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The Trials of Apollo #5
The Tower of Nero
Goodreads Choice Award
Winner for Readers' Favorite Middle Grade & Children's (2020)It's time to face the final trial . . .The battle for Camp Jupiter is over. New Rome is safe. Tarquin and his army of the undead have been defeated. Somehow Apollo has made it out alive, with a little bit of help from the Hunters of Artemis.But though the battle may have been won, the war is far from over.Now Apollo and Meg must get ready for the final - and, let's face it, probably fatal - adventure. They must face the last emperor, the terrifying Nero, and destroy him once and for all.Can Apollo find his godly form again? Will Meg be able to face up to her troubled past? Destiny awaits . . .
396 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
About the author
Rick Riordan
402 books460k followersRick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,712 reviews
April 9, 2025
[Warning: I will be cussing a lot in this review. The book is middle-grade. My review is not.]
I am not fucking okay.
This book made me ugly-cry, and laugh out loud, and scream when my parents weren’t home. Not kidding, I literally punched the sofa. Because emotions.
I’m going to be honest, I literally did not remember what happened in The Tyrant’s Tomb. Nothing. I wasn’t nearly as invested in Trials of Apollo as I was in the Heroes of Olympus series, which remains my favorite out of Rick Riordan’s books.
But I read this book so fucking intensely. It was not okay. I'm not okay.
Oh wait, I said that already.
I’M STILL NOT FUCKING OKAY OH MY GOD ASLFKJASLKDGJADSLKFJASDLKGJDASLKGJSDFJKL WHAT THE FUCK. WHY RICK RIORDAN?
Okay. I’m going to try and type coherently. Apologies.
I was very surprised by the pacing of this book. Generally, Rick Riordan’s books establish a journey and the obstacles that come with that journey, and then there’s a climactic battle scene near the end, which may or may not end in a cliffhanger (FUCK YOU MARK OF ATHENA).
What Tower of Nero did was it started the battle 30 PERCENT OF THE WAY IN. 30. PERCENT. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SLEEP I LOST STRESSING ABOUT THIS? LITERALLY THE ENTIRE BOOK WAS A HUGE BATTLE AND IT HURT MY BRAIN CELL.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that other than the destruction of my emotions, so I’m not complaining about the pacing. I’m just pointing out that it was very different and it took me by surprise. I couldn't stop myself after I started reading. And that was an issue because I had homework to do and I wasn’t doing it.
I won’t go too far into the plot and characters, because this is the last book in the third series, so I mean...the basic idea should be pretty familiar to people. And, like I said at the beginning, there’s spoilers for the other two serieses and the first four books of ToA, so...not a good idea to keep reading if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
First thing I want toincoherently scream over talk about: Solangelo. MY BABIES. MY BEAUTIFUL BEANS. THIS IS ONE OF MY TOP OTPS IN EVER AND I WILL NEVER LET GO OF THEM.
LOOK AT THEM. LOOK AT MY PURE CHILDREN.
Nico deserved his happiness. He deserved Will to help him and heal him and the pure PERFECTION of this relationship is making me fangirl so fucking hard. Like, Rick Riordan pretty much admitted that Nico had been through too much shit. And properly wrote that mental health representation. Which made me cry for my poor baby Nico. And then I cried more because of his relationship with Will.
“He had been born in Mussolini’s Italy. He had survived decades in the time-warp reality of the Lotus Casino. He’d emerged in modern times disoriented and culture-shocked, arrived at Camp Half-Blood, and promptly lost his sister Bianca to a dangerous quest. He had wandered the Labyrinth in self-imposed exile, being tortured and brainwashed by a malevolent ghost. He’d overcome everyone’s distrust and emerged from the Battle of Manhattan as a hero. He’d been captured by giants during the rise of Gaea. He’d wandered Tartarus alone and somehow managed to come out alive. And through it all, he’d struggled with his upbringing as a conservative Catholic Italian male from the 1930s and finally learned to accept himself as a young gay man.
Anyone who could survive all that had more resilience than Stygian iron.”
I literally -
That paragraph is so long. And it’s not even going into Nico’s backstory in detail. My precious child.
I’m still incoherent. Sorry to everyone reading this. There’s going to be much more screaming and stuttering and internal struggle. I literally need to obsess over every detail.
"Will sat next to Nico and put an apple on his empty plate. “Eat something.”
“Hmph,” Nico said, though he leaned into Will ever so slightly."
MAY I POINT OUT THAT IF YOU THROW AN APPLE AT SOMEONE IN ANCIENT GREECE YOU’RE ASKING THEM TO MARRY YOU.
RICK RIORDAN IS THIS CANON?
CAN I HAVE WEDDING FANART?
CAN WE HAVE A SOLANGELO BOOK OF WILL AND NICOARGUING JUST DOING EVERYTHING TOGETHER?
*AGGRESSSIVE PTERODACTYL SCREECHING*
“If he’s too tired, he might teleport us into a vat of Cheez Whiz in Venezuela.”
“Okay…” said Nico. “We didn’t end up in the vat.”
“Pretty close,” Will said. “Definitely in the middle of Venezuela’s biggest Cheez Whiz processing plant."
"That was one time," Nico grumbled.”
I WANT THIS SCENE PLEASE
"Nico smirked. “Friends, meet my glow-in-the-dark boyfriend.”
“Could you not make a big deal about it?” Will asked."
I LITERALLY DO NOT CARE THAT WILL IS A HUMAN FLASHLIGHT.
THAT’S NOT THE IMPORTANT PART.
THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT NICO INTRODUCED WILL AS HIS BOYFRIEND EVEN THOUGH IN HOUSE OF HADES HE COULDN’T EVEN ADMIT THAT HE WAS GAY.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ACCEPTANCE AND THE PRIDE AND -
*more screeching*
I SHIP SOLANGELO SO FUCKING HARD AND IT’S NOT NORMAL. AM I NORMAL? AM I SANE?
ahahahahahahahahaha definitely not.
MY BABIES ARE SO PRECIOUS AND I LOVE THEM SO FUCKING MUCH I JUST CAN’T EVEN PUT IT INTO WORDS.
CAN WE HAVE A NICO BOOK UNCLE RICK??? PLEASE????
IF YOU DO NOT GIVE US THIS I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND TAKE YOUR OREOS.
Right. That’s out there now. Next opinion.
The battle. That was a long battle. It was intense, terrifying, and painful. After the last two battles/the last two books, I was not ready for this. Not at all. There were more lives at stake. There were more people. There was more tension and more good anger than I have felt for a book since…*checks watch* like two or three months ago? It’s been too long since I had a book that made me so fucking invested.
This physically hurt me. There was so much going on and I just -
I couldn’t keep track of everything. It was one thing to another thing to another thing to oh shit there’s a problem to FUCK to there’s another thing to NOW WHAT IS IT to another thing to I think I know this person to wait is this a fucking plot twist to another thing to -
WHAT.
And then repeat.
I could barely keep up with the pain and the angst and the intensity. There were old characters fighting, new characters in the mix, lots of cameos, confusion, and chaos. Lots of sass.
Oh yes. The sass. It would not be a Rick Riordan book without the sass. Apollo’s sarcasm has grown so far beyond his stupidity and whining from the first book. Meg’s levels of *annoyed* have matured along with her. And don’t even get me started on everyone else. We’re lucky Persassy Jackson wasn’t here.
I got so excited when Seaweed Brain’s name was mentioned. But it turned out he wasn’t actually there until the end. Which was disappointing. But then we saw ALL OF THE SEVEN (except for Jason but I will scream about that later).
I’m going to be honest, I didn’t remember most of what happened in the series. I didn’t enjoy the first book that much, the second book was confusing, I have traumatic memories of the third book, and I just didn’t remember the fourth. So it was a little hard to read at first because I didn’t remember anything except for super important events.
Also, I just didn’t care about Meg and Apollo in the beginning. I love them now, sure, but at first I was just so annoyed.
MY BABIES HAVE GROWN UP. I’m still not an Apollo fan because he just cannot compare to Seaweed Brain or the Seven or Reyna or Nico, but I loved how his narrative developed.
The maturity was so amazing in this book. I hated Apollo so much in the first book and Meg got on my nerves. They were so immature and bratty and annoying. But Tower of Nero really showed how much they’d grown and changed since then and it made me so proud. That character development was both slow and subtle but also so insane and obvious that I just loved it so much. I loved it.
Apollo was so much more understanding and generous now, and even though he did have that ~annoying godly flair~, it was so much stronger and more sympathetic at this point than it was at the beginning.
And Meg. Don’t even get me started. This girl was fucking traumatized and the ToA series was such an amazing, amazing expression of how she learned to deal with her abuse. I loved how she grew stronger and figured out what she could do.
Rick Riordan’s mental health representation has always been insane. Nico’s PTSD (my poor babyyyyyyyy), Meg’s trauma, Piper’s grief, and the inner conflict with all of his narratives is just so emotionally accurate and raw.
Well, Rick Riordan’s representation in general is just so fucking perfect.
FUCKING WRECKED.
Rick Riordan is who all authors should aspire to be. As a teacher, he saw marginalized students who just didn’t fit the insanely stupid social norms that people support for some reason. Kids who weren’t cis, straight, allosexual, white and rich. Kids who were abused and looked down on and hurt because of who they were. Kids whose lives and minds had been fucked up. And you know what he did? He made them the fucking heroes.
Thank you, Uncle Rick. Thank you so much.
Also, I'm pretty sure Rick Riordan is teasing a new series involving everyone. Like, all of his serieses.
1. Chiron had a meeting with "a cat and a severed head".
Cat = Bast from The Kane Chronicles.
Severed head = Mimir from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.
2. Rachel Elizabeth Dare lives right next door to the Kanes and she brings them up. Also, she's suspicious about their penguin.
3. Magnus has already gotten involved with Percy and Annabeth.
4. Yes, I'm pretty sure Rick Riordan said that this would be his last with the Percy Jackson series (Greek/Roman pantheon) but he never said anything about the OTHER pantheons.
5. RACHEL SPOUTED A FUCKING PROPHECY AND IT INVOLVES SOLANGELO.
I am not fucking okay.
This book made me ugly-cry, and laugh out loud, and scream when my parents weren’t home. Not kidding, I literally punched the sofa. Because emotions.
I’m going to be honest, I literally did not remember what happened in The Tyrant’s Tomb. Nothing. I wasn’t nearly as invested in Trials of Apollo as I was in the Heroes of Olympus series, which remains my favorite out of Rick Riordan’s books.
But I read this book so fucking intensely. It was not okay. I'm not okay.
Oh wait, I said that already.
I’M STILL NOT FUCKING OKAY OH MY GOD ASLFKJASLKDGJADSLKFJASDLKGJDASLKGJSDFJKL WHAT THE FUCK. WHY RICK RIORDAN?
Okay. I’m going to try and type coherently. Apologies.
I was very surprised by the pacing of this book. Generally, Rick Riordan’s books establish a journey and the obstacles that come with that journey, and then there’s a climactic battle scene near the end, which may or may not end in a cliffhanger (FUCK YOU MARK OF ATHENA).
What Tower of Nero did was it started the battle 30 PERCENT OF THE WAY IN. 30. PERCENT. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SLEEP I LOST STRESSING ABOUT THIS? LITERALLY THE ENTIRE BOOK WAS A HUGE BATTLE AND IT HURT MY BRAIN CELL.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that other than the destruction of my emotions, so I’m not complaining about the pacing. I’m just pointing out that it was very different and it took me by surprise. I couldn't stop myself after I started reading. And that was an issue because I had homework to do and I wasn’t doing it.
