The Burning Maze – Rick Riordan (2018)

The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan, published in 2018, is the third book in The Trials of Apollo series, a continuation of the Percy Jackson universe. The story follows the god Apollo—now cast into the mortal form of Lester Papadopoulos—on his quest to recover the Oracles and reclaim his divine status. Set amid a blistered Californian wasteland corrupted by magical flames, Apollo and his companions must traverse the deadly Labyrinth and confront a new Roman emperor, whose sinister plans threaten the mortal and divine worlds alike.

Plot Summary

In the scorched underbelly of California, where the land burned without a flame and the sun glared like a furious god, a fallen deity stumbled through the endless maze of mortality. Apollo, once the radiant god of the sun, now a pimpled, powerless teenager named Lester Papadopoulos, faced his third and most unforgiving trial. Beside him marched Meg McCaffrey – fierce, chaotic, heartbreakingly loyal – and Grover Underwood, a satyr with tired eyes and an aching heart for the dying wild.

Their path led them through the Labyrinth, that twisting, breathing madness of stone and shadow, hunting for the next Oracle imprisoned by the Triumvirate – three long-dead Roman emperors who refused to stay dead. Grover, their reluctant guide, sniffed out the path toward Palm Springs, though the Labyrinth had other plans. Heat pulsed through its veins, waves of fire snarling up from nowhere, and soon the trio realized the maze was sick – not just geographically bizarre, but infected, feverish, angry.

Above the searing underground, the surface fared no better. California was burning, and the fires were not of nature’s making. Dryads, once vibrant spirits of plants and trees, withered in hiding. Firestorms rolled across the mountains, igniting deserts and greenhouses alike. The enemy was unseen but powerful, his hatred embedded deep in the soil. Still, Meg’s golden scimitars and Grover’s songs kept them moving, while Apollo wrestled with his fading memories and the sting of mortality.

Their journey took a turn when they stumbled into the territory of the strixes – monstrous birds born of Tartarus, with talons that paralyzed and beaks that drained life. The creatures were servants of the unnamed third emperor. Apollo recognized the threat too late, and his weakness nearly cost them their lives. It was only through Meg’s quick planting, Grover’s magic, and a desperate invocation of Panic – the lost cry of the god Pan – that they escaped with their lives. Barely.

Atop a hill outside Palm Springs, hidden among the wreckage of an old estate, lay Aeithales, a sanctuary for those still resisting the fire. A broken place, but one with roots strong enough to house the last hope for nature’s children. There, Apollo and Meg met a patchwork family of dryads born of cactus and desert – prickly, strange, and brave. Aloe Vera smeared her healing goo. Joshua watched with stoic bark-skinned wisdom. Prickly Pear glared but offered shelter nonetheless.

But Meg’s strength cracked when she saw Aeithales. This was her home, once. She had lived there before the fires and before Nero – the first of the Triumvirate – took her in. Her memories were sharp and painful, too much to bear. She tried to flee, but the ghosts of her past had already rooted too deeply. As Apollo struggled to hold her steady, visions haunted him – a woman in chains above a lake of fire, begging for help; a cruel young man with a too-bright smile, freshly crowned as Caesar. It all pointed to the next emperor – Caligula.

Grover, torn between the sanctuary and the dying world beyond, led Apollo into the burning city to search for Coach Hedge – a satyr, soldier, and new father who had gone missing after venturing out for supplies. The journey revealed the horrors aboveground – fire vents erupting from sidewalks, skies darkened with ash, dryads reduced to whispers in the smoke. When they found Hedge, he was battered and broken, a victim of a fiery ambush. From him, they learned the truth: Caligula had turned Palm Springs into a throne of flames. The maze of fire led to him.

To reach Caligula, they would need a way through the Labyrinth’s corrupted heart. This meant finding the Oracle – the Sibyl of Erythraea – who remained shackled in a molten prison beneath the desert. The journey required them to descend once again into the Labyrinth, this time joined by the dryad Piper McLean and her friend Jason Grace, two of the most seasoned heroes of the age. Piper, reeling from recent heartbreak, and Jason, filled with quiet determination, completed the new fellowship.

Together, they fought their way through tunnels of flame and chambers of death. They battled strixes, fled fire-breathing creatures, and faced mechanical monstrosities. Along the way, they uncovered Caligula’s plan: to build a fleet of luxury yachts powered by divine energy, enabling him to traverse the Labyrinth at will, conquering both the mortal and immortal realms. His shipyard pulsed with divine fire, and the Oracle, her voice stolen, was the crucible in which he forged his ambition.

