The Sun and the Star facts for kids
Cover art
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| Authors |
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| Cover artist | Khadijah Khatib |
| Country | United States |
| Series | Camp Half-Blood Chronicles |
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Publication date
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May 2, 2023 |
| Pages | 481 |
| ISBN | 9781368081153 |
| Preceded by | The Tower of Nero (in The Trials of Apollo series) |
The Sun and the Star is an exciting fantasy and adventure novel from 2023. It's based on ancient Greek and Roman stories. The book was written by two authors, Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro.
This book is a follow-up to The Tower of Nero and is the final book in the popular Camp Half-Blood Chronicles series. The story is all about two young demigods, Nico di Angelo and Will Solace. Nico is the son of Hades, and Will is the son of Apollo. They go on a dangerous journey into a dark place called Tartarus to save their friend, a Titan named Iapetus, who prefers to be called Bob.
The Sun and the Star was released on May 2, 2023. It quickly became a huge success! It shot to the number one spot on The New York Times Best Seller list for Children’s Middle Grade Hardcover Books. It stayed at number one for six weeks and then again for another eight weeks. Even after many months, it's still one of the top-selling books.
Contents
Journey into Tartarus: The Quest Begins
The story starts two months after a big battle where Nero and Python were defeated. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who can see the future, gives Nico and Will a special prophecy. This prophecy tells them about their quest to save Bob from Tartarus.
Nico is worried about Bob and convinces Chiron and Mr. D (who usually runs Camp Half-Blood) to let them go on this official quest. Before they leave, Nico and Will talk to Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. Percy and Annabeth have been to Tartarus before, so they give them helpful advice.
Entering the Underworld and Facing Dangers
Nico and Will enter the Underworld through a special door called the Door of Orpheus. Nico and Percy had used this door before. Right away, they are attacked by a nightmare demon named Epiales. This demon hints that Nico's mother is looking for him. Will uses his new power to create light and defeats the demon.
Next, Nico and Will find help from creatures called troglodytes. These creatures agree to show them a shortcut to Tartarus. But first, they visit the farm of Menoetes. Menoetes agrees not to tell Hades about their quest if they bring him some stolen fruit from Persephone's garden.
Persephone's Wisdom and Nyx's Plan
The fruit heist is successful! While there, Will meets Persephone herself. She gives him advice about understanding Nico better. Persephone suggests that Will should accept his own darker side instead of trying to hide it. She then gives Will the stolen pomegranates.
Happy with their success, Menoetes tells them more about Bob. He explains that Bob was captured by Nyx, the ancient goddess of night. Nyx wants to force Bob to become Iapetus again, even though Bob doesn't want to remember his past. Nico realizes that he met Nyx before when he was captured by giants. He understands that Nyx is using Bob as bait to get to him.
The troglodytes then lead Nico and Will to the River Acheron. There, a nymph named Gorgyra agrees to help them. In return, Nico and Will must share their story with her.
Confronting Darkness in Tartarus
Nico and Will use Gorgyra's canoe to go down into Tartarus. The powerful river makes them face their fears and differences. They especially argue about what the Underworld is truly like.
They find Bob's pet, a saber-toothed skeleton cat named Small Bob. They also learn that Percy and Annabeth's giant friend, Damasen, is still recovering and can't help them. Finally, they reach Nyx's home, the Mansion of Night. Bob is trapped there in a cycle where he keeps regenerating.
Nico and Will combine their powers to free Bob. But then, Nyx arrives with Nemesis, Hypnos, a reformed Epiales, and an army of monsters. They try to block the group's escape.
Embracing Inner Strength
Nyx reveals that she created special demons called cacodemons from Nico's own darkness. She tries to convince Nico to accept his darkness and stay in Tartarus, believing he belongs there.
But with encouragement from Will and Bob, Nico fights back against Nyx's tricks. He realizes he is more than just his darkness. At the same time, Will accepts his own darker side. This allows him to use Apollo's plague powers to fight Nyx.
Nico takes control of the cacodemons. He decides to release them, which is a way of letting go of his own inner struggles. This fulfills a part of the prophecy that said he would have to leave something valuable behind. Nemesis, Hypnos, and Epiales turn on Nyx and hold her back. This gives the group enough time to get on the Acheron, a river Nyx cannot cross. To Nico's surprise, the cacodemons, which he renames Cocoa Puffs, decide to join them willingly!
A New Beginning
As Bob sails the group back up the Acheron to the Underworld, Nico has a dream. In his dream, he sees Hades (his father) and the spirits of his mother Maria and sister Bianca. Hades tells Nico that he sent the prophecy so Nico would rescue Bob. He also arranged this dream. Maria and Bianca tell Nico how much they love him and how proud they are. Hades also admits that Percy's actions made him think differently about how he treats his son. Hades realized that Nico's quest risked him losing someone else he loved. Hades, Maria, and Bianca encourage Nico to enjoy his future with Will and find happiness.
Back at Camp Half-Blood, Bob decides not to stay. He wants to go west and figure out his own future, finally feeling free to do so. Nico adopts the cacodemons. He also talks to Piper and her new girlfriend Shel about their shared sadness over losing Jason Grace. With a more hopeful view on life, Nico looks forward to what the future holds for him.
Behind the Scenes: Creating the Book
The Sun and the Star was first announced on October 6, 2021. Rick Riordan decided to write this novel with Mark Oshiro. Mark Oshiro is also an author who writes books for young adults and middle schoolers.
Riordan and Oshiro worked together to create the story idea and the entire book. They both received equal credit for their work. Mark Oshiro is also a big fan and reader of the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles series.
On September 28, 2022, the amazing cover art for the book was shown to the public. The final release date for the book was also announced as May 2, 2023, for North America and the United Kingdom. Rick Riordan also shared that he would go on a special tour in North America with his co-author, Mark Oshiro.
