PERCY JACKSON AND THE GREEK HEROES by Rick Riordan

“If you like mutilations, murders and flesh-eating farmyard animals, keep reading… My name is Percy Jackson. I’m a modern-day demigod – the son of Poseidon. I’ve had some bad experiences in my time, but the heroes I’m going to tell you about were the original old-school-hard-luck cases. So get you flaming spear. Put on you lion-skin cape. Polish your shield and make sure you’ve got arrows in your quiver. We’re going back about four thousand years to decapitate monsters, shoot a few gods in the butt, raid the Underworld and steal loot from evil people. Then, for dessert, we’ll die painful, tragic deaths. Ready? Sweet. Let’s do this.”

What is the book about?

A book filled with short stories about some of the most famous Greek heroes even known. Written by the one and only Percy Jackson, the book explores the tragic stories of the original demigod heroes, who had even worse luck than the modern-day son of Poseidon. 12 short stories about 12 heroes who decapitate monsters, wrestle lions, travel to the Underworld and complete impossible tasks. Get ready for the craziest adventures of all time with even gods fighting against these half-bloods. These Greek heroes have gone through so much suffering and so many battles, helping the good and killing the bad, but they have the worst luck. After everything they go through, in the end, they die painful, tragic deaths and end up separated from their loved ones. Ever wondered who first killed Medusa? What Hercules did to become so famous? How the heroes escaped the Underworld with their lives? Then get ready for adventures beyond your comprehension and start reading… 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

When I heard about this book I knew I had to have it. So many heroes were mentioned in the Percy Jackson series and I barely even knew anything about Hercules, who was the only Greek hero I could even name (other than Percy, obviously). I was curious about the heroes who had given Percy ideas on how to kill the Minotaur, Medusa and get the Golden Fleece successfully, because it is very useful to know where others previously failed or succeeded so you don’t make the same mistakes. Once I read the blurb I was even more intrigued at what sort of adventures these heroes got up to and how many of them would die. I always used to think that heroes always survived and were never killed, but reading has given me a new perspective on things and I was very interesting in seeing how the best warriors ended up dead (mainly stupid things). As soon as I started to read I knew I had made a great decision and I enjoyed the book so much. The first story was amazing, and so were all the others and I loved the book from the very beginning, every word being absolutely perfect. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

In my opinion all the heroes were so annoying and I don’t think I would be able to pick a favourite character out of them. They all started out extremely heroic, willing to do anything to get what they wanted or help someone they love or prove their worth. They were kind and helpful and didn’t let their strength get to their head too much at the start. However, once they started getting fans and going on stupid quests and winning, they all became really self-centred and just plain annoying. Imagine the most annoying, spoiled person you can think of and then multiply that by 100 and that wouldn’t even be near what the heroes were like after they saved the world a few times. Of course, some of them deserved a little happiness and they deserved to think they were amazing because of everything they did, but most of them ruined their lives because they thought they could do anything. Quite a few thought themselves to be as invincible as the gods when really they weren’t, but they thought they could do anything and so they all made stupid promises and went on stupid quests when they should have just retired and called it a day. Some of them were a bit better, like Perseus who actually got a happy ending, but mostly they went from the most desirable men in the world, to the most annoying ones in existence. If I had to pick a favourite character in this book it would probably be one of the side characters that aren’t really worth mentioning, but I wouldn’t even think about considering any of the Greek heroes despite the heroic deeds they did. This book teaches a very valuable lesson: if you become famous don’t let it go to your head or you will end up dead.  

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

The book is a collection of short stories so instead of choosing a part I will chose a story which is just as hard. I loved every story in the book which makes it very hard to choose a favourite but I would probably have to choose either the story about Perseus or the one about Cyrene. Both were amazing heroes and they fought for their lives and the lives of others without looking back. They also both got to have happy ending and I think they both deserved them. I think Percy was the only male Greek hero that didn’t let the fame get to his head and was just happy to have a loving wife and kids. He didn’t become stupid and let it kill him and he risked his life for others. Technically his pride got him into the whole mess of killing Medusa in the first place but, once he succeeded, he didn’t try and prove himself the extra 100 times the other heroes did. It was not a surprise to me that the female heroes were the smart ones that didn’t get themselves killed and that most of them got happy endings and Cyrene was one of them. Cyrene was a great warrior and she tried to help her village in any way she could (as long as it involved killing), but she always wanted to go hunting. Unfortunately, because she was a girl she was not allowed to join the men but she was able to get away from that life and get what she deserved (with some godly help). She was brave enough to not look back on her past life and she was able to give herself a better life than the one she had in her village.

