I was so excited to get to the last book in this series. Percy Jackson's five books have proven to be an intelligent and entertaining read full of Greek mythology and young characters determined to keep the world safe. They only have their own demigod abilities and strength of character to sustain them and while it's not always enough, the sheer will of these demigods exceeds the expectations of their enemies as well as their parents.
This fifth book takes us to the final battle foretold in a prophecy about a child of one of the big three gods - Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. This demigod will have to make a decision that will determine whether Olympus falls or survives. We have no hints as to what this decision is going to be, but Percy, the son of Poseidon, internalizes the prophecy and decides that he just has to fight as much as he possibly can. He does everything to hone his skills and enhance his chance of defeating his enemies. He thinks he has to do it all on his own. Without giving away the final decision of the prophecy, the biggest lesson Percy learns is that it's not about how strong you are, but who you can depend on that really makes you a hero. His friends are imperative components in this battle and Percy would never get to the "decision" without the fight and support of those closest to him. Even his mom, a regular human jumps in when the time comes to do battle.
The theme of this book is trust. You see what happens when trust is threatened. You see what happens when trust is given even in uncertain terms. You see the reward of trusting your friends even when your brain is telling you to run off alone. It's a wonderful lesson for young readers to learn - that you aren't alone, that you can build important relationships through your actions, through trust. It's almost like a subliminal lesson since a younger reader would definitely be all caught up in the action of a very fast-paced book.
The series wraps up but it doesn't feel like it's over. I haven't ready up on the rest of Riordan's books, but I believe these demigods reappear in other series. I definitely would like to see more of Percy Jackson and his friends. It has been great to find a young adult series that's so engaging and fun and intelligent to read.
Percy Jackson #3
The stakes are getting higher and the gods are stepping in more directly in this latest installment of Percy Jackson's saga. The situation on Earth is also getting more dire as the Titans gain strength and followers. People actually die! Then, there's the looming prophecy that the child of one of the "big 3" - Hades, Zeus, or Poseidon - will decide whether Olympus rises or falls when they turn 16. Besides Percy, there's only one other candidate so there's a lot potentially coming Percy's way.
There's finally a continual sense of urgency in this book brought about not only by the Titans' increasing strength but by the pain and sacrifice being demanded of the demigods. They're getting hurt, sacrificing themselves for the cause - really fighting like hardened soldiers instead of teenagers. And yet, Riordan hasn't created teenage characters completely devoid of angst. It's an interesting combination that I find very appealing to read.
In book #3, Annabeth and the goddess, Demeter, have been kidnapped and it's up to Thalia, Percy, and two of Demeter's immortal huntresses to find them, rescue them, and derail (well really postpone) the imminent attack of Kronos and his minions. They travel cross-country again, making new pit stops in areas of the gods which are hidden among mortals. The gods are getting more involved so we meet Aphrodite, take a ride with Apollo, and get a hint of Pan in addition to Demeter. Our half-bloods also get to Olympus and actually talk to their parents which, to me, was a huge indicator of how serious our story is getting. Demigods are the mortal instruments of the gods, not people they typically interact with directly.
Only two more books left in this series although Riordan has many others. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this story goes and thinking about diving into another series once I'm done here. I know this is YA fiction, but it doesn't feel as young as a lot of other books in this genre. It hasn't hit a slump in the narrative yet as many other series fall victim to and it continues to stay steadily engaging. Percy Jackson is still a big recommendation from me.
This second book is Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series is no less exciting than the first. It's a little more mystical than Lightning Thief but the basic plot is the same - there's trouble among the gods and kids from Camp Half-Blood must go on a quest to save the day.
More characters come into play this time around and we start to get to know more campers. The gods are more prevalent as well even without playing directly into the action. They're really still only big behind the scenes. The same evil is being fought as Luke assists Kronos who's literally trying to pull himself together to destroy Olympus, but nothing is as obvious as it seems. Motive is always a little sneaky when working with the gods and what might feel like a win to Percy and his friends initially might not actually turn out for the best.
The primary impetus for this book's quest is the attack of Camp Half-Blood. Protective spells keeping the camp safe have been weakened enough that monsters are getting in to wreak havoc. Thalia's tree has been poisoned and is slowly dying along with the spirit of Zeus' daughter. The only thing that can save both the tree and the camp is the Golden Fleece. By chance (and I feel like that should really be in air quotes) this long-lost item is discovered by Grover, the satyr, who comes upon the fleece on a cyclope's island during his own quest to find Pan. All these pieces come together and the quest to bring back the fleece and save Grover begins.
With a lot of missteps and near-death run-ins on the way, our adventurers, Percy and Annabeth, strike out with new allies: Tyson, a young cyclopes who's also a son of Poseidon and eventually Clarisse, a slightly dense demigod of Ares' making. It's another exciting adventure written in a way that makes you truly believe the unbelievable. It's really hard to put the book down.
Two books into the series (of 5 I believe) and I'm really enjoying Percy Jackson's adventure. With a prophecy now revealed, we know this all leading up to some big climax to take place when Percy turns 16 and I"m really looking forward to the big reveal.
