A More Accessible Harry Potter

We love these books! The common thread for most parents seems to be that their kids, who would otherwise while away the day playing video games, texting or playing on the computer, are racing through the adventures of this teenage demigod. The books are a bit of a simplified Harry Potter. Percy suffers from much of the same angst that Harry does in the earlier volumes. Finding his true self only leads to danger and the ultimate challenge of the imminently returning Kronos. Harry Potter readers will no doubt note the similarity of avoiding saying the name of the villain, the fact that he was doomed to Tartarus in multiple pieces that his minions are now reassembling and the dream link that gives Percy insight into Kronos' plans. Percy also has a female (Annabeth, daughter of Athena) and male (Grover, a satyr) best friend, regular foils (Clarisse, daughter of Ares, and Luke, son of Hermes). In the end, however, the Percy Jackson series stands on its own. Percy is much easier going and more real-kid than Harry. I think the books' appeal to young readers is in part due to the fact that nearly every chapter features another adventure. Riordan does not let his narrative digress too much into the psychology of his characters or into too much philosophical wonderings, as does Rowling. Most important are the cleverly interwoven characters of Greek Mythology. Riordan's use of the gods and goddesses of Olympus and the many monsters and characters from classic myths is wonderful. Ares as a biker dude, Hermes as a beach bum and Apollo as a hot rodder are just a few of the clever characterizations. The books provide a great seque into reading Greek Mythology, the Odyssey and other classic literature involving these timeless characters. Can't wait for the movie in February 2010!!

A lot of fun

The series about Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a lot of fun. The books involve a lot of adventure with a modern teenage hero. Percy's adventurous encounters with the monsters, benevolent creatures, and gods of Greek mythology are a delightful reminder of the Greek and Roman myths I enjoyed when I was young.
I decided to read the series because the books are very popular with some of the middle school and high school students I tutor. I highly recommend the books.

One of the best purchases I've made for my son.

My son asked me to buy him the The Lightening Thief. I decided to purchase the set instead. He is 11 years old and zipped through the first book. We went to the movie and he was disappointed in the movie. He talked about not wanting to read the next book because then the movie is not as good. I pointed out to him that he would've missed so much had he not read the book. He changed his mind and decided to read the second book. He did not want to put it down he said it was so good. As soon as he was finished with it, he started the third book! He's tried to get into other series before but this one was the homerun! He absolutely loved this set. Would strongly recommend it to anyone with a young son.

Great action books for young boys!

I purchased these books 1-3 for my 10 year old son who loves Rick Riordan's books. He and his other 5th grade friends can't get enough of them. They are filled with action, excitement and adventure! I just thrilled that my son loves to read!

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

I purchased the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series for my nephew's 9th birthday. In one week he had read a book and a half. Great choice for young readers. Good introduction to Greek Mythology.