The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

    

Title: The Last Olympian   Author:  Rick Riordan
ISBN:  9781423101475   Pages:  381
Publisher:  Disney Hyperion Books, New York, 2009

Readers Annotation: Percy and his loyal band of friends battle Kronos, the evil Titan, in an attempt to save modern civilization and the gods above.  

Author Information: 

Rick Riordan graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a double major in English and history. Riordan is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He's also written the very popular Tres Navarre series for adults, winner of the top three awards in the mystery genre. His most recent children's book Throne of Fire has debuted #1 on the New York Times children's chapter book list.

Rick enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy as a child, and later read mostly fantasy and science fiction novels. His inspiration for Camp Half-Blood in the Percy Jackson series came from his counselor work in college. Riordan currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons.

http://www.rickriordan.com/about-rick/biography.aspx

Plot Summary:
Percy Jackson  and the Olympians have been preparing all year for the ultimate battle against the ever growing evil Titan, Kronos. However, Kronos is also preparing, and continues to recruit gods and demigods to serve under his amassing army.  This fifth book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series begins with a battle against Percy's old friend Luke on his ship the Princess Andromeda. Luke and his friends attempt to stop the ship from reaching New York.

Once the battle on the Princess Andromeda is over, the Olympians find themselves fighting the most menacing monster yet - the rampaging Typhon. Percy and his band of demigods continue the battle in the streets of New York, desperately trying to stop the Titans from destroying Mount Olympus. Meanwhile, Percy is approaching his sixteenth birthday and is about to find out if he is the 'one' referred to in a highly anticipated prophecy.

Critical Evaluation:
This conclusion to the Percy Jackson series is sure to delight readers of all ages. Additionally, due to the classical themes, this story is perfect for mythology lovers. One can especially enjoy the family squabbles between the gods and demigods. The author successfully integrates Greek mythology with a modern day flair, creating a world that is very believable . A combination of adventure, mystery, magic, and humor, makes this book entertaining and exciting. The characters that the author has created are easy to relate to, impressing the reader with their courage and spunk. Percy has grown into a strong yet modest character; a realistic portrayal of a young adult in his circumstances. The ending does not leave the reader disappointed, answering all questions and tying up all loose ends, producing a satisfying conclusion to the series.

Genre: Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:  History - Greek Mythology

Booktalking Ideas: 

     1. A huge decision awaits Percy on his upcoming sixteenth birthday. Did you ever have to make a life altering decision with the added pressure of a deadline?

     2. Fate plays a large role in the world of the demigods. Do you believe in fate?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12 +

Challenge Issue: Mythology, Religion
- Bestselling book series: #1 USA Today bestseller, #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, #1 Los Angeles Times bestseller
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy

Why I chose this item:  This is the newest book of a New York Times best-selling series for young adults. As the main character is sixteen in this book, I decided to include this part of the series specifically.

Further Reading: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth. 

 
The Last Olympian book trailer