The Flame of Olympus (Pegasus #1)

Gr 5–8—Two parallel stories tell of the efforts of Paelen, the "bad boy" of Olympus, and Emily, a 13-year-old living in New York City, to save Olympus and the known world in the first book (Aladdin, 2012) in a projected trilogy by Kate O'Hearn. Paelen finds himself in New York City, under arrest for theft because he is in possession of Mercury's sandals and Pegasus's bridle. The city is in the midst of a blackout and Emily, responding to strange noises on her roof, finds a wounded winged horse, which she recognizes as the Olympian Pegasus. The story continues to alternate between the adventures of both characters as Emily tries to keep Pegasus safe and then finds them both hunted by the wicked Nirads (multi-armed stone warriors who have destroyed Mt. Olympus). As the story evolves, the importance of Emily to the restoration of Olympus and the survival of all of the Roman gods becomes key, and Paelen's story joins with Emily's. The cast of characters increases as Joel, Emily's classmate, the goddess Diana, and Emily's father join in the mission. With multiple conversations going on, Katherine Fenton masterfully manages the emotions and attitudes of all the characters, keeping the story moving quickly and with intensity, and emphasizing the many crises. Fans of Rick Riordan will delight in this new series that mixes ancient myths with modern adventure.–Edith Ching, University of Maryland, College Park