REVIEWS 101

#1- Percy Jackson and the Olympians

*The Basics

This novel series consists of 5 books. The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titans Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian. The author Rick Riordan. There is also a spinoff series titled "The Heroes of Olympus" featuring many of the main characters from the series.

*Plot Summary

12-year-old Percy Jackson lives in New York City with his mother Sally and his horrid Step-father Gabe Ugliano. Percy has never gone to a school for two years in a row. He has a tendency to attract trouble and has trouble learning with his ADHD and Dyslexia. When he is attacked on a school field trip, he is told he is not fully human. A demigod, half-human and half-god. His best friend Grover (who turns out to be his protector/a satyr) takes him to Camp Half-blood for Demigods. The series revolves around Percy and his best friends Grover and Annabeth who take on various quests throughout the books. The stakes rise as The Great Prophecy approaches and Percy may very well be the hero in the prophecy.

*Claim to Fame

Known widely as a unique blend of Myth and Modern times. Written with a lot of wit and humor. Relatable characters.

 ********** SPOILER ZONE BELOW! READ AT YOU OWN RISK!********

*Personal favourites

My personal favourite book would have to be "The Last Olympian" or "The Titan's Curse". TTC includes some of my favourite characters, Bianca and Nico DiAngelo and starts to develop a major couple. TLO is basically the battle for New York and it was very emotional.

My favourite characters (excluding the main trio) would have to be Bianca and Nico DiAngelo, Dionysus and Tyson. Bianca and Nico have a mysterious era to them and I love their relationship. I always also picture Anubis (from The Kane Chronicles, another notable Riordan series) looking like an older Nico. Dionysus is just hilarious and has the best lines, but you can tell he is really looking out for the kids. Finally, Tyson the Cyclops and Percy's half-brother, who is just so adorable and child-like with his love of the Hippocampi and such.

*What you needs to know!

If you do not to plan to read the series, the gist is Percy is the son of Poseidon (Sea God). Poseidon is a part of the Big Three (Hades, Zeus and Poseidon. A prophecy was decreed by the oracle

"A half-blood of the eldest gods

Shall reach sixteen against all odds

And see the world in endless sleep

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap

A single choice shall end his days

Olympus to preserve or raze"

In order to keep it from coming to pass, the Big Three vowed not to have any more children with mortals. But Poseidon broke his promise along with Zeus. Percy was of course Poseidon’s and Zeus has a daughter named Thalia (who is introduced in TTC after being brought back from being a tree... yes a tree). Hades also has two children, Bianca and Nico, but they were born before the pact frozen in time at a hotel.

Percy goes on a new quest in each book.

 TLT, he is stopping a war between the Gods’s because he is believed to have stolen Zeus's lightning bolt. It results in being trickery from the Titan Kronos. Annabeth's big brother figure, Luke Callestan, betrays the camp and attempts to murder Percy. He is vengeful towards the gods and sides with Kronos and becomes a major villain in the series. Quests Partners: Annabeth and Grover.

TSOM: Saving Grover from an ancient Cyclops and saving Thalia's tree that protects Camp Half-blood by retrieving the Golden Fleece. They do so but Thalia Grace Returns to her human form as the fleece works to well. Quest Partners: Annabeth and Tyson

TTC: Getting Annabeth back and the goddess Artemis. The titan Atlas is forcing the goddess to hold up the weight of the sky. In order to win, Percy and Annabeth hold up the weight of the sky together causing them both to grow a grey streak in their hair.  Bianca and Zoe both die on the quest, angering Nico who runs away before accidently summoning ghosts. He is shown to be a son of Hades. Quest Partners: Grover, Bianca DiAngelo and huntress Zoe Nightshade.

TBOTL: A secret entrance to the fabled Labyrinth is discovered inside of the camp perimeter. Realising that Luke is attempting lead an attack through it, the heroes go to find Daedalus for help and convince him not help Luke. They come across new friends and challenges such as Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a mortal who can see through the mist and helps guide them to Daedalus as well as the dying god Pan who passes his spirit onto them. There is a battle at the end in the camp where Grover uses a power called a Panic to cause the army to retreat. Daedalus sacrifices himself (also giving Annabeth his laptop). Nico makes reappearance as well! And Percabeth (Annabeth and Percy) kiss for the first time. Luke is possessed by Kronos. Quest Partners: Grover, Annabeth, Tyson (Nico and Rachel as it progresses)

TLO: Now that Percy has the knowledge of the great prophecy, he believes he will die. The campers are the only defense against Kronos (still in Luke's body). Many perish through the battle and the mortals are placed into slumber. In order to fight Kronos, Percy goes into the river Styx. Annabeth is his life line to keep alive and human. They defeat Kronos with the help of Luke. Annabeth brings out the person he used to be and he kills Kronos and himself by stabbing his Achilles heel spot. He begs Percy to make sure another child of the Gods never feels as he did and prevent another crisis. Percy and Annabeth becomes a couple. Rachel becomes the new oracle.

LIST OF FATALTIES THROUGHOUT THE SERIES (Mostly counting Heroes and Campers):

Bianca DiAngelo- Huntress of Artemis and daughter of Hades

Zoe Nightshade- Huntress of Artemis and daughter of Atlas

Lee Fletcher- Camper and Son of Apollo

Castor- One of the twin sons of Dionysus and camper

Daedalus

Pan

Charles Beckendorf- Percy's good friend and Son of Hephaestus, Silena's boyfriend.

Michael Yew- Camper and son of Apollo

Silena Beauregard- Camper, daughter of Aphrodite. Beckendorf's Girlfriend and Spy before her death. She refused to help Luke after he killed her boyfriend and sacrificed herself to make Clarisse fight.

Luke Callestan- Foreseen in the prophecy.