I won’t go too far into the plot and characters, because this is the last book in the third series, so I mean...the basic idea should be pretty familiar to people. And, like I said at the beginning, there’s spoilers for the other two serieses and the first four books of ToA, so...not a good idea to keep reading if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
First thing I want to
LOOK AT THEM. LOOK AT MY PURE CHILDREN.
Nico deserved his happiness. He deserved Will to help him and heal him and the pure PERFECTION of this relationship is making me fangirl so fucking hard. Like, Rick Riordan pretty much admitted that Nico had been through too much shit. And properly wrote that mental health representation. Which made me cry for my poor baby Nico. And then I cried more because of his relationship with Will.
“He had been born in Mussolini’s Italy. He had survived decades in the time-warp reality of the Lotus Casino. He’d emerged in modern times disoriented and culture-shocked, arrived at Camp Half-Blood, and promptly lost his sister Bianca to a dangerous quest. He had wandered the Labyrinth in self-imposed exile, being tortured and brainwashed by a malevolent ghost. He’d overcome everyone’s distrust and emerged from the Battle of Manhattan as a hero. He’d been captured by giants during the rise of Gaea. He’d wandered Tartarus alone and somehow managed to come out alive. And through it all, he’d struggled with his upbringing as a conservative Catholic Italian male from the 1930s and finally learned to accept himself as a young gay man.
Anyone who could survive all that had more resilience than Stygian iron.”
I literally -
That paragraph is so long. And it’s not even going into Nico’s backstory in detail. My precious child.
I’m still incoherent. Sorry to everyone reading this. There’s going to be much more screaming and stuttering and internal struggle. I literally need to obsess over every detail.
"Will sat next to Nico and put an apple on his empty plate. “Eat something.”
“Hmph,” Nico said, though he leaned into Will ever so slightly."
MAY I POINT OUT THAT IF YOU THROW AN APPLE AT SOMEONE IN ANCIENT GREECE YOU’RE ASKING THEM TO MARRY YOU.
RICK RIORDAN IS THIS CANON?
CAN I HAVE WEDDING FANART?
CAN WE HAVE A SOLANGELO BOOK OF WILL AND NICO
*AGGRESSSIVE PTERODACTYL SCREECHING*
“If he’s too tired, he might teleport us into a vat of Cheez Whiz in Venezuela.”
“Okay…” said Nico. “We didn’t end up in the vat.”
“Pretty close,” Will said. “Definitely in the middle of Venezuela’s biggest Cheez Whiz processing plant."
"That was one time," Nico grumbled.”
I WANT THIS SCENE PLEASE
"Nico smirked. “Friends, meet my glow-in-the-dark boyfriend.”
“Could you not make a big deal about it?” Will asked."
I LITERALLY DO NOT CARE THAT WILL IS A HUMAN FLASHLIGHT.
THAT’S NOT THE IMPORTANT PART.
THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT NICO INTRODUCED WILL AS HIS BOYFRIEND EVEN THOUGH IN HOUSE OF HADES HE COULDN’T EVEN ADMIT THAT HE WAS GAY.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ACCEPTANCE AND THE PRIDE AND -
*more screeching*
I SHIP SOLANGELO SO FUCKING HARD AND IT’S NOT NORMAL. AM I NORMAL? AM I SANE?
ahahahahahahahahaha definitely not.
MY BABIES ARE SO PRECIOUS AND I LOVE THEM SO FUCKING MUCH I JUST CAN’T EVEN PUT IT INTO WORDS.
CAN WE HAVE A NICO BOOK UNCLE RICK??? PLEASE????
IF YOU DO NOT GIVE US THIS I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND TAKE YOUR OREOS.
Right. That’s out there now. Next opinion.
The battle. That was a long battle. It was intense, terrifying, and painful. After the last two battles/the last two books, I was not ready for this. Not at all. There were more lives at stake. There were more people. There was more tension and more good anger than I have felt for a book since…*checks watch* like two or three months ago? It’s been too long since I had a book that made me so fucking invested.
This physically hurt me. There was so much going on and I just -
I couldn’t keep track of everything. It was one thing to another thing to another thing to oh shit there’s a problem to FUCK to there’s another thing to NOW WHAT IS IT to another thing to I think I know this person to wait is this a fucking plot twist to another thing to -
WHAT.
And then repeat.
I could barely keep up with the pain and the angst and the intensity. There were old characters fighting, new characters in the mix, lots of cameos, confusion, and chaos. Lots of sass.
Oh yes. The sass. It would not be a Rick Riordan book without the sass. Apollo’s sarcasm has grown so far beyond his stupidity and whining from the first book. Meg’s levels of *annoyed* have matured along with her. And don’t even get me started on everyone else. We’re lucky Persassy Jackson wasn’t here.
I got so excited when Seaweed Brain’s name was mentioned. But it turned out he wasn’t actually there until the end. Which was disappointing. But then we saw ALL OF THE SEVEN (except for Jason but I will scream about that later).
I’m going to be honest, I didn’t remember most of what happened in the series. I didn’t enjoy the first book that much, the second book was confusing, I have traumatic memories of the third book, and I just didn’t remember the fourth. So it was a little hard to read at first because I didn’t remember anything except for super important events.
Also, I just didn’t care about Meg and Apollo in the beginning. I love them now, sure, but at first I was just so annoyed.
MY BABIES HAVE GROWN UP. I’m still not an Apollo fan because he just cannot compare to Seaweed Brain or the Seven or Reyna or Nico, but I loved how his narrative developed.
The maturity was so amazing in this book. I hated Apollo so much in the first book and Meg got on my nerves. They were so immature and bratty and annoying. But Tower of Nero really showed how much they’d grown and changed since then and it made me so proud. That character development was both slow and subtle but also so insane and obvious that I just loved it so much. I loved it.
Apollo was so much more understanding and generous now, and even though he did have that ~annoying godly flair~, it was so much stronger and more sympathetic at this point than it was at the beginning.
And Meg. Don’t even get me started. This girl was fucking traumatized and the ToA series was such an amazing, amazing expression of how she learned to deal with her abuse. I loved how she grew stronger and figured out what she could do.
Rick Riordan’s mental health representation has always been insane. Nico’s PTSD (my poor babyyyyyyyy), Meg’s trauma, Piper’s grief, and the inner conflict with all of his narratives is just so emotionally accurate and raw.
Well, Rick Riordan’s representation in general is just so fucking perfect.
FUCKING WRECKED.
Rick Riordan is who all authors should aspire to be. As a teacher, he saw marginalized students who just didn’t fit the insanely stupid social norms that people support for some reason. Kids who weren’t cis, straight, allosexual, white and rich. Kids who were abused and looked down on and hurt because of who they were. Kids whose lives and minds had been fucked up. And you know what he did? He made them the fucking heroes.
Thank you, Uncle Rick. Thank you so much.
Also, I'm pretty sure Rick Riordan is teasing a new series involving everyone. Like, all of his serieses.
1. Chiron had a meeting with "a cat and a severed head".
Cat = Bast from The Kane Chronicles.
Severed head = Mimir from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.
2. Rachel Elizabeth Dare lives right next door to the Kanes and she brings them up. Also, she's suspicious about their penguin.
3. Magnus has already gotten involved with Percy and Annabeth.
4. Yes, I'm pretty sure Rick Riordan said that this would be his last with the Percy Jackson series (Greek/Roman pantheon) but he never said anything about the OTHER pantheons.
5. RACHEL SPOUTED A FUCKING PROPHECY AND IT INVOLVES SOLANGELO.
March 7, 2021
"Wisdom. It comes in handy."
"THAT IS NOT NORMALLY HOW ONE USETH A SWORD."
The six-month mortality of Apollo is at an end. It's time to unfold the final chapter of ToA, and the entire Camp Half-Blood series (at least for now). The Tower of Nero delivered a great ending to ToA than I had expected. It was satisfying, entertaining and most importantly: felt very complete!
"Sing one more word and I will cut out your vocal cords."
"I have determined that our situation sucks."
The journey begins with the duo arriving at west, where everything started in The Hidden Oracle. I really liked how the author arranged encounters (even if they were brief at times) with a lot of old characters from previous books. As setting up the direction of final journey was systematically done over the first four books, this story mainly deals with final challenges. This is something we didn't see with PJO and HoO, where the last books used to be long and contain the last part of the adventure before the big battles, resulting in lengthy plots. This made The Tower of Nero somewhat shorter, but I things it was a good move, as it would've been difficult to add more adventure elements without making them feel repetitive.
"WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH WASHINGTON, DC, one expects to see a few snakes in human clothing."
For me, the story was more amusing than thrilling, and did feel a little predictable at times. But it felt great nonetheless. The entire plot is action packed, with Team Apollo having to overcome one seemingly impossible obstacle after another. And for once, Riordan does take his time with the post climax wrap up, concluding the series beautifully. Even if he did leave a few ways to continue the Camp Half-Blood in the last couple of chapters (especially with Nico), all the loose ends were nicely tied up.
"Doething great, I gotteth him right where I wanteth him."
That ends the Camp Half-Blood series for me, and it's time to come out of Olympus. Looking back, I do wish I had taken a break between each sub-series (PJO - HoO - ToA). Rushing through the entire series is fun, but it also makes one compare amongst them. This ended up making PJO the best out of the three for me. Had I read them separately (which I'm going to do when I re-read this), or as they got released, I would not have made that observation. Oh, and now I can remember all major Olympian Gods (and then some).
"No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others."
"THAT IS NOT NORMALLY HOW ONE USETH A SWORD."
The six-month mortality of Apollo is at an end. It's time to unfold the final chapter of ToA, and the entire Camp Half-Blood series (at least for now). The Tower of Nero delivered a great ending to ToA than I had expected. It was satisfying, entertaining and most importantly: felt very complete!
"Sing one more word and I will cut out your vocal cords."
"I have determined that our situation sucks."
The journey begins with the duo arriving at west, where everything started in The Hidden Oracle. I really liked how the author arranged encounters (even if they were brief at times) with a lot of old characters from previous books. As setting up the direction of final journey was systematically done over the first four books, this story mainly deals with final challenges. This is something we didn't see with PJO and HoO, where the last books used to be long and contain the last part of the adventure before the big battles, resulting in lengthy plots. This made The Tower of Nero somewhat shorter, but I things it was a good move, as it would've been difficult to add more adventure elements without making them feel repetitive.
"WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH WASHINGTON, DC, one expects to see a few snakes in human clothing."
For me, the story was more amusing than thrilling, and did feel a little predictable at times. But it felt great nonetheless. The entire plot is action packed, with Team Apollo having to overcome one seemingly impossible obstacle after another. And for once, Riordan does take his time with the post climax wrap up, concluding the series beautifully. Even if he did leave a few ways to continue the Camp Half-Blood in the last couple of chapters (especially with Nico), all the loose ends were nicely tied up.
"Doething great, I gotteth him right where I wanteth him."
That ends the Camp Half-Blood series for me, and it's time to come out of Olympus. Looking back, I do wish I had taken a break between each sub-series (PJO - HoO - ToA). Rushing through the entire series is fun, but it also makes one compare amongst them. This ended up making PJO the best out of the three for me. Had I read them separately (which I'm going to do when I re-read this), or as they got released, I would not have made that observation. Oh, and now I can remember all major Olympian Gods (and then some).
