Gateway to the Gods

Everworld #7

by K.A. Applegate

  Most of us probably won't get the chance to travel to a parallel universe. Won't have the opportunity to encounter wizards, dragons, aliens, and mythological gods. But if what April, Jalil, David, and Christopher have had to experience is any indication of what another world might be like, perhaps not going there isn't such a bad thing.
  So, April and her friends are starting to get used to the bizarre. Which is why they weren't surprised when they found themselves on Mount Olympus, fighting with Zeus against an alien army. But that's nothing compared to what they're about to experience. April and the others know the main reason they're still alive is because of their survival instincts and real-world knowledge. But in Everworld, even the things that you trust to keep you safe can be the very things to take your life...

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Fiction, Adventure, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 2000

About the author

also published under the name Katherine Applegate

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 4 out of 5]

After arguably the weakest book in the series, things really start to pick up. Revelations, a huge battle and a clear goal in sight. You get the impression that after stumbling around from place to place, they have found out enough about the world they are living in to start to make sense of it all. To find a place where they can fit in, a goal to reach and a mission to achieve. Awesome stuff.

[Katelynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

THINGS THIS BOOK HAS:

1) THE USE OF THE WORD "SLIDEY-GLIDEY" AS A VERB. MORE THAN ONCE!

2) ZEUS! WHAT A USELESS DILDO LOL

3) ATHENA! WHAT A BAMF

4) OLYMPUS! COOL

5) DAVID BEING ATTRACTIVE (???)

6) CHRISTOPHER BEING THE LOVE OF MY LIFE (!!!!)

7) APRIL AND JALIL FIGHTS WHICH I'M ALWAYS INTO

8) SENNA MAKING ME HAVE RAGE INDUCED HEART ATTACKS

9) APRIL WHISPERING "GOOD BOY" AND MAKING ME HAVE AN EMOTIONS-INDUCED COMA

10) ONE DOOZY OF A DAMN CLIFFHANGER

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

   For once our Everworld kids have clean clothes, plenty to eat, and nice beds to sleep in Everworld – specifically, the Olympus Motel 6, as they affectionately refer to their lodging. Give them back their creature comforts, but there is a trade-off: the Hetwan are attacking Mount Olympus, the Greek warriors are falling, and after a tense “conversation” with Zeus himself and the other Olympians, the Everworld kids are recruited to lead the Greeks in battle. Just another ordinary day in Everworld for these kids who are not movers nor shakers in the scheme of things, but who always end up in the most interesting places at the most interesting times.

   Once again, there is no clear plot to this book, and the kids are thrust in the middle of a great battle set up and expected to take over leadership (which is about as close as they have come to being “movers and shakers” in Everworld so far). The Olypmians themselves bicker in Zeus’ temple home, and even some of their immortal heroes storm away from the fight over trivial slights much like their godly sponsors/parents.

   April is narrating, so we get a refreshed look at her analysis of her traveling companions – and a very acute analysis she makes, especially of Christopher. While I was hoping that this would be the book we find out exactly why April hates Senna as much as she does (it does not seem like merely a matter of Senna being their father’s love child…), instead we get more of April analyzing how Everworld April is superseding Real World April, and even a bit of a crisis of faith. I enjoy these detours, they give April depth and a voice that is very different from the guys – not to mention they place her solidly in the camp of wanting to stay in the real world, but realizing that Everworld is nevertheless becoming “more” for her – but I also feel like we are getting slighted from learning her deep dark secret (maybe even directly relating to Senna?). We know David’s, we know Christopher’s, we know Jalil’s, but April is holding out on us.

   As far as the battle for Olympus goes, it takes some very interesting turns, with Coo-Hatch getting involved in a most interesting way (remember that chemistry textbook they traded back in what, book 1? for Jalil’s Coo-Hatch steel blade?). On the other hand, there are some aspects that while they work out differently than most stories would take them, it falls easily into line with the bad luck the Everworld kids tend to get: I was so happy to hear they actually talked about their plan to let loose the pot of fire, and as I was reading it just knew there was no way it was going to work out correctly because this is April, Christopher, David, and Jalil we’re talking about – and sure enough, it did not go as planned. Plus, Senna makes an appearance at Olympus, and works some crafty trickery and deal-making with the Olympians. Though I have to say, when Senna says she might know someone who can open a portal to the Coo-Hatch universe, my first thought was “It’s her mom.” – and sure enough, I was right.

   While there were some great analyses by April of the others, some really funny humor, Christopher’s good efforts to change his jokes so they were less offensive, some great planning by “Davideus,” and some pretty amazing battle scenes, the strength of the plot itself was once again lax. Rounded up to 3 stars. It was okay, but it did bring up some more Issues, it was BIG, and the introspections were interesting and relatable.

