The Tower of Nero is the fifth and final installation in the Trials of Apollo series written by Rick Riordan. It is also the 15th book in the Camp-Half Blood Chronicles.
The Tower of Nero was released in October 2020 and was a Goodreads Choice Award Middle Grade and Children’s winner. Disney-Hyperion published it.
Synopsis
Lester Papadopoulos, aka Apollo, and Meg McCaffery are on their way to New York City to face her adoptive father, Nero. Along the way, they run into a few old friends-Sally Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Will Solace, and Mr. D. They make a couple of new friends as well-the Troglodytes and Luguselwa.
Can Lester and Meg defeat Nero? If so, can Lester face his nemesis in Python to save the Oracles?
Positives
Yay for being able so many of our favorites from early in the Chronicles! We get to see Nico, Will, and Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Sally Jackson makes a brief appearance and still is the mom so many people wish they could have. Camp Half-Blood is a great respite and a place I still wish was real.
The representation in the book is great. We have become used to seeing the LGBTQ mentioned throughout the series, so seeing Nico and Will together is pretty great. An incident leaves a supporting character with a major disability, yet it doesn’t leave them feeling sorry for themself or their situation. And during the battle of the Tower, there is mention of a demigod in a hand-powered wheelchair.
Negatives
In some parts of the story, it felt rather formulaic. Almost as if you had read the story before, just with a few things changed.
As this was the last book in a series, you already knew how it would end. You knew that Apollo was going to be returned to his God-status. But it just a bit more tension would have been nice.
My Opinon
I have enjoyed reading the books in the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles, even if I am not the target audience. People in the fandom often refer to the author, Rick Riordan, as Uncle Rick, and I have found myself referring to him that way as well.
The Tower of Nero was a good read, but I’m unsure if Uncle Rick’s heart was really into it. Like I said before, it felt formulaic, and you knew how it would end. Of course, I didn’t want it to end, but maybe that’s just me.
Thank you, Uncle Rick, for bringing Camp Half-Blood to the world, and please share more tales with us when you can. Thank you, Apollo, for bringing the Sun around every day and for being there smiling down on us creatives.
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.