Das brennende Labyrinth

The Trials of Apollo #3

by Rick Riordan, Gabriele Haefs (Translator)

Lester Papadopoulos, auch bekannt als ehemaliger Gott Apollo, hat kaum Zeit zum Durchatmen, da steckt er schon wieder bis zum Hals im nächsten Abenteuer: Er muss hinunter in das magische Labyrinth des Dädalus und dort ein weiteres uraltes Orakel suchen. Zum Glück hat er seine Freundin Meg und den unerschrockenen Satyr Grover an seiner Seite. Zusammen müssen sie nicht nur vertrackte Worträtsel lösen, sondern sich auch weit größeren – und heißeren – Gefahren stellen …

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Percy Jackson, Fiction, Greek Mythology

465 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2018

About the author

Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.

Reviews

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

all the emotions

[P · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Pain is an interesting thing. You think you have reached your limit and you can’t possibly feel more tortured. Then you discover there is still another level of agony. And another level after that.”

Dear Mr.Riordan,
The Burning Maze wasn’t what I expected at all. You dared to DO THAT in this book, and yes, I’m here weeping for what you’ve done. The book is like the mixture of The Battle of the Labyrinth and The House of Hades which turns up to be my favorite of the year since I was halfway through it. There's no moment when I got bored or annoyed by the characters, not at all.

“Satyrs aren't dryads, but we have roots, too. Camp Half Blood is mine.”

To be honest, Lester isn't always my favorite character when I started reading the first book. He's immature and often gets everyone in trouble. He is indeed Apollo but actually he doesn't act like one. Besides, Meg is also a dull character that I almost look over her all the time. Yet they're the reasons why I'm in love with this book so much that I can't get my mind back to normal even though I finished it like two weeks ago.

The book starts off with the gang exploring the maze while they're being chased by the avian creatures (i forget what they're called. so please forgive me lol). After they survive, Lester must to seek the third oracle whom he sees in his dream that she's the one being captured and used to lure him to the trap. However, he's left with no choices. Apollo must cooperate with Jason and Piper in order to acheive what he's set out to do.



There're so many twists and turns in this book and I dare say it's a real tearjerking and groundbreaking book that got me crazy with I finished. The cadence is very perfect and made me laugh so many times. The best of all is the development of the main characters after what they have been through making me so pround.

And the ending tore me apart. So be prepared!

“Remember what it's like to be human,”

[Tharindu Dissanayake · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Hail, the Meg!"
"IS'T HOT IN HITHER? OR IS'T JUST ME?"

Didn't see that one coming... For the first time in ToA, it's difficult to laugh all the way, after encountering one of the most heartbreaking events of the entire camp half-blood series. Just when I thought things might get a little repetitive and predictable, the author has decided to drop a bomb on us. No fair, Riordan. If you must kill a character, please do with a new one.

"O Wise Projectile, we need help!"

Everything started great and adventurous as ever, and it was nice having Grover back after a long time. For the first half of the story, things were as hilarious as it was before. But then things took a depressing turn all of a sudden, delivering the aforementioned painful event. Takes one a while to recover from that one.

"I intend to overthrow the human race and institute a government by the horses, for the horses."
"That's straight from the horse's mouth."

The plot was thrilling, complex and more eventful than the previous two, and full of suspense right till the end. We do get the chance to understand some of the details about Meg's past, and it's interesting to see the way her character is evolving. As for Apollo, he's taking a time-off (for the most part) from regretting his past behavior like he did in first two books.

"KILLETH THYSELF WITH SOME OTHER PROJECTILE, KNAVE."

Even though the cliffhangers of ToA are a little forgiving compared to PJO & HoO, all three ending so far weren't as satisfying as it did with the first two series. It's hard not to hate the major bad guy keeps on getting away at the last moment. Hopefully, this will make the ending more thrilling.

"Time makes a bric-a-brac of everything, no matter how important."
"The Meg has spoken!"

[cors · Rating 5 out of 5]

MILD SPOILER:

WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU DONT KILL ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SEVEN DEMIGODS. YOU JUST DON'T!!!!!!!!

[may ➹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

so if I slap the book hard enough it’ll disappear right? Alexa how do you unread a book

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It's been my observation," I said, "that you humans are more than the sum of your history. You can choose how much of your ancestry to embrace. You can overcome the expectations of your family and your society. What you cannot do, and should never do, is try to be someone other than yourself."

...

*screams into the void*

Whelp. Rick's done it. Not since The Mark of Athena have I felt so destroyed by a Rick Riordan book.

IT'S NOT FAIR I TELL YOU.

*swings back wine bottle*

Okay. I think I'm ready to talk about this.

The Burning Maze is the third book in The Trials of Apollo series, and Rick Riordan's nineteenth demigod book. I've read every single one of this man's books, and I'm never disappointed. So it shouldn't be a surprise that I absolutely loved this.

I sound like a broken record at this point, but I don't care. This series is just...so special. I love all of Rick's books, sure, but there's something about The Trials of Apollo that just gets me. This series centers around Apollo, the shining Greek god of archery, music, medicine, and the Sun, among other things. At the beginning of the first book, Zeus casts Apollo out of Olympus as punishment for his failures, and traps him in the body of a 16 year old boy named Lester Papadopoulos. Cursed with mortality, acne, and flab, Apollo must complete five trials in order to restore himself to his godly glory.

Apollo is still one of the funniest Rick Riordan characters ever put on the page. His voice is biting, self-absorbed, and utterly hysterical. He's not your conventional hero. He's not selfless, or brave, and he has absolutely no qualms about it. And that's what makes him great.

But, Apollo has gone through a lot since the beginning of the first book, and he has much more to lose.

What surprised me most about Apollo's character is how much growth he's experienced since book one. Our main character has lived for millennia, and he carries quite a bit of baggage from his past. On top of his past failures, Apollo is consistently confronted by his own mortality, and becomes all too familiar with the pain and love that comes with being human. Seeing his growth has been so powerful, and incredibly emotional.

The relationships he forms in this series are also wonderful. I'll continue to harp on the fact that Meg and Apollo have the most adorable friendship ever. Yeah, you heard me. Who knew the friendship between a former all-powerful god and a twelve-year-old girl would be so goddamn beautiful?

Our cast of side characters bring a ton to the story as well. I loved seeing more of the nymphs and dryads in this installment, and there were some amazing cameos in here. I've missed Grover so much. What a delight he was! Coach Hedge, Piper, and Jason were also welcome additions to this cast of characters.

I LOVE EVERYONE.

