Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series played a huge role in my love of Greek mythology – the modern take on heroes and myths make them easier for a young audience to understand, and there are plenty of Easter eggs for those who already know their myths. The Lightning Thief kicks off the series wonderfully, introducing a loveable cast of characters that will stay with you for a long time.
Percy is a hero who’s brave and loyal for all the right reasons – his love for his family, both blood and found, make him a genuine and lovable protagonist. He isn’t the kind of hero who is unwilling dragged through his own story; he becomes immersed in this world along with the reader, and he quickly comes to love his fantastical new life and the people that come with it. The supporting cast is just as strong and substantial: Annabeth is never reduced to a damsel-in-distress, and she’s admired for her intelligence and strength rather than looks. The quests the heroes must embark on throughout the series are direct parallels to Ancient Greek myths, but they feel fresh and new from the eyes of these young modern heroes. From the first novel, the plot is engaging and exciting, appealing to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong. Between all of the action, magic and riddles, it’s a truly heart-warming story about finding friends who eventually become family, and houses that eventually become homes.
Riordan started the series as a way to help his dyslexic son feel like he could be a hero too; the series has become more progressive and inclusive as it goes along, reaching out to kids who struggle to see themselves in stories. If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson series, it only gets better from there. Heroes of Olympus takes place in the same world, followed by Trials of Apollo. For Egyptian mythology, there’s The Kane Chronicles, and for Norse mythology, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. If that isn’t enough for you, Riordan has also written some smaller books branching off from the Percy Jackson series.
The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan is available for sale here!
Cally Black’s In The Dark Spaces is an immersive sci-fi thriller that features some incredible aliens and insightful thoughts on human nature. While it’s full of action and danger, the heart of the story revolves around family, morality, communication, and love in all its forms. Exposition is scarce, but this works in the book’s favour. [...]
In the final novel from the Magisterium series by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, Callum Hunt is faced with the task of destroying Alex Strike and the chaos that followed in the wake of the events of the penultimate novel The Silver Mask. Callum Hunt is now entering his Gold Year, the final year of …
Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein is a fast-paced psychological thriller with a distinct Australian flavour. One for those with a morbid curiosity, this novel is rife with dark themes and mind games, leaving you itching to uncover all of its secrets. Tash Carmody is confronted with her past when the ghosts of her childhood reappear …
Meet Me at the Intersection is a rich short story anthology written by a diverse range of Australian authors and lovingly edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina. The anthology aims to showcase the experiences of marginalised groups through “own voice” stories, whose authors fit into those groups. The first thing about the anthology that …
Melissa Keil’s The Secret Science of Magic is a unique and compelling twist on the typical romance novel. Shift away from the typical “quirky” star-crossed lover archetypes, Keil has created the kind of relatable and complex character that exist in real life, but rarely ever play a starring role in the media. Sophia is so …
Dragonkeeper is the first in an enchanting book series created by Carole Wilkinson. The first novel follows Ping, a slave to a ruthless master who begins a strong friendship with a captive dragon. Together, the two of them are able to escape the master and journey to Ocean, a distant land far from the ancient …
Book Review – Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
Percy is a hero who’s brave and loyal for all the right reasons – his love for his family, both blood and found, make him a genuine and lovable protagonist. He isn’t the kind of hero who is unwilling dragged through his own story; he becomes immersed in this world along with the reader, and he quickly comes to love his fantastical new life and the people that come with it. The supporting cast is just as strong and substantial: Annabeth is never reduced to a damsel-in-distress, and she’s admired for her intelligence and strength rather than looks.
The quests the heroes must embark on throughout the series are direct parallels to Ancient Greek myths, but they feel fresh and new from the eyes of these young modern heroes. From the first novel, the plot is engaging and exciting, appealing to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong. Between all of the action, magic and riddles, it’s a truly heart-warming story about finding friends who eventually become family, and houses that eventually become homes.
Riordan started the series as a way to help his dyslexic son feel like he could be a hero too; the series has become more progressive and inclusive as it goes along, reaching out to kids who struggle to see themselves in stories.
If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson series, it only gets better from there. Heroes of Olympus takes place in the same world, followed by Trials of Apollo. For Egyptian mythology, there’s The Kane Chronicles, and for Norse mythology, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. If that isn’t enough for you, Riordan has also written some smaller books branching off from the Percy Jackson series.
The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan is available for sale here!
Related Posts
Book Review – In the Dark Spaces by Cally Black
Book Review – The Golden Tower by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black
In the final novel from the Magisterium series by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, Callum Hunt is faced with the task of destroying Alex Strike and the chaos that followed in the wake of the events of the penultimate novel The Silver Mask. Callum Hunt is now entering his Gold Year, the final year of …
Book Review – Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein
Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein is a fast-paced psychological thriller with a distinct Australian flavour. One for those with a morbid curiosity, this novel is rife with dark themes and mind games, leaving you itching to uncover all of its secrets. Tash Carmody is confronted with her past when the ghosts of her childhood reappear …
Book Review – Meet Me at the Intersection edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina
Meet Me at the Intersection is a rich short story anthology written by a diverse range of Australian authors and lovingly edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina. The anthology aims to showcase the experiences of marginalised groups through “own voice” stories, whose authors fit into those groups. The first thing about the anthology that …
Book Review – The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil
Melissa Keil’s The Secret Science of Magic is a unique and compelling twist on the typical romance novel. Shift away from the typical “quirky” star-crossed lover archetypes, Keil has created the kind of relatable and complex character that exist in real life, but rarely ever play a starring role in the media. Sophia is so …
Book Review – Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson
Dragonkeeper is the first in an enchanting book series created by Carole Wilkinson. The first novel follows Ping, a slave to a ruthless master who begins a strong friendship with a captive dragon. Together, the two of them are able to escape the master and journey to Ocean, a distant land far from the ancient …