I’m sure to catch it for this review, but I was not at all impressed or even very entertained by the Percy Jackson & the Olympians book series. In the original five books that put the otherwise-teacher and -father Rick Riordan on the map, his famous Percy Jackson goes from age twelve to age fifteen and I slogged my way through the story (which was built similar to a Harry Potter series with an overall story arc and each book having its own stories and mini-arc). The overall story was not as strong or clear as each books’ story, and didn’t really compel me to move from one book to the next with a real strong question (or feeling). And, quite frankly, the writing was not so great. Meant for middle graders, that’s the strongest likelihood of an audience for a Greek-myth-based, modern Americanized, youthful series with subpar writing. On the other hand, so many adults love this series it leaves me baffled. I have recommended series before that lack literary acrobatics or wordsmithing flair (aka voice) because they told a great story and had other merits (like the Harry Potter series), but I do not agree with many others that Percy Jackson is on the same level as these other books. They are also not the worst MG series I have ever read (here’s looking at you, Land of Stories). And I would actually recommend them for middle graders who would be interested in the subject matter and characters (especially the ADHD Percy) as most of them are not especially discerning (and aren’t likely to ask where, say, the depth of the characters has disappeared to). Otherwise, I’ll let other reviewers recommend this series to the rest of you and I will say, “Pass.” There are so many great books out there; I’m happy to let Riordan sit on his MG throne while I move on without him.

For those of you who have been under a rock for a couple decades, the Percy Jackson series consists of five (original) books. Percy is just a normal, hyper, New-York-dwelling, 12-year-old kid who can’t seem to keep it together long enough to not get kicked out of school. But when he starts seeing things from Greek myth, he learns that his single mom might have had a fling with a Greek god, making Percy—Perseus—a demigod. But being a demigod is dangerous business as powers reveal themselves and monsters come out of the woodwork (or “mist”), and Percy is whisked away amidst flame and disaster (a theme throughout the series) to Camp Halfblood, where demigods train each summer and learn their real history. But when Percy discovers who his father is, he also shoulders an enormous prophecy that will pit him both against the gods and against those who would seek to overthrow them. Can Percy become the hero of the century to save Olympus from the forces that ally against it? Or will he take it down, instead?

As I said, each book has a particular story. The Lightning Thief (which is the name that I thought was the name of the series and perhaps some people call it that) lays the groundwork for Percy and for our world (which necessitates that the gods and monsters move with “the seat of Western culture” and are currently in the USA. While this created some real imaginative highlights in the series, I also found the premise to be uncomfortably national-centric). In the first book, Percy finds out he’s a demigod, who his father is, that he is probably the prophecy’s intended, and then sets off on an official quest to stop a war of the gods by travelling to the Underworld. In The Sea of Monsters, Percy has to save his best friend/satyr as well as Camp Halfbood by crossing the Sea of Monsters, a la Odysseus, strengthening friendships and forming new ones. The Titan’s Curse sees Percy at two-years-on crossing the country to save his other bff—daughter of Athena, Annabeth—and Athena herself as the grand plan of the titans takeover takes a more solid form. In The Battle of the Labyrinth, everyone joins in (including the cyclops, Tyson, and normie Rachel) as the action movies underground into an ever-growing Labyrinth swarming with baddies in an attempt to thwart the continuing plans of the titan army. And finally, in The Last Olympian, the looming war shifts to New York City as everything comes to a head while the gods are drawn away from Olympus, leaving the balance of the status quo world in the hands of the gods’ and goddesses’ demigod children. How is the prophecy going to play out? Just what sort of hero does the modern world need?

And now, in accordance with the tradition of my way too long series’ reviews, I will walk through my thoughts after reading each book in the series:

The Lightning Thief

Before reading, I was told that the Percy Jackson books bridge the gap between MG and YA. But as soon as I began—despite the introspective, first-person narration—I found the first book to be veeeery MG. It moved super fast. It was predictable. I doubt you could surprise many adults (and maybe teens) with any of it. The book used Greek myths, etc. in a simplistic, kinda teach-y way. In other words, it’s perfect for bedtime stories for Riordan’s young son, which is literally where the series came from. I was torn. It didn’t feel like a comfortable read for an adult, even though there are many MG, YA, even children’s books I would happily recommend for a wide, even complete, audience. However, there was a part of me that couldn’t put it down, though this was conflicted because A) I really felt I already knew everything that was going to happen (and I did) and B) it was partly because the reading was so darn easy that it was relaxing for my brain as opposed to challenging. I like to read books in both the relaxing and challenging categories, I guess, but I prefer to end up somewhere in the middle-to-the-somewhat-challenging side.

