Honestly when tou think about it its kinda crazy that house of hades is still considered a children's book considering everything that was going pn in that book
Honestly the whole Heroes of Olympus series is pretty mature for a kids or even young teen’s book… Sure that language is pretty simple but the weight behind the character’s motivations is surprisingly mature in its nature, from ptsd to an attempt to save your father from being eaten… To literally using your soul (or something) to free the chains of a death god whilst knowing that doing so will likely lead to your own demise and or the demise of your best friend/gf! Like what?! Fucking drowning in mud as your friends try to save you and your nemesis is trying to offer you a perfect life with your loved ones but your forced to give up this prospect as an illusion in order to save yourself, your friends and the world Like WHAT THE FUCK?!? Seriously The Son of Neptune is metal as fuck!
I love the sun and the star SPOILER especially when nemesis and her other children tells Nyx that she’s more than the goddess of revenge and it was fucking amazing
@@olliecook2860 i won't Percy Jackson is so much better and the sun and the star was an amazing book Nico and the cocoa puffs is the best band name ever
It’s amazing to see characters growing beyond their myths and becoming their own people. Even the monsters can change and become good if they want, there’s hope for the demigods to eventually coexist with them
If we’re talking about the OG Percy Jackson and the Olympians then I’d argue any one of those pare just as good if not better than HP. However if we’re talking about Heroes of Olympus then those as kinda mid. Trials of Apollo is a bit better and The Kane Chronicles are pretty good. But after the original series it feels a bit like the late stage MCU most of them aren’t bad but they aren’t particularly good either.
I like how this book is gives us a better insight to nico and will’s characters. Many people say nico is just a plot device who’s character is all sadness, but this novel gives us more sides to nico. In will’s case, a lot of people thought it was random for him to end up with nico (and thought leoxnico made more sense for some reason), and well we didnt know that much about him. But through tsats we all got to see their characters get fleshed out :D. I like how it isnt another “the world is ending soon” prophecy that involves percy, bc 1) that storyline’s been used 3 times already 2) it would get repetitive and bland 3) percy deserves his rest Instead, I love this being a book to give us more information about what’s happening in the pjoverse and characters. I hope we get more of this, maybe one for Piper. It could be about her pov during the events of TOA. Sorry if this all made no sense im writing it all at 12 am :)
In comparison with many other novella…Percy Jackson just pales in comparison. Nice series, very overrated in terms of writing. It’s the most basic of basic…which is okay. Basic=Good. Doesn’t always equate to bad. Y’all equate it to bad.
This is really unpopular as an OG fan (I started reading just before Titans Curse came out) I didn’t think Nico being gay was done particularly well. It felt like a bad plot twist and just going by the books it made more sense that if Nico was into anyone it was Annabeth, and I’m not even arguing that idea. Unfortunately if you say that some of the newer fans will either say your a fake fan or just call you a homophobe. Anyways due to this poor plot twist (IMAO) we Will comes off as even MORE of a flat character. We’re always focused on who Will is in relation to other people. To Apollo he’s his son, to Nico he’s a romantic interest and to everyone else he’s Nico’s boyfriend thus making him pretty bland. So I completely understand why people don’t really like Will x Nico.
@@thedukeofchutney468 i respect your opinion. I personally don’t see him with annabeth though, they dont really have the same interests or any chemistry. Its not the same as percabeth
What struck me about Mark Oshiro being onboard for The Sun and the Star is the books inclusion of lgbtq+ topics. It was always going to happen, but I don't think Rick alone could have written all of what we got. It's like, possibly the next phase in the Riordanverse, where Rick can work with writers who know more about some of the topics Rick wants to write about, expanding the inclusion in the books to be... well better.
I read th sun and the star in one day, because i couldn't stop reading. It's a great book with a great history, great characters and a lot of things that i love. But the thing i like most is how it shows the friendship between Jason and Nico and how Nico deals with Jason's death. I really love that.
I feel like mark oshiro and Rick gave Nico one of the best character arcs, that ended in said book, of any fantasy book characters in the world. I remember finishing this book and being like: "okay, Nico is happy the book had a perfect ending Nico and Will had a perfect ending, both in content and in writing of said content". This book is really one of my favourite PJO books
I am jealous of the kids that grew up with the books. I wish I was able to read PJO and HOO when they first came out. I could have read the stories when I was the same age as the characters, but I was just able to read them during pandemic after hesitating to read PJO because I am a massive Potterhead. haha.
Got my House of Hades signed for my birthday 😅 Was never a Potterhead but rejoiced!!! At least you got a movies series that wasn’t an embarrassment… Then again your author isnt much to write home about sooooo 🤷 I guess we’re even lmfao 😂😂😂
A freaking children’s book being the evolution of storytelling tells you how great the book actually is Edit: not meant to offend children’s content or that it being the evolution of storytelling is strange :>
Considering many “children’s shows and movies” have better writing, characters, action, and world-building than in live-action, not really that surprising. I know those aren’t the same thing, but the point stands
For me the first "children" book that was way more brutal and mature than other books for the 10-12y category was Gregor the Overlander from Suzanne Collins. These books were so dark and graphic, I honestly dont know how she even managed to label them for this age. After watching this video I want to read the percy jackson series again and also finally read the heroes of olympus
I agree about Suzanne Collins- both Gregor and the Hunger Games. These were the first juvenile/YA books I ever read where the characters actually had PTSD from the trauma of their "adventures." It was incredibly realistic.
It really is a shame the Gregor books get slept on so much. But man this video makes me want to reread all the old Percy Jackson books I read growing up and the new ones I've missed.
Holy crap ! Just a few days back I was trying without much success to recall the name of this awesome book with giant insects and insect-sized humans. Thank you so much for mentioning it !
I really love how the theme of changing the status quo was used in this book. It makes me hope that eventually it will be possible to have a more peaceful relationship between demigods and monsters, that they don’t need to be locked in this stupid forever war created by the gods
here's my take: the writing was good, the storytelling was good, the plot?? maybe a little weak, and i feel like i would have changed a bit about will and nico's dynamic. imo the story did a great job of completing nico's story but it was kind of sad in a way letting that go. i wish the setting had been more of the underworld not tartarus that would've really changed the tone for the better. idk just a thought. i missed the lightheartedness we should've gotten more of.
I read this book a couple months after it came out and god it's *so* good!! It was like reading the first PJO book all over again, a truly special experience from the very first page, the kind that captures the emotional brilliance of the entire book and franchise as a whole. Every sequence with Gorgyra and the stories Will/Nico told about their adventures was so precious. It was a story not only for her but for us as well! Truly a special book from a special series!