*breathes*

Sorry.

On top of all that, The Burning Maze has the best villain this series has seen so far. I won't name the crazy Roman Emperor that makes an appearance in this installment, but he was...disgustingly evil. Quite the fitting villain, and a terrifying foil for our characters.

The story constantly kept me on my toes, and this was definitely a lot darker than the previous two books in the series. There was this feeling of constant dread interwoven throughout the narrative. The emotion was heightened to astronomical proportions, and I freaking cried my eyes out at one point. Sobbed.

The Trials of Apollo is an all-time-favorite for a reason, guys. It's that good.

With just the right balance of laughs and emotion, wonderful characters, a batshit crazy villain, and an exciting story set in the depths of the Labyrinth, The Burning Maze succeeds on so many levels. I absolutely adored this book. How, oh how will I wait for the fourth book?What must I do to get my hands on it?!

The wait might just kill me, but I'm so ready.

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Soldiers sprout, old flames die out, hot game show situations, death done well, it's sad as hell: emotion conflagration.

*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:

Progress updates:

08/28/2023 - Preamble
(1) It seems like this series is cycling through all the previous Greek/Roman principal characters, each book starting off with a new trio.
- The first book started with Percy, Apollo and Meg, with Nico later replacing Percy.
- The second book started with Apollo, Leo and Calypso, with Meg and Thalia appearing halfway.
- Here you get Apollo, Meg and Grover to start, with the promise of Jason and Piper joining.

08/29/2023 - Chapters 1-6
(1) Apollo: "Meg! I told you not to kill [the strix]! You’ll get cursed!"
Meg: "I didn’t kill it. It committed suicide against that wall."
Apollo: "I don’t think the Fates will see it that way."
- That'd be an interesting episode of "People's Court."
- I wonder whether the racquetball defense ever works? Arguably, the wall is the killing blow, not the strike. Perhaps choosing death to the pain of a second hit?

08/30/2023 (1) - Chapters 7-11
(1) "Another discount sticker grazed my arm with the force of an angry Titaness's slap."
- Is he referring to Calypso? I don't recall her slapping Apollo, but it sounds about right. And it's not like there's an excess of Titanesses running around.
(2) I don't mind that Meg can psychically share her memories with Apollo. What bugs me is she somehow knows she can do it, but doesn't why she knows or how it works.

08/30/2023 (2) - Chapters 12-15
(1) We finally get the answer to how Leo acquired the Mercedes in "The Hidden Oracle": he stole it.
- Piper's old habits must have rubbed off on him.
(2) Herophile speaks in crosswords (puzzles). She tells Michelangelo his painting of her is too "Eight letters, starts with M." "Muscular" is the answer.
- Problem is that's English. In Italian it would be "musculosa" or "musculare," which each have nine letters!

08/31/2023 - Chapters 16-21
(1) Jason goes to an all-boys boarding school in Pasadena.
- Probably to directly contrast Piper, who's broke and forced to move to Oklahoma.
- Being an orphan, I wonder how he pays the tuition? Possibly his movie star mother left him some inheritance.
(2) One of the noticeable differences about this series is the sheer frequency of crying.
- I don't recall characters "blinking back tears" so often previously.

09/02/2023 - Chapters 22-26
(1) "I had flirted with Thalia, which…Eww. Curse you, Father, for having so many children! It made dating a true minefield over the millennia."
- I'd think that'd be more an outlier, ever since the Big Three child moratorium.
(2) "I wondered again what was behind their breakup ... Full points for vagueness, girl, but I wanted the dirt."
- Yup, classic Riordan: answers are teased but continually put off.

09/04/2023 (1) - Chapters 27-32
(1) The pop culture references here feel really old. "The Kane Chronicles" companion I recently read, also a 2018 book, was the same.
- He references the 1980s almost exclusively, one exception is a Captain & Tennille song from the 1970s!
- Previously, Riordan would name-drop pop hits du jour, songs and artists so current I hardly knew any.
- I mean, better for me, but kids these days won't have a clue!

09/04/2023 (2) - Chapters 33-38
(1) The big death here really elevates the book from a somewhat forgettable story to something pretty special.
- It was my least favorite character in these Greek/Roman books, so I wasn't gutted or anything, but everything about it, the aftermath especially, was done so well that even I felt the loss... scratch that, Meg's my least favorite character.
- That beach scene is up there as an all-time Riordan best.

09/04/2023 (3) - Chapters 39-44
(1) The Meliai call Meg "The Meg."
- At first, I thought this was alluding to the film "The Meg," comparing Meg to a giant shark.
- However, even though they both came out in 2018, this book must have been written a year before the film came out.
(2) Being dyslexic, whenever I see "Herophile, my mind always reads it as "hermaphrodite." Can't be helped.
- It's the "her" + "ph" + "ile" that causes the confusion.

09/05/2023 - Chapters 45-47
(1) For a series where people weep often and for very little reason, it finally provided something worth weeping over.
(2) The big death was the best part, which is mixed bag.
- On one hand, it really elevated the book out of simply going through the motions.
- On the other hand, killing important characters to generate emotion is easy. Here it really contrasted how run-of-the-mill-Riordan everything else was.

[Joel Rochester · Rating 5 out of 5]

rick riordan i will never forgive you

brilliant book though love u uncle rick <3

[Tina➹ lives in Fandoms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete 5 Golden Stars
& 5 thousands more!

the Hidden Oracle: ★★★★★/5= 4.9: Marvelous
the Dark Prophecy: ★★★★(★)/5= 4.5: Gorgeous
the Burning Maze: ★★★★★/5= 5 Compelete!!!: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Amazing. Wonderful. Painful.
(I don't think anyone ever used these words together)

PERFECTION!!

One word,
says it all!

"Remember what it’s like to be human."

this book had everything I want from a good (Fantastic!) book; the plot trio; humourous Fun, heartbreaking Feelz, breathtaking Excitements in a fast pace! best combination.
Rick Riordan knows how to build up an anticipation when it is its time & in the best thrilling funniest possible way!!
I loved it, page by page, wholeheartedly. every second reading this amazing adventure, every word, swallowed me up.

~book 3 of every series Rick Riordan wrote is where the story started to ascend higher in a steep slope! You just should wait until book 3 then BOOM! more thrilling! more mysteries! more revealing! the characters reunion, the main plot points, the turning event, the solid character development, etc. book 1 & 2 are fabulous too but they are more like an introduction, the basis of the story to be build up on them.~


I can see how it will go on! No. Not really, I can't predict anything. I just know it's gonna BLOW UP my mind!

a great mixture of humor & pain. laugh & cry.

