Friday 18 January 2013

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LAST OLYMPIAN

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS

Final Book



THE LAST OLYMPIAN

I have the Ebook so for those who wants to read can give me their emails and i will send them a copy as soon as possible, i'm spreading the love! 



In order to try to head off Kronos' approach by sea, Percy and Beckendorf attempt to destroy his ship, the Princess Andromeda. However, Kronos, still possessing Luke Castellan, is not caught off guard, and Beckendorf sacrifices his life to destroy the ship, while Percy dives overboard and passes out from contact with Kronos' scythe when battling him on the ship. Percy is awakened by his half-brother Tyson, the cyclops. He finds that he is in his father Poseidon's underwater palace, which is under siege by the forces of the Titan Oceanus. Percy wants to stay and help fight with his father, but Poseidon sends Percy back to Camp Half-Blood. At Camp Half-Blood, Chiron decides it is time for Percy to hear the "Great Prophecy." Percy informs the camp that there is a spy among them, someone who has been informing the Titans for years, but they put it aside until the bigger issues at hand are dealt with, such as the impending war against Kronos. Soon after arriving, Percy leaves again with Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, to find out Nico's plan for Percy to survive the battle, as mentioned at the end of The Battle of the Labyrinth. After visiting Luke's mother in Westport, Connecticut, and talking with Hestia, goddess of the hearth and home, Percy procures a blessing from his mother, which will allow him to descend into the Underworld for the second time. Here, Nico betrays Percy for information on his past, but then helps Percy to escape from confinement. The two boys then follow through with the original plan, which was for Percy to bathe in the River Styx and gain Achilles' power.
Percy emerges from the Underworld in New York City, leaving Nico behind. Percy calls Annabeth and tells her it's time for the battle to begin. The campers, alongside Chiron, arrive and Percy organizes them (minus the Ares cabin, who refused to fight), and prepares them for an urban battle. They enter Olympus through the Empire State Building to prepare and meet Hermes, who is furious with Annabeth. He believes that she could have stopped the war by helping Luke before he was possessed, saying he would have listened to her. Before the battle begins, New York City is silenced by way of a powerful sleeping spell from Morpheus, the god of dreams, that puts all mortals to sleep. Despite being joined by the Hunters of Artemis; satyrs; naiads; dryads and other tree nymphs; Chiron's centaur cousins the Party Ponies, automatons fashioned by the late Daedalus; and the hellhound Mrs. O'Leary; Percy's forces are consistently forced back by sheer numbers. Kronos is not without losses, as Percy buffets the Titan Lord's brother, Hyperion, into submission, from where Grover's nature powers encase the Titan of the East in a massive maple tree. Annabeth is badly injured when she saves Percy from a blade thrown by Ethan, son of Nemesis, that would have hit Percy in his Achilles point and would have most likely been a fatal injury. Percy tells Annabeth this, informing her that his weak spot is the small of his back. Upon falling asleep, Percy has dreams of Kronos questioning Ethan about where Percy's Achilles spot was, but Ethan doesn't know.
Rachel, a mortal who can see through the Mist, flies from a family island vacation to New York to tell Percy that he is not the hero of the Great Prophecy, and that it will influence his choice when he turns 16. More than that, she doesn't know who the hero mentioned in the Great Prophecy is. She also informs Percy that the Titans have a monster on their side that only a child of Ares could destroy, but the Ares cabin remains at camp.
The monster arrives, and the campers learn that it is a drakon, a monster similar to, but more destructive than, a dragon. Right when all hope seems lost, an unknown camper posing as Clarisse tries to slaughter it but is badly wounded. The real Clarisse arrives on a flying chariot and kills the drakon by herself. The campers find out that the first "Clarisse" was Silena. She admits that she pretended to be Clarisse because that was the only way she could convince the rest of the Ares cabin to come and fight. With her last few breaths, Silena confesses she was the spy all along. She dies a hero, and not a traitor.
Driven back to the blocks surrounding the Empire State building, Percy and his friends fight in a last stand to protect Mount Olympus from the massive army Kronos has amassed. Even when Hades arrives with his army, Kronos still manages to break through and enter Olympus.
Percy and Kronos, in Luke's body, battle in the throne room of Olympus, without either side gaining a significant advantage. Luke rebels against Kronos at the last minute, trying to kill him, but his sword ricochets back into his stomach. With his dying breath, he tells Percy that minor gods deserve better before falling into a fissure created by Kronos. Luke is shocked back into his non-evil self when Annabeth helps him remember his promise of family to her when he brutally smashes her across the throne room. The Great Prophecy hinges on Percy's decision to give Luke Annabeth's dagger rather than attempt to kill Luke himself. Luke injures himself at his mortal point (under his left armpit) and uses all his power in one strike on Kronos. With his dying breaths, Luke tells Percy that the minor gods should also have cabins at Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth tells Luke that she loved him as a brother, but Percy was the one she had always and truly loved. Luke sacrifices himself for Olympus and becomes the hero of the prophecy. Percy becomes the half-blood of the prophecy that would "reach sixteen against all odds," ending the war on the dawn of his 16th birthday.
With Poseidon ambushing Typhon at the Hudson River, the Olympians manage to defeat him. Returning to the throne room, they grant Percy, Grover, Annabeth, Thalia, and Tyson rewards at the conclusion of their various quests. Percy, refusing godhood for himself, forces the gods to swear on the River Styx that they will recognize all of their children by the time they turn thirteen, Luke's dying wish. At camp, new cabins are built for every god, including Hades and all the minor gods. Rachel Elizabeth Dare becomes the new Oracle and speaks the next Great Prophecy-
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with the final breath, and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death
Athena promises Annabeth that she will be the architect that redesigns a decimated Mount Olympus. Grover becomes a Lord of the Wild and a member of the Council of the Cloven Elders. Tyson is rewarded as well, by becoming general of the Cyclopes' army and being given a "stick" (i.e. a new club). Percy is given the choice to become immortal, and a god, but he refuses.
Afterward, Annabeth wishes Percy happy birthday and then kisses him. Percy gets the feeling that "my brain was melting through my body". The other campers spy on them and dumps them in the canoe lake. Percy and Annabeth kiss underwater, and from there, start dating. Soon after, they immediately start work on the new cabins, rejecting the "horseshoe" style arrangement of the twelve Olympian god's cabins and instead adding more and more. Chiron praises Percy towards the end of camp, and Annabeth and the other campers cheer him on. Percy silently meets again with Hestia, and she gives him a smile and a wink, showing that she is proud of her young nephew. Percy and Annabeth run into the mortal world with Percy narrating, "For once, I didn't look back."