Furthermore, the book is chock full of silly things, things that just don’t quite add up and therefore distract from the story, like when Percy crashes a bus next to a river (on purpose) but doesn’t use the river (which makes more sense when you know about his powers and their specifics), just stays on the bus? He doesn’t even carry water with him, ever?. Etc.

My son hates reading, but at 14 I could totally see him reading this series. At 14, it would be WAY easy for most kids his age, and perhaps a little immature, but easy and maybe even immature is what some 14-year-olds need to enjoy a book (series). Maybe that’s what many adults need, too. (Update: I did put the first book in his hands and my husband scheduled reading time (where they each read their own book) with him. He actually likes this book, as I predicted. Eventually, I think he’ll read his way through the whole series.)

The Sea of Monsters

The writing, or maybe it’s the editing, is getting worse, as is often the case with a series. There are missing words throughout. I counted at least ten obvious ones. Action scenes are more far-fetched, even for fantasy (like whenever someone is falling they have like several minutes to get it together and figure things out) and other silly, unrealistic (for the Percy Jackson world) things. Sea of Monsters is reading like a book for late elementary school, even though some of the themes are late middle school. It’s just, well, it’s cheesy and not well-written. Among other issues, there are many goofy (that’s me being nice) similes, even some that really don’t work but, at best, they’re distracting along with much of the below-par writing. I always get distracted by this, which is why—even when a book isn’t going to be flowery, poetic, or literary/beautiful, I like the writing to be clear (read: undistracting).  As for regurgitating Greek myths with a fun, child-friendly spin, that’s still all the same. In the second book, there’s nothing really new, except for the conflict of good guy/bad guy with the new character, Tyson. Sort of. Because once again everything is obvious if you’ve ever read a book or even watched a movie in your life. I don’t know how I’m going to keep going, but I am still surrounded (sparsely, but still) by adults who are fans.

It’s also clear to me now that the first book was based on the story of Perseus, and this one is based on Odysseus. Loosely, at least, the remaining books are based on Hercules, Theseus, and Achilles.

The Titan’s Curse

Well, the writing is still, um, silly, to me. It’s just so juvenile and full of holes and inconsistencies I still don’t understand how adults enjoy this series. I get how middle schoolers would, but I’m forcing myself through this, hoping I’ll get more invested in this essentially surfacy and predictable story. I appreciate that the pacing moves so fast and I guess I appreciate the fun world-building and the use of the ancient Greek myths, but… It’s definitely not CLOSE to enough, for me. I’m just too sophisticated as a reader to get lost in this series. (Kidding, not kidding.) I had to re-read one sentence a few times before I realized it was utter nonsense and something had happened with the printing.

The Battle of the Labyrinth

I find that if I stick it out with a series that I don’t especially love—at least ones that are beloved by others—I get to a point where my investment in the story and involvement in the characters makes the reading seem more enjoyable and I begin to ignore the problems I was distracted by before. That’s not always true (for example, the Land of Stories series or Pseudonymous Bosch’s Secret series, both of which I struggled through right up to the end (or to where it ended at the time)). But it has happened, finally, with Percy Jackson (on book four out of five). The writing is what I would consider pretty terrible, but at this point I like Percy enough and have enough questions about what is going to happen that I am somewhat enjoying the series.

Never fear: it is not going to be a favorite, even if I completely black out from pure readerly pleasure for the last book. (It is unlikely I will, anyhow.)

