Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief review
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
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I think Rick Riordan actually wrote the demigods as dyslexic because his son has dyslexia and had never seen a hero with it, which is pretty cool
Yes, ADHD as well. That's also why they are represented so realistically and so convincingly. It's kind of awesome :)
I know that Rick used to tell his son a few stories of Greek Mythology which influenced him to write this series for other kids.
came to write this
@@nathanbeer3338 rick told his son all the greek myths he knew and when he didn't have more he started to mak his own(percy jackson) (sorry if my English is bad it's not my first language)
It also makes sense. Dyslexia because they’re made to read Ancient Greek. ADHD because of battle reflexes.
Attracting monsters, Killing monsters, and making bad decisions is ”typical” of Greek mythology.
That's like all of Odysseus journey.
Agreed
Yes, Rick indeed said he wrote the books with all these in mind, I like how they aren't plot conviniences but more like making the characters go through such unnecessary horrible things usually causing them to lose something or lose time from their quest.
Yes and that was exactly why I like the percy series
that's book 2
Merphy: "I really enjoyed it!
Me: "YESSS!!!"
I actually said this 😂😂
Honestly I felt as she talked about the book!
The first book was actually ok but after that it’s all down hill. The books just starts to get really repetitive with the “oh no we’re going to die nothing can save us,” and then against all odds they come out completely unharmed. However other than a bad plot the book has a great writing style and characters that I was able to relate to as a kid.
Sorry about any spelling or grammar errors I made. I’m on a phone that’s making it hard to type.
yaaaaaassssssssssss
Stewart Wani Exact sage reaction. Despite being a book for kids, this story is enjoyable to all ages
I really enjoyed when they were right at Medusa's lair and Percy is like "what does that say" and Annabeth says "i dont know" and they have this little throw away line about Percy saying they he forget annabeth was also dyslexic because she loved to read so much, and i think in a kids book thats huge because i think a lot of young kids probably always thought that if someone was dyslexic that its impossible for them to read but shows that it may be more challenging in some aspects but no less capable to read like everyone else. Little stuff like that is why i still find it easy to reread Rick's books at 22, over 10 years after I first discovered them, because he seems to understand the importance of the little things even in middle grade literature with a lot of diversity through all his mythology books
I love the throw away line too, especially due to *SPOILERS* regarding them. I think you can tell that the *SPOILERS* are already developing
Yeah I also liked that due to the fact that I have dyslexia and have been given a hard time about it in the past.
I've never had dyslexia but I have had to deal with my ADD/ADHD and I liked the fact that the reason that demigods have it is because it's their combat reflexes
The part I love about that exchange is that Annabeth is the smartest person Percy knows and the exchange reminded him that she also has the same reading problems he does despite being a child of Athena.
Annabeth doesn't read in English tho, she reads Greek books because they can read it perfectly
The Percy Jackson series is one of, if not the only series that the main protagonist is my favorite character.
Wtf he's so annoying though
Yeah same and that's the reason I didn't like heroes of Olympus that much bcoz Percy was such a neglected character
@@lutherfloyd597 what planet do you live on lmaoo
its f i n e
@@hunnypie5790 Its like reading bizarre Harry Potter fanfiction.
@Luther Floyd How? I’m curious about your reason.
The monster thing is actually not just cause it’s a kids story like maybe partially, but that kind of “meet a monster, fight it, then meet another monster” is actually very common in Greek mythology. An example would be The Argo AKA The Quest Of The Golden Fleece where they would run into harpies and sirens and a lot more and stuff. So I find it pretty cool though yes it’s extremely formulaic.
Also the story gets more and more complex after awhile so have fun with that. Srsly it gets really sad so heads up on that.
And the part about them constantly making stupid decisions is accurate. If you’ve ever been a twelve year old with ADHD, you know it’s accurate. When I was twelve, I would make decisions like that because I have ADHD.
12 year olds make dumb decisions, period lol but yes, Rick's formulaic approach is a nod towards the Greek Myths and how the heroes would run into random monsters along the way
Also Percy's personality is just like that. He makes stupid decisions ALL.THE.TIME. (it's very entertaining) That's why Annabeth is around
@@maryalicesheley6468 Yeah, to balance everything/everyone off. It sort of gives Annabeth a purpose instead of being just the token female.
