The Mark Of Athena (Heroes of Olympus, #3)

   When I was reading The Mark of Athena, I was also battling a mild fever. My fever was accompanied by some very interesting (or deranged, as some muggles would like to call it) hallucinations. For three consecutive nights, I dreamt that I was standing at the helm of a bronze Trireme which had a flaming dragon for a masthead. And every single time, I had hooves. AND, I kept up a constant war cry of “DIE, GUACAMOLE BREATH, DIE!!!”

So yes, the latest instalment in The Heroes of Olympus series (and more importantly, Coach Hedge) has made a powerful…dare I say it…mark on me.

There were so, so many things to love about this book.
 Let me elaborate:
 a) LEO VALDEZ: As someone on Pinterest rightly put it, “If Leo were to be made a God, I hope he’s made the God of Sass”. He has the best quips and comebacks, the coolest technology and gadgets at his disposal (I love you, Buford) and a veneer of loneliness that makes him strong and vulnerable in equal parts. 

b)The PERCY JACKSON – JASON GRACE bromance: Endearing and believable. The two superamped demigods complement each other with their combination of foolhardy courage (on Percy’s part) and disciplined action (on Jason’s part). And just when you assume that things are going to go splendidly between the two heroes, they rock the trireme with their petty one upmanship.

c) FRANK ZHANG as a giant koi goldfish. Stellar chapter, that.

d) A beautiful tale behind Leo’s uncanny resemblance to Hazel Levesque’s old friend SAMMY. If it doesn’t make you hastily brush away an unexpected tear, shame on you. You, dear sir/ madam, have had your soul sucked out by a Dementor.

e) Please say hello to the latest, cheesiest entrants to the Villains Hall of Fame: Twin Giants, EPHIALTES and OTIS. Every single time that the terrible towsome made an appearance, I was thoroughly entertained.

f) HERCULES, popping up like a bad, egotistical egg and making life and quests harder for the young demigods.

g) COACH HEDGE as a chaperone. Coach Hedge as a viewer of bad martial arts movies. Coach Hedge as an adrenaline packed satyr out to chew the enemy to shreds. More power to COACH HEDGE!

h) PERCY and ANNABETH finally getting some quality couple- time together. They deserve it, what with Percy having metamorphosed into a lean, mean handsome demigod and Annabeth having finally accepted that there’s more to Percy than just being unjustly titled as Seaweed Brain. Okay, I tried to desist from adding gifs and artwork, but how adorable (and accurate) is this:



At the end of the day, The Mark of Athena belongs to Annabeth’s lonely quest. The one-time calm and level headed Goddess Athena has transformed into a bitter, forgetful Roman version of herself. And while she once loved her daughter, she now has no qualms about sending her off an epic and murderous quest…a quest moreover, that none of her previous children have ever returned from. I have nothing bad to say about the book (although Piper does hover around like a fractious boyfriend obsessed bee.) and as always, I feel completely happy after reading a Rick Riordan book. Mythological tales…word play and subtle slapstick……the efficient use of weapons…the magical charm of God Given powers and the ever present lesson to use your brains and stay loyal……all this and more, effectively covered by dear Mr.Riordan.


 As for the cliffhanger...

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus, #2)

“When Rome fell, a lot of the legions just disappeared. We went underground, acting on secret orders from Jupiter himself: stay alive, recruit demigods and their children, keep Rome going. We’ve been doing that ever since, moving around to wherever Roman influence was the strongest. The last few centuries we have been in America.”

Sounds familiar? It does to Percy Jackson too. Perseus (Percy) Jackson (superstar demigod /self-effacing hero /North America’s confident answer to Harry Potter) has lost his mind. No, not the *I-see-conspiracy-theories-in-my-peripheral-vision-lost-his-mind*. Percy has been hit by a bout of amnesia, courtesy a certain manipulative Goddess. He doesn’t remember that he was a Greek demigod ,a son of Poseidon and a resourceful hero in the epic battle that saved the world from the wrath of Kronos. The only fact that he does recall is that he had a girlfriend called Annabeth (kudos to teenage boys for remembering the best bits).

