The Lightning Thief
Ratings1,470
Average rating4
Thomas Jefferson gets to judge the souls of the dead and decide if they go to good hell or bad hell or Kansas hell. It's so over 💀
infinity/5 stars “The real world is where the monsters are.”
I guess since I reread this, for perhaps the billionth time in my life, I now get the opportunity to review it. Hopefully, I don't screw this up.
I didn't like Harry Potter when I was little (though I love it now, and that's all that matters), but I can imagine that my feelings towards Percy Jackson reflect those that many people who grew up with Harry have. I couldn't get enough of the story, I told everyone I knew to read it, and I impatiently waited for the next release.
I was ten when I read PJO for the first time, only two years younger than Percy himself in the first book. Now, I am the same age as Percy, perhaps a year or so older. As Percy has grown, so have I. Through the trials of my life, and through the trial of his fictional one, it's as if we've grown together, and no matter what we do, we just can't escape one another. People complain about Rick not letting this world go, but I disagree. I just don't think I could ever let go either, as this story is a huge part of my life.
I remember ordering The Lightning Thief from a Scholastic book Magazine and receiving it at school a few weeks later. I remember sitting down and reading it for the first time ever, and loving every word. I remember spending every penny I got for Christmas on books 2-4. I remember finishing them and going to my school library craving more books on Greek Mythology. Then, one day in May, when The Last Olympian was finally released, I remember sending all the money I saved up with my mother for her to pick it up at Barnes and Noble during her lunch break. I remember taking the beautiful black book out to recess the next day to read it on the playground. The Percy Jackson books changed my 10 year old life, and it has influenced my current tastes in books and the person I am today.
I don't know where to go with this review, but I think I should talk about the characters for at least a few paragraphs. As a child, the cast was one of the first I've ever read that I could entirely relate too.
Take Percy Jackson, a young boy unsure of himself, who doesn't know where or if he belongs. Watch him learn that being different is okay, watch him become powerful and still stay humble. Or Take Annabeth, the smart girl with ambitions bigger than herself, and watch her evolve to someone who is more than just smart, but caring and wise. Even take Grover, the awkward kid with dreams of saving nature, and watch him slowly get the chance to actually live his dreams.
Yet, I want to talk about my favorite character in the series, perhaps one of my favorite fictional characters of all time: Luke. As a child, I didn't understand why I loved him so much. I found myself always rooting for him even if I probably shouldn't. With this reread, since it's been almost 6 years since I have last reread it, I thought that my more mature mind would finally see the evil traitor that others see in him. Yet, I found myself loving him even more than I previously did, and I finally figured out why I liked him so much, and I know my explanation is going to get confusing, so bare with me.
The reason: he's easy to understand.
Many antagonists in books are hazy, you don't get where they are coming from. Luke is different, it's easy to pick up why he hates the Gods so much, how they have made him feel used. He's done all these things for them, and he doesn't even receive a simple thank you. In later books, you see Percy struggle with the same issues. Percy has saved the world countless of times, had a year of his life taken away from him by the Queen of the Gods, gone through countless shit without much recognition. Even Percy is tired of the Gods, but unlike Luke, he doesn't turn evil and try to take down Olympus. I find Luke to be so interesting, because he can be used as a example of what makes Percy such a strong character. It's a Neville vs Wormtail situation. It's what could have been. I find it an interesting way to develop a character. It makes me love Luke just way too much.
It makes me love this series just way too much. It's one that I will never grow to hate, but will stay with me for ages. I will reread it more times to count, force my children one day to read it, and I will love it more with each read.
To me, this series is revolutionary.
Obviously a children's book, but the subject matter is such fun that I just didn't want to put it down.
Menurut saya buku ini menarik, apalagi yang suka dengan cerita yunani, dan untuk fast reading pun buku ini masih bisa membuat bekas di kepala.
As many others have already noted, the Lightning Thief very closely parallels the first Harry Potter book. 3 friends, special abilities, special school.... i could go on and on. Rename the characters, change wizards to gods and bam, you have Percy Jackson.
Aside from the obvious parallels, The Lightening Thief is a fun read with an entertaining cast of characters. It brings classical Greek mythology to the modern era. I had a blast reading it and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Super late to this party but dang! This was good. So glad Henry wanted me to read it to him.
I watched the movie first, but as they say “don't judge a book by its movie”; and I'm glad I didn't. The book and the movie are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!! This book was funnier, and I liked the characters even more. I'm definitely continuing with this series.
CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 6
Atmosphere: 8
Writing: 7
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 6
Logic: 9
Enjoyment: 5
Probably would have liked it a lot better when I was younger. I started this series much too late, but I'm still excited to see what Rick Riordan has in store with the next books
My frame of reference for the quality of the book is kinda wack because I saw the movie first. I also read along with a podcast chapter by chapter, which is very fun and also agonising. I don't absolutely love it, though I think much of that had to do with the fact that it definitely was a 2005 kinda book.
The story was great although I don't love how fast-paced it was. Because of that, the ending was very anticlimactic and underwhelming. It's mostly just conversations. I know there are 4 more books and I don't know if I will get that far but I am certainly reading along with the podcast until I finish the second book.
Great book, I wish I would have read this a long time ago when I was in middle school but I am happy that I read it. I can't wait for my son to read it. I'm not big on reading Greek myths. But this made me want to read more Greek myths books. The sort of twist at the end was fantastic!
Basically, the premise is the same between this book and the Harry Potter series: our tween hero and his two sidekicks (one a brainy girl, the other a bumbling boy) go on a very dangerous mission to save the world, a mission that for some reason can only be carried out by these three children. A very wise adult advises them (Chiron/Dumbledore), but does not actually get involved in the mission. Also, these children battle crazy-dangerous monsters/adults, and win every time.
