Gothic Horror Elements in 'THE SON OF NEPTUNE'
The book THE SON OF NEPTUNE by Rick Riordan is a great book if you want to read a horror novel that isn't too gruesome and isn't too frightening. This novel has many Gothic elements within it that make it a horror story. The major elements that Rick was able to use in this novel made his horror story even better. One of these elements includes spooky omens and ancestral curses that he uses to add to the plot of the story makes you worry throughout the story as the characters challenge the ancestral curses and attempt to make the prophecies come true. Also the way he added in suspense to the novel creating a new mysterious aspect throughout the story. Finally the magical and supernatural beings that he put into the story to be important to the conflict and development of the story and characters just makes you creep in your seat to find out how they change it, helping create further suspense. The omens and ancestral curses, suspense and mystery, and ancient magical beings are the three major elements in this novel that place the book in the horror genre.
This Novel, enveloped by Mythology has found a new way to twist the omens, prophecies, and ancestral curses to dwell more fear for horror as you anticipate the events foretold by the ancient words, to begin. Many years ago a prophecy of seven was foretold that "foes bare arms at the Doors of Death" (Riordan 56). These prophecies give answers towards events in the future, but as this happens no one truly knows when the prophecy is to be active. They torture the mind by making you feel more peaceful given knowledge to the future, these prophecies mostly make you think your safe when it darkens your thoughts as you imagine what is possible. Now these Greek and Roman Gods have the ability to give their children sacred powers, and gifts, as discovered by the character Frank, some powers can be costly to behold, "'No weaknesses?' he asked. 'I'm nothing but weaknesses. My life depends on a piece of wood!'" (Riordan 360). this piece of text reveals to the reader that, he may have powers granted by many Godly descendants these gifts are to overwhelming for one mortal body to have, so the curse became that his life now depends on a charred piece of firewood making it even more frightful as he fights, mentally, for his life each day. Now the book uses these omens and curses to draw in the reader with teeth grinding suspense which creates further horror within these pages of The Son Of Neptune.
The suspense is an element that helps terrify you more, just by using your mind, your mind attempts to piece together any parts of the story not told or discovered, this terror you feel is self inflicted only by what you can imagine within the story's plot. There is one passage in the book that really gives you the thrill and tension of a very climatic event, "Percy looked around uneasily. 'No defenders? No Giant? This has to be a trap'" (Riordan 442). They placed so much heart racing action, that not only can you begin to understand the characters and the setting, but you can begin to feel like one of the characters, the real life fear that would make your heart race courses through your veins as you frantically read on, imagining the striking opportunities given to an enemy so destructive you feel like they've already struck. Now The Son Of Neptune does more than twist your mind into the characters, it even gauges your eyes at the monstrous antagonist provided. Now even you are horrified as the suspense is built up as you're reading, the very moments they stop, ready their weapons, and begin to charge, all at once gaining the upper-hand, taking the imagery flowing throughout the mind of the reader to a frightful level. Anyone would be afraid to even drop the book. They are caught in the story and gradually terrorize themselves. This book has been given so many suspenseful elements within it, that you can be taken to further levels of horror as they introduce to you many mythical Greek and Roman beast.
Begin to shiver as you read about magic and supernatural beings that add to the elements already introduced to this story. The Son Of Neptune utilizes these "monsters" as mere pawns to his horror novel. Riordan gives these creatures parts within the story that help evolve and inform his characters. The story reads "When you fight these ogres you shall know your gift" (Riordan 361-365). He not only begins to have you quaking in your boots, but he had found a way to manipulate all three of his major horror elements to truly make this a horror novel. He states that when he fights these ogres his ancestral gift shall be awoken, suspending our thoughts of his previous encounters, having the reader focus on the information granted. The readers now have ideas flowing about the battle with the ogres how powerful they are, and they wonder vigorously what powers Frank has in store for the battle to come. We not only see these three elements used together but we see how easily our brains can be tricked and scared even by words on the page of a book. Our lives not only get informed, they even get thoughtful, knowing anything could be different from what they seem. Riordan has now gradually taken the element from the book and placed it within our lives far from the book The Son Of Neptune.
