From The Lightning Thief to The Last Olympian, the progression of both story and characters is impressive. Riordan writes with unwavering enthusiasm, blending just about every scrap of Greek mythology into the modern world. And it works. I can't stress that enough. This type of modernization could have gone so very wrong but, like Mary Zimmerman's brilliant play, Metamorphoses, it works.
As is common with such series, the main cast is great but it's often the unique supporting characters who really shine. Tyson is extremely loveable and Nico and Clarisse have more layers than an onion. The fact that they're unapologetically damaged just makes it that much more exciting to watch their futures unfold.
Some series fizzle out towards the end and don't live up to the hype of the debut novel, but that's not the case here. Every book gets bigger, better and more exciting, with an epic and extremely satisfying payoff. I'm one hundred percent certain that Percy Jackson film adaptations could have been successful on the level of Harry Potter, if not even moreso, if they had actually stuck to Riordan's incredible story instead of butchering it beyond recognition. Such as it is, ditch the movies and stick with the books for one hell of a ride.
While the first series was inarguably the best, the second five-part story, set in the same universe with some overlapping characters, The Heroes of Olympus is a damn good followup. This time, it's Roman mythology that gets the Riordan treatment, blended with the Greek reality that was established before.
Percy, Annabeth and Nico are back, along with an ensemble of charismatic new stars that makes for yet another five-part edge-of-your-seat journey as the two worlds collide. Nico has grown up a lot at the start of this series and his personal story will yank your heartstrings even more than before. Percy is his old self, albeit a temporary amnesiac, and clicks immediately with his new Roman demigod companions.
What's really of note here is Riordan's commitment to diversity. While there were non-white characters here and there in Percy Jackson, the stars and villains of the story were all white Americans. Deciding to branch out this time around, Riordan has put together an incredibly varied group of races, ethnicities, sexualities, gender roles and cultures. The main ensemble includes a black girl from old New Orleans, a Chinese-Canadian boy, a Latino boy and a Native American girl, for starters. Then there are the Amazons and that's saying nothing of the uproar caused by the revelation that surly, badass Nico, shadow-dwelling son of Hades, terrifying master of the dead, is not only a homosexual but desperately in love with Percy (and self-loathing because of it).
Whining abounded after The House of Hades came out, with threats of boycotts and the end of the world. But as someone who knows many gay men who don't fit the flamboyant media stereotype, I'm so glad that Riordan stepped up and gave us a much-needed portrayal of an atypical hero who completely defies the mold.
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is a spinoff of the Percyverse that dives into the wacky world of Norse mythology. While not quite on par with the Greeks and Romans (yet), the first book was interesting and promises to be an enjoyable adventure.
I felt that there was a bit too much silly behavior and mythology crammed into this one, so it didn't flow quite as well as the others, but I have no doubt that it will quickly improve as the series continues, and there were many very memorable scenes throughout.
The characters are, as expected, brave and likeable and not the usual stereotypes (Muslim valkyrie, anyone?), and Loki - who has always been my all-time favorite deity - promises to be an amazing villain. Although not as strong as the opening books of the previous series, I think there's a lot of potential here and can't wait to see where the story goes.
Riordan's other books, like The Kane Chronicles, are fun but written more for a younger audience. However, if you want a fun crash course on Egyptian mythology, it's an entertaining read. I'll have more to say about Magnus Chase in a few years when the books are done, but until then, Riordan's work is some of the most imaginative and engaging fantasy you could possibly find, and an absolute must-read for anyone who likes the genre.