Favorite quotes:

   The images of horror [from Everworld me…]. I can feel the pain. I can feel the sick fear.
   It is eating away at real-world April, almost as much as it damages Everworld April. Maybe more. It’s the real-world April I want to save. That’s my life. That is my real life, and it is being poisoned by an onslaught of fear and rage.
   […] And, too, more subtle, but almost as destructive in their own way, are the seductions of Everworld.
   […] I’m not one of those people who felt at odds with my world. I was comfortable in it. I was happy in it. Mostly. I have a place in the real world. I belong. I am happy belonging.
   But Everworld is more. Brighter, louder, sweeter, and more harsh, stranger, more interesting, more challenging, so insanely dangerous, so terrifying. Just…so.
   The friends I have in the real world are the core of my universe.
   […] The friends I have in Everworld? Well, are David and Christopher and Jalil friends, exactly? – page 12-13

   There was something wrong with David and with Christopher. But then, that’s life, isn’t it? Any interesting character has flaws, but the flaws and weaknesses, even the twists and sicknesses and evils, that make an interesting role. – page 14

   I don’t think [Christopher]’s happy; comics rarely are. He is funny. I know his throwback attitudes come from some weakness in him, some dark, sad place. I mean, racism isn’t exactly a symptom of happiness and mental balance, is it?
   To make matters worse, I’m afraid Christopher is either an alcoholic or heading down that path. – page 15-16

   Immortality. Live forever. Unless someone kills you. But no old age, no disease. Too big a thing to think about. Besides, it would only apply to the Everworld me, and I was hoping the Everworld me wouldn’t be around long enough to benefit from immortality. – page 21

   “Very funny,” Jalil grumped. “I prefer not to think of [the toga] as a dress. I see it as more like a very baggy pair of shorts.”
   […] “Boys, you are wearing togas. And not long togas, either. I think we have ourselves a mini-toga look here. You’re showing leg. You’re showing knee and a few inches of thigh.” – page 23

   [After a big godly argument and Ares storming off] “And [the Greek gods] wonder why they’re getting their butts kicked by the Hetwan,” David said under his breath.
   But not so quietly that Athena failed to notice. “What did you say, mortal?”
   “David, remember me saying, ‘Don’t piss them off again’?” Christopher moaned.
   “Yeah. You know what? Screw their little temper tantrums. I’m tired of this. This is what comes from having your butt kissed for thousands of years. Reality time for the gods starts right now.”
   I think all three of us were proud of David at that moment.
   And all three of us edged slowly away from him. – page 51

   “[…] The Hetwan don’t care how brave you are. In fact, if your bravery leads you to do stupid things then the Hetwan are glad you’re brave.” [David tells the Greek gods] – page 58

   I was getting to be an expert on immortals. […] I was starting to draw some conclusions. They were always touchy. They were always strange. Difficult. Rigid and inflexible. Immoral.
   Or maybe amoral is the right word, although what’s the real difference between having no morals and having bad morals? In the end it leaves you doing whatever you want. – page 59-60

   “Davideus,” Christopher said, undeterred. “Davideus Levineus. The first J--, um, the first, um… American Greek hero.”
   He’d been on the edge of saying the first Jewish Greek hero. He’d stopped himself. He had stopped himself and then collapsed into babble and unfunniness.
   “You know, I’m trying,” he muttered. “But politically correct isn’t funny.”
   David said, “Christopher, it wouldn’t bother me you saying I was the first Jewish Greek hero. That’s cool. Of course I’m only half Jewish, but that’s okay just the same.”
   “Well, Jesus, how am I supposed to know what’s cool and what’s not?” Christopher exploded.
   Jalil said, “How about a rationing system? You get zero the words that really make us want to kick your ass but you can have one ‘Hebrew’ and one ‘brutha,’ each pronounced with suitable derision, per day. On special occasions you get a bonus ‘brutha.’” – page 61-62

   I pulled my arm away [from David]. I was angry. Not because he’d offered me an out. I was angry because I wanted desperately to take it. I mean, how far was I going to carry my feminism? I’d done plenty. I’d held up my end. – page 86-87

   The strangest feeling. I wished later I could remember the emotion. I wished I could get access to it, repeat it. It was the kind of thing an actress could us.
   But I wasn’t thinking about that. Wasn’t thinking at all. I’d been in a transport of rage and fury, rushing to kill, drive to outrun my own fear.
   But now something new and terrible rose up within me. Something so dark it was a black hole. Fear was gone. Pain was gone. I was gone, obliterated. No mind, no thought. A machine. A machine running on a power buried so far beneath civilized minds that no longer know it’s there. – page 90

   Oh, God, I couldn’t get away. Oh, God. [The Hetwan] were going to kill me, like I had killed them. -- page 93 – The tense of this thought and the next one sounds wrong – I think it should be present tense, not this tense.

