The Lost Hero

November 1, 2014

Gr 4-8-Riordan's ever-popular mythology series that resonates so strongly with reluctant readers and those who yearn for action-packed adventure now have the option to follow the story in graphic novel format. If the traditional narrative version of The Lost Hero (Disney-Hyperion, 2010) hit the ground running, it is nothing compared to what awaits readers in a sequential art format. It takes fewer than 10 pages for the story to start with a [quite literal] bang, and it relents very infrequently thereafter. Powell does an excellent job of adapting the original story into pictorial format, hitting all of the high points and representing all of the major details in the drawings, so little is lost. For those unfamiliar with Riordan's storytelling, they will receive a healthy introduction to his easy-to-follow story lines that teach with great accuracy the mythologies that students will undoubtedly learn in the classroom but with such fun and ease that it will hardly feel like school. Readers who are new to reading comic books will be no less entertained; there are a few pages here and there that may make following the panels in order a touch challenging, but they will catch on quickly. It goes without saying that this book will fly off the shelves; Riordan, of course, has a ready-made audience, but he always does a good job of welcoming new readers, so this one is a must for both school and public libraries.-Trina Bolfing, Westbank Libraries, Austin, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 25, 2010
Percy Jackson fans can rest easy: this first book in Riordan's Heroes of Olympus spin-off series is a fast-paced adventure with enough familiar elements to immediately hook those eager to revisit his modern world of mythological mayhem. Clever plot devices—like gods who shift back and forth between their Greek and Roman personae—keep the book from feeling like a retread of Riordan's previous novels. Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students at a wilderness school for troubled teens, are transported to Camp Half-Blood after an unexpected encounter with evil storm spirits on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Not only do they discover that they are the offspring of ancient gods, but they also learn that they are three of seven demigods mentioned in the Great Prophecy uttered by Rachel in The Last Olympian. Wasting little time acclimating to their new lives, the three embark upon a quest to preserve Mt. Olympus and the divine status quo, by rescuing an erstwhile enemy. Rotating among his three protagonists, Riordan's storytelling is as polished as ever, brimming with wit, action, and heart—his devotees won't be disappointed. Ages 10–up.