Very true merphy should check out actual Greek stories to go along with her reading this series
I understand your points about the middle being kind of repetitive. But I would at least want to inform you that it’s less of a “it’s a kid story so it’s okay” and more of an actual homage to how Greek Epics and stories were written. The second book in particular, which is HEAVILY based off of the Odyssey, has a lot of that repetition you mentioned because that’s how the Odyssey was written. Meet a monster, fight a monster, make a mistake, repeat. So while I do understand how the repetition can get boring, I really really appreciate Riordan’s dedication to making the books really feel like a Grecian story.
thanks for the info, gotta love ma boi Rick
Exactly lol, I was going to mention that
I might play contrarian here. Wouldn't it be better to find a middle ground that achieves both the Grecian feel while appeasing the modern reading standards? Love the books to death though.
It only bothered me in Heroes of Olympus tbh.
@@yiklongtay6029 but it does fit modern reading standards since the book is for children.
Too Be fair Ares in this book is not that different from his "real" mythos. That is one of the more interesting things that Rick does, he never really changes how the gods were portrayed in ancient times, however he does give them a different spin sometimes. Also way less rape and incest.
Which I appreciate (the lack of rape and incest, rape, in particular)
@@Modulates Lol, the ancients did seem rather obsessed with it.
@@rezkel7404 The greek myths were basically Game of Thrones.
@@leonmayne797 I would watch the shit out of a HBO interpretation of the Olympians. Between the war of the Titans and the war of the Giants . Not to mention everything before and after there is a crap ton they could do with it.
I mean this is a children's book.
The thing with sending him across the country: Demigods can't reject mission when they're given! It's an ancient thing since greek myths and it's tradition for them.
lovely things Yes! Also, the quest and prophecy go hand in hand. Chiron knows not to interfere with a prophecy. Those two kids were gonna go with or without a prophecy, or Chiron’s approval, so it’s believable that he arms them as best he can and sends them into a monster storm! 😅
Also everyone would probably die if he rejected it
That’s why Chiron made him agree to take the quest before he got the prophecy
The small boy in me is jumping out of exictement and Percy is one of the most likable charcter i have ever read considering now i have read many genres and almost books from all groups
I like the fact that he's not prefect at everything
@@smpzpzpz Harry or Percy ?
I have read just so many books but Percy will remain my favourite for whole life . I can read a whole if only there is a little mention of him
And his relationship with Annabeth is the most realistic healthy relationship that I have read.
I believe that as a childrens series, Percy Jackson is one of the best series out there for that demographic. I read them all when I was 11-14 and It got me into reading so thank you Rick Riordan. Also they don't take themselves too seriously, its hilarious. My favourite part is when they are celebrating fortuna and percy asks 'you have a feast for tuna?' That was just so funny to me.
Anna Kelk it’s been so long since I read the books but that joke still gave me a laugh. God, these books were a gem.
Same. My love for books started with PJO
Was this scene not in Hero of the olympic?
@@obviouslyniko yup, that’s in Heroes of Olympus. Fortuna is Roman
The 'formulaic middle part' would typically be a poor writing choice in most books. However, in Percy Jackson it's really smart because it harkens back to the original Greek myths. The second book in particular is a re-telling of The Odyssey, and it's very common in Greek myths for the hero to wander into a monster's lair seemingly randomly while on a quest. Hence, Percy!
This one is more about OG Perseus (fighting against Medusa, getting flying sandals, etc.) than about Odysseus. each of the first five books takes a lot of inspiration from one Greek hero (sprinkled with other myths).
Book two is based off the Odyssey
Book 3 I think is inspired partly by a few of Heracles' tasks (Atlas and the sea god thing)
4 is Theseus and 5 is Achilles, I think
Y’all just blew my mind. I never connected that he was referencing specific hero’s journeys and stories each book. I always thought it was kinda random (except for Jason and the Odyssey in book 2). Never really put together the other ones.
This book was so important for me during a difficult time of my childhood. I remember when Percy was talking about accepting his mother's wedding to Smelly Gabe because he just wanted his mother to be happy, and after a short while after reading that my parents told me they were getting divorced and I remember just thinking "I don't like this, but just like Percy I want my parents to be happy, so I'm going to accept it.". And I know that Smelly Gabe was /the/ worst and Sally wasn't actually happy with him, but that sentiment that Percy had actually helped me cope with one of the most difficult times of my life.
