Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Chapter Summaries

By Rose

Chapter 20  – I Battle My Jerk Relative

The trio were picked up by the coast guard and dropped back on the pier. Ares appears, the one who set them all up (he had given the backpack to Percy in Denver with a magical spell to only appear when he reached the Underworld). Ares is not too happy Percy is still alive and uses a wild boar to kill Percy. Percy uses Riptide to dispose of the boar. Percy wants to fight Ares personally and Annabeth gives his her necklace and Grover gave him a flattened tin can from his pocket. The police interrupt their fight and Percy is recognized as the missing boy. Ares deters them with a wall of flames. Percy managed to stab Ares in the foot. Ares decides to retreat and transfer back into his immortal form. The trio must now head back to Manhattan.

Come and join us in the discussion on the questions HERE!

Questions

Where do you think Percy got the courage to stand up to Ares himself?

How could Ares, with all his power, not have killed Percy? Why did he retreat instead? Who do you think was protecting Percy?

Memorable Quotes:

Percy: “ A cockroach”. “Or a tape worm. Yeah, I’m sure. That’d save you from getting your godly hide whipped, wouldn’t it?”

Ares: “Now little hero, let’s add you to the barbeque”.

Alice in Wonderland
Chapter 8: The Queen’s Croquet Ground
Written by Caro

Summary

Alice saw a large rose tree near the entrance of the garden; the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it busily painting them red. Alice got closer to watch them and heard them talk. One of the gardeners saw her, and followed by the others, bowed low. Alice was curious asked them why they were painting the roses red. They answered that by mistake they had put a white rose tree instead of a red one and if the Queen were to find out, she would have their heads cut off.

At that moment Alice heard many footsteps, turned around and saw the Queen; the three gardeners threw themselves flat upon their faces. When the procession came opposite to Alice, they all stopped and looked at her. The Queen asked Alice who she was and Alice introduced herself politely. Since the Queen couldn’t see who the three gardeners were she got really mad and after seeing what they were doing she yelled “Off with their heads!”, and invited Alice to play croquet. Alice asked the rabbit where the Duchess was and he told her that she had been sentenced for execution.

Read more of today’s Alice in Wonderland chapter summary HERE and join us in the discussion!

Questions:
What character caught more your attention in this chapter and why?

What was your favorite quote?

Why do you think that the Queen orders too many executions?

Quotes:

Queen: “Off with her head!”

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Chapter Summary: Chapter 18 – Annabeth Does Obedience School

By Rose

They enter DOA Recording Studio and lie to Charon the security guard about how they died and say they drowned in a bathtub. Charon realizes they aren’t dead. Percy bribes his with coins.

Charon takes them into the elevator, which turned into a boat and they descend to River Styx and reach the Underworld.

There is a death queue with three lines. Percy remarks he can start to see the ghouls better and Annabeth says it is probably because they are closer to being dead. Cerberus a dead dog monster sniffs them and can tell they are not really dead. Grover understands its barks and believes it to be cursing at them. They have moments distract it and Annabeth takes the red ball from her bag and gives it to Cerberus. They quickly go through the EZ Death line and hide in some trees as security searches for them.

Come discuss the questions with us in the forum!

Questions:

What was your favorite part of this chapter?

What are your favorite quotes?

Funny mentions:

EZ Death line – like the EZ pass line when driving.

Memorable Quotes:

Percy: I’m not sure what I was expecting – Pearly Gates, or a big black portcullis, or something. But the entrance to the Underworld looked like a cross between airport security and the Jersey Turnpike.

Grover: “So what have we learned today?”
Percy: “That three-headed dogs like red rubber balls over sticks”

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Chapter Summaries

By Rose

Percy, Grover and Annabeth leave Lotus Casino, and head to Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles. On the way Percy tell them of his latest dream. After much thought, Annabeth tells Percy it must be Hades in the pit. Annabeth tells him the answer is the Underworld and they are doing the right thing.

At the Santa Monica Pier, Percy gets carried off by a mako shark to the edge of the ocean by a sand bank underwater. Nerid the spirit of the sea, a member of Poseidon’s court, comes to meet him. She gives him a warning and a gift. Three white pearls, which he must smash one at his feet when in peril. The warning is to follow his heart or he will lose all. Annabeth warns him there is no such thing as free gifts.

Percy sees his stepfather being interviewed by Barbara Walters on television at an appliance store.

While walking the streets they get surrounded by a gang of kids and Percy uncaps Riptide. One kid didn’t back away and Percy swung his sword. The blade passed right through the kid proving he was 100% mortal.

Read more of the chapter recap and join us in the discussion questions HERE

Questions:

What do you think the pearls will do? When do you think he might need them?

What price will Percy have to pay for the gift of the pearls?

Was Crusty supposed to thwart them in finding the Underworld, or was it simply bad luck they found themselves in?

What did you want to discuss in this chapter?

What’s your favorite quote?

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Chapter 16: We Take a Zebra to Vegas
Written by Katlyn

Summary

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover met Ares in the diner parking lot. Percy confronted him about the trick he played on them and Ares was very satisfied with himself, and he told them that their ride was in the parking lot. It was an animal transport. Ares gave them a backpack full of supplies and sent them on their way. Percy stopped Ares and asked about his mother. Ares told him that his mother was not dead, she was being kept so that whoever had her had the upper hand with Percy. Ares left them, and they hustled into the back of the truck. They discovered that the transport was escorting a zebra, antelope, and male albino lion. Grover was disgusted by the ‘humane’ transport these animals were given, but Percy told him they would help them later.

