The Trial of Apollo (The Burning Maze )( Rick Riordan) [paperback]

The Burning Maze is the third book in The Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan. It follows the story of Apollo, who has been cast down from Olympus and turned into a mortal teenager named Lester Papadopoulos. In this installment, Apollo, along with his demigod friends Meg McCaffrey and Grover Underwood, must journey into the Labyrinth, a mythical maze filled with traps and dangers, to stop the rise of an ancient power threatening the world.

The "burning" refers to the sweltering, fire-filled portions of the Labyrinth that they encounter, as well as the intense, looming threat from the Roman emperors who are attempting to regain their god-like power. Throughout the story, they face off against powerful enemies and make difficult sacrifices in order to save the oracles and thwart the villains’ plans. The themes of loyalty, redemption, and facing one’s past mistakes run deep in this fast-paced adventure.