I read the books in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series more than 10 years ago and I didn't know there was another arc! can't wait to jump into it
Wow, this video was hands down the best i've seen in years! Not only was everything you said obviously correct, but the flow of the video, the excitement in your voice and all the research you did, pulled it together into an amazing captivating video.💗
Spoilers for the sun and the star: I preordered it as an ebook so the second it was midnight I got access to that book 567 pages finished that day and it’s so good in the house of hades we have the other povs to keep us out of Tartarus for to long so it isn’t hat depressing the entire time and for this book it was nico and wills stories about there life which made me mad whenever they popped up but made me sad every time they ended I especially love how nico accidentally came out to the camp because he wanted to ask will out for a picnic but when he asked the satyrs or nymphs to set it up they made it a coming it party. I was so happy they saved bob to and I have never wanted to hug nico more than in this book like when he revealed what really happened in Tartarus and the end with Piper was just an icing on the cake I loved this book so much
My aunt Erin got me the lightning thief is like 2010 or something and I grew up with PJ and followed every series. I reread that Annabeth and Percy kiss scene a million times and it was formative of my youth and views on romance
I just wanted to say thank you for two things in this video it is awesome that you shared the information of a new book from the Percy Jackson universe. Let's just say I am a big fan of the Percy Jackson universe franchise. Another thing I wanted to say thank you to is for addressing the fact that oftentimes people try to put Band-Aids on things to heal things when in reality it doesn't fix things, healing is a far more longer process.
I really appreciate how this book also broke the stigma of the “underworld is bad” thing and how it affected will and nicos relationship to some degree as well. Also the Persephone talk was pure 👌👌👌👌 can’t wait to read The Chalice of the Gods.
Damn, I might have to pick up the series again. Read the original series and 'Heroes of Olympus', but gave up half way through the Trials of Apollo series. Might be worth giving it another shot.
I liked the book, don't get me wrong. The character development is well written and sound, there are interesting side characters, and as always in this universe, depth and humour finds a place in the story side by side. The only thing that bugged me was Nico suddenly being an expert in contemporary queer art, memes etc. He is literally from the last century, lives in demigod camps that are not really queer, and in the Underworld. And he can't use electronic devices. Every time something of that kind was mentioned, I was pulled out of the story. But that's maybe only me.
i haven't read the books in a long while, and haven't read the sun and the star yet (looking for spoilers to decide whether i want to or not). but are the camps in the books not queer? the greek gods are incredibly queer. from zeus to apollo, a lot of gods were in a gay relationship at some point. is this somehow not part of the pj series?
Just two months ago of this video. Thanks so much, for keeping this amazing book kn the spotlight. It is indeed and amazing book. It left all perfectly concluded, and still, its so well done... that I still want more about this characters and this franchise. Still, Its so well written that I could wait another decade for a new book, and it would be like not one single day went by since I closed that book for the first time...
Unfortunately I never got invested into Percy Jackson as a book series. By the time the movies came out I was reaching past the target audience, the films left a very mediocre impression on me, and I was at the beginning of my anime exploration phase. I should at some point set aside time to take a look at the series, I love reading various levels of literature to expand my horizons of understanding. But for my time, there was a kids’ series unlike ANY OTHER, one that sadly ended right when PJ was hitting its stride, and one I STILL love to this very day: BIONICLE That was the most mature storytelling I have ever seen, kids media or no. The weight of consequences, the characters. I still remember Takua braving the depths to Makuta’s lair, Vakama’s journey to becoming a leader, Matoro and his friends walking through the tunnel to Karzahni and all the horrors the Matoran saw there, the climb down the volcano’s spiraling staircases to the Mask of Life… the ultimate sacrifice… I remember it all. And it’s beyond my wildest imagination!
House of Hades was dark, but the one that really boggled my mind on how it got a pass was the Series of Unfortunate Events. Heroes of Olympus always skewed closer to YA but series of unfortunate events seemed to be more on the younger end of middle grade.
I wasnt one to ask my parents to get me stuff but these books are something that I really wanted and I received. My parents regretted it bc I’d get in trouble for reading these books during class and when I was supposed to be sleeping.
@@ThatPJOGuy Great video! I’ve been worried that the book will just cheaply undermine house of hades, but what you said about the finale puts that fear to rest, as a satisfying conclusion is more important
Ive recently been dragged back into this fandom, screaming and having to be yanked by the ear but I don't regret it, i gotta say i truly missed this place
So i just learned about this book. Went to Rick’s website. And learned that a day or so ago, a 6th book was just released in the Percy Jackson series. There’s a _6th book._
It still has cool cover art although it is by far a writing and a universe that pleases me, I'm happy that it was successful and that Rick Riordan has obviously grown as a writer and the public has matured, although I didn't ask for another book, true fans really want it.
Fucking awesome video man! I would recommend looking into some of the audio mixing on this video though, blasted my ears a couple of times on the music segments. :)
Ok - shut up and take my money! 😂 But seriously - I really need to get back into this series. Damn - I really needed this, to be honest. I haven’t read this series since I was maybe 12 or 13 (I’m 27 now, retired from the Army, and going to Graduate School), but I’m convinced I need to re-read the Percy Jackson (and the Carter Kane series too, as I left off there). I just remember the absolute love I had for these books back in the day - so thank you letting me know about this new entry!
House of Hades has a special place in my heart, as a closeted italian guy i saw myself a lot in Nico. Also it was when i started shipping him and Jason lol
Oh good gods above do I have things to say about Star Wars and the MCU. The MCU technically still has Kevin Feige as a uniting visionary but the output required thanks to D+ has made it a bit of a disorganized mess. Star Wars I have so much to say I don’t have the energy or time for it (right now at least). I was a Star Wars fan for years before I even knew about Percy Jackson, but all I will say for now is that there are a multitude of reasons why the only official Star Wars content I engage with anymore is Visions. I love The Sun and the Star and other books in the Riordanverse in part because they tell new stories often centered on other characters rather than retelling the same story or being centered on characters who have already had their stories told. Something that Hollywood as a whole has a serious problem with. Alien, Terminator, Jurassic Park, etc. which tell the same stories or tell more of existing stories that don’t need to be told and they make the original stories weaker. Sure the emotional impact of the original is still there, but if you watch a movie to see the heroes accomplish something great and then there’s sequel movie in which the accomplishment effectively didn’t matter it leaves a bad taste. The Riordanverse doesn’t have this problem for the same reason I mentioned before. It expands on what it has rather than milk the same stuff. As for the book itself I loved what it did for healing Nico and for how much it fleshed out Will, and how it expanded Wills powers in a way that fit thematically. And a whole lot of other things. And yeah, I couldn’t tell who wrote what either. Beyond this one moment that Mark said at an event that they wrote. It’s possibly my new favorite Riordanverse book, I do have issues like just how overwhelmingly happy the ending was and I don’t think it’s as well written as The Dark Prophecy or The Burning Maze, but it hit upon a lot of things I love about this universe and it’s characters and even some new things that I grew to love.
