Hey! I haven't read perpollo in a while but I still like reading your posts :). Have you ever read ToA? If you have what is your opinion on TOA Apollo's character? Him as a father, god and his arc? My least fav part is that I see the toa fandom blame Zeus for Apollo's wrongs like what happened to Hal (I hate Zeus but I find this take so wrong). Do you think Apollo is the best pjo godly parent? Did you enjoy Lester's writing?
Trials of Apollo writing... This will be a biiiig rant.
I wont focous on Perpollo here, and focous only in his character and what I think of him during the books. Alright?
Being straight to the point. I personally don't like how Riordan portrayed him. That is what I feel with every single god adaptation in PJO. I find Apollo's "insecurity" regarding his own importance and how likable he is out of place for one of the main gods within the pantheon, and for a being who has _at least_ 3000 years old. I also think Riordan doesn't like to write character without sanitizing them at least a little to his taste. Changing the myths where Apollo is unhinged, like... "Yeah. That never happend, actually." Or making Apollo not be the one behind the Plagues. Riordan also - conveniently - doesnt mention the demigod Apollo cursed in the Diaries of Luke Castellan.
+ The point he cant recognize a pregnancy, while he is literally the god of healing and created the c-section surgery in the myths is a very sour point for me personally.
Now as a character alone, putting aside aside what I just said and focusing on ToA as a saga... I believe he is the best written character Riordan wrote so far. And this includes Percy. And I mean that by how well developed Apollo/Lester is during that saga. You can see Apollo (or Lester if you wish) changing from book to book, and how coherent this changing actually is with everything he is experiencing. It is a very organic writing. And it keeps you involved with his journey. So answering your question. I liked it. As a character I loved Lester's writing.
Now Apollo as a father... He is one of the best godly parents within the pjoverse (and in the myths as well). He became better during ToA. But that bar is not so high. So that doesn't mean he is a good father. Only that after ToA he is trying to be a good one. What is more than the rest of Olympus can say. I personally enjoyed how his relationship with his kids matured during the writing.
We know that Apollo had the habit of claming his children, for example, Apollo's cabin before the War against Kronos was the second with more campers, and as far as we can see through Percy's POV in PjO - what it isnt much by any means - they did seem to be in good shape. And if we follow with canonical text from the verse, it was Apollo who came with the idea to create a camp for demigods where they could be safe. Personally I don't like to give points to Riordan, but that was a good one, since Apollo is the protector of youth. So good job for once, I guess.
Now. Apollo and Zeus. (You have no idea how much I want to scream with Rick for that. You have no idea how I want to throw the Homeric Hymms in his face after making Zeus be abusive with him.)
There is a very clear tendence to make everything bad that happend on Zeus's back. What is ridiculous. I will be very straight to the point here: Apollo has 3000yrs+. He is one of the patrons of philosophy and universities (alongside Athena). He knows right from wrong. Especially in a setting where Riordan doesn't focuses on the cosmic order, the gods role within the oikos gods, nor about hybris, and what counts and rules is the modern morality. I hate to say this (actually, I do not), but try to take the responsability out of Apollo's shoulders is just a desperate attempt to sanitize him, and in consequence we have a fandom babyfying a being with thousands of years. If Apollo was a dick before, that was on him. Not on Zeus. On him. He is not a child.
I hope you like that answer. That was a long one.
