The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

by Rick Riordan

book data

11,731 ratings, 4.32 average rating, 3,157 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		50%
4		33%
3		13%
2		2%
1		0%

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published

April 1st 2006 (first published 2005) by Miramax

binding

Paperback, 375 pages

characters

Percy, Grover, Annabeth

setting

The United States

literary awards

VOYA Top Shelf Fiction List for 2005, ALA Notable Book for 2005, YALSA Best Book for Young Adults 2005, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, SLJ Starred Review

isbn

0786838655 (isbn13: 9780786838653)

description

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only get...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 15,552)

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07/30/08

Destinee rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, guy-reads, harry-potter-alternative, juvenile

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Destinee by: The children of SPL

When I was about halfway through this book, I started making a list of its similarities to Harry Potter. Here is a sampling from that list:

1. There are three young heroes: a brainy girl (Annabeth/Hermione), a funny screw-up type (Grover/Ron), and a somewhat troubled but very brave lead (Harry/Percy).

2. People freak when the Harry/Percy character says the name of a powerful character.

3. The main bad guy (Kronos/Voldemort) is seeking to return to his former pow...more

Like this review? yes (30 people liked it)

10 comments

09/14/08

Kathryn rated it:

bookshelves: children-s-books, fantasy---sci-fi

Read in October, 2008

recommended to Kathryn by: Annie & Tyler

I enjoyed this book, though it took me rather too long to read it so I suppose I wasn't completely enamored. Still, I thought it a very clever and interesting premise--and it was fun to brush up on my mythology! I'm not sure why some people think it's Harry-Potter-esque; it's definitely more mythology-based than "magic" and even though there's a camp/summer school for the half-bloods, it's about Percy's QUEST more than anything else. So, kudos for not trying to be HP. I didn't love ...more

Like this review? yes (7 people liked it)

3 comments

05/16/08

Ann rated it:

bookshelves: actionadventure, fantasy, mythology, young-adult

Read in June, 2008

recommended to Ann by: Several people
recommends it for: Fans of youth fantasy or mythology

Several aspects of this book can be found, to a certain extent, in other stories. Percy learns that a world he thought was only from ancient mythological tales is indeed very much real and present, and that he is part of those "mythologies" now. He's got to learn about a new world and his place in it. He must face the fact that he's got to help save the world. And he gains a few friends to help him along the way.
That said, a good deal of the concepts are pretty standard for m...more

Like this review? yes (4 people liked it)

10 comments

12/08/07

Lisa Vegan rated it:

bookshelves: bookclubs-secondary, childrens, fiction, novels, orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, reviewed, speculative-fiction

Read in March, 2009

recommends it for: 8-12 year olds & all the way up to adults, especially for kids with dyslexia & ADHD

I really loved this book. I think it’s geared for 8-12 year olds but this is one of those books that the more you know about the world the more you like it. The premise is wonderful and very creative. The characters, especially the hero Percy, are very likeable. There’s so much humor, popping up at places where I least expected it and I absolutely enjoyed all of it.

The story was predictable and one of the main surprises/mysteries wasn’t one for me, but it didn’t really matter...more

Like this review? yes (4 people liked it)

6 comments

01/26/08

Donalyn rated it:

bookshelves: children-s-fantasy

Read in December, 2005

recommended to Donalyn by: Kim Gardner- SKI librarian
recommends it for: everyone

This series has it all- cool, realistic characters, action sequences that thrill, references to modern culture (love the St. Louis Arch, and Las Vegas visits), and Greek mythology. I cannot recommend this series to enough readers. You're not cool if you do not know about Percy and Co.

Having met Rick Riordan twice- I can say that he is awesome, too.

Counting down to May when Book Four comes out...

Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

5 comments

11/12/08

Mark rated it:

bookshelves: young-adult

My sister recommended this series and I was pretty interested in it once I heard a basic summary of the plot. I must say, I was thoroughly disappointed.

The concept in itself is very creative. Son of a Greek god in modern times. He is dyslexic because he is meant to read ancient greek. That's clever. The translation of Greek gods to 21st, some were pretty well done, except for a few details here and there (a greek god would sick robot spiders against his enemies? Really?) The concept ...more

Like this review? yes (7 people liked it)

6 comments

06/20/08

Alexis rated it:

bookshelves: middle-grade, mythological

Read in June, 2008

recommended to Alexis by: lots of regulars at the B&N I worked at, and my brother
recommends it for: fans of Greek mythology, boys age 8-13, or any readers of middle grade fiction

Percy Jackson is a protagonist that lots of kids can relate to. He's got ADHD and dyslexia, he gets into trouble - a lot - and he can never seem to stay in one school long enough to really make friends. But deep down, he's a good kid who loves his mom and really wants to do well...except things just seem to constantly get in the way of that. After (barely) completing sixth grade, he makes a startling discovery: The Greek gods he has just learned about in school are real, and he is much more clos...more Percy Jackson is a protagonist that lots of kids can relate to. He's got ADHD and dyslexia, he gets into trouble - a lot - and he can never seem to stay in one school long enough to really make friends. But deep down, he's a good kid who loves his mom and really wants to do well...except things just seem to constantly get in the way of that. After (barely) completing sixth grade, he makes a startling discovery: The Greek gods he has just learned about in school are real, and he is much more closely entwined with them than he could ever imagine.

