The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

For those of you out there who have read the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, this new continuation of those books was one I couldn't pass up. I really enjoyed the updating of the Greek mythos by transplanting the gods and demigods to America, and the positive life lessons and encouragement Riordan gives to his young readers as he addresses topics like ADHD, dyslexia, and self-image.

That being said, The Lost Hero picks up a few months after the end of the Titan War as recounted in The Last Olympian, the final book in the Percy Jackson series--though we don't know that at the start. The book opens with a teenage boy named Jason awaking in a school bus surrounded by people he doesn't know. Oh, and he's got complete amnesia, and only knows his own name because the girl sitting next to him claim's she his girlfriend, and the guy across from her is supposedly his best friend. After being attacked by vengeful wind spirits, Jason, Piper, and Leo are transported to Camp Half-Blood, where Jason discovers he and his friends feature in a new Great Prophecy, and that while his fellow campers are Greek demigods, he may be the offspring of the Roman incarnation of a particular deity. The kids race across the States to accomplish their task, each wrangling with their own inner struggles as they attempt to fulfill their destiny. Did I mention that Percy Jackson is missing? Uh oh.

This book is amazing. Riordan really outdid himself in expanding his universe and deepening the mystery of his earlier Percy Jackson novels. Bringing out the Roman side of the Greek gods and goddesses was also a stroke of genius, allowing for an even more complicated picture of the interaction between the gods and mortals. I particularly enjoyed the teens' visit to Quebec City, given that I lived there for a while, and note that the cover depicts the Chateau Frontenac in Old Town Quebec, where a certain god of the winds has set up residence in the penthouse suite.

All in all, an excellent read, particularly for fans of Greek mythology and those who enjoyed the Percy Jackson books.