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Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4
The Battle of the Labyrinth
Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears at his potential new school, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.
In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.
In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2008
20068 people are currently reading
256654 people want to read
About the author
Rick Riordan
369 books454k followersRick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41,872 reviews
October 15, 2016
this is my favorite in the series so far! let's see if the last olympian will top it. full video review coming sooooooon.
October 23, 2020
(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: It’s about awakenings, transgressive cracks, and how dread, desire and death indwell the formless chaos of potential.
Notes: It’s about awakenings, transgressive cracks, and how dread, desire and death indwell the formless chaos of potential.
January 29, 2021
"Holy cows?"
This one is... just wow! I don't know how this could get any better. The Battle of the Labyrinth blows first three books out of the water. Though I am yet to read the final one, I think it'll be harder to beat this one out of my-favorite-of-the-series spot. What an adventure.
"Yay! Blow-things-up time!"
Time for having laughs all over the place is over (at least for the most part) and penultimate book means serious business. Percy, Annabeth and the team embarks on the most thrilling adventure yet, immersing us in an eventful journey. Everything's well written as always, it's difficult to stop until one is finished reading. Events are building up nicely towards the Battle of Half-blood camp, while keeping the reader oblivious to the way how seemingly unrelated plot lines will come to unravel at the end.
"so many things. Large snake. Large dogs. Men with swords."
Oh! There are so many good things to tell about this one, but I can't wait till I get started with the next. Thank you Rick Riordan for this one, which made you one of my favorite writers.
"Don't judge someone until you've stood at his forge and worked with his hammer,"
This one is... just wow! I don't know how this could get any better. The Battle of the Labyrinth blows first three books out of the water. Though I am yet to read the final one, I think it'll be harder to beat this one out of my-favorite-of-the-series spot. What an adventure.
"Yay! Blow-things-up time!"
Time for having laughs all over the place is over (at least for the most part) and penultimate book means serious business. Percy, Annabeth and the team embarks on the most thrilling adventure yet, immersing us in an eventful journey. Everything's well written as always, it's difficult to stop until one is finished reading. Events are building up nicely towards the Battle of Half-blood camp, while keeping the reader oblivious to the way how seemingly unrelated plot lines will come to unravel at the end.
"so many things. Large snake. Large dogs. Men with swords."
Oh! There are so many good things to tell about this one, but I can't wait till I get started with the next. Thank you Rick Riordan for this one, which made you one of my favorite writers.
"Don't judge someone until you've stood at his forge and worked with his hammer,"
October 31, 2023
Percabeth 4EVER!
Some time after the events of The Titan's Curse, Percy is attacked by monsters while attending Goode High School. Returning to Camp Half-Blood and reunited with his friends, they realize Luke and the Titan army may be on the move again, possibly seizing an opportunity through the secret underground tunnels to avoid the camp’s protections and invading it directly. In a perilous effort to prevent an imminent attack; Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson risk their way through the many dangers and immenseness of the magical Labyrinth in a desperate attempt to find its creator Daedalus, before it is too late.
This was a fantastic installment, highly entertaining and full of wild adventures; yet as excellent as it was, and despite several high key notes, for some reason I remember it as my least favorite of them all. It was wonderful to see several old characters return to the main scene again, like Tyson and Nico; and lovely to meet a few new ones, like Juniper and Ethan. The unpredictable vastness of the magical Labyrinth provided ample room for some unique and crazy encounters; the island of Calypso and Pan’s resting place being the best and most memorable ones. The fourth entry decently action packed as always. Some epic battles against monsters like Kampe, Geryon, Antaeus, and telekhines, among others. Appearances of deities like Pan, Calypso, Hephaestus, Hera and Poseidon, among others. And how to forget, that unforgettably magical moment.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2008] [361p] [Fantasy] [YA] [3.5] [Recommendable] [Mrs. O'Leary <3]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. The Lightning Thief
★★★★☆ 2. The Sea of Monsters [4.5]
★★★★★ 3. The Titan's Curse
★★★★☆ 4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
★★★★☆ 5. The Last Olympian [4.5]
-----------------------------------------------
¡Percabeth x100PRE!
Algún tiempo después de los eventos de La Maldición del Titán, Percy es atacado por monstruos mientras asiste a la Secundaria Goode. Regresando al Campamento Mestizo y reunido con sus amigos, se dan cuenta de que Luke y el ejército de los Titanes puede que estén nuevamente en movimiento, posiblemente aprovechando una oportunidad a través de los secretos túneles subterráneos para evadir las protecciones del campo e invadirlo directamente. En un peligroso esfuerzo por prevenir un inminente ataque; Percy, Annabeth, Grover y Tyson se arriesgan a todo a través de los muchos peligros y la inmensidad del Laberinto mágico en un desesperado intento por hallar a su creador Dédalo, antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Esta fue una entrega fantástica, altamente entretenida y llena de locas aventuras; sin embargo, siendo excelente como es, y a pesar de varias notas muy altas, por algún motivo la recuerdo como mi menos favorita de todas. Fue maravilloso ver a varios viejos personajes volver a la escena principal, como Tyson y Nico; y genial conocer a algunos nuevos, como Juniper y Ethan. La impredecible vastedad del Laberinto mágico proveyó amplio lugar para algunos únicos y alocados encuentros; la isla de Calipso y el refugio de Pan siendo las mejores y más memorables. La cuarta entrada decentemente cargada de acción como siempre. Varias épicas batallas contra monstruos como Campe, Gerión, Anteo y telquines, entre otros. Apariciones de deidades como Pan, Calipso, Hefesto, Hera y Poseidón, entre otros. Y cómo olvidar, ese inolvidablemente mágico momento.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2008] [361p] [Fantasía] [Joven Adulto] [Recomendable] [Señora O'Leary <3]
-----------------------------------------------
Some time after the events of The Titan's Curse, Percy is attacked by monsters while attending Goode High School. Returning to Camp Half-Blood and reunited with his friends, they realize Luke and the Titan army may be on the move again, possibly seizing an opportunity through the secret underground tunnels to avoid the camp’s protections and invading it directly. In a perilous effort to prevent an imminent attack; Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson risk their way through the many dangers and immenseness of the magical Labyrinth in a desperate attempt to find its creator Daedalus, before it is too late.
This was a fantastic installment, highly entertaining and full of wild adventures; yet as excellent as it was, and despite several high key notes, for some reason I remember it as my least favorite of them all. It was wonderful to see several old characters return to the main scene again, like Tyson and Nico; and lovely to meet a few new ones, like Juniper and Ethan. The unpredictable vastness of the magical Labyrinth provided ample room for some unique and crazy encounters; the island of Calypso and Pan’s resting place being the best and most memorable ones. The fourth entry decently action packed as always. Some epic battles against monsters like Kampe, Geryon, Antaeus, and telekhines, among others. Appearances of deities like Pan, Calypso, Hephaestus, Hera and Poseidon, among others. And how to forget, that unforgettably magical moment.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2008] [361p] [Fantasy] [YA] [3.5] [Recommendable] [Mrs. O'Leary <3]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. The Lightning Thief
★★★★☆ 2. The Sea of Monsters [4.5]
★★★★★ 3. The Titan's Curse
★★★★☆ 4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
★★★★☆ 5. The Last Olympian [4.5]
-----------------------------------------------
¡Percabeth x100PRE!