   Everworld me had flown on the back of a winged horse. And I/she had gone into desperate battle to save… To save what? The gods of Olympus? Those selfish, foolish, shortsighted creatures?
   Or to avenge Ganymede? To simply stop Ka Anor and keep him from his goal. Why? Why had I fought? Why, when I fought, had I so lost myself? – page 99-100

   […] I glanced at the pile of rags I was leaving behind. Tried not to think of what those stains meant. And I tried, too, not to acknowledge how proud I was to have fought and survived. – page 115

   [David said, “Hephaistos]’s cool. Crippled, though. Lame.”
   “Shouldn’t we say he’s ‘differently abled’?” Christopher asked in a mocking whisper.
   “Heph calls himself lame, which is good enough for me,” David answered. – page 116

   David watched [Senna] in wonder. Not amazed at her, but amazed at some memory. Embarrassed, it seemed to me. And a little angry.
   Was he really free of her enchantment? Maybe. Maybe free of the part that was magic. But beyond the witch’s trickery she still had her face, her eyes, her body, and her strange, strong, compelling mind. She still carried the promise of hopeless infatuation.
   She embodied the lost cause, the empty promise of futility and disappointment and frustration that I guess attracts some men. Senna was still the woman of ice who would never, ever be thawed. – page 133-134
   [David finished, “] Pegasus says he’s up for it.”
   “Why is it that a horse is the most reliable character we’ve met on Olympus?” Christopher wondered. – page 141

   And we had to cut at the precise same instant. We’d worked out a signal. Christopher would yell, “Cut!” when he made his downward slash.
   On that cue, as fast as we could, Jalil and I would cut. There would be a slight delay as our brains absorbed Christopher’s cry and reacted. We could only hope that Jalil and I would delay and respond at almost the identical speed. – page 150

   Of course, I thought. Of course. The obvious answer. The sensible, twenty-first-century-American answer. No God. And no god. It didn’t matter that I had called to her, that in that awful moment of terror I had trusted to Athena to save me, but had not trusted my own God.
   Logical, that’s all it was. Athena had saved me before. She’d lifted me up out of danger, of course I called to her, of course. That wasn’t blasphemy, I wasn’t saying she was a true god, I wasn’t trading the God I’d prayed to all my life for some seven-foot-tall immortal in a battle helmet. – page 159-160

Steffi Graf – page 34 – comparison to Artemis


Swear count:
Damn (5, 7, 39, 84, 116)
Ass(es) (41, 44, 61, 165)
Damned (74, 121, 161)
Goddammit (88)
Hell (97, 141)
Bitchy/bitching (107, 116) (witch-slapped 131 – because we know what it is supposed to be, though this is a nice, accurate twist on it)

Anyone besides me think they all behave better language-wise when April is narrating, as far as swear words goes?

[Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

April and the others have arrived at Mount Olympus, where Christopher rejects his offered immortality as repayment for failing to save Ganymede. The group are forced to become generals in the war between the Hetwan and Olympus, because the gods are incompetent and can’t change or adapt, where as humans for the Old World can.

This book was like the Battle of Helm’s Deep. It’s basically all preparing for battle, then battle, then aftermath of battle. And I actually didn’t mind it, because although the group have had clear goals and objectives before, this was the first one of those kinds of books that didn’t bore my tears.

The group are beginning to realise that they might prefer their life in Everworld, even though April still fights it. Senna rocks up again, and don’t underestimate her! She may finally have given up magical control of David, but she’s still got her womanly charms and assets to allure him. She also has ulterior motives which are made much clearer in this novel, as the dragging over of the EverWorld four in her wake was very deliberate and in the hopes that she might become an ultimate ruler through them. Her only real threat is Merlin, because he’s a human, and she hopes the others will be able to stop him.

It was fun to read about Applegate’s interpretation of the Olympian gods, because they’re probably the ones I know best. It was an interesting concept to see that the difference between immortals and mortals is that immortals can not and do not change, and even Athena, who seemed to be the darling of this book, was aware of that. I mean, even Zues nearly fell for the whole ‘surrender all but your favourites and I *promise* I won’t eat you even though you’ll be helpless’ trick from Ka Anor. Thankfully the Old World group was around to call them gods idiots for even considering it.

After this exciting episode I’m not sure what to expect next.

[Juushika · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cast are selected to be the Greek god's heroes in their war against the Hetwan. By this halfway point in the series the characters have developed, but they're just not that interesting or nuanced. A big part of the problem is the pieces not gelling: for example, April's wavering faith would be a lot more compelling if the Greek gods felt the least divine--Athena is the best of them, but they're so shallow in characterization that they undermine the series's premise and April's religious conflict. Similarly, David's aptitude for command is undermined by the reductive simplicity of Everworld society and warcraft. I like the overall trend of Everworld becoming the dominant reality, eclipsing the cast's "real" lives; I also continue to love Senna, who's more nuanced by dint of being an antagonist. But this installment floated by me--bad, as always, in a fundamentally readable way, but still bad.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea that the gods are what they are made, and are stuck walking the same path more or less, incapable of change.
And I like seeing the plot deepen and change some. I do wish that not everything was so miserable all the time, or there were some glimmers of hope here and there.
Like good on David becoming a relatively capable general, and it's weird about the hetwan, I wish we knew more about them.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when I got this series as a kid, I could NOT wait until I got to book 7, Gateway to the Gods!!