Source, Wikipedia


I finished this with a smile. After finishing The Battle of the Labyrinth I had no doubt that I would love the last one. Why specifically I knew this, I have no idea. But I was right and I'm happy when I'm right.


I was surprised that most of the book is set in New York City but it actually makes sense since Mount Olympus is above the Empire State Building.

I liked this book so much for the same reasons that I liked the other books. It was so funny. The part with the peanut butter had me laughing out loud. The characters are adorable. Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson are so sweet. However, don't expect a whole lot of mushy stuff it's mostly action and action. This one has the most of the series.

Compared to the other Percy Jackson books this one was a bit less chipper because of all the problems but Percy takes in stride for the most part. It is in no way a downer book. It's so good to finally know everything, and Percy is a lot smarter. After finishing the book I thought of how great Percy is, hands down the best demigod. Hercules who?

Riordan is such a sly author too. He put in another prophecy in the end for another series. So now we just have to see how that might turn out. Okay so maybe you don't have to know but I want to.

Quotes:



I don't recommend shadow travel if you're scared of:
a) The dark
b) Cold shivers up your spine
c) Strange noises
d) Going so fast you feel like your face is peeling off
In other words, I thought it was awesome.
-Percy-

Nico appeared right next to me, as if the shadows had darkened and
created him. He stumbled, but I caught his arm.
"I'm okay," he managed, rubbing his eyes.
"How did you do that?"
"Practice. A few times running into walls. A few accidental trips to
China."
-Nico di Angelo-

Mrs. O'Leary started snoring. If it hadn't been for the roar of traffic
behind us, I'm sure she would've woken up the whole neighborhood.
"Are you going to take a nap too?" I asked Nico.
-Percy-

The clock kept ticking in the other room. I wiped the peanut butter
off my face and looked at Nico pleadingly, like Can we get out of
here now?



-Percy-



"I'm afraid not." Hades sighed. "My son here convinced me that
perhaps I should prioritize my list of enemies." He glanced at me
with distaste. "As much as I dislike certain upstart demigods, it
would not do for Olympus to fall. I would miss bickering with my
siblings. And if there is one thing we agree on-it is that you were a
TERRIBLE father."
"True," muttered Demeter. "No appreciation of agriculture."
"Mother!" Persephone complained.
-Demeter, heck i don't know why she's even there-

He grinned. "You're doing well with those new cabins, by the
way. I suppose this means I can claim all those other sons and
daughters of mine and send you some siblings next summer."
"Ha-ha."
Poseidon reeled in his empty line.
I shifted my feet. "Um, you were kidding, right?"
-Poseidon-

MOTIVATIONAL POSTER OF THE DAY


Friday 11 January 2013

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS

Third Book


THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH

I have the Ebook so for those who wants to read can give me their emails and i will send them a copy as soon as possible, i'm spreading the love! 



