The Greek god Apollo is still in the persona of ungifted human teenager Lester Papadopoulos. Now Lester and his demigod friends must go through the Labyrinth to find the third emperor-- and an Oracle who speaks in word puzzles-- somewhere in the American Southwest. But the longer he stays mortal, the weaker he grows... and the less confident that he will be able to regain his place on Mount Olympus.

"From acclaimed, award-winning author Jo Walton: Philosopher Kings, a tale of gods and humans, and the surprising things they have to learn from one another. Twenty years have elapsed since the events of The Just City. The City, founded by the time-traveling goddess Pallas Athene, organized on the principles espoused in Plato's Republic and populated by people from all eras of human history, has now split into five cities, and low-level armed conflict...

Leaving the safety of the demigod training ground, a disgraced Apollo embarks on a quest across North America to find a dangerous ancient-world Oracle while navigating the challenges of the evil Triumvirate.