The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze
By Rick Riordan
Read in 8th Grade
*Read previous Rick Riordan Greek myth books for context
Book 1 in series
After the modern wars with the Titans and Giants, Zeus blamed Apollo, who generated the prophecies for both. Apollo feels it is unfair, since he cannot control the oracular power, despite being the God of Prophecy. He is cast down to Earth as a mortal, where he must presumably serve a master until his punishment is over. Much to his bad luck, he is bound to a ragtag demigod named Meg McCaffrey. He seeks the help of the famous "heroic fodder", Percy Jackson, but is turned down. Apollo cannot get used to the mortal way of living, where he is imperfect and scorned. But throughout the book, the sorrow his conceitedness has brought emerges, and he comes to terms with the mistakes of his past. But back to the story. He is being chased by the Triumvirate, a group of three Roman dictators who hold grudges against him. Their plan is to take over all the ancient Oracles and kill Apollo, after which they can take over the world. Apollo wishes to send a quest to stop this, but the Oracles are silent, and a quest needs a prophecy from an Oracle. The only one that cannot be controlled by the Triumvirate is the Grove of Dodona, planted by the ancestor of the 12 Olympians, Rhea. It has sprung up underneath Camp Half-Blood, and is out of tune. Apollo must stop the Triumvirate from taking it, and in doing so finds that Meg, who he has come to adore, is a stepdaughter of Nero, the Triumvirates ruler. She goes with him, telling Apollo, "Do what you need to do. That's my final order."
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