Algún tiempo después de los eventos de La Maldición del Titán, Percy es atacado por monstruos mientras asiste a la Secundaria Goode. Regresando al Campamento Mestizo y reunido con sus amigos, se dan cuenta de que Luke y el ejército de los Titanes puede que estén nuevamente en movimiento, posiblemente aprovechando una oportunidad a través de los secretos túneles subterráneos para evadir las protecciones del campo e invadirlo directamente. En un peligroso esfuerzo por prevenir un inminente ataque; Percy, Annabeth, Grover y Tyson se arriesgan a todo a través de los muchos peligros y la inmensidad del Laberinto mágico en un desesperado intento por hallar a su creador Dédalo, antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Esta fue una entrega fantástica, altamente entretenida y llena de locas aventuras; sin embargo, siendo excelente como es, y a pesar de varias notas muy altas, por algún motivo la recuerdo como mi menos favorita de todas. Fue maravilloso ver a varios viejos personajes volver a la escena principal, como Tyson y Nico; y genial conocer a algunos nuevos, como Juniper y Ethan. La impredecible vastedad del Laberinto mágico proveyó amplio lugar para algunos únicos y alocados encuentros; la isla de Calipso y el refugio de Pan siendo las mejores y más memorables. La cuarta entrada decentemente cargada de acción como siempre. Varias épicas batallas contra monstruos como Campe, Gerión, Anteo y telquines, entre otros. Apariciones de deidades como Pan, Calipso, Hefesto, Hera y Poseidón, entre otros. Y cómo olvidar, ese inolvidablemente mágico momento.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2008] [361p] [Fantasía] [Joven Adulto] [Recomendable] [Señora O'Leary <3]
-----------------------------------------------
August 4, 2024
✅ Reread (August 2024)
Somedays I wish I could escape to Ogygia with Perry Johansson Percy Jackson.
Also, I love how there's so much action and drama in this book 🤌 I still believe that Calypso was better in this series compared to Heroes of Olympus. The whole Rachel and Annabeth thing can be so frustrating at times but they're both pretty badasses in their own ways. Luke and Pan just make me sad.
The Percabeth moments still hit.
Somedays I wish I could escape to Ogygia with
Also, I love how there's so much action and drama in this book 🤌 I still believe that Calypso was better in this series compared to Heroes of Olympus. The whole Rachel and Annabeth thing can be so frustrating at times but they're both pretty badasses in their own ways. Luke and Pan just make me sad.
The Percabeth moments still hit.
August 16, 2022
(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: A knotted navigation, not just mazes that confuse, push comes to shove with teenage love, and awkwardness ensues.
Notes: A knotted navigation, not just mazes that confuse, push comes to shove with teenage love, and awkwardness ensues.
March 7, 2020
”I am senior empousa,” she growled. “No hero has bested me in a thousand years.”
“Yeah?” I said. “Then you’re overdue!”
Well, as you can see Percy still didn’t lose his touch. Or snark for that matter! ;-P I’ve to admit that the way things are going it sounds like our heroes will have to use every ounce of will to keep theirgood humour intact though. As I already suspected this didn’t only get way darker than its predecessors but also a little more mature as well. Yes, our little baby heroes are growing up and for the first time monsters aren’t the only thing they have to deal with. There are other kinds of problems they have to face and most of them seem to be of a more – erm – romantic nature. XD I’m sure sometimes troubles like that might be even worse than monsters. What do you say, Percy?
”So you told her the truth.”
“She recognized me from Hoover Dam, so –“
“You’ve met her before?”
“Um, last winter. But, seriously, I barely know her.”
“She’s kind of cute.”
“I – I never thought about it.”
Jeez! Annabeth, jealous much? Could you be so kind and give Percy at least a little chance to get in a few words? Or, well, maybe a proper sentence? *lol* Just saying! Would make it easier to understand him, right? XD All that gibberish isn’t going to get you two out of the labyrinth anytime soon. Oh yeah, the labyrinth. I almost forgot to mention it! Love troubles will do that to you. ;-P I definitely don’t envy Percy right now. Amazingly enough and despite everything they still manage to keep their minds focused on the most important things. Like for instance the task of finding Pan!
”Percy, I can’t go back to camp without finding Pan. I just can’t. You understand that, don’t you? I can’t face Juniper if I fail. I can’t even face myself.”
Poor Grover, he has a really tough time in this one but thankfully Tyson, Percy and Annabeth always got his back! And of course there are other new characters I sorely missed and that actually reappeared in “The Battle of the Labyrinth”. For instance Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Nico di Angelo! And before you even say anything: Yes, Rachel adds to Percy’s drama and Nico, well I suppose in some way he does too. No, not the way you think! *lol* He’s more like Percy’s little baby brother and it’s kinda cute how much he worries about him. Nico certainly isn’t defenceless though! That kid! I swear I love him to bits and pieces and can’t wait to see more of him. He’s not only adorable but also quite resourceful and assertive. In short: This kid rocks! ;-)
Minos laughed. “You have no power over me. I am the lord of spirits! The ghost king!”
“No.” Nico drew his sword. “I am.”
He stabbed his black blade into the floor, and it cleaved through the stone like butter.
For all of you who keep wondering what our heroes are doing in the labyrinth. Well, it’s Annabeth’s quest and they need to find Daedalus before Luke does. Yep, our dear archenemy is still around and kicking and of course he’s up to no good! But worry not, before the grand finale takes place there happen quite a few things first: For instance our heroes encounter more and more monsters they never knew about or heard ofand also most certainly never wanted to know about as well, Tyson has intriguing conversations with Hephaestus and Percy tries his hand at teaching.
”Well, a Cyclops. Good, good. What are you doing travelling with this lot?”
“Uh…” said Tyson, staring in wonder at the god.
“Yes, well said,” Hephaestus agreed.
”New lesson, class,” I announced. “Most monsters will vaporize when sliced with a celestial bronze sword. This change is perfectly normal, and will happen to you right now if you don’t BACK OFF!”
Okay, that one didn’t go all that well and I strongly doubt that this is a possible future career path. At least not for Percy. ;-P I’ve to admit that he grew quite a lot in this book though. Alone his encounter with a certain girl on a certain island shows how much his character developed and changed over the course of those last few books. And, yes some part of me ached with Percy. >_<
The ending of this book made me really sad but unfortunately I’m more than just certain that the worst is yet to come. There’s one last and final book and I’m convinced that it’s waiting for me at my library! I think I’ll just, you know, finish this review, leave you here and go grab it! ;-P Happy reading and take care!
________________________________
I can’t believe I’m already reading the fourth book!
As it seems Percy Jackson reads really fast! *lol*
Also I’m very curious how this series is going to continue. As far as I know this is the penultimate book and since the last book took a turn to the dark side I can only assume that this will hold true for “The Battle of the Labyrinth” as well.
I wonder if they’ll meet the Minotaur. XD
Let’s do this! I’m ready! ;-)
“Yeah?” I said. “Then you’re overdue!”
Well, as you can see Percy still didn’t lose his touch. Or snark for that matter! ;-P I’ve to admit that the way things are going it sounds like our heroes will have to use every ounce of will to keep their
”So you told her the truth.”
“She recognized me from Hoover Dam, so –“
“You’ve met her before?”
“Um, last winter. But, seriously, I barely know her.”
“She’s kind of cute.”
“I – I never thought about it.”
Jeez! Annabeth, jealous much? Could you be so kind and give Percy at least a little chance to get in a few words? Or, well, maybe a proper sentence? *lol* Just saying! Would make it easier to understand him, right? XD All that gibberish isn’t going to get you two out of the labyrinth anytime soon. Oh yeah, the labyrinth. I almost forgot to mention it! Love troubles will do that to you. ;-P I definitely don’t envy Percy right now. Amazingly enough and despite everything they still manage to keep their minds focused on the most important things. Like for instance the task of finding Pan!
”Percy, I can’t go back to camp without finding Pan. I just can’t. You understand that, don’t you? I can’t face Juniper if I fail. I can’t even face myself.”
Poor Grover, he has a really tough time in this one but thankfully Tyson, Percy and Annabeth always got his back! And of course there are other new characters I sorely missed and that actually reappeared in “The Battle of the Labyrinth”. For instance Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Nico di Angelo! And before you even say anything: Yes, Rachel adds to Percy’s drama and Nico, well I suppose in some way he does too. No, not the way you think! *lol* He’s more like Percy’s little baby brother and it’s kinda cute how much he worries about him. Nico certainly isn’t defenceless though! That kid! I swear I love him to bits and pieces and can’t wait to see more of him. He’s not only adorable but also quite resourceful and assertive. In short: This kid rocks! ;-)
Minos laughed. “You have no power over me. I am the lord of spirits! The ghost king!”
“No.” Nico drew his sword. “I am.”
He stabbed his black blade into the floor, and it cleaved through the stone like butter.
