“During the third attack, Hazel almost ate a boulder.”

From Rick Riordan’s The Heroes of Olympus: The House of Hades.

Percy and Annabeth are in serious trouble; after finding the Athena Parthenos statue and then attempting to rescue fellow demigod (half human/half god) Nico, they themselves fell into and are now trapped in Tartarus.  Surrounded by evil monsters, they are left with no option but to keep moving out of sight until their mortal bodies are destroyed.  While the rest of their demigod friends (Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Leo, Nico) are desperately fighting their way to Greece to close the Doors of Death so that the evil Gaea cannot almost instantly bring back her monster warriors from the dead.  While the Prophesy of Seven that binds them all together seems to be drawing to a deadly close, the demigods are placed in more and more danger which threatens to tear them apart, both physically and emotionally.  However, the trials the demigods face (and survive) result in stronger demigods that will, hopefully, be better prepared for their upcoming battle with Gaea and her armies.  In need of all the help they can get, Piper reaches out to Reyna, the praetor from Camp Jupiter, asking her to follow and find them on their quest.  As the quest and prophecy pushes each demigod to their limit, they will have no choice but to give their best to each other in their desperate attempt to save the world.

The fourth novel in Riordan’s Greek/Roman crossover series is full of heart-pumping action, witty humor, and undeniable heart.  The characters are relatable for readers of many backgrounds, despite the unbelievability of the fictional situations.  The seven narrators of the book help to create a story that is multifaceted and captivating, but also easy to follow.  The House of Hades is a must-read for fans of the fantasy and adventure genres.