"No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others."
October 13, 2020
I'm going to be in college when this book comes out
EDIT: September 20, 2020
16 DAYS UNTIL THIS BOOK COMES OUT! I'm so excited!! 4 years later and I'm a struggling college sophmore. Hopefully this book makes me less stressed lol
Review (October 13, 2020):
I finally finished this book (although is finishing a book only like a week after it's released actually slow? anyway)
If I'm being honest this was not my favorite Percy Jackson / Heroes of Olympus / Trials of Apollo book. Do not get me wrong, I still rated it 5 stars and I loved it so much! I'm so happy that we were able to see more of Will and Nico together and I thought that the way that Rick Riordan ended this series was very satisfactory.
I love Apollo and Meg's dynamic of an older brother younger sister relationship. Apollo cares for her greatly and the way that Rick Riordan deals with the topic of an abusive and manipulative father is incredibly well done in a way that still makes it digestible for young children. Although I did not grow up in such a terrible home, Meg's own individual personality outside of what she had to go through reminds me so much of myself when I was 12.
As I read this series, I felt as if I was reading a character that represented my younger self, and when I was younger most characters I read about were people that I wanted to be. People that were so cool and amazing. But Meg is not a typical main character in a middle grade book and I just connected with her so much throughout the series. Not really sure where I was going with this... just wanted all my thoughts written down.
I feel like a piece of my childhood is dead though since there is no more after this.... (OR IS THEREEEEEE)
I really enjoyed this book and it gave me so many feels. I'm sad to say that it's over. I grew up on these books and they made me love reading. How could it come to an end?
EDIT: September 20, 2020
16 DAYS UNTIL THIS BOOK COMES OUT! I'm so excited!! 4 years later and I'm a struggling college sophmore. Hopefully this book makes me less stressed lol
Review (October 13, 2020):
I finally finished this book (although is finishing a book only like a week after it's released actually slow? anyway)
If I'm being honest this was not my favorite Percy Jackson / Heroes of Olympus / Trials of Apollo book. Do not get me wrong, I still rated it 5 stars and I loved it so much! I'm so happy that we were able to see more of Will and Nico together and I thought that the way that Rick Riordan ended this series was very satisfactory.
I love Apollo and Meg's dynamic of an older brother younger sister relationship. Apollo cares for her greatly and the way that Rick Riordan deals with the topic of an abusive and manipulative father is incredibly well done in a way that still makes it digestible for young children. Although I did not grow up in such a terrible home, Meg's own individual personality outside of what she had to go through reminds me so much of myself when I was 12.
As I read this series, I felt as if I was reading a character that represented my younger self, and when I was younger most characters I read about were people that I wanted to be. People that were so cool and amazing. But Meg is not a typical main character in a middle grade book and I just connected with her so much throughout the series. Not really sure where I was going with this... just wanted all my thoughts written down.
I feel like a piece of my childhood is dead though since there is no more after this.... (OR IS THEREEEEEE)
I really enjoyed this book and it gave me so many feels. I'm sad to say that it's over. I grew up on these books and they made me love reading. How could it come to an end?
October 6, 2025
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Much fellowship, a tower trip (a Die Hard kind of mission), big melee fights and solo plights, all victories by attrition.
*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:
Notes: Much fellowship, a tower trip (a Die Hard kind of mission), big melee fights and solo plights, all victories by attrition.
*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:
December 10, 2023
the Hidden Oracle: ★★★★★/5
the Dark Prophecy: ★★★★(★)/5
the Burning Maze: ★★★★★/5
the Tyrant's Tomb: ★★★★(★)/5
The Tower of Nero:
5 Golden Stars, Complete
for both this beautiful book & this amazing series
TOP 5 2020
it was my Most anticipated release of 2020 & it did an AWESOME job to live beyond my anticipation.
what's left to say?... Uncle Rick is a genius storyteller.
beautiful, emotional, Comedy, thrilling, quick read, everything!
this modernized mythology (somewhat) retelling of battle between Apollo & Python was EPIC! as always!
I'm speechless!
I laughed.
I whooped!
I cried.
a lot!
though my Top favourite of this series still remains "the Burning Maze", but this one is a close second.
we are back to New York
to defeat the Last Emperor
Riordan's endings are one of the most Satisfying ones in all the books I've ever read, each series, every books.
this journey also has came to an end, Apollo's mortal journey in modern world. I was with this series since the beginning, despite of the other two (trivial me!: I got to know this world (PJO) in 2014 I guess, & it took a year to finish that & I finished HoO in Spring 2016, if my memory is not faulty. so it's not like many fans to say "my childhood has ended" I was pretty adult when I started to know this world, but I feeling nostalgic anyway, it's like I knew them all my life. it's been a journey nevertheless, through 21+ books.), since book 1 in 2016, the releases, the anticipation, it was thrilling, hilarious, awesome.
& I'm happy to see Apollo changed this much through this, grown up.
I just can say thank you Uncle Rick, for making this world, all this series & particularly this one (because Apollo is my favourite god!)
I just love him.
I feel so happy, so lucky & so thrilled.
I was so afraid to finish it, but also dying to know how it ends. I kept up theorizing this whole year until the book came out. & now I'm joyously thrilled & also simultaneously sad because it has end. (that's the problem with the Great books! you want to finish it ASAP & also you don't want to finish the journey.)
I don't know what to say anymore... I feel emotional. I feel hollow.
I want to cry. I want to laugh.
the saga has ended!
What should I do now!?
what can I say? it was beautiful!
this review was more like a summary of how I feel, I didn't know what to say, how to contain my emotions or gathering my thoughts, because I didn't know how to write without giving any spoilers (I think anything I might say about who appeared in this book might be spoiler, so I let you experience that joyful moments of reunions all by yourself); so if you want long reviews about this series, you can check out the reviews of the previous books (up this page)
& I mean, anyway, if you are here, want to read the last book, you know Riordan, his books, Apollo & his style pretty well, right?
I sense a book hangover coming! or the sudden urge to re-read it again (or the whole series)
-
2023 Reread ooooooooh, now I understand why "that" moment was in Magnus book 3, they didn't know until then!
-
-
-
I let my Pre-read thoughts remain,
just for the memory,
but the review is finished here.
-
-
Anticipations
definitely a 5-star of 2020
it's the last book!
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!
I repeat!
It's the LAST BOOK!
*FANGIRLING PANIC ATTACK*
Pre-released
I waited so long for this one, Uncle Rick retold many important Greek myths in modern days & in the best way, we had the 2nd Titan's war, Gaea & the Giants, Circe, Calypso, Hyacynthus & many things, so yeahhhhh I was waiting for this one to happen. I can't wait to read it!
it's gonna be awesome!
I know it will be one of the top 5 of 2020.
it's the last book in this awesome demigods chronicles. (I made myself sad!)
I hope we see some Percabeth & Solangelo moments here. The gang is back on track.
I have some hypothesis, let's see...
OMG! SO AFRAID!
& anyway, I can’t be the only one wants to see a full 5-book series crossover between Percy Jackson, Camp Jupiter, Magnus Chase & Kane chronicles involving all the characters. A multi-dimensional, multi-mythical apocalypse; Riordanverse goes on a critical turning point because all the bad guys planning to rule the world?
-
Title announcement: 9/24/2019
Release date: Oct 6th, 2020
Cover revealed: 2/14/2020 (it is gorgeous & exciting & awesome! & Finally blue!)
the Dark Prophecy: ★★★★(★)/5
the Burning Maze: ★★★★★/5
the Tyrant's Tomb: ★★★★(★)/5
The Tower of Nero:
5 Golden Stars, Complete
for both this beautiful book & this amazing series
TOP 5 2020
it was my Most anticipated release of 2020 & it did an AWESOME job to live beyond my anticipation.
what's left to say?... Uncle Rick is a genius storyteller.
beautiful, emotional, Comedy, thrilling, quick read, everything!
this modernized mythology (somewhat) retelling of battle between Apollo & Python was EPIC! as always!
I'm speechless!
I laughed.
I whooped!
I cried.
a lot!
though my Top favourite of this series still remains "the Burning Maze", but this one is a close second.
we are back to New York
to defeat the Last Emperor
Riordan's endings are one of the most Satisfying ones in all the books I've ever read, each series, every books.
this journey also has came to an end, Apollo's mortal journey in modern world. I was with this series since the beginning, despite of the other two (trivial me!: I got to know this world (PJO) in 2014 I guess, & it took a year to finish that & I finished HoO in Spring 2016, if my memory is not faulty. so it's not like many fans to say "my childhood has ended" I was pretty adult when I started to know this world, but I feeling nostalgic anyway, it's like I knew them all my life. it's been a journey nevertheless, through 21+ books.), since book 1 in 2016, the releases, the anticipation, it was thrilling, hilarious, awesome.
& I'm happy to see Apollo changed this much through this, grown up.
I just can say thank you Uncle Rick, for making this world, all this series & particularly this one (because Apollo is my favourite god!)
I just love him.
I feel so happy, so lucky & so thrilled.
I was so afraid to finish it, but also dying to know how it ends. I kept up theorizing this whole year until the book came out. & now I'm joyously thrilled & also simultaneously sad because it has end. (that's the problem with the Great books! you want to finish it ASAP & also you don't want to finish the journey.)
I don't know what to say anymore... I feel emotional. I feel hollow.
I want to cry. I want to laugh.
the saga has ended!
What should I do now!?
what can I say? it was beautiful!
this review was more like a summary of how I feel, I didn't know what to say, how to contain my emotions or gathering my thoughts, because I didn't know how to write without giving any spoilers (I think anything I might say about who appeared in this book might be spoiler, so I let you experience that joyful moments of reunions all by yourself); so if you want long reviews about this series, you can check out the reviews of the previous books (up this page)
& I mean, anyway, if you are here, want to read the last book, you know Riordan, his books, Apollo & his style pretty well, right?
I sense a book hangover coming! or the sudden urge to re-read it again (or the whole series)
-
2023 Reread ooooooooh, now I understand why "that" moment was in Magnus book 3, they didn't know until then!
-
-
-
I let my Pre-read thoughts remain,
just for the memory,
but the review is finished here.
-
-
Anticipations
definitely a 5-star of 2020
it's the last book!
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!
I repeat!
It's the LAST BOOK!
*FANGIRLING PANIC ATTACK*
Pre-released
I waited so long for this one, Uncle Rick retold many important Greek myths in modern days & in the best way, we had the 2nd Titan's war, Gaea & the Giants, Circe, Calypso, Hyacynthus & many things, so yeahhhhh I was waiting for this one to happen. I can't wait to read it!
it's gonna be awesome!
I know it will be one of the top 5 of 2020.
it's the last book in this awesome demigods chronicles. (I made myself sad!)
I hope we see some Percabeth & Solangelo moments here. The gang is back on track.
I have some hypothesis, let's see...
OMG! SO AFRAID!
& anyway, I can’t be the only one wants to see a full 5-book series crossover between Percy Jackson, Camp Jupiter, Magnus Chase & Kane chronicles involving all the characters. A multi-dimensional, multi-mythical apocalypse; Riordanverse goes on a critical turning point because all the bad guys planning to rule the world?
-
Title announcement: 9/24/2019
Release date: Oct 6th, 2020
Cover revealed: 2/14/2020 (it is gorgeous & exciting & awesome! & Finally blue!)
November 13, 2020
I feel like nobody realizes this but...
If this is the end. Then that´s it. Percy Jackson is no more.