Even still, I can feel the whole time that this series is meant for middle schoolers and not for me. And it’s still rough reading as far as scene-blocking, sensical sentences, and reeeealy stretching the Greek mythology thing. And yet I found in this book, more than the others, that some of the mythology-meets-modern-world things were pretty clever. Some not. But some so (like the flesh-eating horses being on a Texas ranch). And I did wonder now and again at how it is a little strange that the gods had moved to the seat of the Western world which is currently in the US (which I mentioned in the overall review). Hmm… The thing that most annoyed me about this book was the way it tried to not say things. Like in order to introduce Percy (and the readers) to information at the right moment in the story, the delays are hardly inspired and somethings stupidly laughable. Like a character will be slightly offended and pout for hours sitting next to Percy so that he doesn’t find out what’s going on at Camp Halfblood until they get there, because obviously that’s more interesting. But weird.

The Last Olympian

I am reading now because I want to see what happens, and it might even be that the writing has improved by the fifth and final book of the series. But I still know that what I’m reading is often problematic in the literary sense and also that it is meant for middle grades readers and not me: a critical forty-something who also devours Zadie Smith and George Saunders. However, I have finally become compelled enough, probably by the romance (which is neatly PG, even as the characters top out at fifteen years old). I have learned by this point in my life that I am a sucker for protagonists and “good people” ending up together. Even though the romance is in the background and sorta hanging on by a thread, I would like to see it resolved. So, I finish reading every last word of the series.

So by now in the review you certainly get what my opinion is. Without having gone into too much detail about it (which I can sometimes do), I am not a fan of the writing in the series and am a bit baffled by Riordan’s crazy popularity. However, the series is good enough for hooking a kid into reading if mythology or middle grades boy perspective is their thing. As for adults or even older teens reading the series, I would say look elsewhere. I am a big fan of other fantasy series, such as Harry Potter, anything I’ve read so far of Leigh Bardugo, or Lord of the Rings. For reading related to Greek mythology, I would recommend Korwin Briggs’ Gods and Heroes for kids, Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, C. S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, Madeline Miller for adults, or even Gareth Hinds’ graphic novels. As for middle grades, there is a whole list of my recommendations HERE. But if you decide to give this series a try, anyhow, then you’ll join a long line of fans and superfans.

As for continuing reading, Riordan has expanded the series with several related series. Here they are:

• Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titans Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian
• Heroes of Olympus (sequel series to the original): The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, The Mark of Athena, The House of Hades, The Blood of Olympus
• The Sun and the Star (which is a new continuation of the series which may continue as a Nico di Angelo series or a series featuring different characters)
• The Trials of Apollo (continuing sequel series): The Hidden Oracle, The Dark Prophecy, The Burning Maze, The Tyrant’s Tomb, The Tower of Nero
• The Kane Chronicles (takes place in same universe at same time, story-line unrelated, Egyptian mythology): The Red Pyramid, The Throne of Fire, The Serpent’s Shadow
• Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (takes place in the same universe at the same time, story-line unrelated, Norse mythology): The Sword of Summer, The Hammer of Thor, The Ship of the Dead
• Daughter of the Deep (completely unrelated, based on Jules Verne)
• The 39 Clues (which Riordan wrote the first book of (The Maze of Bones and the entire series’ arc, then passed off to other authors)

Also note that there are “Rick Riordan Presents” books (like one of my son’s favorite series, Tristan Strong, which happens to be similar to Percy Jackson but in a African and African-American mythology world). These are not related to any Percy Jackson world nor are they written or co-written by Riordan. Rick Riordan Presents is simply an imprint of Disney/Hyperion and Riordan, apparently, helps pick them out (approximately quarterly), edit them a bit, and promote them to the world by attaching his name. They are often similar to the Percy Jackson books in some way—like middle grades with world mythology.

QUOTES:

The Lightning Thief

“Oh, I love mortals—they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they’ve come so-o-o far” (p68).

“’Were you reading my mind or something?’ / ‘Just your emotions’” (p158).

“What I did next was so impulsive and dangerous I should’ve been named ADHD poster child of the year” (p164).

“Whatever else you do, know that you are mine” (p346).

“If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself” (p352).

MOVIES:

There are two movies based on the first two books, from 2010 and 2013. I reviewed the first one HERE. Though plenty of people saw them and even liked them, they were basically flops that have had a lot of bad reviews. Riordan has always been angry about them, especially since they were so different from the series, being cast with much older kids, etc. In response to and with indifference to those old movies, there is a TV series that is currently in production which Riordan is directly involved with (a la the new Harry Potter series). The series is set to release in 2024 on Disney+. Personally, I wonder if I will like it better than the book series.