Wonderfully said. TSATS isnt my number 1, there were other stories in the riordanverse that I think I still enjoy more than this one (will prolly touch on that when I make my full riordanverse book ranking vid), but I could not get the idea out of my head that this story did so much better than most of the legacy media nowadays. It was a great mix of old and new, that introduces new characters and themes, but also touches on some recurring themes that these stories have always told such as how being yourself is powerful.
House of Hades was everyone's favorite? I thought the general consensus at the time was that its very premise was super hype, but Mark of Athena kind of kicks its butt in terms of the larger cast and their relationship dynamics playing off better.
I know the hype for house of hades was crazy big, probably bigger than mark of athena's was. I remember everyone trying to read each other's copies in middle school. I begged to read other people's chapters because I couldn't get it yet. I think mark of athena was a better book and it's still my favorite, but maybe the hype affected the rating?
Sooo, I take that this is a sign I should finish Trials of Apollo so I can read this, yes? I've followed the riordanverse since like 2009 but I dropped off with the fourth ToA book bc I just wasn't feeling it so much at the time but I've deffo been curious about The Sun and the Star. Also, Rick and Mark were promoting the book at a librarians conference in Chicago this summer that I happened to attend but I didn't know about their appearance until it was too late and I think I'll be mad about it forever 😭
What I like about the concept so far is the idea of opposites, For me, Percy Jackson forgives those who are not Otaku, but PJ is very anime and manga Battle Shounen in my opinion and here we have two characters who are the literal kind bright guy contrasting with the dark and dark character who needs to resolve himself this was a good idea from the more Battle Shounen book, focusing on main characters that has this trope of light and darkness.
I finished blood of Olympus years ago, and was hesitant to start the trials of apollo. I don't even think i got through the first book, it was such a blur i might not have. I felt like the story was going downhill. i first felt it when nico and will got together because i thought it felt a little forced for nico to have all this beautiful character development to be paired with some random side character with less screen time than the stoll brothers. But i've been rereading the books from the begining, and i think ill just jump back to it. Im convinced the sun and the star is good but i want to finished trials of apollo first. I already failed reading the kane chronicles so heres hoping. thanks dude. hopeium restored.
I was able to get through my childhood trauma by escaping into the house of hades ans the rest of HOO That book SAVED me So now that Im older i cant wait to read sun and the star. It'd be like finishing a painting
'Fot it's entirely 462 pages..' Me: So it's a light read.. 'Wow that's a big book' Me - who's finishing a reread of Stormlight Archive: What? Oh right.. 😅
fellow video essay maker here (across a few channels) this was very well-crafted and is a really cool analysis of TSATS and PJO/The Riordanverse in general
I always wanted Nico to have a happy ending. I even wrote an extra chapter in The Blood of Olympus solely for him to get his happy ending...and I don't do fan fiction. I never got around to reading Trials of Apollo when they came out, I thought it was a completely separate story from Percy Jackson. Only this year did I find out that Nico and Will became canon and even more excited when I found out that The Sun and The Star was released only a few months ago was a story based around Nico and Will. I'm almost done TOA, I can't wait to read TSTS.
I keep getting pressured to read Percy Jackson by my friends they would get so invested in the books it's like they would start to escape reality anybody think that they are right is Percy Jackson that good
It's crazy how people complain that these books are too adult, but kids still have parents going to war, being physically and sexually abused, and sometimes literally working while going to junior high and high-school to support their family. You may not LIKE this reality, but it's still reality, and all children should be exposed to it. This is how we spread empathy.
I barely remember anything about this franchise, I read it years and years ago. This video, however, very much makes me want to read the novel. Do you think I can just pick it up and it it'll work for me or should I try to dig back into the stories and characters first?
love tsats finally a good ending for nico ! he deserved his happiness also the first demigod that I saw that gets help y'know related to his mental health xD
I think you made some BIG proclamations here that don't quite stand. Comparing movies to books is always going to be a rough go, especially when it come to franchised movies which usually have many hands touching it even before a director gets to it. While books, unless you are dealing with again legacy franchise storytelling (star wars, star trek, warcraft) are usually the property of a single voice. Solo efforts compared to collaborative efforts are by the nature of the industries they represent going to play with different rules and have different experiences they evoke. Basically, you could have still made an amazing argument for this book without mentioning marvel or star wars, and there was never a guarantee the iron man would lead to end game... a lot of things had to go right to make that "inevitable". As for The Sun and the Star, I think it does a lot of justice for Nico that he deserved for being the kid who stopped being allowed to be a kid so early in the series. This is definitely new territory for Rick actually having a book focused on the maintenance of a relationship and focusing on those left behind in a quest. I hope to see more from Rick here.
I am currently reading the Percy Jackson series ( Titan curse ) so does house of hades happens after the 5 books or is its a different storyline altogether ?😅
Yea the timeline for the series is a bit weird. House Of Hades is in the sequel series to Percy Jackson called Heroes of Olympus. To make it simple, House of Hades is book 9 in the franchise.
Haven't read the new book yet, but I am certainly excited for it. The sole reason I never liked Solangelo was because there was simply no on-screen relationship development for them. They just got together without any real reason or explanation imo. Will Solace always felt like this random side character to me that had no remarkable qualities whatsoever, and frankly wasn't memorable at all. Nico on the other hand is one of the most well-established characters in the PJO Universe. There is simply a jarring disparity in their roles within the story. Moreover, it just felt like the cliché pair of gloomy character & sunny character falling in love. To sum it up, Nico is such a fascinating and deep character, and he deserves a Will Solace (or whomever else) that matches that. Someone, who makes for a plausible boyfriend whom he gradually comes to love. Someone he can be himself around and open up to after coming to trust them. Thus I hope this book finally expands on their relationship!
It sounds like an interesting book. I don’t really care for anything after heros of Olympus unless it’s oriented around Percy, but it sounds like a good book.
The closest "spoliers" I mention in this video regards a snip bit of Nico and Wills character development during the end of the book. So it's up to you but this vid mainly focuses on the impact this story has on storytelling.
Man, I wanna see how Rick will end this. Will he have some massive "Avengers Endgame" type of battle with our demigods, favorite heroes and gods against some grand evil that transcends all the Pantheons of the magical world? Will Percy end it all with some epic duel, or a sacrifice of some sort, locking away all opposing monsters, or putting all Gods/Giants/Titans and all immortals to sleep in a statis like form, where they can only manifest in dreams or as ghosts for short periods before returning back to Stasis? Like... what does this man have planned?