This is the end of Perseus Jackson and the Olympians.
The end of the Camp Halfblood Chronicles
The end of the great Era of Percy Jackson.
And it hurts
It hurts, because no.
No this book will not live on like Harry Potter.
Because unlike Harry Potter, these characters felt real
And now that it´s ending, It feels like they died.
That everyone in these books are dead.
These were legends.
And yes they will live on in our hearts.
But it won´t feel that way.
Like these were just forgotten stories of people who have never lived
And I know some people won´t understand this.
But they were alive to us
to every single person who has read and loved Perseus Jackson
Because these were the books that made me a reader.
The books that made up my childhood
and many others´
If this is the end
Then goodbye
Goodbye Perseus Jackson, I hope we meet again.
------------------------------------------------
I want to fucking die, my uncle has this book in his bookstore.
I´m forcing myself not to read it but I want to so badly
------------------------------------------------
This was a much needed narrative but also not needed in my life because my eyes are red now.
Yay!I´m acting like a child rn.
I am not going to spoil this bc I interact with a lot of Rick Riordan fans on here, and a lot of them haven´t read this book so I don´t want my review popping up in their feed.
AnywhO!
It was great
amazing
couldn´t have been better
it also couldn´t have been any more worse!
I´m crying
I´m dying inside
but I´m also happy because I got to read this.
Au´Revoir Percy Jackson!
LEGENDS NEVER DIE
If this is the end. Then that´s it. Percy Jackson is no more.
This is the end of Perseus Jackson and the Olympians.
The end of the Camp Halfblood Chronicles
The end of the great Era of Percy Jackson.
And it hurts
It hurts, because no.
No this book will not live on like Harry Potter.
Because unlike Harry Potter, these characters felt real
And now that it´s ending, It feels like they died.
That everyone in these books are dead.
These were legends.
And yes they will live on in our hearts.
But it won´t feel that way.
Like these were just forgotten stories of people who have never lived
And I know some people won´t understand this.
But they were alive to us
to every single person who has read and loved Perseus Jackson
Because these were the books that made me a reader.
The books that made up my childhood
and many others´
If this is the end
Then goodbye
Goodbye Perseus Jackson, I hope we meet again.
------------------------------------------------
I want to fucking die, my uncle has this book in his bookstore.
I´m forcing myself not to read it but I want to so badly
------------------------------------------------
This was a much needed narrative but also not needed in my life because my eyes are red now.
Yay!I´m acting like a child rn.
I am not going to spoil this bc I interact with a lot of Rick Riordan fans on here, and a lot of them haven´t read this book so I don´t want my review popping up in their feed.
AnywhO!
It was great
amazing
couldn´t have been better
it also couldn´t have been any more worse!
I´m crying
I´m dying inside
but I´m also happy because I got to read this.
Au´Revoir Percy Jackson!
LEGENDS NEVER DIE
October 20, 2020
“Call on me, I will be there for you."
I’m sure the tears will stop eventually.
.
Not to be dramatic but I would fucking die for Rick Riordan
I’m sure the tears will stop eventually.
.
Not to be dramatic but I would fucking die for Rick Riordan
October 18, 2020
"Apollo will fall, but Apollo must rise again."
I'm literally tearing up writing this review. I've been with Rick Riordan books since 2010 when I was this lonely high school freshman. I got no friends to talk to. I wasn't part of the popular kids nor that smart to be really looked up to. I was literally just there existing until someone loaned to me her The Lightning Thief copy. So Rick I don't know if you'll ever going to see this review out of all the mountains of reviews but I just want to say deep down in my heart, thank you. You made me a reader and I will be forever thankful.
"I won't hide, I won't cower. That's not who I will be."
I must admit I indeed struggled a bit in the earlier chapters. I was so worried few hours ago that I might have outgrown this story and its lightness and how formulaic everything is. Was there a threat of the world ending? For the 14th time, yes. Was our hero unsure in facing the big bad/villain? Again for the 14th time, yes. From Percy to Jason to Carter & Sadie to Magnus and now to Apollo, everything just feels the same. That's why it took me so long to finish this because the first half was an okay read for me. What pushed this novel to be a 5 star read was the other half. When Apollo and Meg faced Nero, brilliant. When Apollo finally faced his greatest nemesis Phyton, I got goosebumps and my heart was thumping so fast. The final battle was amazingly done and hopeful and you could see how much Apollo have grown all through out. And the last three chapters killed me. That was it. That was the end. Apollo tied all loose ends for our heroes, past and new.
"To be human is to move forward, to adapt, to believe in your ability to make things better. That is the only way to make the pain and sacrifice mean something."
As for a finale book, Tower of Nero was a great surprise for me. It wasn't maybe as crazy as The Last Olympian and not as powerful as The Serpent's Shadow but still was really good. I was hesitant and excited to read because I thought I was in for another huge disappointment. Both Blood of Olympus and Ship of the Dead have failed me. The former was such a fail for me because Coach Hedge got more lines and exposure than half of the Chosen demigods and what was that final battle with Gaeia? In the latter, the final battle for both Magnus Chase and Loki was very anticlimactic.
"I'll make things right. Or I will die trying."
I know Rick already said that this is the last novel from this world but I'm still hopeful. There were few doors that weren't really closed in the story. A potential Nico and Will stories? Maybe.
"You'll come back?" she asked.
"Always," I promised. "The sun always comes back."
Want to Read
February 15, 2020Oh my God, the cover has been revealed! Isn't that the most beautiful one of the series?
Read
July 5, 2021this was a terribly embarrassing experience for me as it revealed how painfully strong of a grip the PJO world holds on me because Wow I get emotional at one (1) mention of Percy…..
(but also I thought this was a great conclusion, and I really liked the underlying messages of learning how to be caring and human, as well as the complex facets of living with abuse)
(but also I thought this was a great conclusion, and I really liked the underlying messages of learning how to be caring and human, as well as the complex facets of living with abuse)
May 17, 2020
Whatever happens, I hope that Rick doesn't make another series. I'm a die-hard fan of Percy Jackson, Heros of Olympus and Trials of Apollo. But I don't want these series to keep going past this, because sometimes ending a series is better than keeping them going because nothing is left to the imagination. But mostly, I don't want to see Percy and Annabeth as 30 year olds with Children. For me it will just feel plain wrong. That was the major problem I had with Harry Potter and the cursed child, it didn't sit with me to see the characters I loved so much now old and not having any more adventures together. It felt weird and fake. I love PJ to much to want that to happen. Already, I don't like how Percy now has a little step sister.(it just feels weird, not that I don't love Paul or Sally) And I read another review that said Percy would be in his 20s when the series ends. That's already old as it is. All I want for sure from this book is for a small glimpse into the future when the characters are in the 30s or 40s. A small epilogue and not a book. A sense of closure that still leaves a few things open to debate about, because that's some of the best part. For those that read all of that, have a DAM good day.
🔱 🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱
***somewhat unrelated side note***
There is a petition on change.org for a Percy Jackson tv show for those of you hardcore fans(such as me lol) that DESPISED the sad excuse for movies that we got. It’s so we can actually get a true to book adaptation that’s not animated.
If you want to sign it....which you do of course 😀... just google “change.org Percy Jackson” click on the first one that comes up (there are multiple) but at the time of writing this, this one has over 18,000 signatures and it would be awesome if it could get noticed. I mean even Uncle Rick hates the movies so anything is possible. (Disclaimer I didn’t make the petition I just found it on the internet and thought maybe others would wanna sign)
***EDIT*** so apparently the petition is closed but keep talking about it on Twitter and other social media. Hopefully something else will come up that we can sign. If you find something just leave a comment.
Edit #2
#disneyadaptpercyjackson is trending on Twitter... according to some sources I found Uncle Rick is negotiating with Disney for there to be a PJ on...wait for it... DISNEY PLUS!!!! The article I read on We Got This Covered said that they are already making one, and it will be ACTUALLY GOD DAM ACCURATE...yes you read correctly, it will cast actors that are actually twelve and be *faithful* to the books. And the first season will be the first book, so if it does well it will keep going. Just keeping hyping it up guys IM LITERALLY SO HAPPY 😁.
Also as always I’ll keep updating everyone ✌️
EDIT #3
Yes yes yes Rick announced on Twitter a few days ago that there shall in fact be a Disney plus show!!!! And Rick and his wife will be involved with every step!
We did it y’all
That’s all everyone, may your day be better than Apollo’s poetry.
🔱 🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱🔱
***somewhat unrelated side note***
There is a petition on change.org for a Percy Jackson tv show for those of you hardcore fans(such as me lol) that DESPISED the sad excuse for movies that we got. It’s so we can actually get a true to book adaptation that’s not animated.
If you want to sign it....which you do of course 😀... just google “change.org Percy Jackson” click on the first one that comes up (there are multiple) but at the time of writing this, this one has over 18,000 signatures and it would be awesome if it could get noticed. I mean even Uncle Rick hates the movies so anything is possible. (Disclaimer I didn’t make the petition I just found it on the internet and thought maybe others would wanna sign)
***EDIT*** so apparently the petition is closed but keep talking about it on Twitter and other social media. Hopefully something else will come up that we can sign. If you find something just leave a comment.
Edit #2
#disneyadaptpercyjackson is trending on Twitter... according to some sources I found Uncle Rick is negotiating with Disney for there to be a PJ on...wait for it... DISNEY PLUS!!!! The article I read on We Got This Covered said that they are already making one, and it will be ACTUALLY GOD DAM ACCURATE...yes you read correctly, it will cast actors that are actually twelve and be *faithful* to the books. And the first season will be the first book, so if it does well it will keep going. Just keeping hyping it up guys IM LITERALLY SO HAPPY 😁.
Also as always I’ll keep updating everyone ✌️
EDIT #3
Yes yes yes Rick announced on Twitter a few days ago that there shall in fact be a Disney plus show!!!! And Rick and his wife will be involved with every step!
We did it y’all
That’s all everyone, may your day be better than Apollo’s poetry.
September 24, 2019
IVE GROWN UP WITH RICK RIORDAN BOOKS AND NOW ANOTHER SERIES IS GOING TO END IM NOT CRYING YOU ARE
October 23, 2020
May 18, 2016:
Gosh, I'm going to be 27 when this comes out O.o
*feeling old already*
Oct 24, 2020
Such a beautiful ending :')
November 6, 2020
4.75 stars
As the last book in the series, The Tower of Nero had a difficult job to accomplish. It isn't just the ending of a series, either, but rather the ending of an era, and the way it was done needed to be just right to reach the mark. I think it managed to close the story in a very neat way.
Going into it I was... nervous and hesitant because, as much as I love Apollo, there were a few things through the books I couldn't quite like and, lest not forget, the task ahead for this closing volume was big and I couldn't quite see how everything would be accomplished satisfactorily in the limited amount of time given. I was not expecting the incredibly emotional journey that I was gonna witness.
It seems to me, that The Tower of Nero outdid itself in all the ways it could and gave a fitting ending to this story. A story that, may I add, we have been following from the very beginning of the saga.
I cannot say in good faith that this series hasn't been rather emotional and full of very hard and valuable lessons. It has. It more than has. Yet, it wasn't until this book that everything overflowed and we get the brunt of this journey.
We have been dealing with the delicate and difficult subject of abusive relationships and though I do think it has being given shine and light through the books, it isn't until this moment that it actually hits like a hammer. The things that have been talked through the books, explored and explained and dissected in a very controlled and clinical way are confronted and become realities in the most exquisite of ways. It steals the page and demands attention... It left me speechless more than once.
