Lost Hero Reaction Post: Part Two

[greenconverses]

I'm finished now, so you can hit me all with your squee or RAEG or tears of despair, whatever. As always, spoilers under the cut.

First, let me jut get this off my chest.


"Exactly," Jason said. "Percy Jackson is at the other camp and probably doesn't even remember who he is."


what

WHAT

WHAT

THAT'S YOUR LAST LINE, RICK, FUCKING FOR REAL.

YOU DO REALIZE THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE WRITING THE DAMN KANE CHRONICLES TOO THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT A FUCKING YEAR FOR THIS TO BE RESOLVED, IF IT EVEN IS AT ALL. JUST ARGHHHHHHHH



i mean not that this doesn't give me a million ideas for fic especially of the percy/annabeth angst variety BUT FUCKING STILL


All right, now that I've got that off my chest, I can honestly say that I did like The Lost Hero ... when I wasn't being reminded that Percy was missing and we weren't out there looking for him. I really did start to like Jason, Piper and Leo's quest once we hit Medea and Midas, and things started rolling. Not to mention I love the idea of all the Big Bads from Greek mythology coming back to life. (Fan theory #1: Does this mean we're going to be getting a reappearance from Luke at some point?) But the instant any of them mentioned Percy, like even as "that guy Annabeth's looking for," I just got thrown out of the story because - once again - I was reminded that my favorite character is missing and these assholes DON'T GIVE A FUCK.

Don't get me wrong, I think the set-up with the exchange of leaders between the Roman and Greek camps is going to be awesome, but really, really bad choice on Rick's part to make Percy go missing before the big Save Hera quest started because his fans have the attachment to Percy first and foremost. I was expecting the quest to be to, you know, get him back and the fact that it wasn't kind of made me want to punch things. Even if I ended up kind of liking the quest in the end.

So like I said, I probably would've liked the book more if there hadn't been the specter of MISSING PERCY hanging over the entire thing. I liked the first part, liked all the Epic Battles, I started to like Jason and Piper more as the book went on, although I could really do without the shipping. And yes, we get the two of them are OMG SUPER HAWT and will make pretty babies together.

I'm ... not sure how I feel about the explanation of the Roman camp. With the amount of handwaving the Mist allows in series, it makes it completely obvious that Rick hadn't planned for the Roman camp with the previous series. I would have liked to see a least a tiny bit of foreshadowing with them in PJO, but it completely came out of nowhere. I did, however, like his explanation for why the Roman gods still existed - it's a little less complicated that having two separate pantheons, I think.

And does anyone think that there's going to be a MORE BADASS THAN THOU showdown when Percy and Jason finally meet? With everything Jason's accomplished, there's certainly going to be a contest, methinks. (Although Percy pretty much wins because, hey, he was offered immortality and pissed Zeus off by thumbing his nose at him. Jason... killed a sea monster, whoo)

Also, this leads to my Fan Theory #2: Without his memories and with the influence of the More Badass and Serious Than Thou Roman camp, Percy is going to turn into a dick. But he'll get better. Obvs. so i may or may not already be writing fic about it shut up and stop judging me

I wasn't exactly satisfied with the Thalia and Jason reunion, although it was explained pretty well. I didn't like the handwaving, "She's been at this longer than you, of course she wouldn't be surprised and accepted it as truth right away!" explanation. I liked getting the background with their mother and Zeus's relationship though. Really interesting.

And probably most surprising thing about this book?

I ENDED UP LIKING HERA, GUISE. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME.

It was those scenes with her and Leo, I swear.


All right, so throw everything at me. I know some of you have lists *eyes tatooine* or need to get some flailing and capslock out of your system, so have at it!

Comments

[saturninepen.livejournal.com]

I don't really like Jason and Piper as characters =/ Piper's character felt contradictory to itself to me, plus it annoyed me that she'd known she was a demigod for all of like a day and suddenly she's pulling out this power strong enough to rival Medea's and it's like it wasn't even difficult for her to do.

And Jason...he's just, I don't even know. I like his relationship with Thalia, but that's about it. I know I've ranted this elsewhere, but the stuff he's done just seems kind of overkill to me. I have a hard time buying into it, and a hard time buying into him as a character.

I like Leo the most; he's funny, I like (not the right word, but you know what I mean) his back story, and his crushing on every girl he just can't get (ever) is hilarious, but even with him, sometimes it was just like...I want Nico back =/

If Riordan doesn't bring back some of the old characters (namely Percy, Nico and Annabeth. And moar Rachel), I don't know that I'll be able to like this series as much. I mean, yeah, I liked The Lost Hero, but I just can't get into the characters.

You idea about Percy becoming a complete dick is really interesting, though; I hadn't even thought about that, but it's a complete possibility. EVEN MOAR ANNABETH ANGST!

God, I need to get some of this out in fic, I've ranted and posted in like three different places and it's not helping me any ,_____,

OKAY, SPECULATION TIME.

Who do you think the other four half-bloods will be? They said it would be a mix of Romans and Greeks, and as it stands it's two Greeks and one Roman.

My problem is I can find viable excuses for Percy, Annabeth and Nico to be included in there as well, but 1) I can't tell if I'm just making mountains out of molehill clues because I want them back and 2) that would make a ratio of at least five Greeks to two Romans, and I figured it would be more balanced than that.

[greenconverses.livejournal.com]

I feel like that by identifying Percy as the leader of the Greek camp, it's solidified his place as part of the seven. I can't see Annabeth going anywhere without him although I'm afraid RR's gonna kill her off :S but between her and Nico, she'd probably get kicked out. It'd be more interesting, imo, if she was the only one out of the three that became part of the seven.

