The thrilling adventures of Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods. Percy starts the series as a twelve year old boy who is thrown into the Greek Mythological world after discovering he is a Half-Blood, with his father being a Greek God and his mother a mortal. Rick Riordan’s young adult series revolves around Percy’s adventures which arise from feuds and revengeful relationships between the Greek Gods and other mythical figures. Spanning across five books, each quest provides Percy with personal growth as he cultivates new relationships with their own complexities. A brief description of each book in Riordan’s series follows:
- Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief: Percy has been accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt and undertakes a quest to prove his innocence and prevent a World War III between the Gods.
- Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters: Percy encounters monsters and witches, and is on a mission to find the Golden Fleece to save his friends at Half-Blood camp.
- Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse: The Titans are trying to take over the world, Percy’s friend Annabeth is missing, and a goddess is imprisoned. Worse more, the Oracle has predicted that no one will survive.
- Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth: Percy’s arch-enemy Luke wants to invade Half-Blood camp via an ancient labyrinth. Percy and four others descend into the underworld, otherwise thousands of monsters will attack.
- Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian: Kronos is beginning his attack on New York City, and the monster Typhon is coming. Percy and forty of his demigod friends go to war.
As the series develops we see Percy grow into a mature young man, who assumes the responsibility of protecting everyone close to him. Each of his quests are a path of self-discovery as he develops strength and bravery. Percy’s enemies are exposed, and throughout the series he learns their strengths and weaknesses to defeat them. He also question his father’s love for him, but soon understands that as a god, his father shows love and care in different ways.
Riordan has stayed close to Greek Mythology and intertwined the story with real world events. For example, the World Wars were a consequence of battles between the Gods, and the Gods’ actions are masked as natural disasters in the real world. The author made the link between the Gods’ realm and the mortal world appear seamless and undetectable to any mortal’s eye. The relationships between the Gods and their powers was also portrayed in line with traditional legends.
Percy’s adventures with the Greek Olympians brings unexpected twists. Riordan has done an exceptional job at tying in each book with the next. For example, prophecies which are announced early on reveal themselves in the final book. Riordan’s writing style is easy to read and provides a comfortable distraction from reality. Along with an enjoyable read, the books provide exposure to the stories of Greek mythology, with potential to expand your knowledge of these legends.
Are you excited to read this series?
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