For most seniors in high school, the steps to getting into college are relatively the same. Normal students might write essays, apply for scholarships, or talk to a guidance counselor. For a demigod, of course, getting into college is anything but normal. The last book in the popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians series came out in 2009, but Percy has returned in The Chalice of the Gods, a book released in 2023, and he’s making his way through his final year of high school. With college admissions coming up, Percy has been working to finish school and go to college, but of course, the Greek gods are not going to make it easy for the son of Poseidon. The Chalice of the Gods is a new book by author Rick Riordan, set in his still-expanding world of mythology.
After battling mythological monsters for years, all Percy wants to do is get accepted into New Rome University so he can be with his girlfriend Annabeth. Although he wishes for a break from all the perilous quests he has been on, the gods still have more in store for him. The lightning god Zeus decided that in order for Percy to get into college he must earn three recommendation letters from the gods by completing quests. Ganymede, the cupbearer of the gods, is the first to approach Percy for help in recovering his missing chalice. One sip from the chalice can grant any mortal with immortality, and Ganymede will be punished if Zeus discovers that he lost it. The Chalice of the Gods follows Percy as he and his friends work to retrieve the chalice before Zeus finds out it’s missing.
The three main characters from Percy Jackson and the Olympians are back in The Chalice of the Gods. Percy reunites with his girlfriend Annabeth and his Satyr friend Grover for another adventure together. Seeing these characters interacting with each other again was the best thing about the book. Riordan’s style of writing is another thing to be admired. In his books, he always manages to incorporate humor into the more serious moments of the story, and The Chalice of the Gods was no exception. Many new figures and tales from Greek mythology also appear in the book, setting it apart from his past stories. These factors all made for a very engaging book full of excitement.
The Chalice of the Gods is definitely for fans of the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, but it could be read without prior knowledge of the other books. It isn’t very long, but the characters still manage to go through many crazy scenarios while completing their quest. Percy was only able to get one recommendation letter in The Chalice of the Gods, and he will go on yet another quest for his second letter in Riordan’s next book Wrath of the Triple Goddess. It comes out in September of 2024 and features the next part of Percy’s abnormal senior year. The Chalice of the Gods was such an enjoyable story to read, and the following book is sure to be just as entertaining.
