Hádův chrám

The Heroes of Olympus #4

by Rick Riordan

Čas se krátí… Bránu Smrti, tajemný průchod mezi světem živých a mrtvých ovládla Gaia se svými pomocníky. Zástupy nestvůr proudí na zem a chystají se převzít vládu nad světem. Přijdou Percy a jeho přátelé na to, jak bránu uzavřít? Dokáží se vrátit z hlubin Tartaru, nejtemnější části podsvětí, kterému vládne bůh mrtvých Hádes? Nebude to jednoduché! Řečtí a římští bohové nedokáží svým dětem pomoci a k Táboru polokrevných se blíží armáda římských polobohů, aby ho zničila. Sedm statečných hrdinů z proroctví musí znovu nasadit své životy za záchranu bohů, lidstva a celé civilizace.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Percy Jackson, Adventure

552 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2013

About the author

Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.

Reviews

[Sabrina]

But above all, I just want this book to come out! (or at least have any spoilers - I mean, I'm dying here!)

---------------------------------------------------------
That last book left me in a jumble of emotions and feels and thoughts. But I realized something worse. Since the House of Hades is the second to last book in the series, I predict there will be a big cliffhanger!

You think this is bad?



Just wait till we read this book! ... Yes, I acknowledge the fact that we have to wait to read this book for practically a year.

But on a different and much happier note: The title of the book is House of Hades

Could this mean ... NICO!!!!

I think I would cry and hyperventilate if it's Nico's perspective! My heart wouldn't be able to take it. My undying love fascination of his character is just so deep, and I swear, I just want him to get out of that damned jar. Screw Team Percy or Team Jason, I'm Team Nico DiAngelo!


I wanna date meet the Ghost King!

Speaking of which, Nico better be okay and he better stay alive and Rick Riordan, don't you dare lay a finger on Nico! If you do, I swear, you better sleep with one eye open.

Percabeth update: Rick has confirmed that Annabeth and Percy are alive. How they're doing though? No clue. But I expect a lot of romance cause what better place to spend time with your boyfriend than in hell ;) Direct quote from Rick: "The one thing I can promise regarding “The House of Hades” ***SPOILER ALERT**** At the end of “Mark of Athena”, Nico senses that Percy and Annabeth are still alive, despite the incredible danger they are in. Nico is right. They are alive. You WILL find out what is happening to them in the next book. They don’t disappear from the story. **** END SPOILER ALERT*****"

I'm honestly not sure if I want Percy and Annabeth's perspectives to be told. If I had to choose, I would want Nico (obviously), Leo (he's hilarious), Reyna (we have to know what's going on in the Roman side of things) and ....

Maybe Jason? We haven't heard from him in a while and he is a main character. As much as I love Percy, I'm not sure if Rick will include his perspective again. I'd rather Percy's perspective be in the last book than in the second-to-last. Or maybe that's just me.

On the romance department, I've lost so much respect for Jason. Playing both girls .. not cool. I don't know if I want him with Reyna anymore, I'm so conflicted.

And the whole Leo/Hazel/Frank thing? UNDECIDED!

There's so much romantic drama in these books now! ENOUGH WITH THE LOVE TRIANGLES!



My most important request? I miss some of the old characters Rick. Whatever happened to Grover or Thalia or even Percy's mom? Bring them back ... please?



Post some spoilers Rick!!!! Please, please, please, please! Or else (and I'm serious this time!)


Cause a year is just too long to go without Percy

EDIT! - November 13th

Sorry to say this edit doesn't have any spoilers or upcoming information and things like that. But I have a real important thing to say ...

Please do NOT rate the book already

I know, you love Riordan. I know, all the other books were amazing! And I know this book will probably be no different but please save your 5-stars until the book has been released! There shouldn't be any ratings yet, pre-reviews are fine but ratings? Nah.

Thanks :)

EDIT! - April 5th

Two important things I have to share with you today:

Number 1) The cover art will be released on May 31st, 2013



So that means that this:

While very pretty, is not the actual cover art but a fan-made cover . Why must you taunt me with this???



So excited to see it!

Numero 2) THE RELEASE DATE FOR THIS BOOK IS OCTOBER 8TH, 2013!!!!



Aww, the wait is so, very long. 6 months more ...



EDIT! - April 11th





WAIT - WHAT?

So Rick, you mean to tell me that the fact that Aphrodite talked to Reyna, the fact that Jason felt wrong about Piper, the fact that Reyna was waiting for Jason to come back because she wants to be loved means absolutely nothing?



You see, I wouldn't have had such a large problem with Jason and Piper if not for the inclusion of Reyna/Jason feels. If Riordan wanted to be Team Piper, why did he have to make us fall in love with the idea of Reyna and Jason? This is just cruel.

On a happier note ...





Could this mean ... DOES NICO HAVE A POV????



EDIT! - May 31st
IT HAS A COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Let's analyse shall we?

So we can clearly see Annabeth and Percy on the cover - the first cover which features PERCABETH *cue fangirl screaming*

Secondly, and I'm sure this has already been pointed out, why are those Doors of Death closed? They - they, can't be stuck in Tartaus!!! NoooooO!

[Claudia Lomelí · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bob says hello" AND I BROKE IN TEARS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME.

[Sasha Alsberg]

Another amazing novel by Rick Riordan! Cant wait to start the next novel and see how this all ends!

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: Pulsating panic, its heroes mature by individual valor, personal pain, and facing down the monsters of memory lane.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

House of Hades Review:
(Pre HoH release review near the bottom somwhere...)

EDIT: May, 2014
So... a confirmed Nico point of view for BoO... interesting...

Contains House of Hades spoilers
Ummm... so House of Hades was kind of epic. I'm just trying to figure out where to start here... how about IT WAS TOO FREAKING SHORT!

So, it was almost 600 pages. And it was awesome, but I can't help feel that it still could have been longer. As many Tartarus chapters as there were, they were all short. And Piper only got one section of chapters. Which, don't lie, was a pretty bad-A Khione confrontation.

Speaking of POV's, I was really happy to see Frank again. He has such a subtle humor that I love. And the whole thing on the bridge, I just loved it. Another thing I loved... HOLY CALYPSO! I got teary at the end of that part. It was so sad. I actually got the feeling that the two of them were perfect for each other. And the thing at the end of that part with the prophecy. It's all starting to come together!

Even Jason was likable in this book. Though I don't like the pro-Camp Jupiter feeling I'm getting from Percy, Jason choosing Camp Half-Blood was a nice little twist! Well, not quiet a twist. We all knew he liked Camp Half-Blood better. And, come on, we all like Camp Half-Blood better. Jason was also a pretty good leader in this book. He's still not one of my favorites, but he kept everyone on track. I'm really starting to get that feeling that they are all a group. Hazel and Piper started getting along and Leo got Frank that fire-proof pouch. In Mark of Athena the seven (plus Nico) weren't really used to each other yet, but I think all of those problems were fixed in this book. They are all a much better team than they were in past books.

And Percy and Annabeth were adorable. I mean, Percy only got to nap once the entire time, but it was all so perfect. And the pen writes in bronze, and Bob, and Small Bob, and that scene with the arai. I liked that Annabeth got a cool sword and the whole Tartarus being alive thing was terrifying. I also noticed that they used their delay tactic a lot in this book. Like, does anybody have any idea how many times someone stalls for time in this book? Not like I had problem with it, they are always hysterical when they delay. The tourist thing at the place of Night killed me. And then of course the next Jason chapter Frank picks up a tourist brochure.

Also, I was so shocked that nobody died in this book. Rick had me so convinced that two people were gonna die.
1. Nico or Hazel
2. Leo or Jason
I thought one person from each of these groups was going to go. He made me so certain that two of these four people weren't going to make it to see the epic last battle. Now if no one died in this book... how many are gonna die in the next one?

