The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo Series 1)

The Hidden Oracle
By Rick Riordan

  What’s the funniest book of 2016? Definitely The Hidden Oracle from The Trial of Apollo series!!! I laugh throughout the entire book. But is it merely a funny book? No!!! We got all those favorite ingredients we love about Percy Jackson and The Hero of Olympus!!!! What’s best? We don’t have TONS OF POV!!!!! AND I LOVE THAT!!!! (You might remember why I don’t love The Hero of Olympus as much as Percy Jackson—too many POVS and all the similar scenes.) But no! The Hidden Oracle has none of that!!! After all, Apollo is different, right?

How do you punish an immortal?

By making him human.

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favour.

But Apollo has many enemies - gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.

  Your fault, Apollo.

  Your Punishment.
  Really? I think one of the reasons why many people dislike the gods. They kept blaming on each other!!! So…none of that matter, right? Otherwise we won’t have a big-head Olympus God wandering around the story and makes us laugh. When Apollo was first introduce as a “mortal,” yes, he is not even a demigod. That’s horrible…really, truly horrible. Yet, he kept complaining about his acnes and his appearance!!! Hey Apollo? A better suggestion? Keep yourself alive is much more important than that!!!! but the truth is, it’s funny. Imagine an all mighty god with the most handsome appearance you can think of, then, BOOM! All gone! Become a normal, mortal teenager. (That’s awesome!!!! It’s time for you god to taste how it feels like to be a human!!! Laughing evilly!) And then, here is Meg! A mysterious girl. (Oh…I like that!) 

 So, of course, she has something to do with Apollo. She is the most unlady-like girl I’ve ever read in the YA, or any book. And I kind of like her…until. Yep, no spoiler guys. And as we all know, when “most” of the demigods first step into Camp Half-Blood, they’ll mostly be sorted into their house. “If” their parent decided to show up. But, when Apollo and Meg’s journey to Camp Half-Blood, which, is always the hardest, I’ve guess who her mother is!!! It’s so obvious!!!! Calling…summon… She is so different from what we used to think of the children of “that” house. She is definitely powerful, perhaps only a little bit lesser than the children of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. And she’ll play an important part in this series. (OF COURSE SHE IS!!!)

  About the plot…I really love how it goes. First the oracle isn’t working, then the camper disappearing. The only problem I have is that I wish for more old characters, which I totally mean Percy and Annabeth. (Well? I don’t really care about Jason or Piper or Frank. But I think I’d like to see Hazel and R…R… all right, I forget her name.) We did see Percy, and he had…kind of battle? But he intends to stay out of trouble. Because Percy and Annabeth are going to New Roman University together!!!! And other old interesting characters? Clarisse? University. Jason and Piper…who know where they are. Leo? Alive but still nowhere to be seen. (Oh wait…SHHHH!!!!) Ah! Nico! Nico did have a lot of scene in this book, of course, not as much as he usual, but he did appear frequently. And it’s great that…he is dating with Will!!! However, he’s still dark and moody. 

 So…I love this book, and I love the new characters. Just…I wish to see more old characters? It’s always a good thing to read them as well.

  Since I’ve talked about all those characters…let’s see some character development!!! So Meg…not much. We can only reveal some secrets of her past. Let’s skip her. Yes, here you go! Apollo!!! I really love how he makes this story so hilarious and fun to read! Especially all those poems at the beginning of every chapter. It’s awesome. You can’t help but keep laughing how poor Apollo is at poems. Really, POOR! 

 However, at the same time, you really see Apollo learns. At first, he’s just like…like that star in Camp Rock. You know? The Disney original movie, filled by Demi Lovato and Jones Brother. Will? He said “I’ve taken a cold shower, I looked at a tree. I learn my lesson. Can I go back, NOW?” And Apollo is like “I’ve been chased by monster, allied with a girl, and I’d made it to Camp Half-Blood. Can you retrieve your punishment NOW?” See? So similar!!! So spoil~ Now, but we won’t like him if he kept whining, right? So…as we all know, Gods tend not to care for their children, especially like Apollo who has A LOT of them. But in Camp Half-Blood, since Apollo sleeps in Apollo cabin, he feels the care from his children and he gradually care for them as well. I think it’s a GREAT LESSON for EVERY SINGLE GOD!!!! 

 And…I don’t know if this is good or bad, but Apollo started to care. He cares for Meg, he cares for the camp, and he cares for other RATHER THAN HIMSELF!!!! And I really love those changes, it’s like he mature.

  Now, as you might guess, every series has a final terrible guy behind the series. Percy Jackson—Kronos. The Hero of Olympus—Gaea. Now? All the big boss behind ALL of them is about to appear. And it’s exciting!!! You can’t but think how well does Rick Riordan organize his books. They’re fast pace, exciting, and well organized. Sometime, if without planning, the later series will make no reason for the previous series. But Rick Riordan mixes them so well together!!! And I love that. That give me the reason to keep on reading. (So…I think I need to grab my copy of The Sword of Summer?)

  And last…prepare to laugh until your stomach hurt!!!

 

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