Imma be honest, this book was kinda disappointing to me. POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD It’s strange to say as someone who loves delving into the psychology of deep characters but I felt like this book went too far into the dark and gritty that it really messed with Will and Nicos dynamic. I loved their dynamic in ToA (honestly the only thing I liked about those books) where Nico and Will balanced each other out. Nico would say something gloomy and Will would sarcastically mock it, or Will would get too optimistic/obnoxious and Nico would make a snarky comment to ground him back to reality. It made for a lot of funny moments. There are some of those moments (see “My grumpy little ball of darkness”) but not nearly as much as I was expecting/hoping to see from a book revolving around Nico and Will. I think putting them in Tartarus was a bad idea, not only does it kind of just replay HoH with the two lovers being depressed but trying to comfort each other, but it makes Will and Nico feel too similar. Their dynamic is supposed to be kind of an “opposites attract” story but when you make them both sad, depressed and angsty it just gets kinda stale pretty fast. Even if they just kept them in the Underworld (instead of Tartarus) it would’ve made more sense. It wouldn’t have felt as much like a rehash, Nico would’ve been able to show Will the Underworld and introduce him to his other home and it would’ve given Nico more justification for being annoyed that Will is so negative. Like you’re literally walking through Hell, showing him the worst of the Underworld, but none of the good. Of course he’s gonna hate it. If they would’ve kept it more measured they could’ve had them come to more of an understanding of each others perspective, Will seeing that the Underworld is more than just dark/evil and Nico seeing that just because it’s his home doesn’t make it perfect. They touched on that with Persephone’s garden but lean into it more. Show him the Palace of Hades, Elysium, the Isles of the Blest. Then you can also keep some of Will’s upbeat attitude. You could still have time to explore Nico’s psychology and grief over Jason’s death without devoting 400 pages to angst and depression. Also, it may have just been a typo that they missed but at one point Nico called his mother Bianca Di Angelo and it just ripped me out of the immersion during a pivotal moment and made me very salty 😂 Obviously this is just my thoughts on the matter, judging by the comments it seems like most of you very much disagree
@@luvneojen Judging by this video and the replies under it that is definitely a welcome surprise lol And although I’m kinda used to it at this point, wasn’t a huge fan of making Nyx the villain just because she’s an underworld goddess. In all the myths I’ve read she’s pretty neutral. Intimidating but not evil🫤
i completely agree! i feel like the book was a complete rehashing of what happened to percy and annabeth and i also feel like it almost made me see will and nico as a worse couple in canon? like there were so many repressed things that came to light that they seemed to be holding against each other. they had been together for a year at that point and it makes no sense for themto be that far into their relationship and this to be the first time theyre having some of these conversations. And, being completely honest, some of the writing made me physically cringe, not something i enjoy from my favorite franchise. The tone of the book felt like it was made for someone much younger, and im still in high school. I know middle grade books like this have the target audience of middle schoolers but i never felt like i was to old to be reading the books turning the previous series, something that Rick Riorden does so well is writing something that someone of any age can easily enjoy. I just feel like it could of been done so much better and i completely agree with you in the fact that their dynamic was so much better in ToA. I guess thats my rant
Honestly when tou think about it its kinda crazy that house of hades is still considered a children's book considering everything that was going pn in that book
Ppl think that? Wow 😂
That was always my favourite. I loved how dark and mature it got as the heroes made their way through a literal hell.
I read it so long ago I don’t even remember : (
Honestly the whole Heroes of Olympus series is pretty mature for a kids or even young teen’s book… Sure that language is pretty simple but the weight behind the character’s motivations is surprisingly mature in its nature, from ptsd to an attempt to save your father from being eaten… To literally using your soul (or something) to free the chains of a death god whilst knowing that doing so will likely lead to your own demise and or the demise of your best friend/gf! Like what?! Fucking drowning in mud as your friends try to save you and your nemesis is trying to offer you a perfect life with your loved ones but your forced to give up this prospect as an illusion in order to save yourself, your friends and the world Like WHAT THE FUCK?!? Seriously The Son of Neptune is metal as fuck!
@@griffins750 honestly i never thought of that before but you absolutely right son of Neptune is really metal
I love the sun and the star SPOILER especially when nemesis and her other children tells Nyx that she’s more than the goddess of revenge and it was fucking amazing
But all of it was excellent and way much better than most of the Harry Potter books
Fight me on it
@@olliecook2860 i won't Percy Jackson is so much better and the sun and the star was an amazing book
Nico and the cocoa puffs is the best band name ever
It’s amazing to see characters growing beyond their myths and becoming their own people. Even the monsters can change and become good if they want, there’s hope for the demigods to eventually coexist with them
If we’re talking about the OG Percy Jackson and the Olympians then I’d argue any one of those pare just as good if not better than HP. However if we’re talking about Heroes of Olympus then those as kinda mid. Trials of Apollo is a bit better and The Kane Chronicles are pretty good. But after the original series it feels a bit like the late stage MCU most of them aren’t bad but they aren’t particularly good either.
I like how this book is gives us a better insight to nico and will’s characters. Many people say nico is just a plot device who’s character is all sadness, but this novel gives us more sides to nico. In will’s case, a lot of people thought it was random for him to end up with nico (and thought leoxnico made more sense for some reason), and well we didnt know that much about him.
But through tsats we all got to see their characters get fleshed out :D.
I like how it isnt another “the world is ending soon” prophecy that involves percy, bc
1) that storyline’s been used 3 times already
2) it would get repetitive and bland
3) percy deserves his rest
Instead, I love this being a book to give us more information about what’s happening in the pjoverse and characters. I hope we get more of this, maybe one for Piper. It could be about her pov during the events of TOA.
Sorry if this all made no sense im writing it all at 12 am :)
Percy deserves to rest so bad
In comparison with many other novella…Percy Jackson just pales in comparison.
Nice series, very overrated in terms of writing. It’s the most basic of basic…which is okay.
Basic=Good.
Doesn’t always equate to bad. Y’all equate it to bad.
This is really unpopular as an OG fan (I started reading just before Titans Curse came out) I didn’t think Nico being gay was done particularly well. It felt like a bad plot twist and just going by the books it made more sense that if Nico was into anyone it was Annabeth, and I’m not even arguing that idea. Unfortunately if you say that some of the newer fans will either say your a fake fan or just call you a homophobe. Anyways due to this poor plot twist (IMAO) we Will comes off as even MORE of a flat character. We’re always focused on who Will is in relation to other people. To Apollo he’s his son, to Nico he’s a romantic interest and to everyone else he’s Nico’s boyfriend thus making him pretty bland. So I completely understand why people don’t really like Will x Nico.
