Customer Reviews:
 unfaltering brilliance - more please! May 15, 2008
A. Craig (London United Kingdom)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is the series that is the obvious front-runner to succeed Harry Potter. Percy Jackson, the teenaged son of a single mother has been adorable ever since he vaporised his Math teacher and discovered his dyslexia and ADHD were symptoms of being a demi-god. As the son of one of the big three Greek gods (Poseidon) now that Olympus has moved to America, he must survive until he's sixteen, and save the world. So far, he's done it twice. However, the twins Percy finds at another school haven't a clue about their powers, and when he, his best friend Grover the satyr and his almost-girlfriend Annabeth (daughter of Athene) rescue them from monsters it's just the start of another hugely enjoyable quest.
The wit and zest with which Riordan plays with both Greek myth and modern America is completely delightful. I loved Apollo arriving in his golden sports car, the enthusiastic Pegasus Blackjack and the statues that come to life to defend Percy just when he's hopelessly trapped by a skeletal army. They will make completely wonderful films, not least because Percy and his relationships are getting deeper and richer with each book. His Titan half-brother Tyson began as a seemingly slow-witted embarrassment but is touchingly sweet and loyal, and makes Percy a fantastic shield which springs out of a watch, much like Percy's magic sword Riptide which springs from a pen, is one half but so is Percy's loving mother. The emotional intelligence is very real. My kids love these books, and are bombarded by friends for them as soon as a new one appears.
Beware of Greeks siring kids May 19, 2007
Amanda Richards (ECD, Guyana)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
If you've been following this fascinating series, you'll already know that it is based on Greek mythology, with a touch of artistic license and a ton of humor. Apparently, the big three of Olympus (Poseidon, Zeus and Hades) had reluctantly agreed to stop popping over to earth and siring offspring with the local mortals, in order to nullify a prophecy that foretells certain disaster when said offspring reach the age of sixteen. However, gods will be gods, and as we pick up the story from The Sea of Monsters), we have two potentially dangerous demi-gods running around, namely Percy Jackson, star of the series and son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, and Thalia, who formerly had roots on Half-Blood Hill, and is the daughter of Zeus, Lord of the Sky. This is not to say that some of the other gods weren't busy as well, and the majority of the supporting cast is made up of children of the other residents of Olympus.
This third book of the planned five book series starts with a rescue mission to save two newly-discovered demi-gods from a monster attack, and during the battle, a daughter of Athena is taken, despite the timely arrival of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and her hunters. While Artemis sets off alone to hunt another monster that is destined to cause the downfall of Olympus, the rest are sent to Camp Half-Blood for their safety. While there, The Oracle (whose description makes her sound like Norman Bates' mummy) delivers a prophecy that leads to the rest of the action that packs book three from cover to cover.
To cut the story short, a team of five is chosen to set off in search of Artemis, but there is a last minute unplanned substitution, who has another quest or two to fulfill along the way. The route takes them through Manhattan and across the country to San Francisco, where our hero experiences what it's like to carry the weight of the sky on his shoulders.
Cool monsters, skeletal warriors and bad guys abound, as well as gods behaving badly and making bad haiku, but the most upsetting thing about this book is that after reading the ending, it will be a very agonizing and excruciatingly painful wait for books four and five. This is one of those series where you just gotta get them all.
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