Learning this makes Percy's past clearer, but opens up a whole new world of danger for him to get swept up in, with exciting and humorous results. With two new companions in tow, Percy must travel across the country and back in order to complete a quest, dodge monsters, save his mother, and stay alive. No easy task when his first destination is to confront Hades in the Underworld itself.

After selling many copies of this book and promising lots of 10 year old boys that I would eventually read it, I finally did. And I can definitely see why it is such a hit among the 9-12 age group. In terms of good, engrossing reading material for middle grade boys, this is up there with Harry Potter. Percy gets put down a lot but doesn't stay down. He often stands up to those who are bullying him, although he knows when to hold his tongue, like when addressing a god that might smite him at a moment's notice. He's tough and brave, but he's definitely not the coolest kid, and in fact refers to himself as a loser. His character is consistent and very likable. He doesn't always make the smartest moves, but hey, he's twelve. We all did some stupid things when we were twelve.

I picked this book up for my brother around Christmas, and he read it and the sequel, Sea of Monsters, right away. Even though he's older than the target audience, I knew he would enjoy it, and he did. I finally got it back from him (finding it at the bottom of a huge stack of books by his desk) and finished it very quickly. It's a well-paced adventure story with lots of action and intrigue. I'm also a fan of books that portray mythological gods in modern-day settings, such as American Gods and Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu, and the Everworld series by K.A. Applegate. Mount Olympus on top of the Empire State Building and the Underworld under Los Angeles? Brilliant. (less)

Like this review? yes (4 people liked it)

3 comments

11/12/08

jake4evs rated it:

AWESUM BOOK!! a MUST READ

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

4 comments

06/11/07

Namz rated it:

bookshelves: childrens-fantasy

Read in June, 2007

HALF-BOY, HALF-GOD, ALL HERO!!....the Tagline says it all. Percy Jackson is your quintessential pre-teen, dyslexic and suffering from ADHD. Getting into unexplainable scraps and shuffled from school to school, he pretty much accepts the fact that he’s destined to be......well, one big Loser.

Little does he know that he’s a ‘Half-Blood’, an off spring of a powerful Greek God and a mortal woman. And there is a special place for him, “Camp Half-Blood” which houses and protect...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

1 comment

01/23/09

Jay rated it:

Read in October, 2008

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Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

17 comments

01/14/09

Mike =] rated it:

I liked this book becuase it dealt a lot with greek mythology which i really like. I thought it was a little but below my reading level which is why I didnt continue the series but it was okay

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

2 comments

02/14/09

Jane rated it:

Read in March, 2009

This was a fun little read but I will probably not read any more in the series. It was "too" YA for me. It is hard to discribe but I felt it was very ADHD. I didn't think I could find a book with 'too much' action - but sometimes it seemed that there were scenes just to provide conficict - like the Medusa or the event in the arch etc.

Still glad I read it.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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09/14/08

Catherine rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, mythology, owned, young-adult

Read in December, 2008

recommends it for: everyone

LOVE this series. Got my 10-yr-old friend into them and he's loving it, too. I'm reading them a 2nd time so I can remember the details because he loves talking it over with me. I'm having a ball! Super fun books about a young modern boy who finds out that the Greek myths aren't so fantastical after all. Adventure, humor, friendship, challenge, these books have it all. And are even a bit educational underneath the good fun.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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02/07/08

♥ Brigid ♥ rated it:

bookshelves: 5-star-books, books-that-r-going-to-be-movies, funny-books

Read in January, 2006

recommends it for: everybody!!! (but especially people who like Greek mythology)

First of all, I must say that I LOVE this book, which tells the story of Perseus "Percy" Jackson, a half-blood (half-god, half-human). It's like a modern Greek myth! It's a fast read, with an exciting plot and good characters. Percy's character has a unique voice and personality, which really helps the book move along. I would recommend this book to kids and adults alike.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

4 comments

01/19/09

Jessi rated it:

Read in January, 2009

I LOVE young adult (YA) books and am horribly jealous that they mainly consisted of the Christopher Pike and Sweet Valley High variety when I was younger. Now, kids get great stories from authors like Rick Riordan, Eoin Colfer, Cornelia Funke and J.K. Rowling. This particular series is a modernization of the Greek fables. or, I guess I should say, an updated version. Basically, the main character is a modern day Hercules, a demi-god or half-blood with one human parent and one parent who is a...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comment

01/31/09

Trina rated it:

Read in February, 2009

I LOVED Harry Potter. I really really really liked Fablehaven. Now that Harry Potter is over and I'm waiting for the next Fablehaven, I'm trying to find other books like those to read.

