We’re big fans of Rick Riordan in my house- my son has been re-reading various of his book series for the last four years pretty much non-stop. His latest book, The Tower of Nero, completes the five-book Trials of Apollo series and wraps up the Greek and Roman mythologies he began in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
In this series, the god Apollo is punished by Zeus by being cast down to Earth in the form of a pimply, flabby teenager named Lester Papadopoulos. Apollo has lost his powers and much of his memory and immediately found himself beat up in an alleyway in New York City. He became the servant of a slightly wild pre-teen named Meg and his trials began. Throughout the series Apollo has had to work with humans (mostly demigod teenagers) to free his oracles from the control of three Roman emperors that have discovered the secret to immortality. In The Tower of Nero, Apollo finds himself with the recovery of some of his powers but suddenly appreciating his humanity. The frivolous and self-absorbed Apollo of the first book has gradually become the (near)selfless and (almost)kind Lester. I thought this series was stronger than the Heroes of Olympus books though probably not as popular with the early teen set due to the distinct lack of romantic pairings (other than Apollo reminiscing about his many, many, many former love interests). The book finds Apollo, restored to his godhood, visiting his human friends in the form of Lester. All characters that have been seen in the previous two series are touched on in the end of this book, but left in a way that it is clear that each member of this world has adventures yet to happen.