[Sha · Rating 4 out of 5]

01 Oct 2020

Plot: Four teenages trapped in parallel universe of gods and myths finally meet the Greeks, and continue to fight the invading Aliens.

Expanded Plot Summary: Everyone spends some time chilling out at Olympus. Christopher declines immortality. The Hetwan attack is going very badly for the Greeks till Athena recruits David to help them fight. The Hetwan try to bargain with Zeus, but Zeus is persuaded to reject the bargain with Senna's help. The Coo-Hatch who have been helping the Hetwan present Athena and Co. with a counteroffer. Meanwhile, April tries to come to terms with her newfound occasional battle lust, grapples with faith, and gets stressed about how part of her is starting to find Everworld more interesting than the real world.

1. Much like Christopher in the last book, a lot of this book deals with April and how Everworld is changing her. The background is Olympus, filled mostly with squabbling and ineffectual gods; the most powerful stronghold on Everworld under siege by the Hetwan. The conflict is April realizing that Everworld isn't always a place of death and mayhem- it's her admitting to herself that with Everworld as contrast, being back in the real world feels like stepping into an old black and white movie. It's her feeling horror at that realization, at figuring out that her ambitions seem small now, that her faith seems powerless.

2. April is one of those not often seen true believers in a mostly agnostic series. (Do the Everworld gods count? We could have a whole discussion on that but for now I'm gonna say no.) One of my favorite moments of this book was her dangling above enraged, panicking Hetwan, screaming for help, for God to save her and then breaking and screaming for Athena to save her. That, and her inner thoughts afterwards, is a powerful moment.

3. April is also becoming more accepting of violence- maybe in a way more emotional than the others. At least I hope so because that would be a fascinating contrast- the good, sweet, religious girl finding her inner berserker. Let's wait and see what happens there, though.

4. On the plot front, Senna continues to be Senna. Which is to say, a selfish and power-hungry bitch who sees everyone else as a tool to be used or discarded as she sees fit. She continues to be a powerfully effective antagonist, even as we are reminded again and again that figures in Everworld outclass her all the time. Everything gets more interesting when she's there, and I appreciate that.

5. We finally get a statement to the effect of "gods cannot change that is both their strength and their crippling weakness." This is demonstrated in Olympus, a squabbling family if there ever was one. Zeus is powerful, but ineffectual. That one scene where the Hetwan offer amnesty for himself and five chosen Olympians is another of my favorite scenes, because it showcases how divided, how overconfident and naive the Olympians are. Fear and internal tension are making all of them easier prey for Ka Anor.

6. I also want to note that one scene with Cassandra in it was the most bemusingly hilarious thing I ever saw? I like how her curse works in this universe; full points for effectiveness.

7. I'm going to leave you all with this one quote about Christopher trying to be a little less of a racist dickwad, because it made me smile.

"Shouldn't it be Davideus," he suggested. "I mean, Odysseus, Perseus, and who else?"

"Diomedes," Jalil supplied. "But also Bellerophon and Jason."

"Davideus," Christopher said, undeterred. "Davideus Levineus. The first J —, um, the first, um... American Greek hero." He'd been on the edge of saying the first Jewish Greek hero. He'd stopped himself. He had stopped himself and then collapsed into babble and unfunniness.

"You know, I'm trying," he muttered. "But politically correct isn't funny."

David said, "Christopher, it wouldn't bother me you saying I was the first Jewish Greek hero. That's cool. Of course I'm only half Jewish, but that's okay just the same."

"Well, Jesus, how am I supposed to know what’s cool and what's not?" Christopher exploded.

Jalil said, "How about a rationing system? You get zero the words that really make us want to kick your ass but you can have one 'Hebrew' and one 'brutha,' each pronounced with suitable derision, per day. On special occasions you get a bonus 'brutha.'"

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is more like it. Not only does this book contain the coolest version of heaven (so far), but it's also told from April's point of view, and she and Jalil are my two favourite characters.

The food on Olympus sounds amazing (though I don't know how I'd feel about unicorn milk cheese). However, the Greek gods (apart from Athena), are self-serving, lazy, and often even stupid. Easily divided, which is actually fairly accurate. Look at how they took sides at the Trojan War. However, unlike the Trojan War, they really don't bother getting involved in this one, even though it is OLYMPUS that is being besieged, and their own reign being threatened. It seems very bizarre.

