Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan
published: Hyperion books, 2005
pages: 389

Percy Jackson is a 12-year-old troublemaker that finds himself being chased by creatures and gods that have only been heard of in Greek myths.  When Zeus' master bolt is stolen, Percy is the biggest suspect. He and his friends set out to prove his innocence, but they only have ten days to keep the peace on Mount Olympus, and prevent war between the gods.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  The application of the Greek mythology into modern day America is quite entertaining.  I liked that certain gods owned shops and that others gods disguised themselves as humans. Apart from the main plot, I thought the subplots were solid and incorporated really well with the rest of the story.  They are very deliberate, seemingly insignificant scenes were tied back into the plot.

 I absolutely love the way Rick Riordan explains ADHD and dyslexia not as disabilities, but different ways of understanding.  I thought that was really cool.  Along with this, the humor in this book is noteworthy.  Being that the book was narrated by Percy, it felt very natural, not in the least forced.  Each character had their own sense of humor and it was revealed through their interactions with each other.

The characters in this book are excellent, mainly Percy and his friends, Annabeth and Grover.  Their character development throughout their journey is incredibly paced and evident.  Each of them grow into their themselves; they become more mature and yet they still retain believability as 12-year-olds.

This book is full of action-packed adventure that had me captivated from the beginning.  I cannot wait to continue Percy Jackson's story in the rest of series.

Also, I can see why people like the book so much more than the movie.  You just get so much more from the book!  (This doesn't mean I didn't like the movie.)

Stars: 5/5

Praise:

"Percy is an ADHD, wise-cracking, first-person narrator.  Naturally, his real quest is for his own identity.  Along the way, such topics as family, trust, war, the environment, dreams, and perceptions are raised."
     --School Library Journal

"The sardonic tone of the narrator's voice lends a refreshing air of realism to this riotously paced quest tale of heroism that questions the realities of our world, family, friendships and loyalty."
     --Kirkus Review

"If you want a young person to read a book, take a lesson from Rick Riordan and start it by warning readers to close the book right away and go back to their uninformed lives.  This book will bring out the readers...with its fast pace and adventure.
     --KLIATT

This is an Eclectic Reader 2013 Challenge Book!