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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
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Product Description
Review
The Chris Columbus directed movie, based on the book, is due out on Feb 12, but this is a fabulous entertainment in its own right. (Kati Nicholl Daily Express )
Product Description
Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek god. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends and generally trying to stay alive.
This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea . . .
Now a major film! This is an abridged edition, read by Walter Lewis. Running time: 3 hours.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
75 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When this book arrived, I placed it on my bookshelf thinking I'd get around to reading it when I had nothing better to read. To put it bluntly, I really didn't think I'd like a slick American High school version of the Legends of ancient Greece (sort of Buffy meets Hercules) - but I was wrong. As soon as I started reading it I was hooked.
The pacing is dazzlingly fast; it starts at a run and ends at a gallop without ever once pausing for breath! Younger readers who might be unfamiliar with the heroes of Greek legend will probably enjoy the twists of the plot - however, adult readers might see these coming, (ie the identity Aunty "M" - owner of the Garden Statue Emporium), but somehow, this only adds to the enjoyment!
The other thing that had put me off this book ever so slightly was setting it in a school for halfbloods (children of the Greek gods); coming so close to "Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince" it felt uncomfortably derivative ... like yet another Harry Potter wannabe. However, knowing how slowly things move in the world of publishing, I realised the whole half-blood concept would have been imagined by the author at least a couple of years before HP 6 appeared.
Okay, so it's set in a boarding school for kids with magical/supernatural abilities - but don't let this put you off. So far, the Percy Jackson series has captured the efficient and succinct plotting of the first three Harry Potter books; likewise, it is something of a whodunit, in that one of the teachers or pupils at Camp Halfblood is really a baddie. The clues are subtle but entirely fair.
I liked that Percy's dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder were put down to his subconscious familiarity with ancient Greek and his need to be ever ready to fight off hoards of deadly monsters. I usually find the current trend of giving the hero such contemporary "issues" irritatingly contrived - but in this case it works fine.
In short, I can't imagine anyone NOT enjoying this book!
The pacing is dazzlingly fast; it starts at a run and ends at a gallop without ever once pausing for breath! Younger readers who might be unfamiliar with the heroes of Greek legend will probably enjoy the twists of the plot - however, adult readers might see these coming, (ie the identity Aunty "M" - owner of the Garden Statue Emporium), but somehow, this only adds to the enjoyment!
The other thing that had put me off this book ever so slightly was setting it in a school for halfbloods (children of the Greek gods); coming so close to "Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince" it felt uncomfortably derivative ... like yet another Harry Potter wannabe. However, knowing how slowly things move in the world of publishing, I realised the whole half-blood concept would have been imagined by the author at least a couple of years before HP 6 appeared.
Okay, so it's set in a boarding school for kids with magical/supernatural abilities - but don't let this put you off. So far, the Percy Jackson series has captured the efficient and succinct plotting of the first three Harry Potter books; likewise, it is something of a whodunit, in that one of the teachers or pupils at Camp Halfblood is really a baddie. The clues are subtle but entirely fair.
I liked that Percy's dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder were put down to his subconscious familiarity with ancient Greek and his need to be ever ready to fight off hoards of deadly monsters. I usually find the current trend of giving the hero such contemporary "issues" irritatingly contrived - but in this case it works fine.
In short, I can't imagine anyone NOT enjoying this book!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I chose this audio book to listen to while my daughter and I drove through France with her children (boy aged 6, girl aged 10). We all found it very entertaining and it held our attention on long drives - no mean feat for an age range of 6 to 60+. Perhaps its appeal lay in the story's modern setting, while introducing many of the characters of Greek mythology. That - and the excellent reader, Walter Lewis.
The children are now keen to see the film and read some of the other Percy Jackson stories.
The children are now keen to see the film and read some of the other Percy Jackson stories.
58 of 62 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Percy Jackson has always been different from other kids. He's dyslexic and suffers from ADHD, and is always getting into trouble. He's been expelled several times, and the only thing that holds his interest is Greek mythology.
We soon learn that Percy has close ties with Mount Olympus, and when monsters from mythology start popping up looking for his blood, he ends up at a very special school for kids like himself, where he starts to put things together to find out who he really is.
Before he knows it, he's off on a quest with his two friends, Grover and Annabeth, to recover a powerful lightning bolt, property of Zeus, which has been stolen, supposedly by Percy himself. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are having a little disagreement about the theft of the said lightning bolt, and unless Percy can retrieve it and return it in time, the resulting fallout will have earth-shattering consequences.
This great (albeit relatively unknown) first book of the series is an easy read, and is sure to encourage young readers to improve their knowledge of Greek mythology, especially the stories of the Minotaur, Medusa and the gods Poseidon, Ares, Zeus, Hades, Kronos, Athena and so on. Highly recommended for young readers in search of an original and imaginative adventure series.
Amanda Richards
We soon learn that Percy has close ties with Mount Olympus, and when monsters from mythology start popping up looking for his blood, he ends up at a very special school for kids like himself, where he starts to put things together to find out who he really is.
Before he knows it, he's off on a quest with his two friends, Grover and Annabeth, to recover a powerful lightning bolt, property of Zeus, which has been stolen, supposedly by Percy himself. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are having a little disagreement about the theft of the said lightning bolt, and unless Percy can retrieve it and return it in time, the resulting fallout will have earth-shattering consequences.
This great (albeit relatively unknown) first book of the series is an easy read, and is sure to encourage young readers to improve their knowledge of Greek mythology, especially the stories of the Minotaur, Medusa and the gods Poseidon, Ares, Zeus, Hades, Kronos, Athena and so on. Highly recommended for young readers in search of an original and imaginative adventure series.
Amanda Richards
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliant beginnings
This book is amazing - I bought it to review for work and was taken instantly. Riordan is a brilliant writer - easy to read, but gripping and the adventures are fantastic. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Amy-Lou
saw the film so thought I'd buy this
i saw the film and thought I'd like this. It was alright but aimed at american kids a bit too much. preferred the film but did read this to the end. prefer funny books i think.
Published 2 months ago by ClaireSG
An entertaining, rip roaring book!
Whilst Rowling may have the upper hand in style and substance this series does offer up some exciting scenarios and interesting characters. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sam
Great book!
I thought this was a great book. I am slightly out of the target demographic (cough splutter 32!) but it kept me entertained and i couldn't put it down.
Published 4 months ago by ratty
The Lightening Thief, The Olympians.
This book is not everyone's choice. If you are into Greek Mythology then it would appeal to you, but for others like myself, and my 12 year old grand daughter, it did not hold our... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. J. Glynn
A resounding success
We bought this book for our 9 year old grandson, who has a higher than average reading age, so it can be quite hard to find suitable books for him. Read more
Published 4 months ago by P. Scott
Great mix of modern day with Greek mythology
I saw this film when it first came out and was very pleasantly surprised; I thought it might be a passably good kiddie film but it was absolutely fantastic and I've wanted to read... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Emma Russon
Very enjoyable.
I'm almost 20 and reading this book series for the first time. I have to say, it's very enjoyable! The books have a light tone and there's nonstop action throughout them all. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Georgia Reading
Percy Jackson & the lightening thief
This book was delivered in exactly the condition I expected it to be and was also very quick. I would definitely recomend this way of purchasing items
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. J. Roberts
Entertaining book, but low quality Kindle version
I enjoyed this book: it's fast-paced, entertaining, and furthermore, I learnt a lot about Greek myth. I had many problems with the Kindle version, however. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Bohemian Breakdancer
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