April at one point observes: "The gods of Olympus were fickle, selfish, and cruel. They were also as naive as a four-year-old sitting on Santa's lap." I'm not so sure I find this a compelling interpretation of the pantheon. If I remember my Greek myths, a lot of the gods were cunning, often tricking and outmaneouvring mortals. So do I believe that Zeus would fall for the old "aw don't worry, Ka Anor won't hurt you as long as you sacrifice a bunch of other gods to him"? Eh, no. In the same way I found it ludicrous in book 2 that the Vikings would willingly allow themselves to be led up the pyramid for Huitzilopoctli to tear out their hearts. That surely doesn't count as dying in battle, which means Valhalla is not an option for them, right? My basic issue here is that Zeus, father of the gods, thrower of thunderbolts, legit acts like a wet fish at times. This is the same god whose true form can kill a human if they look on it? Yeah, nope.

Creative license I suppose. Still, things like this (impotent gods who are lazy or can't think outside the box; alien hetwan who really aren't great fighters and are basically sheep; the laws of physics allowing three horses to carry a bloody aerial bomb between them as well as people on their backs, etc.) are all things Applegate uses to justify how on earth four teenagers with no real combat training can survive in Everworld. Sometimes I find it a bit forced. The whole Zeus is an idiot thing is like the "they went thataway" scene from book 1. And when you dumb down the major players like this, it doesn't matter how much physical (or godly) power you give them. They just look stupid in the end. Anyway...

Out of the four main characters, April is the one most attached to the real world. However her Everworld experiences are affecting real world April. Affecting her mentally. Yet at the same time, the excitement she is experiencing in Everworld makes her real world life pale in comparison.

April often looks at people and the world through the lens of an actor. What I like about her is how perceptive she is. She can read people really well, and demonstrates this when she talks about the other three. She can tell David has some childhood trauma, knows Christopher has a drinking problem, and that Jalil is hiding something.

While she is very religious and therefore looks at the Greek pantheon as pagans and not proper gods, she does not disrespect them, at least not directly.

One thing I found interesting in this book was Christopher's about face. Ganymede's death clearly was a critical moment for his character, because there is one point where he makes a racist joke, then blushes and apologises. It's the first time he has ever expressed guilt over his racism as opposed to outrage that the others don't find it equally funny, and this I think, shows some growth on his part.

Also, as an update to my comments on the previous book's portrayal of Dionysus, I'm glad to see a different version of Dionysus represented here, even if just for a moment. Dionysus is a really interesting member of the Greek pantheon - he's got links to Persephone and death, is responsible for the Midas touch, and goes all the way back to Mycenaean times. But I'm not gonna go into all that here. Basically he's more than just a drunk, fat old guy. Give him some cred, Applegate.

There are actually quite a few well-known characters on Olympus, though the ones you'd expect to be at the forefront of the fighting basically just bluster and boast about it, but are never actually seen...er...fighting...

Ares rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, mighty Heracles has slain a great many Hetwan. But my mortals have slain more! We have made great piles of their bodies."
Heracles? Hercules? He looked nothing like Kevin Sorbo!

(Okay I did chuckle at that last part - goddamn I need to rewatch that show!)

But yeah, Ares pouts most of the time, and Herc...I dunno, must be off somewhere snapping measuring tape with his biceps. They both appear once, then go AWOL.

Instead the hero we are given is none other than David, or General Davideus, as he becomes known. Transformed into Athena's hero (kind of like Odysseus was. Parallels maybe?) and commander of the Greek army. In many moments of clarity and bravery, he stands up to and unites the gods of Olympus, which is impressive. He actually comes up with some great strategies and weapons as well. It's clear he has found his niche, and because he's such a badass in this book, I ended up warming to him a little more. Which really makes me wish he wouldn't turn to jelly everytime Senna appears. Just like Odysseus with Circe...oh hell there really are parallels. Fight it David! Fight the trope!!

So overall, this book is an improvement on the previous two. There is purpose, there is battle. And for that, this is 4 stars. Had Applegate given us a more badass Greek pantheon, I would have rated it higher. Whelp, I guess I'll have my fingers crossed for Egypt then.

[Swankivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yay, I like this one. Weird, these books may be for kids but Aphrodite sure said some sick sexual shit, and they use words like "screwing" and "bitching." Heh. David becomes a war hero, the group finds Senna again, and most intriguing of all, April and her perfect Christian faith are rattled when she calls in panic for Athena to save her. Yeah.

[Jackie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish these books would have all been put into one big novel. They are fantastic reads, leaving you begging for more at the end of each story line.

[Joshua Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a bounce back from the last book. GATEWAY TO THE GODS is the best book in the EVERWORLD series so far—filled with relentless, kinetic action scenes; our gang leaning into their lives as warriors among aliens and gods; and of course a fair bit of inner psychological turmoil as well. Obviously EVERWORLD is a different beast entirely from ANIMORPHS, but this book especially calls to mind the stuff I loved about the last Animorphs books when the kids had become battle-hardened and exhausted. It also makes me really appreciate how great the writing of Applegate (and Michael Grant?) is. She does the most amazing things with short, matter-of-fact sentences. Yeah, yeah, it’s YA but it is powerful writing at times.

