The Trials of Apollo, Book One: The Hidden Oracle

What happens when an immortal god gets kicked out of Olympus and turned into a pimply mortal teenager? Rick Riordan explores this delicious premise as Apollo, stripped of his divine powers and good looks, crash-lands in a New York City dumpster to begin a hilariously humbling quest. The once-glorious god of the sun, music, and poetry must now navigate the perils of modern adolescence, from acne and flab to the ultimate indignity: needing mortal help to survive.

Riordan masterfully blends his signature wit with genuine character growth, as Apollo's journey from arrogant deity to vulnerable boy forces him to confront his past misdeeds and develop something he never needed as a god: empathy. Fans of the Percy Jackson universe will delight in the familiar camp Half-Blood setting and cameos from beloved characters, but the story's heart lies in watching a four-thousand-year-old immortal learn what it truly means to be human. This fresh perspective on Greek mythology delivers both laugh-out-loud moments and surprising depth, proving that even gods can have a lot to learn.