Guided by the legendary Roman she-wolf Lupa, battling a pair of Gorgons who refuse to disintegrate/die, lugging a Goddess in road-kill disguise; Percy Jackson soon finds himself in Camp Jupiter, the roman equivalent of Camp Half-Blood.

Soon our favourite hero finds himself slap-bang in the middle of yet another doomed-to-despair Quest. Accompanying him are his two new friends and Camp Jupiter underdogs : Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang.
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Things that enchanted my reader’s palate like Ambrosia:

# 1: THE RETURN OF OL’SEAWEED BRAIN : When the battle for Olympus ended with Annabeth and Percy sharing an underwater kiss, I was ready to bid adieu to the likeable boy wonder. Any attempt to stretch the taffy by Rick Riordan would pale in comparison to the immensely popular 7-Book series. Atleast that’s what I, with my limited vision assumed. But Riordan is not a brilliant storyteller for nothing. He plunges Percy Jackson into a whole new can of worms (or basilisks, which seems more appropriate) and has you whooping like a herd of Party-Ponies. Percy’s trademark wit, droll acceptance of dastardly situations, unerring loyalty to friends (old and new) and the ability to fight like a fiend is displayed to full effect. The author has also done the wise job of adding a ring of maturity to Percy’s character. His new-found confidence adds a much-needed foil to the fledgling charms of Hazel and Frank.

# 2: HAZEL LEVESQUE : Such a brave and endearing heroine. She joins Hermione Granger and Annabeth Chase in the ranks of noteworthy YA Lit. role-models for young girls. Burdened by a dark past, unsure of a long future, adorably embarrassed around the boy she likes and a bad-a** warrior to round it up nicely, Hazel is a treat to read.

# 3: FRANK ZHANG. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, FRANK ZHANG’S GRANDMOTHER: I cannot rave enough about the massive appeal of Frank Zhang without veering into *SPOILER* territory. Suffice to say, that the baby-faced, muscle-bound demigod keeps you hooked through his emotional trauma and growth. As for Granny Zhang....I was loving and hating her in equal measures. All that aristocratic arrogance duelling with a caring heart makes for one intimidating matriarch.

# 4: RICK RIORDAN’S SIGNATURE QUIRKS :
a) Mars (the Roman name for Ares) declaring the Quest was one of my favourite bits. When the God of War whips out a scroll and a ballpoint pen and scribbles a brusque, “Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by Sundown on June Twenty-fourth or die” with nary a hint of drama and the absolute absence of riddled prophecies....you got to love the big guy.
b) I had the biggest smile on my face when I read that Amazon.com is being run by.....you guessed it.....the condescending female warriors, *THE AMAZONS*. Their Queen sits on a throne made from a thousand copies of a book called “The Five Habits of Highly Aggressive Women”.(Seriously how can anyone not cackle over that?!?). It was borderline cheesy but vintage Riordan.
c) Thanatos (the God of Death) has a pure black iPad. As he whips it out, Frank Zhang hopes fervently, “ Please don’t let there be an App for reaping souls”. Again, adorable.

# 5: MOTHER EARTH UNPLUGGED : For nature lovers like me, who imagined Mother Earth to be a bosomy, *brimming-with-the-warmth-of-home -and-hearth* kind of genial lady....Gaia was an unexpected villain. A Goddess who invokes Giants, resurrects dead monsters, murmurs nasty thoughts into vulnerable minds, makes snarky promises to kill our favourite demigods and rears unearthly armies to overtake the world is NOT someone who would inspire the *Hug-A-Tree* emotion in you. And the best bit is that all these tender acts are being committed while the lady is still trapped underground. What will happen when she’s unleashed in all her grimy glory?--->*Delicious Shiver-Down-The-Spine Time*

# 6 : ACTION SEQUENCES : Here’s where you bring in all your cherished Die-Hard inspired adrenaline. The book is loaded with rip-roaring battle sequences. It gets the blood flowing and the inner warrior roars with whole-hearted approval.

