As a kid I was a big reader, but over the years I’ve been reading significantly less than I would like. Even when I do decide to read something, it usually takes me a while to finish. One day I randomly decided to reread the Percy Jackson series. I really enjoyed the books as a kid, and I wanted to see how I would like them now. Obviously with age comes a different perspective so I wanted to see how my perception would change. I kind of expected to find it to be a little childish, but I was pleasantly surprised. After rereading the series I can honestly say it’s even better than I remember. It only took me a week to finish all 5 books, I just couldn’t stop reading. I was fully engrossed and invested in the story. Here are some things that I think made the series so good.
The first thing (and most important), is the portrayal of Percy Jackson. The books are written in first person from his perspective, so if his character wasn’t as likable, the series would’ve been significantly worse. Writing in first person definitely helped the story, it almost felt like Percy Jackson was a part of you, as the reader, which was kind of cool (in later series Rick Riordan switches to 3rd person perspective which I thought was kind of….weird). I found Percy to be extremely likable and relatable. I also really liked his powers. His abilities made all of his fights interesting. It’s funny to me that Aquaman is considered one of the lamest superheroes because of his water powers, but for Percy it just seems so cool. He’s an expert swordsman, he can control water, breath under water, and being in/near water makes him physically stronger and can also heal him. By the end of the series he was even able to create his own personal hurricane. It was cool to see him become more and more powerful as the series progressed.
Rick Riordan did a great job with world building. Whether it be introducing new characters, or introducing new locations, it felt like I was one of the characters seeing everything he was describing. It really felt like you were submerging yourself in this world that he created. He cleverly weaves popular figures and stories from greek mythology with characters of his own creation. The dialogue between characters was solid, and the bonds that were established felt earned and genuine. I think one difference between stories in movies, and stories in books is the slow burn aspects of relationships. Movies are typically way more heavy handed while books have the time to be more subtle, letting relationships develop more organically. The relationship between Percy and Annabeth definitely benefited from this.
I really feel like these books were written with the intention of them being adapted into a tv show or movie. There was great detail put into the aesthetics of certain scenes which helps you visualize what’s going on. This style of writing also contributes to the flow of the story as a whole. The overall story is simple and concise enough to easily follow, but well paced, with twists and turns that add a complexity to the story that will keep you hooked. Just like a good tv show, the books all have cliffhanger endings that build anticipation for the next book, setting up a new obstacle for the heroes to overcome. Every book gets more and more intense, culminating with the 5th and final book of the series. The last book was so satisfying to read. The tone was dark and serious which was a change from the previous 4 books, but it made it more gratifying when the heroes ultimately triumphed in the end. The last book is around 370 pages and it took me less than a day to finish, I didn’t want it to end but I couldn’t put it down.
I enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series, but in my opinion the Percy Jackson series is even better. One reason I think I liked it more was due to the quest aspect of the books. As iconic as Hogwarts was as the background for the stories in the Harry Potter series, the fact that the protagonists in the Percy Jackson series had to go out in the world and navigate their way around various locations made the story feel more dynamic and engaging than the Harry Potter books. Another thing is the unique abilities of the demigods, monsters, and gods, in the Percy Jackson series. All of the matchups felt fresh because there was very little redundancy in the characters, unlike Harry Potter, where everyone basically has the same abilities, just some people are more skilled. Also the fact that a lot of Harry Potter’s feats were either a result of luck, considerable outside help. Even though he was the “Chosen One,” Harry honestly probably wasn’t even the best wizard at Hogwarts, and almost certainly wasn’t a top 5 wizard in that universe. In contrast Percy was undoubtedly either the most powerful demigod in the series, or at least top 2. And all of his feats were just displays of his skill, power, and wit, with not a lot of luck involved (outside of the first book).
Obviously these are books meant for kids/teenagers and I’m definitely not that, but I don’t know I still thoroughly enjoyed retreading these books. It’s a light read and doesn’t require a lot of mental investment to enjoy. By the end you won’t want to stop reading, and you’ll probably feel thoroughly satisfied. I recommend these books to anyone of any age. Definitely a fun read.
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