😊
Something I really liked is that, even though he's the god of death, Hades wasn't one of the antagonists of the story. Yes, he rules over death, but he isn't automatically evil because of it. That was nice 🙂 Plus the twist, even though the prophecy fortold it, that when Percy finally made it and got to the underworld, he had to leave again without his mom.
katakana1 in general in Greek mythology, hades is pretty chill and usually keeps to himself. We all know the real assholes are Zeus and Poseidon.
And he also tries to be a good parent for Nico.
@@saraangel6696 Yeah, I know :) I mean, he did kidnapp Persephone, but he also agreed to let her leave, and when he learned she had eaten some of the seeds, have her visit her mother and the other gods during summer. Zeus and Poseidon, man did they trick and force their way onto women constantly, and then leave them to face the trouble/wrath from other people and gods alone.
@@stranger8447 Yeah :) After I read book 5 I understood really well why he was that angry. He's the only one who honoured the no-more-kids agreement, but Zeus tried to kill his kids that was born before the agreement (killing their mother/Hades's love interest in the process) because, yes, there was a chance they could have destroyed Olympus, but there was also a chance they could have saved it. And then later on after the agreement both he and Poseidon has kids, and don't kill them because yes, there's a chance they could destroy Olympus, but there is also a chance they could save Olympus.
@@1Katakana And in the myths about Hades he only had one real affair with a nymph.
Then whole “meet a monster” thing is modeled after how actual Greek myths would play out
It just gets repetitive after awhile. I get it’s modeled after Greek myths, but for 5 book series it can boring if you can predict the outcome of the story before you’ve read it. It just gets predictable and less fun.
Maya Rosenzweig I do agree that can get repetitive, but I always found the cast of PJO and their reactions to each of these new challenges more than made up for it. The strength in these books has always and will always be their characters.
And it is such a RPG adventure. Get your group, get your magic weapon, Level up, solving puzzles, random monsters encounters, fighting the boss, get more itens, a missing link to continue the adventure next week. Just a fun history, it dosent need to be deep.
I was about to say that
@@mayarosenzweig96 I read this when I was 12, and the format made total sense in my mind
Well good news is that there’s literally a book called house of Hades, and like we get a lot of scenes in the underworld in the future, if you wait like a few books the books are gonna get so much better
i was gonna say the same thing!
House of Hades is great. Just... I’d rather not say anything, but prepare to be mad at Rick.
Mitra Zaker that’s the one I’m reading currently and so far it’s my favorite in the HOO series! And who knows, it might rank as my fav of all Rick’s books. We’ll see.
The 5th and final book was my fav in the PJ series. So good. Just so good.
Wait a few books? HoO is a whole different series. She just finished book 1 of series 1! House of Hades is book 3 of series 2, that's a lot of books to get through first.
Christopher Thomson even more than that, House of Hades is book 4 of series 2
Going off from what you said about liking the books being very descriptive and explain how the world logic works, I can tell you that Riordan is nothing like Rowling in this regards, as he does not spend a lot of time describing things and explaining, but rather he gives hints and pieces of information a lot more subtly and more blend in the narrative and lets the reader draw the conclusions
personally i think this works better for the story. the move around too much for him to keep describing everything in detail anyway
Rowling did that too. It isn't a perfect dichotomy. Rowling simply has forgotten how to have a spine in the later parts of her career
I'm going to say it "I like Percy Jackson more than Harry Potter", there I said it.
yes
Agree
Yepp
Hard agree.
If it’s just the five pj books then I prefer hp but if we are including heroes of Olympus and/or trials of Apollo then definitely pj
I'm a Percy Jackson UA-camr and Podcaster and there is just so much good in this series that can be explored and enjoyed. I love the series, flaws and all, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it also !
lmao i saw you from amino
Imagine how the dyslexia representation feels for little dyslexic kids, how it makes them feel validated as well. We love.
I feel like never talk about how amazing the chapter titles are in this series. The chapter titles are one of the best parts in the series yet they never get recognition.
