The Mark of Athena facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Rick Riordan |
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| Cover artist | John Rocco |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Heroes of Olympus (book 3) |
| Genre | Fantasy, Greek and Roman mythology, young adult fiction |
| Publisher | Disney-Hyperion Books |
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Publication date
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October 2, 2012 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book |
| Pages | 586 (first ed., hardcover) |
| ISBN | 978-1-4231-4060-3 |
| OCLC | 785897707 |
| LC Class | PZ7.R4829 Mar 2012 |
| Preceded by | The Son of Neptune |
| Followed by | The House of Hades |
The Mark of Athena is an exciting fantasy and adventure book by Rick Riordan. It mixes stories from Greek and Roman mythology. The book came out on October 2, 2012. It is the third book in The Heroes of Olympus series. This series is a follow-up to the popular Percy Jackson & the Olympians books.
This story continues after The Son of Neptune and leads into The House of Hades. The book is told from the point of view of different characters. It brings together seven powerful young demigods. These heroes are Annabeth Chase, Leo Valdez, Piper McLean, and Percy Jackson from the Greek side. From the Roman side, there are Jason Grace, Hazel Levesque, and Frank Zhang. They finally unite, just as an old prophecy said they would. The story switches between Annabeth, Percy, Piper, and Leo's thoughts.
The Mark of Athena got good reviews from people who read it. They liked its funny parts, the characters, and how it blended different ideas. Some people thought it was a bit slow or wished for more action. The book has been made into many languages. You can find it as a hardcover, e-book, audiobook, and paperback.
Contents
Plot
The Argo II Arrives
Six months after the events of The Lost Hero, Leo Valdez finishes building a special flying ship. It's called the Argo II. This ship will take the heroes to Greece and Rome. Their mission is to stop Gaea, the Earth goddess, from waking up.
Leo, Jason Grace, Piper McLean, and Annabeth Chase fly the Argo II. Their protector, Coach Hedge, is with them. They arrive at Camp Jupiter, the Roman demigod camp. They are there to meet Percy Jackson and the Roman demigods Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque.
A Difficult Meeting
Reyna, a leader at Camp Jupiter, talks to Annabeth. She explains that to unite the Greek and Roman demigods, they need to find the Athena Parthenos. This is a huge statue of Athena. It was taken by the Romans a long time ago. Only children of Athena can find it using the Mark of Athena. No one has ever succeeded before.
Suddenly, an evil spirit called an Eidolon takes over Leo. It forces him to attack the Roman camp. This makes Octavian, a Roman leader, think the Greeks are dangerous. He convinces the Romans that they must fight the Greeks.
Escape and New Challenges
The seven demigods quickly escape Camp Jupiter on the Argo II. They land briefly near the Great Salt Lake. There, Leo meets Nemesis, the goddess of revenge. She gives him a fortune cookie. It will help him, but breaking it will have consequences.
Next, the group goes to Kansas. Percy, Jason, and Piper leave the ship to find Bacchus, the god of wine. He tells them to find Phorcys. Gaea sends more Eidolons to possess Percy and Jason. But Piper uses her special "charmspeak" power to make them leave.
Underwater Battles and Roman Ambush
The demigods meet Phorcys and his sister, Keto, at the Georgia Aquarium. They turn out to be enemies, and the heroes have to fight them. During their journey, Hazel, Frank, and Leo have some disagreements. Leo learns that Hazel's old boyfriend looked exactly like him. The group also finds out that Nico di Angelo is dying. He was captured by Giants while trying to find the Doors of Death. They must save him.
While looking for the Mark of Athena at Fort Sumter in Charleston, the Romans attack them. But Reyna lets Annabeth continue her search for the Athena Parthenos. She warns Annabeth that their next meeting will not be friendly. Annabeth finds a map about the Mark of Athena and returns to the ship.
Journey to Rome and Separated Missions
As they cross the Atlantic Ocean, a sea monster called a Scolopendra attacks the Argo II. Leo, Frank, and Hazel are pulled underwater for a short time. They meet Chiron's brother, the Ichthyocentaurs. On their way to Rome, they avoid Hercules at the Strait of Gibraltar. They sail through the Mediterranean Sea, fighting Chrysaor along the way.
In Rome, the group splits up. Coach Hedge stays to guard the ship. Percy, Jason, and Piper explore the Colosseum. Frank, Hazel, and Leo search for Nico. Annabeth goes alone to find the Athena Parthenos.
Giants, Traps, and a Terrible Fall
Percy and Jason defeat Ephialtes and Otis, the twin Giants who captured Nico. Bacchus helps them. Frank, Hazel, and Leo get trapped underground by Eidolons. But Leo uses the fortune cookie from Nemesis to help them escape.
Annabeth faces many challenges on her quest. She finally confronts Arachne, a giant spider. Annabeth uses her cleverness to trick Arachne. She pushes Arachne into Tartarus, a deep pit in the Underworld.
The demigods find the Athena Parthenos and save Nico. However, Arachne uses her last bit of silk. She pulls Annabeth and Percy into Tartarus with her. Percy tells Nico to meet them at the other side of the Doors of Death before they fall. Leo realizes that Percy and Annabeth falling into Tartarus was the "consequence" Nemesis warned him about. He feels responsible. The rest of the group sets sail for Greece.
Characters
- Annabeth Chase – She is the daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Annabeth is given the important task of finding the Athena Parthenos statue. This statue is key to bringing the Greek and Roman demigods together. She is Percy Jackson's girlfriend.
- Leo Valdez – He is the son of Hephaestus, the god of fire and crafts. An evil spirit briefly takes control of Leo. He feels very bad when Annabeth and Percy fall into Tartarus, thinking it's his fault.
- Piper McLean – She is the daughter of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Piper has a special power called charmspeak, which lets her convince people to do things. She is Jason Grace's girlfriend.
- Percy Jackson – He is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Percy recently got his memory back after losing it. He used to be a leader at the Roman camp. He is Annabeth Chase's boyfriend.
- Jason Grace – He is the son of Jupiter, the king of the gods. Jason also lost his memory for a while. He is a leader at Camp Jupiter. He is Piper McLean's boyfriend.
- Hazel Levesque – She is the daughter of Pluto, the god of the underworld. Hazel has returned from the dead. She is Frank Zhang's girlfriend.
- Frank Zhang – He is the son of Mars, the god of war, and has a connection to Poseidon. He is Hazel Levesque's boyfriend. He and Leo have some disagreements about Hazel.
- Coach Gleeson Hedge – He is a satyr who helps protect Camp Half-Blood. Coach Hedge travels with the demigods on the Argo II to keep them safe.
- Nico di Angelo – He is the son of Hades, the god of the underworld. Nico tries to close the Doors of Death but is captured by two Giants.
Sequel
The next book in the series is The House of Hades. It was released on October 8, 2013.
See also
In Spanish: La marca de Atenea para niños