Rick Riordan is beyond Genius!

He can create such intense moments in which my heart was racing over 120 & it lasted for more than 50 pages constantly! (I LOVE THAT FEELING!) also there was intense plus fun at some points!
Same happening for laughter! Usually, I burst into laughter for 30 minutes straight! & my parents were like "what's happening? you're just reading a book!". & my throat, my cheeks hurt after that much laughing & grinning but it was worth it! I still laughs by just remembering them!
Riordan’s jokes never gets old. & they are PRICELESS!

Apollo himself! (he ascended to my top 4 truly favourite characters! not just because his jokes, explaining later)
Apollo's Narration!
all Apollo's comments & thoughts!
all the readers’ comments!
Chapters haikus!
Meg! Grover! the Arrow of Dodona!
the crossword puzzles!

Many words of wisdom! Inspiring Apollo & others! (I love to see hopeful quotes in my favourite books in a realistic way, they made me keep going on the hard times.)

“It’s been my observation" I said, “that you humans are more than the sum of your history. You can choose how much of your ancestry to embrace. You can overcome the expectations of your family and your society. What you cannot do, and should never do, is try to be someone other than yourself"

& all the Characters (in the whole Half-blood chronicles) are awesome. Villains too are interesting; cruel & sometimes even fun!
In all Riordan's books, I love the villains too; from Kronos, the Titans & Gaea to Triumvirate. my favourites in special: Lit, Blemmyae, this emperor & his companions. & I'm the one from good guys side (loving the heroes) who said that. & that saying something! like how interesting the characters were created!

THIS BOOK WAS EXTRAORDINARY AMAZING!

and covered my guilty pleasure pretty pretty pretty well!
in which I LOVE to see my favourite character, suffer. (or breakdown; that'll work too.)
*evil laughter*
intense moments from the beginning!
So many times.
In these cases, My internal evil maniac laughing (so did I (mostly smiling), but sometimes I forced myself not to!)

also I love to cry over a book! (my villain side!) the pain! the feelz! this happened in this book, in both happy & sad way. many times.
Prepare to be soul-crushed & heartbroken in this book.
this was the first time my truly fav character (the hero who has main role (I always fall for the main heroes) & was a leader. my crush. my sweet boiiiiiiiiiii.) died *crying* I am truly crushed! how do you people bear it??? I never recover from this pain. that's the reason my rereading multiplied!
I loved him when apparently no one did before this book. I loved him when he was so clueless & seriously being funny in the Lost Hero.
I tear up every time I remember it. & even tho I've got a spoiler about that, months ago (which still infuriates me the way it happened! so accidental! & I wasn't even looking for fanarts! just. not. fair!), & I tried to forget that but I couldn't. I was waiting for it. & Riordan masterplanned it so well at the unexpected time & hit me the way I wanted, filling me up with feelZZZz! Falling in battle, worthy of a hero. Epic scene, even when he was so tired, trying to protect his friends. Epic act of sacrifice, just the way he would do, worthy of Jason. & the way Rick (Apollo) described it, the emotions..... gods, tears falling & I can't stop! & still can't believe it, Rick did that. I understand it, but I won't believe it.
& I think this event had a major impact on Apollo & his character development.
he didn't deserve it. of course he didn't.

“The people who deserved to die took forever to do so. Those who deserved to live always went too soon.”

burst out crying again at all the parts during Re-Reading too. every. damn. time!
he made peace with it, knowing he would die & still went to this battle. I still can't...

"It struck me just how young he was—no more than seventeen. Older than my mortal form, yes, but not by much. This young man had lost his mother. He had survived the harsh training of Lupa the wolf goddess. He’d grown up with the discipline of the Twelfth Legion at Camp Jupiter. He’d fought Titans and giants. He’d helped save the world at least twice. But by mortal standards, he was barely an adult. He wasn’t old enough to vote or drink."

"Certainly, I’d never had a brother defend me in front of Father.... This young demigod had stood up for me. He’d had no reason to do so. He barely knew me."

"Carry him away! I prayed, knowing that no god would listen. Please, just let Tempest get him to safety!"

"Where is Jason?"


so much Laughter
yet, so much Cry!
(price of reading a fantastic book)

I'm proud how Apollo is changing/growing through the books (especially in this book)
He actually cares & his sympathy levels increased, more human, maybe even heroic!

some of them made me gasp in astonishment: oh Apollo!
✦ They needed a plan, not a screaming, panicking Lester.
✦ “Grover!” I yelled up. “You can drop me now, but don’t worry. I have a—” Grover dropped me.... (& I cracked up laughing!)
✦ I fell to my knees. “Meg, Grover—get the Sibyl out of here. Leave me!” Another brave, self-sacrificing gesture. I hope you’re keeping count. (don't worry, Apollo, I did.)
✦ ...'Remember what it’s like to be human'... I would be Apollo, I would remember

Without Doubt
this book was my BEST book of 2018
& one of the bests of my ALL-TIME favourite books.

again, I appreciate we have a series about Apollo.
THANK YOU!

"a problem with a good book is you want to finish it ASAP & you don't want to finish it..."

I'm crying, because:
it was beautiful. [& the last sentences made me sob: But from now on, I would be more than Lester. I would be more than an observer. I would be Apollo. I would remember.
it had so much feelz it can burst my heart.
it's over.
& next book coming next Autumn!
-
As it is my First Riordan's series to catch up with the fandom (including following the updates, fangirling, & waiting for the books), so I wrote a Pure Emotional review over it (which I read in its publication year too) & as you can see it is different; all my feelings, all my thoughts, all my fangirling have been gathered in one place & I tried to express my love & pain in words.
actually, I love this review! even though it sounds like it is written by someone hysterically maniac. the constant come & go between pleasure & pain. I might even sound cruel, that's probably because the trauma I bore in this book. (I still love it. always will)


-
sums it up:
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters development: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★★/5
/ Fun: ★★★★★/5
/ Feelz: ★★★★★/5
plot & events: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
-
Re-read section:
1st read: [2018: Dec 1-Dec 4]
Really glad to read this Bless in my birthmonth, December!
I tried to swallow it up! tasted every pages, every words; because first time surprise is only once!
& I set a record! I read it in 4 days! best/happiest/funniest 4 days ever! best start of December ever!

I think for the first time in my reading life, I'm gonna be in book hangover!
I want to read this again! that's crazy!