@thedukeofchutney468 never saw any chemistry with Annabeth whatsoever
@@thedukeofchutney468 i respect your opinion. I personally don’t see him with annabeth though, they dont really have the same interests or any chemistry. Its not the same as percabeth
Rick riordan has to be my favourite writer
Sadistic grandfather that he is
Ong
The man just consistently writes bangers
8-12
If your a child absolutely
What struck me about Mark Oshiro being onboard for The Sun and the Star is the books inclusion of lgbtq+ topics. It was always going to happen, but I don't think Rick alone could have written all of what we got. It's like, possibly the next phase in the Riordanverse, where Rick can work with writers who know more about some of the topics Rick wants to write about, expanding the inclusion in the books to be... well better.
I read th sun and the star in one day, because i couldn't stop reading. It's a great book with a great history, great characters and a lot of things that i love.
But the thing i like most is how it shows the friendship between Jason and Nico and how Nico deals with Jason's death. I really love that.
Same
JASON DIES???
@@TheOnlyWay2Go. Sorry for the spoiler. Really
It happens in Trials of Apollo
I feel like mark oshiro and Rick gave Nico one of the best character arcs, that ended in said book, of any fantasy book characters in the world. I remember finishing this book and being like: "okay, Nico is happy the book had a perfect ending Nico and Will had a perfect ending, both in content and in writing of said content". This book is really one of my favourite PJO books
I am jealous of the kids that grew up with the books. I wish I was able to read PJO and HOO when they first came out. I could have read the stories when I was the same age as the characters, but I was just able to read them during pandemic after hesitating to read PJO because I am a massive Potterhead. haha.
lol similar to me i reread hp so many times growing up and finally read pjo and hoo during the pandemic
I grew up with PJO. I tried rereading it during pandemic as well and it doesn't feel the same anymore. Must be because I'm old now lmao.
@@corvair5454 same
Got my House of Hades signed for my birthday 😅 Was never a Potterhead but rejoiced!!! At least you got a movies series that wasn’t an embarrassment… Then again your author isnt much to write home about sooooo 🤷 I guess we’re even lmfao 😂😂😂
Haha same! I read HP in middle school and PJ in high school!
Wow one of my beloved pairings is finally canon! Nico x Happiness!!!
I have had that listed as one of my top ships for over a decade :')
Now we just need Kaladin x happiness... who am I kidding that could never happen
@@Halfwithero314you’re funny pal, Kal will find happiness when the Night Brigade stops chasing Zellian
A freaking children’s book being the evolution of storytelling tells you how great the book actually is
Edit: not meant to offend children’s content or that it being the evolution of storytelling is strange :>
Considering many “children’s shows and movies” have better writing, characters, action, and world-building than in live-action, not really that surprising.
I know those aren’t the same thing, but the point stands
@@justincummings8557 most RUclips series’ like Eddsworld or Crash Zoom also have better writing then other TV Shows so I completely agree with you lol
@@Playerr237 indeed
It’s not
@@jaygin6518 heh?
"Lay it on me, Will. I'm your grilled cheese."
Ayo?
For me the first "children" book that was way more brutal and mature than other books for the 10-12y category was Gregor the Overlander from Suzanne Collins. These books were so dark and graphic, I honestly dont know how she even managed to label them for this age.
After watching this video I want to read the percy jackson series again and also finally read the heroes of olympus
i will never tire of saying the heroes of olympus series is so good i would definitely check it out
@@luvneojen Yup. For me it would've bee my favorite series from Rick if the finale wasn't a bit flawed. Also I think ToA is underrated.
I agree about Suzanne Collins- both Gregor and the Hunger Games. These were the first juvenile/YA books I ever read where the characters actually had PTSD from the trauma of their "adventures." It was incredibly realistic.
It really is a shame the Gregor books get slept on so much. But man this video makes me want to reread all the old Percy Jackson books I read growing up and the new ones I've missed.
Holy crap ! Just a few days back I was trying without much success to recall the name of this awesome book with giant insects and insect-sized humans. Thank you so much for mentioning it !
I really love how the theme of changing the status quo was used in this book. It makes me hope that eventually it will be possible to have a more peaceful relationship between demigods and monsters, that they don’t need to be locked in this stupid forever war created by the gods
LOVE THIS SM
I'm really glad that I'm seeing a lot of praise for The Sun and The Star, it's such an amazing book.
The best quote of tsats is….
“It is Nico di Angelo, son of Hades! I have returned with my glow-in-the-dark boyfriend, Will Solace!”
This is my comfort story
When I feel down, I just open this book and spent 10 hours on it
I've learned SO MUCH Greek mythology just from this series, ITS GREAT. Also, people say its a kids book while go to 1:47 of the video-
There's no need to get defensive over liking a book for children. It is a book for kids, but it's still great
here's my take: the writing was good, the storytelling was good, the plot?? maybe a little weak, and i feel like i would have changed a bit about will and nico's dynamic. imo the story did a great job of completing nico's story but it was kind of sad in a way letting that go. i wish the setting had been more of the underworld not tartarus that would've really changed the tone for the better. idk just a thought. i missed the lightheartedness we should've gotten more of.
I got my childhood trauma from the house of hades and i loved every second over it
No matter how old iv gotten or all the books iv read the Percy Jackson universe and Ricks similar works will always hold a special place in my heart
Same here, especially the Kane Chronicles for me as a little spin off into other Mythologies.
I remember reading the 3rd book and instantly loving Nico, glad he finally found happiness
I read this book a couple months after it came out and god it's *so* good!! It was like reading the first PJO book all over again, a truly special experience from the very first page, the kind that captures the emotional brilliance of the entire book and franchise as a whole.
Every sequence with Gorgyra and the stories Will/Nico told about their adventures was so precious. It was a story not only for her but for us as well! Truly a special book from a special series!
I read the books in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series more than 10 years ago and I didn't know there was another arc! can't wait to jump into it
Wow, this video was hands down the best i've seen in years! Not only was everything you said obviously correct, but the flow of the video, the excitement in your voice and all the research you did, pulled it together into an amazing captivating video.💗
I try. Thank you! 🥰
Spoilers for the sun and the star: I preordered it as an ebook so the second it was midnight I got access to that book 567 pages finished that day and it’s so good in the house of hades we have the other povs to keep us out of Tartarus for to long so it isn’t hat depressing the entire time and for this book it was nico and wills stories about there life which made me mad whenever they popped up but made me sad every time they ended I especially love how nico accidentally came out to the camp because he wanted to ask will out for a picnic but when he asked the satyrs or nymphs to set it up they made it a coming it party. I was so happy they saved bob to and I have never wanted to hug nico more than in this book like when he revealed what really happened in Tartarus and the end with Piper was just an icing on the cake I loved this book so much
I was already super hype for The Sun and the Star and now I'm even MORE HYPE! I can't wait til it comes out in paperback so I can buy it
Les go 😎
My aunt Erin got me the lightning thief is like 2010 or something and I grew up with PJ and followed every series. I reread that Annabeth and Percy kiss scene a million times and it was formative of my youth and views on romance
Never have i ever wanted hear spoilers from a video that actually cares about not spoiling stories well done. Great vid.
