Title : Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian
Author : Rick Riordan
Reading Dates : 14 Mar - 18 Mar 2010Book Summary of Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian.
The Last Olympian starts off with the Olympians in the middle of a losing war against Kronos's Titans, with Poseidon under siege by Oceanus while most of the other Olympians attempts to hold off Typhon the father of monsters from invading New York. 1 week before his 16th birthday, when he is prophesied to make a decision which could either save or destroy the world, Percy goes off on a mission with Charles Beckendorf to slow down Kronos's army. The mission ends in disaster due to the still unidentified spy in the midst of Camp Half-Blood. Percy escapes with his life but Beckendorf is killed.
A desperate Percy then agrees to follow Niko's plan to gain invulnerability by taking a dip in the River Styx, following in the footsteps of legendary hero Achilles. As a start, they retrace Luke's steps and confirm that he too had gone through a similar ordeal. They also meet Hestia Goddess of the Hearth who gives Percy some cryptic advice and Grover who has been missing for 2 months. In the Underworld, Percy learns from Hades that Kronos intends to attack Olympus that very night. Hades who has always felt slighted by the other Olympian siblings had decided to sit out this war together with his wife Persephone and mother-in-law Demeter. Thus, severely depleting the Olympians strength.
Once Percy accomplishes his objective in the Underworld, he convinces Niko to stay behind to try and change Hades mind. Percy then calls in most of the other Camp Half-Blood campers in order to defend Manhattan. Unfortunately the demi-gods find themselves severely outnumbered with Zeus and the other gods off fighting Typhon. With their forces severely depleted with every fight, Percy and his remaining allies are slowly pushed back towards the Empire State Building. Each time when they are almost decimated, unexpected reinforcements arrive. First the centaurs, then the remaining demi-gods from Camp Half-Blood and finally Hades's army of the dead. Even Poseidon shows up to help the Olympians fight and win against Typhon after Percy contacts him and convinces him that Kronos's true objective is to split the Olympians' strength.
As their respective allies and enemies fight, Percy takes on the Lord of Time himself. When he is almost defeated, it is Annabeth who manages to reach out to Luke. As foretold by the prophecy, Percy chooses to trust Luke by handing over his sole weapon. Luke defeats Kronos who is housed within his own body by sacrificing himself. The defeated Titan army then scatters.
As a reward for saving Olympus, Percy asks that the gods promise to honor the minor gods and acknowledge and accept all their children. While the Olympian gods are at first reluctant, Percy convinces them that the reason the war started was because many of the half-blood children felt abandoned and uncared. The resentment the half-bloods and minor gods felt for being ignored was the reason they helped Kronos.
Their troubles however do not seem to be at an end. Percy's mortal friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare is revealed as the new Oracle and upon her acceptance of her new role makes a new Great Prophecy. One which promises more trouble for half-bloods.
Book Review of Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian.A desperate Percy then agrees to follow Niko's plan to gain invulnerability by taking a dip in the River Styx, following in the footsteps of legendary hero Achilles. As a start, they retrace Luke's steps and confirm that he too had gone through a similar ordeal. They also meet Hestia Goddess of the Hearth who gives Percy some cryptic advice and Grover who has been missing for 2 months. In the Underworld, Percy learns from Hades that Kronos intends to attack Olympus that very night. Hades who has always felt slighted by the other Olympian siblings had decided to sit out this war together with his wife Persephone and mother-in-law Demeter. Thus, severely depleting the Olympians strength.
Once Percy accomplishes his objective in the Underworld, he convinces Niko to stay behind to try and change Hades mind. Percy then calls in most of the other Camp Half-Blood campers in order to defend Manhattan. Unfortunately the demi-gods find themselves severely outnumbered with Zeus and the other gods off fighting Typhon. With their forces severely depleted with every fight, Percy and his remaining allies are slowly pushed back towards the Empire State Building. Each time when they are almost decimated, unexpected reinforcements arrive. First the centaurs, then the remaining demi-gods from Camp Half-Blood and finally Hades's army of the dead. Even Poseidon shows up to help the Olympians fight and win against Typhon after Percy contacts him and convinces him that Kronos's true objective is to split the Olympians' strength.
As their respective allies and enemies fight, Percy takes on the Lord of Time himself. When he is almost defeated, it is Annabeth who manages to reach out to Luke. As foretold by the prophecy, Percy chooses to trust Luke by handing over his sole weapon. Luke defeats Kronos who is housed within his own body by sacrificing himself. The defeated Titan army then scatters.
As a reward for saving Olympus, Percy asks that the gods promise to honor the minor gods and acknowledge and accept all their children. While the Olympian gods are at first reluctant, Percy convinces them that the reason the war started was because many of the half-blood children felt abandoned and uncared. The resentment the half-bloods and minor gods felt for being ignored was the reason they helped Kronos.
Their troubles however do not seem to be at an end. Percy's mortal friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare is revealed as the new Oracle and upon her acceptance of her new role makes a new Great Prophecy. One which promises more trouble for half-bloods.
I loved the Last Olympian. While the story doesn't really take off until Percy arrives back in New York to prepare for Kronos's attack, its an exciting and hilarious ride when it does. The best parts of the story isn't so much the fighting as Percy's observations and interactions with both friends and allies. Whether Percy's commenting on whether his pet hell-hound Mrs. O'Leary understands his instructions or his version of praying to the gods, its hard not to laugh at Percy's irreverent remarks.
But most important of all, the Last Olympian is a story about family, forgiveness and redemption. Silena Beauregard, the spy in their midst, gives her life to rally the remaining Camp Half-Blood inhabitants to the rescue. Silena had wrongly trusted Luke in the past but regretted her actions after Beckendorf, her boyfriend, was killed. Hades who held a grudge against Zeus for killing Niko's mother is taught the importance of forgiveness by his son . Niko, who once blamed Percy for his elder sister Bianca's death and almost destroyed himself to carry out his vengeance, reminds Hades that he himself will cease to exist if Olympus is lost. Ethan Nakamura, the son of Nemesis who felt his mother had never been given her due as she is a minor god, is killed by Kronos when he turns against Kronos once he realizes that everything and not just the Olympian gods would disappear if Kronos won. Luke, who had always felt abandoned by his father Hermes, too remembers his promise to Annabeth to make a family of their own and is the one who defeats Kronos in the end. I totally enjoyed it.
Links of Interest.
But most important of all, the Last Olympian is a story about family, forgiveness and redemption. Silena Beauregard, the spy in their midst, gives her life to rally the remaining Camp Half-Blood inhabitants to the rescue. Silena had wrongly trusted Luke in the past but regretted her actions after Beckendorf, her boyfriend, was killed. Hades who held a grudge against Zeus for killing Niko's mother is taught the importance of forgiveness by his son . Niko, who once blamed Percy for his elder sister Bianca's death and almost destroyed himself to carry out his vengeance, reminds Hades that he himself will cease to exist if Olympus is lost. Ethan Nakamura, the son of Nemesis who felt his mother had never been given her due as she is a minor god, is killed by Kronos when he turns against Kronos once he realizes that everything and not just the Olympian gods would disappear if Kronos won. Luke, who had always felt abandoned by his father Hermes, too remembers his promise to Annabeth to make a family of their own and is the one who defeats Kronos in the end. I totally enjoyed it.
Links of Interest.