@Katrina Shefferly
This has nothing to do with what you’re discussing, but I love your profile picture.
Estelle Smith Thank you! I love this beautiful trash goblin.
Katrina Shefferly
Yeah, the trash goblin is amazing.
Omg yes
i have been WAITING not so patiently FOR THIS
The scenes of the Underworld are almost a perfect recreation of Orpheus' journey to free Eurydice. He doesn't say that, but Riordan definitely does it intentionally.
Could you explain how exactly? I'd *love* to know
I think when percy was asking about the underworld chiron told him about orpheus's story
@@shosty575 So, in the legend of Orpheus, he loses someone he loves (his wife or fiancée, depending on the tale, in Percy's case his mother), bribes Charon to ferry him across, gets by Cerberus by calming him down (Orpheus used music, they use a ball), and cross the fields of Asphodel to Hades's palace where he petitions him for Eurydice, ultimately coming up empty handed. Orpheus had the whole affair of not looking behind him, which sadly was left out, but the rest is a brilliant way of modernizing the original myth.
I really like Merphy's reviews. Most people just say "I really like this book! I liked this and this and this" but Merphy actually gives you the positives and negatives
I thought you were reviewing the movie. I was like: "No! Read the book first!"
I misread that title so bad. I need my eyes checked, and I already depend on glasses.
No "read the books first". Don't watch movies at all, if you want to keep your sanity.
Maybe you're a dyslexic demigod too lmao
Percy Jackson is definitely my favorite series, even as an adult, because I'm a huge nerd for Greek Mythology. Learning about that through a kids perspective was so fun and interesting. Percy is a wonderful and down to earth protagonist and Riordan is definitely a writing god for creating such wonderful characters. I'm so glad you enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the rest of your reviews for this series.
I do recommend researching a bit on greek mythology, at least basics... because although the books do a great job of explaining stuff it does help yo know more and be able to figure stuff out on your own.
Percy Jackson was my first doorway to the epic tales of the Greek Mythology, you can learn a lot of morals from this topic.
Me: Sees Merphy about to start Percy Jackson
Also me: Reads all 5 books in 4 days during quarantine
@Severus Von Emreis Haha
I'm actually Dumbledore
"1000 points to Gryffindor "
Hahaha yes, I’m in the process of reading everything again
book 2 isn't as good BUT STICK WITH IT BECAUSE BOOK 3 IS THE BEST
came down to the comments section to say the same thing!
I gave up on the series halfway through book 3. I just could not get into it. Guess it was not my cup of tea
Respectfully disagree, book 2 is my favorite in the series, and book 3 was the most boring to me
I love the third book(Titian’s Curse, I believe) the Damn/Dam joke. But he kills her! I mean SERIOUSLY! He kills two of my favorite characters!
@@EuiHwanP book two is actually pretty solid imo, definitely not as good as everything post chapter 5 in TLT but it's still not subpar
My husband set me on to this book series. I never read them as a kid but he loved this series so much I thought I’d give them a try. I am both dyslexic and ADHD. BOY did I enjoy feeling like I had a place in the world. As a 22 year old woman this book convinced me I was a Demigod. It gave me so much joy, I wish I would have read these years ago as a kid.
Throughout Rick’s books, so many characters are so very relatable on so many levels. Diversity is everywhere without it having to define a whole character, and dyslexia is only the tip of the iceberg. After all, there is so much more to Percy than just being the “dyslexic kid”
Don't worry, Grieving will be explored a lot in future books. Happy you enjoyed it. It was also my first time reading someone with dyslexia.
Omg yesss you liked it! The next books are even better! And also "the heroes of olympus" series (imo its even better than PJO)!
I dont think heroes of Olympus was better!....it was basically the same thing over again!
@@starsong7725 im sorry. did you even read house of hades????? probs the best rick Riordan book tbh
@@kylejones1466 Yes yes yes yes yes! Frank's moment in the House of Hades is AWESOME.
my favourite books are personally the Magnus Chase books (I needed the sassy titles and I love the sassy elf) but ugh Heroes of Olympus was awesome
I honestly gave up on HOO halfway through the first book. 😂😅
@@Noname-il1qm aww. i remember being annoyed that we got different characters but the series got better when i was used to that.
