The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 10-14 years
By all outward appearances, Percy Jackson is a troubled youth. He has ADHD, dyslexia, and he is about to be expelled from his sixth school. After a series of disconcerting events, he discovers that he is a half-blood (his father is a Greek god) and he lands at a summer camp for children in similar circumstances. Just when he is starting to finally feel at home, he is given a special sign and is assigned a dangerous quest. Can Percy succeed in his quest and save the world from another terrible war?
This is an exciting and fast-paced adventure that I am sure most kids would find entertaining. I enjoyed it despite the almost shameless similarities to the Harry Potter series. The author has used the same successful formula implemented by J.K. Rowling. Some obvious parallels include, but are certainly not limited to: (1) the main characters are children who have special powers who must go to a school (summer camp in this instance) to learn how to hone their skills, (2) the supporting characters include a smart girl and a somewhat awkward boy, (3) the children are divided into houses - those of one house being very antagonistic toward the main character.
This book is very episodic, particularly in the middle part when the three main characters are on their way across the US and confront one monster after another. I also thought the ending was rather anticlimactic. Neither did I care for the voice. Written from 12-year-old Percy's perspective, the pre-teen jargon was overwhelming and I grew weary of it quite quickly. However, I have to admit that this is the first children's book I have read in a while that interested me enough to be willing to read the other books in the series. The bottom line is this is a fun book that young readers will enjoy, but it is not fantastic literature.