So if you've already read HP this will probably feel like been-there-done-that, and it was done better before.
Haven't read HP? Then as long as you can suspend your disbelief regarding the savviness of 6th graders (which is much harder for me than suspending disbelief regarding Greek gods and monsters), you'll probably enjoy it. Taken on its own merits, this book is a pretty good read. Fast-paced, and I love the Greek mythology angle.
In the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, we meet Percy Jackson, the half-son of a Greek God. He is sent to Camp Half-Blood, where he learns more about his past, about his father, and learns that the fate of Olympus is in his hands - someone has stolen one of Zeus' lightning bolts and Percy must find it! The book is a great adventure and is part one of a series - great for children who are just getting into the joys of reading and are looking for something that will continue to go on and on. It will hold their attention and make them excited for more. Those who are fans of the Harry Potter series, of Fablehaven, of A Series of Unfortunate Events will enjoy Percy Jackson and the Olympians, especially the Lightning Thief.
I am excited for this series. There were some aspects I didn't love about the first novel, but the characters are fantastic, and I am glad I decided to read through this one. It's a shamelessly fun romp through mythology, with a terrifically sarcastic narrator.
Gostei bastante! E acredito ser uma referência de mitologia grega divertida e simples para aqueles que gostam. Linguagem fácil e envolvente a seu modo, pois é um livro muito rápido cheio de coisas acontecendo sem respirar.
obs: o filme é completamente diferente, o que, a meu ver, apenas ficou mais interessante o desfecho da luta de Percy e Luke - no filme - mais interessante que o escorpião
Reread 2022: I keep rereading this series and I keep falling in love with this world, these characters every single time. <3
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Reread July 2021: Here I am, once again, still being overly obsessed with the world of Percy Jackson. Rereading this book always makes me feel so nostalgic. This series was my childhood: loved every moment of it. Even though it is written for a younger audience it's a fun series to read for every age.
Yes, I'm happy to be back in this world again.
____________________It has been two years since I last read a Percy Jackson book, so I was quite anxious to see if I'd still likethe series as much as I did before (when I was a child and now as an adult). It did NOT dissappoint. I was loving it, I loved the foreshadowing, the beginning of an amazing friendship between Percy, Grover and Annabeth. I always highly enjoyed the first book and it was the same this time. I loved reading the beginning of Percy's journey and the betrayal of one of his, so called, friends. (I actually really liked this character when I was younger). And I still kind of like that character, but not as much as I used to. Overall, I'm so happy to be rereading this wonderful series. I feel like I've forgotten so many details._____________________
ahhh, it feels SO good to be back in this wonderful world. I missed it.
3.5/5
Having missed a childhood full of Percy Jackson I finally decided to pick up the series in time for Riordanthon.
This is another story that has an unexpected hero. I can't wait to see what Percy has in store and to see him grow up!
I've waffled back and forth between 2 and 3 stars, but decided on 3 because if my sons were reviewing it they'd give it 5 stars. They love these books and I can see why. Percy is an appealing character and Riordan writes with lots of energy.
The pink poodle was hard to take though.
Yes, it's true, please don't throw anything at me....I know. I cannot believe I have gotten this far in my book reading life without having read a Rick Riordan novel, not even one of his most famous hero one's Percy Jackson. It is such a confession and having heard so many people raving about his writing and how all of her series are so eminently enjoyable and such fun I decided that at the grand old age of 40 I really did need to try reading one.
So, in true Sound of Music style, I decided I'd start at the very beginning with the first in The Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief. And yes, I am well aware that this book is absolutely not aimed at people of my mature years however if everyone had said that about the Harry Potter novels then I am sure there would be a number of very disappointed adults out there who would feel they'd missed a wonderful experience and why can that not be true of other authors novels too. Yes this is a children's book but it doesn't mean that it can't be read and loved and enjoyed by anyone.
From the very outset, this book is pretty action packed. We meet Percy Jackson, who is on a school field trip with the other kids from his school, they are a school of delinquents and they are visiting the museum of natural history when Percy has a strange run in with his maths teacher Mrs Dodds. He could swear she turned into a monster and tried to kill him but he somehow ended up killing her but when he comes round no one knows who Mrs Dodds is, their maths teacher is someone totally different and she's been teaching them for months. From there stranger and stranger things begin happening to Percy.
This book is a really fun adventure from start to finish, we quickly learn that Percy is a son of one of the Gods, yes that's right in Riordan's world the Greek Gods are very much real and living right here in the Western World. Percy has a target on his back on account of the fact he may be the son of one of the big 3, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon but which one? He finds himself at Camp Half-Blood, a special summer camp for children of the gods where he learns more about his special powers and just what it means to be a demi-god.
He, just like Harry Potter, has his trusty sidekicks, Annabeth and Grover and in the vein of Ron and Hermione, they are there to help our hero on his adventures. This book has a fair bit of back story building in it but not so much that Riordan hasn't managed to pack in lots of enemies for our trusty trio to face and lots of colourful places for them to visit. I mean who would have imagined that Mount Olympus could be accessed from floor 600th floor of The Empire State Building? Who even knew it had a 600th floor?
I loved this book, it was fun and full of wonderful escapism and great characters. I cannot believe I waited this long to read it. It definitely won't be so long till I pick up the second in the series and spend more time finding out what adventures await Percy and his friends next summer at Camp Half-Blood as this book is left with somewhat of a cliff hanger with gives us plenty anticipation for the story ahead.