The third entry in the Percy Jackson series is the first where the overarching plot seems to come sharply into focus and the characters seem to have grown beyond their "pupil" phase of their lives. In that way, it feels like the second half of the Harry Potter series, where the characters have started to grow up and are forced into confronting Voldemort and his schemes. But where Potter went very dark, very quickly, Titan's Curse makes the transition more gradually, dealing with some darker themes - including the death of some supporting characters and the possibilities of greater loss - while still focusing on the light, adventure-focused tone that's made the series work so well until now. In some ways, Titan's Curse feels a little loose, with the characters being more driven by the plot than the other way around; at the same time, that's not really a deal breaker here, with even the characters being forced to deal with being a step behind at all times. There are a couple of tropes in the series that are starting to feel a little worn thin by now (namely Percy's ability to hear key conversations and see major events in his dreams), but there's also Riordan's clever ability to mix mythology and modern elements nicely, something that pays off here with the introductions of Apollo and Artemis (as well as a brief appearance by Aphrodite). The result is still an engaging, fun read, but it feels like the weakest of the series, as Riordan tries to shift the tone and move his overarching story forward in a way that ends up feeling a little forced at times. And yet, I still enjoyed it the book as a whole. Riordan knows how to write a great battle scene, with the book's climax really paying off beautifully. Add to that a couple of nice twists and reveals (especially the nature of the monster they're pursuing), and you have a fun enough entry in the series, but one that definitely didn't work for me as much as he others did. Given my son's continued excitement for the set, though, that may be as much a factor of my older age than anything else.
- Josh Maute
- Josh Maute