For all of you who keep wondering what our heroes are doing in the labyrinth. Well, it’s Annabeth’s quest and they need to find Daedalus before Luke does. Yep, our dear archenemy is still around and kicking and of course he’s up to no good! But worry not, before the grand finale takes place there happen quite a few things first: For instance our heroes encounter more and more monsters they never knew about or heard of
”Well, a Cyclops. Good, good. What are you doing travelling with this lot?”
“Uh…” said Tyson, staring in wonder at the god.
“Yes, well said,” Hephaestus agreed.
”New lesson, class,” I announced. “Most monsters will vaporize when sliced with a celestial bronze sword. This change is perfectly normal, and will happen to you right now if you don’t BACK OFF!”
Okay, that one didn’t go all that well and I strongly doubt that this is a possible future career path. At least not for Percy. ;-P I’ve to admit that he grew quite a lot in this book though. Alone his encounter with a certain girl on a certain island shows how much his character developed and changed over the course of those last few books. And, yes some part of me ached with Percy. >_<
The ending of this book made me really sad but unfortunately I’m more than just certain that the worst is yet to come. There’s one last and final book and I’m convinced that it’s waiting for me at my library! I think I’ll just, you know, finish this review, leave you here and go grab it! ;-P Happy reading and take care!
________________________________
I can’t believe I’m already reading the fourth book!
As it seems Percy Jackson reads really fast! *lol*
Also I’m very curious how this series is going to continue. As far as I know this is the penultimate book and since the last book took a turn to the dark side I can only assume that this will hold true for “The Battle of the Labyrinth” as well.
I wonder if they’ll meet the Minotaur. XD
Let’s do this! I’m ready! ;-)
August 9, 2019
holy hades! this is for sure the best book in the series so far!
there is a lot more adventure, much better pacing, and incredibly improved character development and world building. one of my main concerns about the previous books is that they have the same repetitive vibe and feeling. this book totally changed things up and i couldnt be happier.
i love that percy is getting older. his character is becoming more complex and the storytelling definitely shows that. the juvenile feel of the first couple books has disappeared and the story has become more relatable to me, reading this as an adult.
kind of a bittersweet feeling knowing theres only one more book left, but im ready!
↠ 4 stars
there is a lot more adventure, much better pacing, and incredibly improved character development and world building. one of my main concerns about the previous books is that they have the same repetitive vibe and feeling. this book totally changed things up and i couldnt be happier.
i love that percy is getting older. his character is becoming more complex and the storytelling definitely shows that. the juvenile feel of the first couple books has disappeared and the story has become more relatable to me, reading this as an adult.
kind of a bittersweet feeling knowing theres only one more book left, but im ready!
↠ 4 stars
December 30, 2020
I reread Percy Jackson for the fourth time because I am sad: part 4
May 27, 2025
I've read the first four books in this series to Celyn now and got her #5 for her birthday.
A fun read, though the monsters get steadily more outlandish as Rick mines the lesser known corners of Greek myth. In this book we meet the Empousa who are pictured as women wearing brazen slippers and bearing flaming hair. The name is said to mean "one-footed." This is because they are a one-legged hybrid, with a donkey's leg and a celestial bronze prosthetic leg...
Part of me is wondering how long before South Park's Scuzzlebutt turns up with a hand that's made of celery and Patrick Duffy for a left leg?
We also meet Kampe who is depicted as having the head and upper body of a beautiful woman, the lower body of a dragon, a massive scorpion's tail full of venom, snakes around her ankles, and 50 grisly heads of various creatures (wolves, snakes, bears, lions...) bubbling around her waist. She also possesses black wings on her back and a pair of envenomed swords!
The labyrinth itself and Daedalus were interestingly portrayed. Percy's girl cluelessness continues unabated. And the Luke/Kronos plot comes to a bubble.
I also liked the rather silly Mrs O'Leary hell hound and the issue of giant dog biscuits and squeaky pink full-sized buffalo chew toys.
Normally the inconsistent level of farce and semi-seriousness would bug me, but the series' style and charm has somehow inured me to it.
Celyn continues to make her 'yes' sign when I ask if I should give these books 5* and who am I to argue with the expert?
Percy hits 16 next book - should be fun!
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
A fun read, though the monsters get steadily more outlandish as Rick mines the lesser known corners of Greek myth. In this book we meet the Empousa who are pictured as women wearing brazen slippers and bearing flaming hair. The name is said to mean "one-footed." This is because they are a one-legged hybrid, with a donkey's leg and a celestial bronze prosthetic leg...
Part of me is wondering how long before South Park's Scuzzlebutt turns up with a hand that's made of celery and Patrick Duffy for a left leg?
We also meet Kampe who is depicted as having the head and upper body of a beautiful woman, the lower body of a dragon, a massive scorpion's tail full of venom, snakes around her ankles, and 50 grisly heads of various creatures (wolves, snakes, bears, lions...) bubbling around her waist. She also possesses black wings on her back and a pair of envenomed swords!
The labyrinth itself and Daedalus were interestingly portrayed. Percy's girl cluelessness continues unabated. And the Luke/Kronos plot comes to a bubble.
I also liked the rather silly Mrs O'Leary hell hound and the issue of giant dog biscuits and squeaky pink full-sized buffalo chew toys.
Normally the inconsistent level of farce and semi-seriousness would bug me, but the series' style and charm has somehow inured me to it.
Celyn continues to make her 'yes' sign when I ask if I should give these books 5* and who am I to argue with the expert?
Percy hits 16 next book - should be fun!
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
February 11, 2024
which was more culturally significant: the renaissance, or percabeth's first kiss for good luck?
October 14, 2022
I love Percy Jackson
January 2, 2021
Definitely the best book of the series. I love how grown up Percy is. I forgot how cute hating Nico was lol. And... percabeth feels *-*
April 16, 2017
At first I was going to rate it 4.5 stars, but that ending made me smile so much and I think that was what I've been looking for in this saga. I wanted a PJO book to end leaving me with a warm feeling in my heart and I didn't get it until this book <3. I love Nico so much. Also, I really like Poseidon :').
So 5 stars!
So 5 stars!
July 29, 2025
my best friendsssss
April 22, 2016
SO MUCH YES.
August 22, 2017
See this review and more like it on www.bookbastion.net!
_____________
This entry to the Percy Jackson series just took things to a whole new level!
As a first time reader of the series, it blows me away that not only am I enjoying this series as an adult reader, but I'm actually finding that my excitement and love for it has grown with each book as well. The writing has improved, and the way that Riordan has slowly been building up the stakes in each story has definitely stoked my interest as well. I'm so hyped to see how the big showdown in the next book is going to go down!
I have to talk about the characters for a second. The dynamic Percy has with his friends has gotten better and better with each book. I never thought I could find another group of friends in a children's story that I enjoyed quite as much as the gang from Harry Potter, but Percy's gang of friends are just as compelling. I love the core trio (Percy, Annabeth and Grover) but the outliers that Rick Riordan has added on over the course of the series (like Tyson, Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Thalia) have grown on me as well.
None have grown on me more than Nico though. In the previous book, I had some real issues with Nico. In a lot of ways, this book seemed to build off of much that was introduced in the previous one and I thought it worked out well for Nico in terms of growth. I really felt for him and his struggles during this book. Also, I love his strange on-again, off-again burgeoning friendship with Percy. I'm very excited to see how that develops in the final book, especially considering the implications of their existence and the whole prophecy subplot that Rick Riordan has been establishing for 4 books now. Hopefully it doesn't let me down!
I'm a sucker for magical locations and creatures in my fantasy - the stranger the better! So the fact that basically this entire book gets set in a spooky, atmospheric and magic-filled Labyrinth was essentially a dream come true for me. I think it had earned points in my mind for that before I'd even started the book, to be honest. Riordan doesn't disappoint with the setting either, instead he utilizes the magical properties of the Labyrinth to introduce a whole host of memorable locations, creatures and events.
This is the most fun I've had in a Labyrinth since I had to rescue my stepbrother from goblins.
If I had to change one thing, I would have wanted this novel to be a trifle longer! While I think Riordan's ability to write characters and plot a story is definitely improving, in some ways I wish the prose would slow down a bit and describe things a little bit more. There are certain scenes (particularly the action sequences in this book) that I felt like could have been a bit more grand or
of a larger scale than they ended up feeling because the prose moves along with such zeal to get to the next event. Sometimes a sense of dread and danger is good, and I think it's muddled a tiny bit in those fast-moving scenes.
