(no subject)
/SLAMS BOOK CLOSED
Okay, I finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians at an ungodly hour this morning. 8|||||
This is a good series. I recommend it to anyone who likes children's literature or Greek mythology or... both. I read through them quickly: six days for five books. That's not too bad considering I have to read slowly with my dyslexia and that I was working half of that time. They're first person POV and easily written. I actually enjoy the style it was written in, it made it easier for me to get through. They're entertaining, is what I'm trying to say.
I really enjoyed the portrayal of the gods. Hermes, Apollo and Hades specifically. I actually didn't think much of Hades until the last two books, but Hermes I think is my particular favorite of this series. Hermes and Hades were especially well developed; I had half expected the gods in this series to be written as their literal selves. I'm glad Rick didn't take that route with them. They're genuinely enjoyable characters and you felt for them as you read their bits. I didn't care much for any of the campers. I don't really know why, but I just couldn't care much for them at all. I liked Percy well enough, and I like Grover, but Annabeth and Clarisse got on my nerves so much. I wish we'd gotten to see more of the Stoll brothers (sob brothers who enjoy thieving and pranks? Come ooooon we could've used more of that). I would have felt more sympathy for Beckendorf if we had actually gotten to see more of him before the last two books. I didn't care for Thalia at all; something about the way she was written bugged me. RACHEL ELIZABETH DARE was pretty fantastic, ngl, I adore her. ):
The books themselves are ... okay. I'll probably find myself rereading the first one a lot. As a complete series, it's a good read. But the books, individually, lack from volume to volume. Like, the first volume got me hooked, but the second? Disappointed. It honestly felt like a re-imagining of the Odyssey and I was kind of let down by that. Imaginative, yes, but ...come on. The third one was eh, again, I really don't like Thalia that much. I enjoyed the fourth one, possibly because I love the story of Daedalus and Icarus. I love the idea that the Labyrinth just kept growing and expanding. The last book was a big battle and usually those bore me (I'm looking at you, Two Towers) but they had enough plot and actual interaction there to keep me interested.
One of the other problems this series suffers is the basic cookie-cutter plot. The first volume felt very original, but after that, the same plotline got a bit predictable. Which is why I have to keep reminding myself that this is technically a children's series. That's usually what happens with children's books as much as I dislike it.
But: the mythology is well presented and held true to their origins and it's done in a believable setting. I like them, I'll probably reread them in spare moments between other books. They're definitely not my top favorite books, but they're up there. Now that I'm done, I'll probably go return the last book. It's hardback, unlike the rest of my set. I'm too OCD to leave it like that and I also need that money back for later this week so. At least I read it. /o/
I mentioned this to Hikki a few days ago, but I could easily see this being a good setting for a pandfandom RP. Why has no one done it yet. :|
YEAH NOW I CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH MY TIME /slaps all her free time to her will
Okay, I finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians at an ungodly hour this morning. 8|||||
This is a good series. I recommend it to anyone who likes children's literature or Greek mythology or... both. I read through them quickly: six days for five books. That's not too bad considering I have to read slowly with my dyslexia and that I was working half of that time. They're first person POV and easily written. I actually enjoy the style it was written in, it made it easier for me to get through. They're entertaining, is what I'm trying to say.
I really enjoyed the portrayal of the gods. Hermes, Apollo and Hades specifically. I actually didn't think much of Hades until the last two books, but Hermes I think is my particular favorite of this series. Hermes and Hades were especially well developed; I had half expected the gods in this series to be written as their literal selves. I'm glad Rick didn't take that route with them. They're genuinely enjoyable characters and you felt for them as you read their bits. I didn't care much for any of the campers. I don't really know why, but I just couldn't care much for them at all. I liked Percy well enough, and I like Grover, but Annabeth and Clarisse got on my nerves so much. I wish we'd gotten to see more of the Stoll brothers (sob brothers who enjoy thieving and pranks? Come ooooon we could've used more of that). I would have felt more sympathy for Beckendorf if we had actually gotten to see more of him before the last two books. I didn't care for Thalia at all; something about the way she was written bugged me. RACHEL ELIZABETH DARE was pretty fantastic, ngl, I adore her. ):
The books themselves are ... okay. I'll probably find myself rereading the first one a lot. As a complete series, it's a good read. But the books, individually, lack from volume to volume. Like, the first volume got me hooked, but the second? Disappointed. It honestly felt like a re-imagining of the Odyssey and I was kind of let down by that. Imaginative, yes, but ...come on. The third one was eh, again, I really don't like Thalia that much. I enjoyed the fourth one, possibly because I love the story of Daedalus and Icarus. I love the idea that the Labyrinth just kept growing and expanding. The last book was a big battle and usually those bore me (I'm looking at you, Two Towers) but they had enough plot and actual interaction there to keep me interested.
One of the other problems this series suffers is the basic cookie-cutter plot. The first volume felt very original, but after that, the same plotline got a bit predictable. Which is why I have to keep reminding myself that this is technically a children's series. That's usually what happens with children's books as much as I dislike it.
But: the mythology is well presented and held true to their origins and it's done in a believable setting. I like them, I'll probably reread them in spare moments between other books. They're definitely not my top favorite books, but they're up there. Now that I'm done, I'll probably go return the last book. It's hardback, unlike the rest of my set. I'm too OCD to leave it like that and I also need that money back for later this week so. At least I read it. /o/
I mentioned this to Hikki a few days ago, but I could easily see this being a good setting for a pandfandom RP. Why has no one done it yet. :|
YEAH NOW I CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH MY TIME /slaps all her free time to her will