The book begins with the group in Olympus, having been yada-yada-yadaed there at the end of the last book. They’re to have an audience with the gods—Zeus especially—and after some initial awe and trembling they, led by David, quickly get sick of the gods’ shit (excuse me, their *product*). Incidentally, there’s a scene in this book where Aphrodite, I think, makes a crude joke at Athena’s expense: she says although Athena likes men who are philosophers or warriors she nevertheless doesn’t partake in the tongue or the sword, wink wink. She’s talking about receiving oral sex or some good old fashion dicking. I just… like, sure kids here’s a bawdy sex joke—but using the word “shit” is A STEP TOO FAR! I don’t get it.

Where was I? Oh yes, David has had enough and tells the gods to stop acting like goddamn children bickering among themselves. They’re affronted at first but have to reluctantly admit that he’s right. And here’s where it gets interesting: he’s right because they are *incapable* of acting differently. They are only able to act as is in their natures; they can’t, say, understand the need to band together for survival. All except Athena, who April admires. Athena puts David, and by extension the rest of the group, in charge of leading the battle against the Hetwan which the humans at the foot of Olympus have been fighting unsuccessfully so far due to the Hetwans’ rapid repopulation. This is where the action begins and it makes up much of the book. But it’s so exciting! April even gets caught up in the adrenaline rush of combat, striking and striking their insectoid opponents with an almost automatic furor. David is easily stepping into the role of an actual leader, strategizing and commanding troops. It’s great to see him, you know, actually being successful at this despite the overwhelming sense of expectation he’s being crushed by.

April also has a lot of interesting internal character stuff happening in this book. She’s becoming more of an Everworlder, which frightens her, but along with that—perhaps as a way of pushing back against it—she’s turning more toward Jalil style skepticism. She doesn’t recognize the Greek gods as “gods” per se, so she begins wondering: what *are* they? Are they just like any other species? Is their magic just an illusion? Real world (Old World) April is growing concerned by the distance growing between herself and her old life and understanding of the world; she doesn’t want to be changed by Everworld. And then there’s this excellent moment where April is in real peril. She squeezes her eyes shut and calls out to God (she’s a Christian, see?), but after a moment elapses with no change she next calls out to Athena. The tides turn and she survives the scrape she was in but stays awake that night thinking about this. Why did she call to Athena over God? Did she not trust God? She realizes she knows the truth, if only subconsciously… she doesn’t need faith: Athena is real. The implication is that God is not, though that’s not made explicit. It’s exciting to see April’s journey into atheism and I think it’s wonderful that K.A. Applegate is writing that story. (To be honest, though, I’ve read quite a bit of the next book as I’m writing this and it seems April has backslid; hopefully she works it out over the final four.)

Anyway, whew. I found this entry captivating and thrilling. A definite high point for the series and a major relief after being left unsatisfied and annoyed by Christopher in the last one. I’m not saying it’s a 5-star book standing on its own but it definitely is for the series.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one for its wide-blown battle scope, the kids' proactiveness & engagement, April being increasingly tempted towards Everworld herself (plus she's probably my favourite POV alongside Jalil), the discussion of God vs. gods, her religious crisis when she finds herself appealing to Athena rather than her own God, and above all, her insights about the rest of the team -- April is extremely perceptive, and hands-down has the best insight into the others. Which is in keeping with clueless boys, tbh, but also her being an actress; it makes sense that she'd be analysing the others' characterisations, meanwhile the boys don't devote much thought into it during their own POV books.

I feel like I'm running out of things to say about the series as a whole, though, because the books remain solidly ~3-star installments, without saying too much new in each one. They're still super enjoyable, but they do pale very much next to Animorphs due to some structural issues in the series as a whole. I really miss that they seemed to completely 100% drop the plot point from April's previous book about fulfilling Merlin's mission & uniting the gods -- that was such an awesome plotline potential, and seemed like it was going to be the unifying thread for the entire series, but it hasn't been mentioned since. Missed opportunity!

I'm also still waiting to learn the historical beef between Senna/April. Considering this series is so short, I'm starting to get concerned that there may not be payoff for this -- it damn well better come up during April's next POV book, because I think that's their last chance...

Another positive though: I love seeing Christopher's continued character development from the previous book, with him consciously making an effort to change his ways and be less offensive. Growth!!!

Favourite quotes:
But Everworld is more. Brighter, louder, sweeter, and more harsh, stranger, more interesting, more challenging, so insanely dangerous, so terrifying. Just... so.

***

  Christopher and later David had both dated my half sister, Senna, but that didn't exactly recommend that to me. That didn't make me think they were guys I should be close to. More the opposite. If they liked Senna there had to be something seriously wrong with them.
  And I was right. There was something wrong with David and with Christopher. But then, tha'ts life, isn't it? Any interesting character has flaws. You learn that as an actor: It's not just the virtues, but the flaws and weaknesses, even the twists and sicknesses and evils, that make an interesting role.
  But knowing that didn't necessarily make these guys easy to get along with.

