Tag Archives: percy jackson

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Posted on by
Reply

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods is a 336 paged book written by Rick Riordan and illustrated by John Rocco. I know all of us have heard of Percy Jackson. You have probably at some point read one of the books in Percy Jackson’s mythological world. So as a person who doesn’t know much about Greek mythology this book is great. Most people don’t much about Greek mythology. So this book is great giving you not only an interesting story but allowing you better understand and enjoy the other Percy Jackson books.

The book starts off with how the world is created in Greek mythology. So we learn about the start of Earth and the Titans. After the Titans are the Gods. It goes through the first Titan wars explaining how the Gods got into power. Zeus who is actually the youngest starts the war by freeing his five older siblings from the prison which was their father’s stomach.

After, explaining the war the book goes over the stories of 15 of the main Greek Gods. The 15 main Greek Gods talked about were Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Persephone, Hermes, Hestia, Hephaestus, and Dionysus.

We read interesting and exciting stories made centuries ago with a modern writing style. As well as background knowledge on some of the Greek gods. It’s an interesting book and a must-read for anybody planning to read Percy Jackson’s books.

-Luke G.

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

The Tower of Nero – Book Review

Posted on by
2

The Tower of Nero is the final installment of Rick Riodan’s most recent series called The Trials Of Apollo. In the last book, Apollo travels with his 12-year-old master/companion Meg, who is the daughter of Demeter. They both get jumped by an old friend of Meg’s, Lu. Lu helps them escape from the Germani, who were sent by Nero to capture them. They then get the 2nd line of Apollo’s final prophecy. It tells them to go to the place of the “7 layer dip” (Percy Jackson’s house). Turns out Percy isn’t home, and Lu, Apollo, and Meg instead just stay the night and plan to go to Camp Half-Blood in the morning. They take a ride on the Gray Sisters Taxi and make it (barely) to Camp Half-Blood. Meg went off to the Demeter cabin, Lu decided to go explain what happened to Nero, and Apollo gets a visit by Mr. D and his son, Will, before promptly collapsing.

As not to spoil the ending of this fantastic book, I’ll have to stop the review here. But, If you appreciate mythology books (or just fantasy books), I highly recommend reading this series. It is packed with many emotional moments and fun easter-eggs from his other books.

-Izzy

The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Posted on by
Reply

The Son of Neptune is the second volume in the Heroes of Olympus series, In the novel, someone transports Percy from his home Camp Half-Blood in New York to Camp Jupiter in Southern California. He ends up there with no memory except one name, Annabeth.

On his way to Camp Jupiter, he is chased by the gorgons and observes something extremely odd. He observed that when he killed them they would just reform and come back and attack him which was not possible. 

He embarks on a quest to make sure monsters stay dead when they are killed with his new friends, Frank and Hazel. He goes to the north meeting foes and friends. He completes his quest and arrives at Camp Jupiter just in time to aid them at their time of greatest need, during a battle for survival. He regains his memory and meets his own friends from his original camp to lead an even larger quest to save the gods.

I highly recommend this book because it leads to an even bigger finale and the book along with many others in the series   Also, this is a novel that really makes you want to keep reading until the book is over. I read this novel in a very short time because i was really hooked into the story.

-Badrish A.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Quiz: Which Fictional World Would You Live In?

Posted on by
1

Fictional worlds–from the rich and expansive Grishaverse to the extensive landscape of Middle Earth to the modern world of Percy Jackson to the incredibly detailed Wizarding World–are wonderful destinations for readers to travel to every so often. In fact, many of these worlds are so rich and detailed that it requires no great effort to imagine oneself living in them. The following quiz will give you an idea of which fictional world you might belong in, if you could live in one. This is in no way meant to be an affirmative test; I simply thought it would be a quick, fun activity for book lovers.

Included Worlds: This quiz includes only four of the multitude of incredible fictional worlds: Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse (from Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows); J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World; J.R.R. Tolkein’s Middle Earth; and Rick Riordan’s world of Percy Jackson.

How to take it: It’s pretty simple; please look at each question (there are 7) and choose the letter that answers the question best for you. Somehow record your answers, on paper or in your head. When you’re done, you can look at the answer key to discover which of the four fictional worlds you might belong in!

The Quiz

1. Which location would you want to visit the most?

a. New Zealand; b. Scotland; c. The United States; d. Russia

2. Which drink do you think you would enjoy the most?

a. Mead; b. Butterbeer; c. Nectar; d. Kvas

3. What is your favorite mode of transportation?

a. Pony or horse; b. Broomstick; c. Flying ship; d. Carriage or boat

4. What is your preferred form of communication?

a. Moths; b. Owl; c. Iris messages; d. Messengers

5. What is your preffered form of magic/fighting?

a. Traditional weapons (swords, bow and arrow); b. Magic spells; c. Special abilities inherited from my parents; d. Control/manipulation of elements

6. Which body of water do you like the most?

a. Rivers; b. Lake; c. Sound (i.e. Long Island Sound); d. Oceans and canals

7. Where would you most like to live and train?

a. No place in particular; b. Hogwarts; c. Camp Half-Blood; d. The Little Palace

Answer Key: Your potential fictional home depends on which letter you chose the most.

