Jayson’s Reviews > The Lost Hero > Status Update
Jayson
is 11% done
Notes:
(1) "Piper had no idea who this guy Percy was, but his disappearance seemed to be a big deal."
- Yes, to the reader too. It's the elephant in the room, especially when you're at Camp Half-Blood.
(2) Annabeth and Rachel seem awful chummy for two people who were all passive-aggressive just months before.
- It just doesn't seem realistic to go from love rivals to BFFs so quickly. Feelings tend to get in the way.
— Oct 23, 2022 04:40AM
(1) "Piper had no idea who this guy Percy was, but his disappearance seemed to be a big deal."
- Yes, to the reader too. It's the elephant in the room, especially when you're at Camp Half-Blood.
(2) Annabeth and Rachel seem awful chummy for two people who were all passive-aggressive just months before.
- It just doesn't seem realistic to go from love rivals to BFFs so quickly. Feelings tend to get in the way.
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Jayson’s Previous Updates
Jayson
is finished
Notes:
(1) It's interesting reading my notes back from my first read of this book, because I feel pretty much the exact same way.
- It just further crystalized my opinions.
(2) I don't like that Piper and Leo became heads of their respective cabins, thus gaining seats at the camp council, both by acclamation.
- I was looking forward to a showdown between Piper and Drew. A real anticlimactic, albeit hostile, takeover.
— Feb 13, 2023 04:50AM
(1) It's interesting reading my notes back from my first read of this book, because I feel pretty much the exact same way.
- It just further crystalized my opinions.
(2) I don't like that Piper and Leo became heads of their respective cabins, thus gaining seats at the camp council, both by acclamation.
- I was looking forward to a showdown between Piper and Drew. A real anticlimactic, albeit hostile, takeover.
Jayson
is 93% done
Notes:
(1) Jason and Porphyrion have a boast battle, which seems purely for ceremonial intimidation; rather like a Māori haka.
- Unlike a modern rap battle, you only big yourself up, not tear the other guy down.
(2) For the second battle scene in a row, we get the villain explaining their entire plan to the heroes in great detail.
- I understand this is meant for the readers' benefit, but it's lazy and a tired trope.
— Feb 12, 2023 04:30AM
(1) Jason and Porphyrion have a boast battle, which seems purely for ceremonial intimidation; rather like a Māori haka.
- Unlike a modern rap battle, you only big yourself up, not tear the other guy down.
(2) For the second battle scene in a row, we get the villain explaining their entire plan to the heroes in great detail.
- I understand this is meant for the readers' benefit, but it's lazy and a tired trope.
Jayson
is 85% done
Notes:
(1) "'Giants cannot be killed by gods or heroes.'
'Only by both,' Jason said. The giant’s smile faltered, and Jason saw in his eyes something like fear. 'It’s true, isn't it?"
- If only villains kept they mouths shut during battle and had better poker faces, they wouldn't be so easy to beat.
(2) For anyone familiar with "Super Smash Bros.," Jason essentially defeats the Enceladus with Pikachu's thunder attack.
— Feb 11, 2023 04:45AM
(1) "'Giants cannot be killed by gods or heroes.'
'Only by both,' Jason said. The giant’s smile faltered, and Jason saw in his eyes something like fear. 'It’s true, isn't it?"
- If only villains kept they mouths shut during battle and had better poker faces, they wouldn't be so easy to beat.
(2) For anyone familiar with "Super Smash Bros.," Jason essentially defeats the Enceladus with Pikachu's thunder attack.
Jayson
is 73% done
Notes:
(1) "Leo fell in love with every girl he saw — as long as she was totally out of his league."
- At first I thought that meant Leo considers Piper in his league, since he's not in love with her, but I guess "totally out of his league" is a separate tier she doesn't qualify for.
- Possibly he considers "totally out of his league" a girl who's outwardly repulsed by him. That would actually fit the bill perfectly.
— Feb 09, 2023 04:15AM
(1) "Leo fell in love with every girl he saw — as long as she was totally out of his league."
- At first I thought that meant Leo considers Piper in his league, since he's not in love with her, but I guess "totally out of his league" is a separate tier she doesn't qualify for.
- Possibly he considers "totally out of his league" a girl who's outwardly repulsed by him. That would actually fit the bill perfectly.
Jayson
is 66% done
Notes:
(1) "Leo deactivated all of them. It was like he could smell the traps, and he picked just the right tool out of his belt to disable them.
'You're amazing, man,' Jason said."
- Gee, Jason's easily impressed. If you ask me, acquiring the right tool is a given when your tool belt provides you anything you can think of.
