The Battle of the Labyrinth Review

Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to diabolical.

In this latest installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop them, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth-a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this fourth book promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet.
Taken from GoodReads.

This is the third installment in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and we begin on the day of Percy's high school orientation - at yet another new school. It isn't even the new school year yet, but Percy's mother's boyfriend, Paul Blowfis, has finagled a spot at his school for Percy, despite his shoddy school record. Unfortunately, because Percy is Poseidon's son, the demons and empousai find him there anyway, creating havoc and threatening his shot at another school before the new year even starts.

That's not all though - Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the mortal girl who saved his life at the Hoover Dam in the previous book, The Titan's Curse is set to attend the same school. The bigger problem - she can see through the Mist and knows exactly what's really happening. Events force Percy, Annabeth, and Rachel to race back to Camp Half-Blood where they realize Kronos is far closer to waking than they knew, and the Labyrinth created by Daedalus might just be the key to the end of Camp Half-Blood.

This book was by far my favourite in the series since the first. The action was non-stop, it really developed the relationship between Annabeth and Percy, and it was so rich with imagery and fun splashes of humour thrown into the mix. I really love how clear Percy's voice is and how well each of the characters is developed. With a cast that big...it takes definite skill. Never would I have thought a book could combine satyrs, cyclops, Calypso, and evil tyrants for a truly engaging story, but somehow Rick Riordan has done it.

I give this book a 5 out of 5, and I wouldn't change a thing about it except, perhaps to draw out Poseidon's little chat with Percy a bit longer...and extend the book a few hundred pages. I recommend this book to anyone who wants an easy-to-read, fun, and enthralling adventure! This is the fourth book in the series, and I'm so sad there is only one left...The Last Olympian.