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

I'm finally getting around to this series. I found this first book enjoyable enough, and I'll continue reading. I think I would have gobbled this up when I was younger, and I'm glad to see my daughter doing so now. I especially love how the stories expose her so thoroughly to Greek mythology. I've heard that the writing gets better as the series continues, and I look forward to experiencing that. Lastly, I'm very impressed with Riordan's imagination. This was a ripe idea for a series, waiting to be plucked, and Riordan harvested it masterfully. I believe he deserves the success that he enjoys.

Perfect for a 9-14 years old public, I think. That’s why I regret not having read it earlier, I would have appreciated much more. I’m not saying I didn’t like it, because I really did enjoy reading it, but it’s not the same as reading this book as a child. The writing is really clear, and you are taken by the action. The plot is good, it felt a little like Harry Potter at some points, some of you certainly have seen it, but it’s not that obvious.

However, I was shocked at the beginning of the book when I read that Percy was 12 years old and in his first year of middle school! I couldn’t stop imagining Logan Lerman who was absolutely not 12 years old in the movie. It changed everything, it’s not the same reading the adventures of a 12-year-old little boy as reading the adventures of a 17-year-old teenager. I really don’t understand why they changed this in the movie. There are quite a lot of changes in this movie, of course the plot is still the same: Percy is accused of having stolen Zeus’s lightning, and he goes to find it with Annabeth and Grover, but there are HUGE differences in the story. I think I preferred the book.

I really love the story, the ideas, the way it is written, the book really easily grabs your attention and you can read it really fast. I loved the chapter’s titles, they made me laugh, here are a few of them: “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher”, “I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom”, etc. It’s nice to have the protagonist telling us the story from his point of view, he always tells us how he feels about the other characters and what’s happening to him with a funny and sarcastic tone, but he’s really young and sometimes he looks naïve, and sometimes stupid (with Medusa, or Crusty). I really appreciate the fact that he doesn’t look like any Greek hero, he’s just a child dragged into this world of Greek Gods and heroes. And it’s good for your general knowledge to learn a little about Greek Gods, and, trust me, Percy will help you to learn all about them.

Seriously, a really good children’s book, and you can still appreciate it as an adult.

The Lightning thief is about Percy Jackson having to save his mother after the god Hades takes her.Hades thinks that Percy has Zeus lightning bolt. And he wants it. Now to save her his friends Annabeth and Grover are going on a journey to save Percy s mother and they will save have to avoid many obstacles to get to her. I have thought that the characters were well detailed and the plot very well explained.

Reader reviewed by Hannah O

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a great book. I like this book because it has a lot of details, action, and I felt like I was in the book. There were some things I did not understand and I felt the author could have explained them better.

The story begins as Percy Jackson being a normal boy living in upstate New York. He played basketball, skateboarded, and did things that all normal boys like to do. but some weird things have happened to him, and he cant  figure out how or why they happen to him. For example in fifth grade when he was on a field trip at the Saratoga battlefield he had an accident with a Revolutionary War cannon. He didnt mean to aim at the school bus, but  it ended up with Percy shooting the school bus.

Some other characters are Grover and Mr. Brunner. Grover is Percys best friend, who always sticks with Percy. Mr. Brunner is Percys Latin teacher who is very nice to Percy.  Percy trusts these people very much

The story is about Percy finding out that he is not really just a normal kid, but he is a half-blood - someone who is the son of a Greek God. Percy found this out when one day Percys math teacher asked to talk to Percy alone. They walked into a room and Percys math teacher turned into a dragon! As she flew over Percy she asked where the lightning bolt was and then she flew off through the window.

Percy then went on this adventure to find out who he really was and who had really taken the lightning bolt from Zeus. Along the way, Percy was helped by his friend, Luke, who knew more about the Greek Gods than Percy.

I think all kids ages 10 and 11 should read this book because its a fun and easy book to read and its filled with action and adventure that youll love!

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 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 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.