Just - Percy Jackson

Is he high, or what?...

I heard Uma Thurman was in it!

I can not tell you how much I love Percy Jackson (and I'm not just talking about the books wink wink) I got the first book just a few months after I turned 12, and have only recently finished the last HOO book in my freshman year of college. These books have influenced me deep down to my core. Still, I feel Percy often lacks the respect given to other such works of fiction, book, TV or otherwise. If the official character art was not bad enough, Percy has had quite the blow with the Lighting Thief  movie, and I fear he may never fully recover. (One good thing to spring for this adversity - we have some freaking great fan-art!*) Still, bad renditions do not mean the book should be thrown to the dust too! These books still hold great adventure, and literary value.

Please - let me prove it too you in the most persuasive-essay-way possible:

1.(Look! Times New Roman!) The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series has a deep and complex storyline. The series leads you though four years of Percy’s life in five books. He fights monsters, encounters gods, makes friends, and even travels to the underworld. That is not the half of it. Each book is full of new places, new people, new adventures, and new storylines. Still, what makes the series successful as a whole are the elements that carry throughout all the books. As we have seen in many epic sagas, there is always an end all goal; Harry had to defeat Lord Voldemort, Frodo had to destroy the One Ring, and for Percy – he must fulfill a half-century old prophecy to decide the fate of the Western World. Although each book can stand alone as a great story with character, climax, etc. what makes the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series great is it’s ability to draw you in to the next book with the ever growing curiosity for what will come next.

  2.These books show an amazing level of foreshadowing in the storyline. Rick Riordan has written many different books, including a follow up series for the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, called The Heroes of Olympus. The amazing part about these books, however, is how much is forecast in the PJO series. Riordan did not release the idea of a follow up until he was well into the fourth book, but rereading them shows hints and details hidden as far back as the first few chapters of book one. The amount of forethought mixed into each chapter defies the realm of normalcy. Riordan has taken his ideas to the next level in order to create an amazing experience for all readers.

3.The story of Percy Jackson is one that people of all ages can enjoy. As Percy grows up from twelve to sixteen, and onto seventeen in the HOO series, we see the action rise in an exponential manner. Experiences and battles become more dangerous and earth-shattering in each book. Some have even said that The Mark of Athena and The House of Hades should not be thought of as children’s books, due to the extreme situations and dangers the characters are put though. Even as I near adulthood, I still found myself waiting with immense anticipation for the release of the series conclusion. I have known young children and mature adults to have read these books, and none have reported a dull moment.

They're also so freaking adorable!

  4.As the action grows, so does your love for the characters in the book. I have had the opportunity to grow up alongside Percy as each book has been released, and I think this is an amazing way to grow closer to the characters. As the books go, we find relatable experiences with relationships, school struggles, disabilities, and the fight to find ourselves. Each character is different and complex, which makes them more realistic. Each one shows real flaws and faults that lead them into even worse danger. A continuing factor in the book is Percy’s fatal flaw. Annabeth discovers her flaw to be her pride, but Percy finds his in being too loyal to his friends. Because of these flaws, they are thrown into danger by defying the gods and fighting for their friends. Each and every character shows a different personality, and set of problems they must overcome to grow to be a better person. This depth of character makes these books worthwhile and relatable.

  5.Rick Riordan's books prove to be even more beneficial, because he designed them to teach children about myths and history. Riordan originally developed the story of Percy Jackson after his son wanted new heroic stories to listen to. He used his knowledge of mythology to create bedtime stories of modern day gods, and later wrote the PJO series from them. In each book, he introduces you to new mythological characters, ancient terminology, and historical figures. He provides definitions and character descriptions at the end of his books to insure the reader can learn as much as possible. Riorden has written other novels that teach about Roman mythology, Egyptian mythology, and he may even be working on a Norse mythology series.

6. As well as an amazing understanding of foreshadow, Rick Riodan has shown great writing skills in several other ways. In the sagas he has written, one was written in first-person perspective like a journal, another written where the perspective follows a different characters each chapter, and yet another written like a series of recorded interviews. Riodan's variety not only keeps the reader entertained, but it also shows a deep understanding of different types of writing. He also shows skill in his variety of voice and personality. In the HOO, every few chapters, the perspective switches to a different character. With each, you can see a different personality and sense of humor shine through the words. He writes with real voice and emotion, and is able to communicate believable ideas and thoughts.

Some of you may have already heard of this great series, but I fear you have only seen the dark side of it. The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters – the two books that started it all – were recently transformed into movies, with a possible third one on the way. You may consider just watching the movies instead of wasting your time with the books. However, if you think these movies accurately portray the epic story of Percy Jackson, you have been sadly misinformed. It is my misfortune to say that these movies are nothing but a disgrace and a shame in the face of the books. Not only was the story line cut up and discarded – but it was beaten, mugged, shot, and left for dead in the back allies of New York. Percy’s five year journey to save the world has been reduced to Lerman’s two hour fieldtrip to LA. The target audience has also been diminished greatly for the movies. Watching The Lighting Thief movie reveals vulgar language, intense action, and sexual imagery that one would not find in the books, making it less enjoyable for younger audiences. Not only has all the depth of writing and foreshadowing disappeared, but so has the learning aspects of the story. Geek history and interesting vocabulary have been replaced with cheat, pop-culture references. The movie offers no other benefit to its viewers then mindless entertainment for a night. Without reading the PJO books, you miss out on all the development, the growth, the adventure, the emotion, the deep characters, and the meaningful story line that is clearly lacking in the theaters.

If this does not convince you to read Percy Jackson, than I just failed my 12th grade English class...

But seriously, go read PJO. Fair-faring, friends!

(*None of the art work shown on this post is mine. I wish I could tell you exactly where it all originated from - but this is the internet, and urls get lost in translation)