2nd read: [2018: Dec 17-Dec 23] actually I did it! I set another record in my whole history of re-reading! XD
too soon? (maybe), but all the fun, feelz & thrills as fresh as the first time!
I love re-reading! I found some new clues I didn't find the first time! (as it was continuing a whole ToA re-reading.)

3rd read: [2019: May 1- May 3]
Book hangover! again!

4th read: [2022] Buddy reading with dear Caitlin
Already Crying
Always Crying...

5th read: {Aug 2023]: Buddy reading with dear Yeganeh, my quick fellow reader.
I started it out the Apollo mood, & was afraid that I wouldn't enjoy it as much as before. but NO NEED TO WORRY! after a few chapters my mood had returned with so much power that I couldn't put it down & I really had to force myself to stop!
Ha! this book is full of records & miracles. & feelings!
(901 highlights in my ebook)

[- ̗̀ jess ̖́- · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey folks! It's that time of year when I write a really incoherent screamy review about Rick Riordan's books and I get told to chill, but I have no chill when it comes to Rick Riordan. And believe me when I say that this time, Rick Riordan is not fucking around.

Don't get me wrong - for a lot of the book, we've got the same fun adventure romp that many readers have come to love about Rick's books, even if it is somewhat formulaic. We've got Apollo in all his melodrama, with soooooooo many references to pop culture and history, for both modern teenagers AND their parents. So many. SO. MANY. Apollo, as always, is such a horrifying delight to read, because he's a disaster, and he's so conceited, but it's all very endearing. That being said, I believe that Apollo's a lot more sympathetic than he was in the first or second books - he's learned some humility. His earlier adventures have stuck with him, and it was great to see so much character development.

It was really exciting seeing Grover again, and seeing how much he's matured. I'm so proud of him. And the Hedge family - I really grew into loving the three of them in this book, even though I didn't really pay them a lot of heed in the Heroes of Olympus. We also got some old villains, like Medea, which was really cool to see.

Spoilers from this point on.

I was so excited for Piper and Jason, because I've really come to love them, even though when I first read The Lost Hero, I was not a fan of any of them. I was twelve. In the eight years in between, I have come to love each and every member of the Seven, including Leo Valdez, even if he can be really annoying. Especially since reading The House of Hades, I've really come to realize how much I love everything about Piper and Jason - I'm not a huge Jasiper fan, but I know now I love them in The Lost Hero, and all the books in between.

So the first shock of the book: Jasiper broke up. I was stunned, because this contradicted everything we had seen from the ending of the Heroes of Olympus, with everyone neatly paired off and getting a happily-ever-after. We all thought that they were going to get a happily-ever-after. But I thought that this was a really mature look on first love. While Percy and Annabeth are proof that first love can be your true love - as it was for Rick himself - Piper and Jason proves that things aren't always that cut and dry. Leo and Calypso, in The Dark Prophecy, talked about how they needed to find time to figure out how to be a couple away from travelling and danger. Piper and Jason figured that they weren't a good couple, but they were still friends, and that was okay.

Even seeing both Piper and Jason was so bittersweet, and it hurt that Piper's life was turned upside down. I admire how incredibly brave she was, dealing with so much in such a short time - even before the events of this book. And when we finally see Jason, we see him just the way as he's aways been - quiet, dedicated, loyal. The same qualities that I pegged him as 'boring' when I first met him in the end made me love him. And it was good to see that Jason, at least, was living as normal of a life that demigods can.

I have to admit that I had, up until this recent reread and this book, that I considered Trials of Apollo to be the most juvenile of Rick's series. But it's not: the silliness hides the brutality and tragedy that has always been inherent in Greek mythology, and, well, the Camp Half-Blood-verse as a whole. This book really brought it into the forefront. On the first page of The Lightning Thief, Percy says, "Being a half-blood is dangerous. It's scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, scary ways." And sure, we've seen some pretty brutal deaths over the years. But Rick doesn't kill main characters. If he does, he brings them back. Or so we thought.

Because Jason. Jason Grace dies and even though I am in denial, it is made incredibly clear that this is final. There is no Piper charmspeaking him to life. No potion. No godly magic. We see him get stabbed, twice. We see his body. We see his coffin. In all Rick Riordan's books, this is the most final and brutal death, because it's so goddamn real. I think that a lot of other deaths in the series had hope and fantasy behind them: Beckendorf and Silena reunited in Elysium, Zoe Nightshade turning into a constellation, Bianca di Angelo showing up in ghost form - and even so, these were minor characters. They were sad, but you only knew them for a book or so. You don't spend FIVE FUCKING BOOKS with them only to see them end up in a coffin.

Jason's death is one of the hardest depictions of loss I've ever seen in a book, because it's so frank and human. It takes on a view of death that I've seen in books for older readers. I think it was very reminiscent of One Particular Death in one of Leigh Bardugo's books. He doesn't get a romantic monologue of dying like Luke or Silena did. It was quick and brutal. And realizing it was just as - Jason's corpse tumbling onto the beach. Even though he finished his Grand Quest, he wasn't safe, because demigods aren't safe - and neither are humans, for that matter. It's a very straightforward look at mortality. Sometimes people die gracelessly (I'M SORRY, I'M SO FUCKING SORRY). Sometimes people die too early. Sometimes people die when no one expected them to. I have criticized Rick for not killing anyone in his books, that this lowers the stakes. I think we all didn't expect the stakes to be raised so quickly. Like Caligula says: it's not a game. And this book shows it.

I also have to commend Rick for this depiction of grief, because it's so fucking raw. Jason's death didn't really hit me until Leo flew in and asked, "Where's Jason," and I screamed because I realized Jason and Leo never got to say goodbye to each other. Hell, Jason never knew that Leo was ALIVE. Like, excuse me, I'm going to go cry under a rock now. Not to mention Leo going, "I can't even think right now? Is that normal? Just forgetting how to think?" That also hit me so hard because it was so real and human. And I think, if this book had been out when my dad passed away, this would have been the book I'd turn to for solace, because it covers all these complex and hard feelings about death and loss that you don't fully realize until someone you care about dies. Apollo found those feelings.

Jason Grace died as he lived, for the most part: selflessly and heroically (though, notably, it wasn't a brick that killed him). And even though his death fucking hurts, I think it's given everyone a lot more fire to defeat the emperors. I have a lot of complicated feelings right now, because I only just finished the book and this is the worst fictional death I've gone through, like, ever. But I really do commend Rick Riordan on how he handled everything, even if I'm going to be shrieking into the next century.

