Naomi Solace cameo! I’d been waiting for this since it was confirmed that she would be there!
She is almost exactly how I imagined she would be.
Mama Solace is a hugger confirmed
…
…
Hades willingly giving hugs despite canonically feeling awkward about it according to TSATS.
Also, he is giving some very solid advice here. Self righteous fools can often be extremely convincing.
I wish we saw more Apollo like this atter TOA, but alas.
…
I really love that we are acknowledging Hazel’s past here. How she was manipulated and used when she was a child and how she has constantly tried to prover herself worthy since she got a second chance at life.
It still doesn’t sit entirely right with me that THE minotaur is here, but I appreciate the talk they have. I do think it’s an important talk about how some experience being used and abused for sinister deeds and then live a lot of their life being labelled as bad for it.
I think I would have preferred to stay in suspense initially when Hazel was “killed”, but later chapters make it clear why this was done, so I’ll let it slide.
So the judges in the previous chapters don’t actually kill the mythics, they used the mist to make it look like they did.
Which begs the question, how are they so in control of the mist, because Hazel needs to really focus to break through their illusions and need cocoapuffs to fully see what’s going on.
…
…
Wow. I should have guessed the dodecahedron would make a come-back as it was set up earlier.
These things seem almost overly powerful, intimedating and should definitely be locked away.
I’m sorry, you can break the mist?!
This raises so many questions. In most battles we’ve seen over the course if these books, loads of monsters and demigods have been present. Even gods have been present. Wouldn’t the mist have broken then if “all it takes” is about 500 monsters crammed in a tight space?
I have so many questions.
I am dead. The Coacoapuffs have graduated from Nico’s emotions to Nico’s children.
Baby harnesses for the gremlin children (formerly known as Coacoapuffs).
Shut. The. ****. Up!
Babysitter commandos is such a fun sentence to me. If I were better at drawing I would 100% draw this scene. It is so funny.
Also, Will and Nico need to stop!!!
Nico earlier named Loneliness his favourite Cacodemon because it was so familiar and had been with him for so long, but clearly Sadness is also familiar and always just kind of living there.
The fact that Nico’s feelings of loss are often mentioned, but in a way that doesn’t drown him the way it did before, it’s really important to me.
It can be easy to think your sadness over something has vanished because you think less and less about it, until one day you stumble over something that reminds you if that sadness and you genuinely do get that weird feeling in your chest. Like something is missing there.
We get some very hefty Hazel action, and I am loving it!
Spoilers below the cut.
Will has decided that his poop story needs to be heard by everyone and I find that hilarious.
I really enjoy seeing his personality outside of healer and responsible camp medic + cabin counsellor. He is so silly and fun and enjoyable along with all the other things we know and love him for.
…
Neither of them like wearing suits. That is honestly very believable.
Keep in mind as well: This is all Hazel’s mist work. She has become so good at tapping into it that when she changes herself, Nico’s brain is convinced she has always looked like her altered self.
Go, Hazel!
…
Again, this is all Hazel manipulating the mist because she started understanding how to tap into its currents.
She is being amplified by a Coacoa Puff who seem to not just heighten someone’s senses but also be able to assist with certain powers?
Go, Coacoa Puffs!
Also, not to forget to mention, Hazel is an absolute badass.
Go off, Will! Go off, Puffs!
It may not be the typical hero’s journey format like the first Percy Jackson books, but this is so fun and enjoyable, and I am invested in the fight and can feel the weight of the threat.
…
…
Ouch! What an end to a chapter!
These chapters have definitely been the highlight for me so far. It all seems so hopeless but you want to hope beyond hope tjat everything will be okay in the end.
Nico’s thoughts: Not her. Not again. Are heart wrenching and almost sends him over the edge of disassociating. It is so well done and you really just feel gutted by it.
There are a few things going on here, but it is built up and explained well enough that it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Despite the zany start and a farting griffin that is often used for fart jokes, I like this book better than TSATS - which I genuinely enjoyed and have re-read twice already.
