The Mark of Athena is the third book in the Heroes of Olympus series. It’s also one of my favorite Rick Riordan books because of the focus on Annabeth, my favorite character! (With Percy, of course)
Summary
Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy, it seems like Camp Jupiter is about to go to war. But you can’t honestly blame them. Aboard the Argo II, a Greek flying ship, they do look like the invader. Their only hope is that the Romans recognize Jason, their former praetor.
But she also has a more personal problem. Her mother came to her with a gift and a demand, to follow the Mark of Athena and avenge her. But she doesn’t yet understand what that means. The Mark of Athena will take Annabeth and the six other demigods through a dangerous and amazing journey to Rome.
Review
As I said before, Annabeth is one of my favorite characters, and I was so glad when I realized that this book would be mostly about Annabeth and her quest to avenge her mother.
I also really loved that it was the first book in the series that truly mix Greek and Roman mythology. It is the first book in which all demigods, Roman and Greek, are together for the first time. I really loved the balance between the two mythology.
Spoiler Alert
The book’s ending is one of the most amazing endings out of any of the Rick Riordan books! I really had to pick up the next book in line and start reading because it just makes you want to know what happened next.
I also loved the echo about the fatal flaws from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. In the ending of The Mark of Athena, you can clearly see that what Athena said to Percy, that his fatal flaw would one-day doom Annabeth, truly becomes true. They are both doomed because of their fatal flaw—his love for Annabeth for Percy and her blinded faith in her intelligence for Annabeth.
Should you read The Mark of Athena?
As usual for any Rick Riordan books, I would really recommend that you read it! It was a great book, and I honestly didn’t see time passing while I read it. Of course, read all the books below before if you want to understand the whole story.
Riordanverse
Percy Jackson and The Olympians
The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan