So, suppose you're a 13 year old, dyslexic kid about to get kicked out of yet another boarding school for troubled youth. When, all in the course of one school field trip afternoon, you discover that your wheelchair-bound, favorite teacher is really a centaur; your best friend is a half goat, satyr; and the two of them are protecting you. Protecting you for what and from whom? You'll want to know especially after you have to vaporize your math teacher, who's turned into a fanged dragon. The answer, Percy Jackson, is that you are the son of Poseidon! Yes, that Poseidon -- famed Greek god, Lord of the Sea, Immortal. And there are monsters out to get you!
In modern day New York the Gods and Goddesses and Titans and -- yes -- the monsters of Greek legend and myth are real! And they're still up to their legendary habits of falling in love with and/or seducing/romantically pursuing humans. The offspring of these dalliances are half-bloods/heroes like Hercules, Achilles and Percy Jackson. Olympus, the fabled home of the gods has shifted with the shift in human power and is now in the clouds above the Empire State Building. (Reachable by elevator to the 600th floor)
There is about to be a full scale war between Ares the god of war and his brother, Zeus, king of all the gods, because Zeus believes that Ares has stolen his lightning bolt. The gods are taking sides and it's up to the heroes from the Half Blood Summer Camp to find the missing lightning bolt. Percy listens to the prophecy from the Delphi Oracle and leads the Quest. After many adventures, misadventures, near death escapes, confrontations with monsters, and a visit to the Underworld our hero and his team of half bloods prevails!
Children aged 12 - 14, especially boys, will love this blend of Greek mythology and kick-butt action adventure. It's written in an easy conversational style, as though Percy is confiding in the reader throughout the story.
I loved Percy Jackson's adventures so much that I read the next four books in the series:
Percy Jackson 2 - The Sea of MonstersPercy Jackson 4 - The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Lightning Thief was made into a movie. You can watch the trailer here.
A second movie is in the makings.
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