I do find it interesting that Riordan and Oshiro has gone away from the dual POV, but in a way I think that helps to focus the story.
In TSATS I was happy to see those few Will POV chapters, and I do feel they worked. Here, it definitely would have confused the story because there are a few conflicts that all tie together, but with a dual POV I think they would have been muddled.
Spoilers below cut.
In these chapters we do see Nico again kind of marvelling at having a boyfriend. Someone who will stick by his side.
For what it’s worth, it’s been mentioned once in chapter 15, but the callback works in my opinion. It’s a reminder that there are still many things Nico is adjusting to even when he feels comfortable in it. To me that feels very real - adjusting to changes even if they aren’t new.
Like here. We see that obviously, he is still deeply affected by Bianca’s death, but we also see how he has tried to move on from it. It also hints at that awkward friendship between Nico and Percy.
Not to say they aren’t friends, but they can never really erase that this is a big part of their past and they both felt betrayed by the other. Moving past something like that will still change something in your friendship dynamic.
I really enjoy the role the Cacodemons are given. Not only are they super fun, but people are taking to them and interacting with them in a positive way. They are also starting to change in the way they show Nico flashbacks of his feelings.
Like Shame showing him moments after his shame of something has passed, and how the feeling changed for him to pride. I think that is super interesting.
And the fact they seem to have some keen sense about danger and can sense things unseen to the eye. They really got a role beyond being fun throwaways, and I truly enjoy going in that direction.
Frank showing more anger and pairing up with Anger (Cacodemon) for a lookout mission is also really interesting to see.
I feel we have often seen Frank be timid and ashamed of being a Son of Mars. Uncomfortable in his own skin. But now he is embracing it more which I find super interesting.
Despite the whole thing, it is also interesting to see he still has that cuddly persona we love him for.
I appreciate that Nico addresses this - even if it’s only in his head. Despite me still feeling they should have gone for a different minotaur than THE minotaur, this part of acclimating has been depicted well. Including how it goes to show that some of these reactions stem from a place of pride as well.
I’m telling you. That Bull’s eye thing is definitely foreshadowing. It was mentioned Will still struggles with moving targets but is now getting mote precise with still targets.
Why build it up so much if it won’t pay off somehow?
I’m predicting there will be a moving target using Nico as a shield or something and Will’s aim being the make or break of something.
But what do I know? None of my pre-predictions have really come true.
Okay Will. Go off.
In TSATS we saw glimmers of this, but I love the return of Angry Solace and the power-ups that follow.
These chapters are now taking on a more serious tone with conversations that could mirror how we think and behave in the real world.
I do think you could use some of these conflicts to have real conversations about difficult topics with youths.
I do like that Oshiro and Riordan are still going for this route of healing, mending, and retribution.
Spoilers below the cut.
I found this moment incredibly believable.
The mythics in Camp Jupiter are experiencing exclusion of the highest degree, and it is reminding Nico of his early days in Camp.
After Bianca, after trying to return the first time, only to feel like he was being pushed away and treated like he had a disease.
There are multiple mentions of him experiencing headaches due to the stress of this situation, and even though he spoke with Will before he spoke with Mr. D, this reaction is so raw and real.
Bursting into tears from pressure and stress and dredging up old, still-buried memories is something that I appreciate; especially because it continues in the vein of healing not being a linear process.
Mr. D’s advice here is also extremely resounding and so important; especially for anyone who feels similar to Nico. Like the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
The way the Coacoa Puffs interact with Nico is also really interesting. Seeing him embrace them and find comfort in them instead of being consumed and swallowed is very strong, in my opinion.
Will is also so incredibly precious in the way he is now interacting with it all. Instead of trying to “fix it” by healing it and willing it to go away, we consistently see him simply being there and allowing the feelings to coexist as good things.
Outside of Nico, Will is the biggest advocate for the Coacoa Puffs.
