I am a
HUGE
Percy Jackson fan. I just
LOVE
the series and Rick with all my heart. As a result, when I heard about this book, I just HAD TO read it. But I am sorry to say this book disappointed me. Immensely.
The story line is an interesting one, that takes place in the Underworld. Persephone summons Percy, Thalia and Nico to help find Hades's sword that is built with a Death's key in the hilt (hope I got the term right :P) This key can lock and unlock death (I know! Right!) and also, theoretically, Tartarus. So it is imperious that Percy and gang get the sword back. They are given a potted carnation by Persephone that will help them catch the thief and if all it petals fall off, it means the thief has fled, all hopes lost (poor flower.... I would catch the thief just to save it LOLs). So Percy, Thalia and Nico set off with their flowery compass to catch the thief. And needless to say, they do so just at the right moment.
With ittie-bitties about Sisyphus, Melinoe and the river Lithe, this 5-chapter story has great potential but (I never thought I'd have to say this for a Rick book) it doesn't live up to it. Essentially it reads more like a fanfiction story than the author's original work. So, yeah. Disappointment overload.
So my rating would be: 2 Stars
P.S.: I understand I might be a little biased in my rating. You see, if I didn't know how well Rick really writes, I would have given this one 3 stars. But since I do know that Rick's writing is awesomeness personified I justify 2 stars to be apt.