The Tyrant's Tomb
2019
- serie:the_trials_of_apollo
- children's fiction
- heroes, fiction
- gods, fiction
- roman emperors
- fiction
- oracle
- juvenile fiction
- greek gods
- greek mythology
The story
In his penultimate adventure, a devastated but determined Apollo travels to Camp Jupiter, where he must learn what it is to be a hero, or die trying. It's not easy being Apollo, especially when you've been turned into a human and banished from Olympus. On his path to restoring five ancient oracles and reclaiming his godly powers, Apollo (aka Lester Papadopoulos) has faced both triumphs and tragedies. Now his journey takes him to Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Roman demigods are preparing for a desperate last stand against the evil Triumvirate of Roman emperors. Hazel, Reyna, Frank, Tyson, Ella, and many other old friends will need Apollo's aid to survive the onslaught. Unfortunately, the answer to their salvation lies in the forgotten tomb of a Roman ruler . . . someone even worse than the emperors Apollo has already faced.
What it’s like
Bright, wisecracking middle-grade adventure with a warm, low-dread feel, the kind of book that reads quickly on a long train ride or as a light comfort read between heavier things. The narration is first-person and chatty, full of self-deprecating asides from a sun god stuck in a sixteen-year-old's body, so the prose has a jokey, conversational rhythm rather than lyrical description. The setting shifts between a sunny California camp, a ruined city full of fog-shrouded ruins, and dim underground tunnels, rendered in quick, punchy sensory strokes: heat, bronze armor, the glare of sunlight on water, a cold tomb's stale air. Pacing is brisk, with short chapters that end on small cliffhangers. Its emotional register mixes grief and loyalty with plenty of banter; the central arc follows a proud, careless god slowly learning humility, grief and responsibility through his friendships. Violence is present and fairly frequent but cartoonish and bloodless, with monsters and battles that never linger on gore, and there is no sexual content. It suits fans of Greek and Roman myth who want humor, heart, and a steady forward pull, and younger readers or adults who enjoy witty, accessible fantasy.
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