What was your overall impression of the book? 

Overall, this book was really great and I loved every bit of it. One of the things that made it so good was that it was narrated by Percy Jackson. Percy commented a lot on people’s names, the promises they made and the heroes’ decisions. This made the book so much better because there was someone that was actually pointing out everything I thought so it was as if I had someone there that understood everything. Percy also made things a lot funnier, even though most of the book was full of murder, and he made the more boring explanations go by in a flash. Another reason I liked the book was because of how much I learnt about the Greek heroes. I knew basically nothing at the start of the book and now I know of about 9 new heroes that I couldn’t even name at the beginning and I know everything that Hercules actually did and not just the stuff in the Disney movie. I loved how I barely even realised how much I was learning and I really enjoyed that while I was reading about amazing adventures I was actually staring to learn some things, even though they are only fictional things. One last thing that I really liked about the book was how it teachers a few valuable lessons. One lesson is that even being good doesn’t guarantee a happy ending, which may seem annoying but it’s true. Another lesson is that you have to work for everything because you aren’t just going to get everything handed to you. Also don’t forget that if you become famous don’t let it go to your head or you will end up dead.  I really enjoyed reading the book and I can’t wait to start reading more heroic adventures.

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend reading this book as it will help fill in any gaps from reading the Percy Jackson series. I recommend it specifically for those aged ten and over and if you are interested in Greek mythology then this is definitely the book for you. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

Heroic adventures ending in death, the perfect book to show you that your life isn’t as bad as it seems.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

PERCY JACKSON AND THE GREEK GODS by Rick Riordan

“If you like horror shows, bloodbaths, stealing and cannibalism, then read on… If you don’t know me, my name is Percy Jackson. I’m a half-god, half-mortal son of Poseidon, but this isn’t really about me. I’m here to tell you the true story of the gods of Ancient Greece. Want to know how Zeus came to be top god? How many times Kronos ate one of his own kids? Why Athena literally burst out of another god’s head? It’s all here in black and white. But I’ll start with the Greek story of creation – which, by the way, is seriously messed up. Wear your safety glasses and your raincoat. There will be blood.”

What is the book about?

A book filled with the stories you once thought as myths explaining every one of the gods and how they came to be, written by the one and only Percy Jackson son of Poseidon, god of the sea. It shows the true story of the Greek gods and answers many confusing questions. The Greek god family tree is immensely complicated but this book will help you understand it more. It has the story of creation and the story of the Titans along with the gods. It is filled with funny stories and also some rather gory ones. It may be a little confusing but it will answer any questions about the gods and minimise any confusion. Want to know which are the 12 Olympians? Why Zeus is top god? Why the sky, the sea, and the Underworld were split between the brothers? Open this book to satisfy you curiosity and help you understand the truth about the Olympians.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I had just recently finished the Percy Jackson series and still had a few questions about the many Greek gods and heroes (which will be explained in another book). I had been a bit confused as to which 12 gods were the 12 Olympians that had cabins at Camp Half-Blood for their kids – I knew most of them but I sometimes got a bit muddled. When I heard about this book, I was very curious to see what stories it would hold and if it could really answer all m strange questions and, I have to say, I was not disappointed. Reading the Percy Jackson books had interested me in Greek mythology and I was very glad to have a book that could explain some of it to me, but I was worried it would be boring seeing as I preferred action to historical stories. The book started off very well with the Greek story of creation and I was very interested in the Titans. The book followed the Greek gods in chronological order and I got to learn a lot about gods that I didn’t know very well, such as Hestia and Demeter. The book started really quickly, with a short and simple introduction, and didn’t bore me at all, which I was fearful of at the beginning, as it was full of a lot more action than I had predicted.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite of the gods was probably Hestia because she was the most reasonable of them all and the least likely to murder a bunch of people just because they were looking after your husband’s child with another woman (it has happened multiple times). She was the most popular goddess among her brothers and sisters because she had the sweetest personality and always wanted to help people. I really liked the way she took the responsibility of looking after the family and making sure that they were not torn apart. She was so sweet that there was no way anyone could not like her and I also remember her being a character in the one of the Percy Jackson books and how kind she had been. I also liked a few other goddesses such as Artemis and Athena who were not the most horrible and could be kind to people of the wanted to, but it would not be wise to get on their bad side because they could probably kill you with just one glance. They were fearless warriors and they were incredibly smart, I especially liked how Artemis looked out for young girls and cared for wild animal, even if she was a hunter.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

