The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . .

This is a really weird coincidence that Palak's last post was The Son of Neptune. The Mark of Athena is the 3rd book in the "Heroes of Olympus" series. I finished it moments ago, and let me tell you readers, this is a THICK book. I haven't read a book this thick since...well... The Son of Neptune.

This book was especially exciting for me because it combines the characters of the first two books together; therefore, creating the best bad-butt team of demigods to ever walk the pages of literacy! These lovable, hysterical, and meaningful characters balance each other out perfectly which in turn  gives readers a chance to love each of them and their own way. Rick Riorden continues to impress me with how he switches points of view between characters without making it seem crowded or random. These switches work harmoniously so that readers never miss any important action, but keeps the suspense up.

Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors because he's just a genius, plain and simple. His books are beautifully put together and his characters leave deep impressions in your heart. Also, his books make you feel like a scholar. He combines Greek, Roman, or Egyptian (depending on the series) mythology with modern day allusions and humor in order to make a hugely fun book. But readers also learn so much. I feel like an expert of Greek mythology especially because of the Percy Jackson series and now this one. Mr. Riordan has successfully made a fun learning experience.

The Mark of Athena was fabulously paced and brilliant as a usual Riorden book. Readers will meet new monsters and characters that are never what they seem, and it's just plain exciting. All you can do is just read as fast as you can, close the book, and smile and shake your head because you just finished a book that your kids will read one day, and will love just as much as you.

Cover: 4/5 stars

Plot: 4/5 stars

-Love, Katie