Book 2 is my least favourite in the series. It is also the shortest book. However book 3 is really great!
Hope you have fun reading😀
That fact that Merphy enjoyed this so much makes me feel like a proud momma. 💯💯
As a reader, I'm the exact opposite of Merphy. I read mostly middle grade books. Once in a while, I'll pick up a YA book, but those are more "on the verge of being middle grade, but a little more mature".
That being said, it's really common for the main character (or an important side character) of a middle grade book to have a disability. At least, most of the middle grade books I stumble upon are like that. I cannot count how many times I've read a book that enters around a blind, deaf, depressed, dyslexic, ADHD, OCD, etc. kid.
I really like that about middle grade books. Those kinds of books were made to teach kids that people are people, no matter how different they are.
Really? For me this was the first book with a protagonist with a disability, and the first with a character with a disability that has a positive twist.
I'm so happy you're going to continue on with the series!
I'm so happy you liked the book! Please stay away from spoilers and that filthy thing called The Lightning thief movie, because the series develops so well and you wouldn't want to get spoiled! Another great video and don't forget your Avatar promises. Looking forward to it!
What movie? There is no Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief movie in real life.
@@SebasTian58323 Yes there is a movie , but it's awfully made , just trash
I'm almost finished re-reading all of the books set in this world, and MAN, you're in for a treat. The first five are pretty great on their own, and then the Heroes of Olympus series takes it to another level.
I'm so happy you enjoyed it.
Due to the mythology aspect, a lot of middle schools read this are part of their curriculum and it brings a love of reading to a lot of students
This review brings back so many memories! I guess I have to start reading Percy Jackson again
Ps: I love your channel! Thanks you so much for opening the world of book tube for me
So I just reread this book for the first time in years, and regarding him being too ok with his mom being "dead" I feel like Percy was in denial that she was gone. He immediately latched on to the idea that he could bring her back since the Underworld existed now, so I saw it as him flat-out refusing to think of her as dead and instead fixated on the idea of bringing her back. That's why his lack of sadness didn't really feel off for me.
This is a very normal reaction for kids. The same happened to me when my granny died. It was 3 months later, when I started school and I was alone in my house (my parents were working) that the weight and the pain of the loss hit me. I was 16 yo.
My greatest joy as a teacher this year was getting one of my favorite students to read this series. I saw her with the 8th book that she got from the library and asked her how she liked the series. She didn't realize there were other books! I ended up bringing her my copies from home.
I know people look at this as kind of a Harry Potter ripoff, but it's so much more than that. Since Riordan was a teacher, the kids feel like kids. They act like real kids that we watch grow up and they have real kid problems. Plus, as you go further in the series, you'll find there is a lot more diversity than in the HP series.
This was actually the book that got me to read in the first place so hearing that you enjoyed it made me ecstatic!
I'm so happy you liked the book. I'm going to be honest and warn you that book 2 isn't quite as good but the series from then just gets better and better :D
Kristien Whitneyjohns I’ve just read book 2 the beginning was a bit of a drag and I had to stop reading for a month or 2 but then it started to pick up the pace and I enjoyed it
I like Sea of Monsters but I guess I'm in the minority
I've read it twice and I loved it so much the second time around when it was my least favorite back on that first time, which is strange
Book 2 ain't bad, honestly. I particularly like how it subverted the quest trope in the series
Book 2 is my comfort book I love it so much for some reason
The mum thing actually makes a lot of sense. He decided that when he goes down to Hades he’s going to try and save his mum. It was not “brushed under the rug” you can’t exactly speak about that plan. Remember what Chiron said? If I remember correctly, there were some sentences reminding him of his mum. He didn’t exactly have time to mourn. He had to go on a quest so he wasn’t turned into a dolphin!
You could also say there wasn't much reason to mourn because, in his mind, his mum wasn't truly gone - he was going to get her back.
It was less "my mum is dead" and more "I won't be able to see my mum for a while".
