Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

This review has been delayed to closer to when the next book in the series will be coming out, because really the biggest flaw with this book is how long you will have to wait until the next books is available. Percy Jackson, Annabeth, and Grover are back as the main characters, after helping with Heroes of Olympus and many others. Percy is a senior in high school, trying to make up the year he forgot due to Hera, at a new school and if that is not hard enough he is informed by his “guidance counselor” Eudora that because he is the son of Poseidon he needs three letters of recommendation to get into New Rome. These letters of recommendation must come from three different Gods and Percy cannot ask them, they must come to him with a quest. Poseidon trying to be helpful posted that Percy is willing to help the Gods with a task if they write a letter of recommendation. First up is Ganymede, the cupbearer to the gods, who has lost a special chalice and needs it back before Zeus throws a feast. Thankfully, Percy has Annabeth and Grover to help track down possible suspects who may have stolen the cup. After an interesting time in Hebe’s arcade, is it really worth being the youngest person in the room at all times? The gang realizes Hebe is happy not having the chalice and after some artful negotiations between Hebe and Annabeth the gang leaves with information on someone else who was once the cupbearer. Iris sends Percy on a side-quest (too bad he doesn’t learn until afterwards he could have asked for a letter of recommendation from her and get double credit) to clean her staff. Percy must go to Yonkers and find the cleanest water, but in doing so he upsets Elisson, and risks Eudora being banned from his amazing yoga classes. After a nice back and forth and Percy causing chaos with the water (hey Elisson did ask for it to be of all the dirt he put in it) Elisson is consoled by Annabeth and after some nice herbal tea forgives Percy and allows the river to be open to demigods one day a week. After Percy completes this side-quest, and Grover is not eaten by snakes, Iris tell Percy that a man named Gary may have the chalice and seems scared of him. Euroda is even more concerned about Gary, but tells Percy where he may be found. Upon meeting Gary Annabeth and Grover are forced to watch Percy fight with old age. Upon realizing getting older will be a positive thing he embraces aging and Gary gives Percy the chalice. Now the hard part of getting the chalice to Ganymede during a feast Zeus is throwing occurs. Of course, Percy is successful (gets help from an unlikely God) and gets a letter of recommendation that he must write himself. A very funny scene occurs with Percy’s mom, Annabeth, and step-dad help him write. 

It will be interesting to see what happens when Percy’s mom gives birth to a sibling in March. Percy realized during these quests that he will miss seeing his sibling grow up when he moves to New Rome and will only see his mom, step-dad, and sibling when he travels home. While his sibling may not be a demi-god it will be interesting to see what happens. 

 

 

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