The Lost Hero (aka The Lost Editor) audio

The Lost Hero (aka The Lost Editor): Heroes of Olympus, book 1 by Rick Riordan. Narrated by Joshua Swanson.

Audience: Grades 4 through 7

My Rating: 2* of 5

Summary: After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt Camp Half-Blood where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own.

Comments: Isn't it a shame when a good author goes viral and becomes "above" editing? That appears to be the case for Riordan as evidenced by the dull heft of The Red Pyramid and this, his latest whopper. The Lost Hero begins with all the excitement, interesting characters, and snappy pacing that made the Percy Jackson books such a success, but soon bogs down under sluggish scenes and overdone dialogue (no fault of the talented narrator, Swanson). Lost Hero would be a fantastically fun read if it were missing about 150-200 pages of redundant writing. Trim the fat, Rick, and I'll be a fan once more. As it is I'm done with your books for a good, long while.

Read-alikes: Percy Jackson and the Olympians series; The Red Pyramid