The sun and the star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

Nico di Angelo is the son of Hades, from the domain of death and the underworld. His boyfriend is Will Solace, the son of Apollo the god of light. This odd combination from the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians must overcome Nico’s past to successfully negotiate their relationship and their future. Will darkness taint everything that keeps them together or will it dim the glow of their relationship irrevocably? In this story, the two demi-god teens are drawn to a quest back into the underworld to rescue an old titan friend that has been trapped in awful circumstances. The messages to Nico are transmitted through dreams and prophecy, and he must overcome his own uncertainties about returning to the underworld, but this time he will have Will at his side. Does this present a greater risk to their relationship, or will the two teens be able to work together and understand each other more because of the awful challenge they must endure? With monsters and demons at every turn, and a glimpse into the awful corruption and oppressiveness of the Underworld and its gods and their influence, Nico and Will endure the worst in order to find the best within themselves. Is change possible when you have come from the darkest of places?

This is another of Rick Riordan’s journeys into the mythological fantasy world that has captured young readers. In this book we are drawn into the dreadful darkness of evil and its impacts and experience the sour reality of its influence in the mythological power struggles of this fantasy world. It is not easy to travel in the dark. The gay relationship between the two demi-gods is also a pivotal part of the story, as they explore how to stay together despite the disparity of their backgrounds. I can’t say I loved the journey into darkness, but it is thrilling and compelling. The action, and twists and turns brought about by a succession of marauding monsters and agents of awfulness and horror, come thick and fast. The book is exciting and dark but is lightened by the love between Nico and Will and their friends. Sections of the story are revealed through dreams, indicated in the book with a darker background pattern on the page. This is for lovers of the Percy Jackson series but should not be the first book read from the series. It is for readers who can cope with the horrors of the underworld and have a mature understanding of the mythological world, but it is exhausting and uncomfortable travelling to the underworld.

Themes: Mythology, LGBTIQ, Good vs evil, Quests, Monsters, Relationships, Change, Romance, Purpose, Thriller.

Carolyn Hull