Let’s admit – Trials of Apollo was not required. While The Hidden Oracle was fun to revisit, The Dark Prophecy was the most dull book Riordan has ever published. The Burning Maze, was well, clever and decent. But, The Tryant’s Tomb is where it feels that we are reading something fresh.
Lester has got a major character development since the last book. He’s guilty about the biggest thing that happened last time, and it shows how well he’s understood his mistakes as a god, which hopefully he won’t repeat next time.
Moreover, we see Camp Jupiter better than we ever have. As Riordan promised, there have been some restructures (and you’re gonna LOVE them.) Pretty excited about Camp Jupiter Classified next summer now!
Along with Lester getting much more mature, I loved how the book actually handled a major death from last time. Riordan hasn’t written something like that before, and it was really, really heartbreaking (in a very calm way) when I read those parts.
This book does create some problems though. MAJOR ones for the timeline, which I’m trying to correct here, in the full-detailed Rick Riordan’s Mythological Universe timeline. But, well, it’s been screwed up pretty bad, that too without any Days of Future Past type events xD Moreover, it’s got some factual errors too, so yeah, the editors have done a horrible job with this one.
Talking about it, can I also talk about the disappointing name of the final book?
The Tower of Nero! It just doesn’t sound that perfect to conclude a 15 book saga… (Unless Riordan has more plans.) Look at the other names of the final books. The Last Olympian. The Blood of Olympus. Couldn’t it be something like The Returning Olympian or you know what I mean. Something that would justify it! Especially without having an ‘of’, like other 4 books in this series. But, well, it is what it is!
Anyway: To all those who’ve given up on Riordan books, it’s okay if you don’t wanna continue. But, nothing wrong if you do. Let’s hope for something epic and surprising in the next (& last) one!
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