And now on that wonderfully happy note I'm going toalk about... NICO. Oh my gosh, is it sad that I wasn't expecting this? I'm not one of those people who have a mega-fangirl crush on Nico, yet I still didn't see the signs earlier in the chapter. I guess I just expected it to be more of a brotherly Percy thing, but I'm actually totally okay with the way it turned out. It was important, but Rick didn't make a huge deal of it. I think it was done very nicely, actually. Also,

Dear Rick,
We all though it was weird in Mark of Athena when you said Nico had always had a huge crush on Annabeth. We know you planted it.
Sincerely,
I Knew I was Right And That That Never Happened.

And how sneaky was it that he got rid of all the extra characters on that little "save the camps" quest. I was wondering why if there were only supposed to be seven demigods, what the heck were Nico and Reyna doing hanging around. But he fixed it, and he got rid of Coach Hedge, who's going to have a baby! Yay, Coach Hedge we all love you!

This was also really a book of answering fans questions. We learned Reyna's full name, Annabeth's birthday, and if Percy's pen actually writes. He did a good job of packing all of our ridiculous questions into the book in normal ways. Way to go Rick!

And how about that next title? Spooky right. I really like it. I just hope the cover isn't black, House of Hades is already dark enough that it would just look weird on my bookshelf. Oh, I'm sure the cover will be amazing as always.

As much as I'm SO EXCITED for this next book, I don't know how I feel about Percy Jackson ending. I'm going to be really sad when it's all over, and just think, the end is only a year away...

And did anyone else get that creepy Barnes and Noble exclusive map of Tartarus. It's really weird.



Mark of Athena Review and pre-HoH release ranting

Why did MoA have to end so sadly! I hardly ever cry. Even when I saw Titanic my eyes just got a little teary. But THIS! THIS was the saddest/sweetest/most heartbreaking thing I have ever experienced. Probably that ever existed. I was SOBBING! It was 1:30 am and I'm surprised I didn't wake up my whole family with the inhuman noises I was making. The only thing that made me feel (just a tiny bit) better was when Nico said that Percy was the best demigod ever and I was like: "take that Jason!" Don't get me wrong, I like Jason. Percy's just better. So yeah, my heart is broken. Forever. On a side note I hope that Nico is a POV in House of Hades [UPDATE: yes, guys I know that there will be no Nico POV, but when I made this review I did not know that because the information was not yet released, sorry for any confusion]. (anybody else notice Rick's pattern of the last few books. The_____ of _____ ?) Yes? NO? Also, would I be alone if I said that I think Leo is going to play a huge role in the end of the series? Just a guess.

Also, I've read the last two chapters like 5 times already and might I say that they are equally as sad every time? The worst thing about the first time, though, was that it was SO unexpected. Annabeth trips and you're like "Percy will save her!" and the book's like "lol no. They fall to their doom after a really cute moment." And then you're just like... (massive sob) "THAT'S SO CUTE AND SAD WAHHHHHH" in conclusion: I DID NOT EXPECT IT! def. his darkest (and one of his best) ones yet. Can't wait for House of Hades EEEEEEEP!

Rick isn't too cruel so Percy and Annabeth will probably make it but it's still super sad. And to those of you telling Rick to write faster: I know! I don't want to wait either BUT considering that it takes some authors three years to write ONE book, he's actually pretty fast. AND would you rather him take his time and have it be AMAZING or have it come out earlier and SUCK because he didn't have any time? Exactly! I don't want to wait but we have to!

And come on, you know the pain is actually really fun. It makes the book even better when you get it! Plus it gives us more time to enjoy the series AND we still have 2 years until the end... And it will all be over... And I'll have nothing to do............

UPDATE 11/26/12
*SPOILER*
On Rick's blog it said that we WILL be hearing from Percy/Annabeth (my bet is on a Percy POV) in HoH and that in the end Nico can tell that they are alive. YAYAYAYAYAY

UPDATE 5/31/13
WOW. The cover. WOW. It's so creepy I honestly cannot stop staring at it. They look like zombies! I love it! Also, has anyone seen the U.K. cover? I like how the U.S. and U.K. covers are always sort of similar. I think they want us to think certain things. Like the MoA cover, we all thought that Percy and Jason were going to fight because on BOTH covers it showed them in deceiving battle positions.. Now, the HoH covers show Annabeth and Percy in peril. I likes it.

Also, guys. Seriously. Rick Riordan tweeted the link for the official unveil and on the link it said that the cover was a nice Percabeth moment. This means that, IT IS NOT NICO on the cover you guys. That sword is bronze NOT iron. Get a grip. Also, the whole 'NICE Percabeth moment thing' that I just mentioned means that Percy is not dragging Annabeth because he is possessed. I understand that you cannot see his eyes perfectly, but... guys. IT IS A DRAWING! Please forgive me, but I don't think that there is too much hidden in this cover.

Yes, I agree it is weird that their clothes are messed up. I will give you credt on that because I don't know if it's spiderweb or prison clothes as some of you are suggesting or what. Another thing that I am unsure of is the weird river/path of souls or whatever that is on the bottom. So come up with whatever predictions you want on that, it will not bother me. But people... that is PERCY he is NOT POSSESSED, and to add a third thing I love Annabeth's hair. She is Rocking the hair ribbon. (totally relevant)

Oh, and Leo... On the blurb/synopsis thing it said that Leo wondered how they were going to close the doors without someone staying behind and... I'm really scared! It said Leo wonders, LEO. would they mention JUST Leo if something bad wasn't going to happen! I'm sure though that if anyone dies Rick Riordan will do it right. Still, that will be a VERY emotional scene if it happens.

One last thing! On the U.K. cover Annabeth has a knife. YES! At the end of MoA I was freaking out because her knife and laptop fell. I had hopes that they would find them in Tartarus. I am happy to say that with proof from the U.K. cover that they possibly will find them. Maybe. I'll probably be back for another update when we get the sneak preview in a few weeks.

SO EXCITED!

UPDATE 7/10/13
Last week the first chapter for The House of Hades was released to the public. I know that it took me a really long to update what I thought, but trust me. I read it as soon as I had the chance. This first bit of The House of Hades is in Hazel's point of view. I love every single characters in these books, and I'm glad that they are all getting equal chances to speak.

The only reason that I have not talked about this chapter sooner is because I felt that there isn't much to say. It was fabulous and it set up the book for a ton of interesting things. What is Hazel going to have to do when they get to the doors? How much does Nico know? Yes, there are many crazy questions raised and, as I said, it is an amazing first chapter. There just isn't as much to question in it as there was for both The Son of Neptune and the Mark of Athena.

Rick Riordan has done a great job as always and I cannot wait to read the rest of the book!

P.S. What do you think book 5 might be called? I know that we won't find out until October, I was just wondering some of your opinions!

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

Percy and Annabeth went to hell and back for each other. Literally

[Tharindu Dissanayake · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Swords! Guns! Massive ka-booms!"
"The House of Hades is open for business."
"Doors of Death, here we come."

The Quest of Seven Demigods continues from Riordan's biggest cliffhanger yet at the end of The Mark of Athena, and Chaos is everywhere: literally and figuratively! The author must've been looking forward to this one, where there are too many possibilities to make things turn out terribly, which usually suits the penultimate adventures of demigods. And this one - the fourth of the series - was by far the best of HoO for me (just like the 4th one of PJO being my favorite of that series).

"Annabeth Chase, died age 17. BA-BOOM. Died of massive injuries while leaping like an idiot into the abyss of Chaos. BA-BOOM. Survived by her father, mother and tow stepbrothers who barely knew her. BA-BOOM."

The two interconnected plot lines, are both eventful, thrilling, full of suspense and still hilarious at times. But I liked the Tartarus adventure the best, which was entirely new territory for both PJO and HoO stories up to now. Dark and terrible as it was, I do wish that part were a bit longer. Surprising encounters down in the abyss were nicely laid out, making the reader fall in love with two most unlikely characters.

"Never EVER sleep in Tartarus."

Argo II adventure was more towards fun side, but still had it's terrifying moments where each demigod faces their own opportunity to come through for the team. It felt like preparing the personalities and highlighting innate character qualities of the five demigods. And the re-appearance of certain characters complemented the flow of the plot of Argo II team nicely.

