The Burning Maze is the third book in the Trials of Apollo series by celebrated author Rick Riordan. It continues the story of Apollo’s quest to restore the various sources of prophecy in order to regain his godhood. Having acquired a guide in the form of Grover, Apollo and Meg work on finding their way through the somewhat fearsome Labyrinth in order to find the next oracle. In the process they discover that part of the Labyrinth in California, their next destination, is literally set afire. Apollo now has to figure out a way of eliminating or extinguishing the fire in order to find the oracle. Meg is just as determined to extinguish the fire as the extreme heat is causing an intense drought that is rapidly killing off all plant life in the area. In order to do so, Meg will have to face her past while Apollo faces more negative outcomes caused by the Triumvirate. Teaming up with Piper and Jason, Apollo and Meg work to rescue the next source of prophecy while facing off with the forces of the third emperor.
I greatly enjoyed this story, as much as I did the previous two works in the series. The one thing I find fascinating about this story is how it continues weaving together the previous characters from this universe. When Apollo was first turned mortal he worked with Nico and Will, and to an extent Percy and Chiron, along with several miscellaneous demigods from Camp Half-Blood. As he continued adventuring he worked with Leo and Calypso along with interactions with Thalia and the Hunters of Artemis. This theme continues in the third book with Apollo interacting with Grover, Coach Hedge and Mellie, and later Piper and Jason. It feels like we are reconnecting with older favorite characters as well as meeting new favorite characters. I also liked that the book continued with the concept of Apollo being forced to face his past. In this case it is again an oracle that Apollo used to interact with frequently but has long since forgotten. Tied in with that the third emperor is yet again someone that Apollo had a past with, a past that Apollo has tried valiantly to forget but has struggled with. By facing these issues from his past Apollo continues to grow as he learns what it means to be human and mortal, and all of the problems associated with being so. He also learns how to understand his feelings and not hide from his past. I am looking forward to seeing where Apollo goes next and am giving this book four out of five stars.
Much like the previous books in the series I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will preface that by stating that the series is obviously fantasy and that it would appeal more to people who already enjoy that genre. At the same time I also think that any reader would potentially gain something from having read this series. I know that technically speaking this series is classified as young adult and rightly so. In my opinion, it is also one of those series that would still be enjoyed by older readers. I don’t necessarily recommend younger readers unless they are mature enough to handle the series due to the abundance of violence often present in the series. Despite having just said there is violence in the series, overall it is not much, and I often find it offset by the humor and sarcasm that is so prevalent in this universe. The books often deal with serious or semi-serious topics but the humor makes them easier to handle. It is this carefully balanced mix that makes the books so great and is a large part of why I recommend them to people. It could also just be that I am a huge fan of Rick Riordan. If you happen to have read the series let me know in the comments what you think of the continued growth of Apollo. As always I look forward to hearing your thoughts.