percy jackson and the olympians – rick riordan | series review

Hello, this is a compilation of my reviews for PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS by Rick Riordan! Yes, all five books! Each review will still be what I thought about the books when I first read it. At the same time, though, I’ll add comments as 2021 me.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

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Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1
Published March 1st 2006 by Disney Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Greek Mythology
Representation: ADHD, Dyslexia

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis:

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena – Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. 

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When I finally decided to start on the Percy Jackson journey, Rick Riordan was already churning out series after series which left me in the dust kind of overwhelmed. Greek mythology fascinates me so I often gravitate towards it whenever it’s incorporated in a book.

Rick Riordan fantastically summarised the stories of the different gods and goddesses which satisfied my inner Greek mythology nerd self.

My first introduction to Percy Jackson was actually through the movie starring Logan Lerman instead of the books themselves. What I thought I knew about the series was just a little part of the bigger story. The Lightning Thief included a wider world and characters, not just Percy only, have a greater presence instead of being mere sidekicks.

“Percy,” Annabeth said. “I said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle.”

In true Rick Riordan fashion, The Lightning Thief was humorous and filled with witty conversations. The inclusion of ADHD and dyslexia representations was refreshing since I wasn’t exposed to many books that included those in 2017.

Overall, I still think about Percy Jackson and the rest of the crew once in a while. If you’re a huge mythology nerd, you should definitely pick the series up. Maybe in a few years, I would reread the book once more.

If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.

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Before you proceed, make sure you read The Lightning Thief already! The next review is for book two.

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The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

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Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2
Published April 1st 2006 by Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Greek Mythology
Representation: ADHD, Dyslexia

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis:

The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan’s amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a “half blood” whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan’s series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment.

In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book’s drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.

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Filled with witty banter, action-packed scenes, twists and turns, The Sea of Monsters was amazingly adventurous. Enjoyed my first book of 2018 so so much!

Although each character had their flaws exposed to the public, it’s pretty cool how they acknowledge their imperfects and change for the better. With time, the characters became more relatable and genuine. Furthermore, I finally got to read more about Grover and Annabeth.

I adored Tyson. Misjudged and misunderstood because of who he is and his background, many people shunned him. Nobody properly wanted to get to know Tyson, even Percy. Tyson can be naive at times, always looking at the good side of things. His loyalty and bravery are some of my favorite things about him.

“He sent you to help me. Just what I asked for.”
I blinked. “You asked Poseidon for… me?”
“For a friend,” Tyson said, twisting his shirt in his hands.

After The Sea of Monsters, my expectations for the rest of the series skyrocketed. I’m looking for more witty dialogues and deeper world-building. Every time I read a Rick Riordan book, I’m always adventuring to somewhere dangerous and meeting new characters in this already vast Greek-inspired world.

some of my favorite scenes (spoilers):

• ➸ Iris-message from Percy to the camp while Luke confesses. HA. YOU DESERVE IT.
• ➸ when Tantalus can finally touch a cheeseburger but never got to eat it because he was so timely sent back to the Underworld. HA. YOU DON’T DESERVE A CHEESEBURGER, YOU BULLY.
• ➸ Luke getting shot by a custom-made arrow with a leather boxing glove on the end. HAHAHA. KEEPING IT PG 13 FOR THE MIDDLE GRADERS. LOVE IT.
• ➸ “I really wish my cousins wouldn’t slam their heads together. They don’t have the brain cells to spare.” HERE I ANNOUNCE THE APPEARANCE OF CHIRON THE SAVAGE
• ➸ “Brother!” I said, loud enough for everybody to hear. “Tyson, my baby brother.” my heart is so full for the two of them.
• ➸ it’s so heartwarming & an aww-moment to see annabeth give credit to tyson for getting the golden fleece, saving grover and winning the chariot race after knowing the detest for cyclopes because it was the one thing that made her lose thalia.

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Before you proceed, make sure you read The Sea of Monsters already! The next review is for book three.

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The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

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Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3
Published May 5th 2007 by Puffin Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Greek Mythology
Representation: ADHD, Dyslexia

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis:

It’s not everyday you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.

