Monday, May 11, 2009

A Modern Odyssey

Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get . . . well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy's friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and hugely anticipated follow up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family -- one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

Title: The Seas of Monsters
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 2
Start & Finished: 2/27/09- 2/28/09
Published: 2006
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Pages: 279
Genre: YA- Adventure
Official Site

Rick Riordan’s bestselling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians continues with the second book The Sea of Monsters, which continues almost an entire year after the first book The Lightening Thief. Perseus (Περσεύς) was one of the few Greek demigods (or Half-bloods) to ever survive his adventures so it was only natural that Percy Jackson’s mother would name him after the great hero- despite the fact that Perseus was Zeus’ son and Percy is Poseidon’s’.

In the newest book Percy discovers new friends and enemies (old ones too), while facing many battles along the way. Percy’s new friend Tyson seems to be a kind of simpler-minded Grover and he does handle the role Grover would normally occupy but I liked him a lot too. I know I’m going to have a hard time ever thinking of a Pegasus again without thinking “chickie-ponies”! I do hope he appears in future books as well.

Again, I was reminded strongly of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter for a couple of chapters and then the story really came into its own. Percy and his friends even get to experience an updated version of Odysseus' odyssey- complete with the cyclops Polyphemus- on their quest to rescue their friend Grover and to find the Golden Fleece in order to save the camp. Riordan doesn’t overburden you at any point with the old myths, instead he makes them as fresh and exciting as if they were brand new. In an interview he said, “I think mythology has endured so long because these old stories describe something timeless. Hearing the exploits of the gods and heroes, we learn a lot about the best and worst of human nature.”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians
1. The Lightning Thief (2005)
2. The Sea of Monsters (2006)
3. The Titan's Curse (2007)
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008)
5. The Last Olympian (2009)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (omnibus) (2008)
The Sword of Hades (2009)

Related Posts: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
Links: Author Wikipedia, Book Wikipedia, Author Blog,
Interview: Reader's Guide + Interview, Miss Erin

Picture Explanations
Guinea Pigs: C.C has quite a collection of these...
Polyphemus: The cyclops Percy and his friends need to get past in order to get the Golden Fleece needed to save the camp.

10 comments:

  1. I've got to get hold of this series - I think my whole family would like it.

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  2. This sounds like a fun series. Very cool that it is similar to Harry Potter.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  3. Another great review!! This sounds really good :)

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  4. I just saw these at Wal'Mart. The name Rick Riordan caught my attention. I've read a lot of his Tres Naverre books and didn't realize he had written these YA novels. They look good.

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  5. I've been wanting to read these.. I did send for the boxed first 3 but I will hang on to them until I can afford the last 2 books!

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  6. I finished the first one a few weeks ago and LOVED it. I just bought Book 2 this weekend with birthday money. I can't wait to read it. This series is fantastic. I'm now obsessed with Roman/Greek gods and goddesses. I bought the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton and The Books of Gods and Goddesses by Fred Saberhagen. I'm also looking at Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. I'm completely out of control.

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  7. I really need to get around to reading the rest of the books in this series! I have only read book one so far.

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  8. Bermudaonion: I bet they will! Like Potter, they really appeal to a wide audience.

    Naida: Only superficially similiar but in a good way :)

    Wendy: Thanks!

    Sharon: Wally World is getting better about putting good books out lately. I haven't read his adult series but I've read just about every YA book he's written so far. Riordan is an amazing author.

    DesLily: I don't blame you. I wanted to read them all at once too!

    Paxton: So glad you love them! I've always been obsessed with any kind of gods and goddesses lol I actually read that Mythology book when I was a freshman in high school but I've refered to it many times since... especially when reading this series! I have Gods Behaving Badly but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet....

    Kailana: Hope you do, this was a great one!

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  9. I l-o-v-e LOVE this series! I am so very sad The Last Olympian is the final book. :(

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  10. Chelle: I started to pick up The Last Olympian while at the bookstore yesterday but I talked myself out of it since I don't have any of the others. Hopefully I can get it from the library really, really soon!

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