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February 08, 2015
I knew I was going to come around to this one eventually, the first of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
For starters, I can’t help but compare Percy to Harry. It's basically impossible not to because they are undeniably similar. Both star young men with somewhat troubled upbringings who realize they have special powers so they trot off to a special places to learn to use them. Hogwarts, in Harry's case, or to Camp Half-Blood, in Percy's case. In both series there is a rising, ominous evil force threatening the world and each boy is the chosen one who can defeat the monster....be it Voldemort or the ancient Titans from Greek mythology. I could go on with the similarities because there are many, but I'll spare you. And honestly, it's OK with me that these books are similar. Certainly we can't throw away the "boy discovers powers, learns to use them, defeats evil" plot just because of the Potter books.
It's better, in this case, to focus on why Percy Jackson is different and what makes his series cool - the Greek Mythology. Percy is the son of Poseidon and a human woman, hence the term "half-blood". In these books you’ll find actual historic info about all the major Gods - Poseidon, Zeus, Hades, Ares, etc., and the mighty Titans who preceded them. Plus many other creatures and beings from all the popular myths - such as the Furies, Medusa, Charon of the Underworld and the mighty Minotaur. It's clear that Riordan did his homework and accurately incorporated plenty of fascinating mythology into the story. It seems to me these books could be a great jumping off point for a kid who wants to study mythology. "Wow I really enjoyed that Percy Jackson book!" he says. "Awesome, here's the famous Edith Hamilton book about mythology, you'll love it!" could be your reply. Or vice versa, if a young person you know has studied the Greek Gods you could certainly thrill them with The Lightning Thief and the rest of the series.
One interesting note, I didn't find a strong, capable ‘Hermione Granger’ type girl character in The Lightning Thief so it seems to me that these novels are best for boys. There ARE girls in there, but they are secondary characters (at least in the first one), so it’s pretty much all about Percy. However, all that being said, any action and adventure loving girl reader would most likely enjoy them too. Because they’re just good, solid books and Riordan really packs in the danger and excitement. And again, there's the Mythology angle which is so unique and fascinating. Percy is older (age 12) than Harry (he was 10/nearly 11) at the start of the series so the action seems a bit more intense and is therefore likely more age appropriate for middle school readers. There’s no graphic violence or relationship stuff in the first one, though that most likely comes in the later books as Percy grows up.
Overall, The Lightning Thief is imaginative, well-written and captivating throughout. Jackson is an admirable boy character whose bravery, loyalty and wits help him grow from an outcast kid into a mighty hero. And oh yeah, he commands the powers of the sea like his father Poseidon, so that's awesome! The one negative here is I'm way too late to the Percy party and most avid readers have probably already plowed through this series. But if you happen to find someone to gift these to, he (or she) can look forward to quality books full of dangerous adventures, imposing Gods, marauding monsters and marvelous magic!
Side note, as of now I don't plan on immediately reading the full series. Normally that would mean I was lukewarm about the book but in this case, it’s simply because I have too many other things I REALLY want to get to. However, if I can grab the rest of them on special eBook pricing, I'll certainly stock up. If that works out, then I’ll be glad to finish them someday AND to encourage my kids to learn more about Greek mythology by enjoying Percy Jackson’s escapades.
Happy Reading!
For starters, I can’t help but compare Percy to Harry. It's basically impossible not to because they are undeniably similar. Both star young men with somewhat troubled upbringings who realize they have special powers so they trot off to a special places to learn to use them. Hogwarts, in Harry's case, or to Camp Half-Blood, in Percy's case. In both series there is a rising, ominous evil force threatening the world and each boy is the chosen one who can defeat the monster....be it Voldemort or the ancient Titans from Greek mythology. I could go on with the similarities because there are many, but I'll spare you. And honestly, it's OK with me that these books are similar. Certainly we can't throw away the "boy discovers powers, learns to use them, defeats evil" plot just because of the Potter books.
It's better, in this case, to focus on why Percy Jackson is different and what makes his series cool - the Greek Mythology. Percy is the son of Poseidon and a human woman, hence the term "half-blood". In these books you’ll find actual historic info about all the major Gods - Poseidon, Zeus, Hades, Ares, etc., and the mighty Titans who preceded them. Plus many other creatures and beings from all the popular myths - such as the Furies, Medusa, Charon of the Underworld and the mighty Minotaur. It's clear that Riordan did his homework and accurately incorporated plenty of fascinating mythology into the story. It seems to me these books could be a great jumping off point for a kid who wants to study mythology. "Wow I really enjoyed that Percy Jackson book!" he says. "Awesome, here's the famous Edith Hamilton book about mythology, you'll love it!" could be your reply. Or vice versa, if a young person you know has studied the Greek Gods you could certainly thrill them with The Lightning Thief and the rest of the series.
One interesting note, I didn't find a strong, capable ‘Hermione Granger’ type girl character in The Lightning Thief so it seems to me that these novels are best for boys. There ARE girls in there, but they are secondary characters (at least in the first one), so it’s pretty much all about Percy. However, all that being said, any action and adventure loving girl reader would most likely enjoy them too. Because they’re just good, solid books and Riordan really packs in the danger and excitement. And again, there's the Mythology angle which is so unique and fascinating. Percy is older (age 12) than Harry (he was 10/nearly 11) at the start of the series so the action seems a bit more intense and is therefore likely more age appropriate for middle school readers. There’s no graphic violence or relationship stuff in the first one, though that most likely comes in the later books as Percy grows up.
Overall, The Lightning Thief is imaginative, well-written and captivating throughout. Jackson is an admirable boy character whose bravery, loyalty and wits help him grow from an outcast kid into a mighty hero. And oh yeah, he commands the powers of the sea like his father Poseidon, so that's awesome! The one negative here is I'm way too late to the Percy party and most avid readers have probably already plowed through this series. But if you happen to find someone to gift these to, he (or she) can look forward to quality books full of dangerous adventures, imposing Gods, marauding monsters and marvelous magic!
Side note, as of now I don't plan on immediately reading the full series. Normally that would mean I was lukewarm about the book but in this case, it’s simply because I have too many other things I REALLY want to get to. However, if I can grab the rest of them on special eBook pricing, I'll certainly stock up. If that works out, then I’ll be glad to finish them someday AND to encourage my kids to learn more about Greek mythology by enjoying Percy Jackson’s escapades.
Happy Reading!