Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. By Rick O'Riordan

Not the cover I read (thanks, Pirate Bay!)

If you’ve seen the movie first before reading the book, I suggest you go read the second book. If, however, you’ve read the book first, and have not seen the movie yet, I suggest you don’t. See the movie, that is. Hollywood will just be messing with your imagination.

Okay, bravo, Rick O’Riordan. You’ve managed to make Greek mythology more interesting, and more palatable to the youngest generation of the human race, the one with the shortest attention span in history. But if you have more patience, and a more vivid imagination, you can go check out Edith Hamilton. But if you’d rather be reading mythology on your iPad while listening to Hillary Duff, then by all means read O’Riordan.

Yeah, O’Riordan is a good writer, but not on the caliber of J.K. Rowling. He writes for kids; not just any kids, mind, but kids of the modern age. And that is why he makes Greek gods go, “duh” and “whatever”, which is totally distracting (at least to me). Can’t you just make the kids talk modern, and keep the gods old school?

But hey, what do I know? I’m just an unpublished writer, while this guy has a bestselling series, and a movie deal to boot.


*pic from SciFiNow


Rating: Six out of ten.