Review: The Trials of Apollo, Book 1: The Hidden Oracle

 

• Title: The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle
• Age Range: 10+
• Grade Level: 5+
• Series: The Trials of Apollo (Book 1)
• Hardcover: 385 pages
• Publisher: Disney Hyperion (May 3, 2016)
• Publication Date: May 3, 2016

 

Back Cover Description:

    How do you punish an immortal? By making him human. After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disoriented, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus’s favor. But Apollo has many enemies—gods, monsters, and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.

 

What I thought:

5 out of 5 bookworms!

I love Rick Riordan’s hilarious writing style, engaging plots, and the way his books actually teach Greek mythology.  Though this book is not in the same series as the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series, it is set after them, and contains spoilers from the previous books.  To Christian parents I must issue a warning: Apollo is bisexual, and though Riordan’s books never have any graphic scenes, they do endorse the LGBTQ beliefs and present that worldview as acceptable.  To non-Christians who are reading this, I would like to clarify: I am not a homophobe.  Simply because I think that being gay is morally wrong does NOT mean that I hate anyone. I have good friends who are gay, and though I believe wholeheartedly that what they are doing is wrong, I still love them, the person, even though I disagree with their actions.

Apollo is a self-righteous, egotistical jerk, in the beginning and throughout much of the book.  Yet, as he faces his trials, his character changes.  He repents of previous wrongs and more understands what it’s like to be a human.  (In the beginning he refers to humans as pathetic meat bags.)  By losing immortality, he gains an appreciation for life.

The plot is on par with the rest of Riordan’s work, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but yes, Percy does make a brief appearance, and yes, we do get word about Leo and Calypso!!!

On the whole, I would say that it is well worth the read, and I will be reading it again, though there are some worldview concerns for Christians.

 

With a flashlight under the covers,

Molly