With that being said, plot-wise and character-wise, this was definitely my favorite of the series! I love the way the main plot and theme of the series has sort of unfolded around Percy and the years he's spent questing for the Gods of Olympus. I'm looking forward to seeing how his final clash with the Titans is going to turn out! Onwards to book 5!
★★★★✯ = 4.5/5 stars
___________
Percy Jackson Reviews:
The Lightning Thief ★★★★★
The Sea of Monsters: ★★★★✯
The Titan's Curse: ★★★★
The Battle of the Labyrinth: ★★★★✯
The Last Olympian: RTC
_____________
This entry to the Percy Jackson series just took things to a whole new level!
As a first time reader of the series, it blows me away that not only am I enjoying this series as an adult reader, but I'm actually finding that my excitement and love for it has grown with each book as well. The writing has improved, and the way that Riordan has slowly been building up the stakes in each story has definitely stoked my interest as well. I'm so hyped to see how the big showdown in the next book is going to go down!
I have to talk about the characters for a second. The dynamic Percy has with his friends has gotten better and better with each book. I never thought I could find another group of friends in a children's story that I enjoyed quite as much as the gang from Harry Potter, but Percy's gang of friends are just as compelling. I love the core trio (Percy, Annabeth and Grover) but the outliers that Rick Riordan has added on over the course of the series (like Tyson, Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Thalia) have grown on me as well.
None have grown on me more than Nico though. In the previous book, I had some real issues with Nico. In a lot of ways, this book seemed to build off of much that was introduced in the previous one and I thought it worked out well for Nico in terms of growth. I really felt for him and his struggles during this book. Also, I love his strange on-again, off-again burgeoning friendship with Percy. I'm very excited to see how that develops in the final book, especially considering the implications of their existence and the whole prophecy subplot that Rick Riordan has been establishing for 4 books now. Hopefully it doesn't let me down!
I'm a sucker for magical locations and creatures in my fantasy - the stranger the better! So the fact that basically this entire book gets set in a spooky, atmospheric and magic-filled Labyrinth was essentially a dream come true for me. I think it had earned points in my mind for that before I'd even started the book, to be honest. Riordan doesn't disappoint with the setting either, instead he utilizes the magical properties of the Labyrinth to introduce a whole host of memorable locations, creatures and events.
This is the most fun I've had in a Labyrinth since I had to rescue my stepbrother from goblins.
If I had to change one thing, I would have wanted this novel to be a trifle longer! While I think Riordan's ability to write characters and plot a story is definitely improving, in some ways I wish the prose would slow down a bit and describe things a little bit more. There are certain scenes (particularly the action sequences in this book) that I felt like could have been a bit more grand or
of a larger scale than they ended up feeling because the prose moves along with such zeal to get to the next event. Sometimes a sense of dread and danger is good, and I think it's muddled a tiny bit in those fast-moving scenes.
With that being said, plot-wise and character-wise, this was definitely my favorite of the series! I love the way the main plot and theme of the series has sort of unfolded around Percy and the years he's spent questing for the Gods of Olympus. I'm looking forward to seeing how his final clash with the Titans is going to turn out! Onwards to book 5!
★★★★✯ = 4.5/5 stars
___________
Percy Jackson Reviews:
The Lightning Thief ★★★★★
The Sea of Monsters: ★★★★✯
The Titan's Curse: ★★★★
The Battle of the Labyrinth: ★★★★✯
The Last Olympian: RTC
August 6, 2016
Why did I wait so long to read these? I have no good explanation and if you ask me I'll just give you the shifty eyes and mumble something incoherent because I don't have a good reason. What counts though is that I am reading them now right? On the upside I don't have to agonize for the long wait for new books to come out, but still... if I had just known!
So as expected Percy's summer is going to be filled with another quest and yet another colossal problem that brings him closer to the prophecy. This time around Annabeth is in charge of the quest and they will have to find Daedalus, the creator of the Labyrinth, to stop Kronos from attacking Camp Half-Blood. Of course the Labyrinth is no regular maze. It shifts and deceives and there are a butt-load of monsters on every corner. In the mix we have Rachel Dare who we meet briefly in the last book, and she will play a major role here. We get to see what Nico is up to, and I gotta say I really liked him in this one. Can Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson solve the maze in time to find Daedalus before Luke does?
There is this one scene where Percy is alone and contemplating a tough decision he has to make and I took a little sniff and thought, "Aww.. Percy is growing up." Just like they all are. Things are getting to be more dangerous and we are getting nearer to the climax. More pieces of the puzzle are being presented and Riordan is being crafty just like a good storyteller would be. I actually can't fathom how he keeps up with all of it. All these gods, monsters, and plot-lines to follow; truly great stuff.
As you can tell I'm totally pumped to read the last book which I know will not disappoint. The Last Olympian here I come!
So as expected Percy's summer is going to be filled with another quest and yet another colossal problem that brings him closer to the prophecy. This time around Annabeth is in charge of the quest and they will have to find Daedalus, the creator of the Labyrinth, to stop Kronos from attacking Camp Half-Blood. Of course the Labyrinth is no regular maze. It shifts and deceives and there are a butt-load of monsters on every corner. In the mix we have Rachel Dare who we meet briefly in the last book, and she will play a major role here. We get to see what Nico is up to, and I gotta say I really liked him in this one. Can Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson solve the maze in time to find Daedalus before Luke does?
There is this one scene where Percy is alone and contemplating a tough decision he has to make and I took a little sniff and thought, "Aww.. Percy is growing up." Just like they all are. Things are getting to be more dangerous and we are getting nearer to the climax. More pieces of the puzzle are being presented and Riordan is being crafty just like a good storyteller would be. I actually can't fathom how he keeps up with all of it. All these gods, monsters, and plot-lines to follow; truly great stuff.
As you can tell I'm totally pumped to read the last book which I know will not disappoint. The Last Olympian here I come!
May 1, 2023
Complete 5 Golden Stars
my favourite in the series (actually it's so hard to choose one as favourite because I LOVE 3rd & 5th too!)
all the funny comments & sarcasm,
all the constant thrilling adventures, coming after one other
the cool & creepy labyrinth,
Annabeth, Percy, Grover & Tyson
tbh, I don't assume Percy Jackson as mere middle grade. I read some real middle grade ones this year & they were just okay-ish (not even sure if I will continue them or not tho). I mean, yeah sure, the characters' ages are about middle grade & it is mostly cute & hilarious, but apart from that, it is serious matters & complicated problems & felt like intertwined with our worlds, that many people regardless of their age can enjoy it. I believe that's a talent. (my first read of his series was when I was 22. & I loved it & still do. still can find clues hidden under the layers of the story that only can be revealed in the rereads. the ingenious of the author.)
& I love it in Riordan's books, every characters has their own story, the minor characters fell in love too. also the relationships are cute, funny, realistic & understandable. (even some love triangles -which I actually noticed because someone mentioned, because they mostly were teens' crushes, not real love, so I didn't assume them as triangle- & Riordan wrote it very nicely & realistically. also these books are not centered around the romance. so it is one of the few that I approve & like & it doesn't bother me.)
I just love everything about this series & these characters!
-
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★★/5
HUMOR!: ★★★★★/5
plot: ★★★★★/5
Cover: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
my favourite in the series (actually it's so hard to choose one as favourite because I LOVE 3rd & 5th too!)
all the funny comments & sarcasm,
all the constant thrilling adventures, coming after one other
the cool & creepy labyrinth,
Annabeth, Percy, Grover & Tyson
tbh, I don't assume Percy Jackson as mere middle grade. I read some real middle grade ones this year & they were just okay-ish (not even sure if I will continue them or not tho). I mean, yeah sure, the characters' ages are about middle grade & it is mostly cute & hilarious, but apart from that, it is serious matters & complicated problems & felt like intertwined with our worlds, that many people regardless of their age can enjoy it. I believe that's a talent. (my first read of his series was when I was 22. & I loved it & still do. still can find clues hidden under the layers of the story that only can be revealed in the rereads. the ingenious of the author.)