"the pretty ghost ladies who serve Persephone are good. Exploding zombies are bad."

In terms of pure adventure, I have a hard time picturing the next (and last) book of HoO surpassing The House of Hades, for, this offered the most entertaining adventure of the both PJO-HoO combined. I hope the next one will not fall behind by a lot. Oh, and, it's very kind of the author to end things on relatively relaxed status for once!

"Ships to fix! Festus to check! Earth goddesses to punch in the face! What are we waiting for?"

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: Tour of perdition, reluctant admissions, big changes out of the blue, prior foes have cameos, one lengthy rendezvous.

*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:

Progress updates:

07/20/2023 - Chapters 1-7
(1) This new narrator is going to take some getting used to.
- I already miss Leo's slight Mexican accent.
- I do enjoy that his Nico sounds like an emo stoner.
(2) It's a subtle development in Frank and Leo's relationship that Frank doesn't seem to have a problem with Leo and Hazel being on the same shift keeping watch.
- Though, her brother's there, so it's not like they're spending the night alone together.

07/21/2023 - Chapters 8-17
(1) "[Annabeth] cupped the fiery liquid in her palms and raised it to her mouth. She expected a taste like gasoline. It was so much worse... like gulping down a ghost chili smoothie. Her sinuses filled with liquid flame."
- People tell me hot drinks on hot days cool you down. Not for me. I just sweat a lot, which is worse than the heat.
- I wonder if fire water tasting awful is some subtle PSA against alcohol?

07/22/2023 - Chapters 18-24
(1) Nico: "Frank, turn into a giant eagle. Don’t worry about me. Get her back to the Argo II!"
Later: "Frank didn’t ask questions. Despite his exhaustion, he turned into a giant eagle..."
- Frank can turn into giant-sized things? Why not do that all the time?
(2) "Frank was taller. His gut had shrunk. His chest seemed bulkier."
- Frank sort of Pokémon evolves after a battle. I wonder how many levels there are?

07/23/2023 - Chapters 25-42
(1) "Next to [Hazel], Gale ran up and down the railing, passing gas; but the strong wind off the Adriatic helped whisk it away."
- Hearing "Gale," I immediately thought of Gale from "Hunger Games"... passing gas.
(2) Khione, Calais and Zethes have European French accents. That'd be fine, except they're from Quebec and should have Quebecois accents.
- Though I doubt many non-Canadians could tell or would care.

07/24/2023 (1) - Chapters 43-66
(1) '"You’re that lady," Leo said ... "Calypso! But Percy said you were awesome. He said you were all sweet and helpful, not, um..."
She shot to her feet. "Yes?"
"Uh, nothing," Leo said.'
- Exactly my problem with Calypso. My favorite character in the previous series is a totally different person here.
(2) The narrator gives Calypso some sort of accent that I assume must be Greek, but that's only a best guess.

07/24/2023 (2) - Chapters 67-78
(1) Hazel: "Leo, I'm sorry."
Leo: "Okay. For what?"
Hazel: "For ... Everything. For thinking you were Sammy, for leading you on. I mean, I didn’t mean to, but if I did —"
- I don't think it takes much to lead Leo on. He pretty much goes gaga for every unattached pretty girl... well, except Calypso, but she came out swinging.
- So, confirmation, Hazel had feelings for Leo, even if he was a surrogate for Sammy.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart flutters when I'm reading this one because it is the fourth book and I will have to wait for the final book! :D I am so excited what will happen to this series.

Leo: He is so useful in this book! He's so awesome. I ship him to Calypso by the way but I don't have faith much in this two since Calypso is in her world.

Piper: I'm glad she is moving to help her friends. Her fight with ice-gods are awesome although her relationship to Jason still didn't improve, oh Piper dear, I think you are in the verge of heartbreak.

Jason: I'm glad he has a numerous POV in this book! not much to say to him but he is reaching out to his friends.

Hazel&Frank: They are so cute! Such a matured couple.

Percy&Annabeth: How could i forget this two? Drinking fire, getting help from Bob and Damasen, their love is so strong and i can't wait for book 5 for their happy ending.

NICO: Okay, so his name is in caps and bold BECAUSE OF HIS REVELATION sakldjjsfhjsahfgdghjhhdfkghdksjadfhkjasgrf I CANNOT!! I DON'T EVEN HATE OR DISLIKE IT BECAUSE ITS GOOD JUST TO WAY IT IS!!

Oh, wait...


Reyna - Shes so awkward (well that's expected...) and I'm glad she is not like the other Roman demigods that are narrow-minded.

Well, for the whole summary of my review, it is awesome. I can't wait for the book 5. :D

[Darlalala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've finished House of Hades!!!


First of, let me tell you that the dedication page is CRAZY! It's like Rick derives pleasure from seeing us in pain.

...


I mean seriously? Do you have to rub it in? Argggh!!!

Sigh. But let's face it. We still love Rick Riordan no matter how troll he is.



Anyway, on to the book.

Rick stepped up his game in the House of Hades. It wasn't all action, wherein there is one explosive thing then the scene shifts to another one.
In the HOH, there are quiet moments where Rick lets his character grow and have more depth. During these moments the readers could know what kind of person a character truly is and I personally enjoyed these moments.
Now I know what Jason really feels about being the golden boy. That he does not feel that perfect contrary to what the others perceive about him.

I wasn't expecting it but I really liked Jason's chapters.

He tries hard to build a rapport with his colleagues but unfortunately, he doesn't have the skills of Percy Jackson.
I can see why others don't trust him that much. Jason is supposed to be looked up to because he's the leader, being the son of Jupiter and all.
But can I share my problems with him?
Can he be a friend and not just a ruler who only thinks for the good of the quest?

Percy is a people person. Jason -- not so much. But hey, props to Jason for trying! Now I know that he can be a good friend.


Also, I love that Jason and Percy are bros. (When he bear hugged Percy? Bromance overload!!!)

Piper was much much less annoying this time. Maybe because she got only four chapters which is very fine with me lol. Piper is okay when she's not obsessing about Jason. She's actually pretty cool and kick ass, her charm being her most effective weapon.

Leo... I really wished that his romance with Calypso will be permanent. I mean it's about time he gets someone, a living creature, to love and will love him in return, not just his machines. Otherwise, that would be extremely lonely. He kind of matured in this book, no longer that silly, crazy demigod we all adored. Oh well, thats character development.
Also, I like the Leo- Hazel friendship without the tension. Or maybe I just can't imagine Hazel being with anyone but Frank?

Hazel's powers have grown here. She learned how to use the mist and bend it to suit her needs, that's pretty much impressive. I like her new friendship with Leo, and her relationship with Frank became more stable. She bonded well with Piper too.

I just wish that Nico would stop the self pity and realize that of all people, Hazel would accept him for who he is!!


Anyway, Hazel has a huge part in finding the doors of death and can I just say that she really rocked (figuratively) the underground realm? It's like everything is possible when Hazel is in underground, she can even sort of teleport Leo, Percy and Annabeth!
Anyway, I hope the whole we're-quite-scared-of-you-because-you're-a-child-of-pluto-and-youre-super-powerful business will stop. I mean, it's really not fair.

What's with the voices inside Frank's head? I still quite dont get it but okay.. Ares is just a troublesome, childish war god. End of story.
I do like the fact that Ares is generous with giving his 'blessing' to his children. Remember when Clarisse killed the drakon and had a red aura around her or something? Yea, that happened to Frank too. But Frank has gotten some bonus points. His appearance changed! He became taller and less pudgy. In short, he became hot lol. and I think his promotion is right too since out of all the Romans among the seven, Frank is most roman of all. Heck, he even pins his centurion badge with everything he wears!

Percy and Annabeth. Oh my heart is soooooo happy for these two.



They've come so far! I really can't imagine one without the other. I think Annabeth was spot on:

“Her voice caught on the word friend. Percy was a lot more than that. Even boyfriend really didn’t cover it. They’d been through so much together, at this point Percy was part of her – a sometimes annoying part, sure, but definitely a part she could not live without.”
- Excerpt From: Rick, Riordan. “The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus Book 4).”

