A young boy in an unhappy home discovers he has “powers.” A series of adventures brings him to a school with others like him, where he befriends an awkward boy and a smart, talented girl. Together, they battle dark forces. No, I'm not talking about “Harry Potter.” While the plotlines are strikingly similar, this book didn't come off as derivative as it sounds. It was a great read with a contemporary feel and I can easily see the popularity. Much like J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan grounds the mystical elements in very real pre-teens. Humor weaves throughout as Percy, our lead character, maintains his “um, yeah, right” attitude amidst growing improbabilities. The Greek myths are wonderfully integrated, enough to make the most school-resistant kid run flying to Wikipedia to learn more about the Gods. Action is plentiful from chapter to chapter, making the book a page-turner, but it has purpose and direction and character development isn't left behind as the tale progresses. I did find some of it predictable, but that's because I might (?) have a stronger understanding of the context than some of the younger readers (thank you, Hercules & Xena TV shows), but it was enjoyable. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Yeah, I'm behind the eight-ball. I read slowly and didn't want to take books from this popular series out of the hands of students. My only problem now is how long it's going to take me to get to Riordan's hot new series, “The Kane Chronicles.”
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