& I love it in Riordan's books, every characters has their own story, the minor characters fell in love too. also the relationships are cute, funny, realistic & understandable. (even some love triangles -which I actually noticed because someone mentioned, because they mostly were teens' crushes, not real love, so I didn't assume them as triangle- & Riordan wrote it very nicely & realistically. also these books are not centered around the romance. so it is one of the few that I approve & like & it doesn't bother me.)
I just love everything about this series & these characters!
-
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★★/5
HUMOR!: ★★★★★/5
plot: ★★★★★/5
Cover: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
January 23, 2019
Estoy muy contenta de haber retomado esta serie después de muchos años de rendirme.
Me encantó este libro, me lo bebí lol
Me encantó este libro, me lo bebí lol
October 22, 2017
THE REVIEW IS POSTED
**SPOILERS READ AT YOUR OWN RISK**
on this review, I'm just going to tell you guys why I didn't really like it.
this is hard for me to say this but this book was just not that interesting for me. I mean, the first, the second and the third book were all pretty good and they could make me laugh. But this book, it wasn't funny and I might smiled once or twice but I didn't laugh and I also have this problem with Annabeth. it's just like I don't know her anymore. in my opinion, she was pretty different in this book and different in a not good way. she was pretty mean or sarcastic towards Rachel. for examples :
"You're the guide," Annabeth said with mock politness.
"lead on." ( page 250)
"So, Rachel," Annabeth said, "where are you from,
exactly?"
She said it like, What planet are you from? But Rachel
didn't look offended. ( page 253 )
look, I don't know what was Annabeth's problem until she acted that way towards Rachel. I personally think that Rachel is a nice and sweet girl and I think it's impossible to not like her but well, Annabeth didn't really like her so much, I guess.
and there's also this scene where Rachel guided them towards Daedalus's workshop but Annabeth said it's wrong and bla bla but then, Rachel found the workshop and Rachel was right and my expression to Annabeth in that scene like " ha. yeah, right, Annabeth"
and there was this scene that annoyed me so much and it involved Annabeth
Tyson told Rachel she was pretty, which
made Annabeth's nostrils flare like she was going to blow
fire. (page 311)
Seriously, was that even the same girl I had idolized since the first book? where's the old Annabeth? I want her back! I don't want this Annabeth that acted pretty bitchy and annoying. I don't like this Annabeth at all.
I can't believe I'm going to say this but to be honest, I ship Percy with Rachel. but will this ever happen? *sighs*
and let's talk about the plot of this book. The plot was interesting and I understood it but I didn't feel shocked when I knew that Quintus was Daedalus but I also wasn't expecting that to happen. how could I not be shocked for something that I didn't expect?? ... W E I R D...
and I wish this book was funnier. this book wasn't funny. it's not like the first, the second or the third book. This book seems darker than the first, the second and the third book but it's so much less funny. I would've gave this book a higher star if it had been funny. But the truth is, it's not funny or barely funny. I didn't even laugh while reading it. sure, I smilled but laugh? nope, I didn't laugh.
in conclusion, I didn't really like this book. this book wasn't good but it's not bad either. it was fine, but this book certainly didn't get a special place in my heart but I will still read the fifth book because I'm curious how this series ends and I'm also curious about Annabeth in the next book. will she still act like that anymore? or will she become like her old self? and I wish I'll see more Rachel's scenes in the next book. she's so awesome!
thank you for reading and liking this review, guys! I hope you all have a great Sunday!
November 4, 2023
“Be careful of love. It'll twist your brain around and leave you thinking up is down and right is wrong.”
Well, isn’t that the truth?
The Battle of Labyrinth is, so far, the most disappointed installment for this series, and very much less exciting than the previous books.
As much as I hate to say it, the ship of Percabeth is drowning in this installment instead of sailing.
One reason I can’t get behind the Percabeth ship here is because of Annabeth’s continuous but hidden feelings for Luke. Say what you want to say, but she doesn’t shut up about him. You expect me to believe Percabeth is a thing when she’s jealous over Rachel and Percy’s friendship yet she clearly isn’t over Luke? I don’t think so. It doesn’t even matter if they aren’t romantic feelings anymore. Even Thalia was able to tell Luke was long gone and gave up on him rather quickly. I liked her attitude on that, because she knew she wasn’t responsible for “saving” someone who didn’t even want it. If Luke was written differently, in a way where we, as the readers, could see he wants help, or has hope to leave the Titan’s and Kronos, I would accept Annabeth’s concern over him. However, even if I don’t hate Luke (shoutout to Rick for that), I cannot bring myself to sympathize with her either. While the previous book showed the future potential for these two, this one officially killed it.
While I love Annabeth in the first three books, she frustrated me a lot here. She came across more rude, unwilling to think about how others feel. I despised her attitude towards Rachel, even if I can understand where she was coming from. Some may argue it’s because she was jealous of Rachel and Percy, and while this makes sense, I can’t move on from it due to the reality of how Percy feels.
As readers, it’s obvious to see Annabeth has feelings for Percy, but as an outsider’s perspective, if we take Percy into consideration and how he feels, he clearly hasn’t noticed. Honestly, I believe even Percy doesn’t know who he likes and how he feels. He’s shown something for others like Calypso, and he’s not exactly distancing himself from Rachel, but he doesn’t make himself stand out. He’s a high school freshman now, but as Rachel said, he’s a dude, and he’s blind. Still, in my opinion, he doesn’t give any signals about how he feels, only small things we can interpret. Therefore, Annabeth’s jealousy towards Rachel felt unprovoked, unnecessary and for no good measure. I wanna say it’s childish, but since they are kids, I guess it makes sense. Regardless, I would appreciate this future couple more had Annabeth not been so mixed with her feelings, with her obvious attraction to Percy becoming more obvious but her care and defense for Luke still overcoming it. I’m not reading this series for this couple, especially as it’s still a middle grade novel (though I’d argue it’s more YA now with the kids being in high school), so the romance is not the biggest point here. Still, when everyone who loves this series mentions the two of them together, I would have expected to be feeling the same. Sadly, I couldn’t bring myself to root for them, for their future stories and moments, when Annabeth’s attitude feels rash, completely thoughtless.
Plus, Annabeth’s personality here felt so different than the previous books. Whereas before I thought she was incredibly strong, adventurous, and courageous, here she felt not only rude, but also obnoxious. For as strong as she was before, now her diligence was just concealed. She just feels whiny now, complaining about Luke, and defending Luke all the time. They share a past and history together, so it’s easy to understand how and why Annabeth feels protective over Luke. Regardless, there’s no character development or any type of hint showing character development. There’s no implication that Annabeth is growing from her previous feelings, whether romantic, platonic, or admirable. This will all come down to how one interprets Annabeth’s feelings. Some may see it as her still seeing Luke as her hero, while others, like me, will still see it as something more. Regardless, even if I saw Annabeth as seeing Luke as someone she still looks up to, I still don’t think there has been any character development on her end. I would believe it more had she shown any type of remorse for how she has been feeling. In my opinion, it felt like her entire arc revolves around stating Luke is being manipulated, Luke this, Luke that.
So much for being the wise girl, huh? After four books, this is simply disappointing.
Also, I feel as if this was the book with the least fitting title. I mean, we still learn about the Labyrinth, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that I expected MORE of the battle of Labyrinth. I’ve been really excited to see how Percy becomes stronger throughout the books. We don’t really see him training and improving, so it’s safe to say it happens outside the book, which means we don’t read about it all the time. Because of this happening off-page, I have been looking forward to seeing Percy fight more, grow stronger, and show us his potential more. I do think the author’s timeline is working out perfectly well. I don’t think it’s progressing too slow or too fast, and the development of everything happening feels right. Yet, I can’t help but be disappointed with the lack of…powers? Magic? We see more of Percy’s potential here, which is super exciting to finally see, and something we can say we have been waiting for. On the other hand, it has been three years since we met Percy and he joined the camp, yet not much new has happened in regards to who he is, his potential, and what he can do. This had the most fighting and action of the series thus far. While it was nice, it wasn’t the most exciting. I would have expected more resolution to be done. At this point, I can only say there are scenes that feel repetitive concerning who he is as a half-blood.
