The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1)

Reader reviewed by Kaitlyn

Percy Jackson thinks that he is just a normal kid with dyslexia and ADHD... until his math teacher turns into a monster and tries to kill him. It is shortly after that he discovers he is not a normal kid, but a demigod: son of Poseidon.

I was skeptical about reading this book at first, because I thought it would be too child-like. Finally, though, with the movie coming out, I decided to read it, and I am glad that I did. This book is exciting, funny, and suspenseful. I had a hard time putting it down. The characters are well-rounded and likable, and I really enjoyed learning some mythology in the context of the story.

I think that anyone who enjoys fantasy books or mythology will enjoy this book. The only thing that bothers me about it, and the reason I give it a four, is because I don't really like books in the first person, but that's probably just a personal thing.

Reader reviewed by lino

This was the best book ever, with so much exciting stuff inside. Percy is so hilarious, and him and Annabeth and Grover make the perfect combo. I love how they dectructively go from place to place with all sorts of unusual adventures like the St. Lewis Arch and Denver. This is one of my FAVORITE BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reader reviewed by Crimin

. . .then this is the book for you!! (Review may have spoilers.)

Percy Jackson, the troubled, misunderstood boy with below-average grades and horrible dyslexia. Sure, the kid tries to do the right thing but is mostly punished whenever he throws a punch in the name of his friend Grover or tells on the girls picking on them. If that isnt bad enough, he has to go home to a horrible step-father that treats him and his mother like dirt.

Can a kid get a break?

He sure does.

After a rampaging Minotaur (but, shhh! Dont speak its name!) wrecks his step-fathers car and murders his mother, Percy finds himself, his best friend Grover by his side, at the Half-Blood Camp grounds. And he finds that he isnt so bad after all, just misunderstood. Turns out, every child there is a the son or daughter of a God or Goddess of Olympus. Including Percy.

This story of a boy finding out about his heritage and learn, above all else, that nothing is impossible should be dubbed the next best think to Harry Potter. I enjoyed each minute of it and I cannot wait to purchase and read the second, third, fourth, and fifth books in the series.

Reader reviewed by Carly Morrison

The Lightning Thief is one of my favorite books mostly because of how well it was written. This story is filled with fantasy, adventure and betrayal. It is also just the first book in the series by Rick Riordan. 

This book takes you inside the life of Percy Jackson who is a twelve-year-old boy with dyslexia who tends to get into a lot of trouble. He has jumped from school to school always getting expelled for some unexplainable reason. Percy finally figures out who he truly is when his best friend Grover shows up at the cottage his mom and him are staying at. They are pursued by monsters and almost killed but in the end make it to a Summer Camp that is not as innocent as it looks. Percy meets new friends and makes new enemies at this camp and begins his training, which will hopefully keep him alive and eventually make him into the hero that he was destined to become.

 

Percy is a half blood meaning that one of his parents are a Greek god or Goddess, which is why monsters are attracted to him and why he has to fight to survive. When Percy gets blamed for Zeus' master lightning bolt being stolen from Olympus because of who his father is Percy is given ten days to find it or else a war so great that it might destroy the whole world may begin.

 

I truly loved this book and I never wanted to put it down. It is non-stop adventure and I had to find out what was going to happen to Percy and his friends next. This book is really great and I hope you will read it and absolutely love it just like I did.

Reader reviewed by vamp reviews


this book is about a boy named percy jackson, who's never quite fit in. but everything goes overboard when a eacher trys to atack him. soon after he finds out that he's the son of the greek god posidon. and directly after he finds out, anceint greek monsters start atcking him from out of no ware, its all because zues thinks he stole his lightning bolt.hhis mother has sent him to a training camp for halfbloods(half god, half human like him) called camp half-blood. ware he meets some friends who are willing to help prove he's inocent. so they go on a quest to find the real lightning theif. it was pretty good, guys would probly like it more than girls, but girls should try to read it to.

Reader reviewed by Apple

Percy Jackson's sixth grade year makes a huge turn around when he makes a shocking discovery. He's not exactly 'normal'. He discovers that his father is actually a greek god. Now, in order to save his mom and clear his name, Percy must find and return Zeus's master bolt before the summer solstice. With the help of his two best friends, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood, his quest will hopefully be easier...won't it?
This book is a great mix of modern times and myth. For someone who studies greek myths, this will most certainly be something to enjoy. Action packed with plenty of tense moments and close call, this book is worth 10/10.   

Reader reviewed by Chantele


Percy Jackson isn't your ordinary 12 year old. He has been kicked out
of multiple schools, for disrupting classes, and has moved several
times over the years. He has been diagnosed with ADHD, and dyslexia, which doesn't help the situation much.  Little does he know, there is a much bigger
reason he has moved, and why he has such a hard time in school.
 After
his math teacher turns into a monster on a field trip, Percy suddenly
wonders what is wrong with him. No one believes him, and he starts to
think he is going crazy. Soon after, he is chased by the ancient
Minotaur, and suddenly thrust into an adventure of a lifetime. Percy
finds out he is the son of one of the Gods of Mount Olympus. Only,
which one?
After arriving at a summer camp for "halfbloods", Percy
is accused of stealing Zeus's master lightning bolt. He is then sent on
a quest to find it. With the help of a few friends, he starts an
amazing adventure, which leads him to places he never dreamed of going.
Does he find out who his father is? Will he find out why he has such
vivid detailed nightmares?
I really enjoyed this book. I am looking
forward to reading the next books in the series. If you liked Harry
Potter, or Fablehaven, or have an interest in Greek Mythology, you will
love this book! It is clean, has a lot of adventure and is humorous as
well!

Reader reviewed by Pathfinder


This book has a lot of action, good descriptions and it's funny. I love the fact that the hero has ADHD and dyslexia and that the ADHD actually proves to be a good thing for him some of the time (like when fighting monsters). I was worried that if I didn't know a lot about Greek mythology I wouldn't be able to understand a lot of it, but that wasn't a problem at all. I'm already working on the 2nd book in the series.

Reader reviewed by Vinny


The Lightning Thief
By: Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief, in typical Rick Riordan fashion, is a page-turner from beginning to end. The Lightning Thief takes place in New York and Los Angles; CA. Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school again. But thats the least of his problems. Recently mythological creatures and the gods of Mountain Olympus have been coming out of his textbook and into his real life. Percy Jackson and his friends Annabeth, a beautiful, intelligent, young woman, and Grover, a small, courages, young man, only have ten days to return what has been stolen fro Zeus. Percy will face problems, solve the riddle of the Oracle, come to terms with his father who abandoned him, and unravel an evil more powerful than the gods them selves.
The Lightning Thief is a great Action/Adventure book. I liked The Lightning Thief so much; I am going to read the other three books in the series. This book is a nominee for the Rebecca Caudill award. In my opinion, I dont think I could of read a better action/adventure book. I say this because; this book is the kind of book that you cant put down. I recommend this book for Elementary school kids and up. This book is 375 pages long. It sounds like a long read, but this book is so good the pages just fly by. The other books in the series are: The Sea of Monsters, The Titans Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth.

Reader reviewed by Dj


This book is about Percy Jackson growing up as a Half-blood he has been kicked out of many schools because eather he has blowen it up, made a monster pretending to be a human turn into dust because he won a battle, or just failing all his classes because because he has Dyslexia and ADHD this is one hard life and can i add that he has the HORRIBLE step dad in the world.