Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I decided to get this book when I heard the film was coming out. I was very determined to watch film before reading it. Films have a habit of not being an equal to its literary counterpart and I didn't want to read it and have too high expectations before the film. So I watched and then I read.

Release Date: 1st April, 2006.

Publisher: Miramax

Age Group: Young Adult (the official website says 10 and up)
 #1 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Source: Gift

From Goodreads: Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

I lurve Greek Mythology. They were our bedtime stories as children...my sis and I. Yeah we're a bit geeky but we were told a different one each night and sometimes our favourite ones were repeated. So a modern day take on Greek Myths is 'my thing'. I thought it pretty clever how Rick...I say Rick like I know him :D intertwined the mythology with the story...like Percy having dyslexia because he's hard wired to read Ancient Greek.



It is similar to Harry Potter in the sense that it's the story of a boy...a semi outcast in the human world and finds out he's so much more in another. To me that's as far as the smilarities go though. Two totally different stories.

The Greek Myths buff in me got a chance to shine and I really enjoyed the book. It's definitely better than the movie. The comradeship between Percy, Grover and Annabeth is great to read. I enjoyed following the blossoming relationship between Annabeth and Percy and their spats. This book is a bit of a roller-coaster. Some parts have you hanging on and turning pages as fast as you can to get to what happens next then before you no it it slows down and you rather do something else for a bit. Or that could be just me.

The characters are well developed. You understand that they have layers of thoughts and emotions, past, present and future like us in the real world do. The author did a great job making them human and relate-able.I love Percy...the total underdog in every sense of the word who turns out to be hero.

I wasn't able to read in all in one...it took longer than I expected. WIth the synopsis I assumed it would have me sat there till my bum was numb but it didn't. This does not mean it's not a great book. I didn't read it all at once but it didn't take me weeks.

I'm a 'sarc queen' (as in total sarcastic lady) so the pockets of sarcasm suited me to a tee. It's definitely well below my reading level so at time it did get a little sleepy but it had so much action sequences, that sleepy feeling never lingers. I suppose it is for the little ones, so I shouldn't expect the writing to be anything but light.

VERDICT: I was infatuated with it...not in love. It is a really good book and a keeper. As soon as my lil bro can handle it, I'll be getting him the series. I am still in two mind about whether to complete the series or not as I do prefer a more challenging read (I sound like such a snob....I'm really not!). However that smidge of OCD in me will inevitably compel me to read them all. It's not total literary perfection but it's near enough. I'd reccommend it to any YA lover and Greek Mythology enthusiast.

Cover: Hmm

Story: Phwoar

Characters: Giggity

Writing: Lush

Ending: Wow