The Last Olympian

May 18, 2009
Percy Jackson’s fifth and final adventure begins with a blast and gets increasingly more explosive. It reads less like a novel than a 400-page battle scene set in Manhattan, pitting Percy, Annabeth, Grover & Co. against a pantheon of monsters intent on reaching the portal to Mount Olympus (located on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building). In other words: fans will not be disappointed. All the action takes place in the days before Percy’s 16th birthday, on which a prophecy has foretold “a single choice shall end his days.” Readers who have watched their dyslexic hero grow into his considerable powers since age 12 will not be surprised by his brave leadership. Or as Percy, facing the Minotaur’s army, puts it in typically wry fashion: “It was now roughly one hundred and ninety-nine to one. I did the natural thing. I charged them.” Details about Luke’s childhood explain his traitorous allegiance to Kronos; Annabeth and Rachel Dare vie for Percy’s attention; and the final clash would keep a Hollywood special effects team busy for years. As the capstone to this beloved series, this story satisfies. And a surprise character takes on the mantle of Oracle, instantly issuing a new prophecy that suggests, happily, there’s more fun with the demigods to come. Ages 10–up.

June 1, 2009
Gr 5-9-The fates of all of the characters are decided, and the true meaning of the prophecy is revealed in this final book in the series. Crafting a finale that lives up to plot developments and expectations created by an ongoing series can be a somewhat daunting task, but Riordan has fashioned a suitably epic battle to wrap up his tale, which begins with a very literal bang as Percy and Charlie Beckendorf go on a mission to destroy Kronos's ship, the "Princess Andromeda". Charlie sacrifices himself to ensure the mission's success, and Percy returns alone to Camp Half-Blood only to hear the prophecy involving the choice he will have to make on his 16th birthday in its depressing entirety. While there is a distinct feeling of sadness in leaving these characters, the ending also leaves an opening for stories about new half-blood kids in the future. While readers are sure to be satisfied by the way everything is resolved, there are a few too many deus ex machina rescues in the final battle. The book's message that the Greek gods will die unless we remember them might be a bit simplistic, but the fact is that the "Percy Jackson" books have done a great deal to revitalize interest in mythology. This book is a no-brainer purchase, since most libraries will already have the previous four titles in the series and will have readers anxiously awaiting its arrival."Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, MO"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 15, 2009
Grades 4-8 *Starred Review* The week before hissixteenth birthday, a drivers license is the last thing onPercys mind. After all, an impossibly huge and powerful giant is wreaking destruction across the Midwest as he strides toward New York City, which will soon be attacked by an army of Titans and assorted monsters bent on destroying Mount Olympus (secret access point: the Empire State Building). Percy and his demigod friends soon engage their enemies in an epic battle that will determine the fate of humanity as well as the gods. The novels winning combination of high-voltage adventure and crackling wit is balanced with scenes in which human needs, fears, and ethical choices take center stage. Series fans will enjoy the reappearance of many characters from the previous books, while the references to their back stories will keep other readers on track. Riordans imagination soars in the climactic battle scenes, which feature many Manhattan landmarks, yet he manages to bring the whole series to a satisfying close in the down-to-earth conclusion. Though this is the fifth and final volume of the enormously popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the emergence of a new prophecy and the promise of new demigods hint that the adventures will continue.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)