Then I never saw the movie. I heard about the changes from the novel, and my interest waned in the film. But I did read all five books over the past 6 months.
For whatever reason, this series frequently gets compared to the Harry Potter books. I understand why: teen fantasy novel written in a modern world for a modern teen audience. Other than that, here are the major differences:
- Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan writes nothing like J.K. Rowling. Unlike like Rowling 3rd person, limited narrator (from Harry's perspective), Riordan goes with the first person story telling technique, which is done in an irreverent, teenage tone (and is actually one of my favorite parts of his writing).
- Olympians and witches/warlocks is not the same thing. The worlds are very different from one another. I didn't feel like I was in similar world at all.
- Unlike the Harry Potter universe, which became incredibly complicated as time went on, Riordan keeps it relatively simple. This means less depth to his world, but easier reading.
So on with the review.
What works
A lot of things, so I will return to my lazy old bullet list.
- Characters. I love the characters. Percy is a believable, NYC teenager. His friends, fellow demigod Annabeth and Grover the Satyr (half man, half goat), were unique and interesting. The other main characters (including the Gods and villains) were fun, especially during the first 2-3 books when everyone is being introduced.
- Fast-moving plot. If I have one major issue with some fantasy is slow plot. Riordan keeps it rolling.
- Great battles. His battles are awesome, and I really had a hard time stopping during those tense moments.
This is a complete list at all, but these were my favorite elements.
What doesn't work
Again, back to the bullets.
- Cliche gods. Though some of the gods and monsters were really cool, a lot of them were cop outs, where Riordan went with cliches over depth.
- Swift conclusions. This wasn't true for books 4 and 5, but 2 and 3 ended a little abruptly for me. A little more denouement would have been appreciated.
- High brow teenager. Sometimes Percy knows a little too much about architecture and history for a kid who hated school. Obviously this is Riordan flexing his literary muscles a bit, but sometimes it made me pause.
Who would like this
Anyone who likes light fantasy. It's also a good match for the Harry Potter crowd, though I know some Potter fans have rejected the series (not sure why). It's also a pretty light read for those looking for a fun series to read during the series. Would be good for teens who like fantasy fiction.
Who wouldn't like this
Only people without a soul. Just kidding. It's pretty light fiction, and it does have violence and death (especially book 5). Also, if you're afraid your kid might turn into an Olympian god worshiper, I would avoid this. (Warning: Heavy doses of sarcasm have been know to be very contagious).
Final Chapter
As you can tell, I really liked these books. I've been reading a lot of deep nonfiction lately, and the Percy Jackson series has been a nice change of pace. If you're looking for a good, fun fantasy read, pick it up. Five books later you won't regret it.
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