Nico is my favorite character ever uncle Rick should write some story’s about where Nico was between the end of Titans curse to camp Jupiter
I just wanted to say thank you for two things in this video it is awesome that you shared the information of a new book from the Percy Jackson universe. Let's just say I am a big fan of the Percy Jackson universe franchise. Another thing I wanted to say thank you to is for addressing the fact that oftentimes people try to put Band-Aids on things to heal things when in reality it doesn't fix things, healing is a far more longer process.
🤟Yw
Oh man
I grew up with the original gang
I was 13 when I read The Lightning Thief. This makes me feel so nostalgic
Hey man I appreciate you blasting my ears with that intro 😃
This franchise is THE most nostalgic piece of media for me and even still in 2023 I’m following it
Am i the only one who thinks after the sun and star ,jason deserves his own book,hes the only one of the seven heroes who feels imo underdeveloped
This makes me finally want to read mark of Athena and the subsequent books
I remember reading those books as a kid, it was the first “big book” I ever read, I was glued to it for days.
And not to mention relatable characters in Percy jackson
I really appreciate how this book also broke the stigma of the “underworld is bad” thing and how it affected will and nicos relationship to some degree as well. Also the Persephone talk was pure 👌👌👌👌 can’t wait to read The Chalice of the Gods.
My only problem is that tSatS read more like fanfiction than Rick's previous work
Do you have any specifics about why it felt like fan fiction?
I AGREEEEEE
Damn, I might have to pick up the series again.
Read the original series and 'Heroes of Olympus', but gave up half way through the Trials of Apollo series. Might be worth giving it another shot.
I liked the book, don't get me wrong. The character development is well written and sound, there are interesting side characters, and as always in this universe, depth and humour finds a place in the story side by side. The only thing that bugged me was Nico suddenly being an expert in contemporary queer art, memes etc. He is literally from the last century, lives in demigod camps that are not really queer, and in the Underworld. And he can't use electronic devices. Every time something of that kind was mentioned, I was pulled out of the story. But that's maybe only me.
i wouldnt say that it pulled me out of the story but yeah it was the same for me it felt kinda weird
Not really, he didn't really stay at the camp much, and if you really like something you'll find out all about it og
I didn’t really like the book, but I did also think it was pretty funny
i haven't read the books in a long while, and haven't read the sun and the star yet (looking for spoilers to decide whether i want to or not). but are the camps in the books not queer? the greek gods are incredibly queer. from zeus to apollo, a lot of gods were in a gay relationship at some point. is this somehow not part of the pj series?
@@vegetablea9611 No, in the books Nico is the first openly queer character. Which is kind of surprising, but it is how it's written.
Just two months ago of this video. Thanks so much, for keeping this amazing book kn the spotlight. It is indeed and amazing book. It left all perfectly concluded, and still, its so well done... that I still want more about this characters and this franchise. Still, Its so well written that I could wait another decade for a new book, and it would be like not one single day went by since I closed that book for the first time...
tbh i haven't read this book yet but i already know it's going to be awesome because I need development on solangelo
Loveddddd this book! I think it’s actually one of my favorites. I just wish Apollo made a brief appearance, I got spoiled with the last series
0:34 Ew. Not the Peter Johnson movies.
Unfortunately I never got invested into Percy Jackson as a book series. By the time the movies came out I was reaching past the target audience, the films left a very mediocre impression on me, and I was at the beginning of my anime exploration phase. I should at some point set aside time to take a look at the series, I love reading various levels of literature to expand my horizons of understanding.
But for my time, there was a kids’ series unlike ANY OTHER, one that sadly ended right when PJ was hitting its stride, and one I STILL love to this very day:
BIONICLE
That was the most mature storytelling I have ever seen, kids media or no. The weight of consequences, the characters. I still remember Takua braving the depths to Makuta’s lair, Vakama’s journey to becoming a leader, Matoro and his friends walking through the tunnel to Karzahni and all the horrors the Matoran saw there, the climb down the volcano’s spiraling staircases to the Mask of Life… the ultimate sacrifice… I remember it all. And it’s beyond my wildest imagination!
DAmmm I remmeber Bionicles. I gotta re-catch up on it, it was lowkey fire!
House of Hades was dark, but the one that really boggled my mind on how it got a pass was the Series of Unfortunate Events. Heroes of Olympus always skewed closer to YA but series of unfortunate events seemed to be more on the younger end of middle grade.
I am so so excited to read this book!
I wasnt one to ask my parents to get me stuff but these books are something that I really wanted and I received. My parents regretted it bc I’d get in trouble for reading these books during class and when I was supposed to be sleeping.
I’m 99% sure there is but I’m holding out hope: are there spoilers for the Nico & Will Book?
Nope, no real details are spoiled!
@@ThatPJOGuy Great video! I’ve been worried that the book will just cheaply undermine house of hades, but what you said about the finale puts that fear to rest, as a satisfying conclusion is more important
sun and the star is absolutely amazing, couldn’t wait for even more from rr in chalice of the gods
Ive recently been dragged back into this fandom, screaming and having to be yanked by the ear but I don't regret it, i gotta say i truly missed this place
The fandom is great except for
"ThIs gOes AgAiNsT mY ChRisTIanIC BeLiEfs."
So i just learned about this book.
Went to Rick’s website.
And learned that a day or so ago, a 6th book was just released in the Percy Jackson series.
There’s a _6th book._
This is what Marvel should have done with their legacy stories
It still has cool cover art although it is by far a writing and a universe that pleases me, I'm happy that it was successful and that Rick Riordan has obviously grown as a writer and the public has matured, although I didn't ask for another book, true fans really want it.
Honestly I was not that big of a fan of the sun and the star but I’m still excited to read the chalice of the gods
Fucking awesome video man!
I would recommend looking into some of the audio mixing on this video though, blasted my ears a couple of times on the music segments.
:)
I really loved THE SUN AND THE STAR
watched .2 seconds of the video and already love it
Ok - shut up and take my money! 😂
But seriously - I really need to get back into this series. Damn - I really needed this, to be honest. I haven’t read this series since I was maybe 12 or 13 (I’m 27 now, retired from the Army, and going to Graduate School), but I’m convinced I need to re-read the Percy Jackson (and the Carter Kane series too, as I left off there).
