The Tower of Nero
2020
- serie:the_trials_of_apollo
- fantasy fiction
- adventure and adventurers, fiction
- children's fiction
The story
It's time to face the final trial . . . The battle for Camp Jupiter is over. New Rome is safe. Tarquin and his army of the undead have been defeated. Somehow Apollo has made it out alive, with a little bit of help from the Hunters of Artemis. But though the battle may have been won, the war is far from over. Now Apollo and Meg must get ready for the final - and, let's face it, probably fatal - adventure. They must face the last emperor, the terrifying Nero, and destroy him once and for all. Can Apollo find his godly form again? Will Meg be able to face up to her troubled past? Destiny awaits . . .
What it’s like
Brisk, wisecracking first-person narration, with a teenage god's sardonic asides cutting through every tense moment and a steady rhythm of short chapters that end on cliffhangers. The world is bright and sun-struck: a Roman military camp with marble, torchlight and open-air crowds, then darker stretches of ruined city, underground passages and a sinister imperial palace, all rendered in quick, vivid strokes rather than lingering description. The sound is that of a loud, busy adventure, with clashing weapons, chanting soldiers and banter that never quite lets up. Its mood is warm and irreverent with a current of unease, and it suits a long commute, an afternoon read on the sofa, or a stretch of reading in bed when you want something fast and funny. Violence is present and frequent, with monsters and undead fighting and characters in real peril, but it stays action-focused and bloodless rather than graphic, and there is no sexual content. Emotional beats about grief, self-worth and belonging come through in lighter, sincere moments between the leads. It is for middle-grade and young adult readers, and for adults who enjoy a quick, humorous mythology adventure.
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