It's a delicate subject and Riordan manages to treat it with all the respect it deserves at the same time that he explains it perfectly to a younger audience in the most simple, yet detailed, way possible.
The comedy aspect of it all is still very much present - at this point, I think that is a staple of Riordan's books - and I laughed a lot at the same time that I was suffering for everything else.
As much as I loved the way the more difficult aspects of the plot were dealt with I must say that I did find the rhythm a little off.
See, as I've already mentioned, there was rather a lot left to do for this last book. Two very important things that both needed, in my opinion, enough time to be developed. And, while we did have plenty of time to get to one of them, and I love how it all happened, the second one, the last one, was rushed and it felt anti-climatic compared with the rest of the book. I don't know, it wasn't bad or terrible or anything like that but I do think it needed a little bit of more time to fit a little better.
The rest of the ending, though, was, well, it was just breath-taking and heartwarming and pretty freaking cool.
It is a moment that we have been coming to through the whole book. There's little rest through it all and it's constantly building-up-and-building-up to get just the right feeling for that massive battle and it paid off beautifully. The moment it all started, truly started, it just kept me on a high and was super exciting.
One thing that surprised me a lot is the way I ended up loving so hard and being so incredibly proud of Apollo... to the point that I think this may have become my favorite Percy Jackson series... maybe.
We've seen Apollo the god and then we've seen Lester the helpless human but this Apollo was something so satisfactory to see. I mean, I'm just a sucker for a good character-development story and that is exactly what stole my heart with this character.
He is funny and dramatic, quite dramatic, and a bit of a fool but, oh my god, does he have bravery and kindness and a heart of gold. And I'm not saying that he is no longer a bit arrogant or vain but it is that he has learned there are other things in life that are also valuable.
I can't talk about him without getting shocked-up and teary eyed... I already liked his character quite a bit but I had not seen much that made him especial to me until now.
In the other side of the spectrum we have Meg who I have never been quite able to swallow. I won't say I completely like her now or anything but, I will say, her character has grown too and the way it has matured is something I can see myself liking more.
The depth of this book was surprising but entirely welcomed and I love it for it. It was the right way to say goodbye to the series.
The ending was bittersweet to a default and very welcomed. I enjoyed seeing the whole "where is everyone at now" that we got and just seeing things take shape. Sure, I would welcome the opportunity to continue reading this world forever but, lest be realistic, that is not an option and it shouldn't be. So, yeah, I am happy with that.
After all, I can re-read whenever the need arises.
______________________
Oh my, this was so much better than I thought it was gonna be.
It even made me really emotional, something I most certainly wasn't expecting but I will never begrudge a book.
Overall, incredibly satisfactory and bittersweet.
RTC
______________________
This is the last book in The Trials of Apollo series. Furthermore, this is the last book in the Percy Jackson universe - or so I've gathered - and, let me tell you, I'm not ready for either of those things.
I've had so much fun seeing Apollo grow and become this brave person that I feel like I'll be very proud and sad no matter the ending of this book. It has been a great journey so far and though I still don't like Meg I can't say that I won't miss a little bit... or, at least, her interactions with Apollo.
Of course, everything this book means makes me melancholic and I just don't know how I'm gonna finish it.
“I considered that perhaps courage was a self-perpetuating cycle, like abuse […] All any of us could do was try, and hope that, in the end the virtuous cycle would break the vicious one.”
As the last book in the series, The Tower of Nero had a difficult job to accomplish. It isn't just the ending of a series, either, but rather the ending of an era, and the way it was done needed to be just right to reach the mark. I think it managed to close the story in a very neat way.
Going into it I was... nervous and hesitant because, as much as I love Apollo, there were a few things through the books I couldn't quite like and, lest not forget, the task ahead for this closing volume was big and I couldn't quite see how everything would be accomplished satisfactorily in the limited amount of time given. I was not expecting the incredibly emotional journey that I was gonna witness.
It seems to me, that The Tower of Nero outdid itself in all the ways it could and gave a fitting ending to this story. A story that, may I add, we have been following from the very beginning of the saga.
“When he’d told me to remember being human, he’d meant building on pain and tragedy, overcoming it, learning from it […] To be human is to move forward, to adapt, to believe in your ability to make things better. That is the only way to make the pain and sacrifice mean something.”
I cannot say in good faith that this series hasn't been rather emotional and full of very hard and valuable lessons. It has. It more than has. Yet, it wasn't until this book that everything overflowed and we get the brunt of this journey.
We have been dealing with the delicate and difficult subject of abusive relationships and though I do think it has being given shine and light through the books, it isn't until this moment that it actually hits like a hammer. The things that have been talked through the books, explored and explained and dissected in a very controlled and clinical way are confronted and become realities in the most exquisite of ways. It steals the page and demands attention... It left me speechless more than once.
It's a delicate subject and Riordan manages to treat it with all the respect it deserves at the same time that he explains it perfectly to a younger audience in the most simple, yet detailed, way possible.
The comedy aspect of it all is still very much present - at this point, I think that is a staple of Riordan's books - and I laughed a lot at the same time that I was suffering for everything else.
“And yet, along with humility, I’d learned something else: getting humiliated is only the beginning, not the end. Sometimes you need a second shot, and a third, and a fourth.”
As much as I loved the way the more difficult aspects of the plot were dealt with I must say that I did find the rhythm a little off.
See, as I've already mentioned, there was rather a lot left to do for this last book. Two very important things that both needed, in my opinion, enough time to be developed. And, while we did have plenty of time to get to one of them, and I love how it all happened, the second one, the last one, was rushed and it felt anti-climatic compared with the rest of the book. I don't know, it wasn't bad or terrible or anything like that but I do think it needed a little bit of more time to fit a little better.
The rest of the ending, though, was, well, it was just breath-taking and heartwarming and pretty freaking cool.
It is a moment that we have been coming to through the whole book. There's little rest through it all and it's constantly building-up-and-building-up to get just the right feeling for that massive battle and it paid off beautifully. The moment it all started, truly started, it just kept me on a high and was super exciting.
“I had learned, all right. I was still learning.”
One thing that surprised me a lot is the way I ended up loving so hard and being so incredibly proud of Apollo... to the point that I think this may have become my favorite Percy Jackson series... maybe.
We've seen Apollo the god and then we've seen Lester the helpless human but this Apollo was something so satisfactory to see. I mean, I'm just a sucker for a good character-development story and that is exactly what stole my heart with this character.
He is funny and dramatic, quite dramatic, and a bit of a fool but, oh my god, does he have bravery and kindness and a heart of gold. And I'm not saying that he is no longer a bit arrogant or vain but it is that he has learned there are other things in life that are also valuable.
I can't talk about him without getting shocked-up and teary eyed... I already liked his character quite a bit but I had not seen much that made him especial to me until now.
In the other side of the spectrum we have Meg who I have never been quite able to swallow. I won't say I completely like her now or anything but, I will say, her character has grown too and the way it has matured is something I can see myself liking more.
“She said nothing. Her stance radiated stubbornness. I imagined her putting down her own roots, mooring herself in place.”
The depth of this book was surprising but entirely welcomed and I love it for it. It was the right way to say goodbye to the series.
The ending was bittersweet to a default and very welcomed. I enjoyed seeing the whole "where is everyone at now" that we got and just seeing things take shape. Sure, I would welcome the opportunity to continue reading this world forever but, lest be realistic, that is not an option and it shouldn't be. So, yeah, I am happy with that.
After all, I can re-read whenever the need arises.
“No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others.”
“I was no god. I would never be the same old Apollo again. But in this moment, I had the chance to decide what I would become, even if that new existence only lasted a few seconds.”
______________________
Oh my, this was so much better than I thought it was gonna be.
It even made me really emotional, something I most certainly wasn't expecting but I will never begrudge a book.
Overall, incredibly satisfactory and bittersweet.
RTC
______________________
This is the last book in The Trials of Apollo series. Furthermore, this is the last book in the Percy Jackson universe - or so I've gathered - and, let me tell you, I'm not ready for either of those things.
I've had so much fun seeing Apollo grow and become this brave person that I feel like I'll be very proud and sad no matter the ending of this book. It has been a great journey so far and though I still don't like Meg I can't say that I won't miss a little bit... or, at least, her interactions with Apollo.
Of course, everything this book means makes me melancholic and I just don't know how I'm gonna finish it.
October 12, 2020
Rick Riordan really wrote 5 whole novels and 210 haiku for this series. This man deserves his own throne on Mount Olympus.
July 6, 2023
Too many thoughts. Too many feelings.
The Tower of Nero is my favorite out of the Apollo books by far. I'll admit, the series was off to a rough start. But it was completely worth it with that OUTSTANDING finale.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's crying.
Apollo developed so much throughout this series, and this book is certainly where we see him at his best. (Not physically, of course. He's still a squeaky teenage boy with acne. No shame, bro.) We also see the reappearance of my cinnamon rolls, Nico and Will, along with the one and only Meg McCaffrey. *sniffles* my precious demigods. *pat pat*
What I liked most about this book was the adventure and humor. In the previous books, it was a little annoying to see Lester cower from battle. But now he's become a hero- dare I say it- just like Percy Jackson. The new monsters, weapons, and threats set the stakes higher than ever, and delivered in more ways than I had expected. And Apollo made all of it terribly hilarious along the way.
I can't believe- no, I refuse to believe that this is the end to the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles. Uncle Rick is going to continue with a new series, right? Right?? Because if I've learned anything from reading his books, it's that I'll never let them go.
I really loved how this series ended. It's so nostalgic and gives so much more to the universe. Apollo had some hard trials all right, but it ultimately changed him for the rest of his to-be-determined life. I really hope we'll see him again in upcoming books. (Because there will be upcoming books, mark my words).
"Apollo will fall, but Apollo will rise again."
The Tower of Nero is my favorite out of the Apollo books by far. I'll admit, the series was off to a rough start. But it was completely worth it with that OUTSTANDING finale.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's crying.
Apollo developed so much throughout this series, and this book is certainly where we see him at his best. (Not physically, of course. He's still a squeaky teenage boy with acne. No shame, bro.) We also see the reappearance of my cinnamon rolls, Nico and Will, along with the one and only Meg McCaffrey. *sniffles* my precious demigods. *pat pat*
What I liked most about this book was the adventure and humor. In the previous books, it was a little annoying to see Lester cower from battle. But now he's become a hero- dare I say it- just like Percy Jackson. The new monsters, weapons, and threats set the stakes higher than ever, and delivered in more ways than I had expected. And Apollo made all of it terribly hilarious along the way.
I can't believe- no, I refuse to believe that this is the end to the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles. Uncle Rick is going to continue with a new series, right? Right?? Because if I've learned anything from reading his books, it's that I'll never let them go.
I really loved how this series ended. It's so nostalgic and gives so much more to the universe. Apollo had some hard trials all right, but it ultimately changed him for the rest of his to-be-determined life. I really hope we'll see him again in upcoming books. (Because there will be upcoming books, mark my words).
"Apollo will fall, but Apollo will rise again."
December 1, 2020
3.5 stars ✨
Well.. I’m a little disappointed.
I never felt this way about a book by Rick Riordan so I’m a little pissed.
I loved many things in this book and this isn’t a bad rating at all, especially in my rating system but it wasn’t as high as the previous ones.