Can not WAIT for you to read the entire series, books 2+4 are my faves, still currently reading book 5 tho😍 book 4 was honestly EPIC
Five is amazingly epic
5 is a nonstop ride from top to bottom
wait till HoO too oh my god it's so good
First proper book I read
I have extreme dyslexia and ADHD
Made me feel good to especially at the age I read it
I dont think ive ever clicked on a video so fast 😂😂
@Severus Von Emreis lmao why is it insufferable? I am a hufflepuff...not sure what u mean by that but okay
I love it when people get into things like this around the same time as I do. I have to take a break between PJO and HOO due to shipping delays but I'm still very new in the grand scheme.
I just wanna read that series NOW..
If it wasn't for this pandemic I would've already begun the series,😭😭
Thanks for the suggestion..😊
Now that I think of it..that's awesome.
@Severus Von Emreis What's with you and page 394? You keep commenting about it.
I have them all in epub, if you want them I could send them to your email
The whole series is actually on youtube as an audiobook I think. No kindle required!
Ive got a link for online library, u want it? You can borrow for an hour at a time
I was sooooo waiting for this after you decided a bit uncertain to read it. I discovered Percy this year, being 31, and loved it!! I laughed, I got that same awesone feeling when I read HP for the first time. Cheers from Panama!
So happy to know you're enjoying Percy Jackson, it really is just a great series to get swept up in the adventure.
The action in this book was so good.
especially the Ares fight
Oh I love her son roaming and playing around her...😍😍😍
I just finished the Harry Potter series as a college student for the first time which was really fun but the Percy Jackson books are what I grew up on. I love them to death b/c of nostalgia and its interesting since you're doing the opposite
I was soo scrared that you won't like it; even though I know it is amazing. I am soooooo happy i was proven wrong.
You secretly know its bad.
You're soooooo gonna love the next books in the series. Books 3 to 5 especially are amazingly emotional and action-packed and fun and sad and everything. Watching Percy and his friends grow up and dealing with more mature concerns is just the best. So looking forward to seeing you discovering more about this world and those characters.
I'm glad you enjoyed this as much as I did 😁
I'm currently reading the second book
I love this channel ❤
Thank you so much for reviewing this book! My hands are shaking ahh how do I type I have so much to say.. I'm really happy that you enjoyed it, I'm rereading the series while finishing the latest book.
As someone who read this series as an adult, after watching.. the movie (@ other fans I'm Really Sorry!) I knew some things, like Luke being the antagonist and Percy being the son of Poseidon etc. But the book surprised me? I went in without expecting too much, tbh. As for 'they run into monsters' thing, it used to bother me until I learned that that's how old Greek plays were like, the heroes would embark on quest! And just run into monsters randomly!
I didn't remember Greek myths that I learned as a child, so this entire series (Percy Jackson-Heroes of Olympus-Trials of Apollo) basically taught me everything I know now. Since I didn't really know the myths well these books were really really fun for me, including the generally unpopular ones. Percy's such a fresh character, sassy badass little guy I love him. There's another character you'll meet in book 3 who's... basically all of our son? Yeah.. he's our baby.
I'm a huge fan of the underworld too! If you're really into that, there's one story in the companion book the Demigod files (it takes place between book 4 and book 5) and of course, if you can keep up with all of the books, House of Hades (book 4 of the Heroes of Olympus series) is.. mostly set in the underworld. I know a lot of PJO fans didn't continue the series and read only the first five, which is understandable since the other two series delve into Roman mythology as well, but it'd be really nice if you did continue.. No pressure though!
Most PJO fans will tell you that the series validated us in one way or another, majority of us are poc lgbt+ and Uncle Rick keeps giving us the rep we deserve. There's a whole group of girls like me in this series! The first 5 book didn't have as much representation, but Rick's other works do. I wish I had this series growing up, like you said, it's really charming.
My hands are still shaking....... Btw your pronunciation is fine, just.. beware of the audiobooks they don't have all the correct pronunciations..
Oh yeah! Some things didn't make sense when I read it first, still don't, because there are a few pretty big.. errors, some Rick himself admitted, but most things end up making sense/ explored more at some point even if it's in another series. ...I really need a word for series within series.
I am just going to have to pick up this series now.
@Severus Von Emreis
No.
Ahhh! I’m so glad that you liked it! But honestly, the next books only get better, and it’s such a crazy journey. I wish I could reread this as though I haven’t read it before. The first time reading this series is so magical ♥️
You weren't convinced when Percy made foolish decisions? Wait until you have teenagers!
