The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze
A fallen god and a conflicted heir race against the heat to sever an emperor's grip on the modern world.
In the scorching heart of Los Angeles, god-turned-teenager Lester Papadopoulos faces his most blistering test yet. As the third chapter in The Trials of Apollo, this tale drags the modern demigod world into ancient mythological danger. Stripped of divinity and battling mortal fragility, Lester teams up with Meg McCaffrey and Camp Half-Blood allies to hunt a resurrected tyrant through a city that is literally burning.
- Protagonist
- Apollo (as Lester Papadopoulos)
- Key Ally
- Meg McCaffrey
- Primary Antagonist
- Nero
- Setting
- Los Angeles, California
- Mythological Threat
- The Minotaur and the Labyrinth
- Publication Year
- 2018
Lore & Background
Drenched in heat and smog, this quest transforms Los Angeles into a mythic nightmare where monsters adapt to skyscrapers and subways. Fire drives the narrative not just as destruction, but as a purifying trial for Lester's soul. At its core lies Meg McCaffrey's battle against her genetic inheritance—Nero's madness—and Lester's desperate gamble: reclaim his godhood without sacrificing the humanity he finally values.
In Their Own Story
The heat was not just from the California sun; it radiated from the pavement itself, smelling of sulfur and ancient ash. Lester adjusted his sunglasses, his mortal legs aching as he stepped into the shadow of a skyscraper that seemed to breathe. Beside him, Meg tightened her grip on her sickle, her eyes scanning the alleyway where the air shimmered with unnatural orange light. 'He's here,' she whispered, her voice steady despite the terror gripping them both. The Minotaur's roar echoed not from a cave, but from the depths of a subway tunnel, shaking dust from the ceiling as the maze beneath the city began to shift its walls.
Reader's Guide
Apollo and Meg land in Los Angeles only to find it besieged by Emperor Nero, who has reconfigured the Labyrinth within the city's infrastructure. Joined by Will Solace bringing vital medical aid, they navigate an urban sprawl where myth bleeds into reality—harpies nest in high-rises and construction equipment fuels a Minotaur's rampage. Tensions spike when Meg discovers Nero is her father, forcing a brutal choice between blood loyalty and survival. The finale explodes at the Hollywood Bowl during a massive ritual; Apollo faces an impossible trade-off: restore his divinity or sacrifice it to save Meg. Victory comes with a cost, leaving the Labyrinth stabilized but the demigod world forever changed.
Did You Know?
- Monsters aren't always beasts; some are corrupted humans or gods twisted by malice.
- Meg McCaffrey battles inherited trauma, fighting her father Nero's legacy without becoming him.
- The Labyrinth is a living entity that physically adapts to modern infrastructure like subways and skyscrapers.
- Apollo suffers from a loss of prophetic vision, leaving him vulnerable and unsure of his next step.