All of these elements Rick Riordan was able to describe in text, have finally dwelled up our lust for a gruesome scare. The mere Gothic elements of ancestral curses, suspense, and finally mystical beings have been written so well that you begin to wish for a haunted world to travel through. The Son Of Neptune is one of the most compelling horror story to discover, an interest, and belief in the ancient myths will allow your imagination to behold this novel in a gruesome style, pedestalling this horror novel.
By: Eddie Gaus
This Novel, enveloped by Mythology has found a new way to twist the omens, prophecies, and ancestral curses to dwell more fear for horror as you anticipate the events foretold by the ancient words, to begin. Many years ago a prophecy of seven was foretold that "foes bare arms at the Doors of Death" (Riordan 56). These prophecies give answers towards events in the future, but as this happens no one truly knows when the prophecy is to be active. They torture the mind by making you feel more peaceful given knowledge to the future, these prophecies mostly make you think your safe when it darkens your thoughts as you imagine what is possible. Now these Greek and Roman Gods have the ability to give their children sacred powers, and gifts, as discovered by the character Frank, some powers can be costly to behold, "'No weaknesses?' he asked. 'I'm nothing but weaknesses. My life depends on a piece of wood!'" (Riordan 360). this piece of text reveals to the reader that, he may have powers granted by many Godly descendants these gifts are to overwhelming for one mortal body to have, so the curse became that his life now depends on a charred piece of firewood making it even more frightful as he fights, mentally, for his life each day. Now the book uses these omens and curses to draw in the reader with teeth grinding suspense which creates further horror within these pages of The Son Of Neptune.
The suspense is an element that helps terrify you more, just by using your mind, your mind attempts to piece together any parts of the story not told or discovered, this terror you feel is self inflicted only by what you can imagine within the story's plot. There is one passage in the book that really gives you the thrill and tension of a very climatic event, "Percy looked around uneasily. 'No defenders? No Giant? This has to be a trap'" (Riordan 442). They placed so much heart racing action, that not only can you begin to understand the characters and the setting, but you can begin to feel like one of the characters, the real life fear that would make your heart race courses through your veins as you frantically read on, imagining the striking opportunities given to an enemy so destructive you feel like they've already struck. Now The Son Of Neptune does more than twist your mind into the characters, it even gauges your eyes at the monstrous antagonist provided. Now even you are horrified as the suspense is built up as you're reading, the very moments they stop, ready their weapons, and begin to charge, all at once gaining the upper-hand, taking the imagery flowing throughout the mind of the reader to a frightful level. Anyone would be afraid to even drop the book. They are caught in the story and gradually terrorize themselves. This book has been given so many suspenseful elements within it, that you can be taken to further levels of horror as they introduce to you many mythical Greek and Roman beast.
Begin to shiver as you read about magic and supernatural beings that add to the elements already introduced to this story. The Son Of Neptune utilizes these "monsters" as mere pawns to his horror novel. Riordan gives these creatures parts within the story that help evolve and inform his characters. The story reads "When you fight these ogres you shall know your gift" (Riordan 361-365). He not only begins to have you quaking in your boots, but he had found a way to manipulate all three of his major horror elements to truly make this a horror novel. He states that when he fights these ogres his ancestral gift shall be awoken, suspending our thoughts of his previous encounters, having the reader focus on the information granted. The readers now have ideas flowing about the battle with the ogres how powerful they are, and they wonder vigorously what powers Frank has in store for the battle to come. We not only see these three elements used together but we see how easily our brains can be tricked and scared even by words on the page of a book. Our lives not only get informed, they even get thoughtful, knowing anything could be different from what they seem. Riordan has now gradually taken the element from the book and placed it within our lives far from the book The Son Of Neptune.
All of these elements Rick Riordan was able to describe in text, have finally dwelled up our lust for a gruesome scare. The mere Gothic elements of ancestral curses, suspense, and finally mystical beings have been written so well that you begin to wish for a haunted world to travel through. The Son Of Neptune is one of the most compelling horror story to discover, an interest, and belief in the ancient myths will allow your imagination to behold this novel in a gruesome style, pedestalling this horror novel.
By: Eddie Gaus