Percy Jackson - R. Riordan

[Heather]

[Darcy]

I liked this book, it was a quick easy read, but it was also very easy to put down and walk away from. There are quite a few similarities between this book and Harry Potter.

The one bad thing that I have to say about this book is that with all the characters, kids, Gods, and bad guys it was sometimes hard to keep all of them straight.

I did love Percy's mom and the choice she made at the end.

[Heather]

If I had a kid I'd say this was great. But, I don't so it was just ok. I did enjoy it, but it just didn't keep my attention. Like Darcy said it's easy to put down and walk away from. I'm horribly OCD about finishing series even if I don't enjoy them, but I have had the last 2 books for weeks and just keep ignoring them. I will read them eventually...

I like that the author is making Greek mythology more popular and found the first book to be fun. I loved the end with the mom, but found some plot points to be a little fluffy. Basically, I'm on the fence with this one swinging my legs back and forth while I try try to decide about it.

[Darcy]

Heather I do know what you mean about being on the fence with this one. I do plan on reading the rest of the series, but I don't feel the need to rush right out there and pick them up. I do want to see the movie to see how different it is from the book. I just haven't made it that far.

[Heather]

The movie made some mistakes with the mythos. For example: Persephone can't be in Hades during summer time. Despite that, it's a cute family film that would be good for young kids. It was okay for me, but nothing that screamed "watch me more than once or twice." Some people really loved it though.

[Paula]

I'm almost half way through The Lightning Thief. I started it last night. I just finished a book that I didn't like at all, so Percy Jackson is looking pretty good! I also judge children's books differently than I do adult books or even YA books. Were I 12 this book would probably be an important read. The Harry Potter simularities don't bother me, either. I did have to get used to the author's writing style. There are many holes in the explanations of the universe and characters, but again this book is written for children. Like Heather and Darcy, I don't feel rushed or compelled to immediately pick up book two. Depends on whether or not I need a quick read and a pleasant story!

[Paula]

I finished reading The Lightning Thief. It wasn't bad. My biggest complaint was the universe. I just didn't like the descriptions of the underworld and how it functioned. I try not to judge a children's book the same way I would an adult or YA book, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on reading. I think that kids 12 and under would like the story and universe and there were elements in the book that I liked too.

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Not sure why I didn't see this thread until now.

I love Percy Jackson, but many do say that book 1 was the weakest of the books. The series worked its way into my heart more and more with each book.

One of the things that I did appreciate about the series was Riordan's sense of humor. His writing style wouldn't win any awards with me, but he has great comedic timing.

The movie was cute, but they left out several details and a couple of main characters. They added in Persephone who wasn't in the book, but left out Ares and Dionysus who were prominent in the book. Odd.

Also, in the book, Annabeth was blonde and had a cap that made her invisible! How do you overlook those details?

[Heather]

Umm... it being a children's movie and all would probably be the rational for Dionysus missing. Although, making Persephone slutty was a first for me.

[Mairead]

Persephone being in Hell in Summer.....? Big no no.

[Carrie (Care)]

I liked the Percy books, but not nearly as much as Potter. I thought they would be great to read to my son when he is a bit older.

[Heather]

That'd be cool. I can handle YA, but kid gets a little boring for me. However, if you've got a little one it would probably be more exciting.

[Carrie (Care)]

Tristan, my oldest, wants me to read him Potter, but I think he is too young to get it. He is only 3. I have to say, I read him The Wizard of Oz and because it was the first non picture book we read I wasn't sure it would keep his attention. It did and he still talks about it sometimes. He loves the Potter movies though, so now that he knows there are books he wants to read them.

[Tya]

I hope that its ok to talk about this here. The Kane Chronicles series by Riordian book 2, The Throne of Fire. So, I'm listening to this on audiobook (part of the levels challenge)and I've got to say its getting on my nerves. I'm still loving the mythology of it but I don't understand why he chose the ages that he chose. Carter and Sadie Kane are 14 and 12 years old. They are dealing with first loves and crushes and whatever. The dialog is KILLING me, not just the dialog but when the kids are narrating their thought processes and everything they sound like they are AT LEAST 14/15 (Sadie) 16/17 (Carter) but they are supposed to be 12 and 14? And he's been pushing this romance with 12 year old Sadie Kane and she has all of these "feelings" for Anubis the 5,000 year old God of the Dead. Which, whatever. I get behind vampire/human relationships all of the time but there is something about this relationship that just gives me the wiggins. In Anubis' human form he's a 16 year old boy and they keep trying to justify his being attracted to a 12 year old by harping on him being isolated in the kingdom of the dead and that is JUST. NOT. WORKING. Whether he's truly 16 or truly 5,000 in an elongated adolescence it is creepy that he has a thing for a 12 year old. In the book she celebrates her 13th birthday and sorry, still not working for me. Because of the language and dialog and narrative choices I age them up as I read but when Riordian deliberately call attention to how young they are (especially Sadie) I am immediately grossed out. Its not so bad with Carter, the girl he's interested in (he says he's in love on a pretty regular basis) is age appropriate and currently MIA, he's spending the majority of the book looking for her to wake her up from an enchanted sleep. Maybe I'm an ageist. Oh. And I just plain don't like Sadie that could have a teeny little something to do with my irritation with her love life. But I love the relationship between Carter and Sadie. I think Riordian captures the love/irritation/protective instinct between big brother and little sister really well.

[Tya]

You'd think that I hate these books as much as I complain about them, but that really isn't the case--at all! I love them. But my good goll. Is it wrong of me to think that Riordian has some sort of crush on his 12 year old character? Maybe its a case of unreliable narrator or something, but every single time Carter talks about himself he does so with a sense of humility. Like he's just stating the facts of what has happened. Sadie, on the other hand, makes everything she does sound like the most awesomest bit of awesome to ever be done everywhere. Even when she's describing how scared she was at a certain time she manages to make it sound like she was still the most amazing gal in the land. When Gods and Goddesses appear in the books they always act like Carter is some massive screw up that they are annoyed to have to deal with and treat Sadie with just fawning, brownie upmost respect (even when they are trying to kill them BOTH). I don't get it and it and it makes me really, really, REALLY not like Sadie's character at all. I tend to root for the underdog and Carter is definitely the underdog in these books, never mind that he's the one who actually knows about Egyptian mythology and Sadie doesn't. And now my rant is done. Hopefully.

[Mairead]

I think it's just to show their age and maturity levels differ.

[Carri]

I loved The Percy Jackson series and I am now starting the heroes of Olympus series. I love his writing style, sarcastic characters are always my favorite.