This book is nowhere near Harry Potter and not quite Fablehaven. I think it's written for a younger audience also. I liked the characters - they are relateable and sympathetic. The story is interesting but slightly predictable (and I do not try to figure out books before they unfold, so that's sa...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

6 comments

02/19/09

Lindsey rated it:

bookshelves: adventure, fantasy, fun, juvenile-fiction

Read in February, 2009

Percy isn't just some kid - he's a demi-god. He didn't know it until just now, but it only takes a little while for him to figure out that being Poseidon's boy isn't all it's washed up to be. Ha!

Monsters pop up all the time trying to shake him down for some stolen object he really didn't steal. A mummified oracle delivers to his ears a prophecy that's totally a mixed bag - yay on one hand, yet boo on another. He's all the time barely escaping certain death...

It's an ent...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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10/22/08

Stephanie rated it:

Read in September, 2008

recommended to Stephanie by: my teacher
recommends it for: people who like adventure or the greek gods

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comment

04/10/09

Tiffany rated it:

bookshelves: series

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in May, 2009

recommended to Tiffany by: Jennifer!
recommends it for: Everyone who would not be offended by the greek gods and stuff lyk that.

Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos! NOT ENOUGH KRONOS! Anyways, Annabeth is sooo stuck up. I really am not a fan of Percy! He's kind of stupid. These first books are annoying because you're only finding things out! But it's pretty good..... There wasn't enough Kronos! Not enough Kronos! Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. E...more Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos! NOT ENOUGH KRONOS! Anyways, Annabeth is sooo stuck up. I really am not a fan of Percy! He's kind of stupid. These first books are annoying because you're only finding things out! But it's pretty good..... There wasn't enough Kronos! Not enough Kronos! Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. I NEED MORE KRONOS! KRONOS WILL REIGN! *rains* Not that kind of rain! The almighty, I will defeat you reign...... *rains again* AHHHH! Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Too. much. rain. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. Not. Enough. Kronos. TOO MUCH RAIN! STOP RAINING, YOU! KRONOS WILL REIGN! *Suffocates in rain* Z-z-z eus.. I-i-isssss r-r-r-r-raci-i-i-istt--t-t. *faints*(less)

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01/27/09

Chris added it

The Lightning Thief
By Rick Riordan
375pp. New York, New York
Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN 0 7868 3865 5

Percy Jackson has been kicked out of every school he has ever enrolled in, including the one he is in now, after calling his English teacher an "old sot". But being expelled is the least of Percy's problems, especially after seeing his math teacher transform into a demon. This book is jam-packed with so much action, suspense and drama that i coul...more The Lightning Thief
By Rick Riordan
375pp. New York, New York
Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN 0 7868 3865 5

Percy Jackson has been kicked out of every school he has ever enrolled in, including the one he is in now, after calling his English teacher an "old sot". But being expelled is the least of Percy's problems, especially after seeing his math teacher transform into a demon. This book is jam-packed with so much action, suspense and drama that i couldn't bear to put it down. You see, there's a little problem. It's nothing major, it's just...well someone stole Zeus' master bolt and well he's pretty infuriated. The king of the god's master bolt is what all the other bolts are made from so it's a really big deal, and to make matters worse, Zeus accuses Percy of taking it! All Percy knows is that he and his friends have only ten days to find it and take it to Mount Olympus, before the summer solstice. Will Percy and his friends be able to find it, or will the wrath of almighty Zeus strike them like a bolt of lightning???
Rick Riordan's attention to Greek Mythology is phenomenal. The details that he is able to slip in are great background knowledge. The way he includes these details makes it possible for someone to have absolutely no prior knowledge of Greek mythology, beside the basics. Riordan makes it so simple, but at the same time, so sophisticated, as a young adult novel should be. Some critics might say that this is nothing similiar to a young adult novel, but there is enough literary devices and themes in this novel that will make others argue that point. Riordan has a way of inserting challenging themes into a simple, adventurous plot. You would never think that this novel could pull off themes like loyalty and friendship, but it does.
I guess, for the sake of this book, we can combine loyalty and friendship because the book's foundation is the loyalty of Percy's friends. Grover and Annabeth could have stayed right where they were and let Percy find the bolt himself, but they didn't do that. They didn't want to let their friend do this alone. Even while they were on the journey, the monsters were after Percy not them. They could have ditched him and left him for the monsters but they stood by him and fought with him. Only a very loyal friend would stay and fight monsters with you, honestly. From my point of view, the fact that Percy had friends with him is the reason that he keeps on fighting to find the bolt even after being attacked over and over. The loyalty of his friends adds to his courage and charisma. This is true for real life also. When you are surrounded by friends that are so loyal to you, you just seem to find the strength that you need to keep going.
Like i said, this book is so jampacked. It is so jampacked, you might need another brain to hold all of the action. This book has everything you want in a novel. It comes complete with action, suspense, and some of the best themes ever hidden in the pages of a book. This book makes you say "WOW" everytime you learn something. I mean, what would be your reaction if you found out that you were the son of a god???
(less)

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quotes from this book

""What if it lines up like it did in the Trojan War...Athena versus Poseidon?" "I don't know. But I just know that I'll be fighting next to you." "Why?" "Because you're my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?" -Percy, to Annabeth" More quotes...