Even though we don’t know their ages as such, we know they are around 15/16, and we now also know that Will is older. Do with that what you will.
I do find this kind if funny, seeing as Will definitely called Nico “Grandpa” at some point in TSATS. I bet they have arguments about which one of them is theoretically or technically oldest.
Nico is an Elder Demigod, guys. Respect his name.
How many motherly figures have died to fire? Because I always thought Nico’s mum died from “just” being struck by lightning?
I swear that makes at least 4 parental figures?
Nico’s mum, Leo’s mum, one of Frank’s family members (unless I misremember?) which might have also been his mum, and Savannah’s mum.
Riordan-verse mothers better stay away from fire, I guess?
Adulthood and responsibility creeping up on them.
When you are young and start going into adulthood, there are many things that can seem overwhelming and scary. Even within adulthood, things stress and worry you.
On the note of adult-hood, Frank is apparently already giving dad vibes.
In these chapters we are aslo introduced to “Nico di Angelo, Disaster Detective”, and I do love that for him.
Some deeper themes we are diving into now that I think are very interesting and important:
Coming from a lineage that has hurt people for a long time and now having to prove you are not your past. People not being keen on just being friends, and some are even downright hostile because “your kind has killed my kind for centuries, so why would I ever trust you?”
The thought that the mythics are judged for something that happened hundreds of years ago and finding it difficult to fit in anywhere is really interesting.
I do think there are conversations that could be had about this when it comes to the real world. About generational guilt, generational hatred, and prejudice.
Although I am still learning to buy into THE minotaur, I think the mythics at the camp are being set up really well, and you do come to care for them, and you do emphasise with their status as outcasts.
On another note, this may be my last update for a bit as I need to sleep.
Okay, the Honey-Yes joke is in this chapter, my aplogies.
Anyway, moving on.
Spoilers below the cut.
I kind of like the sibling rivalry here. Most of Nico’s and Hazel’s interactions so far have been very wholesome, which I don’t mind, but I feel there’s a level of comfort in having a sibling rivalry that isn’t really that serious.
Also Will stepping in-between like a referee is so funny to me. I am really looking forward to these 3 together.
I also appreciate that inviting the mythics have not been easy on the camp or on Frank and Hazel.
I find it very interesting to know Hazel and Frank must have had some intense conversations about this that must have tested their relationship to some capacity.
Nico being a protective big brother is precious, and Will just deciding to be supportive Wing-man who’s in it a thousand percent is very sweet as well. It shows a real change to his discomfort with darkness while still tapping into his caring nature.
Here is a moment of somewhat jealousy that makes more sense than Juniper, since Will is very much outright complimenting an empousa.
This moment is also a bit more enjoyable because instead of being internal about how lucky he is, Nico apologises for assuming, which is more enjoyable imo.
In these chapters we learn that Nico is apparently allergic to Quinoa; who would have thought it?
I guess Will does wake with the sun? Maybe? But if he does, he seems to also experience jet lag?
Also, I am so glad we get to see Lavinia again. I lover her energy as leader of the fifth cohort.
Oh my God, stfu Will! (affectionate)
Not Nico cheating to be first up a hill during a morning run, not Will amused by it rather than freaking out and worrying about Nico’s health, not the two of them shadow travelling off on a coffee date.
I love that they get to be silly and rebellious.
Also, their punishment was to be “first couple” for the next training session which was line dance.
Chapters 1-3 were part of the preview, so I might not say too much about those, except for one thing that does sit a bit strange with me.
Spoilers below cut.
I am not saying jealousy is uncommon in newer couples, but seeing it toward Juniper specifically seems a bit strange to me since I’m quite sure Nico has considered her a friend before, and I’m also fairly sure he knows she’s not single.
I get the sense this moment is here to show that Nico is still working on his emotions, which is great, but choosing Juniper almost makes him read a bit insecure to me, and after TSATS, I’m quite sure he started feeling much more secure in his relationship. So while I’m not anti-jealousy moments, it might make more sense with a different character in my opinion.