Sigh. Their journey through Tartarus was one helluva ride. It's their darkest adventure yet, and I think they wouldn't have survived if not for Bob. Maybe Damasen too but mostly it's Bob who had been their rock.

I don't know. For me the highlight of their trip to Tartarus is learning to give chance and to trust that even enemies could be great allies. Also by treating someone as a friend, even if it would be insane to do so, he would also treat you as a friend and will choose to be on your side even if it means betraying traditions. Wow. Since when did Rick Riordan's books make me so philosophical? Maybe it's just too much Annabeth. Not that I'm complaining.

okay, Nico is not part of the 7 but im going to include a separate portion of my review for him.

WARNING: The following might contain strong emotional outbursts.

NICO was angry and miserable like I mentioned.
Nico is freaking fourteen!!! he shouldn't be feeling these kinds of stuff. It will break him.

I wish he would be given a friend who could understand him and give him advice. Then he will make up with Percy accepting the fact that hes just an older brother or something. Then he'll go somewhere to heal his broken heart while doing some important godly job.
That would be awesome.

And the scene when Annabeth held Percy's hand while saying good luck to nico?



That moment, i wanted to snatch Percy's hand from Annabeth and give her my 'Don't-you-have-a-heart-glare'.


Oh nico...


Well not everything about Nico is pure drama. There was a scene when Nico was so cute I wanted to bring him home lol. When he was turned to a corn plant and when he returned to human and he said that he had a nightmare about popcorn? That was hilarious! I hope he had more scenes like that.

So that's it. I LOVED IT. It may not be the same as the past series (PJO), not that silly and juvenile, but the characters became more real to me. Goods job Mr. Rick Riordan, as usual.

Now book five Blood of Olympus. Wow that sounds scary, please please come a little faster? At least make it on the first week of October!!!

I know the ending of the House of Hades (which I loved btw) isn't much of a cliffhanger, but I still want to know badly what will happen. ESPECIALLY ABOUT NICO!!! He's the most angry and miserable character I've ever met, Akhlys and he would make a fantastic, albeit desperate, pair. I want Nico to have a peace of mind, he deserves it.
Please Nico stop being angry and let people love you because believe me, a lot of us fangirls really really have a massive crush on you.




Oh my gosh this is such a good book!!!



I hope Rick would write another Percy series after the Heroes of Olympus. I'm not ready to let Percy go.


Earlier

UPDATE!
Oct 3, 2013:
Look at this!

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by...

ALL OF THE SEVEN are getting a POV in the House of Hades?
I did NOT expect that, but YAY!!!

But is my understanding of what he said correct?
Sorry, I'm a little giddy I can't think straight lol.

THE COVER:


Percy and Annabeth are on the cover.
Percy and Annabeth are on the cover.
Percy and Annabeth are on the cover.

It only means one thing. We'll be getting a POV from either of them!


I'm guessing it would be Annabeth's.
But oh dear, they don't look good in the picture. They look so beat up. But at least they are together. Together. Gosh that should be their.. um, tagline? Or slogan or whatever.

I AM FREAKING EXCITED!

EARLIER:
I have a feeling we won't see Percy and Annabeth in this book. If it's possible, we will see them on the last chapters already. *sobs*
(I have to qualify this. I think we won't see Percy and Annabeth's POVs here. We can only know what's happening to them thru demigod dreams and visions whatnot. I know, I know. This is unacceptable! Maybe Annabeth's POV will be included too? Since her POV was not included in TLH or SoN.)

NEWSFLASH! I just read Riordan's blog and he wrote this:
The one thing I can promise regarding The House of Hades ***SPOILER ALERT**** At the end of Mark of Athena, Nico senses that Percy and Annabeth are still alive, despite the incredible danger they are in. Nico is right. They are alive. You WILL find out what is happening to them in the next book. They don't disappear from the story. **** END SPOILER ALERT*****
THAT'S FREAKING AWESOME GUYS!!!

Whose POV we will be seeing? I think House of Hades would be told from Jason, Frank and Hazel's POV. Meh. I mean, I like Hazel and Frank with Leo joining the mix but Jason? No. I don't like him that much. Maybe I was influenced by Piper's POV on MoA, she being obsessed with Jason, as usual. Through Piper's eyes we saw Jason as too perfect.
Um.. WHO WANTS PERFECT? Perfect is boring and not really believable, I mean there's a reason why most people root for the underdog right?
Also she compared Jason to Percy, and I din't like her comparison. She thought Percy was unimpressive compared to Jason.
At least I won't be seeing Piper's thoughts in this one. That's definitely a plus. Jasper fans, no hatin' please :D
I just wish the love story won't be the main plot, it's too cuddly for my taste. LOL.

Oh well, another year of waiting for the House of Hades. Until then, I should read MoA again and savor Percy and Annabeth's moments together. I won't be seeing them for a long time.

[jasmine •｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⤷This is definitely one of the best Rick Riordan book I've read!!! Frank and Hazel's character development was insanely good, and they are so cute together. I've become a Jason fan, now that we get to see more of his background and internal thoughts (never thought I would say that). The Percabeth moments were such a treat (the people were not lying) - seeing them go through hardships together but still uplifting each other 😭 Ughhh protecting each other and thinking about the future 🥹 I love Bob and Damasen so much, they are such great side characters, but that ending made sad :( I'm excited to see Nico and Reyna a lot more, looking forward to finishing this series!!!

[Annabeth pressed her lips to Percy's ear. "I love you."
She wasn't sure he could hear her-but if they were going to die she wanted those to be her last words.]

[Tina Rafii➹ lives in Fandoms · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Golden Stars, Complete!=

+EPIC!
+MAGNIFICENT!
+BREATHTAKING!
+HEARTBREAKING!
+FUN!

4th book in the 2nd series in Camp Half-Blood chronicles

"...And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."

highest adventures of all!
to the unknown territory & horror!
after that cliffhanger in the last book, I didn't expect less! Loved it!

Such a WILD ride!
we're at the peak of adrenaline!
lots of tears & stars!
another favourite in HoO series! (it's truly a hard choice between this one & the Mark of Athena, maybe both in the first place?)

& we have all 7 half-bloods' POVs! I was just sooooo thrilled the moment I noticed this!

I love all this exciting electrifying(!) thrillers which made me agitate even in umpteenth(?) read! also totally strongly-biased about this book.
I always read first 8 chapters in one shot, immediately after finishing MoA. AlWaYs!

how thrills & dangers wrapped around 'the Seven', especially the moment they think they are safe. well, Mhahaha, you can't run from the destiny. (or more specifically, from uncle Rick.)
the challenges, the decisions, their strength & bravery. along with caring & friendships & bondings
everything was happening fast. & EvErY chapter had something important to show!
my favourite kind of book!
some events were cruel, thus thrilling, more LOVE IT! (*my maniac inner villain cheers*)
I cried a lot.

All those thrilling & lovable PERCABETH moments!
*more cry*

✦ “Annabeth's voice caught on the word friend. Percy was a lot more than that. Even boyfriend really didn't cover it. They'd been through so much together, at this point Percy was part of her--a sometimes annoying part, sure, but definitely a part she could not live without.”


✦ “Annabeth?” Percy said again. “You’re planning something. You’ve got that 'I’m-planning-something' look.”
“I don’t have an 'I’m-planning-something' look.”
“Yeah, you totally do. Your eyebrows knit together and your lips press together and—”


✦ “He gave her that smirk she’d come to love.”


still (in re-reading) had to subdue my willing to skip some chapters to reach Percabeth! I didn't because all chapters parallel, connected & of course, interesting!
& I actually smiled like an idiot when I read "he had Apollo's smile" for no reason. (well, yeah there is a reason; which is I love Apollo, but he was not there, you know? as if I smiled only because I saw his name.)

& fun spiced up almost every moments! (I mean some of those on the-edge-of-the-seat moments have disguised momentarily joke (like the Venice adventure) or someone (mostly Percy or Leo) to add funny comments, to reduce the tension or to boast or any other reasons.

ladies & gentleman; Percy Jackson!

