The title for this one is a little bit misleading; this post isn’t exactly a review. Per a recommendation from a comment on my very first blog post, I wanna discuss what sparked my love for reading. And of course, like many many other people my age, it was Percy Jackson that did it. It definitely wasn’t the first book series I read as a kid. I loved The Magic Treehouse books by Mary Pope Osborne, the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull, and many others. But, like many many other people, the five-book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, followed by the sequel series The Heroes of Olympus, had me and almost everyone I knew in elementary/middle school absolutely enthralled. I first started reading it when I was about ten years old, and it lead to an obsession that I still hold on to today (I’ve read the entire series probably around four times over by now). You can imagine my excitement when the first season of the Disney+ adaptation came out my senior year of high school.
Like my last post, I don’t wanna ramble on with a summary of all five books. So, as ChatGPT would say,
Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a fantasy book series by Rick Riordan that follows Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy who discovers he is a demigod—the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. Sent to Camp Half-Blood, a refuge for demigods, Percy learns about Greek mythology, his powers, and a prophecy that foretells a child of the Big Three gods (Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades) playing a crucial role in the fate of Olympus. Throughout the five-book series, Percy and his friends, Annabeth Chase (daughter of Athena) and Grover Underwood (a satyr), embark on quests to prevent the rise of the Titan lord Kronos, who seeks to overthrow the gods. As Percy battles monsters, rival demigods, and treacherous deities, he also struggles with his identity and responsibilities. The series culminates in The Last Olympian, where Kronos launches a full-scale assault on Olympus, headquartered in New York City. Percy leads the demigods of Camp Half-Blood in a desperate battle to defend the gods’ throne, ultimately fulfilling the Great Prophecy in an unexpected way—by giving Luke Castellan, a former ally turned host for Kronos, the chance to redeem himself. Luke sacrifices himself to defeat Kronos, proving that demigods have the power to shape their own destiny. In the end, the gods reward Percy by promising better treatment for all demigods and offering him immortality, which he declines in favor of a normal life. The series blends humor, adventure, and mythology, making it a modern classic in young adult literature.”
And a modern classic it is. The series starts off strong with probably the most enticing thing little me ever encountered;
“Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood. If you’re reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life. Being a half-blood is dangerous. It’s scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways. If you’re a normal kid, reading this because you think it’s fiction, great. Read on. I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened. But if you recognize yourself in these pages-if you feel something stirring inside-stop reading immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it’s only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they’ll come for you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Just wow. Even reading it now at eighteen, I still get that same excitement as when I was ten. Rick Riordan’s ability to catch your attention is like a rug being pulled out from under you, it’s very admirable. I’m definitely not the only person who has an extreme love for this series, thousands upon thousands of people around the world cherish it just as much if not more than I do. Which leads to the question,
What makes it so special?
There are tons and tons of things that make this series and the following ones special. For one, Riordan’s world building (minus a few minor plot holes here and there…) is amazing. Even though it’s meant for a younger audience, it still has that charm that pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re apart of this fictional world. Secondly, his ability to write well-rounded characters. There are characters that you can’t help but absolutely love; ones that despite doing terrible things and technically being “villains,” it’s incredibly difficult to not sympathize with and understand them; one’s that are so well written in their evil doings that you end up loathing them with passion. The list could go on and on.
I recently found out what sparked Rick Riordan to write this incredible series, and it makes you love it even more. When his son was in second grade, he had a very hard time in school because of his ADHD and dyslexia. He hated reading and writing, but he had a love for Greek mythology. So, when Riordan ran out of stories from Greek mythology to tell his son before bed, he began making up his own about a young demigod named Percy Jackson. And Percy Jackson had dyslexia and ADHD just like him, as did every other demigod in the story. And from there, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief was born.
Isn’t that amazing? He not only created something not only so personal for his own son to relate to in his struggles, but for hundreds of thousands of other kids around the world. Kids, and not just the ones who are struggling with ADHD and dyslexia, could read this series and see themselves in a number of characters. Kids who were angry and spiteful of their parents who hurt them. Kids who have always felt different or out of place. Kids who have felt underestimated or under-appreciated. Troubled kids. Smart kids. Kids struggling with their sexualities. I could keep going on, but that would be quite a lot.
I won’t go too much further in this, just cause there is so much to talk about with this series. This was more of an appreciation post for it either way, and if I start analyzing and picking apart my favorite aspects of the series I’ll never stop. With that, if you have read this series I really hope you loved it as much as I did as a kid. And if you haven’t, you should.
5 Comments
Add Yours →I recently read the first book in the Percy Jackson series for the first time since probably since I was 12. And what stood out to me, which is something you mentioned in this post, is the CHARM. Yes the books are written for kids, and that fact is glaringly obvious when reading them as a young Adult. but that doesn’t matter because you can tell just how much Rick loved writing them and it keeps you engaged.
So, I am adding myself to the list of people you mentioned that loved this series. As a kid (including LOTS of people in my class as well), not only loved this series, but would read it often. We eventually started reading it for fun because we could relate to the characters and their struggles. Because you pointed out the reasoning behind Riordan writing this series, myself and friends relating to the characters so much makes a lot of sense now!
This post really brought back memories of how Percy Jackson sparked my love for reading too! It’s amazing how the series resonates with so many of us. I love how you highlight Rick Riordan’s world-building and character development—those are definitely some of the series’ strongest points. i remember when I first learned about the personal story behind the creation of Percy Jackson really added to the charm! It’s incredible how something so relatable and meaningful to Riordan’s son became something that so many of us can connect with. I also agree that the first line of the book is such a perfect hook! Great post, I really enjoyed reading your reflection on this classic series.
I wonder about the “half-blood” thing (disclosure: I’ve only read a few chapters of one PJ book, but y’all have convinced me to give the series a shot!).
Of course I was reminded of all the stuff JK Rowling does with blood in the HP series–is Riordan consciously commenting on that? Or is he just using a traditional fantasy trope for his own purposes?
I feel like I must be the only kid who didn’t grow up with a Percy Jackson phase or grew up around other kids who did. I had heard about Percy Jackson every so often and a lot of my parents’ friends always assumed that I had read the series since I was a well-known bookworm. But I hadn’t. After reading this, I really want to know how in the world this happened to me! That being said, I’m reading the series right now (I’m on Book 4!) and it’s SO good! I absolutely agree that the most attractive part of this series is it’s charm. It’s just such a joy to read! I also love all the jokes Riordan makes, especially I hadn’t gone into the series thinking it was comedic at all, haha!