Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
By: Rick Riordan
Why, oh why, did I wait this long to read this series? For those of you who don't know, I am a Mythology junkie! I was lucky enough to be able to teach it at Brighton High School for a few years, and I love, love, love it! I have seen these books around for years and not even bothered to pick one up! SHAME ON ME!! I just read the first one, and I love it! I can't wait to read the rest, and I kind of hope the movie will live up to my expectation. The ways in which Riordan weaves Greek Mythology into our modern world is wonderful! He takes even our most modern wonders and makes them from the Greek gods.
As Percy (Perseus) Jackson and his hero friends run off on their quest to recover Zeus' lightning bolt, Percy becomes a hero worthy of Greek honor. His anger, attitude, and (unwilling) ambition set him up for the perfect tragedy. He is a Greek hero, and he is tragic. I cannot wait to read on and see what happens to Percy as he battles more ancient monsters and discovers what it means to truly be a son of the god, Poseidon.
I can't give any details without ruining the fun of this book. It is an education in Mythology for anyone who reads it, and I hope this series sparks a new interest in the subject. There is so much to learn from these myths. Thank you, Rick Riordan, for a story that allows me to be true to the nerdiest part of myself!
4 comments:
Well, it's about time, missie! I knew you'd get a kick out of this 'modern' mythological thriller! I particularly enjoy Percy's attitude, he's got a lot of that Mahan sarcasm in his personality! Hmmm....maybe we have mythological roots, too....keep reading! #2 is probably my least favorite, but still fun! Hang in there!
I told you that you would LOVE them! I am sorry to say that you will not love the movie if you loved the book. However, I know several people who LOVED the movie and are now reading the book. I guess that is something! One of my students is taking mythology (he also happens to in my ward and the son of the Stake Pres); I told him to read these books. Then I said, "I love the books! Posiedin is my FAVORITE god!" I realized what I had just said, quickly added "mythological god," and we had a good laugh.
Jen,
I haven't read the books. I have them on hold at my local library but there's about eighty people in front of me, so I'll probably get them sometime next year. I saw the movie and was DISAPPOINTED! The story just didn't seem to come together in a believable way for me. I'm hoping I like the books better.
I can't wait til you get to the 3-5 books. They are so good. I loved them so much. Rick Riordan is a stud!
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