# 7: SUPPORTING CHARACTERS :
a) Slimy, power-hungry Octavian who sees prophecies in the innards of stuffed toys.
b) Royal *you-lie-and-my-dogs-will-dismember-you* Reyna.
c) Ella, the twitchy red-feathered harpy with the quirk of spouting random bursts of dead-useful (and pointless) information.
d) Nico Di Angelo in a short (but hopefully epic) reappearance.
e) Iris, the Goddess of The Rainbow (and now the proprietor of R.O.F.L. –Rainbow Organic Foods and Lifestyle). Don't ask.
f) Terminus, the rule abiding God of Boundaries. Never has a pillar of stone been so pedantic. And so useful.

I cannot elaborate on any without spilling out the plot. All I can do is assure you that it’s a stellar casting.

# 8: ARION: Okay, which girl/woman does not want a celestial Horse that can break the sound barrier, run on water and up slippery slopes, cuss like a seasoned sailor and mutter grumpily “I will trample you to bits, silly baby man!”. I love this horse. I want this horse. Case closed.

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Things that tasted like Iris’ gluten-free, sugar-free cupcake simulations (translation: things that left a bitter taste in my mouth)
*..........BLANK.........*

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So, in conclusion, did I like HEROES OF OLYMPUS : THE SON OF NEPTUNE?
You bet your imperial gold/ celestial bronze/ stygian iron I DID!

I LOVED IT! (And I’m not one to use CAPSLOCK carelessly)

The book is an absolute treat. The return of old favourites stitched with the chutzpah of new arrivals worked like a charm. Yet again, Mythology and it's Gods left the hallowed portals and became cheekily shod with feet-of-clay. With a “it-could-go-anyway” cliffhanger, Rick Riordan has laid the groundwork for a delightful sequel.

ATHENA, make your MARK already!

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, #1)

"Seven Half-Bloods shall answer the call.
To storm or fire, the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath.
And foes bear arms to the doors of death."

Percy Jackson’s nerve-racking adventures ended with this cheery prophecy. The resourceful demigod had just fought The Second Olympian War and emerged victorious. When his friend and now, new oracle, Rachel Dare made the aforementioned divination, Percy hoped that it wasn’t something that he would have to deal with in this lifetime. His best bet was that this phenomenon would occur a few centuries down the road.

But doom-and-despair laden prophecies have the uncanny ability of hitting below the belt.

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, Book #1) is the story of Jason Grace, a teenager who is suffering from memory-loss. Jason has no clue as to why he is on a school bus for delinquent kids. He apparently also has a girlfriend, Piper McLean and a cheeky best friend, Leo Valdez.

When the school bully suddenly transforms into an ‘Anemoi Thuellai’ (sincerely scary Storm Spirit) and the school coach transforms into a ‘Satyr’ (we all know what that is), Jason has an inkling that amnesia is just the tip of a deeply embedded iceberg.

Dodging...well, dodgy incidents...Jason, Piper and Leo soon find themselves at Camp Half-Good. And Lo! And obviously... Behold! It’s QUEST TIME! Hera, the Queen of The Gods is missing. Olympus has been closed down by Zeus and none of the Gods are making contact with the outside world. A deeper, darker and more sinister force than the Titans is at work. And if the world has a fighting chance against these new evil, Jason will have to set out and save Hera before the Winter Solstice. In the true tradition of panic-inducing deadlines, the Winter Solstice is just four days away.

And so, Jason (the hero-with-no-clue), Piper (the heroine doomed to betray her friends) and Leo (the smart-talking sidekick with a troubled past) set out on a suicidal mission. Along the way, they will deal with malfunctioning mechanical dragons, power-crazed Wind Gods, cannibalistic Cyclopes, disturbing dreams and the ever-present possibility of meeting an extremely sticky end.

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The first book in the new Heroes of Olympus Series lives up to the Rick Riordan hype. The tongue-in-cheek author is definitely NOT a flash-in-the-pan. Just when you thought that he couldn’t recreate the adrenaline of Percy Jackson’s adventures, he promptly churns up a new and endearing hero. Besides Jason, you actively root for Piper and Leo and get drawn into their respective mental conflicts.

At the end of the day, it’s the Gods and Riordan’s treatment of celestial souls that keeps you hooked. Without being blasphemous, the author perfectly captures their powers, their mood-swings, their quirks and their vulnerabilities.

