The Last Olympian

You know how sometimes you get to the end of something and you're disappointed? Like when you spend years investing in a TV show and then you get to the series finale and things just don't end the way you hoped they would. You just get left with this sense of dissatisfaction. That was certainly not the case with The Last Olympian.

Seeing as how I thoroughly enjoyed each of the previous books in the Percy Jackson series, it was pretty much a no brainer that I would like this one too. But, as I said above, there's always a possibility that you could come into the finale and walk away disappointed. That's not to say I set myself up for disappointment though.

Everything that had been set up over the course of the series came to a head in The Last Olympian. During the course of The Battle of the Labyrinth, it was discovered that one-time Camp Half-Blood counselor and current traito, Luke, had given himself over to become the embodiment of the Titan lord Kronos. So now, basically, Luke was possessed by the evil deity. As part of Kronos' plan to destroy Olympus, Typhon, another ancient monster, was released from his prison under Mt. St. Helens. Zeus and his posse head across the country to stop the ginormous creature before it can reach Manhattan to destroy Mt. Olympus.

Meanwhile, the gods' seats of power are left vacant. With no one around to defend Olympus, Kronos sets in motion his plan to tear it down brick by brick. So who's around to save the day? Percy Jackson, that's who. Percy, Annabeth, and all their demigod pals set up a defense around the Empire State Building and do a pretty good job of holding their line. Several surprises show up along the way, taking each side off guard for a moment or two. But in the end, well, do you really think the Titans are going to be allowed to destroy Western Civilization?

At the beginning of the series, it's revealed that the big three (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) made a pact not to have anymore children because of a great prophecy that could bring about the downfall of Olympus. When Percy came along, it was widely believed that he would be the subject of the prophecy. While the fate of Olympus did hinge on the choice that Percy had to make, Percy's personal fate was not wrapped up on the remainder of the Oracle's spoken words. Once all was said and done, that final fate fell to Luke, who found some redemption at the end of his betrayal.

I didn't cry at the end of the series, like I believed I would. I laughed a little. I felt like cheering at some points. But I showed restraint. After all, it's just a book. And I'm looking forward to The Lost Hero, which, I think, is due out in October. I kinda wish it was sooner. But this is the part where I have to exercise patience. I hate waiting.