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| The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) | 
 enlarge | Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Miramax
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy New: $2.50
You Save: $5.49 (69%)
New (52) Used (38) from $2.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  266 reviews
Sales Rank: 427
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 392
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0786838655
EAN: 9780786838653
ASIN: 0786838655
Publication Date: April 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new book may have a remainder mark
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| Customer Reviews:
 Modern Heroic Tale November 23, 2008
A young man thinks his biggest problems in life are his ADHD and dyslexia, maybe a bully or two, but then he discovers that he's half god.
This very clever book (written primarily for middle school to early highschool students, but rewarding and enjoyable for adults, too) imagines that the Greek gods are still around and still up to their old ways-especially going out and having children with mortals. The writing is very witty; the author had me laughing out loud more than once. The plot is great and never slows down.
Readers are rewarded for knowledge of Greek mythology by having an idea of where the author is going with his story. You can read the beginning of a description and know right away which monster or god it is. Keep in mind, this is a book written for young adults, so don't get too happy when you figure out the Oracle's prediction way before the other characters do. Also, seeing as this is a book about the gods' influence on Earth, don't be suprised by the large amount of deus ex machina in the plot.
My one and only complaint is that I felt the chapter headings contained too many spoilers.
 Really impressed by the accuracy - November 12, 2008
Like many of the books I wind up falling in love with, I stumbled upon The Lightning Thief by accident. I was wandering around Border's and found this gem on a table with signs saying "If you liked Harry Potter, then you might like these..." They were right.
The concept of the famous gods from ancient mythology still existing and following the path of Western Civilization across the world is genious. And the demigod characters who star in this new series are wonderful! I found myself wishing that I was a member of Camp Halfblood and wondering which cabin I'd be a part of myself. (After careful consideration, I decided I'm clearly a child of Athena.)
One other thing that was really exciting for me when reading this novel was the almost complete accuracy surrounding the old Greek myths. I was a Classics minor in college, so I'm a stickler for detail when it comes to getting those stories right. Mr. Riordan REALLY succeeded and that's not something I can honestly say I've ever found before.
I'm sure a lot of people are saying this,but look out Harry! November 9, 2008
Where do I start?
Alright,first of all,there is great character development and great characters.The story is great,almost everything about this series is great.
For those of you who haven't heard,this is about a tween named Percy Jackson.He has been kicked out of five boarding schools already and Percy has just gotten a letter telling him that he won't be invited back to Yancy Academy,the school that he is currently at.
While on a field trip he has a bizarre encounter with a demon who he knows as his pre-algabra teacher.
Through a whole turn of events Percy winds up at Camp Half-Blood,for all the demigods,or offsprings of the Greek gods.Percy finds out that he is the son of Poseidon.Meanwhile,he makes a friend,Annabeth,and finds out that Zeus is holding Percy as his prime suspect for the stealing of his master lightning bolt.
So Percy and his friends go on a quest to seek the theif and give back to Zeus what is rightfully his.
I reccomend this book to fantasy lovers and,actually,anyone who reads.You won't be dissapointed.
Wonderfully Creative November 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
12 year old Percy Jackson has always known he is different - he's been kicked out of several boarding schools, he's dyslexic, and he's never known who his father was. But he is about to find out just how different he is - characters from Greek mythology have entered his life and his best friend Grover is not who Percy thinks he is. Before he knows it, Percy is accused of stealing Zeus's master lightning bolt and has just ten days to find and return it. Percy and his friends Grover and Annabeth embark on a journey to find the lightening bolt that will change all of their lives.
"The Lightning Thief" is a wonderfully creative children's book by Rick Riordan. There are, perhaps inevitably, some similarities to the Harry Potter series - Percy has two close friends, a boy and a girl; he calls himself a half-blood; Annabeth has a baseball hat that makes her invisible when she wears it; only Percy can be the hero of the quest; and the trio even encounters a bunch of spiders. But Riordan is a talented enough writer to make readers forget the Potter comparisons and enjoy the series on its own merits. The concept of Percy battling Greek Gods and Goddesses is a unique one and Riordan does an excellent job of incorporating Greek mythology into the story. Children will no doubt want to know more about mythical characters such as Poseidon, Zeus, Chiron, Charon, Medusa, and more after reading the book. Percy's journey is indeed an epic one and readers will love reading about his dangerous journey across the country. The book is written in the first person from Percy's point of view and Riordan does an excellent job of capturing Percy's voice. The great thing about Percy's character is that while in many ways he is extraordinary because of who his father is and the adventures he has, he is also an ordinary 12 year old boy who struggles in school because of his dyslexia, who is a loyal friend but also gets into fights, and who loves his mother even if he doesn't always obey her. Children of all ages will identify with Percy on some level.
"The Lightning Thief" is the first in the five book "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, a series that looks like it will be a lot of fun.
5 STARS?!!! You'd better believe it! November 4, 2008
This series of books (still going) is awesome. It's like the Harry Potter series for today's kids. But don't let that discourage you; I read these books and I'm 18. Anyone with ANY interest in mythology SHOULD READ THIS BOOK SERIES. It's an interesting twist on the idea that the Greek gods still exist today and there is a new danger that threatens them and the whole world. I don't want to give the story away but it is so well written and such an interesting story that you have to read it for yourself. YOU HAVE TO!!!
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