The Tower of Nero is the fifth and final book in the Trials of Apollo and is written by Rick Riordan. In this final chapter of the Trials of Apollo series, he tries to finish of his quest to restore the power of the prophecy, take down the trio of evil Roman emperors, and become a god once again. This has been what he’s been trying to accomplish this entire series, and now, he is within striking distance of going back to Mount Olympus. However, Apollo isn’t the same person as he used to be, and that change is reflected in this book. Readers of the series can finally see just how much Apollo has grown, and as a result, we get one of the most compelling series finales Riordan has ever written. I’m especially surprised too because the first two books in this series were rocky and inconsistent at best, but the last three book drastically improved this series for me. Last book tested Apollo, and while this book tests Apollo too, it also presents an opportunity for him to fight back and prove that he has changed. Even once he becomes a god, you can feel the pain he’s gone through as well as the newfound humility he has gained. Once again, the themes are well balanced and the humor is great, but the main focus is the character work that Apollo went through. Thankfully, Apollo shines very bright in this book, thanks to masterful character-building from Apollo, and as a result the book delivers and clears all expectations placed on it by fans.