Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: September 29, 2026
Format: Hardcover + Audiobook (Bought, Personal Library)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 29, 2026
Format: Hardcover + Audiobook (Bought, Personal Library)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
As a lifelong fan of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians universe, it was a no brainer for me to pick up the first book in the new series The Wild Zone as soon as it came out. Annabelle Oh and Rick Riordan did a great job blending their writing styles when working on this book together, and it was like a warm hug to get to revisit beloved characters and time travel to the past a bit. Sarah Sun Park did an excellent job bringing Katie's perspective to life. I'm a little disappointed that the book felt incomplete and ended on such a massive cliffhanger, but with each subsequent book coming out on a six month schedule (and the books only taking place over the course of a summer) I don't think readers will be left disappointed for long.
For those who may not know, the events of The Wild Zone take place between The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters. Percy Jackson does visit camp during the main books, but he doesn't actually spend a lot of time there with how busy he is questing and saving the world. I really appreciated the look into day to day life at camp from a different perspective. For example, given how quickly Percy was claimed, Percy doesn't really experience much of life with a cabin counselor and cabin mates. There's no real outlined schedule for him, or look into how things like the camp store operate (besides handing out drachmas and supplies to questing trios).
There was also a chance for appearances from characters that don't get a lot of love in the original books. For example, I don't actually remember Argus talking in the original series. Beckendorf is much beloved by nearly all of the fandom, and the Stoll brothers never got enough on page attention in my opinion. I think there's a character to suit everyones fancy.
My one complaint about the book is the way it was structured. Without reading the other three books in the series, it seems like things are moving quickly. I felt like there was a major cliffhanger and things ended rather abruptly. However, this could be my ravenous appetite for anything in the Percy Jackson universe and being slightly older than the intended audience age for this book.
Overall, an excellent read and my minor complaints wont stop me from auto buying the rest of the series. While the most enjoyment would likely be derived from reading the original series first, it is not necessary to enjoy this book and understand what's going on. I highly recommend this series to fans of fantasy and mythology.
Check out my photo from one of Rick and Annabelle's tour stops