As for the end: Bellona's daughter. On the one hand, this means we'll see Reyna again, one of my favourite characters. On the other, I don't believe we got Leo's bad news from Camp Jupiter? Also, I'm really really really really not wanting this Reyna/Apollo thing to happen, so I have a lot of mixed feelings? I just. Have. A lot of feelings about this book. I have no chill. I'm sorry.

So to sum it all up, in one non-spoilery sentence: Rick Riordan does it again - a fun adventurous romp through mythology, history, Roman emperors, and a bit of emotional turmoil thrown in, just for funsies. I'm really anticipating the next book.

[— Massiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please Apollo. Remember. Please.

[sally ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Whatever happens, when you get back to Olympus, when you're a god again, remember. Remember what it's like to be human."

I just cannot believe it. I don’t want to believe it.
My heart is in pieces and I hope we can all collectively agree to pretend this did not happen (i am joking) (mostly)

[luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I would be Apollo.
I would remember"

i just need to sit and cry for the rest of my life...

buddy reading with the #ReadRiordanBookClub and Iliana

***
As if it wasn't too hard already, i decided i'd read this book twice this year
I like suffer maybe way too much
***
THIRD TIME REREAD: surprisingly, i didn't cry this time... i didn't cry as much as the other two at least ahahhaa

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

Though I really felt like the ending of this book was amazing, I do feel like it dragged at some points. I feel like the main plot of the book wasn’t keeping me as entertained as the previous ones and even though the ending was phenomenal, I just don’t think it 100% makes up for the rest! I do think that the next book will be incredible though, and am so so excited to read it!

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s been my observation" I said, “that you humans are more than the sum of your history. You can choose how much of your ancestry to embrace. You can overcome the expectations of your family and your society. What you cannot do, and should never do, is try to be someone other than yourself–Piper McLean”.

Creo que en este punto de mi vida he leído más de 20 libros de Rick Riordan y, aún así, cada nueva historia de él que leo me sigue pareciendo una fantasía. The Burning Maze es la tercera entrega de The Trials of Apollo y aquí seguimos viendo a nuestro dios del sol favorito convertido en un simple mortal e intentando recuperar el poder de todos sus oráculos para que el malvado Triunvirato no pueda dominar el mundo y matarnos a todos.

En esta historia volvemos al temido laberinto, pues Apolo debe rescatar al tercer oráculo que, evidentemente, está en el centro de esta trampa mortal. Y no sólo debe sobrevivir a las peligrosas trampas que lo esperan, sino que también tendrá que enfrentarse a uno de los emperadores romanos más retorcidos y sanguinarios que conoció milenios atrás: Calígula.

Creo que una de las mejores cosas de esta serie es que, poco a poco, vemos viendo cómo Apolo se adapta y va entendiendo cómo viven los mortales. En los primeros libros lo vemos muy perdido y cabreado por haber perdido su inmortalidad, pero en The Burning Maze Apolo tiene mucho más los pies en la tierra, piensa un montón en todo lo egoístas que son los dioses y, sobre todo, entiende la valía que tienen los héroes por arriesgar sus vidas en todas las pruebas que les envían los dioses por pura diversión. Me gusta muchísimo ver cómo empieza a reflexionar desde un punto de vista más humano y creo que, eventualmente, cuando vuelva a ser un dios, va a recordar esta experiencia mortal que tuvo y va a cambiar muchas cosas en el Olimpo.

Ahora, debo decirles que tienen que estar preparados emocionalmente para leer The Burning Maze. Hace varios libros que Rick Riordan no se animaba a matar a un personaje principal, pero aquí lo hizo. Y no sólo lo hizo, sino que lo sacrifica después de habernos apuñalado con el hecho de que destrozó la relación que tenía con otra persona antes de que eso sucediera. (Hola, esta soy yo intentando ser vaga y no dar ningún spoiler). Me dolió muchísimo esa pérdida, sobre todo porque durante mucho tiempo pensé que no era real, que pronto volvería a la vida, que irían hasta el Inframundo a recuperar su alma... pero cuando se acabó el libro y vi que ese personaje no volvía, joder, fue horrible. Es muy cruel todo. Desde las reacciones de sus amigos al enterarse como el saber que tienen que seguir adelante con sus misiones o, de lo contrario, todos van a seguir el camino de Jason.

En notas más alegres, amo que, poco a poco, los personajes de The Heroes of Olympus se vayan incorporando a la trama. Me encantó volver a ver a Piper en acción y, sobre todo, creo que voy a ser muy feliz en el siguiente libro porque siento que Leo va a hacer una aparición estelar.

Pensamiento random: sigue sin caerme bien Meg. Bah.

Como les digo, The Burning Maze es uno de los libros más oscuros de Rick Riordan hasta ahora y todo apunta a que los demás de esta serie van a seguir por ese camino. Aún les quedan varios emperadores psicóticos romanos por enfrentar y, además, en algún momento debe llegar el gran enfrentamiento de Apolo con Python, su serpiente archienemiga. ¡Quiero saber ya qué sucede con esta historia! Y, sobre todo, no quiero que muera ninguno de mis personajes favoritos.

[ambsreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Penguin Random House for a full copy. All thoughts are my own

YOU CAN ALSO FIND MY REVIEWS FOR ALL THE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES ON MY BLOG! CLICK HERE

Dare I say it? I may just. The Burning Maze is one of Rick Riordan’s top five books of all time. This book had it all. Character development that didn’t fade away, action, death, drama and the inclusion of past characters didn’t feel forced. Oh, I forgot to mention the best part! The Burning Maze brought back Grover. I honestly feel as if Grover is one of the most underappreciated characters in all of Rick Riordan’s series. That satyr deserves a heck of a lot more recognition for what he’s gone through and the fact he was here in The Burning Maze? You bet I screamed.

The Burning Maze kicks off almost hours after the end of The Dark Prophecy. Meg, Apollo and Grover are travelling through the labyrinth (yes, the labyrinth is back) and are facing some complications, obviously. The trio goes through so much and at times even has to spilt up. However, I notice Rick Riordan always makes sure to use the Camp Half-Blood rule of three people going on a quest together. In The Burning Maze, we learn more about Meg’s biological father and see her interact with dryads of where she used to live. Piper and Jason even appear, characters from one of Rick Riordan’s other series, and they didn’t make me want to die (these two were my least favourite of Rick Riordan’s).

This story just seems to flow so much better than the previous one. It was honestly so exciting and I am so happy that I can passionately tell everyone to pick it up. If you’re into middle grade and Rick Riordan’s books this is so worth it.