"Keep climbing,' he told himself.
'Cheeseburgers,' his stomach replied.
'Shut up,' he thought.
'With fries,' his stomach complained."

& Annabeth...

Annabeth, the precious gem of all heroines. She is awesome, wise, calculating, smart, quick thinker (the Night part was so funny!), strategist, planner, brave, badass, caring, knowing she's not flawless, but never giving up, [not whiny, not annoying or a hot-head] & everything I need to love a heroine exists in her.


& Bob n Bob.
& Jason (am I the only one who loves him? I think I am the only one who loves him from his first appearance in the Lost hero); he's a natural leader (like Percy) & brave & strong & of course, adorable, caring, in general, my sweetheart.
& Nico, our small precious bean! so brave, so good.
& sweet Frank, bad boy Leo, charming Piper, strong Reyna Practical coach Hedge, all are very interesting & lovable characters. I love them all! (well, not Octavian!) but at the top: Percy & Annabeth, Jason & Nico.
I love how their relationships/friendship developed, they all care about each other. I love them all. #FriendsCombo

& this gorgeous cover!
-
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
/ Characters development: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★★/5
/ Fun: ★★★★★/5
/ Feelz: ★★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
-
[just in case, I wrote this review after my 3rd re-read. but still fangirling like I wouldn't know what happened!]

[MischaS_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, these books are going to destroy me! However, despite loving this, there is something different which makes it a bit hard to decide on the rating. I feel like there was something missing in this story, maybe too many characters, so something had to be cut... Because since there are so many of them, people tend to find favourites, and then they wish for more content about them.

This book had me totally destroyed, I did not see this coming at all and it was so painfully good, I just cannot take it.

I just wish there were more of Jason/Piper moments because so far they are quickly becoming my favourite couple. I adore Percy and Annabeth; they are the original Riordan couple; I could not wait for them to get together. And I'm so happy for them.

I hope that Percy and Nico will talk and everything will be all right forever.
I'm not a fan of Happily Ever After but I so much need a happy ending for Nico and a book for him as well.
I finally started to like Leo , please, be with Calypso!
However, I still don't like Hazel or Frank. They just do not fit with the rest, to be honest.
Well, I hope that there will be different ending than that Jason'll go to the Half-blood Camp and Percy to the Jupiter Camp.

Maybe this book wasn't perfect, but I'm not able to give only 4*. I would feel terrible. Because these books are just so awesome and leave me grasping for the next book.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

So the air was acid. The water was misery. The ground was broken glass. Everything here was designed to hurt and kill.

I have never been a fan of including gifs. in my reviews however The House of Hades, calls for some exception. Not only have I been dying for a year to read this, but also because right now, I'm a mess of emotions and words. I mean, I was already crying when my mum snagged a copy for me while I was at school the second the bookstore opened. And then I abandoned all my review books so I could read The House of Hades ASAP because... IT'S THE HOUSE OF HADES, DUH. Proceed onwards!

Picking up from where the torturous The Mark of Athena left off, we have Hazel, Frank, Leo, Jason, Piper, Nico and Coach Hedge on the Argo II, on the way to meet Percy and Annabeth on the other side of The Doors of Death. However the task is not that simple, a war is brewing between the Greeks and Romans, Gaia is becoming stronger... and the Athena Parthenos needs to be in its rightful place. The House of Hades, second last book before the finale (which has been named The Blood of Olympus) has a little something for all types of readers. Action, mythology, humour, romance, sacrifices, war and monsters are all present. And, trust me people; you will not be disappointed--no matter how high your hopes were, no matter how excited you were, no matter how much of your body you would sell for this. No. Disappointments. YAYA!
The House of Hades, has whopping 7 main characters and 2 sub-main characters. Crazy? Yes. It has always been my greatest concern that The House of Hades would make my brain hurt from attempting to distinguish apart such an ample number of personalities. Yet, I seriously love love loved the characters in this book. Percy, our hero since the beginning has never been more selfless and humorous. He may be kickass but he still has one big big heart--and a very funny personality. However I couldn't help but think that Bob the Titan, (yes, Bob is back!) was one of the more laughable characters here. Percy had a little less due to his situation, a.k.a in the deepest part of hell. Annabeth, wholly badass, full of hope and smart. Always with a plan. While Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus, they face some of the biggest challenges and curses of their lives--their abilities are stretch to their maximum and above. And their romance was like THE SWEETEST EVER. I'll admit, their isn't as much as I was wishing for but Rick Riordan makes it the most realistic and every time they'd hold hands I was like
Together, they make an ass-kicking team.

Hazel was actually one of the more important ones in The House of Hades. I grew rather attached to her, she's so determined to save everyone, so full of heart, so determined. I really wanted to tackle hug her. Leo, our cool guy with plenty of cute arrogance. Frank, lots of character development in this one, our shy and unsure one. Coach Hedge, we go a little more into his history and still and get plenty of his love for killing and butchering. And Nico! OMG. My fictional crush <3 I did get heartbroken though. Heart. So. Broken. Into. Shreds. Piper and Jason... they were just meh. As usual. Not that they ruined my enjoyment of the book but I am just no fan.

I do think, while Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus are full of fun and action, it's also been teaching me a lot of Greek Mythology and Roman Mythology along the way, in fact, I've become really interested in Greek Myths, and am planning to learn more about religion and mythology for my free electives at school which is exciting. I am so, so grateful to have read this series. Some books, you read and love but they may not teach you as much as this one. Rick's books come with the extra of some knowledge. If an author can teach a bit of Greek Myths while writing an attaching story, I do believe that all MG and YA readers so give this series a go.

All in all, The House of Hades was no disappointment apart from the fact that I have to wait ANOTHER year for the sequel. *cries*

[Kai Spellmeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You cannot control your parentage, but you can choose your legacy”

As always, Rick Riordan doesn't disappoint. Action, fun, more action, gods and monsters, legends and heroes, love, revenge and friendship. That is basically The House of Hades.

All in all this was great. Sometimes I got a bit weary, the page count is quite big in this one. But then with such a big cast of characters, it's no surprise. It's actually really quite impressive how Riordan manages to give everybody a fair share of the spotlight. No one is left behind. Even the character developement is on point.

My most beloved character however is Nico di Angelo. I'm totally rooting for this guy and can't wait to read more of him. He deserves to be lucky...and I deserve to see him with a love interest that I can swoon over.

Find more of my books on Instagram

[Elevetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, geez.

Oh, wow.

This. Me. Now.
Give it to me before I freak out.





Too late.




LOOK AT THAT COVER!!!!

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINAL REVIEW






HOLY HOUSE OF HADES. MY EMOTIONS. THE FEELS. I CAN'T.

That book was freaking amazing. The year wait was SO WORTH IT.

Behold the actual dedicated page: "To my wonderful readers: Sorry about that last cliff-hanger. Well, no not really. HAHAHAHA. But seriously, I love you guys."

After reading that dedication page, I just died a little from the awesomeness that is Rick Riordan. You are officially my favorite author, the author who not only is able to transform a wonderful world of mythology into a gripping story that captures you from page one with wonderful characters that you all fall in love with, but an author who introduced me to the wonderful world of reading at the age of 10 with the Lightning Thief.

So many things happen in this book that just completely blow me away.

First, the character development. You would think with over 7 important characters all uniquely different, an author would have immense trouble really connecting and developing the characters. NOPE, not for Rick Riordan. Not only does he really go deep into intercharacter relationships and making sure you get to know them, he makes you fall in love with them. He makes you so emotionally invested in the characters that have you screaming in joy or gripping your book (or in my case, Nook) in terror out of fear something bad is going to happen to them. He has you sobbing into your pillow, he's that good. On top of that, every single character development has a purpose, one that contributes and drives the story forward.

Holy Hades, Nico. DID NOT EXPECT THAT AT ALL. It completely changes your WHOLE PERSPECTIVE on him. I can't go in anymore without spoiling it.

