After a mostly triumphant adventure, Emily, Pegasus and company are back for more Olympian goings-on. It's almost happily-ever-after: Emily can walk again thanks to a golden brace, and she and Joel, along with Pegasus and Olympian thief Paelen, are safely ensconced in Nirad-free Olympus. But Emily's father is still a prisoner of the Central Research Unit, the evil government agency that tortured Joel and Paelen. When the teens leave Olympus on a rescue mission, they find the Nirads are back--but the Nirads are actually the prisoners of the Gorgons, who are seriously bad news. This second volume has the same action-and-violencepacked, Greek mythologyflavored adventure. There's a hint of romance and a bit too much weeping from Emily. The young-feeling writing style (simple sentence structures, lots of telling) sometimes sits awkwardly alongside the more mature content--violence, loss, self-awareness and adolescence. Still, the underlying messages (friendship and self-reliance win the day; the bad guys always lose) are appropriate for all ages (if a tad on the simplistic side). The next volume promises a love triangle and potentially more CRU, as the wicked G-men remain at large at the end. Weaker than the first volume, but still a good diversion for Rick Riordan fans in need of something to tide them over between books. (Fantasy. 10-14)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Ancient myth and the modern world are brought together when thirteen-year-old Emily (The Flame of Olympus) attempts to save the home of the gods, under attack by vicious new enemies. Continuing themes of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice flesh out the plot while the action propels this second series installment forward. Fans of Rick Riordan may enjoy this fantasy outing. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In this latest book in the Pegasus series, all seems swell in Olympus. Surrounded by loyal friends like Pegasus and Paelen, Emily is making the challenging transition from young, mortal New Yorker to being the physical embodiment of the Flame of Olympus. But Emily knows she and her allies must return to New York against Jupiter's orders to rescue her father from an evil government agency. O'Hearn once again delivers such sympathetic characters, swiftly paced action, and unexpected turns that the occasional cliched phrasings are quickly forgiven. These books build great narrative suspense this one involves a scary Gorgon showdown and the next book undoubtedly will as well.--Nolan, Abby Copyright 2010 Booklist