In all, it’s a magnificent door-stopper of a book. Packed with memorable characters, delightful witticisms and non-stop action, this is yet another winner from the talented author,

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #2)

The defenses of Camp Half-Blood have been breached, Thalia’s tree has been poisoned and ‘goat-boy’ Grover is in danger of becoming a reluctant bride to the Cyclops Polyphemus!!!

All in a day’s work for demi-god, Percy Jackson as he sets off on an unofficial quest to recover the magical and healing “Golden Fleece”. Accompanied by Annabeth and a new friend cum half-brother, Tyson the Cyclops…….Percy ventures into the treacherous Sea of Monsters.

Old enemies, new monsters and untold prophecies come to the forefront. Once more, we get a delightful insight into the world of Greek Mythology. Glimpses of Homer’s Odyssey are dropped in at regular intervals and there is a whole new jamboree of fantastic creatures and menacing villains!

Percy once again proves to be an endearing hero. With so many odds stacked against him, he rarely whines or cribs. More often than not, he resorts to a droll sense of humour and foolhardy courage to rescue himself and his friends in this magnificent tale. Definitely worth a read!

Percy Jackson goes Graphic

Percy Jackson and The Lightening Thief will soon be available in graphic-novel format (*Y-AAYY*). The artist is one talented ATTILA FUTAKI (how cool a name is that?!?) and I can't wait to lay my grimy paws on it.

Read more by clicking on the following link: Lightening Thief Graphic Novel Page and Interview

Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian

A Pegasus lands on the hood of your step-dad’s Prius...you have to blow up a monster-infested cruise ship...you have dreams (read: visions) everytime you take a relaxing nap……the girl you like is still harbouring strong feelings for a handsome demigod; who incidentally happens to be providing the host body for the mightiest of all villains……oh and did I mention that the evil forces are planning to take over Mount Olympus and raze Manhattan to the ground? If that's not enough, here's something to chew on : the only way you stand a fighting chance is by taking a dip in the River of Death.

Yep, Percy Jackson…the smart mouthed, teen demi-god has his work cut out. His sixteenth birthday is fast approaching and it’s time for ‘The Great Prophecy' to unfold. The Titans are advancing with a mighty army in tow. The dreaded Typhon has been freed and is slowly thundering towards New York……all set to destroy the Olympian domain.The biggest war…the end of civilization all rests on Percy’s single decision.

As he would say......no pressure.

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian is a truly fantastic tying up of all the loose ends. Truths are revealed...mistakes are rectified...character is built...and all the protagonists come into their own. Equal importance has been given to miniscule characters (a fact which Riordan should be applauded for, since it ties up with the main message he wants to give through this series)

The war which has been looming over the past four books, breaks free in a burst of Grade-A action…special effects…fantastical creatures……and surprises being revealed at regular intervals. Olympians, Titans, Gods, Demigods, Minor-Gods, Monsters, Nature Spirits and several unexpected allies give you a panoramic war-scene that gets the adrenaline rushing.

Fine...fine book, this

Percy Jackson and The Battle Of The Labyrinth

After a week of so-so…and some truly disappointing reads, am thoroughly glad to say ‘Percy Jackson and The Battle of The Labyrinth’ lived up to my expectations and was a truly fine read!

Half-boy, half-God Percy Jackson starts off another school year by fighting off a pair of ‘Empousai’ and blowing up the school…again. He also runs into Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the mysterious mortal girl who can see through the mist.

It’s time to head back to camp Half-Blood, because trouble is brewing….huge, scary ‘the-GODS-are-angry’ kind of trouble. The ancient Lord Kronos is slowly reforming, aided by Luke and his unearthly army. Luke’s plan is to invade Camp Half-Blood, raze it to the ground along with it’s heroes and then head off to destroy the Olympians.

While the camp members felt that Camp Half-Blood was impenetrable...they soon realize that Luke intends to invade it through one of the exits of the famous underground Labyrinth. Percy and gang decide to head into the labyrinth themselves and discover Daedalus’s (the creator of the Labyrinth) workshop, so that they can find a way to stop the invasion.