Hazel. I am going to be honest. When she was first introduced, she was honestly not one of my favorites. I was just like "ehh..." when I first met her. This book completely changes that. She becomes so awesome, not just personality wise, but power wise too. Best combination ever.

Same goes for Frank. He got more awesome. I'll leave it at that.

Leo. I finally feel like there is some kind of closure for Leo that has been eluding him for like the past 3 books. And his romance? I SHIP HIM AND CALYPSO SO HARD IT ISN'T EVEN FUNNY.

The setting. Oh my Lord, the world building continues to be phenomenal. I think I have learned more about Greek mythology from the Percy Jackson series than like anywhere. What is so refreshing about this series is that Rick Riordan doesn't just make up random things to complement his stories. He uses ACTUAL GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY and gives them a fun twist while keeping them factual. It's just amazing. The descriptions, just everything ugh, is perfect.



I really don't know what else to say that can give props to this book's world building and setting.

The plot is amazing, just in case you didn't know. It grips you, but Riordan's style of story telling just makes it impossible for the reader to like put the book down to go do work. But, Rick Riordan does something other than just create plot. He uses it as a mechanism to not just give characters meaningful growth, but the reader as well. The messages he peppers in makes you nod in appreciation.



All in all, I recommend this book for everyone. I am not ashamed to say that I am a senior in high school geeking out and having feels and emotional attacks while reading them, and I also am not ashamed to say that I probably will keep doing that forever and ever even when I am an adult. The Percy Jackson series are amazing. Rick Riordan is amazing. This book is amazing. So go read it now. Fortunately, Rick Riordan does not end this book in a cliffhanger or I might have died. But, on a different note, I am also extremely sad and nostalgic that the next book will be the last in this series... and perhaps possibly the end of the era of Percy Jackson.



But I am happy to announce that I am here for the journey and will relish every moment of it. Blood of Olympus, bring it on. Rick Riordan, I wait here impatiently for your next book in great eagerness and anticipation.

In short,
Update: 2/6/2013
IS THAT THE REAL COVER???


2012
Is there a law in this country where we can get our favorite authors to write faster???

October 2013? THIS ISN'T FAIR! HOW CAN YOU LEAVE US ON THAT HEART WRENCHING CLIFF HANGER!?? WHY!

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m on BookTube now! =)

"Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work - a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you - especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards."

By now I read so many of Uncle Rick’s books but I’m still surprised whenever he throws in wise quotes like that. Everything Cupid said is true though and my heart bled for the brave young hero who had to face him and paid the price. T_T But I’m getting ahead of myself here. I better start at the beginning of the book and take it from there. So first things first. The last book ended with Annabeth and Percy falling into Tartarus and yes, I’m not gonna lie, that cliffhanger had me worried af and I basically sat there for a couple of minutes looking like Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream”. XD

”Her voice caught on the word friend. Percy was a lot more than that. Even boyfriend really didn’t cover it. They’d been through so much together; at this point Percy was part of her – a sometimes annoying part, sure, but definitely a part she could not live without.”

I absolutely loved and adored the relationship between Annabeth and Percy in here. They’ve come such a long way! When they started out they were somewhat reluctant friends but boy, did their relationship grow over those last nine books. By now they are such a great couple and I was so glad they had each other when they made their way through Tartarus. Their journey isn’t only extremely dangerous, it’s also almost hopeless and it was so good to see that they were in this together. Because quite honestly, if they’d have had to get through this all alone like Nico had to, I’m convinced they wouldn’t have been able to make it.

”Percy, wake me for second watch. Don’t be a hero.”
He gave her that smirk she’d come to love. “Who, me?”

Ahhh it was so heart-warming to see them work together. They truly fought against all odds and the things and monsters they had to deal with were quite a challenge. And this is me putting it mildly. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have survived even a second in Tartarus. XD I think because of that “The House of Hades” actually turned out to be the most serious book of the series so far. I already said that “The Mark of Athena” was very intense but this book definitely raised the bar even higher. The overall vibe of the book was very dark and gloomy which wasn’t only due to the atmosphere of Tartarus but also due to the perilous and heart-wrenching moments we live through alongside the characters.

”We’re going to find a way to stop Gaia,” Hazel said. “We’re going to rescue our friends from Tartarus. We’re going to keep the crew and the ship together and we’re going to stop Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood from going to war. We’re going to do it all.”

And there are plenty of them. T_T So while Annabeth and Percy make their way through the hostile landscape of Tartarus the rest of our heroes have to face their own challenges. I personally loved that all of them got a moment to shine and I think it’s amazing how Uncle Rick always manages to balance the heroes and their quests. We have so many characters in here, yet it still felt like all of them got a proper character arc. No matter if it’s Frank who excelled himself by fighting through a horde of monsters in order to safe Hazel and Nico, no matter if it’s Piper who single-handedly fights antagonistic wind gods or Hazel who grows into her own powers and does things she never thought possible. They all learned their lessons and faced challenges that forced them to grow as heroes and people. And they learned to trust each other. Speaking of which, I’m glad that Frank and Nico had that short precious moment when they geeked out over the Mythomagic game. It was good to see that Frank started to accept Nico and wasn’t afraid of him anymore. Plus Frank became so badass and really grew into his strengths.

Frank was faster. He lunged at Trip and slammed him into the wall, his fingers locked around the god’s throat.
“Think about your next words,” Frank warned, deadly calm. “Or, instead of beating my sword into a ploughshare, I will beat it into your head.”

I never thought I’d see the day on which cute and gentle Frank Zhang scares a god but wow, his experiences on the bridge truly changed him. I suppose you can’t go through something like that without it altering your character and personality. Which brings me right to my precious son Nico di Angelo, who went through a major and life-altering change as well. We finally get the reason why Nico is neither here nor there, why he avoided becoming a part of either of the two camps and why he seems to dislike Percy so much. The sad thing is that he’s truly an outsider because as the son of Hades he already has a difficult starting position; no one dares to be friends with him because they are scared and this always broke my heart in the former books.

”I’m the son of Hades, Jason. I might as well be covered in blood or sewage, the way people treat me. I don’t belong anywhere. I’m not even from this century. But even that’s not enough to set me apart. I’ve got to be – to be –“

Still, the truth Cupid forces from him... it surprised me. I probably should have seen it coming but I didn’t?! It explains so many things though. And my heart broke for Nico all over again. I should have known that he’s gay but I somehow didn’t realize it until Cupid forced him to admit the truth. I guess it’s because Uncle Rick went about in such a clever way. We never got a Nico POV and he was never one of the main heroes of the series. Up until now Nico was always reduced to being a side-character so that made it difficult to get a grasp on his character and personality. Knowing Uncle Rick he did that on purpose in order to make this revelation even more distinct and visible though. Clever Uncle Rick, so damn clever! I can only salute you. But oh my, did my heart bleed for Nico!! T_T I hated that Cupid forced him to admit it in front of Jason, because as part of the LGBTQ+ community there is nothing worse than people who force you to come out. Everyone should be allowed to come out when they want to and feel that the moment is right. Cupid took that away from him and I hate it when that happens! It should be your choice and no one else’s! My poor precious son! I want to hug him and tell him that everything will be alright. I just hope that he will be able to get over it and I really, really hope that he’ll find true love in one of the next books. No one deserves it more than him. After everything he went through in those last couple of books he deserves a happy ending! Please Uncle Rick, give it to him! My son needs to be happy! <333

”Need to – “ Hazel gagged and pointed below.
“Yeah, go.” Nico kissed her cheek, which Piper found surprising. He hardly ever made gestures of affection, even to his sister. He seemed to hate physical contact.

