I forgot how much I love Rick Riordan's writing and world building. It has been so long since I read Percy Jackson (almost 10 years!) but it felt so good to fall back into this world. I haven't read anything written by Mark Oshiro, but I'm interest in checking out what he has written in the past! His contribution to the queer characters in this was really awesome. Nico was one of my favorite characters in the original series because I always imagined I would be a child of Hades. I do slightly regret not catching up on the rest of the series in the world because it did spoil me a bit for the series about Nero, but honestly, I'm not upset. For a middle grade book this had a ton of representation and incredible conversations about identiy, sexuality, and mental health that I'm sure kids can relate to. I did give up on the Nero series, but this has inspired me to go back and finish it just to be immersed in this world again. This was absolutely incredible and I hope more books get written in this series!

The Sun and the Star represented a move away from the previous work of Rick Riordan. While initially excited to see more of Nico Di Angelo with the assistance of a queer writer, this work feels more akin to fanfiction than a genuine piece of the PJO canon. The characters lack depth, the storyline is contrived, and Oshiro shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what makes Rick Riordan's work special. It was a letdown for a fellow queer fan, and a blot on an already troubled record of the sequel series produced in the aftermath of the initial Percy Jackson series.

I am very much a Rick Riordan fan. This one was my least favorite so far.

BUT it does important work and I can see it resounding with many, especially moddle grade and high school. I can also see the Moms for Liberty trying to ban it everywhere.

This book is a romance, like a Hallmark movie. 100%. ok, 99.9%. If romance isnt your jam and your tolerance for sappiness is low, pass on this. It can very much feel preachy or like an LGBTQIA+ affer school special.

If you only have aversion to romance books as a façade, you need to read this one. Nico and Will are on the quest, but it is very much Nico's quest. It's hard to elaborate without spoiling. The moral of the story is that everyone is darkness and light and that you must embrace both. There's a hefty dose of acceptance, very much LGBTQIA+ acceptance, but also framed within a much wider framework of acceptance and love (and happiness) more generally.

Be kind out there people.

So happy to see Will and Nico back in print. If you haven't read The Trials of Apollo, you'll want to begin there; you can't just jump into this book. There are plenty of flashbacks, but most of it won't make sense without fully knowing these characters' history. I wish Rick had written it alone.

This story brought on so many smiles. Right after I finished this book I handed it to my 12YO son. He adored it, too! We are both Rick Riordan fans and this book, co-written with Mark Oshiro, did not disappoint. An absolute banger from a demigod duo of writers.

RICK YOU DID IT AGAIN! I don't know if anyone has seen the hard cover but it has BLACK PAGES. I just got my physical copy and I am TERRIFIED to read more, but gosh it is going to be so good.

Is this one of Rick Riordan's best books? Not necessarily. Did I rate it 5 stars because of my experience and not wholly on the writing and the plot? Absolutely, I had such a good time reading this. Could there be room for improvement? Yes, I think even the best books and authors can always improve.

I see that a lot of peoples issue with this book was that it didn't feel like a RR book, or that it's just Solangelo fanfiction. So what, that's what makes the book fun. It is a fresh book in the PJO universe. It's not just another quest with a couple at the center. The story has a lot more depth to it and I think people were a bit blinded by their high expectations for the book.

The plot of the story could have been developed some more. But I loved the back and forth into the present and the past. The open communication between Nico and Will was great to see in a story. Especially a story with young characters and for young readers. We all talk about hating the miscommunication trope, but I think it is rare to see an open, healthy relationship and with young people having that relationship.

Another complaint I saw a lot was how often Nico and Will talking about how they are in a relationship and that it's not the same Nico from the previous books. Yeah, but they're basically in the honeymoon phase of their relationship and can actually be happy without having a god war looming over their heads. And as far as Nico's character changing, I wouldn't say he changed more that he developed. Nico never talked about his past trauma because he buried it inside a lot and pushed people away so that he wouldn't have to talk about it. But that's the great thing about Will is that he doesn't let Nico push him away. He will try to get him to talk and when he does, he actively listens to him when he opens up and returns those sensitive truths with truths of his own.

I'd also like to acknowledge and show appreciation to Rick for recognizing that writing about a queer character while not being queer and not having those experiences was not authentic. It was so great having Mark Oshiro's writing in this and to have that authentic portrayal of Nico being queer.

