** spoiler alert ** This was a fantastic conclusion to this series- and good endings can be hard to come by. There was a ton of action, as well as tie-ins to previous books (locations, characters, etc)- a technique which has the possibility of seeming contrived, but in this case came across natural and nostalgic.

Percy really is the hero in this book (he actually bathes in the River Styx to become nearly invincible), but there are other stars as well- Annabeth, Tyson, Grover, and Rachel all get their dues. In some ways I wish Percy didn't have to become an uber-super hero to defeat the Titans- that he just could have used his natural talents to outwit them- but maybe that would have seemed more unachievable.

Overall, every loose end seemed to be tied up, and the characters end up just how you want them to be, without it seeming like nothing was sacrificed- characters do die in this book (though death seems a lot less final in this series, as heaven is a sure bet).

It took me awhile to really get into this series, but this book definitely was pure enjoyment, and I'm glad I stuck with it for this excellent conclusion.