But when you’re the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive… 

Goodreads

Book Depository

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Nico di Angelo was the buzzword on Twitter surrounding this series for as long as I could remember. Not knowing how he is or where he came from or who he’s related to in Greek mythology, I went in blind with high expectations. Now that I do know him, I bet Nico’s a real badass.

Like the other Rick Riordan books, The Titan’s Curse consists of funny dialogues, feelings discovered, more prophecies revealed, and rising tension. Readers were thrust further into trouble stewed thanks to Luke and his master, Kronos. Rick Riordan always manages to incorporate new characters who have unique personalities and purposes.

It’s obvious how much Percy grew after each book. Not only are his sword-fighting skills improving, when facing dangers, Percy thinks faster.

The ending raised the stakes for everyone involved. Nobody knows what will happen. Who’s going to die? What’s the next prophecy?

“Let the world honour you, my Huntress,” Artemis said, “Live forever in the stars.”

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Before you proceed, make sure you read The Titan’s Curse already! The next review is for book four.

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The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

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Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4
Published March 6th 2008 by Hyperion Books for Children
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Greek Mythology
Representation: ADHD, Dyslexia

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis:

Percy Jackson isn’t expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears at his potential new school, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos’s army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth – a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

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Stakes were raised in The Battle of the Labyrinth. Things started getting dangerous and their quests are getting riskier each time they venture out. There was no knowing which god or goddess is your ally and which ones are making traps along your way.

Despite the tension and the repercussions, there was no lack of hilarious moments. In fact, Rick Riordan still managed to integrate funny dialogues when they were up against foes.

There was a noticeable shift in whatever is between Percy and Annabeth, especially because of the introduction of a not-so-new character. Can’t blame him for being blind though. He had known that Annabeth have been crushing on Luke ever since they were young.

I nodded, looking at Rachel with respect. “You hit the Lord of the Titans in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush.”

I’ve always been curious about the Labyrinth and Daedalus so I was really excited about this complex architecture and its creator. Also, Nico was a nice welcome. He has grown independent within such a short amount of time, and it seemed like he had gained some confidence.

Trust me when I say the finale is going to be epic! It may not be realistic to hope that none of my beloved characters will die. Things wouldn’t be that bad right?

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Before you proceed, make sure you read The Battle of the Labyrinth already! The next review is for book five.

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The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

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Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5
Published May 5th 2009 by Disney ● Hyperion Books
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Greek Mythology
Representation: ADHD, Dyslexia

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Synopsis:

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.

While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. 

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate. 

Goodreads

Book Depository

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Got far more emotional than I expected when I reached the last page. Unknowingly, I grew attached to this cast to the point where I didn’t want to stop reading about their adventures. I’ve seen them grow from teenagers to young adults. The development of each character was wonderfully done even though there were many of them.

Although the majority of The Last Olympian consisted of fighting scenes, I’m still in awe at Rick Riordan’s ease in injected humor while chaos was brewing around them. He added small snippets of entertainment into conversations that made me laugh and kept me going further into the battle.

“Hold on, Seaweed Brain.” It was Annabeth’s voice, much clearer now. “You’re not getting away from me that easily.” The cord strengthened.

This last installment also showed me how childish, ridiculous, and insecure gods can be. They can be very rude and they don’t bother claiming their children. Now, the reader has a wider perspective of the gods. We see how these proud Olympians have doubts of their own and that they love their children. They just don’t know how to express it. Still, their arrogance and hubris still cause them to make mistakes.

I am psyched for what’s to come in the other series Rick Riordan has been churning out the past few years while I lagged behind. This series was incredibly fun to read. Can’t believe it took me so long.

Before I could lose my courage, I said, “Don’t I get a kiss for luck? It’s kind of a tradition, right?”

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That’s the end of the compilation of reviews for Percy Jackson and the Olympian series by Rick Riordan! I had so much fun reading the books and then reflecting on these reviews while I was rewriting them. Kinda wish I wrote more about how I was feeling at that time about specific characters but that’s just another reason for a reread right?

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