(2) Being out of action for nearly the whole book, I'd forgotten how annoying Coach Hedge is!
— Feb 06, 2023 04:30AM
(1) "Leo deactivated all of them. It was like he could smell the traps, and he picked just the right tool out of his belt to disable them.
'You're amazing, man,' Jason said."
- Gee, Jason's easily impressed. If you ask me, acquiring the right tool is a given when your tool belt provides you anything you can think of.
(2) Being out of action for nearly the whole book, I'd forgotten how annoying Coach Hedge is!
Jayson
is 62% done
Notes:
(1) I'm not down with Swanson's Hephaestus voice. He sounds less like the rough-hewn, hammer-wielding ball of muscle I imagined, and more like some nerdy science teacher.
- It does sort of fit with the inventor aspect of him, so I guess I can't gripe too much.
(2) You'd think with all these crash landings someone would get injured, or get whiplash at the very least.
- I mean, they're demigods, not unbreakable.
— Feb 05, 2023 04:45AM
(1) I'm not down with Swanson's Hephaestus voice. He sounds less like the rough-hewn, hammer-wielding ball of muscle I imagined, and more like some nerdy science teacher.
- It does sort of fit with the inventor aspect of him, so I guess I can't gripe too much.
(2) You'd think with all these crash landings someone would get injured, or get whiplash at the very least.
- I mean, they're demigods, not unbreakable.
Jayson
is 58% done
Notes:
(1) Unfortunately, when I hear the name "Medea" I think of "Madea" and those awful Tyler Perry films... at least, I think they're awful.
(2) It took a while, but we've finally got some meat-and-potatoes Riordan-style mythology going on.
- There was the meeting with Boreas and his offspring, and the battle with the cyclopes, but modern iterations of mythological figures is really what makes these books special.
— Jan 30, 2023 10:35PM
(1) Unfortunately, when I hear the name "Medea" I think of "Madea" and those awful Tyler Perry films... at least, I think they're awful.
(2) It took a while, but we've finally got some meat-and-potatoes Riordan-style mythology going on.
- There was the meeting with Boreas and his offspring, and the battle with the cyclopes, but modern iterations of mythological figures is really what makes these books special.
Jayson
is 53% done
Notes:
(1) "Jason was impressed [with Leo]. Taking out three Cyclopes with nothing but a tool kit? Not bad."
- Depends on what's in said tool kit. Leo's has anything he can think of.
- This Jayson isn't very impressed.
(2) Jason: "She’s trying to make you feel like a failure. But you're not. You're important."
Leo: "That’s what she said."
- Does it say something about me that I expected that to be a punchline?
— Jan 30, 2023 10:30AM
(1) "Jason was impressed [with Leo]. Taking out three Cyclopes with nothing but a tool kit? Not bad."
- Depends on what's in said tool kit. Leo's has anything he can think of.
- This Jayson isn't very impressed.
(2) Jason: "She’s trying to make you feel like a failure. But you're not. You're important."
Leo: "That’s what she said."
- Does it say something about me that I expected that to be a punchline?
Jayson
is 49% done
Notes:
(1) Leo kind of reminds me of Prince Harry, in the way he constantly brings up his mothers death and ensuing trauma as the key moment in his emotional development.
- Not to say that characters shouldn't do this, or real life persons for that matter, but both do it an awful lot, as a point of self-definition.
(2) Leo yells "Boo-yah!" which sort of dates this book.
- Do kids still say that? Seems very mid-2000s.
— Jan 29, 2023 11:15AM
(1) Leo kind of reminds me of Prince Harry, in the way he constantly brings up his mothers death and ensuing trauma as the key moment in his emotional development.
- Not to say that characters shouldn't do this, or real life persons for that matter, but both do it an awful lot, as a point of self-definition.
(2) Leo yells "Boo-yah!" which sort of dates this book.
- Do kids still say that? Seems very mid-2000s.
Jayson
is 45% done
Notes:
(1) Leo just happens to find a magic tool belt that can provide him any tool he can think of.
- Great! Another deus ex machina device to make sure life-threatening situations never result in any tension.
(2) There's an idea here with Piper's father, that Native American actors can pass for most non-white roles because they're so mixed racially they don't look like any one ethnicity.
- Surprisingly deep.
— Jan 22, 2023 06:45AM
(1) Leo just happens to find a magic tool belt that can provide him any tool he can think of.
- Great! Another deus ex machina device to make sure life-threatening situations never result in any tension.
(2) There's an idea here with Piper's father, that Native American actors can pass for most non-white roles because they're so mixed racially they don't look like any one ethnicity.
- Surprisingly deep.
