The Staff of Serapis

 Hey, half-bloods! A follow-up to the Son of Sobek was officially announced last week! It is called "The Staff of Serapis" and will center around Sadie and Annabeth rather than Carter and Percy. The short story will be available in the paperback copy of the Mark of Athena on April 8th, and will be released as an e-single on a later date.

 I am really hoping that Rick Riordan continues this series of crossovers, because that would be pretty darn amazing! I not-so-secretly hope that he makes an entire crossover novel, but that's probably not going to happen (at least not anytime soon). The Staff of Serapis is going to be sixty pages: even longer than Son of Sobek!

You can read an excerpt here. If you would like to read The Son of Sobek, you can buy it as an eBook from Amazon (or most other eBook sellers), or you can find it in the paperback edition of The Serpent's Shadow.

First three new covers!!

DRUMROLL, PLEASE!







They. Are. BEAUTIFUL! And check this out...



 THEY CONNECT! :D In the end, they'll be one big, amazing mural, which I'm really hoping they make a poster or lithograph out of.

 The last two covers come out tomorrow and Friday. I'm very excited to see where this goes. My theory was wrong, but I'm kind of glad that it was. I always love to see new art from John Rocco!

 The Titan's Curse's new cover is kind of disappointing for me, however Sea of Monsters's cover just blew me away. The Lightning Thief's is great too. I still am partial to the original covers since I've been admiring them for years, but I think I can get used to these. :)

New Cover "Previews"

More cover teaser pictures have been released!

   
   

 I have to say, the more I see these cover previews, the more I doubt my original theory of them being the old covers with a twist. I'm actually kind of excited to see these new covers, and I'm not exactly sure what to expect. Looking forward to Monday! :)

New... what?!

 When I found out last week from the official Percy Jackson Facebook page that there would be some "exciting news" this week, I decided to hold off on the weekly post, which I usually try to work on during the weekend, and wait until the information was revealed. Many took to the comments section with their theories: did it have to do with Blood of Olympus? Or was it something to do with the Jackson/Kane followup that Rick Riordan stated he was working on just a few months ago? Would it be something about the Norse series, or maybe about the movies? What could it be?????

 Turns out, it was none of that. Instead, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is getting new covers. 

 You're probably thinking, "Wait... what?" Those were my thoughts exactly when I heard the news this morning. And of course, I was plagued with questions. Why do they need new covers? Is there going to be a new artist, or a different one? WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING?!

 As for why this is happening, my best guess is that they want to revamp the covers of the first series to catch the attention of those who may have seen the current covers but never felt driven to them, especially with Blood of Olympus coming out in the fall. It's very possible that a refresh could attract new readers.

 It has been confirmed by Rick Riordan himself that the covers are by John Rocco, the same artist who did the current Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, and Kane Chronicles cover, but NOT the character art. (There was some confusion about that. The official character artist is a different person.) This makes me a bit more excited, because John Rocco's covers are gorgeous.

 The new Lightning Thief cover will be revealed next Monday, February 17th (my birthday! :D). The official Percy Jackson page on Facebook posted the picture below with the caption, "5 days. 5 brand new cover reveals." I'm guessing (and hoping) that this means that we'll get to see a new cover every day for five days in a row.

 One commenter wrote, "I'm excited but I LOVE the original covers so I wonder how this will turn out to be!!" and the page's administrator replied, "I have a feeling you'll like them..." Now, what is that supposed to mean? 

 From the small gap in the picture that allows us to see a piece of the cover, it appears to me that the new cover of The Lightning Thief is just a combination of the old cover and this picture:

 Of course, I could be wrong (it's happened plenty of times before), but the admin's comment leads me to believe that the new covers are simply the old covers with a twist.

 I guess we'll just have to see what happens! Comment what you think they'll be like and whether you like that they're remaking them! I will post pictures of the new covers as they are released. :)

Character Analysis: Clarisse!

Warning! Contains major spoilers for books up to Son of Neptune, and (very) minor spoilers for House of Hades!

 Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares, is a pretty amazing demigod. When she is introduced in The Lightning Thief, she is nothing but a bully toward Percy. However, throughout the course of the books, she slowly softens up and becomes his ally and sort-of friend, although they still tend to clash. Clarisse is a character who seems rough around the edges, but has many layers which we get to see throughout the course of the book.