To stop him, a sacrifice was demanded. Jason Grace, son of Jupiter and once Praetor of the Twelfth Legion, embraced the prophecy that marked his doom. In a final act of bravery, he confronted Caligula directly, knowing full well it would cost him his life. His death shattered Meg, tore through Apollo, and left the world a little dimmer. Yet his sacrifice bought them time – time to free the Oracle, to stop the fire from consuming everything, and to strike a blow against the Triumvirate.

When Apollo faced Caligula at last, it was not as a god reclaiming power, but as a boy who had suffered, learned, and fought. He used cunning, courage, and the lessons of pain to break Caligula’s control and rescue the Sibyl. The Oracle, once silenced, sang again, her voice rising from the ashes like prophecy reborn.

Back at Aeithales, the victory rang hollow in the hearts of the survivors. Jason was gone. The fires still burned. The next emperor waited. But the Oracle was safe. The flame had been dimmed. And Apollo, though still Lester Papadopoulos, no longer stumbled blindly through his trials. He walked now with grief as a companion, his arrogance tempered by loss, and his heart lit by the fierce loyalty of those who chose to stand with him.

The journey would continue. More battles would come. But for now, in the dust and blood of a burning maze, hope had not been extinguished.

Main Characters

• Apollo (Lester Papadopoulos): Once the radiant god of the sun, Apollo is now a mortal teen burdened with acne, clumsiness, and vulnerability. His internal struggle to reconcile his former godhood with his current humanity is both humorous and profound. As he navigates danger and loss, Apollo evolves into a more empathetic and selfless character, haunted by his past hubris and desperate to make amends.
• Meg McCaffrey: A fierce and enigmatic daughter of Demeter, Meg is Apollo’s young master and companion. Wielding golden scimitars and botanical magic, she masks trauma with boldness and sarcasm. Her personal connection to the book’s setting and her tormented history with the antagonist emperor add emotional weight to the story, pushing her to confront deep-seated fears.
• Grover Underwood: The satyr and environmentalist ally, Grover is a veteran of many quests, including those with Percy Jackson. Here, he serves as a guide through the Labyrinth and the burning landscapes of California. Compassionate and weary, Grover embodies the toll the crisis has taken on nature and its guardians, while still displaying remarkable strength and loyalty.
• The Third Emperor (Caligula): Though not named initially, the villain is revealed as the infamous Roman emperor Caligula. Cruel, narcissistic, and power-hungry, he represents tyranny in its most flamboyant and sadistic form. His plan to dominate the world through fire and destruction makes him one of Apollo’s most dangerous foes yet.
• Mellie and Gleeson Hedge: A cloud nymph and a satyr, respectively, Mellie and Coach Hedge offer refuge and support. Mellie cares for their infant son, while Hedge’s mission into the burning city sets off a critical chain of events. Their domestic subplot underscores the broader stakes and emotional cost of the heroes’ battle.

Theme

• Redemption and Identity: Apollo’s journey is at its heart a tale of redemption. Stripped of godhood, he must earn back his place through humility, sacrifice, and growth. His duality—mortal and divine—frames the exploration of personal identity and transformation.
• Environmental Destruction: The magical wildfires and dying dryads draw clear parallels to real-world climate crises. Nature’s suffering is palpable, making the conflict not just mythical but viscerally relevant. Grover’s anguish and the dying land elevate this theme to urgent poignancy.
• Courage in the Face of Grief: Tragedy is a relentless force in The Burning Maze. The death of key characters and the ever-looming threat of loss challenge the heroes to persevere. Riordan does not shy from heartbreak, and through it, the characters gain emotional depth and resilience.
• Prophecy and Fate: The cryptic verses of the Oracles continue to drive the plot and foreshadow doom. Apollo, once the god of prophecy, now must grapple with the burden of interpreting his own fate. This motif examines the tension between destiny and free will.
• Loyalty and Sacrifice: Whether it’s Grover carrying Apollo through the Labyrinth or Meg facing her haunted past, loyalty anchors the characters. Sacrifices—both voluntary and forced—shape their arcs and the outcome of their quest, reinforcing the power and pain of true allegiance.

Writing Style and Tone

Rick Riordan’s signature style blends high-stakes action with irreverent humor and heartfelt emotion. His use of first-person narration, this time through Apollo’s self-deprecating and grandiose voice, offers a unique lens into the trials of mortality. The juxtaposition of divine arrogance and teenage awkwardness adds both comedic relief and character vulnerability.

The tone veers deftly between light and dark. While Apollo’s dramatic flair and wit provide levity, the underlying mood is sobering. Riordan crafts scenes of horror, loss, and pain with unexpected gravity, especially in the climactic moments that showcase irreversible consequences. His language remains accessible, yet layered with classical allusions and emotional nuance that resonate across age groups.