As the book is a collection of short stories I think it would be best to pick my favourite story and decide which god or goddess had the most interesting life story. Of course, I enjoyed every single story and all the Olympians had incredibly interesting stories, but some were more interesting than others, namely one in particular. I found that the story about the Olympians destroying Kronos and taking back the universe from their horrible father, or The Olympians Bash Some Heads as it was called in the book was above all the most fascinating. I was very curious about the Olympians and I wanted to know more about how they came to be the top 12 gods of all time. Only 6 of the Olympians were actually in that story but it helped me understand the family tree a little more and get more information on Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, and why Zeus was the top god. I liked this part because it showed the historical side of things and also showed me that, even though the gods like to terrorise humans and kill them, they were still good people (well, decent people) who were fair and just rulers (most of the time).

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods was a very interesting book that answered a lot of questions I still had about Greek mythology and painted a proper picture of what the gods were like. The main reason why I loved the book was, obviously, because it answered a lot of my unanswered questions. I also became a lot less confused about the Greek gods after I had read the books and discovered a lot of interesting things that I didn’t know about them. Another thing that I liked about it was because it made mythical history seem a lot more fun and exciting than I thought it would be. I had initially been concerned about the fact that the book might be a little bit boring seeing as it was mainly explaining the Greek gods but, I have to say, I was rather impressed at how interesting the stories were, even if they were a little bit disturbing. The book was mainly just fights and a lot of murder – I never thought that the gods could hate mortals that much that they would chose to use their powers to torture them, I would think that was beneath them, but they did it a lot more often than I thought. One other reason why I enjoyed reading the book was how it made me sympathise with even the worst of the gods. It was a great example of how bullies have usually actually been bullied before and showed me that sometimes even the most horrible people deserve a little kindness and love. It was strange to think that the gods could suffer or have any pain inflicted on them, but, even though they could really be harmed physically, they could still be hurt emotionally, and it is not good to have an angry, sad or pretty much any emotion other than happy, god. The book was really amazing and I am very glad that I chose to read it.

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend reading this book after you have read the Percy Jackson series. It will help you understand the gods and Greek mythology a lot more. I recommend it for readers aged 10 and up especially if you enjoy action, adventure and don’t mind a little blood. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A book filled with mythical stories and stories weirder than anything you have ever seen.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

PERCY JACKSON AND THE LAST OLYMPIAN by Rick Riordan

“Most people get presents on their sixteenth birthday. I get a prophecy that could save or destroy the world. It happens when you’re the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. According to an ancient prophecy, I turn sixteen and the fate of the entire world is on me. But no pressure. Now Kronos, Lord of the Titans, is beginning his attack on New Yok City. And the dreaded monster Typhon is also heading our way. So it’s me and forty of my demigod friends versus untold evil…”

What is the book about?

Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and his life may be the saviour or destruction of the world. The Great Prophecy claims that the next child of the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades) to turn sixteen will have to make a choice that will either save or destroy Olympus, and right now Percy is 1 week away from turning sixteen and becoming the child of the prophecy, and the fate of Olympus rests on him. Now Kronos, Lord of the Titans, is on his way to New York to attack Olympus. And if that wasn’t enough another terrifying monster, Typhon, is also heading that way. There is only one way that Percy will be able to destroy Kronos and so he must bear the curse and try his hardest to keep the monsters away from Olympus. So Percy and forty other half-bloods must work together to stop the Titan’s army or at least buy the gods some more time. The fate of Olympus rests in Percy hangs and he must make the right choice before it’s too late and all is obliterated. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

