A few weeks ago I posted about wanting to read the Percy Jackson book series. Thanks to the Stanza app, I can read them on my phone which is much more convenient.
We had watched the movie based on the first book and it was a disappointment mainly because, like with the Harry Potter series, things happened too fast as they crammed too many events in a span of less than two hours.
But though the movie was based on book 1, they had a lot of differences. There were some things that were not in the book and vice versa. And even if more things happened in the book than in the movie, it was allowed to play out as long as it needed to and not rushed. That is ultimately the main advantage of books.
Also, the book is funnier. I liked the way Percy narrated. The director of the movie left a lot to be desired. I have an issue with a particular pen scene, for example, which could have had an impact if it had been directed well.
I loved the books as I expected, mainly because they are based on Greek Mythology, an old obsession of mine, but everything is given a modern twist, like for example, the war god Ares now wears a leather jacket, the inventor god Hephaestus rigs cameras for his reality TV channel, and Mt Olympus has shifted to the modern place of power, America, specifically at the 600th floor of the empire state building.
Now for the story. Percy is a demigod – half-human half-god. The lives of his kind are in danger because once monsters get a whiff of their scent, they attack demigods. The only place where they are safe is at a place called Camp Half-Blood.
Percy is brought there by his bestfriend who turns out to be a satyr, and here he finds out that his father is Poseidon, the god of the sea and one of the “big three” or the three most powerful gods in Olympus, with Zeus and Hades being the other 2.
Technically, Percy shouldn’t exist because of a pact that the big 3 had made not to sire any more children with mortals after there was a prophecy made that one of their demigod children may make a choice that could possibly topple Olympus. Thus, everyone is wary of what he will do, and the once mighty evil Titan Kronos (technically his grandfather) tries to manipulate him to get on his side.
Percy, with friends in tow, goes on several quests and adventures with his friends and uses his godly power over water to help him. Along the way, he learns about Greek myths (which are real and not myths after all) and uses the knowledge he gained from them to his advantage.
I can’t help but find some similarities to Harry Potter, though – dreams that were actually like hidden cameras into enemy lairs, prophecies, a boy and girl sidekick, and previously-vanquished dark lords raised back to power by their minions.
It’s not as good as Harry Potter, of course (nothing is), but it’s a great series on its own, something I enjoyed even though it’s supposed to be for kids.
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