The Tyrant’s Tomb: The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan

I love this book, and would encourage anyone to read the series, however I am going to caution you to wait to read this. I got the book on the day it came out waited a few days to start, because I needed to finish another book, and now I am stuck unable to pre-order book 5, which does not come out until Fall 2020 (a year from now). My first piece of advice for readers is this, be warned that if you do what I did you will have to wait a year for the next book.  You may want to wait a few week (or months) before reading this book so you will not have to wait as long.

I was heartbroken for most of this book, Camp Jupiter was destroyed rebuilt, and destroyed again. Death was ever present, as it is in most battles, but Apollo/Lester real felt it, and as a reader you feel the sadness with him. The growth in Apollo over the series is really present in this book. Renya and Meg help him see how cruel he was as a god, but also how much he has learned and how he is more self-aware now than he was before. Apollo/Lester even realizes that he has changed when he will not let Frank stand alone and when he has to decide which god to call for help. While this is book felt sadder than others in the series, it was true to the characters and the situation. How can you be happy and lighthearted when Camp Jupiter needs to be rebuilt and the legion lost 10% of their recruits. Rick Riordan does an amazing job at showing the heartache and still can make you smile and see that the future can be brighter.  I really recommend this series, and don’t blame you if you ignore my advice and read this book now instead of waiting until closer to book 5 is released. I love this world, wish it was real, and wish I could spend more time in Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter than these books allow.

 

Character list/Book Summary:

Apollo/Lester = returning Jason Grace’s body to Camp Jupiter with Meg when they are attacked. Apollo was warned by Venus to never go near Reyna. Realizes how much he has grown as a human and how cruel he was as a god. Poisoned. Misses his sister. Offers to date Reyna.

Caligula = one of the emperors that is trying to attack and destroy Camp Jupiter and Apollo. Killed Jason Grace.

Commodus = blinded by Apollo’s brightness (two books ago)

Cumaean Sibyl = wrote 9 books of prophecy and sold 3 of them to the Roman King,  after burning 3 of the books in front of the King and the senate.

Hazel = Demigod of Pluto, can sumon precious metals/goods from the ground (but they are cursed if you use them), dating Frank,becomes a praetor of New Rome

Frank = demigod of Mars, praetor at Camp Jupiter, shape shifter, his life is tied to a piece of wood, tells Lester how the legion lost 10% of their forces in the last battle, willing to sacrifice himself and burns himself up to kill Caligula.

Reyna = Demigod & praetor of Camp Jupiter, Venus gave her a warning that no demigod would ever heal her heart, breaks her leg coming back from a guest to get the last breathe of the silent god, Lavina puts her to sleep to help heal her, joins the hunt

Ella = a harpy that knows the Sibylline Books, is tattooing the prophecies on Tyson.

Tyson = cyclops, a general at New Rome, thinks Ella is pretty, allows Ella to tattoo him, starts to run the book shop in New Rome.

Meg = demigod of Demeter, and controls Lester if she gives him a command. 12 years old, likes unicorns, worries about Lester as the poison is getting worse.

Python = controlling the Oracle Delphi, large rancid Komdodragon, Delphi was his home before it belonged to Apollo, gives Apollo a warning about if he survives what he will face next.

Lavinia = fawn that saves Lester and Meg from eurynomos, takes care of the unicorns at Camp Jupiter, pink hair, helps the nature spirits fight the emperors. Is placed in charge of one of the groups.

Don = faun that helps carry Jason Grace to camp, always jumping around. Stays behind to make sure the ships are sabotaged and gets hurt, Lester is unable to save him.

Bombilo = runs the coffee shop that is below where Lester and Meg stay in Camp Jupiter.

Terminos = God of Boundaries, adopts Julia

Tarquain = undead Roman King, joined forces with Triumvirate, 7th King of Rome, knows Lester is in his ‘court’ due to the poisoning

Lupa = wolf goddess, guardian of Rome, tells Lester to go to the tomb and face Tarquain but not fight him

Pranjal = healer at Camp Jupiter, son of Asclepious, Apollo is his grandfather

Thalia Grace = Artemis’s lieutenant, Jason Grace’s sister, tells Lester how much Artemis misses her brother

Harpocrates = Egyptian-Greek hybrid God of Silence, Apollo bullied him as a god. Was forced to help the Triumvirate, able to forgive Apollo due to Meg and Reyna showing him how Apollo how matured and is trying to make amends and through the love of Syble.