As soon as I had finished the fourth book I desperately wanted to start reading the book but I was also held back by the fact that this was the last book in the Percy Jackson series and I was not looking forward to the end. The blurb was rather intriguing and I was very curios to finally hear the prophecy that had been mentioned from the very first book. I also had a lot of unanswered questions that had been bothering me for quite some time and I was hoping that I would finally receive some answers. As soon as I started reading I was already on the edge of my seat anxiously waiting for answers and for Percy to start his adventure. The first sentence literally grabbed my attention and I immediately fell back into the magical world where Greek gods, mythical creatures and monsters were real. The first chapter was calm at first but as usual there was some danger just waiting to ruin it and from the very beginning I already knew I would enjoy the book quite a lot.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character would, again, most likely be Annabeth and I think that she is probably my favourite character in the whole series. There was always something new about her in each book that just made me like her even more and this book was not an exception. Annabeth and Luke (the half-blood currently hosting Kronos in his body) had a special relationship and they had known each other when Luke was not evil. Annabeth still held a special part in her heart for Luke and she never completely lost hope in him. I really admire this loyalty because, even though she was not siding with him, she still believed that Luke was not lost and could still be saved. This hope fuelled her and, although it was dangerous at times, it helped her get though the tough times and never lose faith in others but also herself. Annabeth was smart, brave, selfless, strong, and courageous and without her Percy would probably have never made it past his first quest. Even though some people only saw her as Percy’s friend and thought that she was not the true hero, I think that taking on the role to help someone else made her an even better hero and in the end she got the recognition she deserved.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

It is always hard for me to choose a favourite part in a book because there are so many great ones to choose from, however, I have to say, that the decision was not too hard for this book. My favourite part would definitely be when the heroes finally get the reinforcements they need and the battle turns to their favour. I had not been expecting certain people to arrive at the scene but there they were the most unexpected characters were suddenly fighting for their lives and the lives of others. I was really happy to see so many people working together and to see even the most unfriendly faces trying to do their part. I was surprised but I had also kind of known that in the end that they would chose to help out and destroy their common enemy. This showed me that anyone is capable of change and that everyone has a little good in them (well, maybe not the Lord of the Titans), even Greek mythical characters. Another part that I really liked was the ending and I don’t wish to say much about it so I don’t spoil anything but it was amazing.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian was a really great book and the perfect way to end such a perfect book series. It was filled with action, adventure and hope, but also death, suffering and sorrow. It had an equal balance of good and evil, but one had to succeed and I had no doubt about which side I was on. One of the reasons why I liked the book was because of how many people went to help destroy the Titans. At the start, and the middle, and a bit towards the end, there were lots of people, other than the Titans, that wanted Percy dead. These people would have been glad to see the young half-blood gone but they joined forces with him and decided to put away their deadly thoughts to face their common enemy. I really liked this because it showed me that anyone can see reason and anyone can change – and the ending also showed me that. Another thing that I liked about the book was that at the end of the Percy accepted that it was not his time to be the hero and he chose to back down and trust the enemy in order to save Olympus. He always seemed like someone who wanted to be the centre of attention at times but he chose to let someone else be in the spotlight for once and it could have been a stupid decision but, in the end, he was right. The ending was as perfect as it could have been and I just have one last thing to say about it: FINALLY! Anyway, the whole book was amazing and I really loved reading it. I am sad to say that it is the last book in the series but I am glad to see that Percy, Annabeth and the others will hopefully get some rest after so many crazy summers. 

Which is your favourite book in the Percy Jackson series? (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5)

The Percy Jackson series was amazing and every book was incredible but I think that my favourite book would probably be the fifth and final one, Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian. The main reason is because it is the last book, the conclusion, and I really enjoyed the way it ended. For once, after reading a Percy Jackson book, I have not felt the need for there to be more and I am glad for that. I am also glad that there are more books to follow, in a different series and about different people, of course, but still more, and I am happy for how things ended for the book characters. Another reason why I picked this book is because, for once, all the battles that happened where all connected to the main fight and the heroes did not stray far from the main event. I was glad for this because it meant that everything had a deeper meaning and was connected a lot more. One last reason that really made the book stand out to me was how everyone, friend and foe, joined together to face Kronos and his army and make the final stand to protect Olympus. I was surprised by the people that arrived to help but I was glad that even the worst characters saw reason to help and decided to face death to help the people they once saw as enemies. It was a really good end to the series and I really enjoyed every adventure I went on with the characters. I liked every book in the Percy Jackson series and I am very glad that I made the right choice to read the books.

