The Son of Neptune

Frank’s mother was a soldier in Afghanistan when she died saving her fellow soldiers. On the day of the funeral, Frank’s grandmother told him about the piece of firewood and Juno’s visit informing them of it. She also tells him he has a long family history among the gods, both Roman and Greek. Frank learned that his father was a god, but he does not know which one. He hopes Apollo is his father because of his skill with the bow and arrow. Finally, Frank’s grandmother sent him to Camp Jupiter. When he arrived, she instructed him to tell the praetor that his great-grandfather was Shen Lun, the one who caused the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. This is not a great introduction and causes Reyna to look down on Frank.

Frank, Hazel, and Percy join the Fifth Cohort for the war games. The Fifth, Fourth, and Third Cohorts are going to attack a fortress within which is the Second and First Cohorts. The Fifth is sent in first. As they prepare to attack, Frank realizes that the main weapon of the fortress is the water cannons. He asks Percy to use his gifts to control the cannons and make it possible for the Fifth to get close enough to allow Hazel to use her abilities to find a way under the wall of the fortress.

Frank leads Hazel, Percy, and the Fifth Cohort toward the fortress through a tunnel Hazel found. They come out just outside the walls of the fortress. Percy uses his ability to control the water cannons and turn them back into the fortress to put out fires and push guards off the wall. Frank uses his bow and arrow to take out other guards. Frank leads the Fifth up the wall and they rush into the fortress to take the banners.

Frank and the Fifth make their way into the inner chambers of the fortress and take the banners from the shocked standard-bearers. Gwen, the Fifth’s centurion, is stabbed in the final moments of the battle. The medics come quickly, but her wound is so severe that she does not survive. Frank suspects Octavian is responsible for her wound. However, before Frank can make the accusation, Gwen suddenly comes back to life.

A soldier suddenly appears in the middle of the chaos. Percy identifies the man as the Greek god Ares, but the god corrects him, identifying himself as Mars, the Roman god of war. Mars tells them “Thanatos has been chained” (143). Thanatos is the god of death, and his kidnapping has allowed the Doors of Death to be left open. The open doors allow the dead to escape the Underworld which has allowed Gaea to build an army consisting of enemies of the gods. Mars orders a quest to Alaska to find Thanatos and free him from his kidnapper, the giant Alcyoneus. Mars wants Frank, whom he has announced is his son, to lead the quest and take two others with him. Mars gives Frank a spear that he warns he’ll only get “three charges out of it” (148).