Rick really changed up the game in this one is all I’ll say without spoiling anyone. I’m just so excited for people to read it so I have people to scream with.

Anyway, I’m babbling, let us jump into what I liked and didn’t like about The Burning Maze.

L I K E S
✗ RICK CHANGED IT UP IM THRIVING

It’s not that Rick changed it up, it’s that he finally did things he was too afraid to do in previous books. I really can’t say much here without spoiling it and I want everyone to be as shocked as I was, so I’ll leave it at that.

✗ I ACTUALLY ENJOYED JASON AND PIPER I AM SHOOKETH

I despise Jason and Piper. I think they’re an Annabeth and Percy remake and I just didn’t like that in life and death situations the only person Piper cared about was Jason. It was annoying. However, finally, six books later I like them. Wow, that was hard to say. I think what I enjoyed the most was a) lack of Jason and b) Piper getting real about their relationship. Their relationship had been forged on lies – shout out to Hera, you bitch – and in such a high intense situation as war it is difficult to go back to normal life in which you can relax. I feel that this pair really showed the struggles of something like that and I am so happy Rick included it in the book.

✗ GROVER IS BACK HAIL GROVER

I said it earlier but Grover deserves more love. Grover goes out of his way to saves everyone’s butt and protect the world. I honestly can’t even express my excitement at getting his humour back in the books and seeing his dedication towards his friends, both old and new. He’s seriously Percy’s best friend and y’all sleep on him too much.

✗THAT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ON APOLLO FINALLY STUCK

I complained in my last review, The Dark Prophecy, about how Apollo took backward steps. Finally in The Burning Maze we see Apollo start thinking about others. He goes through so many emotions and has a general empathy that shocks even him. It was seriously enjoyable to see a god shocked at feeling something like empathy towards a mortal. I feel if Apollo had kept up with the same level of douchebaggery as the first book I would have had to put this book down but I was very pleasantly shocked by what Rick Riordan chose to do with this story.

D I S L I K ES
✗ I DON’T HAVE ANY LMAO BYE

I’m as shocked as you are. I don’t know what happened. I always have something I disliked about a book. I mean, The Burning Maze isn’t a perfect book either but I honestly just can’t pinpoint one thing I hated or that even irked me in this book. I had such a fun time reading it and I really can’t say anything negative. I’m speechless, for once. If you know me, you know this is a shock.

Overall, The Burning Maze shocked me in the best way possible. I truly can’t put in words how much I did enjoy this book. I clearly tried and reading over this review made me cringe because I literally can’t express my enjoyment. I probably wouldn’t recommend this series to someone who hasn’t read Rick Riordan’s previous series, but if you want to give it a go I do still recommend it! The pacing was beautiful and the intensity of some of the characters emotions was intense. We finally got a sense of grief as well, that Rick has shied away from in previous books.

Also, if you're looking to buy any books over at Book Depository, feel free to use my affiliate link! I gain a small 5% commission at no extra cost to you.

[samantha Bookworm-on-rainydays · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything a Rick Riordan book needs to have with it making me laugh, cry and feel pretty much every feeling in between. It feels both dark yet light at the same time, which is very hard to have. i loved that Meg and Apollo have very difficult self journeys in this book. And we get to see Grover again which was a plus i love his character. But i do have a question for Mr Ridordan Why is the third book in a serie always so sad?! I mean The Titan's Curse, The Mark of Athena, and now The Burning Maze have each in their own way left me shook!! but saying that i still can't wait to read the next book and hate the fact that I have to wait a year for it to come out.. ps (i hope nico is in it, His my fav)

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭...shit, i thought i was ready but i was so wrong

_____________________________

Ok, I posted only crying emojis because I had many emotions but it was 3 am. Now, it's time for the actual review because I have some thoughts.

Magnus Chase is still my favourite Rick Riordan's series, but this is a close second — I love the bad haikus. I love how annoying and yet still lovable Apollo can be. I love how casual LGBT rep is here.

➽This series has one of the greatest character development

I like how we started out with a really annoying Apollo in the book one. I instantly knew that there's so much potential with that and Uncle Rick did not disappoint. Apollo grows so much throughout the series and we're just at book 3 of 5. He still retains some of his annoying qualities but it only makes him much more interesting imo because it shows that by becoming human he gained so much contrast. He is scared shitless and the most defenseless of the group but he's ready to sacrifice himself. He didn't care about whole cities dying and he mourns someone he barely knew.

➽This is also a part of character development but I like how we see both Meg and Apollo dealing with abuse in their lives and healing

I like that Apollo tries to help Meg but he also knows when he needs to let her grow on her own. How he knows he can't force her to see things his way and that he respects her autonomy and supports her choices (unless they're really bad choices. Murder is bad, Meg.) How he realises similarities between his life and Meg's and how even he as a god had this experience. How that doesn't make either of them weak. How he helps her with misdirecting her anger...

But also, I like how Meg grows on her own. How she goes back-and-forth and how realistic it is. How she gains her own support system and how that strengthens her. How she lets herself feel anger. How she lets herself feel happiness. How she slowly heals.

➽I love how Apollo being the god of healing and Demeter, Meg's mother, being the goddess of growing is exactly what both of them need

➽This book had a much darker feel to it than any of Riordan's books

Usually I'm the first one to shout 'why do creators always insist on making all the bright and easy things darker and darker' but it fits here? There's still enough humour to counter it so it's not only all sad and serious but Apollo and Meg's arcs wouldn't work as well with the usual mood of Percy Jackson Verse. Here making things a bit darker has a function and it just works.

__________________________

insta | twitter | blog | booksirens | duolingo

[Daye · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow, this series just got DARK.

i’m floored. i’m devastated. i’m trying so hard to convince myself that what i read did not just happen.

this is, like, an objective 5 stars, but it would be a subjective 1 star. it is absolutely one of the best books rick riordan has ever written, yet the absolute cruellest he’s ever been to his characters (and his readers). this is the “shit just got real” book of the series. the tonal shift from the first two books…. yeah, wow. i was NOT expecting that. i’m almost terrified of the next book now.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

well fuck uncle rick can still make me cry

[Lilah · Rating 5 out of 5]

- - - -
I really missed my Papadopoulos 👰

- - - -
Honestly I'm really scared to start this book, since I read Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard not long ago and accidentally stumbled upon a major spoiler which made me want to crawl into my bed and never see sunlight ever again


But on a whole different note, I WANT TO SEE REYNA!!!!


Her name was mentioned at the end of the last book, so I'm hoping she'll make an appearance
Love ya!