I also thought the entire execution of Pan was underwhelming, as if the entire journey of finding him was not as important. I was happy for Grover, and then I was disappointed. I think it’s fair to say I was expecting a better execution, more performance to show its relevance. This also had some similarity to book 2, The Sea of Monsters, where, once again, the characters felt off in who they are. I can confidently say The Sea of Monsters still provided that laughter and humor this series was looking promising to have. This fourth installment was simply so dull compared to its predecessors. Even with all the fights, action, twists and turns, disappointment makes me too bitter.
With that being said, I still think there are praise worthy moments in this book. I’ve loved seeing the new gods we meet through the story, both good and bad, and how they have relevance to Percy and his journey. I’ve loved seeing how Percy becomes more acquainted with those closest to him as well. Grover, though, has shown fantastic character development. I’m looking forward to seeing how his powers evolve. I especially loved that we got more of Tyson here and how he became an important part of Percy’s gang. Seeing him tag along made the journey all the better. Special shoutout to Mrs. O’Leary. I always have a soft spot for animal characters in books, and Mrs. O’Leary being a huge hellhound makes no difference. I’m glad Quintus left her with Percy instead of getting rid of her. It warms my heart knowing she is in good hands. Dionysus, God of Wine, has greatly grown on me. He’s unintentionally hilarious. I wish he had more page-time because his banter created some of that humor and joy missing. I also loved Calypso, even though I feel so bad for her. And of course, Nico, my precious, misunderstood emo baby. I am so excited to learn more about him throughout the series.
As mentioned before, I do think the author has written the stories progression really well, timeline wise. The way everything is happening, from the Titan’s army forming and attacking, to how Kronos is being reformed, to how Percy and everyone else are gathering allies and continue learning more about the prophecy; it all comes into a well-done conclusion. Once again, I am a fan of this author’s writing. The way he writes in vivid detail, explaining the monsters and gods is very imaginary. It’s easy to see the descriptions come to life. And even though I was disappointed with Percy’s character arc, I do like seeing more action being done here. I don’t doubt the last and final book, The Last Olympian, will end in a satisfying enough conclusion.
Well, isn’t that the truth?
The Battle of Labyrinth is, so far, the most disappointed installment for this series, and very much less exciting than the previous books.
As much as I hate to say it, the ship of Percabeth is drowning in this installment instead of sailing.
One reason I can’t get behind the Percabeth ship here is because of Annabeth’s continuous but hidden feelings for Luke. Say what you want to say, but she doesn’t shut up about him. You expect me to believe Percabeth is a thing when she’s jealous over Rachel and Percy’s friendship yet she clearly isn’t over Luke? I don’t think so. It doesn’t even matter if they aren’t romantic feelings anymore. Even Thalia was able to tell Luke was long gone and gave up on him rather quickly. I liked her attitude on that, because she knew she wasn’t responsible for “saving” someone who didn’t even want it. If Luke was written differently, in a way where we, as the readers, could see he wants help, or has hope to leave the Titan’s and Kronos, I would accept Annabeth’s concern over him. However, even if I don’t hate Luke (shoutout to Rick for that), I cannot bring myself to sympathize with her either. While the previous book showed the future potential for these two, this one officially killed it.
While I love Annabeth in the first three books, she frustrated me a lot here. She came across more rude, unwilling to think about how others feel. I despised her attitude towards Rachel, even if I can understand where she was coming from. Some may argue it’s because she was jealous of Rachel and Percy, and while this makes sense, I can’t move on from it due to the reality of how Percy feels.
As readers, it’s obvious to see Annabeth has feelings for Percy, but as an outsider’s perspective, if we take Percy into consideration and how he feels, he clearly hasn’t noticed. Honestly, I believe even Percy doesn’t know who he likes and how he feels. He’s shown something for others like Calypso, and he’s not exactly distancing himself from Rachel, but he doesn’t make himself stand out. He’s a high school freshman now, but as Rachel said, he’s a dude, and he’s blind. Still, in my opinion, he doesn’t give any signals about how he feels, only small things we can interpret. Therefore, Annabeth’s jealousy towards Rachel felt unprovoked, unnecessary and for no good measure. I wanna say it’s childish, but since they are kids, I guess it makes sense. Regardless, I would appreciate this future couple more had Annabeth not been so mixed with her feelings, with her obvious attraction to Percy becoming more obvious but her care and defense for Luke still overcoming it. I’m not reading this series for this couple, especially as it’s still a middle grade novel (though I’d argue it’s more YA now with the kids being in high school), so the romance is not the biggest point here. Still, when everyone who loves this series mentions the two of them together, I would have expected to be feeling the same. Sadly, I couldn’t bring myself to root for them, for their future stories and moments, when Annabeth’s attitude feels rash, completely thoughtless.
“What is it with you?” I snapped. “Why do you keep defending him?”Dear Percy, I wanna know that too.
Plus, Annabeth’s personality here felt so different than the previous books. Whereas before I thought she was incredibly strong, adventurous, and courageous, here she felt not only rude, but also obnoxious. For as strong as she was before, now her diligence was just concealed. She just feels whiny now, complaining about Luke, and defending Luke all the time. They share a past and history together, so it’s easy to understand how and why Annabeth feels protective over Luke. Regardless, there’s no character development or any type of hint showing character development. There’s no implication that Annabeth is growing from her previous feelings, whether romantic, platonic, or admirable. This will all come down to how one interprets Annabeth’s feelings. Some may see it as her still seeing Luke as her hero, while others, like me, will still see it as something more. Regardless, even if I saw Annabeth as seeing Luke as someone she still looks up to, I still don’t think there has been any character development on her end. I would believe it more had she shown any type of remorse for how she has been feeling. In my opinion, it felt like her entire arc revolves around stating Luke is being manipulated, Luke this, Luke that.
So much for being the wise girl, huh? After four books, this is simply disappointing.
Also, I feel as if this was the book with the least fitting title. I mean, we still learn about the Labyrinth, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that I expected MORE of the battle of Labyrinth. I’ve been really excited to see how Percy becomes stronger throughout the books. We don’t really see him training and improving, so it’s safe to say it happens outside the book, which means we don’t read about it all the time. Because of this happening off-page, I have been looking forward to seeing Percy fight more, grow stronger, and show us his potential more. I do think the author’s timeline is working out perfectly well. I don’t think it’s progressing too slow or too fast, and the development of everything happening feels right. Yet, I can’t help but be disappointed with the lack of…powers? Magic? We see more of Percy’s potential here, which is super exciting to finally see, and something we can say we have been waiting for. On the other hand, it has been three years since we met Percy and he joined the camp, yet not much new has happened in regards to who he is, his potential, and what he can do. This had the most fighting and action of the series thus far. While it was nice, it wasn’t the most exciting. I would have expected more resolution to be done. At this point, I can only say there are scenes that feel repetitive concerning who he is as a half-blood.
I also thought the entire execution of Pan was underwhelming, as if the entire journey of finding him was not as important. I was happy for Grover, and then I was disappointed. I think it’s fair to say I was expecting a better execution, more performance to show its relevance. This also had some similarity to book 2, The Sea of Monsters, where, once again, the characters felt off in who they are. I can confidently say The Sea of Monsters still provided that laughter and humor this series was looking promising to have. This fourth installment was simply so dull compared to its predecessors. Even with all the fights, action, twists and turns, disappointment makes me too bitter.
With that being said, I still think there are praise worthy moments in this book. I’ve loved seeing the new gods we meet through the story, both good and bad, and how they have relevance to Percy and his journey. I’ve loved seeing how Percy becomes more acquainted with those closest to him as well. Grover, though, has shown fantastic character development. I’m looking forward to seeing how his powers evolve. I especially loved that we got more of Tyson here and how he became an important part of Percy’s gang. Seeing him tag along made the journey all the better. Special shoutout to Mrs. O’Leary. I always have a soft spot for animal characters in books, and Mrs. O’Leary being a huge hellhound makes no difference. I’m glad Quintus left her with Percy instead of getting rid of her. It warms my heart knowing she is in good hands. Dionysus, God of Wine, has greatly grown on me. He’s unintentionally hilarious. I wish he had more page-time because his banter created some of that humor and joy missing. I also loved Calypso, even though I feel so bad for her. And of course, Nico, my precious, misunderstood emo baby. I am so excited to learn more about him throughout the series.