The Lightning Thief

In this book, the only layer of Clarisse that we really get to see is her exterior: a malicious daughter of Ares, the war god. She likes to pick on the other campers, and Percy seems to be one of her main targets. When she tries to put Percy's head in the toilet as his "initiation", Clarisse and her cabinmates get doused with a ginormous wave of toilet water. Percy also manages to break Clarisse's spear during Capture the Flag, which infuriates her. These two events show a key point of her personality: how she reacts to losing a fight. If you ever beat Clarisse at anything, she will storm off and conceal her humiliation with angry threats.

The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters displays a different side of Clarisse. The first direct glimpse of her relationship with her father, Ares, takes place on the C.S.S. Birmingham during her Quest for the Golden Fleece. Clarisse is intimidated by her dad. She strives to live up to her father's expectations, and Ares doesn't believe she is doing well enough. This scene is important, because it reveals the motivation for many of Clarisse's actions. Why was Clarisse always so set on winning and being victorious? That's why. Not just for personal glory, but also to live up to the expectations of dear old dad.

The Titan's Curse

Clarisse is absent from Titan's Curse because she is on a top-secret scouting mission, which we later discover is her journey into the Labyrinth.

The Battle of the Labyrinth

Can I just say how much I love the side of Clarisse that we got to see in this book? 

She and Annabeth are actually getting along really well. She comforts Juniper at Grover's trial at the beginning of the book. Then, we find out that Clarisse found Chris Rodriguez after he had gotten out of the Labyrinth, and he had gone crazy. Clarisse tries to nurse him back to health. She calls the Labyrinth evil, and tells Percy to kill Daedalus when he finds him because anyone who could create something so terrible must be evil. It's apparent that Clarisse has strong feelings about both Chris's and her experiences in the Labyrinth, and those feelings influence her vulnerable side to show.

(Note: Thankfully, at the end, Chris is cured by Mr. D.)

The Last Olympian

The Last Olympian shows several layers of Clarisse's personality. The spat between the Ares and Apollo cabin and her reluctance to compromise show that she is very stubborn and proud. We also see her comfort and stand up for Silena after Charles Beckendorf's death, which reveals her caring and protective side (which we also saw with her relationship with Chris in BotL). Later in the novel, she avenges Silena's death by violently slaying the drakon that killed her (while wearing NO ARMOR AT ALL). So in other words... don't mess with Clarisse or her friends because she will tear you apart.

The Heroes of Olympus

 After Percy Jackson & the Olympians, we don't really see Clarisse. She makes brief appearances in The Lost Hero and The House of Hades, but not anything beyond that and a few mentions of her in passing.

How will she get along with Frank, her Roman brother?

I've thought about this a lot, actually. Hazel and Nico are on a friendly basis (or at least as friendly that Nico can get with anyone), and Jason and Thalia grew up together for a year or two, then reunited in The Lost Hero. But what about Frank and Clarisse? They are two very different characters. I honestly can't see them clashing with each other; it just doesn't work in my mind. I can see them respecting each other and working really well together in battle.

What role will she play in The Blood of Olympus?

Clarisse almost definitely won't be a main character. I think her time as a main character has passed. However, I'm fairly confident that she'll make at least a brief appearance. In The House of Hades, she was leading demigods in preparation for the Roman attack, so she should be there. I really hope to see her interact somehow with Frank, Percy, and Annabeth. Fingers crossed!

Clarisse by Irencia on deviantART

That's all for now. Have a good week, demigods! :)

Top 10 "Children's" Books That Everyone Should Read

 There's one thing that I've noticed about Percy Jackson & The Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus: they're labeled as children's/middle grade books.

 I mean, sure, they're written for the nine to twelve age range, but how many readers are actually nine to twelve? There are so many people older than that, or maybe even younger than that, who read them. I started reading the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series in fifth grade, when I was ten. I'm much older than that now, and I still love them the same, if not even more. There are people who started reading them in their teenage years, like some of my friends. Actually, some of my friends' parents have read them.

