Preston Smith
I loved The Hidden Oracle so much that I ended up speeding through The Dark Prophecy – and it didn’t disappoint!
In this second installment in Rick Riordan’s Trials of Apollo series, Apollo, along with Leo Valdez and Calypso, heads to the midwest to find the next Oracle and prophecy on their journey.
Right off the bat we get a fascinating juxtaposition between Apollo and Calypso regarding mortality. Where Apollo was forcefully stripped of his immortality, Calypso willingly sacrificed hers so she could leave her island and be with Leo. This leads to plenty of talk about mortality and what it means to be human, which I found extremely interesting.
This second novel also explains the lack of divine intervention on Artemis’ part; she is Apollo’s brother, after all! It’s revealed that Zeus has forbidden her from interfering with his trials, but her Hunters do ultimately pitch in in the effort to stop Commodus from claiming Indianapolis for himself. (And in doing so, we are reunited with Thalia Grace – which is ALWAYS a plus!)
In my review for The Hidden Oracle, I discussed how this series takes a more psychological look at gods, humans, demigods, and the relationships shared between them. The Dark Prophecy of course continued this examination. Apollo is consistently learning ways in which he can be a better god when eventually regains his godship. For example, toward the end of this novel, he mentions that he’s learning that demigod lives are worth more than he originally thought, and upon his return to Olympus should stop sending demigods on quests that he knows are fatal.
Also, like its predecessor, The Dark Prophecy introduces more LGBT+ characters. Upon their arrival in Indianapolis, Apollo, Leo, and Calypso are taken in by a lesbian couple who take care of the Waystation – a hidden location in the city that acts as a safe refuge. They are ex-Hunters of Artemis that gave up their immortality to be together (Hunters aren’t allowed to pursue love) and have become the loving mothers of a daughter – Georgina. They’re an amazing addition to the Percy Jackson universe, and I hope we see more of them in the remaining Trials of Apollo books!
There are too many excellent moments in this book to discuss, but these are a few of my favorite! Comment below and tweet us @Fuzzable with your love for everything Apollo and Rick Riordan related!
