Audio Review: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

March 11th, 2010 | 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Action & Adventure, Audio Book Review, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Guest Review, P-R, YA Genre

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by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer

Title: The Last Olympian
Author: Rick Riordan
Narrator: Jesse Bernstein
Format: Audio Book
# CDs + Minutes: 9 CDs (11 hours, 01 minutes)
Grade Reading Level: 6 – 8 Grade.

Summary: The final showdown has begun and it’s time for Percy Jackson to hear the prophecy in full. The Titans are warring on several fronts and the forces of the Olympian gods are split. Mortals know something is up and are suitably terrified. There is a spy in the midst of the Half-Blood camp and the Ares cabin refuses to join the plans Percy and the rest of the camp are organizing. Which so much fraction and friction, is there even hope that the good guys can win especially when it all hangs in the balance of one 16 year old’s hands?

Why I Started This Book:

It’s the last in the series and I wanted to know the ending of course!

Likes:

Riordan cuts to the chase and starts with action immediately. No running around pointlessly in the forests (Deathly Hallows) for Percy and his friends.
Morpheus’ role in the war. He puts the mortals to sleep in New York to protect them or at the very least if so charitable a notion is impossible to believe, keep them out of the way.
Hestia, the ‘last Olympian’ on Mt. Olympus because at home is where the last hope is kept.
Again Hades is the first to do the right thing and join the campers in the guarding of the Empire State building, followed very closely by Poseidon providing the much needed relief against Typhon the Titan.
The final battle on in the throne room against Kronos/Luke and the trio: Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Very, very good!

Dislikes:

The constant back to back skirmishes, fighting, and battles. It will certainly be an action packed with no time for breathing sequence in the movie companion that is for sure. At times it was a little overmuch, but I think that might be because I listened to it versus reading it. It seemed to drag on, especially when everyone and I do mean everyone not aligned with the Titans is involved.
Luke’s mom and the back flashes. Creepy and weird.
Rachel becoming the next Oracle of Delphi.

Last Minute Thoughts: Percy’s huge decision is one of two things, either: A) He trusts Luke to do the right thing. Very meh. B) His wish of the gods. There is some potential in the second. What do you think?

Buy: The Last Olympian (Audio Book), The Last Olympian (Hardback), Percy Jackson and the Olympians Hardcover Boxed Set (Books 1 - 5)

Book Rating: 4 Treasure Chests.
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Keira runs a book review blog for readers by readers on romance novels entitled Love Romance Passion. She’s been reading romance since she was in her teens and began blogging about romance so she could share her passion for her favorite genre. She loves reading paranormal, Regency, historical America, and highlander most of all and completely adores blind and wounded heroes.