Have you ever read the book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians? This may shock some people who know that I am an avid reader of fantasy novels, but until recently, I’ve never read a chapter of this series. I love Rick Riordan, though, so I was excited to give it a try. And, well, it was super intriguing, entertaining, and really draws a reader (Such as me) into the story. I will definitely have to look into getting the other books in the series.

The Lightning Thief, or the first Percy Jackson novel, introduces you to, well, Percy Jackson. While on a trip with his mom that goes horribly wrong, Percy finds himself in the hands of Camp Half-Blood, a safe haven for demigods, otherwise known as half bloods. The kids in the camp all have one mortal parent and one immortal, or godly, parent. Confused, Percy desperately wants to know what’s going on, but he won’t know until the time is right what god is his father. After that much is revealed during a game of capture the flag, Percy’s former history teacher, Chrion, explains that there’s an urgent situation and he needs Percy to go on a quest. Zeus’s Master Lightning Bolt has been stolen, and Percy seems to be the main suspect. If Percy fails to find and return the bolt before the summer solstice, the gods will engage in war and wreak havoc on the Earth. The young boy agrees to take on the quest, and Grover, his satyr friend, and Annabeth, daughter of Athena and desperate to get out of Camp Half-Blood on a journey, decide to come along as well. But before they go, Chrion convinces the Percy to go get his prophecy from the Oracle:

You shall go west, and face the god who has turned, You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned, You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.

Unnerved by this future, yet still determined, Percy sets off on his adventure with his two companions. But adventure is around every corner. From the Fates to the Furies, and Medusa to Echida to Ares, Grover, Annabeth, and Percy will have to combine their skills and smarts in order to defeat the monsters and make it to the Underworld, then Mount Olympus, alive.

Something else that made this story so much more fun to read was the fact that the book is written in first person, with Percy as the narrator. With Rick Riordan’s style of writing, I couldn’t put his book down! To anybody who loves fantasy, adventures, and Greek Mythology and haven’t read this novel yet, I suggest you give it a try! Who knows, you might find your new favorite series!