I just remember the absolute love I had for these books back in the day - so thank you letting me know about this new entry!
😁😁
U mean Dam not Damn
@@onething361 no - I actually meant “damn”. So - shut up and don’t say stupid things, yeah?
@@The-Shadow-Realm Its a Percy Jackson pun
House of Hades has a special place in my heart, as a closeted italian guy i saw myself a lot in Nico.
Also it was when i started shipping him and Jason lol
When PJO had a mass existence, I was listening to UDD’s songs
I think you mean 45% Rick 45% mark 10% wife
Bruh just say Becky Riordan😅
This was a really amazing video! Was gonna read the later but now I'm very invested.
THank u!
Oh good gods above do I have things to say about Star Wars and the MCU. The MCU technically still has Kevin Feige as a uniting visionary but the output required thanks to D+ has made it a bit of a disorganized mess. Star Wars I have so much to say I don’t have the energy or time for it (right now at least). I was a Star Wars fan for years before I even knew about Percy Jackson, but all I will say for now is that there are a multitude of reasons why the only official Star Wars content I engage with anymore is Visions.
I love The Sun and the Star and other books in the Riordanverse in part because they tell new stories often centered on other characters rather than retelling the same story or being centered on characters who have already had their stories told. Something that Hollywood as a whole has a serious problem with. Alien, Terminator, Jurassic Park, etc. which tell the same stories or tell more of existing stories that don’t need to be told and they make the original stories weaker. Sure the emotional impact of the original is still there, but if you watch a movie to see the heroes accomplish something great and then there’s sequel movie in which the accomplishment effectively didn’t matter it leaves a bad taste.
The Riordanverse doesn’t have this problem for the same reason I mentioned before. It expands on what it has rather than milk the same stuff.
As for the book itself I loved what it did for healing Nico and for how much it fleshed out Will, and how it expanded Wills powers in a way that fit thematically. And a whole lot of other things. And yeah, I couldn’t tell who wrote what either. Beyond this one moment that Mark said at an event that they wrote. It’s possibly my new favorite Riordanverse book, I do have issues like just how overwhelmingly happy the ending was and I don’t think it’s as well written as The Dark Prophecy or The Burning Maze, but it hit upon a lot of things I love about this universe and it’s characters and even some new things that I grew to love.
Wonderfully said. TSATS isnt my number 1, there were other stories in the riordanverse that I think I still enjoy more than this one (will prolly touch on that when I make my full riordanverse book ranking vid), but I could not get the idea out of my head that this story did so much better than most of the legacy media nowadays. It was a great mix of old and new, that introduces new characters and themes, but also touches on some recurring themes that these stories have always told such as how being yourself is powerful.
House of Hades was everyone's favorite? I thought the general consensus at the time was that its very premise was super hype, but Mark of Athena kind of kicks its butt in terms of the larger cast and their relationship dynamics playing off better.
I know the hype for house of hades was crazy big, probably bigger than mark of athena's was. I remember everyone trying to read each other's copies in middle school. I begged to read other people's chapters because I couldn't get it yet. I think mark of athena was a better book and it's still my favorite, but maybe the hype affected the rating?
I literally couldnt make it through the Apollo books so im glad to know the new ones are good, ill check it out
I didn't know that nico gets a lot of development after the last olympian, it makes me want to read the rest of the books
finally someone who's not shitting on tsats. I loved this book and everyone i asked about it hated it
Sooo, I take that this is a sign I should finish Trials of Apollo so I can read this, yes?
I've followed the riordanverse since like 2009 but I dropped off with the fourth ToA book bc I just wasn't feeling it so much at the time but I've deffo been curious about The Sun and the Star. Also, Rick and Mark were promoting the book at a librarians conference in Chicago this summer that I happened to attend but I didn't know about their appearance until it was too late and I think I'll be mad about it forever 😭
What I like about the concept so far is the idea of opposites, For me, Percy Jackson forgives those who are not Otaku, but PJ is very anime and manga Battle Shounen in my opinion and here we have two characters who are the literal kind bright guy contrasting with the dark and dark character who needs to resolve himself this was a good idea from the more Battle Shounen book, focusing on main characters that has this trope of light and darkness.
i love it when my ears start bleeding again after a wonderful intro
I finished blood of Olympus years ago, and was hesitant to start the trials of apollo. I don't even think i got through the first book, it was such a blur i might not have. I felt like the story was going downhill. i first felt it when nico and will got together because i thought it felt a little forced for nico to have all this beautiful character development to be paired with some random side character with less screen time than the stoll brothers. But i've been rereading the books from the begining, and i think ill just jump back to it. Im convinced the sun and the star is good but i want to finished trials of apollo first. I already failed reading the kane chronicles so heres hoping. thanks dude. hopeium restored.
I was able to get through my childhood trauma by escaping into the house of hades ans the rest of HOO
That book SAVED me
So now that Im older i cant wait to read sun and the star. It'd be like finishing a painting
Great video! :D
Thank u! :D
@@ThatPJOGuy You're welcome! :D
'Fot it's entirely 462 pages..'
Me: So it's a light read..
'Wow that's a big book'
Me - who's finishing a reread of Stormlight Archive: What? Oh right..
😅
Me who is reading the stormlight archive right now
fellow video essay maker here (across a few channels) this was very well-crafted and is a really cool analysis of TSATS and PJO/The Riordanverse in general
Thank u!
tbh i will never get out of how far we´ve come
Same...
6:57 screentime or pagetime? 🤔
I always wanted Nico to have a happy ending. I even wrote an extra chapter in The Blood of Olympus solely for him to get his happy ending...and I don't do fan fiction. I never got around to reading Trials of Apollo when they came out, I thought it was a completely separate story from Percy Jackson. Only this year did I find out that Nico and Will became canon and even more excited when I found out that The Sun and The Star was released only a few months ago was a story based around Nico and Will. I'm almost done TOA, I can't wait to read TSTS.
There’s to many compliments I can give this video
i would totally reread the entire percy jackson franchise if it was adopted into a manhwa/webtoon style
I keep getting pressured to read Percy Jackson by my friends they would get so invested in the books it's like they would start to escape reality anybody think that they are right is Percy Jackson that good
It's crazy how people complain that these books are too adult, but kids still have parents going to war, being physically and sexually abused, and sometimes literally working while going to junior high and high-school to support their family.
You may not LIKE this reality, but it's still reality, and all children should be exposed to it. This is how we spread empathy.
Did anyone else click this video JUST because it told us there was a NEW FREAKING BOOK HOLY SHIT
I don’t know if I’d say a revolution, but it’s good.
God I wish he was still writing the Kane Chronicles.
