book rec Ψ Percy Jackson and the Olympians
genre Ψ YA, fantasy, action, adventure
volumes Ψ five
Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.
If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.
Being a half-blood is dangerous. It's scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.
If you're a normal kid, reading this because you think it's fiction, great. Read on. I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened.
But if you recognize yourself in these pages-if you feel something stirring inside-stop reading immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Percy Jackson is twelve years old when he learns that his estranged father, who left before his birth, isn't from a foreign country--he's a Greek god, making Percy a demigod. But demigods attract monsters, so Percy is forced to go to a special summer camp for demigods, where they learn the skills necessary for their survival. And those skills become very necessary, very soon: the Titan lord Kronos, father to six of the greatest Olympians--including Zeus himself--is rising, and he'll crush everyone that stands between him and Mount Olympus--god, demigod, and human alike.
I didn't think I'd like this series as much as I did, but I stand proven wrong. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is amazing. The first book and a half are admittedly a little lackluster. The first book is practically dripping with cliches and similarities to Harry Potter, and still manages to be good. It hits its stride by book three and just gets better and better as it goes.
What makes this series really great fun, though is the incredibly clever use of mythology in all five books. Some of the references are just one-line offhand remarks, but you find yourself playing "Spot the Myth!" while you're reading. And I'm talking clever uses.
The character development is beyond excellent. And the action scenes? Holy cows. The plot? Well constructed, and the author loves pulling fast ones on you right at the end of the book. Most of all, though, these books are just plain funny.
And for those of you who like your books with movie adaptations, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief comes out February 12, 2010.
Book I Ψ The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.
Περσεύς
Okay, I admit: the first book is pretty slow. Not slow in terms of pacing, but just...slow. Riordan has trouble getting Percy to sound like an actual teenager at times, which distracts from the narrative when Argus gets called a "surfer-looking dude." That doesn't stop it from being funny or clever, though--it's just that, unlike the successive books, it doesn't breathe funny and clever out of every single word printed on the page. It also has one of my favorite portrayals of Hades ever.
Book II Ψ The Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get...well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of his friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.
In this fresh, funny, and wildly popular follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family--on that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.
Περσεύς
Not my favorite book in the series, mostly because I didn't like the Tyson subplot all that much. But Clarisse! Talk about making the bully sympathetic. The quest for the Golden Fleece leads to a lot of awesome, and Grover getting stuck in a wedding dress is probably one of my favorite moments ever. Also? Also? PARTY PONIES!!!!
Book III Ψ The Titan's Curse
When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies at his side; his trust bronze sword, Riptide; and...a ride from his mom.
The demigods race to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up a devious trap, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.
Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge yet--the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse.
Περσεύς
Now this is what I'm talking about. Between Thalia, Zoe, Artemis, Annabeth's father, and the pure epic that is the battle at the end, this book proves that 1) Percy Jackson is not Harry Potter, and 2) it doesn't need to be. I cried. Twice.
Book IV Ψ The Battle of the Labyrinth
Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.
In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth--a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.
Περσεύς
Also known as: Annabeth's Day in the Spotlight. Daedalus's Labyrinth (yes, that Labyrinth, the one under Crete from the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur) is as awesome as it is bizarre. Come see Annabeth be crazy jealous! And meet Rachel Elizabeth Dare Rachel Elizabeth Dare Rachel Elizabeth Dare! You might see the end coming, you might not, but that doesn't stop it from having any less of a holy shit quotient.
Book V Ψ The Last Olympian
All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows.
While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus is virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.
In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.
Περσεύς
Three hundred and eighty-one pages of pure, unadulterated awesome interspersed with royal tear-jerkers and crowning moments of heartwarming.
The ending? Redefines "satisfying."