  • Mostly “a”: Middle Earth
  • Mostly “b”: The Wizarding World
  • Mostly “c”: The world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians
  • Mostly “d”: The Grishaverse

Thank you for taking this quiz! These are all wonderful fictional worlds–and of course, they are only four out of of many incredible universes. I hope you enjoyed taking this quiz!

-Mia T.

Book Review: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods

Posted on by
1

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods is a book based on the 12 Olympian gods that thoroughly goes through each of their individual backgrounds, stories, and some funny moments.

The book is explained by Percy Jackson, a modern-day demigod, which basically means that one of his parents is a god and the other one is mortal. They can see the gods and understand them compared to regular mortals. Demigods are also prone to monsters that hunt demigods specifically and have to be trained in combat to stay alive.

This book is written with a flair of Percy’s own touch, a hint of sarcasm, and a touch of a personalized view of each of the gods. From Athena to Poseidon, this book covers all the Olympians plus some bonus gods including Persephone, Hades, and Hestia.

This book explains the beginnings in the Greek mythology from Ouranos and Gaea, to the titans, to the 12 Olympians. It also includes some special artwork of some of the gods like Demeter, Hades and Persephone, Poseidon, Zeus, Athena, Hephaestus and Ares, Apollo, and Dionysus.

I would really recommend this to anyone who is interested in Greek mythology. I would even highly recommend it to someone who is either unfamiliar with Greek mythology or to someone who doesn’t have any information on Greek mythology.

-Badrish A.

Peter Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Favorite Fictional Parents

Posted on by
5

I thought it would be fun to compile a list of some of my favorite fictional parents, as some of them play such a big role in raising their children to be the heroes we love to read about.

Martin Penderwick (The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall): One thing I love about Mr. Penderwick, who is a botanist, is that he always seems to have a phrase of Latin to toss to his daughters, most of the time leaving them to puzzle it out. It is not easy to raise four daughters on your own, and by looking at his daughters, you can see he did quite a nice job.

Arthur Weasley (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling): Always intrigued by the various creations of Muggles, Arthur Weasley is not your typical wizard. He seems a supportive dad, with his son Ron looking to him for answers to questions, and though he can get a bit carried away with tinkering with Muggle objects and his fascination with “escapators”, his wife Molly tends to keep him in check.

Molly Weasley (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling): Loving and warm–though sharp at times– Mrs. Weasley treats Harry as one of her own children despite her already large family of seven kids. The wondrous food produced in her kitchen is one of Harry’s most favorite parts of staying at the Burrow. Though she is motherly and kind, it’s also best not to get on the wrong side of her wand; even her sons shrink from her anger although they are taller than she.

Sally Jackson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan): Sally Jackson shows true strength by raising a child on her own (a demigod, at that). Her love for her son, Percy, is evident in her willingness to live with a putrid-smelling man in order for the stench to cover up Percy’s demigod smell from creatures of Greek myths. Sally’s affection for her son is amazing, just like her seven-layer dip.

– Mia T.

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Posted on by
5

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods is a very interesting and funny book. Rick Riordan did a great job incorporating Percy Jackson’s sarcastic comments with the historical knowledge we know about the Greek gods. This book includes stories from all of the 12 main Greek gods, and what happened before the gods. This book is a very great book to out loud to your friends or family. This book was probably the funniest Rick Riordan book I have ever read! This book really shows how much humorous Percy Jackson really is, and how much thought Rick Riordan put in his character.

Another interesting thing about this book it is Percy Jackson telling the story, no one else. All of Rick Riordan’s books are the characters telling the story, but this book I think just stands out the most from all the other ones I’ve read.

There are actually another book similar to Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, it is called Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes. They are both very similar in the story telling, but different subjects. So if you have read Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, you should read the other one. If you are a big fan of Percy Jackson, make sure to check this book out!

-Brandon D.

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive. 

The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

Posted on by
Reply

The most modest, kind-hearted, expert haiku poet of a god- yes, I am talking about the one and only Apollo! Honestly, who doesn’t love him?

Well it looks as if Zeus isn’t particularly fond of him- because, well you probably wouldn’t throw someone you’re fond of off of Olympus and strip them of their godly powers.

Apollo finds himself in a repulsive garbage bin in a New York alley when he awakes in the form of the utterly powerless, weak, and completely mortal Lester Papadopoulos. Because he is so accustomed to his godly privileges and reverent treatment, being sent to Earth with absolutely no powers hits Apollo pretty hard. Quite literally:

“Hoodlums punch my my face,

I would smite them if I could,

Mortality blows.”