[Neil Franz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Burning Maze is, by far, the best in this series, The Trials of Apollo. I don't know about you but I really did admire Apollo on this book. I mean, he's still the eccentric, conceited god but he continue to make progress as a god/mortal, emotionally and intellectually. He continue to realize the value of human and the human nature. And I just love how it was portrayed and delivered in the novel.

The Burning Maze is also the book, among the other Riordan's books that I felt the realness of the characters and the events. (I mean I felt it too in his other books but this is the pinacle of realness, imo). All of it. I felt the punch of grief, the happiness, the excitement, the dread, everything. I am so entranced by this book. I am so hooked from the beginning until the end.

Meg is also likable and adorable in this sequel. We've got to know more about her and her past. I dig back stories and character development that makes sense, thank you very much. Meg is badass, too. The kill kill kill attitude. Lol. Other characters are wonderful, too. Jason, Piper, GROVER, Coach Hedge, etc.

Plotwise, I'm getting and digging it more and more. I still love the prophecy accompanied by the quest/ adventure of our dear demigods and god, for that matter. The humor is still gold, even it's subtle and self-deprecating. It still works for me.

The Burning Maze is hell of a ride. I'm sure, this incoherent review of mine didn't really give justice on the beauty and greatness of this book but I knew you get the point.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

😭💔

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m on BookTube now! =)

”Whether it was a trap or not, I couldn’t leave her in a chamber of lava, shackled with molten manacles. I began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, Zeus had been right to send me to earth, to correct the wrongs I had allowed to happen.”

Remember my review of “The Dark Prophecy” when I said that I love Apollo’s character arc, but that he hasn’t reached the point where he’d tackle someone to save them from a bus? Well, I think we reached that point now and I wish we had never gotten there, because it was heart breaking. T_T Why are the third books in Uncle Rick’s series always a game changer and why am I always devastated after reading those third books?! I think he’s doing this on purpose at the halfway mark in order to move the plot and the characters along, and damn does it work. Thanks for another trauma Uncle Rick! Made my day, can I go and cry in a corner now?! No? Okay, alright, I’ll continue to write my review instead and save my tears for later. Let’s do this then, shall we?

"Unbelievable," I murmured. "After four thousand years, I am still discovering new things."
"Like how dumb you are," Meg volunteered.
"No."
"So you already knew that?"

I already said it in my former reviews and I’ll say it again: I love the dynamic between Meg and Apollo. They are both very different in many ways, but what both of them have in common, is their sense of justice and their hearts of gold. In this book we don’t just accompany them into the “Burning Maze”, but we also find out more about Meg’s background story and how she ended up with her stepfather instead of her real one. It was a sad story and I honestly wish Meg had been able to stay with her dad. That kid didn’t deserve to go through so much pain and I hope by the end of the series she’ll be happy and the emperors will be defeated. Knowing Uncle Rick to get to that point will be tough, so I hope our heroes won’t have to go through even more trauma. Considering the serious note on which this book ended, I’m not all too optimistic, though.

"She seemed in good spirits, considering last night's share session of childhood tragedy. That made one of us. I could barely think about the losses she'd suffered without blinking back tears."

Still, what I really loved about this story, and what made it even better than the previous ones, was the fact that Apollo feels so much underneath the surface. By the end of the first book, he was starting to be more empathic towards his comrades and in book two, he allowed himself to second-guess every single one of his decisions that led him to being Lester Papadopoulos. In book three, he was forced to acknowledge his own feelings and I think that was a journey in its own right. I mean, Apollo had to deal with his emotions while trying to save the Sibyl and his friends. For a former god who never had to justify his actions and was above feeling anything, this was painful and I’m kinda in awe of him for coming this far.

Prickly Pear bristled. “The other Olympians would just allow this?”
“The Olympians,” I said bitterly, “allowed Zeus to strip me of my powers and toss me to earth. They’ve done half of Caligula’s job for him. They won’t interfere. As usual, they’ll expect heroes to set things right.”

As a human, every single one of his actions has consequences and repercussions. Every moment and every decision opens up a different path and sometimes the aftereffects make the difference between life and death. Apollo suffers more in this book than he did in the other two and this not just emotionally but also physically and I was so, so damn proud of him for fighting through it all. Especially the ending. Damn, the ending! All I’m going to say is “crossword puzzle.” That scene was so intense but also extremely well done, because it shows Apollo’s brilliant and amazing character arc in a way that makes it tangible and real.

”This young demigod had stood up for me. He’d had no reason to do so. He barely knew me. Yet he’d risked his own life and faced the wrath of Zeus.
My first thought was to scream, ARE YOU INSANE?”
Then more appropriate words came to me. “Thank you.” Jason took me by the shoulders – not out of anger, or in a clinging way, but as a brother. "Promise me one thing. Whatever happens, when you get back to Olympus, when you're a god again, remember. Remember what it's like to be human."

I think this was legit one of my favourite scenes in the book and one of those bookish moments I’ll probably never forget. The way Jason stood up for Apollo! How he realized that Jason is his half-brother who actually cares about him and tried to help him because he is his family… It will always hit hard. Such a beautiful, unexpected and emotional moment. T_T I wish we had gotten more scenes with them together because this brotherly bond should have been explored in more depth. And speaking of Jason: I was glad he was a part of this book and that Grover as well as Piper were two of the other main characters that explored the maze and tried to find a solution to the problem. Personally, I was very relieved Grover played a bigger role in this, because he added some dire needed comic relief to the story. Without his and Coach Hedge’s presence, the book would have been even more serious and I honestly don’t think I could have stomached that.

”I wondered again what was behind their break-up.
People change, Piper had said.
Full points for vagueness, girl, but I wanted the dirt.”

Haha! Same, Apollo! I wanted the dirt too, but thinking about it in retrospective it probably would have been best not to find out, though. >_< I’m pretty sure Apollo sees it the same way. Also, can we please talk about his protective streak that gets stronger and stronger with every book? I loved how he took care of Piper after she worked a really strong and powerful charm and the way he always thought about protecting Meg. Apollo is opening up to new people and he’s making friends. In times of war, this always comes at a high cost, though, and it hurt to see him struggle with the weight of it. Despite it all he’s giving everything he has to those he considers to be his friends and this was just so endearing and sweet. If I wouldn’t have been a huge Apollo fan already, I definitely would have been after this book!

”It’s been my observation,” I said, “that you humans are more than the sum of your history. You can choose how much of your ancestry to embrace. You can overcome the expectations of your family and your society. What you cannot do, and should never do, is try to be someone other than yourself – Piper McLean.”

