The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #1
By Rick Riordan
ISBN # 9780786856299
Author’s website: http://www.rickriordan.com/home.aspx
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Annabell
Synopsis:
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school . . . again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and 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.
Review:
If you have not become a fan of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson Series you are missing out on one of the BEST new series for young adults! I have FALLEN IN NERD LOVE with Percy and his Greek mythology filled world.
The Lightning Thief introduces Percy Jackson who is a pre-teen with more problems than is fair for someone so young to handle. He is dyslexic, suffering from ADHD, his step-dad is a total jerkface and Percy can’t seem to keep his smart mouth shut long enough not to be kicked out of yet another school. He only has one friend named Grover and on an outing to a museum Percy learns there’s a lot more to his best friend than he could have ever imagined. He also learns there’s a lot more to his destiny than he can wrap his mind around. Percy discovers he is a Demi-god—half human, half offspring of a powerful Greek god. Grover whisks Percy away to Camp Half-Blood when he’s sought after by Zeus’s enemies. Percy must find the stolen lightning bolt or Zeus will either kill him or wage a war against his father who has promised to protect Percy at all costs. But if a war breaks out all of humanity will be caught in the middle and Percy has a set amount of time before Zeus loses his patience once and for all.
I have always been a fan of Greek mythology and was excited to hear a new series would be released with a modern take on the Greek gods. Instead of just exploring the same ole’ stories told in History class, Rick Riordan gives a fresh take by telling the story through the eyes of the offspring of Greek gods and mortal women.
From start to finish the pacing of the novel was one of the best parts! A quick pace with short chapters give the novel an easy feel and you will find yourself absorbing every word. The plot is thick with twists and surprises. There are also lots of fantastic action scenes and laugh-out-loud-hold-your-stomach humor! The level of sarcasm in this book was AWESOME! I really loved the names of the titles throughout the books, they always made me laugh.
The characters are developed and well rounded. The male characters and female characters are equal. I was so appreciative that the author represented female characters as strong, fierce, intelligent, and loyal. Percy is a kid who thinks because he has dyslexia and ADHD he will never amount to much of anything, but soon learns as long as he has faith in himself and works hard, he can pretty much do anything he sets his mind to. It’s a great inspiration for those who suffer from the same issues as Percy. Grover is the jokester who also happens to be a goat who eats aluminum when he gets really nervous. He’s so sweet, quirky, and a true best friend. Annabeth is one tough chica! She is a leader in Camp Half-Blood and the top of the class in battle strategies, sword fighting, and hand to hand combat. I love that she was portrayed with beauty, brains and strength!
If you have not read The Lightning Thief then GO BUY IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!! Trust me when I tell you, this is one series you will NOT want to miss out on!!