First of all the conclusion which wasn’t as good as the others and half a page about Percabeth wasn’t enough at all. All start with Percy so as the last book in Camp Half Blood (sobs uncontrollably at the only thought) I think he should have been there for the big battle even though I know he deserves peace. I think we should have got more Percabeth, maybe not in battle but still more, because all started with them, and a satisfying closing should have had more of it.
Apollo was a good main character but not as much as Percy. Percy was what made the story great, also the writing style but Percy Jackson was Percy Jackson.
So this was a good book, but not a great one.
MARCH 2020:
Uncle Rick JUST SAID ON TWITTER THAT SOLANGELO WILL HAVE A MAJOR PART IN TOWER OF NERO AND I’M DYING!!!
New York= Percy Jackson???
*fingers crossed*
Please please please please please
Well.. I’m a little disappointed.
I never felt this way about a book by Rick Riordan so I’m a little pissed.
I loved many things in this book and this isn’t a bad rating at all, especially in my rating system but it wasn’t as high as the previous ones.
First of all the conclusion which wasn’t as good as the others and half a page about Percabeth wasn’t enough at all. All start with Percy so as the last book in Camp Half Blood (sobs uncontrollably at the only thought) I think he should have been there for the big battle even though I know he deserves peace. I think we should have got more Percabeth, maybe not in battle but still more, because all started with them, and a satisfying closing should have had more of it.
Apollo was a good main character but not as much as Percy. Percy was what made the story great, also the writing style but Percy Jackson was Percy Jackson.
So this was a good book, but not a great one.
MARCH 2020:
Uncle Rick JUST SAID ON TWITTER THAT SOLANGELO WILL HAVE A MAJOR PART IN TOWER OF NERO AND I’M DYING!!!
New York= Percy Jackson???
*fingers crossed*
Please please please please please
November 28, 2020
“So, dear reader, we have come to the end of my trials. You have followed me through five volumes of adventures and six months of pain and suffering. By my reckoning, you have read two hundred and ten of my haiku. Like Meg, you surely deserve a reward. What would you accept? I am fresh out of unicorns. However, anytime you take aim and prepare to fire your best shot, anytime you seek to put your emotions into a song or poem, know that I am smiling on you. We are friends now. Call on me. I will be there for you.”
For now, the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles have come to an end. And while I have to say I definetely enjoyed Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus more than I enjoyed The Trials of Apollo, this was still an enjoyable conclusion to the entire franchise, and I was satisfied with the ending that I received. But I did like how this series was something different. In the previous series, the “chosen one” trope was used several times where various demigods were recruited to fight a greater evil and became the heroes who saved the day, while The Trials of Apollo tells the story of a fallen god who seeks to regain his status and set things right again.
“When he’d told me to remember being human, he’d meant building on pain and tragedy, overcoming it, learning from it. That was something gods never did. We just complained. To be human is to move forward, to adapt, to believe in your ability to make things better. That is the only way to make the pain and sacrifice mean something.”
Reading about Apollo’s character development was highly enjoyable for me, and it was written incredibly well across the course of the series. As a god, Apollo started off as arrogant, self-centred and cocky, which all changed when he was cast down as a mortal. At first, he still retained most of his selfish attitude and prioritised regaining his godhood over everything and everybody else, but after seeing the willingness of his demigod children and allies to defend him, he quickly became ashamed of himself for not having done much for them, and developed empathy, guilt and sorrow, and courage through standing up to those who hurt his friends, and being willing to admit his own faults. Apollo gradually comes to understand what it means to be human, and holds on to these lessons he learnt even when he eventually ascends into godhood. It was incredibly inspiring and uplifting to see how much he had changed and how he grew to care and fight for his comrades.
“I could no longer consider my time on Earth to have been a punishment. Terrible, tragic, nearly impossible...yes. But calling it a punishment gave Zeus to much credit. It had been a journey—an important one I made myself, with the help of my friends. I hoped...I believed that the grief and pain had shaped me into a better person. I had forged a more perfect Lester from the dregs of Apollo. I would not trade those experiences for anything.”
I also enjoyed the appearances of other important characters from the previous series, and the new characters such as Luguselwa and Lavinia who were introduced in these books. It was cool seeing how everybody worked together to help Apollo out in his quest, and how various characters left a lasting impact on him and inspired him to become a better person. It was enjoyable gaining insights into the lives some of the main characters from the previous books were leading, and seeing some of the relationships that had sparked between them, in particular, the Solangelo moments we were given which were simply adorable!
Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion to the series, and an obvious highlight would be reading about Apollo’s character growth throughout the course of the series, and how he has held on to all those lessons he learnt through his experiences as a mortal which have shaped him into a better person. Rick Riordan’s works will always have special place in my heart, especially those from the original Percy Jackson series, and I look forward to reading some more of his books in the future.
4/5 stars
For now, the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles have come to an end. And while I have to say I definetely enjoyed Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus more than I enjoyed The Trials of Apollo, this was still an enjoyable conclusion to the entire franchise, and I was satisfied with the ending that I received. But I did like how this series was something different. In the previous series, the “chosen one” trope was used several times where various demigods were recruited to fight a greater evil and became the heroes who saved the day, while The Trials of Apollo tells the story of a fallen god who seeks to regain his status and set things right again.
“When he’d told me to remember being human, he’d meant building on pain and tragedy, overcoming it, learning from it. That was something gods never did. We just complained. To be human is to move forward, to adapt, to believe in your ability to make things better. That is the only way to make the pain and sacrifice mean something.”
Reading about Apollo’s character development was highly enjoyable for me, and it was written incredibly well across the course of the series. As a god, Apollo started off as arrogant, self-centred and cocky, which all changed when he was cast down as a mortal. At first, he still retained most of his selfish attitude and prioritised regaining his godhood over everything and everybody else, but after seeing the willingness of his demigod children and allies to defend him, he quickly became ashamed of himself for not having done much for them, and developed empathy, guilt and sorrow, and courage through standing up to those who hurt his friends, and being willing to admit his own faults. Apollo gradually comes to understand what it means to be human, and holds on to these lessons he learnt even when he eventually ascends into godhood. It was incredibly inspiring and uplifting to see how much he had changed and how he grew to care and fight for his comrades.
“I could no longer consider my time on Earth to have been a punishment. Terrible, tragic, nearly impossible...yes. But calling it a punishment gave Zeus to much credit. It had been a journey—an important one I made myself, with the help of my friends. I hoped...I believed that the grief and pain had shaped me into a better person. I had forged a more perfect Lester from the dregs of Apollo. I would not trade those experiences for anything.”
I also enjoyed the appearances of other important characters from the previous series, and the new characters such as Luguselwa and Lavinia who were introduced in these books. It was cool seeing how everybody worked together to help Apollo out in his quest, and how various characters left a lasting impact on him and inspired him to become a better person. It was enjoyable gaining insights into the lives some of the main characters from the previous books were leading, and seeing some of the relationships that had sparked between them, in particular, the Solangelo moments we were given which were simply adorable!
Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion to the series, and an obvious highlight would be reading about Apollo’s character growth throughout the course of the series, and how he has held on to all those lessons he learnt through his experiences as a mortal which have shaped him into a better person. Rick Riordan’s works will always have special place in my heart, especially those from the original Percy Jackson series, and I look forward to reading some more of his books in the future.
4/5 stars
March 23, 2021
This series shaped my childhood. I can say with absolute certainty that had I never been introduced to the story of Percy Jackson and his friends, my life would have looked very different. No matter how many more series I will read, the adventures of Percy Jackson will always have a special place in my heart. Now, I'm not very fond of Trials of Apollo, and I do wish that it had never been written. The storyline was slightly redundant, Apollo was annoying, Meg was rude to Lester, and I just didn't care about Apollo. Yet this book was the perfect ending for Apollo. It was the perfect redemption for both him and Meg. It also perfectly tied in the stories of our characters from the original series.
All in all, it left me very satisfied.
Random thoughts: (Spoilers!)
~Estelle is the cutest thing ever. Also, would it be weird for Percy that his sister is 20 years younger than him?
~Will and Nico are the cutest thing ever!
~I didn't realize how hard Jason's death must have been on Nico. You know, due to the whole Cupid scene thing.
~Lu was a wonderful addition. I mean, she had her hands cut off, and she didn't even cry? Talk about resilience!
~One last appearance of the blue hairbrush!
~I got half a page each for the other characters?? Not fair. But then again, all the mini scenes were perfect, and I was satisfied.
~Bob could be alive??
~Piper being bi makes so much sense
~The Percy and Annabeth scene was perfection
~Reyna called Leo "mi hermano", which basically shattered my dream of a possibility of ever seeing them together.
~I started to like Apollo a lot more. He became less annoying and more human, which I guess was the point.
"He'd meant the best things about being human: standing up for a just cause, putting others first, having stubborn faith that you could make a difference, even if it meant you had to die to protect your friends and what you believed in."
"I muttered a curse that would not have been appropriate for the ears of a youngster like Meg, except that Meg had taught me this particular curse.
"Hatred is one of the most durable emotions, one of the last to fade into nonexistence."
"No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others."
"You'll come back?"
"Always," I promised. "The sun always comes back."
"I am fresh out of unicorns. However, anytime you take aim and prepare to fire your best shot, anytime you seek to put your emotions into a song or poem, know that I am smiling on you. We are friends now."
All in all, it left me very satisfied.
Random thoughts: (Spoilers!)
~Estelle is the cutest thing ever. Also, would it be weird for Percy that his sister is 20 years younger than him?
~Will and Nico are the cutest thing ever!
~I didn't realize how hard Jason's death must have been on Nico. You know, due to the whole Cupid scene thing.
~Lu was a wonderful addition. I mean, she had her hands cut off, and she didn't even cry? Talk about resilience!
~One last appearance of the blue hairbrush!
~I got half a page each for the other characters?? Not fair. But then again, all the mini scenes were perfect, and I was satisfied.
~Bob could be alive??
~Piper being bi makes so much sense
~The Percy and Annabeth scene was perfection
~Reyna called Leo "mi hermano", which basically shattered my dream of a possibility of ever seeing them together.
~I started to like Apollo a lot more. He became less annoying and more human, which I guess was the point.
"He'd meant the best things about being human: standing up for a just cause, putting others first, having stubborn faith that you could make a difference, even if it meant you had to die to protect your friends and what you believed in."
"I muttered a curse that would not have been appropriate for the ears of a youngster like Meg, except that Meg had taught me this particular curse.
"Hatred is one of the most durable emotions, one of the last to fade into nonexistence."
"No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others."
"You'll come back?"
"Always," I promised. "The sun always comes back."
"I am fresh out of unicorns. However, anytime you take aim and prepare to fire your best shot, anytime you seek to put your emotions into a song or poem, know that I am smiling on you. We are friends now."
