A good read, but with highly questionable spiritual content.
Plot
Percy Jackson and friends set out into the infamous Labyrinth to save Camp Half-Blood from a deadly invasion by the evil Titan Lord, Kronos.
Morality
For the most part, the lead protagonists behave like good guys. Annabeth is jealous of Rachel, and takes it out on her by making sarcastic, and often times mean, remarks. Other minor characters act questionably. Some characters look down upon the mortals.
Hera, the goddess of marriage, at first seems like the ideal motherly character who 'just wants to keep her family safe.' But it is revealed later that she kicked her son, Hephaestus, god of the forges, out of Olympus when she saw his malformed features. He said that she'll be glad to stand beside her family - as long as it's the perfect family.
One man murders his nephew. The antagonists are very, very evil.
Spiritual Content
Plenty. The whole series revolves around the gods and goddesses, demons and creatures of Greek mythology - and this book is quite a bit darker than the others.
Percy and his companions dedicate their meal "to the gods" and offer a food sacrifice to them. Percy prays to his father Poseidon. Annabeth seeks guidance from the Oracle, a prophetic spirit that dwells in a mummified body.
Percy shares an empathic link with his best friend.
The Half-Bloods are half god, half human. Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, has a ghost that he has called from the underworld to serve as his adviser.The dead are summoned twice using soda and cheeseburgers, in place of the blood that was used in traditional Greek mythology. However, despite the intended humorous twist, the scenes are still quite dark.
Violence
Violence is not an uncommon thing in this book. But none of it is overly graphic.
Drug and Alcohol Content
None that I recall.
Sexual Content
Gods and goddesses fall in love with people they are not married to. The results are the half-bloods.
Juniper, Grover the satyr's dryad girl friend, confesses to Percy that she is afraid that he might be 'seeing someone else.' Her doubts, however, are untrue.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
No language that I can recall. Percy mucks out a stable of flesh-eating horses that has not been cleaned in thousands of years.
Conclusion
Rick Riordan is a talented author - there is no doubt about that. The characters are colorful and in depth, and I could tell the series is well thought out. The action will keep you on the edge of your seat through the entire book.
However, the spiritual elements in the book are highly questionable. The way Rick Riordan portrays the Greek myths is extremely life-like; it is by far the darkest book in the series so far. Those who do not think that they are strong in their walk with God may want to stay away.
