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When I saw the flying griffins and the armored ostriches on the cover of The Dark Prophecy, I knew I would be in for one hell of a ride.
But then again, when have I not been taken for a ride in any Rick Riordan book? From the first Percy Jackson novel, The Lightning Thief, to his most recent books, he has continuously delivered in making his readers laugh, cry, and care extensively for characters they sometimes forget were fictional. The Dark Prophecy was no different.
The plot was simple and had one major goal for the characters to achieve. There are times wherein adventure novels do not know how to properly give enough time to individual scenarios in their stories so much so it either tends to drag or end too quickly. The Dark Prophecy certainly did not commit this mistake. Its simplicity and consistent storytelling made things straightforward and very easy to follow. Of course there were other obstacles to overcome but it was all balanced and connected well enough that it was not messy at all. The writing was superb as always and absolutely hilarious. I would argue that this was the funniest book Rick Riordan has written yet. No book has left we laughing quite like The Dark Prophecy.
If the Hidden Oracle felt most like the other books set in the Percy Jackson world, The Dark Prophecy felt the most different. It introduced us to new settings and tons of new characters that were all so interesting and good in their own right. Frankly, I was surprised by the number of additions but I did not once feel bored or indifferent towards them. They left me eager to see more. In a way, the readers needed this to prove that Riordan was not merely creating another Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus book. Although it had references to characters and events from the previous books, it did not take away from what was happening inside the book itself. Old and new were joined so nicely and efficiently it's hard not to praise Riordan's skill.
The best part were the characters. Leo and Calypso were good independently and as companions to Apollo. I especially enjoyed them each having their own quests with Apollo where they shined the most. I cannot stress how much I missed Leo Valdez, his sense of humor, and the way he immediately lightens a situation whenever he's in the room. Emmie and Josephine, the heads of the Waystation, were great as well. They were down-to-earth, calm, and warm. Their personalities balance the often reckless, exuberant, and relentless personalities of Apollo and Leo. I also appreciate how Riordan made them a lesbian couple, adding representation to the LGBT community. I will not spoil the other characters who appear in the novel but let me assure you that they were all excellent. But without question the best character and the best thing about this entire series remains to be Apollo.
A large reason as to why these books work so well is because of Apollo. The books are narrated in the first person point of view by him. Being a (former) god, he thinks way different from the other characters we have read from before. He is extremely arrogant, vain, naive, and hysterical. Apollo makes the world refreshing even after we have been reading books about it for years now. In addition to this, knowing that he is a former god who now needs to learn how to survive as a human, the character development was sure to be part of the story but I did not expect how much it was going to be and it was astounding. I thought that the first book was bursting with it but I was clearly wrong. The Dark Prophecy has surpassed it by a mile. It was so captivating to see Apollo grow and to see him realize and understand what it means to live and to have something to die for; to finally see a god with humanity. I cannot wait to see more of his journey in the coming books and if this book was any indication, it's just going to get better and better.
Antagonists are a big part in making a protagonist strong and the emperors of the triumvirate are indeed magnificent. We get to meet the second emperor in this book and it totally makes sense why he part of the triumvirate considering his connection to Apollo. He was a very entertaining villain to have and more importantly, he was distinct from Nero. His appearance proves that we will not be getting one villain and his two exact copies. This proves that the three of them will each bring something to the plate. I am anxious to see what comes next for them especially considering how the third emperor and the triumvirate's schemes are mainly still mysteries.
Overall, The Dark Prophecy could be counted as another success under Rick Riordan's belt. Aside from the moments of predictability and too easy solutions in some circumstances, the book was still heartfelt, enjoyable, and solid. It was simply delightful and definitely worth the read. I am pretty sure everyone, including me, who has already read the ending is barely holding in their elation and excitement for the next book. So many important things are going to happen in the third book and no doubt it will get harder, darker, and more intense. And no matter how much theories I have up my sleeve for what would happen next, I could only guess at the moment. There's only one way to truly find out... and that's to wait, the hardest thing readers endure.
8.7/10
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