Book Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan

Pearcy Jackson only knows that his life is full of strange events. He’s dyslexic, ADHD, and has been kicked out of every school he has ever attended. He is a trouble-maker, but he soon discovers that he has had a reason. He is a half-blood, a demi-god, the son of on of the twelve Olympian gods, and that they live on the 600th floor of the empire state building in New York. After being chased by the Minatour, while on vacation with his mother, he stumbles onto a camp half-blood, a place where other demi-gods are trained. He is sent on a quest by the gods to save the world from WWIII, and Pearcy hopes that he can save his mother’s soul from the underworld while he is at it.

I thought I wasn’t going to like this book. Ancient Greece in modern day America? It’s just not going to be Greek enough, or mythological enough, or they’re going to get it all mixed up! My friends I am happy to declare that the book was thoroughly enjoyable! The Greek, as far as I can tell (which isn’t very far because I nearly failed my 2 semesters of Greek * cough *) is totally correct. Though, I’m pretty sure when he yells the ancient insult “go to the crows” that the phrase is Roman and should be in Latin and not Greek. Feel free to correct if I am wrong. You see why I worried about liking this book? I know too much! So yeah, then there is the fact that he can read homer after 3 days of reading Greek! I wish! You have to know like three dialects to read homer my friends! Three! Plus, this is Greek were talking about. Latin, my friends, makes sense. I know I’ve studied it five years. Greek is insane, but I digress.

So, despite the minor (admittedly petty) linguistic annoyances, which were small. I had more admiration for the correctness of the Greek and Random Latin phrases than anything else. Besides that, the story line is a wonderful, traditional, hero cycle, full of action and tons of fun evil monsters. The world is created seamlessly into the modern one making it seem real and alive, and adds extra flavor rather than detracting. Then the book also got extra points for having an underworld scene. I did tell you in my Friday’s list I was obsessed didn’t I? Well, if you didn’t hear before. I am obsessed with the Greco-Roman underworld. So naturally, I liked the story even more! I worried a little bit at the beginning that the teacher was going to get all preachy before the end of the book about classics or something, but my fear did not materialize. So, that was good because that would have detracted from the book. I fear that college has left me living under a rock. How could I not have discovered this series before? Go read it, seriously! I already have books 2 and 3 checked out from the library.

Rick's Website:http://www.rickriordan.com/