What a conclusion. I don't know how but Rick Riordan managed to make a battle last 3/4 of a book and I wasn't bored one bit. He had me on the edge of my seat, cheering on the Half-Bloods and simultaneously broke my heart for our lost heroes. I was not expecting any deaths and I commend him for not being afraid to take that plunge. Grant it, they were like secondary characters but for being considered a children's book, he wasn't afraid to take out some named characters. Reading Percy Jackson just fills my heart with happiness and I love entering a new world and just being able to feel at peace for awhile in it. I've seen reviews that say Riordan's books aren't the best representation of mythology, but this was the first book/series I read about mythology and I think I learned a lot. Maybe it's not entirely accurate but it has to be at least somewhat and for that I enjoyed it. I can't wait to get into the companion series' later this year!