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend reading this book after reading all the other books in the series. I think it is better for readers aged 10 or older and particularly recommend it if you liked reading it if you liked action or adventure books.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

An amazing end to a perfect series that will make you see the world in a new light.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

PERCY JACKSON AND THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH by Rick Riordan

“Honestly, blowing up another school was the last thing I wanted to do. As the son of a Greek god, I’ve had my share of near-death disaster – and now my arch-enemy Luke wants to invade our camp via an ancient labyrinth. If he succeeds, thousands of bloodthirsty monsters will attack. So it’s ‘Goodbye, sunshine; hello, darkness’ as four of us descend into the terrifying underground and beyond…”

What is the book about?

Percy Jackson is not a regular teenage boy, he is the son of Greek god, and his life is far from normal. Percy has gotten expelled from a different school each year and things aren’t looking very good this year. At a school orientation day, he comes across more monsters and somehow managed to blow up the school before he even started attending. After arriving at Camp Half-Blood, the one place where half-bloods are usually safe from monsters, Percy realised that this summer would not be at all fun and relaxing. Luke’s army is on the way to attack camp in order to get rid of the gods’ heroes and give way for Kronos and the Titans. Percy and the other half-bloods never thought a camp invasion would be possible with the magical shield protecting them, but there is another way through an ancient labyrinth full of traps and deadly creatures. Now four brave heroes must descend into the underground labyrinth where many go in but only some return. On another terrifying quest Percy and his friends must find a way to save the camp before it’s too late…and try not to get lost or die in the process.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

The ending of the previous book in the series had been rather interesting and I was very intrigued to discover what would happen next. Once I read the title and the blurb I only became more interested in starting the book and discovering more about this dangerous ancient labyrinth. From the very first page I already felt more curious about what would happen and the more I read the more questions I had. The appearance of a new, but familiar, character was very strange and I wondered more and more what sort of role this person would play because there had to be a reason for why she was so important in the book. The first chapter was not at camp or on the quest so I was a bit impatient to get it over with so I could get to the action (although there was a lot of action at school). The start was as usual not immediately following the previous book which was a little annoying but I had gotten used to it now and was just glad that I would, hopefully, get some answers. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character would probably be once again Annabeth because of her bravery, strength and, above all, her intelligence. It sometimes gets a bit annoying how smart she is but without her intelligence Percy would probably be dead. One thing that was actually rather funny was how insulted she was when someone asked her an easy question or gave her an easy answer. It was almost like she didn’t want things to be easy, like she actually wanted to be facing death all the time, but still, when she got an easy way out she felt like it was an insult to her intelligence. I actually thought it was rather smart of her to not accept an easy answer because sometimes something easy is a trick and it’s better to be safe than sorry, but I think the main reason was just because she thought she was better than that and, although that may seem like a bad quality, it just made me like her even more. Another character that I found really surprising was Rachel because she chose to join a war that wasn’t hers to fight. She was just a normal mortal girl – well maybe not that normal – and she chose to go out of her way to help Percy and risk her life when she could have just stayed home and stayed away from the battle. It could have been stupidity (maybe it was) but I think it was bravery and the knowledge that it was the right thing to do, and I really admired that.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

