Book Review: The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 597 pages
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: October 8th, 2013
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Hazel stands at a crossroads. She and the remaining crew of the Argo II could return home with the Athena Parthenos statue and try to stop Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter from going to war. Or they could continue their quest to find the House of Hades, where they might be able to open the Doors of Death, rescue their friends Percy and Annabeth from Tartarus, and prevent monsters from being reincarnated in the mortal world. Whichever road they decide to take, they have to hurry, because time is running out. Gaea, the bloodthirsty Earth Mother, has set the date of August 1 for her rise to power.

Annabeth and Percy are overwhelmed. How will the two of them make it through Tartarus? Starving, thirsty, and in pain, they are barely able to stumble on in the dark and poisonous landscape that holds new horrors at every turn. They have no way of locating the Doors of Death. Even if they did, a legion of Gaea’s strongest monsters guards the Doors on the Tartarus side. Annabeth and Percy can’t exactly launch a frontal assault.

Despite the terrible odds, Hazel, Annabeth, Percy, and the other demigods of the prophecy know that there is only one choice: to attempt the impossible. Not just for themselves, but for everyone they love. Even though love can be the riskiest choice of all.

Join the demigods as they face their biggest challenges yet in The House of Hades, the hair-raising penultimate book in the best-selling Heroes of Olympus series.

BOB SAY HI.

Yeah that hurt.

Anyways, another solid read for this series. I love it on audio and definitely recommend that avenue. The narrator does a great job and I can usually listen at a pretty fast pace too (and not miss anything).

I adore all of these characters yet again and love the expansion of getting to see Tartarus and all the dealings and monsters that happen down there. I was anxious the entire time for Percy and Annabeth because I will RIOT if I don’t get the kind of ending I want for them. It happens right?!

Many characters go through get arcs and I am impressed at how well each dynamic is kept up. I never feel like one aspect of the story is lacking or that a character isn’t getting enough page time. The rotation between everyone has created such well defined personalities and people. I love getting to know everyone more each time through their struggles and triumphs.

I did feel like this book ran a little long. But that was my only issue with it. Some action scenes dragged on a bit and I really noticed the pattern that was occurring so I was ready to move on to something else by the end. I am excited to finish this series!!

Overall audience notes: