In a new video interview, author Rick Riordan talks about what fans can expect from his upcoming novel House of Hades, how he’s going to approach the Norse series, and more.
The interview, done with Publishers Weekly at BEA 2013, can be watched in full below.
When speaking about House of Hades, Riordan explains why this book will be a little bit different than the previous ones in his Heroes of Olympus series:
We have seven main characters that have been, sort of, being draw through the other books in the series, and now for the first time they’re all together, they all have their own points of view, and they’re all sort of reacting in their own way to this quest that they’re on.
Beyond that, he says, House of Hades will focus on Percy and Annabeth, which is a favorite pairing amongst fans of the series.
It’s really about Percy and Annabeth, who are my main two characters. And at the end of the last book they were thrown into a very, very difficult situation, and it really is about how do they get out and can they survive the situation they’ve been thrown in.
Readers have been worried about Percy and Annabeth since the literal cliffhanger in the last book, Mark of Athena, so a conclusion to that terror-inducing situation will be much appreciated. However, we have a feeling Riordan will find a way to keep anticipation high going into the final book.
Another interesting aspect to the interview was a mention of Riordan’s upcoming series that will focus on Norse mythology. Speaking to Publishers Weekly, he stated that he has had the idea for decades, but finally found a formula that would work to put that idea down on paper.
I have a way of writing that works for me. Taking the ancient stories, making them happen today, with a lot of irreverence, with a lot of humor and action, and try to appeal to the reluctant readers. So it’s safe to say I’ll take the Norse myths the same way.
Riordan’s previous work includes a strictly Greek retelling in his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, a Greek and Roman mash-up in the Heroes of Olympus series, and an Egyptian retelling in his Kane Chronicles series. Being able to add a Norse series to that extensive collection is sure to excite fans who enjoy deities such as Thor, Loki, and Odin.