And last but not least I want to talk about my other precious son Leo Valdez! Ahh Leo didn’t have a lot of chapters in here but boy, were they bittersweet. I loved those couple of chapters so much because they added even more depth to his character and therefore caused me to love him even more. Leo finally got a love interest but of course Uncle Rick had to make it especially difficult for my boy. *sighs* Ahh... those chapters. *insert Jungkook’s “Oh my heartu” gif here* I’m still so heartbroken for him and I really hope that he’ll be able to be with the girl he loves. He needs a happy ending at least as much as Nico does. XD Of all the possible love interests for Leo, you had to give him Calypso?! Poor Leo already thinks he’s not good enough and then he ends up on her island and knows full well that she always falls for muscular and sexy heroes. I’m not gonna lie though; I absolutely loved their enemies-to-lovers relationship. XD Plus, I think because Leo isn’t the usual choice the gods would send to Calypso’s island he’s actually the first hero who would be able to break her curse. Usually it’s Calypso who falls in love with the heroes but they always have a significant other they want to get back to. But not Leo. He’s single and not the typical hero in shiny armour which makes him very special. Plus, by the end of his stay at the island it’s not only Calypso who is in love with him, but Leo also fell for her so I’m sure they could be great together. I genuinely hope he’ll find her island again and will be able to save her. He needs a happy ending too! <333

"Oh, yeah." Leo grinned. "You're really warming up to me."
Her face got even redder. "You are the most insufferable person I have ever met! I was only returning a favour. You fixed my fountain."

All told, I loved “The House of Hades”! There happened so many important things in here and the character arcs of our heroes were amazing! I’m always in awe of Uncle Rick’s narrative skills and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the story is going to unfold. This book was so, so dark but no matter how dark it got, there was always a glimmer of hope. Our heroes are driven by one of the strongest and most ancient emotions - Love and as we all know: Omnia vincit amor! ;-P Ahh, I need book 5 asap!

”You promised, Seaweed Brain. We would not get separated! Ever again!”
“You’re impossible!”
“Love you too!”

__________________________

I absolutely loved this!!
This was so damn good I can’t even! Wow! This series gets better and better with every book and I live and breathe for it. Also it gets darker and darker.
Boy was this dark!! But I love all my beloved characters and Percy, Nico and Leo will always be my precious sons! And Hazel Levesque? She’s such a badass heroine! <333

Full RTC soon! Stay tuned! =)

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___________________________

Finally!
FINALLY!
I’m going to read this book!

I’ve been dying to borrow this from my library and it was never there, but now (at the risk of repeating myself) I finally got it and since I even put it on My November TBR I’m going to read it now!
There better be my precious son Nico di Angelo in it! <333
Then again it’s called “The House of Hades” so there's bound to be a little bit of Nico, right??!!

[Lyza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Post reading:
*Long sigh*
Review to come.

Edit:

I'm changing my mind about Frank's percentage.
I give him a 75% chance of survival.

But Lyza, you say, isn't Frank the most likely to die? His life depends on a stick! It was explicitly stated in SoN that he would die holding the stick in his hand, and it would be sooner rather then later. That implies that the stick is going to burn at some point in the series, right?

Exactly, my friends. Exactly.

Rick Riordan has drawn so much attention to this stick that he's basically painted it orange and waved it around like...I don't know, what do you call those things that people use to signal airplanes? Those things.

Uncle Rick has been basically, flat out telling us that Frank has a stick, the stick is going to burn, and Frank is going to die.

Forgive me if I find the fact that this is emphasized so much rather suspicious.

Then again, Riordan could always pull a 180 and actually kill him. I could easily be wrong.

50 days to go!


EDIT:
COVERCOVERCOVERCOVERCOVERCOVERCOVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S SO PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...He's going to kill off Leo isn't he.

I mean, think about it, even though I'm a Leazel fan, I think it's pretty obvious that Frank and Hazel will end up together, and Percy and Annabeth...You know what, I think I'm just going to state survival percentages because I'm still in a coma from MOA and I need to straighten out my mind. So.

Percy - 97% chance of survival. I doubt that Uncle Rick would kill him off (permanently). He's Percy after all.

Annabeth - 93% chance of survival. Percy and Annabeth are the main characters, this is (supossedly) a childrens book, and besides, I just really think they're both going to live. It's the other characters I'm worried about...

Jason and Piper - 85% chance of survival each. I think they're more likely to die then Percy and Annabeth, but less likely then everyone else. To be honest, I don't care for them that much. Moving on.

Hazel - 70% chance of survival. She's already died once. Killing her off again would be extremely cruel. Then again, her being alive is sort of stretching the rules of nature a little bit...

Frank - 55% chance of survival. I mean, his life depends on a stick, folks. He's very vulnerable. However, I do think he's more likely to live than Leo, just because, well, he's obviously the easiest to kill. It would be a just a teensy bit...predictable.

Nico - I would say it's 50/50 here.

And so we come to my poor baby:

Leo. Who I'm only giving a 30% probability of surviving, much as it breaks my heart to think about it. Why? Several reasons.
1. The fortune cookie. I am not convinced that Percy and Annabeth falling into Tartarus was the price. When Leo thought to himself that they had been the price he'd paid, I was thinking "Are you sure about that Leo? Are you sure?"
I'm not sure. It seems to me that it would be very Rick-like to make us think that the price has been paid but it hasn't.
2. The whole Frank-Hazel-Leo love triangle extravaganza. I have a sneaking suspiscion that Hazel will have to go back to the underworld and someone is going to take her place. Or Frank and Hazel will end up together and Leo will just randomly die. Or...
3. Let us all remember that it was Leo who reflected that someone who had to close the doors from the Tartarus side would be stuck there. This makes me worried.

A side note: I wonder, have we really discovered all there is to the Sammy thing? I am convinced that somehow, some part of Sammy's soul is in Leo. NOTHING SHALL DISSUADE ME.

However, all this aside, I doubt that any of the seven will die until the last book.

So, yeah. Probably this book will end with Gaia awakening and everything looking very grim for our heros (especially one or two of them...)

But look on the bright side! We don't have to wait two years! Only one.

We can do it guys!!!!!!
(maybe)

Edit: October 8? Well, at least it's not the exact same week as the last Divergent book, but still probably same bookstore trip...

I sense impending doom.

Edit March 8, 2013:

GUYS.
ONLY SEVEN MORE MONTHS.
WE'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THERE.
GUYS.

The worst is behind us, since now we can look forward to the cover and blurb and page count and first chapter and aslfjd;l

Edit March 13, 2013

THERE'S A PAGE COUNT! Is it legit though? It's exactly the same as the one for MOA, and I really don't see how they could know it yet since the books probably not even finished yet...

Edit April 8

SIX MONTHS PEOPLE.

[solanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

sir that's my emotional support found family

[Ahmed Ejaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I can relax . I don't wanna say it but it's true. Regardless of so much tension here, I can relax now 'cause my favourite ship of all time is safe. Safe from the Hell! I mean it. Hell!

This book was as amazing as I expected it to be. I liked how things were carried out.

=> Doors of Death. One end in the mortal world, another in Tartarus. I thought they were kind of black-hole-ish type. But no. They were elevators. This fact was amazing that they were held by chains in both places. And they had to cut them to free the Doors and stop the coming of more monsters in the mortal world.

=> Hecate, goddess of magic, got a little spotlight here. That was interesting. Her interaction with Hazel made the book amazing.

=> Frank! Wowowow! He surprised me most of the time. Every time he appeared, he got something. Something that changed his personality. I love him! I like him with Hazel.

=> Jason. He seemed a very serious version of Percy to me. Regardless, I love him.

=> Nico. *cough cough cough* I was stunned by THAT revelation. But I have convinced myself not to dwell on THAT. I am really looking forward to see him with Reyna. *Please, Uncle Rick*

=> Leo. Really? Is there a need to say that I love him or not? Who can hate him?
I am dying to find out how he will fulfil his promise.

=> Last but not the least, Percbeth. Everything they went through in Tartarus was just jaw-dropping. I admit there were some coincidences BUT nothing matters when you love the characters above everything. This is my silly opinion. I am literally trash for both of them.

Be honoured, little demigods, said the god of the pit. Even the Olympians were never worthy of my personal attention. But you will be destroyed by Tartarus himself.

Overall, a not-to-be-missed book.

October 30, 2017

[Sarah McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

****SPOILER ALERTS!!***
DO NOT read unless you have read the House of Hades at least once!

--------------------------------------------------
Amazing is an understatement.
Even the Lightning Thief is not that great compared to this.
On a scale of 1-5 stars, it deserves a 20.