I liked practically every part of the book so it is very hard to choose a favourite but I think it would have to be when the heroes meet Pan. Grover had been babbling on and on about this Pan god and after a while I stopped believing that he would ever complete his lifelong mission to find him. However I was proven very wrong when they came across him in the Labyrinth. I was very interested to meet him and see what was so amazing about the god of the Wild and once I realised exactly what his job was and why he was called that I discovered how important he really was. He was there to protect the places in the world that still have proper nature and keep the humans from destroying them but few mortals actually understand nature and how precious it really is and many seek to leave shops and houses in its place. The thing that I liked the best about this part was that Pan said that it was time that others started to protect nature because they had to stop relying on a god to save them all because one day they wouldn’t be able to. It showed the characters that sometimes even gods need help and that you should never leave something that you can do yourself just because there is someone more powerful to help you. I really liked the idea that soon many satyrs would be going out to protect nature and I wish that they really did that.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth was, as a whole, an incredible book full of incredible twists and lots of action. I really enjoyed reading the book and found that I enjoyed every single part and I do not think that there is anything that I want to change. One of the things that I liked about the book was that, even though the characters were on a specific quest, they went off track multiple times to help different people and solve different problems. It might seem weird to like that but their choice to stray a little further usually ended up helping them a lot more than they realised and sometimes they made friends that would later help them when they really needed it. This also meant that the book was a lot more interesting because a lot of things were happening at the same time which would have been muddling if it didn’t make so much sense. Another thing that I liked about the book was that, although it is the third book in the series, there were so many new monsters. I seemed practically impossible that the author could create any new mythical creatures and yet there were so many new ones appearing to make thing even more interesting. I enjoyed all the twists and having so much action but I would have liked to have his the pause button of the life or death situations long enough so that I could finally get some answers and the characters could finally have a whole conversation. Overall the book was really good and I enjoyed every new adventure, I just can’t wait to see what will happen in the last book!

Which book did you like better: 1, 2, 3 or 4?

Although all 4 books I have read so far have all been equally amazing, I think that the third book – Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse – is still the best book so far. All the books have a lot in common which makes choosing a favourite book almost impossible and all the amazing things I like about the books tend to be similarities. The third book was bursting with action and adventure just like the others, and there was a lot of interesting information, but there were a few things that helped it stand apart from the crowd. One thing that I really enjoyed was the friendships that were made, even when people were supposed to enemies or had held certain grudges for years they were still able to set aside their differences for the quest which helped the characters open up and see the good in the others. Another thing was that there was also a lot more interference made by the gods in this book and Percy met at least 3 gods on his quest and then all of them on Mount Olympus. Of course, gods are not supposed to help the half-bloods directly, but they made an exception for Percy and the others and decided to help out. It was very interesting to see the gods and what they were like and I loved meeting them. One last thing that made the book better than the others were the meaningful deaths which were upsetting but also made the book that much better. I enjoyed all the books and I cannot wait to read the last book of the Percy Jackson series.

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend that you read this book but first I suggest reading the first, second and third books, as things are getting a bit too confusing to read the books in a random order. My age recommendation would be 10+ and I specifically recommend the series if you enjoy action, fantasy and know a little about Greek mythology.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A battle full of twists and turns (literally). 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

PERCY JACKSON AND THE TITAN’S CURSE by Rick Riordan

“It’s not every day you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human. But when you’re the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster. Oh, and guess what. The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive…”

What is the book about?

Percy Jackson is a half-blood: half boy and half god. He may look like an ordinary kid on the outside but being the son of a Greek god means that your life is definitely not ordinary. And sometimes you happen to come face to face with a half-lion, half-human. Percy arrived at a school to try and help his friend and 2 other young demigods and ended up, once again, in a battle against monsters. He went to help a friend and ended up losing one, and things just kept getting worse. Now Annabeth is missing, a goddess has been kidnapped and only five heroes are allowed to go on the quest. The heroes must put away their differences and face their fears to save the world once again. They must save Annabeth and the goddess before the winter solstice or it will be too late. Another battle against time (and monsters, of course) and not all will return home safely…

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

The ending of the previous book had come as a huge shock so I was desperate to get my hands on the next story so that I could understand more about this surprising ending. The blurb was even more shocking and once I read it I was anxious and impatient for answers. I wanted to know more about what had happened to Annabeth and who, or what, was powerful enough to kidnap a goddess. I had really enjoyed the 2 previous books in the series so I was very excited to read this one. As soon as I started I was immediately disappointed because the book had not started immediately where the second one finished. I was, of course, expecting this because the other book had also started a lot after the first one had ended but I was still rather upset because I would have liked to have seen some of the characters immediate reactions to the ending, once their shock had worn off. Despite the frustration, I carried on reading and quickly forgot about how I had initially felt. The start was very good and left me with many questions, I was also very intrigued and tense to find out what would happen, and the action started from the very beginning.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