***

  Christopher is an easier person to like and an easier person to despise. He's charming, funny, laid-back, and utterly honest about his emotions. When Christopher is scared, you know it. When he's hungry or mad or resentful or horny or depressed, there's no hiding it.
  He's bigger than David, blond and somewhere right between dopey-sweet and swaggering bully, depending on what's happening around him. Ninety percent of the time I like him.
  The other ten percent of the time he's a sexist, racist, homophobic jerk.
  I don't think he's happy; comics rarely are. He is funny. I know his throwback attitudes come from some weakness in him, some dark, sad place. I mean, racism isn't exactly a symptom of happiness and mental balance, is it?
  To make matters worse, I'm afraid Christopher is either an alcoholic or heading down that path. From remarks he's made I know both his parents drink, probably too much.
  And yet, I like him. Maybe that's wrong. Maybe I should just push him away, refuse to deal with his crap. But I can't. We're together in this, the four of us. Besides, there is hope for him. I think maybe there's real hope.

***

  "You have a mortal mother?" I asked.
  "You're only half god, then, like Heracles," Jalil said.
  Dionysus frowned and looked as if he might, if sober, have taken offense. "Half god? Nonsense. I was not born of a mortal woman, merely conceived. When Hera tricked my mother into asking Zeus to appear to her in his true form, my mother, naturally, shriveled and burned to a crisp till nothing was left but dust. I only survived because Zeus, my father, took me from Semele's womb and sewed me up inside his thigh till I could be born."
  None of us had anything to say to that bizarre revelation.
  "Okay," David said at last.

***

Heracles? Hercules? He looked nothing like Kevin Sorbo.

***

  "And [the gods] wonder why they're getting their butts kicked by the Hetwan," David said under his breath.
  But not so quietly that Athena failed to hear. "What did you say, mortal?"
  "David, remember me saying, 'Don't piss them off again'?" Christopher moaned.
  "Yeah. You know what? Screw their little temper tantrums. I'm tired of this. This is what comes from having your butt kissed for thousands of years. Reality time for the gods starts right now."
  I think all three of us were proud of David at that moment.
  And all three of us edged slowly away from him.

***

  "Davideus," Christopher said, undeterred. "Davideus Levineus. The first J--, um, the first, um... American Greek hero."
  He'd been on the edge of saying the first Jewish Greek hero. He'd stopped himself. He had stopped himself and then collapsed into babble and unfunniness.
  "You know, I'm trying," he muttered. "But politically correct isn't funny."
  David said, "Christopher, it wouldn't bother me you saying I was the first Jewish Greek hero. That's cool. Of course I'm only half Jewish, but that's okay just the same."
  "Well, Jesus, how am I supposed to know what's cool and what's not?" Christopher exploded.
  Jalil said, "How about a rationing system? You get zero the words that really make us want to kick your ass but you can have one 'Hebrew' and one 'brutha,' each pronounced with suitable derision, per day. On special occasions you get a bonus 'brutha.'"
  That made us all laugh, and Athena turned to look over her shoulder at us like a stern teacher escorting the class clowns to the principal's office.

***

  "Well, Davideus Maximus, show us how it's done," Christopher said, ushering David toward the winged horse.
  "Um, there's no saddle," David said, not sounding much like a mythical hero.
  "No man saddles Pegasus," Pegasus said.
  "Okay," David said. Then, in an aside to us, "I'm talking to a horse."

***

  She nodded. Her eyes became completely opaque. She was putting up a wall between us. Defending herself. I wanted to ask her why she'd lost all her friends. I wanted to ask her why she'd lost all her friends. I wanted to know if it was something she'd done, o rsomething she'd become, or was it just inevitable.
  I wanted to ask her if she had dreamed of being a secretary in an insurance office. And what she confessed three times a week.

***

  This was my life. This was what I was worried about losing, this closeness. This was the definition of my life to this point, and as I drifted into and out of Magda's running commentary on the people we passed, I found myself thinking, I wonder what's going on over there?
  I wonder what's happening to me over there?

[Brunna Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

We got another book from April’s point of view and we STILL don’t know what’s the deal between her and Senna.

I think Applegate tries to make April a bit more complex with her little faith crises, but it falls a bit flat. We know April is a Catholic goody two shoes and her struggle with that in this book seems superficial. Girl goes to confession to confess gossiping and lying and she’s brought up waiting for marriage twice now.

When she’s not worrying about the fact that I’m the heat of the moment she asked Athena to help her instead of God, she’s worrying that her Everworld life is taking over her real world life. Uh oh. David embraces it, Christopher balances it with sitcoms, and Jalil remains aloof from everyone so who knows how he feels. April has been solidly on Team Let’s Go Home since the beginning, but she feels that slipping as Everworld starts taking over her life.