I definitely like Leo the most out of the three new kids. My affection for Piper comes and goes, but I think the reason I'm annoyed with Jason is because he's automatically awesome and we don't get to see that. We get to see Percy develop into awesomesauce over the course of five books; Jason did all that developing in the background and is just remembering that it's happening.

[saturninepen.livejournal.com]

That was my reasoning as well; if Jason's going, I don't see how he can leave Percy behind which is also why I want to see Percy have had to go on some sort of quest or something, too, but anyway.

With Nico, he's already said he plays a major role, which I mean yeah, doesn't have to mean this team of seven, but what else is it going to be? Besides, Doors of Death + ancient-supposed-to-be-dead Greek guys...there's lots of dead/death stuff going on, so idk.

Annabeth is my weak one. Like you said, I can't see her going anywhere without Percy, especially after he's gone missing like this. That and Jason asked for her help at the end, and she agreed she would go with him, but still...I agree that she has the most chance of being left behind.

IF RIORDAN KILLS HER OFF, SHIT WILL GO DOWN.

It would be more interesting, but I don't know that it'll happen =/

IA with Jason just kind of popping up and being immediately BAMF "I WILL KICK YOUR ASS WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT!" But really, I just can not get into these guys. I don't know what it is. They almost seemed too forced as characters, like he had a preset mold he wanted to fill with a character, instead of just letting the character develop on its own.

[greenconverses.livejournal.com]

I'm really interested to see how the dead breaking out of the Underworld is going to go down with the Hades family. I can see some awesome tantrums from Hades about this.

I wonder if Nico will be able to control the "souls" of the dead that have escaped because technically they're still dead, right?

[saturninepen.livejournal.com]

I was honestly kind of miffed at first when it said the dead were escaping, because I had an idea (that was really more of a what if question) for fic, and then realized I can't really use it anymore, so yeah.

Then I realized I really only had the question in my head and that was about it, so there's was no point in getting miffed 'cause I had no real fic planned out anyway.

BUT, I agree. I would love to see some tantrums from Hades, but I doubt we will; Nico might have some fun stories though, who knows.

And yeah, I think they're still dead, yes; they said something about Medea, that she didn't seem quite right somehow, so I assume that as lifelike as they look, they're still never really fully there. Not yet, anyway; maybe as things progressed they would become more...corporeal's not really the right word, but it's the best I can come up with right now |:

[angel-2606.livejournal.com]

although I'm afraid RR's gonna kill her off

I LITERALLY had this thought earlier as well. My next thought was that if that happens, I'm gonna kill RR. I will NOT be a happy camper if he takes 1/2 of Percabeth away.

[green-climber.livejournal.com]

RR had better not do such a thing. Honestly though, I feel like he'd sort of have to kill both or neither, and I don't think he'll kill Percy. Or if he did, it'd be unbelievably stupid, because the original PJO books could have serious staying power but would lose a lot if people realized they totally revolved around a character who dies in a later series. I mean, I always worry about Annabeth in a "what if" kind of way, but realistically, I'm more worried about Nico. I feel like it would just be way too tragic to leave Percy without Annabeth.

Speaking of tragic...my GOD(S). Poor Annabeth. Can we please, please spare this child some pain for awhile? She finally gets her guy, the one person who has never left her, and he gets amnesia two months into their relationship? Is RR a sick man? I just don't get it. And it makes my tummy unhappy. A year. He'd better fix this. Okay, that's it for now, but there's more where that came from. A memory-less Percy just really upsets me, for some reason.

[heyjessiex.livejournal.com]

I know. It just really depresses me that Percy/Annabeth has been ruined within three months of their relationship. That line, "he kissed me good night and the next morning he was gone", it BROKE MY HEART.

Seriously, if this was all real, I'd march right to the Roman camp and give Percy his memory back. If I could.

[artemisrae.livejournal.com]

I STILL DON'T THINK THAT RSQUARED IS KILLING ANNABETH OFF, BUT I DID NOTICE THE SHOUTOUT TO ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.

[tatooine.livejournal.com]

... oh. So this could end up being Percy, Nico, Leo, Piper or Annabeth, Jason, and two Romans going to the death's doors to rescue Annabeth or Piper along the way.

[greenconverses.livejournal.com]

fuck if he kills annabeth i will die too

[artemisrae.livejournal.com]

It'll probably be Piper.

[greenconverses.livejournal.com]

Okay, good.

[artemisrae.livejournal.com]

FUCK I HOPE IT'S NOT PIPER.

But I bet it will be on account of her it was her dad who mentioned Orpheus.

[tatooine.livejournal.com]

LOVE

THE POWER CLOSEST TO CREATION~~~~~~~~

[artemisrae.livejournal.com]

HOLD THE PHONE.

"My point is that love is the most powerful motivator in the world. It spurs mortals to greatness. Their noblest, bravest acts are done for love."

I'M PRETTY SURE I GAVE APHRODITE ALMOST THAT EXACT LINE IN A FIC.

[tatooine.livejournal.com]

Aphrodite!!!11!

[artemisrae.livejournal.com]

OH LOOK, APHRODITE LEFT AND PIPER IS PRETTY AGAIN.

...Seriously, like ALMOST THAT EXACT LINE WTF.

[tatooine.livejournal.com]

Now use your psychic connection to Rick Riordan and tell me how many books we'll have to wait before Arachne shows up.

[artemisrae.livejournal.com]

Same book as Annabeth dies.

OH SH-

[tatooine.livejournal.com]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[greenconverses.livejournal.com]

NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

[heyjessiex.livejournal.com]

LET'S JUST HOPE ANNABETH DOESN'T DIE, THEN.