Thank you for finally reviewing these!! I enjoy your thoughts and perspective. I hope you love this series when you can see the arc across all five books(mini spoiler: keep tissues handy later on). Then, I hope you continue on to the second pentalogy. Keep being you and thanks!!!
This warms my heart so much since this is literally the book that got me into reading for fun. My slow-Reading self binged all 5 books over a 3 year time span, and I finished the first book I think in 5th grade. Now I’m curious if you’ll read Eragon, Merphy 😂😂
This series inspired me to go back and read some of the Greek myths. I found Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" be an incredible resource. Highly recommend that you read it after you finish Book 5.
Rick Riordan made Percy dyslectic was because his son is. If I remember correctly he wrote the whole series to his son to encourage him reading.
Yay! I voted for Percy Jackson, so I'm glad you enjoyed it! I think you'll continue to enjoy the books, because the character development is on point. Also, if you were to decide to look into some of the greek mythology that Rick Riordan incorporates into his books, it's highly accurate. I actually learned a lot while reading the books the first time and I think that's pretty cool!
I feel like you'll enjoy the heroes of Olympus so much more
Ew, I hate HoO 😂
I was thinking this same thing! I’m in love with all of the characters from this series. Leo Valdez >>>
Meh. PJO is way better, imo. HoO is good but not as good as the OG.
hmm i like them both for different reasons. the best part was seeing percabeth actually play out
@@KingBowserVlog i think its a lot more mature and discuses many more serious issues. I dont rmbr much from it but i reread house of hades often enough and percys thoughts and feeling towards the monsters in tarturous(sp?) Were very interesting like the scene where he fights the curses or when he learns to control any liquid like i dunno thats my favourite rick riordan book
Once you reached the third book, you get hooked, at least I did.
Also you have to read the Heroes of Olympus, it's so worth it!
Yay! This is one of my favorite series I’ve ever read!!
Severus Von Emreis
go away snivellus
I've always loved Rick Riordan's books and how they set things up early on or go in a natural progression. Like the lore is pretty interesting. If you continue reading the series there are some short stories between book 4 and 5 that help understanding some things.
The way the underworld is set up, with the Fields and judgement, is pulled straight from the original Greek myths, probably with a few small tweaks.
I'm very glad you'll be continuing with the series! I think it really finds its feet in book 2 and is such a great epic story surrounding a very charming character
While the stumbling into monsters on a quest theme never really goes away, I feel like The Lightning Thief is the only one in the first series that leans on that so heavily. With every book, it gets less and less, culminating in the final book which I don’t think does at all
EDIT: also if u like the underworld, we don’t Explore it a ton in the main series but we miiight go to it again later in the series (there is also a short story collection called the Demigod Files set between books 4 and 5 where we really explore it with Percy and 2 characters you haven’t met yet and it’s honestly my favorite of the short stories)
Yay! I'm so glad you gave these books a chance. My sister works as a tutor and she's asked me what books I'd recommend to get a young teen boy into reading and this series is always at the top of my list for that.
Please try Skulduggery Pleasant too.
Yessss
Started reading that finally while in ISO and it's sooo good
Yess!! Think she would love it.
I’m really glad that you enjoyed the book! I’d like to point out, though, that I think you could have read this through with a critical eye looking for character motivations and detailed explanations of how things work and still have been satisfied. Every character in the Percy Jackson series has core motivations that impact all their decisions and actions, in fact, so much so that it’s possible to pick up instances of foreshadowing back in the third book for plot twists and reveals that don’t happen until the second series.
Perfect timing for this as I just finished the series
I don’t buy very many physical books anymore just because I don’t have space in my home for them.
But I bought the whole of the Percy Jackson series as a box set, as well as the second quintet centering around Jason Grace, particularly because my son has ADHD and I have ADD, and these were books we read together.
The fact that the learning disabilities were explained as a mark of what the kids were, aka demigods, was so forefront and normalized, made the purchase totally worth it. It helped my son with his self-esteem. I feel like there needs to be more stories for middle grades that normalize what they are going through.
Also, your reaction to finding Percy’s descriptions of his dyslexia so accurate and validating: priceless! I felt tears prick as you spoke. At the very least, it makes me happy that you got to feel validated like that. We all need a dose if it every now and then.