But really, April just spends a lot more time analyzing the boys and giving us more in depth reviews on their personalities. And she finally takes part in battle! Our little feminist is walking the walk now!

I’m happy that our heroes finally have a bed to sleep in and regular access to food, while they’re hanging out at Olympus Motel 6. Of course Senna shows up at some point, does something that hurts the team, then drops a bomb on them. And there’s a whole war going on outside of Olympus, while Dionysus and Zeus get wasted and chase skirts. They party and put David in charge of the war as Athena’s champion. Go figure

[Brittney Rz. · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are back in April's head for this book. This one was unique because it explored the way the characters are changing in this story now. It really delves into the fact that they are beginning to separate themselves and their lives from their counterparts in Everworld.

April you see is reluctant to admit she is enjoying the other life more. We see her struggling between who she is supposed to be and who she is now. As a a strong female she also struggles with her limitations which I found interesting. I liked this one because you see her questioning a lot of what is happening to her. She is not only questioning her role but her religion and if her old life is as important or could even satisfy her anymore.

I also found it interesting how they explored the idea that the gods can't change. That they are these one dimensional figure in history. They are who they were created to be and they can't change. They are their stories and since there is no one around to alter or change those stories they are stuck as they are. I found that idea interesting and don't remember it from the previous read throughs.

We are getting to the parts I only remember vaguely and I am eager to see how we get to the end.

[Fefi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Che capricciosi questi dei dell'Olimpo! (SPOILER)
Per aver salvato Dioniso, la compagnia di amici si ritrova servita,riverita e finalmente pulita,sull'Olimpo dove non mancheranno furiose liti tra i potenti dei greci.
Intanto,alle pendici del sacro monte, gli Hetwan si stanno preparando per la guerra e saranno proprio i nostri amici ad offrirsi di andare in missione,in groppa a Pegaso e figli,bellissimi cavalli alati gentilmente messi a disposizione dalla dea della guerra.
Mi è piaciuto,ma non è ancora da 5 stelline: forse quello che manca è qualche colpo di scena e un minimo di suspance.

[David Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got sidetracked reading this halfway through months ago and just picked it back up again. I remembered exactly where I was and what had happened, which is a pretty strong recommendation to how memorable it is.

One issue that this volume raised is what happened to the Abrahamic god. All the mythological gods of antiquity escaped to Everworld, but Yahweh is nowhere to be found, despite the presence of the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin existing. It's left ambiguous, but the suggested answer is that the Gods are not truly Gods, merely immortals, and there's only one true God.

[Namita ♛ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5.

Started off quite slow, not much going on but a respite from the previous book which had TOO much going on.

It was April’s narration and I liked how she summarised each of the characters.

Now that we’re no longer in David’s head, I’ve actually come to learn to appreciate him now a little, especially in this book and after one scene in particular.

I still don’t like Christopher.

[G. Edweird Cheese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to April's pov.
Now our gang is hanging out on Mount Olympus with all the Greek gods. oh, and the entire alien army is posed to invade. Our 4 teenagers have to figure out a way the save the gods, along with themselves.
This installment of the Everworld series repeats something ive been saying for a long time: Gods are worthless, stupid, and do absolutely nothing.

[Rylee Creed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. I like how it shows how out of touch the gods are, and how they use humans to do their bidding. I also liked seeing David step into his own. I also enjoyed seeing April confront her faith a couple of times, for the first time since reaching Everworld. It did feel like it was missing something, though.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is where the plot really starts to pick up and the characters really start to feel like they can make changes in the world and shift the balance of things and that's when things start to get exciting. I always do love spending time in April's head because her personal beliefs bring such interesting conflicts to the stories, and I'm excited to see how her crisis of faith continues.

[Lorenzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

In questo libro i protagonisti fanno la conoscenza con gli dei dell'Olimpo, nonché coordinano un eserito per difenderli dagli hetwann. Alcune rivelazioni finali di Senna daranno una spinta alla trama della serie.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back on my Everworld rereading quest! The battle scenes in this one dragged; they're well-written, but not really my thing. But April's crisis of faith was genuinely interesting and handled with nuance and care, and I always love interacting with the Greek pantheon.

[Kinsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

there have been many interpretations of greek myths but zeus is the Original Fuckboi™ in all of them

[Sandy Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best Everworld book in the series so far. The protagonists have agency, make smart decisions, and there is a real sense of progress along the bigger plot arc. Nice!

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda fun fluff, kind of a recovery book for the previous one, which seriously had me considering dropping the series.

[Valia (beingshelfaware) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Greek mythology so was cool to see them in action. That cliffhanger though. Can't wait for next book.

[Heather Mayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been my favorite book so far in the series. Even though there are some battles it's not as gross. The characters are developing more info heroes too.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really good build in the story. I liked April as the narrator.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting through this one.