The Lost Hero: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1

Book review by Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media
The Lost Hero: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Percy Jackson series spin-off is almost as delightful.

Rick Riordan Fantasy 2010
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Parents say

age 10+

Based on 11 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 134 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this Percy Jackson spin-off has the same mix of fast-paced battles, scary monsters, and humor. The three new heroes -- Jason, Piper, and Leo -- are in mortal danger multiple times and risk their lives for one another. These heroes are already in their mid-teens, so there's romance in the air between Jason and Piper, though nothing happens just yet. Just like the Percy Jackson series, The Lost Hero will get kids immersed in the details of Greek mythology ... and hopefully clamoring to learn more.

Community Reviews

kaitlinb
kaitlinb Adult
January 11, 2015
age 9+
I read this when I was like 14 and I got bored with it. However, I do remember a lot of life and death type stuff, more so than the Percy Jackson Series. My nine year old sister is just finishing the Percy Jackson books and now she thinks she needs to read these. She's excited because its more demigod stuff omg. But I'm not sure she should read these, most reviews seem to say they were meant for middle schoolers. I would read some summaries before deciding if your child should have this 500+ page book in their head.

This title has:

Too much violence
2 people found this helpful.
Michelle A.
Michelle A. Adult
November 21, 2017
age 13+

I guess it depends on what you consider bad language.

My kids were disappointed at the use of the Lord's name in vain throughout the book and have decided not to continue the series. Most people don't even think twice about that word any more, so it probably goes unnoticed by most who read this book, but my kids picked it out really quickly. (I'm not referring to the references of Gods, Goddess's and demigods, but the expression of OMG in one form or another.)

This title has:

Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
See all 11 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Jason is pretty confused when he wakes upon a school bus on a trip to the Grand Canyon with no idea who he is or how he got there. Earnest Piper acts like Jason's girlfriend, and goofy Leo thinks he's Jason's best friend, but Jason can't remember either of them. Before he can ask many questions, all three are attacked by storm spirits and rescued by a Camp Half-Blood chariot. The newly revealed heroes have barely broken in their cabin bunks when they're called on a quest to rescue Hera (who knows who Jason really is) from dark forces stirring in the Earth -- giants and much more. Riding off in a metal dragon expertly fixed by Leo (Hephaestus' son, of course), the three seek out the nearly-as-dangerous wind gods to help find Hera. But Piper has another secret quest: Her father has been kidnapped by another giant who wants to trade her friends' lives for her father's freedom -- a horrible choice to make.

Is It Any Good?

The story set-up isn't terribly smooth, and this is a denser read than the first few Percy Jackson books, but once the action heats up, that's easily forgotten.

It definitely helps to read the Percy Jackson series first. This spin-off uses the same camp that trains heroes and churns out three more intriguing demigods. Whether they're as likable as Annabeth and Percy is still up in the air, but it's a promising start.

Always a draw with Riordan's books is his sense of humor and ingenious mix of myth and modern. Aeolus makes a compelling argument for why meteorologists are wrong so often, and Medea makes for a divine charmspeaking saleswoman (ready to talk you into buying a wide variety of poisonous potions, right this way). This sense of fun and adventure makes every one of Riordan's books a quest worth undertaking.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about this series vs. Percy Jackson. Were kids as excited about this new series if they loved Percy Jackson? How is Jason different from Percy? How is he the same?

  • Talk about the mix of myth and modern. How does the author make it work so well? Did you learn anything about mythology that you didn't know before? Are there other myths that you're interested in exploring?

Book Details

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