The Burning Maze reaction post part 3
Chapter 26
*snickers* And the Jason/knocks to the head ship joke returns.
The pandai ... are kind of reminding me of those lemurs in the Madagascar movie. Or was it some other title? The ones that did the dance to the I like to move it, move it, song. Sorry, bad visual, I know.
Wooooh go Meg!
Chapter 27
I am kind of curious now. Meg vs. Percy, who do you think would win? (Or Meg vs. Luke, for that matter.)
Ahahaha it was the Arrow of Dodona. No wonder it hit target. And nothing is funnier than an irate Shakespearean arrow.
It's kind of refreshing to have a narrator who isn't constantly hiding stuff from his mates. I mean, I think so far throughout the series, it's been a recurring theme. Half of PJO is Percy hiding certain bits of his dream. Annabeth-love her, but she's not a detail sharer either. TLH was Piper hiding stuff and Leo hiding stuff, and the Frank and Hazel hiding stuff in SoN, and Annabeth had all the Mark of Athena stuff, and Nico of course and his big secrets, and ... yeah. Like I was saying, full disclosure! New concept.
Yes, Apollo, don't underestimate Piper's fighting skills. Did she not take out Medea for you ten chapters ago?
By the way I am totally appreciating that this is all on boats. I miss writing sea voyages. That was the most fun part of SoM.
Oooooh more reveal on the Big Break-up. I am ... now starting to think this might go in a whole different direction, especially given RR's tendency to put in the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ relationships into his series. (We haven't had an ace or aro main character yet, have we? And I'd be stoked if it was a daughter of Aphrodite ...)
Speaking of relationships, what's going on with Grover and Juniper? I can't believe I haven't asked about that yet.
Chapter 28
And here we come round to Piper's identity crisis, as opposed to Jason's. Man, I'm getting plenty wrong predicting stuff in this book already, aren't I? But that's okay, it's fun, and I am actually enjoying digging more into this and the real impact of Hera's machinations on the two of them beyond what they could have covered in HoO.
For plot reasons that will go unmentioned, I was actually searching all last week for creatures that are felled by music. And here they fall into my metaphorical lap ... but pandai don't really suit my purposes anyway. All the same, I love it. Conquest by music.
Chapter 29
I loved the side story on Hermes's shoes. It just seems to fit so well.
Already I love Crest. There's just something about monsters that aren't all bad that really says how the world isn't drawn in lines of black and white. Like Sssssarah in TDP. Or even Tyson.
And Incitatus knocking out Piper-whoa, that happened quick. It didn't even cross my mind that she might be killed until Apollo mentioned it. These characters keep surviving stuff, after all ... but way to keep us reminded that someone's going to kick it in the end.
Chapter 30
How much do you want to bet that RR had so much fun with those boats? Also I really appreciate Meg's handiwork every time it shows up. It's so cool to see how imaginative one can get with plant combat. Reminds me of Neville and his plant strategies in the Battle of Hogwarts in HP.
Chapter 31
He's letting Crest go? Ohhh I totally bet that's going to come back and bite him in the butt. Don't these villains ever learn? Never underestimate the comic relief! But I shouldn't complain because I actually want our guys to get out of there, and I'm guessing Crest is going to play a role in liberating them.
Okay, just had to pick out a line here. 'Piper lay shivering as if she were cold.' Um, yeah, duh. (Sorry, totally nitpicky.)
APOLLO I AM SO PROUD OF YOU.
I know it's not really going to happen (because there's 16 chapters to go plus two more books) but this moment. This moment of courage. We can see just how much harder it is for him to come up with some thing like that. And he did it.
I am a puddle.
Chapter 32
Aha. The attack on Camp Jupiter didn't work! So I guess that Leo made it there in time. But are we even make it over at all, given that there's only 15 chapters left? I hope we will.
And he did it. Holy mother of Apollo's sun cattle he did do it.
Though of course he didn't die. Now that would have been a real plot hole to write oneself out of.
Chapter 33
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
This is going to kill Piper. And oh man, oh man, oh man, I really believed RR would follow through this time, so I'm not entirely surprised (though part of me wondered if it would be Piper who ended up dying). But geez, she's going to cart this guilt around with her all her life, isn't she?
And yeah, that scene is tearing me up after all.
Here’s the thing though ... I guess it was sort of ... about time? I mean, Jason already cheated death, kind of, once when he got stabbed by Michael Varus. I never really got how he survived that one. I’m wondering if it was coming back to get him all along and this is the end game from there.
Chapter 34
I have no words. Tristan McLean pulling himself together at last? Yes, carve up my heart more, please.
And something else. THALIA. What is she going to do when she hears about this? After she got her brother back and now he's gone again.
Chapter 35
Oh yes, Grover, you said it. Thalia. Oh gods, how much angst is going to come up there?
Interesting, though that Hedge thinks of himself as Jason's protector, because technically he wasn't-he was sent to get Piper and Leo. Though I guess maybe he thinks of all the Argo II crew as his cupcakes.
Still. Death scenes are so much more impactful when they focus on the people around the characters.
And now Grover's going back in with them and I'm scared all over again, although I think the danger to other lives is over?
Chapter 36
Seven primordial dryads bent on preserving nature ... Never mind a threat to Caligula, we're talking a super-Pan here, aren't we?!
I think we definitely have to go to Camp Jupiter now, if only to bring Jason's designs for Temple Hill back there. The fall-out is going to be crazy, though.
And it just struck me-I guess this is the catalyst that would bring all the main demigods together, probably to Camp Jupiter. Because what other than an event like this would make them race across country? And here we are, plot reason for the death. (Ouch, that sounds so callous.)
Oh crud. I also just realised Leo-JASON'S BEST FRIEND LEO-never made it to find him before ... Oh gods. Leo. Leo. Leo.
Chapter 37
Ten chapters left, more or less, and now I really can't imagine how this is going to wrap up. As much as I managed to guess a couple of details for this book, the bulk of it has been pretty much mystery. And so much more intrigue. Everything has definitely ramped up now. Which kind of seems to be a theme with the five-book series. Book 3 is when it all gets real. This is certainly living up to that theme!
That name ... Alexasiriastrophona. Poking fun at Alexa and Siri by any chance?
Crossword clues! I love logic puzzles, but I'm hopeless at crosswords. I just hope this is a mix of both so I can try and guess along.
Wow. Slow clap. That was ingenious. The whole prophecy hidden in the crossword clues. I bow before your genius, RR.