-Apollo (The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle Ch. 1, Rick Riordan)

Although this is a new series, it’s also, in a way, a continuation of Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus. It’s set in the same world, and some questions that were left unanswered in The Blood of Olympus (the last book in The Heroes of Olympus series) are finally explained. I won’t specify which ones so as not to spoil anything, but I will say that I was very happy that I finally found out what happened (I died after I read The Blood of Olympus because I didn’t think there would be any more books). Additionally, some characters from The Heroes of Olympus series are represented in this book, so I was also happy about that. But of course, new and lovable (and some not so lovable) characters are introduced in this series.

I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard that this book was coming out and was not, in any way whatsoever, disappointed when I was finally able to read it. Apollo has always been one of my favorite gods but, after reading this book, I can confidently say that he is my favorite.

I love how Rick Riordan portrays Apollo and brings out so much personality and humor. The book is narrated by Apollo, and it really feels like it’s the god narrating because of the language Rick uses in this book. Apollo is very eloquent (most of the time), and speaks in a different manner than we do today in modern society.

Greek and Roman mythology has always interested me, and so has the history from these cultures, as the two are so closely related. I really admire how much historical content Rick is able to weave in to the story, along with the mythological and fictional aspects.

If you’ve read The Heroes of Olympus series, I definitely recommend this book (the second one is also out: The Dark Prophecy). Although, if you haven’t finished that series yet, I’d wait until you finish reading it because this book will probably spoil something.

This is definitely one of my favorite series, and I can’t wait until the third one comes out!

-Elina T.

The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Authors We Love: Rick Riordan

Posted on by
3

Rick Riordan was definitely one of my favorite authors.  He is the writer of the Percy Jackson series, the Heroes of Olympus series, the Kane Chronicles, and the Magnus Chase series. Riordan’s books take ancient mythology and weave it into modern-day stories of adventures.

The Percy Jackson series, which was his first series, revolves around a boy named Percy Jackson who learns that he is a demigod — a son of Poseidon. You follow Percy and his friends, Annabeth and Grover, as well as others, in adventures while learning about Greek Mythology. Placed in a world where Greek Mythology is fact, Riordan does a fabulous job writing this series. When you start reading, you aren’t going to want to put the book down. I think that this is one of the best series of books he has written.

The Heroes Of Olympus series is, in a way, a continuation of the Percy Jackson series. However, it adds new characters and involves both Greek and Roman mythology. This series was just as great as the Percy Jackson series and had me intrigued till the end.

The Kane Chronicles revolves around Egyptian Mythology and a brother and sister, Carter and Sadie. Though, out of all the series’ Rick Riordan has written, this is my least favorite, but it is still good. To me, it was just not quite as captivating as some of his other pieces of writing. I would still recommend reading it, though, because it still a really good story.

The Magnus Chase series is about a boy named Magnus Chase and Norse Mythology. It is a really cool series, especially because you get to learn a little bit about Norse Mythology — something that you really won’t know much about other than the fact that Thor and Loki are Norse Gods.

All of Riordan’s writings are a great way to not only get lost in a book, but to learn about ancient mythology in a new and exciting way. All of his books are pretty easy to read, but they can entertain you for hours. Overall, he is just a fabulous writer and I would recommend any of his books.

-Ava G.

Book vs Movie: Percy Jackson

Posted on by
7

percy_book_movieI think this is the best place to say “The books were better than the movies” because I am going to talk about the Percy Jackson series. That saying works best with this series because the books were the best books I have ever read and the movies… not so much.

If I had not read the book and I saw the movie, then I would have thought that it was a cool story and a good movie overall. But since I read the book first, I had a 10/10 rating in my hand and a less than 10/10 rating on the screen. The movie makers aren’t even going to make a third movie because they aren’t making a profit on them.

The books are written in the perspective of Percy Jackson, which is hard to do when you’re writing, and gives a whole lot more description about what is going on. First off, in the movies, there was no description as deep as the description from the books and they left out huge things from the books that the storyline barely made sense. They also added things from the last book that totally ruined what the second book was about!

But I am not just here to criticize the movies; I am also here to talk about how AMAZING the books were. You’ve got action most of all that is really cool to picture in my mind. The description is really great because I am able to visualize and make a movie in my head about what is happening in the book! My head movies are better than the movie theater movies even! (I wonder if the director even read the book…)

Also, the Heroes of Olympus series is just as good. All these books aren’t some of those “and they lived happily ever after” stories; these books actually make you think and enjoy and relate to the characters. I know I am not the only one that is waiting for the next Heroes of Olympus book that just came out and I also know that I am not the only one who is really excited for it!

I know this Book vs. Movie post is kind of late, since the books have been out a while and the movies too, but I have just recently been reading them and watching them again. I am sorry for those of you who turned 13 and did not get chased by monsters to Camp Half Blood, but those of you who are not 13 yet, don’t lose hope! If anyone, and I am sure there are a lot of you, feels the same way about these books and movies, or if you don’t, please leave a comment below!

-Kyle H., 8th grade