Let's just say this deserved to be posted. But just one thing: it was obvious to me from the very first line that Jason was in a disguise and we were right where we left off in HoH.
REVIEW BY Nova.8:
I'm so very pleased I found this! I'm a huge PJ, HoO fan but I've never read PJ FFN before, but after reading BoO I think this is what I was looking for! I'm glad you picked out on all the things that was bloody disappointing, however, there was some wonderful things too, so I'm going to leave my review here! Just to commiserate, lol!
Blood of Olympus:
An epic finale to a Wonderful series! It was exciting, thrilling and entertaining from the very first line of the book. Jason claiming to hate being old already had me hooked wih suspense as I pondered where the book was starting, time period wise. However, we're right their, right where we left off and Riordan draws you in all over again. His writing was neat and clean and there were some wonderful descriptions to go with it! There was never really a moment that I was not focused in the book! Whenever it got too angsty, dark or dramatic, he brought in some well placed and wonderful humour that had me laughing while crying! For me, that makes a book remarkable.
Jason actually grew on me in this book as we saw a more relate-able and fallible character instead of one who just seemed too good to be true. The insight into his past helped me understand why he was how he was and I empathised with him. From being my least favourite of the 7, I understood more of him, where he'd come from and eventually, was glad he was one of the 7.
Reading Reyna and Nico's POV was wonderful. I think they were kept true to what I thought they'd be like and they were exciting to read. Reyna was a gorgeous character to get to know, strong and independent but flawed, with a hint of a somewhat sordid, tainted past that immediately made me fall in love with her, envisioning what a warrior princess of old would be like!
I truly appreciated seeing Nico come out of his shell, nothing about that felt unrealistic or forced and I love how two outsiders, in a sense, two people who lost their family helped each other conquer their inner demons! A sibling like bond that I could relate to and believe in. With Coach Hedge, they were a team of misfits, but gelled so wonderfully and became one in the end that it was great to read it happen. I'm pleased there was a hint of Nico and Will Solace, and that made it easy to overlook the fact that it seemed a bit like Rick saying, "alright, let me just get this bit in there" because he didn't have Nico and Will kissing and professing their undying love for each other. Also, Will is a know character so we don't get dumped with an idiot out of absolutely nowhere!
Leo Valdez was AMAZING! He was a demigod who we saw grow from this scrawny boy into a proper hero, making the ultimate sacrifice but still with a back up plan that was half selfish, half commendable because it was for love. I don't feel like him having the physician's cure took away from his sacrifice, because even without it, I believe he would have still done it. Leo is easy to like with his sense of humour that hides his pain and because we've seen him grow in a sense, just as Percy did. His similarites to Percy probably makes him all the more wonderful.
In saying all that though, I was disappointed the moment I opened the book and noticed there was no POV from Percy. I didn't feel that way when the book started, but I was less than happy about it in loads of places.
I understand that there needed to be Nico and Reyna POVs, I love that there was, however, Percy, Annabeth, Frank and Hazel should have got POVs too, slotted in between all of Piper's, Jason's and Leo's. They deserved it!
I feel like Percy and Annabeth were weakened in lieu of making Jason and Piper stronger, which pissed me off! I understand Percy might have wanted to have give up when fighting Polybotes underwater, he just came back from Tarturus, but for Jason to defeat the giant while Percy writhed in a net, was painful to read. Nico describing Percy's sense of humour as annoying or endearing, made me feel more like Percy was being demeaned (his sense of humour is what keeps the books balanced in my opinion) and it felt like this Percy wasn't the Percy I've come to know and love as a strong character worthy of being a hero.
The same for Annabeth when she went with Piper to get the "chained god's heartbeat". I can understand the logical and emotional differences between Piper and Annabeth in that moment, especially considering Annabeth's trip to Tarturus, BUT, again, this is not the weak minded, weak willed Annabeth we know! Percy and she just seemed wrongfully characterised in BoO. At least Hazel and Frank were just pushed to the side, at least their character traits weren't butchered, not that I'm happy that they didn't get a POV too.
For me, I was pleased that it was Percy and Annabeth's blood that was wanted to awaken Gaia, but again, where was the Percy and Annabeth POV!
I actually loved when all the gods came down and helped their kids, however, it lacked a little more action and struggle and that's why it probably came across as amateurish!
I don't think Gaia should have been that easy to defeat and even if Piper used charmspeak to put her off to sleep, we should have seen Gaia being weakened first before just getting captured and taken into the air. That's where Percy, Annabeth, Frank and Hazel should had a worthy battle that gave them a chance to vent on Gaia for all she put them through! At least then, Leo taking Gaia up and Piper putting her to sleep would have made sense, because she was WEAKENED first!
The ending was possibly just a tad too open ended for me but not so much and at least he didn't have an epilogue of doom in it! It's also wonderful for FFN writers to play about with, or ... It makes me wonder about more to come. Remember Reyna's dream about Terminus creating a barrier around them that didn't work and she was standing over a broken fountain with an arrow pierced right through her ...?
Anyway, all in all, I'm depressed that this has come to an end! :'( so I'm pleased I had this opportunity to rant! Please feel free, any of you fans, to message me if you'd like to talk more about BoO! I'm still stuck in that world!
We're All Okay: Just two things-
I am not just talking about POVs but also their participation in all the quests. Frank is not there at all, Hazel plays a small part because of her powers over mist, and Percy and Annabeth are always the ones to be captured and injured.
Look at Last Olympian, even that book covered a week but it does not feel rushed.
TO ALL THE REVIEWERS:
Thank You so much!
You allowed me to rant and even took the pain to read it and share your thoughts! I am so glad that I got it off my chest.
One more (It's the last one. I promise)
When Leo was making his 'plans' and Jason interpreted what Percy's sacrifice will be and how he will defeat Gaia, it seemed very obvious to me and when it was revealed at the end I went 'ugh, duh!' and not 'Oh! This is what it means!'
This had more reviews than my actual fanfiction. (lol :P) I guess I'll just stick to reading stories…writing is way beyond me. :D
PS: can we ask Rick to rewrite this book? :D :P
Or maybe write a companion book? (I can't believe HoO series is over!)