“YOUR FAULT, YOUR PUNISHMENT.” Taking the blame for causing a civil war between Greece and Rome or almost destroying human civilization is on nobody’s bucket list. And the youthful god of poetry, prophecy, and sun, Apollo, is no exception. The Hidden Oracle, written by Rick Riordan, is the first book of the new fictional series, The Trials of Apollo. These creative chapters, which are told from the first person perspective, are full of emotion and fresh human vulnerability, capturing the reader’s attention from the very start. This book about prideful god turned mortal gives the reader the same experience as Apollo as he learns how to be a better father to his demigod children and how to take responsibility for his wrongdoings and to persist even when things seem bleak. After all, doesn’t a god deserve a second shot at life, too?
       

The Hidden Oracle continues the mesmerizing saga of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series as well as the Heroes of Olympus series. Rick Riordan, using both jocularity and bitterness to set the mood of the book, explains the many mortal adventures and changes Apollo undergoes after he is cast down from Olympus and stripped of his godly status. He is turned into a mortal and bound to service of the young Meg McCaffery, a mysterious demigod who refuses to speak about her past. Weak and disoriented, Apollo and Meg stumble to Camp Half-Blood, a camp to train demi-gods (half god, half human). In this book, his mission is to find the demigods that have gone missing over the course of several months. His companions? The spunky Meg and a violent harpos (Greek for grain spirit) named Peaches.
           

The plot of The Hidden Oracle is told by the awkward and apprehensiveness that is Apollo. He notices almost at once that he is unable to fit in with the demigods at Half-Blood Camp. Many teenagers find this extremely relatable since conformity is a serious part of peer pressure that happens on daily basis. Apollo stresses continuously to make lasting relationships with his demigod children whom he has neglected while he was a god. Written for young teenagers, the storyline fits the audience with its many plot twists, and allows readers to discover the secrets that lie waiting beneath each character.
         

The Hidden Oracle is told by Apollo, accompanied artistically with hints of dry humor and sarcasm, as well as much hate and spite at being mortal, which makes the reader think about the privileges a god must have. The abundance of humor balances out all the anger and frustrations with love and compassion that Apollo receives from his demigod children. There are often parts when Apollo will complain about being a human or, “just another meat-sack,” as he calls it. Rick Riordan is experienced in painting a scene for the reader, with all the raw emotions and chaotic settings in his specially chosen words. In addition, he gives each of the characters their own or ability that no one else possesses. Will Solace, a progeny of Apollo, is particularly gifted in healing, while Kayla Knowles, the daughter of Apollo, is practiced in archery. This makes the characters much more believable than if they all obtained the same powers.
           

With intense chapters and plot twists revealing the secret each character harbors, it’s no wonder Percy Jackson fans love this new book. After all, who wouldn’t want a second chance at life? A chance to look at the things you’ve done with a new perspective? The only catch? You have to be a mortal.