The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diari - The Heroes of Olympus book 5

DEAR YOUNG DEMIGOD,

Your destiny awaits. Now that you have discovered your true parentage, you must prepare yourself for a difficult future—fighting monsters, adventuring across the world, and dealing with temperamental Greek and Roman gods. I don’t envy you.

I hope this volume will help you on your journeys. I had to think long and hard before publishing these stories, as they were given to me in the strictest confidence. However, your survival comes first, and this book will give you an inside look at the world of demigods—information that may help keep you alive.

We’ll begin with “The Diary of Luke Castellan.” Over the years, many readers and campers at Camp Half-Blood have asked me to tell the story of Luke’s early days, adventuring with Thalia and Annabeth before they arrived at camp. I have been reluctant to do this, as neither Annabeth nor Thalia likes to talk about those times. The only information I have is recorded in Luke’s own handwriting, in his original diary given to me by Chiron. I think it’s time, though, to share a little of Luke’s story. It may help us understand what went wrong for such a promising young demigod. In this excerpt you will find out how Thalia and Luke arrived in Richmond, Virginia, chasing a magic goat, how they were almost destroyed in a house of horrors, and how they met a young girl named Annabeth.

I have also included a map of Halcyon Green’s house in Richmond. Despite the damage described in the story, the house has been rebuilt, which is very troubling. If you go there, be careful. It may still contain treasures. But it most assuredly contains monsters and traps as well.

Our second story will definitely get me in trouble with Hermes. “Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes” describes an embarrassing incident for the god of travelers, which he hoped to solve quietly with the help of Percy and Annabeth. Chronologically, the story happens between The Last Olympian and The Lost Hero, in the days when Percy and Annabeth had just started dating, before Percy disappeared. It’s a good example of how a demigod’s daily routine can be interrupted at a moment’s notice by a crisis on Mount Olympus. Even if you’re just going to Central Park for a picnic, always bring your sword! Hermes has threatened me with slow mail, lousy Internet service, and a horrible stock market if I publish this story. I hope he is just bluffing.

Following that story, I’ve provided an interview with George and Martha, Hermes’s snakes, as well as portraits of important demigods you may meet during your quests. This includes the first-ever image of Thalia Grace. She really doesn’t like to have her portrait drawn, but we managed to convince her just this once.

Next, “Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford” will take you behind the scenes at Bunker 9 as Leo tries to construct his ultimate flying ship, the Argo II (a.k.a. “the spanking hot war machine”).

You will learn that monster encounters can happen even within the boundaries of Camp Half-Blood, and in this instance, Leo gets himself into some potentially catastrophic trouble involving psychotic party girls, walking tables, and explosive materials. Even with the help of Piper and Jason, it’s not clear he’ll be able to survive what happens.

I’m also including a diagram of Bunker 9, though you should be aware this is only a rough sketch! No one, not even Leo, has discovered all the secret passages, tunnels, and hidden rooms of the bunker. We can only guess how big and complicated the place truly is.

Finally, the most dangerous story of all: “Son of Magic.” The subject matter is so sensitive I could not write it myself. There was no way I could get close enough to the young demigod Alabaster to interview him. He would’ve known me as an agent of Camp Half-Blood and likely destroyed me on the spot. My son, Haley, however, was able to gain access to his secrets. Haley, who is now sixteen, the same age as Percy Jackson, wrote “Son of Magic” especially for this book, and I have to say he’s managed to answer some questions that were mysteries even to me. Who controls the Mist, and how? Why are monsters able to sense demigods? What happened to the demigods who fought in Kronos’s army during the invasion of Manhattan? All these questions are addressed in “Son of Magic.” You will find it sheds light on an entirely new and extremely perilous part of