While tidying up his books this weekend, Caramel happened to come across his copy of The Last Olympian: The Graphic Novel, by Rick Riordan, and just realized that he had not yet reviewed it for the book bunnies blog. As he had already reviewed the first four books in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, he thought it would be only appropriate if he also reviewed this fifth book. So today that is exactly what he is doing. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.
The whole book bunny household loved reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. Marshmallow reviewed the first three novels (The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan’s Curse), and Caramel reviewed the graphic novel versions of the first four (The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth).
Sprinkles: So Caramel you have reviewed the fourth book a little bit more than a year ago. So maybe let us start by reminding our readers what the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is all about.
Caramel: Okay. The series is about Percy Jackson, who is a demigod, which means he is a half-god. Percy is the son of the Greek god Poseidon, and the whole series is about him and his friends trying to help save the Olympian gods from Kronos, who is a titan and wants to take them down.
S: Okay, I think this is a good overview. So what happens in this book?
C: Percy first tries to attack Luke’s ship, Princess Andromeda. You might remember Luke as the demigod who is working with Kronos. But there is an explosion, and one of their friends dies. Or actually, the friend sacrifices himself by blowing up the ship. Then Percy finds himself in Poseidon’s underwater palace, which is under attack itself. He is then sent to Camp Halfblood and then eventually goes home, too, to see his mom. Along the way he picks up Nico, who is the son of Hades, and they try to plan a new strategy.
S: I remember Nico. He also had a sister, right?
C: Yes, but the sister, Bianca, joined the Hunters of Artemis in Book Three, The Titan’s Curse. And then she died. Anyways, then, Percy bathes in the River Styx and becomes invulnerable except in one single point on his back. Then there is a big fight on a bridge, and then many many more fights, in Camp Halfblood, in New York City, by Olympus, and so on.
S: Yes, I remember reading this book and thinking that it was probably the most action-filled book in the series.
C: I agree with that.
S: But now that you are reminding me of the plot once more, I am thinking there were so many characters and so many places introduced through the series that it would be pretty hard to describe them effectively to someone who has not read the first four books. Would someone who has not read the first four books understand anything from The Last Olympian: The Graphic Novel?
C: No. I really don’t think so. As you said, there are a lot of characters and events from the first four books that you need to know to follow everything. It is best if you have read the first four books before this one. But they are all good books anyways, so why not read all of them? And in order?
S: I agree Caramel.
S: Okay so tell me a bit about the graphics. Looking over the book I see that it is pretty dark most of the time.
C: Well, a lot of the story is in the Underworld, or at night, or in the underwater palace of Poseidon, which was not too long, but you get the point. A lot of things happen in dark places.
S: I see.
C: The art is created by the same people, so the book looks quite similar to the others actually. Other than the whole being a bit too dark thing, of course.
S: I can see that. So did you know that Rick Riordan is publishing a sixth Percy Jackson book this fall?
C: Really? I did not know that. I want to read it, too.
S: Sure. But I think Marshmallow will want to read it first and review it too. And you like to review the graphic novel versions, but that will probably take a while. But The Lost Hero, the first book of the next series did already come out as a graphic novel. You might recall that Marshmallow reviewed that already.
C: I read that series, too. And I want to see the graphic novel version of it.
S: Maybe we will see if we can get you a copy, Caramel.
C: Yes, let’s.
S: Okay, Caramel. So as we are wrapping up this review, what three words would you use to describe The Last Olympian: The Graphic Novel?
C: Exciting, philosophical, well-concluded.
S: Hmm, I can see what you mean. The book does tie things up and finishes the series really well.
C: Yep.
S: What would you like to tell our readers?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!
