This is still brisk and mostly-safe YA adventure fiction, but the Mythos backstory and worldbuilding carry it well and the consequences are now more significant. There's still too much cozy and cheeky going on to make hits hurt much, and emotional turmoil passes way too quickly for most of the cast, but the interactions across the board provide pretty good drama.

SPOILER ALERT:
The key exception to the quick-recovery-itis that makes the kids' hurts go away too fast throughout the saga is Nico Di Angelo; that is well on display in this volume. The boy's health and sanity are hovering on a razor's edge here and it seems as if he's carrying the karmic burden for everyone. It actually makes him truly relatable and a strongly sympathetic character. ( )

Book four of Rick Riodan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH, takes one final step toward the final battle between the Olympians and the Titans. As with the previous books, the fact that I am not the target demographic is loud and clear. As Percy ages, the disconnect between my experience raising teenagers and Percy as a teenager grows ever larger. At the same time, as the buildup towards the ultimate battle increases, I can't help but wonder if the finale will be worthwhile.

There are a few issues I have with THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH. All of them revolve around Percy. For one thing, Percy is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. You can summarize most of his adventures as a complete lack of situational awareness on his part. Combine that with his inability to understand context clues, and it's a miracle he is still alive. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that he always goes on his quests with other people, he probably would be.

Then, there is his relationship with girls. Percy, in THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH, is fifteen years old. Those hormones should be surging, or at least beginning to surge, through his body. Yet, he doesn't express anything towards Annabeth or Rachel other than platonic friendships. I get him not understanding Annabeth's jealousy or Rachel's discomfort at being the third wheel, specifically because he is a fifteen-year-old boy, and they are always clueless about girls. But the books are too chaste for the characters' ages. Once again, I wish Mr. Riordan had aged up the narrative as the characters get older.

Those issues aside, THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH isn't my favorite. The reason for going into the labyrinth is vague. There is a lot of talk about how easy it is to get lost or to go crazy in the maze, but Percy and Annabeth have no difficulties finding exits when they need them. I hoped we would learn more about Rachel Elizabeth Dare, specifically why she can see through the Mist so clearly. Unfortunately, she's merely a secondary character who is little more than a human labrador retriever. It's all a little too convenient. Then again, it is a book for kids.

I am glad THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH is the last book before the finale. I don't think I could handle any more quests or battle prep. If I saw more growth in Percy, I suspect my feelings would be different. Instead, I feel that books one and three are the same. While book two and THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH are also quests, the fact that they are not cross-country journeys makes them different. Through it all, Percy remains the same eager, reckless, and clueless demi-god.

Thankfully, Jesse Bernstein's narration improves. He's still not the best narrator. His other voices sound more like a father altering his voice when telling a story to his kids and less like a professional actor with a penchant for different voices. However, he brought back Percy's combination of sarcasm and cluelessness that make him the enjoyable character he is.

I didn't hate THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH, but I didn't truly enjoy it either. I think this series is better read with large swaths of time between each book. It prevents you from noticing the similarities between each book and the lack of character growth. Instead, after four books read within two months, I'm ready to find out how it all ends. ( )

We have arrived at what is, in my opinion, the best book this series has to offer. "Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth" is just plain fantastic. While there are a few things that bother me, it still absolutely blows me away every single time I read it. I had forgotten a lot of plot elements since my last read about 2 years ago, so I had a great time going through it again as if it were my first time.

The plot of this book is absolutely phenomenal. The concept of the Labyrinth is a very fun one, and Rick Riordan ended up creating the most entertaining part of this entire series with it. It is just so damn exciting. The sheer size and mysteriousness of the whole thing makes it endlessly interesting. There are so many memorable moments that take place in it it's hard to believe this book is only 360 pages long. It is just filled with one breathtaking thing after another.

I also liked how much character development Grover got in this book. He didn't have much to do in the first three books besides get helped by other creatures, but, after Pan's death, he finally stands up for himself and begins to have some real agency.

The pacing here is a 10/10. I wasn't bored for a single page. Thanks to the Labyrinth sections and the numerous battles and revelations that come between them, I was engrossed reading this thing from start to finish. The book just doesn't relent. It is structured perfectly.

Once more, I'll say that I love how these books get more and more serious with every entry. This book felt like it had even fewer jokes than "The Titan's Curse", and I felt that was very fitting as the stakes have been getting higher and higher. However, a problem I have had with every entry thus far and is probably my biggest problem with this whole series is still present here: the silliness. I know that one of the main attractions of this series is how Rick Riordan fused elements of Greek mythology with the modern world, making it more accessible to younger readers. I thought it was a very creative and funky idea with the first book, but I feel that this style has run its course. I'm sorry, but I can't take the epic scale of the seriously very seriously if Nico summons the dead with happy meals. It's a bit much, Rick.

Also, I despise love triangles, and the whole Percy, Annabeth, and Rachel thing really grinds my gears. Can't we just have a regular couple going through regular problems without introducing love triangles all the time? It's gotten insufferable at this point.

Anyway, I still absolutely love this book, and I would easily put it as my favorite of the whole series. No other entry is as exciting as it is. ( )

Okaaaaay, Grover? Saving everyone and halting a war right after your god asked for your permission to die, no big deal, Grover? Poor boy Went Through It this volume.

And okay, I get it. I get the Nico hype. I'm here, I'm in it, he got me. Boyo really says things like "I'm sorry, Percy, he said you were in danger," when getting caught. And, "I don't care about Kronos, I just want my sister back." And, "No. I am [the ghost king]." As if any of that isn't supposed to break our hearts coming out of a tiny grieving eleven-year-old.

The series has naturally progressed into darker territory, but Riordan maintains a quick pace and quintessential moments of humor, kindness, and hope to break it up. (After Percy and Annabeth's fight, Percy's little "Hey, I'm sorry," before they take off again was a small, impactful moment of softness I wasn't expecting and loved.)

I'm glad I've had this series to lean into the last few months. Tough world out there, and Percy's been a nice little beacon to carry with me on my commute.

Okaaaaay, Grover? Saving everyone and halting a war right after your god asked for your permission to die, no big deal, Grover? Poor boy Went Through It this volume.

And okay, I get it. I get the Nico hype. I'm here, I'm in it, he got me. Boyo really says things like "I'm sorry, Percy, he said you were in danger," when getting caught. And, "I don't care about Kronos, I just want my sister back." And, "No. I am [the ghost king]." As if any of that isn't supposed to break our hearts coming out of a tiny grieving eleven-year-old.

The series has naturally progressed into darker territory, but Riordan maintains a quick pace and quintessential moments of humor, kindness, and hope to break it up. (After Percy and Annabeth's fight, Percy's little "Hey, I'm sorry," before they take off again was a small, impactful moment of softness I wasn't expecting and loved.)

I'm glad I've had this series to lean into the last few months. Tough world out there, and Percy's been a nice little beacon to carry with me on my commute.