Don't watch the movie. Just . . . don't do it.
I'm really glad you enjoyed it! You made really good points about the novel--some of which i havent considered before. This series has been something that brought me joy, and hearing you say it made you so happy while reading brings a smile to my face.
Things get more complex from here! Looking forward to your reaction to the next ones. I'd also love to hear your thoughts on the characters moreso as you experience more with them😊
Hope you're doing well! (Also your son opening the window was adorable)
Merphy: I will be continuing on with the series
Me: Along with the like four others and more to come, right?
Thank you so much for reviewing this book!! I can’t wait for your videos regarding the rest of the series. Welcome to the ride! I always agree with you about so many things and I’m so happy that this was no exception.
I will say that I did read these at the recommended age, and it's been awhile, but I feel like the emotional stakes rise. I get a lot of sad/happy etc. feelings when thinking about the books, particularly book 5.
hey there!! excellent review!! and welcome to one of my favorite series!! it gets a lot better with every book, and the writing gets more mature as you go down the line of books. I HIGHLY recommend you make the attempt to finish the series! book 5 is one of the best finale books I've ever read with many scenes being really iconic in my memory.
to understand how Luke and Ares relate, as I'm sure you know Luke stole Hades' helm of darkness and the master bolt during the Winter Solstice, Zeus sent all the gods out to get the items of power back. Ares caught luke, and Kronos told Luke what to say in order to convince Ares to hide the items of power for a little bit in order to spark a huge war.Ares let Luke go afterwards.
Girl, Sally Jackson is one of the best book parents she had a freaking personality Which is so rear
*rare, but I agree.
I'm so happy you finally read The Lightning Thief!
I read them back when I was 11 and I figured who Percy's dad was way before it was revealed, so that is that.
I am really glad for your review (now I really want to re-read the series for the 3953583rd time).
I hope to see your See of Monster review soon!
Enjoy!
“I don’t know much about Greek mythology” oh boy, just wait lol.
So glad that you enjoyed it! I read this first a couple of years ago with a book group I was teaching and cannot underplay how much the kids loved it. I also really enjoyed it and you are right that sometimes it is tough to suspend your critical adult reader brain and just go with the story but when you can it is so much fun. A great protagonist, wonderful relationships and lots of action to keep the pace going. Oh, and the humour :-) a go to series for anyone wanting kids to develop a love of reading.
If you liked this book,
Let me tell you *you are in for a treat*
With the next books and afterwards the heroes of Olympus series is even better
I’m so glad you loved a book that means so so much to me! Continue to update us on this series! A lot of the themes or trends in these books are very similar to Greek myths, such as the whole linear scale of a “quest”.
If Merphy continues this series, she should also read hereos of olympus. It's really good :D
Dream Master Yesss!!
I'm sure he has more series after that too! Havent read them though :'(
I loved that series even more that PJO, and thats saying something cause i love PJO
And kane's Chronicles and Apollos trials and Magnus Chase.
I love each one of Riordan's books.
@@kristienwhitneyjohns2215 He does indeed! Egyptian mythology with Kane Chronicles, Norse mythology with Magnus Chase, and a continuation after Heroes of Olympus with Trials of Apollo
So glad you decided to read Percy. I use him in my English classes to help with engagement and as a fun way to teach mythology. Thank you for sharing!
How about the Trials of Apollo series? I highly recommend that one
I am so so happy you enjoyed this book!! I'm always afraid when booktubers read something popular for the first time that it just wont live up to the hype for them. I'm just really glad that you liked it and got to relate to it and I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts!
I don’t know why, but I love the 2nd and 4th books more than the 1st
it felt like his writing style improved throughout. also the later books lean less on the formulaic cycle of meeting monsters
First off, glad you enjoyed this because we all knew you would and you went out on a limb to read it finally and I'm so glad you did! Second, It's possible you know this but Rick actually has a dyslexic/ADHD son whom he wrote the books for, hence why the portrayal of both are so good! I just think that's so sweet.
Do I smell COnVerSIoN?
Come to the dark side!
im so happy your going to continue reading! his books get better as you go, not just cuz the story ramps up but his writing style and diversity as well.