That bull’s-eye line feels like foreshadowing if I ever saw it. I am betting Will hitting something with an arrow will be vital later on.
I love the Coacoa Puffs. The way they are yipping and squealing and always running around Nico’s feet. Their little personalities are so funny to me.
Will’s reaction to THE minotaur is so real because what is even going on? I get Oshiro and Riordan wanted to go for redemption and second chances, but it doesn’t make much sense to choose THE Minotaur in my opinion, and his explanation for why he almost murdered Percy’s mum in the first book and has fought heroes for so long seems a bit too lacking of personal responsibility.
Bob works because after regaining his memories he actively chooses to fight for the heroes and contemplates which version of himself he likes the best. The minotaur feels more like “let’s throw in a monster everyone knows who traumatised someone with little to no real redemption arc other than ‘we were never given a choice’”.
Maybe it will work better down the line as we get to know him more, but I’m not really buying it as of now.
Minotaur flashing home made underwear was not on my bingo card. I don’t mind absurd, but it almost seems like this is absurd for the sake of it.
We get a “Honey”, “Yes” joke. All because one of the mythics (formerly known as monsters) have hypnotic teeth.
It made me chuckle, so I’ll let Oshiro and Riordan have this point.
I will try to live blog my thoughts/reactions and share some snippets, because from the preview this looks like it might just be a fun, silly time.
A fun, silly time deserves a fun, silly bookmark. Say hello to Ribbetina
Anyway. I’ll start with some details from the cover and inside the book.
Potential spoilers below cut.
I do like the cover art for this one better than the cover for The Sun and The Star. I like the details and the dynamic poses.
The blurb is short and to the point with just enough intrigue that I’m curious - but I did always like an elevator-pitch style blurb.
Inside, it’s not overly interesting, but I like the colour.
I saw most, if not all, preorders have sprayed pages. Personally, I don’t care too much for this version as it’s the same as the cover, but it is very sleek.
Inside, we have a map of Camp Jupiter and some other place, so if the maps are anything like the maps in TSATS, then they will hint at what might happen throughout the story.
Anyway, I will read now. Keep you updated if you’re interested.
do u ever think about how in canon nico didn’t know for sure that will liked guys until he asked him out and was just going off the time will stared at him in a way that apparently had no heterosexual explanation. nico’s self esteem is terrible too so how besotted did will have to look for nico to confidently conclude “oh he’s into me.” Will Solace: Expert Yearner
“Will Solace is so insufferable. Getting in my face and asking me to help in the infirmary.”
And since Nico said “Okay,” he made sure to be as useful as possible, because Nico puts 110% effort into everything.
“Oh, this Roman camper doesn’t know where the gauze goes? Well neither do I, but we’re not asking Will Solace who’s working because that’s not helpful! We will figure it out ourselves.”
Let’s also not forget Will’s pining look was so powerful, one of the Stoll brothers pointed it out to Nico, and he really went “Don’t look now, but Will is staring at you” and Nico immediately looked anyway, fully expecting Will to look angry 😭
Instead, Will looked all dreamy, and Nico went “Huh, I guess he likes me too…” and just went for it. What a legend.
This could be so funny to contrast with Solangelo’s snark and how they sometimes just bicker and banter for the sake of it, and Frank being so confused about what is going on. But he’s too terrified to say anything or ask because Nico makes him a bit uneasy (for the sole reason of being Hazel’s brother so he does not want to get on his - or her - bad side)
So we have a title and cover drop for the next Nico di Angelo book:
Two of my predictions for the book are already a reality based on interviews:
Meeting Will's mom
Hazel Levesque having a presence
A New Year's blogpost teased a third thing:
3. Frank Zhang having a precense
We also know there will be a theme of judgement and reformed monsters from the previously mentioned interview, and the cover teases that the minotaur will be present.
