"Hyperion and the Great Balls of Fire' Review

"Hyperion and the Great Balls of Fire" Heroes in Training #4
 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Publisher: Aladdin 
Release Date: Aug 6, 2013
Source: sent by the authors

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars


Summary from goodreads.com:

The action heats up for Zeus and his fellow Olympians in this blazing Heroes in Training tale.Phew, it’s hot! Under the titan Hyperion’s rule, the sun is burning even brighter than normal and scorching everything in northern Greece—including the villagers! The Olympians are forced to play a sizzling “game” of Dodge the Sunbursts as Hyperion hurls giant fireballs that could fry them to pieces!

Armed with some clues, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades set out to figure out why in the world Hyperion has been making things so hot. They also need to rescue Hera, who is still missing. Battling the extreme heat—and some fantastical and scary creatures, courtesy of their old foe Cronus—the boys are off on another epic adventure…and Zeus is one step closer to discovering his destiny.

My Review:


These books are always short and sweet action packed tales of adventure. I love the characters and stories from mythology, I think it encourages young readers to find out more about the classic tales.

This series is written by the authors of Goddess Girls, but it isn't the same 'world' as the Goddess Girls, it is completely separate. I wouldn't really say the two series are that similar, except for the mythology element. There is a lot more action in the Heroes in Training series. This time their foe is Hyperion and his giant fireballs!

I like that the heroes are always meeting new members to add to their group. And girls, don't worry, there are some strong females in their little group of warriors, too! I like how each of the characters have their magical object that makes them even stronger. You can see these on the cover, Zeus has his lightning bolt, Poseidon has a trident, and Hades has a helm. Bolt the lightning bolt is so fun to read about. He has a mind of his own, and usually acts like Zeus' loyal puppy.

There is never a dull moment in this book, with all of the adventures this group of heroes embarks on. The handful of illustrations add a lot to the story, and would be fun for readers of graphic novels. There is a lot of humor in the book too, which makes it so fun to read! The Oracle never fails to make me laugh with her foggy glasses causing her to mix up her visions.


Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 5/5

Setting: 5/5

Romance: n/a

Uniqueness: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Writing: 5/5



Bottom Line: Another great addition to this fun, action packed series for middle graders!  


If you think this book sounds good, you might want to read my reviews for the other books in the series, as well as my reviews for another series by the same authors: The Goddess Girls.

The Heroes in Training Series:

#1 Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom
#2 Poseidon and the Sea of Fury

The Goddess Girls Series:
#1 Athena the Brain
#2 Persephone the Phony (one of my favorites in the series)
#3 Aphrodite the Beauty (another top pick in the series)
#4 Artemis the Brave
#5 Athena the Wise
#6 Aphrodite the Diva
#7 Artemis the Loyal 
#8 Medusa the Mean (another of my favorites)
#9 Pandora the Curious 
#10 Pheme the Gossip 
#11 Persephone the Daring (another favorite)
Super Special: The Girl Games 


Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.

3 comments

  1. Hm...this cover is not as cool as the rest

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awesome review. I like these books but haven't been collecting them much. Thanks for sharing the greatest though :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds like an action packed fun read! I love Rick Riordan's books and it sounds like I'd love these too. Thanks for your awesome review!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your lovely comments!