October 15, 2020
Review expectation for this book:
Five star
Actual rating (probably):
Ten stars
Five star
Actual rating (probably):
Ten stars
February 2, 2021
"Apollo will fall
But Apollo must rise again"
well that hurted
before reading this book:
let's pretend i don't cry myself to sleep almost every night thinking about how this book is possibly gonna end
after reading this book:
let's pretend I don't cry myself to sleep almost every night thinking about how this book actually ended
if you know me you know the amount of love i have towards the trials of apollo is unmeasurable.
yes, i grew up with percy jackson, yes. yes, i grew up woth the heroes of olympues, yes. but unfortunately (or fortunately) when i became an avid reader all these books were published and i pretty much knew everything (thank you tumblr) even before i read them. but with these? no. these are the only rick riordan books (well not really if you count magnus chase) i anxiously waited for as they were being published.
with each release i had a ritual: reread the previous ones. at this rate i've read book one like five times and i've been planning on this binge for ages but the truth is that i wasn't ready for this series to end. i was NOT. and with reasons.
i take apollo's character very close to my heart and seeing hiw growth has made me a better person too. seeing him come from the complainy whiny ex god we met on the hidden oracle to the hero he turns into all along his journey and the final battle in tower of nero.
at some point of this book, apollo changes the perspective for this "punishment" saying it was a journey and he would never change his experience as lester for nothing in the world.
these last pages were excruciatingly beautful and meaningful to me in a deep way. i just couldn't believe and i just couldn't stop crying.
this is BY FAR the best riordan series ending EVER!
i'll miss this series, but i've reread it before, so it never really ends.
i'm devastated but happy, sad but relieved and hopeful because this only passes the protagonism to someone else ?
i hope. really.
goodbye, apollo, and thank you. keep remembering what it's like to be human :)
ps, i got this email and honestly SAME
i'll go cry bye
But Apollo must rise again"
well that hurted
before reading this book:
let's pretend i don't cry myself to sleep almost every night thinking about how this book is possibly gonna end
after reading this book:
let's pretend I don't cry myself to sleep almost every night thinking about how this book actually ended
if you know me you know the amount of love i have towards the trials of apollo is unmeasurable.
yes, i grew up with percy jackson, yes. yes, i grew up woth the heroes of olympues, yes. but unfortunately (or fortunately) when i became an avid reader all these books were published and i pretty much knew everything (thank you tumblr) even before i read them. but with these? no. these are the only rick riordan books (well not really if you count magnus chase) i anxiously waited for as they were being published.
with each release i had a ritual: reread the previous ones. at this rate i've read book one like five times and i've been planning on this binge for ages but the truth is that i wasn't ready for this series to end. i was NOT. and with reasons.
i take apollo's character very close to my heart and seeing hiw growth has made me a better person too. seeing him come from the complainy whiny ex god we met on the hidden oracle to the hero he turns into all along his journey and the final battle in tower of nero.
at some point of this book, apollo changes the perspective for this "punishment" saying it was a journey and he would never change his experience as lester for nothing in the world.
these last pages were excruciatingly beautful and meaningful to me in a deep way. i just couldn't believe and i just couldn't stop crying.
this is BY FAR the best riordan series ending EVER!
i'll miss this series, but i've reread it before, so it never really ends.
i'm devastated but happy, sad but relieved and hopeful because this only passes the protagonism to someone else ?
i hope. really.
goodbye, apollo, and thank you. keep remembering what it's like to be human :)
ps, i got this email and honestly SAME
i'll go cry bye
January 6, 2021
Siamo arrivati alla fine.
Stanotte ho detto addio all'universo greco/romano creato da zio Rick.
È stato emozionante ma al tempo stesso l'ho lasciato col sorriso.
L'ultimo libro delle avventure di Apollo mi è piaciuto davvero tanto, credo sia uno dei miei preferiti insieme al quarto volume. Le storylines lasciate in sospeso sono state chiuse, e ci sono stati tantissimi parallelismi con le saghe precedenti che mi hanno ricordato da quanto tempo leggo di questi personaggi. Infatti, abbiamo ritrovato Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Will, il signor D e tanti altri volti conosciuti, perché come dice la canzone "si torna sempre dove si è stati bene e i posti sono semplicemente persone".
Sono felice di aver seguito Apollo nelle sue sfide per tornare ad essere un dio, perché durante il percorso ha capito cosa significhi essere umani e non lo dimenticherà. È un protagonista che mi ha sempre strappato un sorriso quando ne avevo bisogno, poiché come Lester le sue disavventure sono così relatable!
Nonostante io non apprezzi Meg, il suo rapporto con Apollo è davvero bello e profondo.
La battaglia finale è stata molto avvincente, mi ha tenuta col fiato sospeso e mi ha ricordato quella de "Lo scontro finale". Bravo zio Rick, hai imparato dagli errori commessi nel Sangue dell'Olimpo!
Questo mondo già mi manca tantissimo, ma so che potrò sempre tornarci e sentirmi a casa.
“You’ll come back?” she asked. “Always,” I promised. “The sun always comes back."
Stanotte ho detto addio all'universo greco/romano creato da zio Rick.
È stato emozionante ma al tempo stesso l'ho lasciato col sorriso.
L'ultimo libro delle avventure di Apollo mi è piaciuto davvero tanto, credo sia uno dei miei preferiti insieme al quarto volume. Le storylines lasciate in sospeso sono state chiuse, e ci sono stati tantissimi parallelismi con le saghe precedenti che mi hanno ricordato da quanto tempo leggo di questi personaggi. Infatti, abbiamo ritrovato Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Will, il signor D e tanti altri volti conosciuti, perché come dice la canzone "si torna sempre dove si è stati bene e i posti sono semplicemente persone".
Sono felice di aver seguito Apollo nelle sue sfide per tornare ad essere un dio, perché durante il percorso ha capito cosa significhi essere umani e non lo dimenticherà. È un protagonista che mi ha sempre strappato un sorriso quando ne avevo bisogno, poiché come Lester le sue disavventure sono così relatable!
Nonostante io non apprezzi Meg, il suo rapporto con Apollo è davvero bello e profondo.
La battaglia finale è stata molto avvincente, mi ha tenuta col fiato sospeso e mi ha ricordato quella de "Lo scontro finale". Bravo zio Rick, hai imparato dagli errori commessi nel Sangue dell'Olimpo!
Questo mondo già mi manca tantissimo, ma so che potrò sempre tornarci e sentirmi a casa.
“You’ll come back?” she asked. “Always,” I promised. “The sun always comes back."
Want to Read
July 20, 20167.19.16
THERES GOING TO BE FIVE BOOKS?! Praise bless.
It's like Cassandra Clare-- I'll be out of college and they'll both be still writing books! I'm so lucky to live in a world where authors write books until they're six feet under.
THERES GOING TO BE FIVE BOOKS?! Praise bless.
It's like Cassandra Clare-- I'll be out of college and they'll both be still writing books! I'm so lucky to live in a world where authors write books until they're six feet under.
October 6, 2020
“However, anytime you take aim and prepare to fire your best shot, anytime you seek to put your emotions into a song or poem, know that I am smiling on you. We are friends now. Call on me. I will be there for you.”
Wow. I still can’t really fathom that it’s all over and I cried a lot while reading this just because I didn’t want to let go of this world that I grew up with. Ever since 3rd grade I’ve been waiting each year for the new release and hoping to see all of my favorite characters just one more time. Its bittersweet to see it end, and to know that this is the last time I’ll binge read a camp half blood book, but I associate amazing memories and so much personal growth with all of rick’s interconnecting series. Having the tv show coming out soon is an added bonus and definitely gives me something to still look forward to, but I feel like a huge chapter of my life just ended and I don’t really know what to do with myself. It gives me peace of mind to know that Rick tied all of the loose ends up perfectly, and my favorite characters are all finally happy. I love you always percy 🥺
Wow. I still can’t really fathom that it’s all over and I cried a lot while reading this just because I didn’t want to let go of this world that I grew up with. Ever since 3rd grade I’ve been waiting each year for the new release and hoping to see all of my favorite characters just one more time. Its bittersweet to see it end, and to know that this is the last time I’ll binge read a camp half blood book, but I associate amazing memories and so much personal growth with all of rick’s interconnecting series. Having the tv show coming out soon is an added bonus and definitely gives me something to still look forward to, but I feel like a huge chapter of my life just ended and I don’t really know what to do with myself. It gives me peace of mind to know that Rick tied all of the loose ends up perfectly, and my favorite characters are all finally happy. I love you always percy 🥺
October 13, 2020
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARTDRDADAYFVGJK!! EMOTINAL WHIRLWIND!!!!
few things to note:
No deaths that i care about!!! Yayayay!!!
Piper is bisexual!!!!!!! I'm so happy that she found someone else. I do still ship Jasper, but i am happy for her!
CHIRON HAD A MEETING WITH A CAT AND A SERVERED HEAD??? SOUND LIKE ANYONE WE KNOW? MAYBE BAST AD MIMIR?????? YOU DID NOT RICK!!!!
Remember when Rick posted the Oh Honey He Gay meme in response to a girl asking if he could name Nico's girlfriend after her? Well apparently, Apollo invented it to use to tell the Grey Ladies that their crush was gay. Well played Uncle Rick.
We got an AMAZHANG new character, Lu! She lost her hands, but she is a FIGHTER!!!!!!
RACHEL WS A MAIN CHARACTER!! Yay!
OMG HER NEIGHBOR IS THE BROOKLYN HOUSE!
RACHEL JUST HIT SOMEOM=NE IN THE EYE WITH A PLASTIC BLUE HAIRBRUSH!!!!!!!
SOLANGELO SURVIED!! HALELUJAH!! Also, we got lots of SOLANGELO!! When will barged in to the throne room and was like " NO ONE SPAPS MY BOYFRIEND AND NO ONE KILLS MY DAD!!" i WAS SO HAPPY.
For SOME reason, Rick felt the need to TOUTRE us with all the mention of Jason, and the vision of him.
I CRIED when Nico found out about it. Freaking sobbed.
APOLLO IS AN OG SOLANGELO SHIPPER!!!!
Will is a star wars geek!
ONLY time i havent HATED Hera.
We got to revisit our favs again! Nico and will: Doing amazhang!! Cute as ever.
Hazel and Frank: Most respected praetor duo in history.. Strong and powerful.
Annabeth and Percy: At New Rome. We got a scene about Jason's death with them. I also cried.
Leo and Calypso: Relationship is rocky, but good. Cal is at a summer camp teaching, and Leo ha a new foster moms by the name's Jo and Emmie and a foster sister by the name of Reyna. lol.
We also got a sort of Theyna moment. SHIP!!!
Piper has a girlfriend, but is still distraught over Jason's death.
Sally and Paul are so badass. Sally is like PLEASE LET ME HELP YOU, but internally and Paul is like THIS IS SO COOL!!! Estelle is ADORABLE!!!!!!!
Apollo is a god again, but he is keeping his promise to Jason. He's almost exactly like Lester. He even prefers to look like him.
Meg. So much character development i cant. Rick is our KING at character development. She's amazhang. I can't. Just yes.
WHAT WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER?? BOB MIGHT BE BACK???? THERE IS A NEW PROHACY THATS "NOT GOOD" ??? WTF??
Anyways, i loved this book. I cant do a proper review because of all the feel. Goodbye Percy Jackson. I will never leave you. I will always love you. You are literally my entire life.
ARTDRDADAYFVGJK!! EMOTINAL WHIRLWIND!!!!
few things to note:
No deaths that i care about!!! Yayayay!!!
Piper is bisexual!!!!!!! I'm so happy that she found someone else. I do still ship Jasper, but i am happy for her!
CHIRON HAD A MEETING WITH A CAT AND A SERVERED HEAD??? SOUND LIKE ANYONE WE KNOW? MAYBE BAST AD MIMIR?????? YOU DID NOT RICK!!!!
Remember when Rick posted the Oh Honey He Gay meme in response to a girl asking if he could name Nico's girlfriend after her? Well apparently, Apollo invented it to use to tell the Grey Ladies that their crush was gay. Well played Uncle Rick.