Simple? Not Really! The Labyrinth is supposed to be the only piece of architecture that changes constantly. Even the creator Daedalus himself has no control over it. Tunnels changes.....new ones pop up…and backtracking is never a good option..because you never know what is in store for you…left, right, back or front. A person could enter the maze and never get out. Add to that the constant threat of running into Luke’s demonic army and Percy has his job cut out!!

Is Percy doomed to roam the endless labyrinth? Will Grover finally find the lost God Pan? Will Annabeth’s faith in Luke lead to her downfall? And will the Gods survive to fight another day? All that and much more.....perfectly packaged in another superb instalment by Rick Riordan.

Percy Jackson, the prince of understatement is as quick with his trusted ‘Riptide’ as he is with the droll quips. A brave and comical hero, you’ll be rooting for him till the last page.

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #3)

A distress call from best-friend, the satyr Grover sends young demi-god Perseus Jackson (son of Poseidon) on his new mission. Accompanying him are his friends Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and Thalia (daughter of Zeus). Grover has discovered two powerful new half-bloods of unknown parentage and they need to be escorted safely back to Camp Half-Blood.

Little do the unsuspecting demi-gods know that they are merely pawns in a dark and dangerous plot. The Titan lord, Kronos is slowly but surely reassembling. His latest recruit Luke is putting together a horrifying army of mythical monsters. The clash between the Titans and The Olympians is teethering on the brink. Adding to their woes is the fact that an ancient monster has risen…a monster so powerful, it could lead to the downfall of the Olympians. And the only person, who can track this creature down; the goddess of the Hunt, Artemis is M.I.A.

Entering into a reluctant truce with the Hunters of Artemis, Percy and gang launch into unknown territory yet again. Guided by an ambiguous prophecy, they have to find the new beast and recover Artemis before the Winter Solstice. Their path is obviously strewn with danger, but what lies at the end of the journey : The Titan's Curse, is something which could very well put all previous adventures to shame.

Continuing in the vein of the previous two books, Percy remains an endearing hero.....reluctant but ready to do the “right” thing. The prose is light and uncomplicated. No long ramblings here.....the plot is clear and well-defined leaving enough room for future instalments. Interesting new characters are the Goddess Artemis,a 12 year old; auburn haired goddess who never ages……her brother Apollo, the ever-so-cool Sun God with his penchant for quoting haikus….and the seriously scary General, the head of the Titans’ army.

Definitely a fine read and a wonderful way to learn more about Greek myths, gods, goddesses and the fine soup they manage to land themselves into occasionally. All in all, reinforcing the fact that Gods do indeed have feet of Clay.

The Lightening Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

Harry Potter has said goodbye, happily settling down in true Hindi film-ishtyle with his beloved Ginny and spawning a future generation of Hogwarts-hopefuls. There isn’t going to be another Harry but there is someone who can more than fill his shoes......PERCY JACKSON. Harry’s American counterpart, he is the bright young star of a fantastic series by Rick Riordan


The first book in the series: "Percy Jackson and The Olympians - The Lightening Thief" is a dream debut. Percy is your quintessential pre-teen although dyslexic and suffering from ADHD. Getting into unexplainable scraps and shuffled from school to school, he pretty much accepts the fact that he’s destined to be......well, one big Loser.

Little does he know that he’s a ‘Half-Blood’, an offspring of a powerful Greek God and a mortal woman. And there is a special place for him, “Camp Half-Blood” which houses and protects other such demigods, nymphs, satyrs and the rest of the celestial brigade. But every thing is not peachy-keen in heaven. The Greek Gods are very much active in the western world, quibbling like normal siblings and ready to wage war at the drop of a hat. It is left up to young Percy Jackson and his group of friends to save the day and face the wrath of the Gods.

Greek Mythology has been re-invented with wit, humour and action. The series is packed with loyal friends, fantastic beasts, chilly monsters, mythical places, old and to-be-made enemies, stirrings of young love and every possible element that goes into the making of one helluva fantasy epic.

Percy Jackson is an endearing hero, the under-dog who’s definitely going to make as strong an impression as good ol’Harry (given half the chance and a quarter of the publicity!!!). So all you fans who are bemoaning the end of “The Boy Who Lived”……do give Percy a dekko.