I barely remember anything about this franchise, I read it years and years ago. This video, however, very much makes me want to read the novel. Do you think I can just pick it up and it it'll work for me or should I try to dig back into the stories and characters first?
I recently finished the PJO series and i just wish i got to experience reading it early on cuz i indeed missed out on a lot
love tsats finally a good ending for nico ! he deserved his happiness
also
the first demigod that I saw that gets help y'know related to his mental health xD
Really good music choice dude
Thanks 😁😁
I think you made some BIG proclamations here that don't quite stand.
Comparing movies to books is always going to be a rough go, especially when it come to franchised movies which usually have many hands touching it even before a director gets to it. While books, unless you are dealing with again legacy franchise storytelling (star wars, star trek, warcraft) are usually the property of a single voice. Solo efforts compared to collaborative efforts are by the nature of the industries they represent going to play with different rules and have different experiences they evoke.
Basically, you could have still made an amazing argument for this book without mentioning marvel or star wars, and there was never a guarantee the iron man would lead to end game... a lot of things had to go right to make that "inevitable".
As for The Sun and the Star, I think it does a lot of justice for Nico that he deserved for being the kid who stopped being allowed to be a kid so early in the series.
This is definitely new territory for Rick actually having a book focused on the maintenance of a relationship and focusing on those left behind in a quest. I hope to see more from Rick here.
Holy mackerel NICO was written in the same year I was BORN?!??!
I counted the days to HoH release, such an spectacular book.
I am currently reading the Percy Jackson series ( Titan curse ) so does house of hades happens after the 5 books or is its a different storyline altogether ?😅
Yea the timeline for the series is a bit weird. House Of Hades is in the sequel series to Percy Jackson called Heroes of Olympus. To make it simple, House of Hades is book 9 in the franchise.
@@ThatPJOGuy thanks 👍🏻
as one of the few surviving Percico shippers, this book was fucking amazing.
Ew
Haven't read the new book yet, but I am certainly excited for it. The sole reason I never liked Solangelo was because there was simply no on-screen relationship development for them. They just got together without any real reason or explanation imo.
Will Solace always felt like this random side character to me that had no remarkable qualities whatsoever, and frankly wasn't memorable at all. Nico on the other hand is one of the most well-established characters in the PJO Universe. There is simply a jarring disparity in their roles within the story.
Moreover, it just felt like the cliché pair of gloomy character & sunny character falling in love.
To sum it up, Nico is such a fascinating and deep character, and he deserves a Will Solace (or whomever else) that matches that. Someone, who makes for a plausible boyfriend whom he gradually comes to love. Someone he can be himself around and open up to after coming to trust them.
Thus I hope this book finally expands on their relationship!
It sounds like an interesting book. I don’t really care for anything after heros of Olympus unless it’s oriented around Percy, but it sounds like a good book.
Guys, I have’t bough the book yet, can I watch this video without it being spoiled? Or should I wait?
The closest "spoliers" I mention in this video regards a snip bit of Nico and Wills character development during the end of the book. So it's up to you but this vid mainly focuses on the impact this story has on storytelling.
@@ThatPJOGuy aight thanks man
Man, I wanna see how Rick will end this. Will he have some massive "Avengers Endgame" type of battle with our demigods, favorite heroes and gods against some grand evil that transcends all the Pantheons of the magical world?
Will Percy end it all with some epic duel, or a sacrifice of some sort, locking away all opposing monsters, or putting all Gods/Giants/Titans and all immortals to sleep in a statis like form, where they can only manifest in dreams or as ghosts for short periods before returning back to Stasis?
Like... what does this man have planned?
Imma be honest, this book was kinda disappointing to me.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD
It’s strange to say as someone who loves delving into the psychology of deep characters but I felt like this book went too far into the dark and gritty that it really messed with Will and Nicos dynamic. I loved their dynamic in ToA (honestly the only thing I liked about those books) where Nico and Will balanced each other out. Nico would say something gloomy and Will would sarcastically mock it, or Will would get too optimistic/obnoxious and Nico would make a snarky comment to ground him back to reality. It made for a lot of funny moments. There are some of those moments (see “My grumpy little ball of darkness”) but not nearly as much as I was expecting/hoping to see from a book revolving around Nico and Will. I think putting them in Tartarus was a bad idea, not only does it kind of just replay HoH with the two lovers being depressed but trying to comfort each other, but it makes Will and Nico feel too similar. Their dynamic is supposed to be kind of an “opposites attract” story but when you make them both sad, depressed and angsty it just gets kinda stale pretty fast. Even if they just kept them in the Underworld (instead of Tartarus) it would’ve made more sense. It wouldn’t have felt as much like a rehash, Nico would’ve been able to show Will the Underworld and introduce him to his other home and it would’ve given Nico more justification for being annoyed that Will is so negative. Like you’re literally walking through Hell, showing him the worst of the Underworld, but none of the good. Of course he’s gonna hate it. If they would’ve kept it more measured they could’ve had them come to more of an understanding of each others perspective, Will seeing that the Underworld is more than just dark/evil and Nico seeing that just because it’s his home doesn’t make it perfect. They touched on that with Persephone’s garden but lean into it more. Show him the Palace of Hades, Elysium, the Isles of the Blest. Then you can also keep some of Will’s upbeat attitude. You could still have time to explore Nico’s psychology and grief over Jason’s death without devoting 400 pages to angst and depression.
Also, it may have just been a typo that they missed but at one point Nico called his mother Bianca Di Angelo and it just ripped me out of the immersion during a pivotal moment and made me very salty 😂
Obviously this is just my thoughts on the matter, judging by the comments it seems like most of you very much disagree
actually fully agree with you on this
@@luvneojen Judging by this video and the replies under it that is definitely a welcome surprise lol
And although I’m kinda used to it at this point, wasn’t a huge fan of making Nyx the villain just because she’s an underworld goddess. In all the myths I’ve read she’s pretty neutral. Intimidating but not evil🫤
i completely agree! i feel like the book was a complete rehashing of what happened to percy and annabeth and i also feel like it almost made me see will and nico as a worse couple in canon? like there were so many repressed things that came to light that they seemed to be holding against each other. they had been together for a year at that point and it makes no sense for themto be that far into their relationship and this to be the first time theyre having some of these conversations. And, being completely honest, some of the writing made me physically cringe, not something i enjoy from my favorite franchise. The tone of the book felt like it was made for someone much younger, and im still in high school. I know middle grade books like this have the target audience of middle schoolers but i never felt like i was to old to be reading the books turning the previous series, something that Rick Riorden does so well is writing something that someone of any age can easily enjoy. I just feel like it could of been done so much better and i completely agree with you in the fact that their dynamic was so much better in ToA. I guess thats my rant