After being attacked by empousai cheerleaders at his new school, Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood and learns about the Labyrinth; part of the palace of King Minos in Crete that was designed by Daedalus. He also meets the camp's new sword master, Quintus. During a battle drill with Giant Scorpions at the camp, Annabeth and Percy accidentally find an entrance into the Labyrinth. Percy soon learns that Luke had used this entrance before and will try and lead his army through the Labyrinth straight into the heart of Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth reads the prophecy and comes back out of the Big House with a feeling of dread. When Percy and Annabeth privately meet afterwards in Athena's cabin, and Percy asks her if she is okay, she is moved to tears and holds out her arms. Percy hugs her, telling her that she shouldn't worry about whatever she was worrying about. What Percy doesn't know is that Annabeth thinks that Percy is going to die.
Using the Labyrinth, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson, must find Daedalus to prevent Luke from obtaining Ariadne's String; the tool that would allow Luke to navigate the Labyrinth. Percy and his friends encounter KampĂȘ (Campe), a half woman, half-dragon monster, and free her prisoner, Briares the Hekatonkheires (Hundred-Handed One), Tyson's idol. After an encounter with the goddess Hera and a battle at the farm of Geryon, the group is reunited with Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, who blames Percy for the death of his sister Bianca. Percy helps summon the spirit of Bianca, and Nico is convinced to put his grudge behind him by the ghost of his sister. The next day, however, Percy and his friends (without Nico) depart to find Hephaestus, hoping he would know the location of Daedulus. While travelling, the group gets separated, with Percy and Annabeth searching for Hephaestus and Tyson and Grover searching for Pan. After a meeting with Hephaestus, Annabeth and Percy go to Mt. St. Helens. There he finds telekhines, also known as "sea demons". He is discovered by the telkhines, who attack him. Percy finds Annabeth and they have a short argument during which Percy tells Annabeth to flee. Thinking that Percy is the one to die in the prophecy, Annabeth kisses Percy, tells him to be careful, and disappears. In an attempt to escape the telekhines, Percy causes Mt. St. Helens to erupt, pushing him out of the volcano, draining his energy in the process.
When he awakens after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, he finds himself in the mythical island inhabited by Calypso. After being treated for burns by Calypso and returning to the mortal world, Finds Annabeth saying her last few words, Percy gets the help he needs from a mortal girl named Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who is able to see through the Mist; the magical veil that makes mortals see things differently than demigods. Grover finally finds Pan, but the god of the wild is dying and wants Grover to tell the other satyrs that they must save the natural world themselves. His spirit passes into all present, the satyr in particular, when he dies. They finally discover that Quintus, the mysterious new sword instructor at Camp Half-Blood, is actually Daedalus, who has attained extended life by putting his life-force, his animus, into a robot body and that Kronos has gained enough strength by Luke. He also possess Luke, using his body as a starter form. Kronos finds out that Nico di Angelo is a son of Hades and that he could be the child of the great prophecy, which states that a child of "Big Three" (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) would decide the fate of the gods.
 Luke has already reached Daedalus and attained Ariadne's string; using the magical instrument, he sends out Kronos's army to take Camp Half-Blood via the Labyrinth. While fighting a losing battle, the entire camp is either injured or killed, and Daedalus and Briares come out of the Labyrinth to help fight the battle and destroy Kampe. Grover rescues Camp Half-Blood by causing a Panic, which Pan had used once before, to scare away the enemy. After the battle, Daedalus sacrifices himself to close the Labyrinth, which is tied to his life. The camp say good bye to the dead, Nico leaves the camp, Grover travels trying to spread the message of Pan, Percy leaves for his 15th birthday and Nico comes by to offer him some advice on how to defeat Kronos.

Source, wikipedia.


I really loved this fourth installment in the Percy Jackson series! It was interesting and informative (something I always appreciate from Riordan - not only the mythology research he must have done, but current research about the country and landmarks).


I definitely felt like Percy was growing up in this book and felt the flavor of the book matched that - a little more detailed and a little less clear on those 'black-and-white' lines. Things are still building for the "finale" and I'm really curious how Riordan will tie everything up.
I also quite enjoyed the characters in this book, and the new places that Percy visits.

For me, personally, I do feel the book should have been/was meant to be just a little longer. I felt there were times when there could have been some great character exploration but that it got glossed over. Again, this didn't hurt the book, but I would have liked to see just a little more (again though, this could just be a personal thing). Other than that, this book is a very quick read and exciting the entire time. Yay Percy!! :D

Quotes:



“The milkman doesn’t bother me,” Grover said. “It’s the smell. Monsters.
Can’t you smell it?”
Tyson nodded. “Lots of monsters. But underground smells like that.
Monsters and dead milk people.”
-Tyson-

“Yeah,” I said.Celestial bronze doesn’t hurt mortals. Most monsters
would ignore you. But Luke…he doesn’t care. He’ll use mortals, demigods,
monsters, whatever. And he’ll kill anyone who gets in his way.”
“Nice guy,” Rachel said.
-Rachel-

When I got back to the horses. Nico was having trouble. His Pegasus kept
shying away from him, reluctant to let him mount.
He smells like dead people! The Pegasus complained.
Hey now, Blackjack said. Come on, Porkpie. Lotsa demigods smell weird.
It ain’t their fault. Oh—uh, I didn’t mean you, boss.
-Blackjack, the MOST AWESOME Pegasus-

“Well!” my mom interrupted. “Um, we’re so glad you could drop by. Paul,
this is Percy’s father.”
“Ah.” Paul nodded, though he didn’t look real pleased. “I see.”
Poseidon smiled at me. “There you are, my boy. And Tyson, hello, son!”
“Daddy!” Tyson bounded across the room and gave Poseidon a big hug,
which almost knocked off his fishing hat.
Paul’s jaw dropped. He stared at my mom. “Tyson is…”
“Not mine,” she promised. “It’s a long story.”

-Percy's mom-


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