The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Bk 1)
Author:
Genres: Children's Books, Teen & Young Adult
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Children's Books, Teen & Young Adult
Book Type: Paperback
Helpful Score: 2
I think it's difficult to write a review for Percy Jackson and the Olympians without drawing comparisons to Harry Potter. Both are about boys with mysterious lineage coming into their own around puberty, and their subsequent, fantastic adventures.
However, it is wrong to say that Rick Riordan "ripped off" J.K. Rowling in this book. The Lightning Thief treads much of the same territory, but also introduces young readers into the world of Greek mythology without sacrificing any of the fun that made the Potter books such a huge success.
The first book in the series focuses on Perseus "Percy" Jackson, a 12-year-old boy with lots of problems. He and his mother live with his boorish stepfather, he's always getting kicked out of one boarding school after another, and he struggles with ADHD and dyslexia. These problems seem small, however, after he begins to encounter threatening, mythical monsters everywhere he goes, from a museum field trip to a beach vacation with his mother. He soon ends up at Hogwarts -- er, I mean, Camp Half Blood -- where he will begin his hero training and hopefully learn more about his personal history, including the identity of his undetermined Olympian father.
Much of the story follows new demigod Percy on his quest to find the title character -- the person who has stolen Zeus' master lightning bolt. He's helped along the way by two friends: intelligent, Hermione-esque fellow demigod, Annabeth, and his goofy satyr guardian, Grover.
I really enjoyed this book, although its tone is a bit more YA than I'm used to. I think it's very reminiscent of the earliest Harry Potter books, and am interested to see if Riordan's voice and stories mature in future volumes of the series like the Harry Potter books did. Although the "surprises" and plot "twists" will be pretty obvious to most adult readers -- or even younger readers with an understanding of mythology -- it doesn't diminish the story. The modernization of Greek mythology and its integration in our contemporary society is lots of fun, and will give readers of any age some good laughs. I couldn't put it down.
Overall, a very enjoyable read from a series I can't wait to explore further. This is a book I'll look forward to reading with my kids in the next few years... not that I plan to wait that long to get my hands on the next book, The Sea of Monsters.
However, it is wrong to say that Rick Riordan "ripped off" J.K. Rowling in this book. The Lightning Thief treads much of the same territory, but also introduces young readers into the world of Greek mythology without sacrificing any of the fun that made the Potter books such a huge success.
The first book in the series focuses on Perseus "Percy" Jackson, a 12-year-old boy with lots of problems. He and his mother live with his boorish stepfather, he's always getting kicked out of one boarding school after another, and he struggles with ADHD and dyslexia. These problems seem small, however, after he begins to encounter threatening, mythical monsters everywhere he goes, from a museum field trip to a beach vacation with his mother. He soon ends up at Hogwarts -- er, I mean, Camp Half Blood -- where he will begin his hero training and hopefully learn more about his personal history, including the identity of his undetermined Olympian father.
Much of the story follows new demigod Percy on his quest to find the title character -- the person who has stolen Zeus' master lightning bolt. He's helped along the way by two friends: intelligent, Hermione-esque fellow demigod, Annabeth, and his goofy satyr guardian, Grover.
I really enjoyed this book, although its tone is a bit more YA than I'm used to. I think it's very reminiscent of the earliest Harry Potter books, and am interested to see if Riordan's voice and stories mature in future volumes of the series like the Harry Potter books did. Although the "surprises" and plot "twists" will be pretty obvious to most adult readers -- or even younger readers with an understanding of mythology -- it doesn't diminish the story. The modernization of Greek mythology and its integration in our contemporary society is lots of fun, and will give readers of any age some good laughs. I couldn't put it down.
Overall, a very enjoyable read from a series I can't wait to explore further. This is a book I'll look forward to reading with my kids in the next few years... not that I plan to wait that long to get my hands on the next book, The Sea of Monsters.
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