Here are some of my additional predictions for this next title:
4. Continued dual POV
5. More Will chapters than TSATS but still an overweight of Nico chapters
6. Hazel mini-chapters as interleaves a-la Grogyra's mini-chapters in TSATS
7. Obligatory Percy Jackson mention/cameo
8. Will getting a tour of New Rome (including its infirmary which he will geek out over and take notes to bring back to Chiron and Mr. D)
9. Will learning to live with his darkness and using his plague powers in a dire situation
10. Something-something, someone learns for the first time that Will can glow and is fascinated by it
11. Campers feeling uneasy about Nico's change because they're used to seeing him a certain way
12. Hazel crying happy tears when she sees her brother happier than she ever has
13. Reyna being a hunter reveal (bonus points if we see Nico reacting to and coming to terms with it, as Reyna joined for a very similar reason to Bianca)
14. (just because I think it could be kind of fun to see) Nico has not introduced Will to Hazel yet because of the communications being down and then going to Tartarus, so he has to introduce Will for the first time to her as his boyfriend
Edit to add:
15. (again, because I think it could be funny) Will being serious about wanting to meet Hades, so some chapters will be dedicated to that. I want Persephone to be there and ask them to stay for a family meal because she finds it hilarious to see Hades trying to interact with Will and Nico (without being awkward)
If you have any predictions for this title, I would love to hear them :)
Hey, so, Patreon is lying to you about Apple forcing their hand.
Patreon is getting rid of 1st-of-the-month/per-creation billing, claiming a new decision by Apple has forced their hand. This will hurt a lot of creatives, and their excuse is bullshit. Allow me to explain.
In 2018, Patreon tried to impose a new ill-considered fee structure on everyone that would have cost creators a lot of smaller pledges. They ended up apologizing for this profusely; they have now deleted this apology from their website and unfortunately I was unable to find it on the Internet Archive. This was shameful, but to their credit they backed off quickly when things got ugly.
Back in 2021, Patreon discussed plans to force all creators into a rolling bill structure and get rid of first-of-the-month/pay-up-front billing. The community once again very decisively shouted them down, and they had to walk it back again. This whole fiasco damaged the already shaky trust between Patreon creators and staff.
This week, Patreon announced that, along with extra fees, Apple's policies were supposedly forcing them to move everyone over to the rolling fee structure that they first tried to get us to agree to in 2021. Patreon will tell you they are not happy about this. As a person who spent a long time watching Patreon make terrible decisions, I can tell you-- they are probably very happy about this, because it's exactly the smokescreen they needed to do what they've been trying to do for years, which is pull ALL Patreon creators away from 1st-of-the-month and per-creation billing.
The spin in the news I've seen so far is "Apple bullies Patreon, boo hoo hoo poor Patreon". This is very obviously not what's happening. Mind you: Apple does suck, and they are doing something bad here. Fuck apple. But Patreon and Apple are BOTH the asshole in this situation; Everyone Sucks Here. Patreon has options: they can make the iOS app a reader app and do billing through the browser to avoid the restrictions and the extra fees (Netflix and Amazon, notably, both do this), or they can allow creators to opt-out of iOS billing if they want to use billing models that don't work with it.
It seems most likely to me that the Apple situation is a real fire that Patreon has chosen to use as a convenient smokescreen to do what they've been wanting to do since at least 2021, and maybe since 2018.
What do we do?:
They have a feedback form specifically about this.
They also have a creator discord.
And they have lots of social media pages where they probably really, really hope that this doesn't blow up again, because they never learn. The incidents I've described here aren't the only two other times Patreon has pissed off their creators. They know if they don't contain the noise it'll be harder to get away with it, so make some noise. They've done a lot of work to spin this cleverly so you'll have sympathy for them and they won't get the kind of backlash they know they deserve.
Please don't misuse these links and make threats or spam or something. All you have to do is give well-reasoned feedback. Patreon hates feedback. Make sure they get a nice heaping helping of their least favorite vegetable.
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