I had a big spell where trying to concentrate on reading anything more challenging than push or pull the door recently. I took a break from reading and got myself sorted out a little and finally finished The Lost Hero: The Graphic Novel. Adapted from the novel by Rick Riordan, Robert Venditti’s story is the “other side” of the Greek/Roman mythology of his famous series Percy Jackson. Knowing that series can help. Even having read the original novel could help. But there are still a few gaps.
The biggest gap is that Percy Jackson is mentioned. Therefore, if you are starting with The Lost Hero you might be lost. It is assumed you know Jackson, his friends and adventures. You are also expected to know the Greek Gods. Only this time you are introduced to them by their Roman names. But sometimes they are called by their Greek names. You are also expected to know some of the mythology behind some characters.
The Greek and Roman mythology lends itself to a lot of names. I started to become confused. There are some bulky storylines, some pieces of information seem to come out of nowhere, then disappear. This is a series, so hopefully those holes/bumps will be ironed out.
However, Nate Powell created some fun illustrations. They are dark, but colorful. They show the action, help fill in a few holes, but are also there to compliment the text. Sometimes they might be a tad vague, but that is a slightly contradiction to the fact there is too much on the page. Sometimes focusing can be a bit tough. However, this will not take away the story for most readers.
Ages 10 to adult can enjoy The Lost Hero and while the story is straight forward (hero is here to save the world with his clever, funny friends; hero has a love triangle, school can be killer (literally) and Gods and Goddesses can get cranky), everyone will find something that speaks to them.