The Mark of Athena

Riordan, Rick. The Mark of Athena. Disney Hyperion Books, New York, 2012. 586 pages.  Tr. $19.99 ISBN 9781423140603

Plot Description:

The Mark of Athena begins as Annabeth and Percy are reunited at last, after months of separation thanks to the meddling of Hera/Juno.  Annabeth along with fellow demigods, Piper, Leo, and Jason, arrives in New Rome in the Argo II, a flying ship with a fire breathing, bronze, dragon figurehead.  The Romans perceive the Greeks as a threat and the Greeks barely have time to explain that the Greeks and Romans must join forces if they are to defeat Gaia’s minions and prevent her from awakening.  Percy and the Roman demigods, Hazel and Frank join the quest as the rest of the Romans drive the Argo II out of New Rome and the heroes head from the original Rome.  In Rome the heroes aim to rescue Hazel’s brother and fellow demigod Nico D’Angelo, the son of Hades, who is being held hostage by Gaia’s minions.  Annabeth, however, has her own mission in Rome, assigned to her by her mother, Athena.  Annabeth is meant to follow the mark of Athena and fight an unknown and undefeated foe in order to right and ancient slight the Roman’s committed against Athena.

Review:

The Mark of Athena is the third book in Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series and picks up right where The Son of Neptune ended.  With The Mark of Athena, Riordan delivers another fast-paced adventure fantasy that will not leave readers disappointed.  Riordan will gain new fans with this series and will please Percy Jackson fans with the return of favorite characters Percy and Annabeth.  In addition to a thrilling adventure story, readers will also learn much about figures from Greek and Roman mythology in Riordan’s latest middle grade novel.

Genre:

Adventure

Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest Level:

Grades 6-9/Grades 4-10

Similar Books:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

Author's Website:
http://www.rickriordan.com/home.aspx