 Percy Jackson may be considered a middle grade/children's series, but that doesn't mean that only children can read them; they can be enjoyed by everyone! This thought has inspired me to make a list. So today, my dear demigods, I am sharing with you a list of ten children's books/series that I believe everyone can enjoy and should read, regardless of your age. :)

10. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

This book is a classic, or at least I consider it as one. If you have not read it, shame on you. Go to your library and find this book right now. It's kind of out-there, but that's what defines Roald Dahl's writing. It wouldn't be Roald Dahl without some (or a lot of) craziness mixed in there.

9. Lily B. on the Brink of Cool by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

 Lily B. on the Brink of Cool seems to be labelled as more of a "girl book", if you consider the pink cover and such. However, I didn't really find it to be super-girly. Yes, it is about a girl, but no, there is not a love interest involved. (Thank goodness for that.) It's a fun story about family, boredom, friendship, and deception. I won't say any more, because I might give away the ending.

8. The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer

 Yes, these are written by the guy from Glee. No, there is not any singing involved. I read "The Wishing Spell" in spring of last year and very thoroughly enjoyed it. I must have been reading either some very badly-written books around that time, or just some really depressing books, because I found "The Wishing Spell" to be very refreshing. It's fun and lighthearted, while also having elements of darkness and sadness, but not to the point where it is depressing. The books are centered around Alex and Conner, two twins who find themselves literally falling into the Land of Stories and having to save the day.

7. The Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene

This one was kind of a no-brainer for me, because I've been reading these since I was very small. (They make little kid versions too.) The author, Carolyn Keene, is obviously not one person (it took me a while to figure that out) because these books have been around for many, many years. If you're ever looking for a generic mystery novel, Nancy Drew is the way to go.

6. Holes by Louis Sachar

 I read this book over the summer and I fell in love with it. It is easily one of the funniest, and also cleverest, books I have ever read. The main character, Stanley, goes to a camp for "bad kids" as punishment for a crime that he didn't commit. At the camp, they make the delinquents dig holes all day... but why? I guess you'll have to read it to find out. :)

5. Madonna's Five Books for Children

 Yes, these are indeed written by the Madonna you're probably thinking of: the singer. They are a collection of simple stories with beautiful illustrations and universal themes that everybody can relate to or learn from. The books in the collection are as follows: The English Roses, Mr. Peabody's Apples, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, The Adventures of Abdi, and Lotsa de Casha.

4. From the Mixed of Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

 This book is kind of hit or miss: some people like it, some people don't. I would be considered a part of the former. It is about a young girl who decides that she is running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art because her family does not appreciate her enough. She brings her little brother and they face many bumps in the road and much adventure.

3. The BFG by Roald Dahl

 Ah, yes. Roald Dahl once again. Most people have heard of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, which were both books by him which were turned into movies. However, not many people that I've run into have heard of this one, and that's a shame, because it's my favorite of his! Like his other books, it's kind of strange and really silly. You should definitely give it a go.

2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

 Duh.

1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan!!!!

 I feel like it was kind of obvious that I was going to end it this way... such a great series. ;)

 What are YOUR thoughts? What would your Top 10 children's books list look like? Do you agree with mine? Disagree? Is there anything you would add or take away? Leave a comment! Also, f you would like to know more about any of the books/series on this list (I didn't really do very good summaries), you can comment on this post, tweet me (@HotSauceValdez), or email me at PJOForever@gmail.com. 

Have a great day! :)

A Curse from Khione

Warning! May contain Lost Hero Spoilers! 

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 As I said in a previous post, it's my New Year's Resolution to make a new blog post at LEAST once a week, so I'll definitely try my best to hold myself to that.

 In other news, it was REALLY REALLY COLD yesterday! :o School was cancelled for me because the wind chill was -18 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, by the way). It was also cancelled on Friday because we got about six inches of snow.

 Usually, I'm a fan of cold weather, but it wasn't even safe to go outside of the house because there's a risk of frostbite and hypothermia when temperatures drop that low. I felt like I was in a cage. ;~; (I did go outside anyway, but just for a little bit. Shhh!)

 So in other words, Khione has cursed about half of the country, because my area wasn't the only area having these problems. Apparently there's some kind of "polar vortex" that's stretching further south than it should be, and making some places colder than they should be.

  Really Khione? First Festus, now this?! 

 Wherever you are, dear demigods, stay warm! And enjoy this lovely picture of Piper facing Khione that I found on Tumblr! :) (All credit goes to original artist. Who that is, I am not sure.)