We got an AMAZHANG new character, Lu! She lost her hands, but she is a FIGHTER!!!!!!
RACHEL WS A MAIN CHARACTER!! Yay!
OMG HER NEIGHBOR IS THE BROOKLYN HOUSE!
RACHEL JUST HIT SOMEOM=NE IN THE EYE WITH A PLASTIC BLUE HAIRBRUSH!!!!!!!
SOLANGELO SURVIED!! HALELUJAH!! Also, we got lots of SOLANGELO!! When will barged in to the throne room and was like " NO ONE SPAPS MY BOYFRIEND AND NO ONE KILLS MY DAD!!" i WAS SO HAPPY.
For SOME reason, Rick felt the need to TOUTRE us with all the mention of Jason, and the vision of him.
I CRIED when Nico found out about it. Freaking sobbed.
APOLLO IS AN OG SOLANGELO SHIPPER!!!!
Will is a star wars geek!
ONLY time i havent HATED Hera.
We got to revisit our favs again! Nico and will: Doing amazhang!! Cute as ever.
Hazel and Frank: Most respected praetor duo in history.. Strong and powerful.
Annabeth and Percy: At New Rome. We got a scene about Jason's death with them. I also cried.
Leo and Calypso: Relationship is rocky, but good. Cal is at a summer camp teaching, and Leo ha a new foster moms by the name's Jo and Emmie and a foster sister by the name of Reyna. lol.
We also got a sort of Theyna moment. SHIP!!!
Piper has a girlfriend, but is still distraught over Jason's death.
Sally and Paul are so badass. Sally is like PLEASE LET ME HELP YOU, but internally and Paul is like THIS IS SO COOL!!! Estelle is ADORABLE!!!!!!!
Apollo is a god again, but he is keeping his promise to Jason. He's almost exactly like Lester. He even prefers to look like him.
Meg. So much character development i cant. Rick is our KING at character development. She's amazhang. I can't. Just yes.
WHAT WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER?? BOB MIGHT BE BACK???? THERE IS A NEW PROHACY THATS "NOT GOOD" ??? WTF??
Anyways, i loved this book. I cant do a proper review because of all the feel. Goodbye Percy Jackson. I will never leave you. I will always love you. You are literally my entire life.
November 18, 2020
I’m happy-sad
This was everything you could expect from a Rick Riordan book. Naturally, it's 5 stars. The ending was so bittersweet but felt so much more like an ending than any of the other finales. I'm so happy for everyone in the book, but it breaks my heart in the best way possible. I literally went to my brother's room at night when I finished this and told him everything that happened (without spoilers) when he was half asleep. This was such a great conclusion to the series but I never want Rick Riordan to stop writing.
It is so cool to see Apollo progress throughout the series, from wanting people to save him to wanting to save the world or die trying. His relationship with Meg is everything, and he's my favorite god now. I started hating Athena a while back when a spider almost fell on my face. I have self-diagnosed arachnophobia.
Anyway, this was amazing and you should read it and the series and everything Rick has ever written.
xoxo
This was everything you could expect from a Rick Riordan book. Naturally, it's 5 stars. The ending was so bittersweet but felt so much more like an ending than any of the other finales. I'm so happy for everyone in the book, but it breaks my heart in the best way possible. I literally went to my brother's room at night when I finished this and told him everything that happened (without spoilers) when he was half asleep. This was such a great conclusion to the series but I never want Rick Riordan to stop writing.
It is so cool to see Apollo progress throughout the series, from wanting people to save him to wanting to save the world or die trying. His relationship with Meg is everything, and he's my favorite god now. I started hating Athena a while back when a spider almost fell on my face. I have self-diagnosed arachnophobia.
Anyway, this was amazing and you should read it and the series and everything Rick has ever written.
xoxo
October 6, 2020
oh. my. god.
this is probably the best book of this series. i enjoyed every minute of it. i cant think of other way for this amazing, beautiful series to end.
i could go on and on about how much this book series means to me. i could tell you about a ten year old kid that found comfort in a summer camp and kids their age that saved the world. about a kid who found a character that, like them, had fell in love with someone people had told them they shouldnt, and how helpful this representation was while coming to terms with their sexuality and gender identity.
i also can tell you about this book, this book with an amazing development from the main character, who we saw as arrogant and selfish in the first book and ended not hesitating to risk it all for his friends. a book with beautiful, familiar relationships, and amazing characters.
in my opinion, there couldnt be a better ending for this beautiful series, and hopefully we get to see our favorite halfbloods again.
thank you demigods for this amazing years, and thank you rick riordan for this amazing characters, world, and for everything this means to us, readers.
this is probably the best book of this series. i enjoyed every minute of it. i cant think of other way for this amazing, beautiful series to end.
i could go on and on about how much this book series means to me. i could tell you about a ten year old kid that found comfort in a summer camp and kids their age that saved the world. about a kid who found a character that, like them, had fell in love with someone people had told them they shouldnt, and how helpful this representation was while coming to terms with their sexuality and gender identity.
i also can tell you about this book, this book with an amazing development from the main character, who we saw as arrogant and selfish in the first book and ended not hesitating to risk it all for his friends. a book with beautiful, familiar relationships, and amazing characters.
in my opinion, there couldnt be a better ending for this beautiful series, and hopefully we get to see our favorite halfbloods again.
thank you demigods for this amazing years, and thank you rick riordan for this amazing characters, world, and for everything this means to us, readers.
October 7, 2020
“To be human is to move forward, to adapt, to believe in your ability to make things better. That is the only way to make the pain and sacrifice mean something.”
So, I guess this is the end of an era.
After 13 years of this journey we’ve come to a conclusion. But the story lives on in my heart forever. These characters who are so much more than fictional characters for me, who have been there with me and for me even when there was no one else will always occupy my mind and my heart.
Thanks for accompanying this full of dreams and imagination 7 year old through her childhood, throughout her difficult teenage years to her full of dreams and imagination twenties.
I’m a little sad, I’m not gonna lie.. but I’m pretty happy with how this all wrapped up.
I still have questions, ideas, theories and whatnot because I’m so connected to this world but I have a feeling that we haven’t completely seen the last of it....
“...No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others”
So, I guess this is the end of an era.
After 13 years of this journey we’ve come to a conclusion. But the story lives on in my heart forever. These characters who are so much more than fictional characters for me, who have been there with me and for me even when there was no one else will always occupy my mind and my heart.
Thanks for accompanying this full of dreams and imagination 7 year old through her childhood, throughout her difficult teenage years to her full of dreams and imagination twenties.
I’m a little sad, I’m not gonna lie.. but I’m pretty happy with how this all wrapped up.
I still have questions, ideas, theories and whatnot because I’m so connected to this world but I have a feeling that we haven’t completely seen the last of it....
“...No story ever ends, does it? It just leads into others”
Want to Read
February 15, 20204). The Tyrant's Tomb ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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(16/02/2020) LOOK AT THE COVER
Also thoughts on the chapters
-I gasped at Son of Hades (idk why I gasped I already knew that)
-Celtic Gods???
-I am super hyped
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(05/02/2020) This ending better be on par with The Good Place. I will not be taking suggestions at this point
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(27/01/2020) I had a light bulb moment last night. Obviously someone fairly important has to die, but not major. What if it's Clarrise? What if it's Clarrise? Rick Riordan could do so much with that.
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(21/12/19) The fact that I started this series as straight and ended it as PEAK queer ...if that isn't a sign...
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(03/10/19) Alright, who thinks I should reread all the PJ universe books before [checks release date] Fall 2020.....?
FALL 2020?? *crying*
----------
(07/12/18) This books symbolizes the enD OF MY CHILDHOOD I'M CRYING
----------
(16/02/2020) LOOK AT THE COVER
Also thoughts on the chapters
-I gasped at Son of Hades (idk why I gasped I already knew that)
-Celtic Gods???
-I am super hyped
----------
(05/02/2020) This ending better be on par with The Good Place. I will not be taking suggestions at this point
----------
(27/01/2020) I had a light bulb moment last night. Obviously someone fairly important has to die, but not major. What if it's Clarrise? What if it's Clarrise? Rick Riordan could do so much with that.
----------
(21/12/19) The fact that I started this series as straight and ended it as PEAK queer ...if that isn't a sign...
----------
(03/10/19) Alright, who thinks I should reread all the PJ universe books before [checks release date] Fall 2020.....?
FALL 2020?? *crying*
----------
(07/12/18) This books symbolizes the enD OF MY CHILDHOOD I'M CRYING
January 5, 2025
Cuando terminé La Torre de Nerón, el último libro de The Trials of Apollo, me invadió una mezcla de satisfacción y nostalgia. Rick Riordan logró cerrar la saga de una manera épica y emotiva, fiel a su estilo característico.
Lo que más me encantó fue el desarrollo de Apolo, quien comenzó como un dios egocéntrico y terminó siendo una figura mucho más humana y comprensiva. Su evolución a lo largo de la saga brilla especialmente en este libro, donde se enfrenta a sus errores y a sus mayores miedos. La dinámica entre él y Meg es simplemente fantástica: su vínculo, lleno de confianza y respeto mutuo, aporta tanto humor como emoción.
La acción no decepciona, y los enfrentamientos contra Neron y Piton son absolutamente trepidantes. Riordan sabe cómo mantenerte al borde del asiento, y los momentos de peligro están llenos de giros inesperados que me hicieron pasar las páginas casi sin respirar. Además, los cameos de personajes de otras sagas son un regalo para los fans de siempre; me emocionó reencontrarme con ellos y ver cómo encajaban en esta conclusión.
Sin embargo, lo que realmente destaca es el equilibrio entre la acción y los momentos de introspección. La exploración del sacrificio, el perdón y el verdadero significado de la heroicidad da una profundidad inesperada a una serie que siempre ha sido entretenida, pero que aquí toca fibras más profundas.
Si bien hay pequeños detalles que podrían haberse desarrollado más, especialmente en las últimas páginas, siento que La Torre de Nerón cumple con creces las expectativas y ofrece un final digno para esta historia. Un 8.75/10 es más que merecido: es una despedida que recordaré con cariño.
Lo que más me encantó fue el desarrollo de Apolo, quien comenzó como un dios egocéntrico y terminó siendo una figura mucho más humana y comprensiva. Su evolución a lo largo de la saga brilla especialmente en este libro, donde se enfrenta a sus errores y a sus mayores miedos. La dinámica entre él y Meg es simplemente fantástica: su vínculo, lleno de confianza y respeto mutuo, aporta tanto humor como emoción.
La acción no decepciona, y los enfrentamientos contra Neron y Piton son absolutamente trepidantes. Riordan sabe cómo mantenerte al borde del asiento, y los momentos de peligro están llenos de giros inesperados que me hicieron pasar las páginas casi sin respirar. Además, los cameos de personajes de otras sagas son un regalo para los fans de siempre; me emocionó reencontrarme con ellos y ver cómo encajaban en esta conclusión.
Sin embargo, lo que realmente destaca es el equilibrio entre la acción y los momentos de introspección. La exploración del sacrificio, el perdón y el verdadero significado de la heroicidad da una profundidad inesperada a una serie que siempre ha sido entretenida, pero que aquí toca fibras más profundas.
Si bien hay pequeños detalles que podrían haberse desarrollado más, especialmente en las últimas páginas, siento que La Torre de Nerón cumple con creces las expectativas y ofrece un final digno para esta historia. Un 8.75/10 es más que merecido: es una despedida que recordaré con cariño.
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