When a reader writes a Fan-fiction, he/she writes what they want to happen in the book. They may not think so, but they do. I mean, who would get a chance to change the future and change it for the worse? This book was like a Fan-fiction. Everything I wanted to happen...happened. Percabeth POV's. Leo finding someone. Piper realizing that "the world must fall" means "Gaea must fall"...and much more.

Rick Riordan, if you're listening, thank you very much for not leaving us at another Rickhanger.

Oh, and Leo—thank you thank you THANK YOU for throwing a screwdriver at the up button. ;)

[♛ may · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just want to bring to attention that this was uncle rick’s dedication for this book:

To my wonderful readers:
Sorry about that last cliff-hanger.
Well, no, not really. HAHAHAHA.
But, seriously, I love you guys.

Does anyone doubt this man’s evilness now?

Okay but seriously this book was everything and percabeth is the reason im still breathing after everything uncle rick put us through I don’t forgive you

Im down to one more book until I finish this series and im gonna cry bc I’VE BECOME SO ATTACHED TO THESE CHARACTERS I LOVE ALL MY CHILDREN SO MUCH how will I live without them ???

I just,,,,I just want my kids to be happy, is that too much to ask for??

4.5 stars!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm supposed to be buddy reading this with Peppa but she literally doesn't show her face in the reading world anymore so. . .yes i will keep exposing you come back looks like i'm on my own

[Joel Rochester · Rating 5 out of 5]

nico my child <3

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd read:
3.5 stars ⭐️

1st read:
This book was bloody amazing! Can't believe that sooo many things can happen in just one book! I thought my love for these characters (except for Jason and Piper) couldn't get any bigger, but I have been proven wrong. I LOVE ALL OF THEM (WITH EXCEPTIONS) SO MUCH I THINK MY HEART MIGHT BURST. Can't wait to read the next and final book in the Heroes of Olympus series I am going to DIE

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this may be my favourite one so far! I loved the nonstop action and I really liked all of the character development individually and also in the relationships of all the characters. I feel like things are finally starting to make sense.

[isa ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

₊‧ ୨୧ 4.3 stars ★ 

꒰💐꒱ “𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫”

percabeth? nico’s confession? leo in calypso island? BOB? everything was perfect.

my favorite part has been the chapters of annabeth and percy surviving in tartarus. seeing how they have managed to get to the doors of death and seeing how much they love each other 🥹 but above all i liked bob. rick, you had no right to make me cry like that 🔪

“𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞” he deserves everything :(

“𝐛𝐨𝐛 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨” 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫

my other favorite part has been leo’s chapters. i’m looking forward to seeing if he returns to calypso’s island and manages to get her out somehow 🥹 i think they have a lot of potential together

one of my favorite scenes is nico’s confession 🥹 and jason trying to support him and then taking care of him 😭 piper slay as always. with each book i like her more and more. hazel and frank’s powers?? amazing. i love how we finally get to see more of what they can do 🤭

overall, this book was so fun and entertaining and i’m scared to read the last one and finish the saga 😩

[Christine Riccio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic and wonderful just like all Rick's books. Just posted my full review/bootalk: http://youtu.be/lQvEcfsmCP4

[andrea hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I-

I don't even know how to start. I didn't really expect this book to be my first five-star rating of 2021 because of how long it took me to read it, but I loved it. Every single issue I had with the last book was improved in this one. I cried approximately fifty times, and although a few of the jokes were a bit immature, I only noticed that because someone pointed that out before. I also love how neatly everything wrapped up in the end. I didn't feel like I had been choking down information that was tiring for me to comprehend.

This book is the fourth installment of the Heroes of Olympus series and, because of what I have heard about the final book in the series, it will likely be my favorite in the series. This book helped to increase my respect for the series as a whole, and although it is more of an "honorable mentions" series, I can still greatly appreciate it. I think I enjoyed this book the best because it improved upon the three most prominent flaws the series had (in my personal opinion): 1) the pacing, 2) the confusing plot, and 3) the fact that no one would just stop and have fun for a second.

Improvements
First of all, the pacing was greatly improved, and I think that is mostly due to the fact that this series really doesn't have to be as long as it is. The writing dragged in the other books, lugging the plot behind it like a sack of potatoes, while in this case, I think everything that happened seemed to be well-timed and more concise, as there were three and a half separate storylines at all times. Secondly, the confusing plot was improved upon, only I don't have much of an explanation for this one. I suppose that Rick Riordan tried less to stuff twenty different elements into one storyline since he had two others to cover...? Lastly, although it wasn't as much fun as I would have liked, most of the characters did manage to settle down and be personal at times. (Okay, but when I say *most* of the characters I mean *most* of the characters. I am absolutely aware of the fact that not *all* of the characters had a good time ANY TIME throughout this book.

Some things I liked about this book (there were many):

There are going to be tremendous spoilers for Mark of Athena and House of Hades following this icon 🚩 and if you don't want to see them, I suggest you skip ahead until you see the icon again. DON'T READ ANYTHING YOU SEE WHILE SCROLLING UNTIL YOU SEE THE ICON AGAIN! Thank you.

🚩🚩🚩














Are they gone yet?












Okay, I'll start.

-Percabeth in Tartarus: Also this was heartbreaking, it was entirely necessary to the characters and the plot (plus, I actually like being heartbroken). Percy and Annabeth both proved themselves as some of the most worthy and powerful demigods in the series. (And before you say anything, Annabeth survived Tartarus, so yes, I consider her very powerful. Percy did not pull all the weight and neither did she. Although she wouldn't have been able to survive without Percy, he wouldn't have been able to survive without her either. It was a team effort.) I thought their scenes in Tartarus were amazing additions to the plot in general, very entertaining and heartwrenching. Being in Tartarus showcased their strength and their love for each other. Their fall to Tartarus also helped develop other characters because they all realized that they had to step up to the plate and showcase their own power, along with showing their emotional depth.

-Nico coming out: Nico's struggles throughout this book and his wanting to be ostracized from the group and Camp Half Blood really helped develop his character into more than just a dangerous little emo kid. The way his innocent crush on Percy was revealed and how Jason reacted and felt the need to protect him after- It just felt so real. I've never loved Nico as much as everyone, but this whole experience made me appreciate him so much more.

Okay good I'm done with the spoiler portion.







🚩🚩🚩

-Hazel: I love how Hazel really stepped up in this book. She took initiative and did what she had to do, even if it meant that she had to hurt herself in the process of saving her friends. She is so powerful and strong in this book and she is now one of my favorite characters. The fact that she got help from Hecate to defeat a giant...we stan Hazel, man.

-Leo (and Calypso): Along with Hazel, Leo is one of my favorite characters in this series. He's so funny and charming...and troubled. I was so happy when he found someone and so sad for him when he had to go back for the others and leave her on the island. This is probably controversial, but I really shipped Leo and Calypso. I just...I thought they were so cute together. I did think Calypso was being a bit of a female dog when she first talked to him, but I love how they developed.

-Frank: I don't think Frank's physical transformation was entirely necessary, as one does not exactly need to change physically to be more respected. However, I do love how he got the respect from Mars that he deserved and he got a chance to have his own moment and save his friends.

In conclusion, this book was literally amazing and although it was shattering, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even though I wouldn't call this series my favorite, I would recommend it if you liked the Percy Jackson series and enjoy falling for characters.



Edit: I just saw a review on Common Sense Media that I would love to quote: “BTW, all of [the homophobes] screaming about a gay character...yet [they] don’t have a problem with all of the “half-blood” children running around out of wedlock discovering half-siblings? Hmmm.”

[enqi ☾⋆˚*̣̩✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧✩˖°🌷✨ PRE-REVIEW ♡ | Took more than a month to read it because I've been busy traveling on exchange 🥹 But I still loved it so so much!!


🐋🐚☾⋆⁺₊ PRE-READ ♡ | WHAT WAS THAT ENDING IN MARK OF ATHENA 😭😭😭 never clicked on the next book faster in my life