Of course, once again Annabeth was one of my favourite characters, but I also liked a few other characters. I liked Annabeth for the same reasons as always: her bravery, intelligence and strength, however she also proved herself even further in the book showing that she would give up and back down no matter how difficult the challenge was. One of the other characters that I liked was Thalia because of her attitude and how much she annoyed Percy. Both Percy and Thalia are very alike and I loved how much Thalia got on Percy’s nerves. After one of the parts in the second book, where Annabeth found out her fatal flaw was her pride, I considered what being a hero so many times would do to Percy and how it could make him a bad person. I liked how Thalia was able to challenge him and show that he was not the only one powerful enough to be a hero. Even though Thalia, Percy and a few other characters were really amazing, their talent only made me like Annabeth more. I love how, even though Annabeth went on all those quests with Percy, she never made any impression that it annoyed her that, just because she wasn’t the daughter of one of the Big Three, she didn’t get as much recognition for her own bravery. Although I know that every half-blood seeks the proud look on his or her Olympian parent (and Annabeth is certainly not an exception), I think that being called a hero is a lot more important to Percy than Annabeth and I like that she doesn’t mind not being the main hero.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part would obviously have to be when the characters succeed as they always do because of the happy ending, even if it is just for a little while. There was a small detail that I would have liked to be included in the ending, but I am sure that it will soon happen. The thing that I both liked and disliked about this part of the book was that everyone was celebrating a minor win, a battle that had been won, when the war was far from over and the beasts were far from dead. I disliked this because the heroes and gods could have been out making use of their time and coming up with new strategies to keep the world from ending but instead, they were all standing around dancing and celebrating something small when there was something even bigger coming. It might seem strange to say that I kind of liked this stupid and pointless party, but I did, because of how the characters were still able to be happy. They were in the middle of a war but they had the strength to be happy and cherish this small break between battles even though so many people had been lost and so many people would be lost in the future. This part reminded me that even those who have little happiness are still able to appreciate the little things in life.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse was a great book and I don’t think there was anything that I would change. The start was perfect though I wish it had begun right where the previous book had finished and I really liked how the action started right away and I barely had enough time to get used to the book before they were marching off on another dangerous quest. The book was perfect from the very start and somehow managed to just keep getting better and better the further I got. There were some sad parts in the book which hadn’t been there in the other books but even though they were quiet upsetting I do not wish to change them because I think that it made the book that much better and the book wouldn’t have been the same without them. The ending came quite a shock and I definitely had not been expecting that just as I had not expected the ending of the second book. Although it was indeed very surprising, I really liked it because I enjoy unexpected things happening and the prospects of what had happened would hopefully mean that another character would find peace and happiness even if they had to go on another life-threatening quest to get there. The whole book was great, from beginning to end and I immensely enjoyed this adventure.

Which book did you like better, the first, the second or the third?

All three books in the Percy Jackson series that I have read so far have been incredible and I really liked reading them. To choose a favourite book out of 3 really good books is almost impossible but I think that the third book, Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse, is probably the better book. There aren’t really that many reasons for my choice because all of the books are extremely similar due to the fact that they are all written by the same author; however there are a couple things that made the book stand out a little more. The first thing is the deaths. I knew that some people would die because of the prophecy but I still had some hope it wouldn’t happen and I really wished that it hadn’t. In the first 2 books of the series there hadn’t been any deaths for the heroes and the emotions that go with the deaths are very important for any good book. Even though they made me sad, they also connected me to the characters more and made me enjoy the books more because I was able to properly feel with the characters. It might seem weird to want to feel sad but if you are a reader then you will understand. The other thing that made the book feel more special is the start of something new. If you have read the book then you know what I am taking about and if you haven’t then you’ll know once you read it. Overall, all three books were great and I cannot wait to start the fourth adventure!

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend reading this book particularly for readers 10 or older and if you enjoy action, Greek mythology and are ready for some major monster attacks. Even though the confusion won’t be that big, I advise reading the Percy Jackson series in order but feel free to do as you like as there is enough explanation to help you make sense of what happens.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A legendary adventure with heroic characters battling through the unknown.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego