The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by JenniferRatings
Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content
LANGUAGE
VIOLENCE
SEXUAL CONTENT
ADULT THEMES
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Rating Explanation
Language: Exclamations like, “Thank the gods!”
Violence: Many mythical monster attacks in which all monsters are killed. Some of the monsters look like monsters and some of them are disguised to look like humans. Sword fighting and a vicious game of steal the flag.
Adult Themes: The main character’s father is an Olympian god, obviously not married to his mortal mother. Talk of adulterous relationships between Olympians and mortals. All of the main characters in the book are children from these god and mortal unions.
Synopsis
Percy Jackson, a 12-year old who is always getting into trouble at school, discovers he is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. He also finds out that his best friend, Grover, is a satyr. Grover takes Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a camp for the children of Olympian gods where they learn to fight the monsters that are trying to destroy them. Percy, Grover and Annabeth, daughter of Athena, go on a quest to retrieve Zeus’s stolen thunderbolt. In the process they discover a plot to destroy Western civilization and the Olympians. Their adventure takes them from Hades to Mount Olympus encountering many mythical gods and monsters along the way.
I enjoyed the story but it was impossible to overlook the many similarities to Harry Potter. For example, a young hero who doesn’t know his true identity, a special school for others of his kind, a purely evil power which has been destroyed but is once again gathering strength to regain power, certain names which it is unwise to say aloud, an important prophecy, a wise teacher and mentor, the list goes on and on.
I was really annoyed for the first part of the book, but I got over it and enjoyed the story for what it is. I find The Lightning Thief inferior to Harry Potter, but in all honesty my kids would probably love this book.
©2009 The Literate Mother