As mentioned before, I do think the author has written the stories progression really well, timeline wise. The way everything is happening, from the Titan’s army forming and attacking, to how Kronos is being reformed, to how Percy and everyone else are gathering allies and continue learning more about the prophecy; it all comes into a well-done conclusion. Once again, I am a fan of this author’s writing. The way he writes in vivid detail, explaining the monsters and gods is very imaginary. It’s easy to see the descriptions come to life. And even though I was disappointed with Percy’s character arc, I do like seeing more action being done here. I don’t doubt the last and final book, The Last Olympian, will end in a satisfying enough conclusion.
May 23, 2023
Taylor Swift wrote THE GREAT WAR for Percy and Annabeth periodt (she personally told me this)
July 30, 2015
This series gets better with each book!
March 13, 2017
This entire week I’ve been so lazy that I couldn’t even string together a collection of percabeth fan art and incoherent screaming for my reviews. So I’ve subjected myself to completing them all in one evening.
I know, I’m a mess.
To be fair, every time I thought of actually writing a review for this series it just made me scream for the remaining hours of the day, like that’s how unstable I get.
The Battle of the Labyrinth was one of the BEST books in this series. It was thrilling, action-packed, mysterious, and so fricken adorable. How Uncle Rick manages this, I don’t know.
Percy, my son, has the best luck in the world. Not only does the mysterious mortal girl he met in the previous book appear during his freshman orientation, but he also manages to get on the bad side of demon cheerleaders.
His life is a dream, I know.
In this book, Percy and the Half-Bloods are running out of time to defeat the butthead, Kronos. Even Camp Half-Blood’s borders are growing weaker with no signs of improvement and only incoming invasions. The only way to stop the attacks are to follow their quest, through the Labyrinth.
The underground maze is hella creepy with its twisting corridors and its shifting hallways. On the way, they meet some pretty strange creatures.
Also, lots of #percabeth, don’t miss out on that, folks.
Have you ever met two idiots who were denser than these two like come ON!! How are you so fricken cute???
What else is there to say except that this book slayed me and the narrator for my audiobook was INCREDIBLE. Like I enjoyed EVERY chapter, EVERY word, EVERY adventure.
I love, I love, I love.
OH! And that scene at the end with Poseidon and Percy destroyed me. So bloody adorable and sweet. I demand that we get more father and son moments so I have more content to cry myself to sleep over.
“People are more difficult to work with than machines. And when you break a person, he can't be fixed.”
4.5 stars!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I still have to write reviews for the previous TWO books in this series . . .
. . . is that gonna stop me from continuing ???
N O P E
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August 15, 2024
|| 3.0 stars ||
➛First read: February 2014 | ★5.0 stars
➛Second read: July 2016 | ★5.0 stars
➛Third read: January 2024 | ★3.0 stars
I’m gonna be honest: I keep on rating these books a little higher than I would have if I didn’t have a strong nostalgic love for them, but rating them anything lower than this would just feel like a straight up betrayal to my childhood. However, I am going to say my real and honest thoughts in this review. So, here we go.
These books are all very repetitive and formulaic. Every single installments follows the exact same format: Percy has a big problem at school that gets him expelled, he then goes to camp and is only there for one or two days until he gets sent on a quest. On this quest he has a bunch of battles with monsters, a couple of dreams where he can see the past and the present, and a couple of half-friendly interactions with gods or heroes or other mythological figures. Of course, the book then always ends with the quest being completed, after which we have a little recap of how the prophesy for that book ended up being right in its own vague way. The end.
It’s always the exact same, which wouldn’t be too much of a problem if there was at least more to these stories than just its formulaic plot. But there isn’t. Not really. There’s no depth, there are no meaningful conversations, there is no interesting development. Everything is just always the exact same; each book is the same, each character stays the same, each relationship stays the same. You can easily skip ahead in the story as much as you would like and nothing will have really changed. It feels stale and empty and simple.
Also, this next thing I want to talk about is not really interesting for these books as a whole, but I wanted to say it anyway:
Percy and Annabeth have absolutely no romantic chemistry or development together. I remember this being classified as an epic slow burn and I must have also been a fan of them somehow when I was a kid, but there is literally no romance. Not only that, I would argue there is hardly even a true friendship between them! I tried to pay attention to how they actually interact with each other and came to the realization that they pretty much don’t interact. They never even really talk. They just travel together on their quests, but that’s it. There is nothing deeper going on there. They don’t confide in each other, they don’t act shy or sweet or interested towards each other. They just both exist.
Hell, Annabeth only ever seems to care about Luke, while Percy was more interested in Calypso or even Rachel! Annabeth is really cold and almost uncaring towards Percy, but whenever Luke comes up she becomes incredibly passionate; she cares about him so much, and I’m pretty sure he was her true love. She would have never gotten together with Percy if Luke hadn’t turned evil. I’m pretty sure about that. And Percy isn’t much better in his feelings; he doesn’t pay that much attention to Annabeth, he doesn’t get shy around her, he doesn’t admire her or pine for her. We are literally in this guy’s head so we know what he thinks; and he thinks of both Calypso and Rachel in a much more romantic light here than he ever has about Annabeth. I mean, Annabeth literally kissed him and the next chapter he meets and falls in love with Calypso. He never even thinks about that kiss. Not then, not later. He did not care.
These two do not seem in love. They do not even seem to feel that much affection for the other. I can’t remember what will happen later on in their “romance” and I’m sure that their relationship will eventually grow, but the fact that they are still so indifferent towards each other after supposedly being close for years is a pretty sad thing to realise.
All in all, I don’t actually think these books are that good. They do not hold up for me as an adult. I know I loved them as a kid, and that’s the intended audience, so of course they’re still not a complete failure in my eyes (hence, the decent rating). But I’m still very disappointed because I had really high hopes that these books would be better in quality. I guess I had thought that younger me had a little higher standards. But I guess I did not. Then again, it also feels unfair to judge in this way because it’s not like adults are always meant to like the same things kids do.
'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' series:
1. The Lightning Thief - 3.5 stars
2. The Sea of Monsters - 3.0 stars
3. The Titan’s Curse - 3.5 stars
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth - 3.0 stars
5. The Last Olympian - 3.0 stars
➛First read: February 2014 | ★5.0 stars
➛Second read: July 2016 | ★5.0 stars
➛Third read: January 2024 | ★3.0 stars
I’m gonna be honest: I keep on rating these books a little higher than I would have if I didn’t have a strong nostalgic love for them, but rating them anything lower than this would just feel like a straight up betrayal to my childhood. However, I am going to say my real and honest thoughts in this review. So, here we go.
These books are all very repetitive and formulaic. Every single installments follows the exact same format: Percy has a big problem at school that gets him expelled, he then goes to camp and is only there for one or two days until he gets sent on a quest. On this quest he has a bunch of battles with monsters, a couple of dreams where he can see the past and the present, and a couple of half-friendly interactions with gods or heroes or other mythological figures. Of course, the book then always ends with the quest being completed, after which we have a little recap of how the prophesy for that book ended up being right in its own vague way. The end.
It’s always the exact same, which wouldn’t be too much of a problem if there was at least more to these stories than just its formulaic plot. But there isn’t. Not really. There’s no depth, there are no meaningful conversations, there is no interesting development. Everything is just always the exact same; each book is the same, each character stays the same, each relationship stays the same. You can easily skip ahead in the story as much as you would like and nothing will have really changed. It feels stale and empty and simple.
Also, this next thing I want to talk about is not really interesting for these books as a whole, but I wanted to say it anyway:
Percy and Annabeth have absolutely no romantic chemistry or development together. I remember this being classified as an epic slow burn and I must have also been a fan of them somehow when I was a kid, but there is literally no romance. Not only that, I would argue there is hardly even a true friendship between them! I tried to pay attention to how they actually interact with each other and came to the realization that they pretty much don’t interact. They never even really talk. They just travel together on their quests, but that’s it. There is nothing deeper going on there. They don’t confide in each other, they don’t act shy or sweet or interested towards each other. They just both exist.
