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

by Rick Riordan

Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood. If you’re reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life. Being a half-blood is dangerous. It’s scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.

But if you recognize yourself in these pages—if you feel something stirring inside—stop reading immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it’s only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they’ll come for you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

So iconic

You should’ve seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.

Grover tried to calm me down. “It’s okay. I like peanut butter.”

“Well, half credit, Mr. Jackson. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan’s stomach.

With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear. I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn’t a pen anymore. It was a sword—Mr. Brunner’s bronze sword, which he always used on tournament day.

"This is a pen"

There was no way I was going to remember the difference between Chiron and Charon, or Polydictes and Polydeuces. And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.

Latin is truly a nightmare

“Sir, I…I can’t fail in my duties again.” Grover’s voice was choked with emotion. “You know what that would mean.”

“I don’t want this to be like the last time.” “What last time?” “Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth.”

Then I heard my mom’s voice. “Percy?” She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted. My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt.

My baby

Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week.

I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember…something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.

“Oh, nobody much,” Grover said, obviously still miffed about the donkey comment. “Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions.”

a pretty girl, her blond hair curled like a princess’s. They both looked down at me, and the girl said, “He’s the one. He must be.”

The people's princess, Annabeth Chase

My mother was gone. The whole world should be black and cold. Nothing should look beautiful.

It wasn’t that at all. It was chocolate-chip cookies. Liquid cookies. And not just any cookies—my mom’s homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies, buttery and hot, with the chips still melting.

My grief didn’t go away, but I felt as if my mom had just brushed her hand against my cheek, given me a cookie the way she used to when I was small, and told me everything was going to be okay.

He was only twelve

“You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth.”

“Why would anybody want to summon a monster?” “Practice fights. Practical jokes.”

Fast forward to the Sea of Monsters

I didn’t feel that anyone was staring at me anymore. I felt that I was home.

“But see, we don’t care about the flag. We care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid.” “You do that without my help,” I told them. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to say.

“Poseidon,” said Chiron. “Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God.”

“I’ve been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain,” she said. “Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you’re going to save the world, I’m the best person to keep you from messing up.” “If you do say so yourself,” I said. “I suppose you have a plan, wise girl?”

Seaweed brain <3 wise girl

“Remind me again—why do you hate me so much?” “I don’t hate you.”

“Braccas meas vescimini!” I yelled. I wasn’t sure where the Latin came from. I think it meant “Eat my pants!”

“Always have a strategy, right?” “Your head is full of kelp.”

“What would you do if it was your dad?” “That’s easy,” she said. “I’d leave him to rot.”

“I don’t know what my mom will do. I just know I’ll fight next to you.” “Why?” “Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?”

“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.

“Where to in Los Angeles…uh, Your Highness?” “The Santa Monica Pier.” Annabeth sat up a little straighter. I could tell she liked the “Your Highness” thing.

Annabeth grabbed hold of my hand. Under normal circumstances, this would’ve embarrassed me, but I understood how she felt. She wanted reassurance that somebody else was alive on this boat.

I thought about that as we waited for the ghouls to pass. I pretended not to see Annabeth wipe a tear from her cheek as she listened to the mournful keening of Cerberus in the distance, longing for his new friend.

What horrible things would you have to do in your life to get woven into Hades’s underwear?

She swallowed. “Wear this, at least. For luck.” She took off her necklace, with her five years’ worth of camp beads and the ring from her father, and tied it around my neck. “Reconciliation,” she said. “Athena and Poseidon together.” My face felt a little warm, but I managed a smile. “Thanks.”

“Obedience does not come naturally to you, does it?” “No…sir.” “I must take some blame for that, I suppose. The sea does not like to be restrained.”

“Your mother is a queen among women,” Poseidon said wistfully.

“Take care, Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth told me. “Keep your eyes open.” “You too, Wise Girl.”