Review: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

Title: The Lightning Thief

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1

Author: Rick Riordan

Genre: Middle Grade, urban fantasy, Greek mythology

Publication date: June 2005

Published by: Disney Hyperion

Source: Own paperback

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Synopsis:

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' 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' 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.

My rating: ★★★★★
Before I read this book I saw the movie. I thought the movie was AWESOME! I had forgotten how much I loved Greek Mythology, even though I've never actually studied it. As we were watching the movie my cousin’s girlfriend told me that there were books… I was like “I have to read them!”

So about a week later I picked up this book. I was super excited to read it, and it didn't let me down. Yes, I know these books are for kids in the middle school age (my 12 year old brother is reading these books too) and I’m 18 years old…But I have to admit, this book had me hooked from start to finish, plus it was an easy read, lol.

Imagine having ADHD and dyslexia… and then later on being told that you don’t have that. That its your battle skills kicking in and that your brain is hardwired to Greek not English. Weird huh? Well not only that, imagine there’s monsters chasing you, one of them captures your mom and you end up in a place called ‘Camp Half-Blood.’ That’s as weird as things can get, right? Wrong!

Well this is exactly what happened to 12-year-old Percy Jackson. But not only that, you know those Gods from Greek mythology that are well... myths? It turns out that they’re not myths. Poseidon happens to be Percy’s father... yep, one of those Greek Gods. Which makes Percy a Demigod AKA a half-human half-god.

After all this information is thrown at Percy, he, Annabeth (his friend who is Athena‘s daughter), and Grover (his best friend/protector/satyr... half-human half-goat, in other words) set out to find his mom. But not only that. “It gets worse?” you ask? Well yes, yes it does. It turns out that Zeus’ master bolt is stolen, and guess what... they are blaming Percy for it!

That’s as worse as it can get, right? Wrong! Er... again!

This book is packed with adventures as Percy tries to save his mom and tries to clear his name all at the same time. This is a great read if you’re craving an adventure book, but its also crammed with tons of humor as well. And I have to say, you don’t have to be in middle school to read this book :) lol

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)