Hell, Annabeth only ever seems to care about Luke, while Percy was more interested in Calypso or even Rachel! Annabeth is really cold and almost uncaring towards Percy, but whenever Luke comes up she becomes incredibly passionate; she cares about him so much, and I’m pretty sure he was her true love. She would have never gotten together with Percy if Luke hadn’t turned evil. I’m pretty sure about that. And Percy isn’t much better in his feelings; he doesn’t pay that much attention to Annabeth, he doesn’t get shy around her, he doesn’t admire her or pine for her. We are literally in this guy’s head so we know what he thinks; and he thinks of both Calypso and Rachel in a much more romantic light here than he ever has about Annabeth. I mean, Annabeth literally kissed him and the next chapter he meets and falls in love with Calypso. He never even thinks about that kiss. Not then, not later. He did not care.
These two do not seem in love. They do not even seem to feel that much affection for the other. I can’t remember what will happen later on in their “romance” and I’m sure that their relationship will eventually grow, but the fact that they are still so indifferent towards each other after supposedly being close for years is a pretty sad thing to realise.
All in all, I don’t actually think these books are that good. They do not hold up for me as an adult. I know I loved them as a kid, and that’s the intended audience, so of course they’re still not a complete failure in my eyes (hence, the decent rating). But I’m still very disappointed because I had really high hopes that these books would be better in quality. I guess I had thought that younger me had a little higher standards. But I guess I did not. Then again, it also feels unfair to judge in this way because it’s not like adults are always meant to like the same things kids do.
'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' series:
1. The Lightning Thief - 3.5 stars
2. The Sea of Monsters - 3.0 stars
3. The Titan’s Curse - 3.5 stars
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth - 3.0 stars
5. The Last Olympian - 3.0 stars
May 18, 2020
#1 The Lightning Thief ★★★★☆
#2 The Sea of Monsters ★★★★☆
#3 The Titan’s Curse ★★★★☆
#4 The Battle of the Labyrinth ★★★★★
#5 The Last Olympian ★★★★★
I feel like my Percy Jackson reviews are beginning to feel repetitive, because as a whole, this series has really just captivated my heart so much, and there are only so many times I can gush about how much I love these characters, or how hilarious Percy and his friends are.
→ L I K E S :
“Be careful of love. It'll twist your brain around and leave you thinking up is down and right is wrong.”
First, I have to say that Labyrinth was the first PJO book I’ve read via audiobook instead of a physical copy, and WOW, do I recommend this narrator. He was absolutely hilarious and throws in so many bonus voice changes and accents to really bring the characters to life in a brand new way. My bank account is totally glaring at me because, despite the fact that I own physical copies of almost every book Uncle Rick has written, I’ll probably be checking out the audiobooks for most of them here on out!
“People are more difficult to work with than machines. And when you break a person, he can't be fixed.”
As usual, the characters are wonderful and complex, Percy is a lovable yet sometimes clueless little bean, Annabeth endears me more with each passing installment, Tyson is my forever fave and I would protect him at all costs, and the world of gods, demigods, monsters, and Titans grows more complex and wonderful all the time.
→ D I S L I K E S :
“You deal with mythological stuff for a few years, you learn that paradises are usually places where you get killed.”
I originally gave this one 4 stars like I have with the 3 books before it, because—as with the first books—I wasn’t totally sure it had sucked me in enough to be “worth” 5 stars, until I was sitting here typing this review, weeks later, and realized two things: 1) I don’t have a single legitimate complaint about this installment, and 2) I inhaled most of the audiobook in one sitting and couldn’t put it down, so clearly it did suck me in that much! So, I’m happy to announce that The Battle of the Labyrinth gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars from this reader.
→ F I N A L THOUGHTS :
You can really tell that Rick Riordan meant for the series to grow up with the readers, because the books have steadily gotten just a little bit darker and heavier, but unlike many other series that follow this “aging up” style, PJO is still solidly middle grade and kid-friendly even by the end of this one, 80% through the series. I mean that as a good thing, though, because it means that Labyrinth is still a fun, comforting read with the stakes just high enough to create suspense without ever overshadowing how hilarious and fun the journey is.
→ RECOMMENDING TO… :
I’d happily recommend these books to ANY kid who likes fantasy or action/adventure stories and think that this series will be an important one for readers of all ages for generations to come. I’d also completely recommend this book, and this series in general, to any adults who aren’t typically big fans of MG, or who haven’t read much of it but want to dive into the age range a little more.
February 3, 2021
Wow, this was indeed action-packed from the start till the end!
I think that's my new favourite book in the series!
And also, that is definitely my favourite cover of them all 😍
(Book-styled)
I think that's my new favourite book in the series!
And also, that is definitely my favourite cover of them all 😍
(Book-styled)
July 27, 2017
This book was breath-taking-ly action packed!!! Oh guys, I ENJOYED IT SOOOOO MUCH!!
Kronos has come back with the help of Luke. Now there is threat of invasion in the Camp Half-Blood by the forces of Kronos. Percy and his friends have to go to the Labyrinth, a maze which is full of dangerous monsters and connects every place in the world, to stop them. And also to find the god of wild, Pan, to save Grover's career.
=> Characters of Percy and Annabeth were the best in this book. Although the narration of Percy became less humorous, I still loved this book.
Annabeth. This quest was lead by her. I must admit that the prophecy of this quest wasn't that amazing. Anyway, I didn't pay much attention to this fact as I was so busy in enjoying this book. :p
=> In the previous book, we got the glimpse of a character named Rachel. In this book, she played a significant role. I am not sure I am satisfied with her role yet. Not that I didn't like her role. But her presence in the book seems a huge coincidence. Anyway, This fact didn't look that bad. It can be ignored.
=> The quest was amazing! This time it was full of dangers and actions.
=> Nico. I loathed him soo much in the beginning, even though I was very interested in him from the previous book. He was just annoyingly stubborn. But there was explaination on this fact. After that my interest in him had re-developed.
=> Tyson. He was amazing! I loved his character.
=> In Geryson's ranch, Percy had to clean the stable full of poop. It was wonderful how he did that. ;p
=> For the first time, goddess Hera played a role in this series. Looking forward to how she will turn out in the next one.
=> I was expecting Hade's role in this book. But he didn't appear.
=> The biggest flaw I found in this book is, three is lucky number. Only three person can go on the quest. But here there were four. And all returned safely which is againt the ancient rule according to this book. Unlike the previous book, in which three returned safely.
Overall, I loved this.
July 26, 2017
Kronos has come back with the help of Luke. Now there is threat of invasion in the Camp Half-Blood by the forces of Kronos. Percy and his friends have to go to the Labyrinth, a maze which is full of dangerous monsters and connects every place in the world, to stop them. And also to find the god of wild, Pan, to save Grover's career.
=> Characters of Percy and Annabeth were the best in this book. Although the narration of Percy became less humorous, I still loved this book.
Annabeth. This quest was lead by her. I must admit that the prophecy of this quest wasn't that amazing. Anyway, I didn't pay much attention to this fact as I was so busy in enjoying this book. :p
=> In the previous book, we got the glimpse of a character named Rachel. In this book, she played a significant role. I am not sure I am satisfied with her role yet. Not that I didn't like her role. But her presence in the book seems a huge coincidence. Anyway, This fact didn't look that bad. It can be ignored.
=> The quest was amazing! This time it was full of dangers and actions.
=> Nico. I loathed him soo much in the beginning, even though I was very interested in him from the previous book. He was just annoyingly stubborn. But there was explaination on this fact. After that my interest in him had re-developed.
=> Tyson. He was amazing! I loved his character.
=> In Geryson's ranch, Percy had to clean the stable full of poop. It was wonderful how he did that. ;p
=> For the first time, goddess Hera played a role in this series. Looking forward to how she will turn out in the next one.
=> I was expecting Hade's role in this book. But he didn't appear.
=> The biggest flaw I found in this book is, three is lucky number. Only three person can go on the quest. But here there were four. And all returned safely which is againt the ancient rule according to this book. Unlike the previous book, in which three returned safely.
Overall, I loved this.
July 26, 2017
June 30, 2019
No matter how many times I read or reread this book I still cannot spell labyrinth right on the first try. Despite that fact, I loved this book.
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