Rick Riordan was recommended to me by a Year 6 boy that I was tutoring, and as he had tried several authors I had suggested to him, I thought I should give his recommendation a go. I’m glad I did. I read the whole of the first series in one go.
It’s taken me a while to get round to series two – partly because I was worried that the new trio of characters wouldn’t be as good. I didn’t need to worry – Jason, Piper and Leo are just as heroic as Percy, Annabeth and Grover. With different godly parents, they have a whole new set of gifts to get them out of fixes.
Since Jason is slightly older than Percy was in the previous series, the book will probably appeal to older children – certainly to upper KS3 and possibly even into KS4. It hasn’t lost any of the appeal for younger readers though, and the sporadic appearances of Annabeth provide a satisfying bridge between the two series.
The monsters in this book are badder than ever – and with a new all-powerful villain as their new mistress, they are harder to kill.
A must read for any child (or adult) who likes their adventures with a classical twist.