Annabeth apologized to Percy about freaking out with the spiders. She said it was because of the Arachne story where Athena turned her into a spider after challenging her to a basket weaving contest. She then asked Percy about what Luke said earlier, and Grover was embarrassed that Percy would not want Percy to accompany him if he knew the truth. Grover was the satyr that was supposed to transport Thalia back to Half-Blood Hill. Annabeth and Luke were the other travelers with them. Grover failed because he tried to save everyone from the Kindly Ones versus saving just Thalia. Annabeth and Percy told Grover it was not his fault, then he fell asleep.

Percy noticed Annabeth was deep in thought rubbing her necklace. He asked about her father’s college ring and she said he sent it to her since Athena helped him through his doctoral program. He also said he missed Annabeth and wanted her to come home. She believed him and did come home but ended up in the same situation as before. After a few moments of silence Annabeth told Percy that in the big fight she would fight by his side even if Athena did not.

Percy had a nightmare. He was taking a standardized test in a straightjacket with Thalia in the same situation next to him. Percy got out of the jacket and went to persue Hades. He overheard him talking to someone else about how something was stolen and how they everything was going to plan with Zeus and Poseidon fighting. They then realized that Percy was there and they called him to them. The scene then changed with Percy on a throne of human bones reaching out for his mother. He then realized his hands were withering to bones and he was being smoked by Chimera poison.

Read the rest of the recap and join in the discussion on the questions HERE

Characters Involved (Characters who are interacted with)
Percy
Annabeth
Grover
Ares
Maurice
Eddie
bellhop
Darrin

Characters Mentioned (Any other character’s mentioned by name)

Nancy Bobofit

Clarisse

Gabe

Minotaur

Luke

Thalia

Hades

Zeus

Poseidon

Places Visited
Denver (diner parking lot)
Las Vegas (Lotus Casino)

Quotes

“You think you’ll ever try living with your dad again?”

She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Please. I’m not into self-inflicted pain.”

“Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I placed a satyr’s sanctuary on them.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning they’ll reach the wild safely,” he said. “They’ll find water, food, shade, whatever

they need until they find a safe place to live.”

“Why can’t you place a blessing like that on us?” I asked.

“It only works on wild animals.”

“So it would only affect Percy,” Annabeth reasoned.

I balled up my fists. “You’re pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from Cupid statues.”

Questions for consideration

Why do you think Percy could also hear the animals talking in the truck?

Who do you think ran the Lotus Hotel and why?

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Chapter 15: A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers
Written by Katlyn

Summary
Seven days before the solstice Percy, Annabeth, and Grover arrived in Denver. Annabeth suggested they try to contact Chiron. They arrived at a car-wash, and Grover took hold of the ‘fine mist’ hose to contact Iris, she carries messages to the gods. Annabeth threw a Drachma into the rainbow the mist created, and asked for Half-Blood Hill. A vision of the camp and Luke appeared before them. Luke said that Chiron was busy with some trouble at the cabins. Annabeth and Grover let Percy speak to Luke alone. Luke said that the campers heard about the Zeus and Poseidon fight and they were taking sides. Percy updated Luke on their travels thus far. Luke insisted that it must have been Hades that stole the bolt although the gods could not steal magic items directly. The water started to run out and Luke wished Percy luck on the rest of his journey.

The trio went to a local diner for food but were disappointed when the waitress asked if they could pay for it. All conversation at the diner stopped when a large, loud motorcycle pulled up to the curb. A huge man stepped off the bike and offered to pay for the kids food. They figured out that this man was Ares, god of war. He had a proposition for Percy, to find his shield that he left when he was with his girlfriend at the local water park in the Tunnel of Love. Percy refused and Ares told him that he framed Hades for stealing the bolt so that he could start a war. Ares also said that he could get them a ride west and tell him something about Percy’s mother, if they got his shield back for him.

Read the rest of the recap and join us in the discussion on the questions HERE

Characters Involved
Percy
Annabeth
Grover
Luke
Ares

Characters Mentioned

Chiron

Iris

Oracle at Delphi

Aphrodite

Apollo

Poseidon

Athena

Zeus

Clarisse

Hades

Hephaestus

Places Visited
Denver (diner, Waterpark)

Quotes

As he walked into the diner, a hot, dry wind blew through the place. All the people rose, as if they were hypnotized, but the biker waved his hand dismissively and they all sat down again. Everybody went back to their conversations. The waitress blinked, as if somebody had just pressed the rewind button on her brain. She asked us again, “You kids have money to pay for it?” The biker said, “It’s on me.” He slid into our booth, which was way too small for him, and crowded Annabeth against the window.He looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and said, “Are you still here?”

“Why don’t I turn you into a prairie dog and run you over with my Harley? Because I don’t feel like it. A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward?” He leaned forward. “Or maybe you only fight when there’s a river to dive into, so your daddy can protect you.”

The Cupids turned back to their original positions. The lights shut off. The park went quiet and dark again, except for the gentle trickle of water into the Thrill Ride of Love’s exit pool. I wondered if Olympus had gone to a commercial break, or if our ratings had been any good.

Questions for consideration

Why do you think the big, bad God of War Ares was afraid to get his shield on his own?

What do you think the gods saw when were watching the live feed of Percy and Annabeth trying to stay alive?

Do you think Ares will live up to his promise to them?