Conclusion:

All told, I ended up liking this book even more than I liked its predecessors, because it was so bittersweet and tragic. Apollo is finally opening up and allowing himself to be more human, but unfortunately that also means he’s more vulnerable and easier to hurt than before. Because of that the stakes in this story were higher and there was more for Apollo to lose. Still, his character arc is legit among the best I ever saw on page and I can’t wait to read the fourth book. I better brace myself for it, though, because something tells me from here on out everything will get even more intense. “The Burning Maze” was a game changer and I’m pretty sure Uncle Rick has a couple of other surprises in store for me. XD

I need to talk about this because otherwise I’ll never get over it. Not that I think I ever will, but this needs to get out! Uncle Rick!!!!! WHY???!!! How dare you kill off Jason Grace for good?!!! ARGH!!! I think I can’t remember a single Rick Riordan book in which one of the main characters actually died. I remember Nico’s sister Bianca dying but she was a side character and Leo didn’t really die because he came back. His death didn’t stick. Same with Thalia. But Jason?! T_T
Also can we talk about that quote here:

”This, I thought, was being human. Standing on the tarmac, watching mortals load the body of a friend and hero into the cargo hold, knowing that he would never be coming back. Saying goodbye to a grieving young woman who had done everything to help us, and knowing you could never repay her, never compensate her for all that she’d lost.”

MY FREAKING HEART!!!! T_T Apollo is in so much pain and I’m too. Jason didn’t deserve to go like that. Same goes for Crest! That poor guy just wanted to be taught how to play music. Apollo found two people he cared about and that he wanted to get to know better and then this?!! Uncle Rick, how much will Apollo have to suffer until he’s finally able to become a god again? My poor man!!!
Okay, I’m done now. I’m going to cry in my corner now. For everything that could have been and never got a chance to be. T_T

____________________________

I think I know why I procrastinated and didn’t read this book sooner.
Cause it HURT! T_T
Uncle Rick is taking no prisoners. This series is probably the most serious one he’s written so far.
Might be because Apollo is an adult, might be because of the Roman emperors.
All I know is: IT HURTS!!!

Full RTC soon. I need to digest this first. >_<
______________________________

I’ve borrowed this book about 6 times from my library by now because I always had to return it. Well, not anymore! I’m determined to read it those next four weeks because it’s finally time to start another Uncle Rick story!
I missed Apollo and his friends so I’m ready for this new adventure! Also, I can’t wait to see more of Apollo’s character growth! <333 Next to Percy he’s one of my fave Rick Riordan MCs!

Let’s do this and finally read “The Burning Maze”!!!

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[Eloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uncle Rick... what did you do to my heart...?

I'll admit the first two Trials of Apollo were just okay. This one, was brilliant.
So many emotions. Too many emotions.

I have grown to care about Piper and Jason as side characters in this one book, 10 times more than I did in the five Heroes of Olympus books.
I also FINALLY care Meg and Apollo and the relationship they have. I even love them.
Don't get me started on how wonderful it was to go on an adventure with Grover again.

It feels like the brilliant Rick Riordan has once again stepped up, which I didn't know was possible.
We got more darkness, more stakes, more heart. I was shocked at how brave some of Uncle Rick's decisions were but they work. They work so well...
I can't wait to see what else is coming.

P.S. I am destroyed. Writing this review before I turn back into a puddle.

[SilverOwl910]

OMG! OMG!
I got The Dark Prophecy today! I saw the title of this book at the back. The I looked at the release date. *dies* HOW THE HADES AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT AN ENTIRE YEAR FOR THIS????????
At least I have Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead to look forward to... even if it is six months away. *dies again*

[Davina Herondale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was Jason my favorite character? No. No he wasn't. DID I STILL SOB WHEN HE FREAKING DIED??? YOU BET YOUR ASS I DID


Rick has never shied away from killing off characters (IM STILL NOT OVER BECKENDORF AND SELENA) but this time he went after ONE OF THE SEVEN! I've been reading Riordan's books for almost a decade now and was truly shocked when this happened.


My baby boy Percy better be safe and get to go to college and have cute dates with his gf and get a cute apartment in New Rome and be a cool teacher/councilor omg "Hey Mr. Jackson? What was it like to go on a billion quests??" PERCY WOULD BE LIKE "DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT TIMMY"

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽]

The hardcover of this book just appeared on my doorstep today, a gift from the publicist for review. Nice!! BUT ... I haven't read the prior two books in this Trials of Apollo series. What do I need to know about Riordan's version of The Story of Apollo (Thus Far), so I'm not completely lost when I jump into this third volume?

Update: So my 16 year old son came home from school and dug the first two Apollo books (which I didn't even remember that we had) out from some basement pile of books and handed them to me, so yay, problem solved. (I'll probably just skim them though.) In the same breath, he announced to me that he hasn't read them and probably won't because he isn't much into Riordan's books any more, so I think we've maxed out on the help my teenager will be providing me here. :)

[সালমান হক · Rating 5 out of 5]

এটা আমার পড়া রিক রিওর্ডানের উনিশতম বই। উ-নি-শ-ত-ম!!! আর এই উনিশ��� এসেও এরকম ধাক্কা খাবো বুঝতে পারিনি। ট্রায়ালস অফ অ্যাপেলো সিরিজিটা শুরু থেকেই ভালো লাগছিল, কিন্তু তৃতীয় বইয়ে এসে যেন পূর্ণতা পেলো সবকিছু। হিউমর আর সিরিয়াসনেসের একদম সঠিক সংমিশ্রণ বলবো। এমন কয়েকটা জায়গা ছিল যেখানে..... থাক বলবো না, পড়ে নেবেন। পার্সি জ্যাকসন সিরিজ এবং হিরোজ অফ অলিম্পাস পুরোটা পড়া থাকলে ভীষণ রকম এনজয় করবেন বইটা। ১২ বছরের একটা মেয়ে- মেগ আর অ্যাপোলোর বন্ধুত্বটা যেভাবে ফুটিয়ে তুলেছেন রিক, সত্যিই অনবদ্য। হিরোজ অফ অলিম্পাস সিরিজে আমার সবচেয়ে অপছন্দের দুইটা চরিত্র ছিল পাইপার আর জ্যাসন, কিন্তু এই বইটা শেষ করার পর তাদের প্রতি দৃষ্টিভঙ্গিই বদলে গেছে। শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত একটা ইমোশনাল রোলারকোস্টার। :)

[Regina]

The cover is here and IT’S BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Is it May yet?????????