The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan

[A little background: I originally posted my review for The Lost Hero in April 2011. SADLY, the link I have in my review archives is broken - which I discovered only a couple of days ago. In order to correct this travesty, I'm reposting my review. It serves a dual purpose though because I love this series, and want to encourage more people to read it anyway!]

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Series: The Heroes of Olympus #1

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Publication Date: October 12, 2010

Source/Format: Bought || Hardcover

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. (from Goodreads)

I've got to tell you - this has to be my favorite book by Rick Riordan so far. Honestly, when I began the book, I had no idea where he was planning on leading us. I was especially mystified by the position Jason was in and why he couldn't remember anything properly. It's written perfectly, revealing information bit by bit until we come to the (quite) epic conclusion in the end. (And it's a conclusion well worth reading for!)

Plus, alongside the newer characters of Jason, Piper and Leo, we've also got our old favorites in the book - Annabeth, Chiron, Clarisse, Thalia and many more. I love reuniting with some of my old standbys, including Annabeth and Rachel. It's also cool that a goddess we rarely saw in the Percy Jackson books - Hera - gets a major role in this one, as you'll discover when you read it.

From the newer characters, I feel a special affinity with Piper - her character's pretty interesting and she's a daughter of Aphrodite. How cool is that? I love how she manages to realize a few things about the Aphrodite cabin, and how it's not just about beauty or romance, but so much more.

Leo is entertaining; he's the funny one! But it's also incredible what he manages to do with machines and little bolts and other pieces - which is obviously something that comes to him easily, being a song of Hephaestus.

Oh Jason, Jason Grace, how I adore thee. Just the idea of Jason, even when he's suffering from amnesia is already enough to make me swoon. He seems to take to leadership easily, and has a commanding presence, even when he's not sure of what he's doing. I think that's what made me develop a bit of a crush on him.

There are so many twists and turns that I want to mention, but they would spoil the story for future readers of the book. I am still on the edge of my seat after reading it and cannot wait for the next installment to come along!

I recommend this book to fans of the Percy Jackson series, as well as middle grade/young adult readers who have a love for adventure and books with puzzling plots!