Review: “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan

After getting expelled from yet another school for yet another clash with mythological monsters only he can see, twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is taken to Camp Half-Blood, where he finally learns the truth about his unique abilities: He is a demigod, half human, half immortal. Even more stunning: His father is the Greek god Poseidon, ruler of the sea, making Percy one of the most powerful demigods alive. There’s little time to process this news. All too soon, a cryptic prophecy from the Oracle sends Percy on his first quest, a mission to the Underworld to prevent a war among the gods of Olympus.

Rating: 4.33 out of 5 Capes

Heroes,

Obvs I’m behind the times on this one. Rick Riordan’s middle grade bestseller “The Lightning Thief” came out in 2006 and was made into a movie in 2010, but for whatever reason it was never on my radar. Then recently, Liz said something about how much she loves this book, so when I came across it I picked it up. And guess what? I loved it too. It reminded me of the books I gobbled up as a kid, like the Ender Quintet and Narnia Series. Percy is a relatable and appealing hero, and the concept of Greek gods in modern life lends itself to virtually endless possibilities.

Percy and his fellow demigods live in a very real world that just happens to be populated by the creatures of Greek myth, so both the adventure and the angst seem genuine. I did find Percy to be a bit self-pitying for my taste, but it doesn’t interfere with the character. I also enjoyed the nascent relationship between Percy and one of his fellow demigods. They are very much in the hate portion of a love-hate relationship, I just know there’s going to be some (middle grade-appropriate) romance there down the line. I love watching people experience normal problems through the lens of superhuman abilities, so I’ll definitely check out the rest of this series.

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