4.25/5 stars! I adore the cover of this book and the Percy Jackson books were favorites when I was growing up, so I was really excited to read this. There was surprising depth in this story and at times it felt like it should have been an adult story. But overall, it kept me drawn in and I loved Nico and Will's relationship.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS BOOK. Nico & Will finally getting the spotlight! Amazing! Absolutley perfect for fans of Percy Jackson!

The preview had me more excited for this new entry in the Percy Jackson series.

Nico had always been one of my favorite characters and I was so excited to see that he was farting his own book.

I loved this book so much more than I thought I would, how is that even possible?

Nico was probably one of the first gay characters I ever read in a book, and I felt the horror of his forced outing YEARS before I realized I feared the same thing. To read a book where this precious kid gets to find love, grow with a partner, and learn to be secure with himself was everything I wanted from this book.

I have always loved Nico for his quiet kindness, consideration for those that are often overlooked, and for his endurance. So it makes total sense that Nico would be the one to go back into Tartarus to save Bob, but this time he’s older, begun processing his traumas, and with his boyfriend Will. What could go wrong?

Oh how I love me a good exploration of the “light vs. dark” theme! The “destiny vs. choice” theme!

VAGUE SPOILERS:

The tension between Will’s toxic positivity and Nico’s appreciation for “darkness” (aka negative emotions and feeling them) was exquisite! Will makes so many comments that come off as passive aggressive, that clearly stab Nico in the heart and make him feel insecure about the darkness he carries around with him. His past traumas are what make him the person he is today and he may be cynical or pessimistic but those are not inherently bad qualities! Gorgyra says it best:

“Pain is a part of all lives, mortal and immortal… It is inescapable. We all must navigate this river to get where we want to be. …Pain helps us learn…It is unfortunate, but we rarely forget the lessons taught to us in moments of pain.”

It is so healing to see Will realize that the way he views things is very black and white, that he needs to try harder to empathize with Nico and share the pain as well as the joy!

Along with the incredible themes and life lessons that I’m so jealous of middle schoolers today for getting to read (if not fully comprehend??), Rick and Mark’s mixture of light and dark humor was SO GOOD and nostalgic and I just love that we got to see a dark side to Will where he basically said “I’m gonna do the opposite of heal!” and gave Nyx HAY FEVER

The Sun and The Star is a beautiful addition to the Half-Blood Pantheon.

It’s a little on the nose with its discussions around sexuality and gender identity, which, in my opinion, is necessary in todays current sociopolitical climate where elected officials are penalizing authors for their voice.

Nico DeAngelo and Will Solace’s relationship isn’t picturesque or perfect, it’s real, it’s emotional, and at times difficult. It skillfully walks the tightrope of YA first love with the realities of being in love as complex, complicated people.

The commentary around the choices we make in our lives and the way they impact us is nothing short of artful.

All in all, The Sun and The Star is a 10/10 read.

i hold such affection for the world of rick riordan's demigods, so i can't hate any entry, but i gotta acknowledge that i've aged out of the target demographic. and honestly? that's wonderful

This is just a sampler so it's a little hard to judge, but I'm excited to see where it goes! Hopefully some of it is in Will's perspective too!

This was an incredibly promising sample that instantly piqued my interest. While it’s only part of the finished book, I still enjoyed diving back into the world of Camp Half-Blood and can’t wait to see what comes next for Nico and Will.

A brilliant entry in the Percy Jackson series, THE SUN AND THE STAR is the long-awaited return of Nico that fans have been waiting for. Charming, heartfelt, and full of adventure, with queer leads that are impossible not to root for, this is a must-read for anyone who grew up loving Rick Riordan—and equally, anyone new to the series looking to jump in.

I mean, just this little sneak peek made me so excited for this book. I adore Nico with my entire heart and I am absolutely thrilled that we get an entire book about him and his boyfriend, from their perspectives.

This is the first Percy Jackson book I've read in many years, and I'd only read a select few before this one. It really speaks to the talents of both authors that I was able to thoroughly enjoy the story despite not having much background on the characters or world.

Beautifully written. Expertly crafted. I actually enjoyed this book so much that I want to read more of the books in this series. Is this how Star Wars readers feel when they dive into the universe for the first time? I can't wait for more from these authors.

readers will love being back in the world of camp half blood! it's also really refreshing to see more queer characters in fantasy worlds like rick riordan's with the help of an author like mark oshiro.

This is one of my favorite books of the past year. The way this book absolutely wrecked me was unspeakable. Mark and Rick have done a phenomenal job. The plot and structure was perfection, and the characters were crafted in such a way that I pretty much fell apart. The resolution also felt so solid, even though I would kill for 4+ more books of these idiots. 10/10 would recommend.