to free Thanatos, the Death, in Alaska and come back to Camp Jupiter before the 24th of June, which is four days away. (Really? Four days again?) Hazel is revealed to have been dead before. (1940s, specifically.) And if she freed Death, then she would be taken back into the Underworld. But if she didn't free Death, then the world is gone. Same goes for Frank, whose life is tied to a freaking wooden splinter. *shows vulgar gesture to Juno* Sacrifices to be made... gee, the dilemma is strong.

I also liked the fact there was a super memorable quote, spoken none other by a horse. You heard me: a horse. Named Arion. Also a son of Neptune. (A HORSE is an offspring of a GOD?!)

"I will trample you to death, silly Chinese-Canadian baby man."

Savage. This horse is savage. Best horse ever.

Riordan sure knows how to make people laugh. I mean, come on, the giant Alcyoneus, bane of Pluto, humming Jingle Bells upon being unconscious? The giant Polybotes, being tricked to enrage OCD god of boundaries, Terminus, and indirectly helped Percy smack him into dust? That horse calling Frank a baby man? Damn, I wonder if Riordan had written in the comedy genre before.

Anyway, all in all, this book is awesome. It shows the Roman aspect of the Heroes of Olympus series perfectly, as The Lost Hero showed Greek. I didn't expect to find so many differences between the two. Informative, comedic, suspense-filled, dilemma-filled, drama, fantasy via mythology, this book has it. Though, I'm not continuing with The Mark of Athena until I've finished Empire of Storms. I waited too long for that book. Also, since exams are in the next week, I might be seriously inactive.

This has been my review of The Son of Neptune. Thank you for reading.
Until then: Senatus Populusque Romanus, my friends. Next stop: The Mark of Athena.

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