This series is being hyped as "the next Harry Potter," and there is a movie based on it due out next year. It is aimed at the same audience, but the magic stuff happens on summer break, with the normal world, with occasional bits of magic, happening during the school year. Perseus Jackson, called Percy, is 12 years old, ADHD, dyslexic, and always moving to new boarding schools. His father disappeared before he was born.

Percy finds out early that the gods of Olympus have moved to America, and, just as in the old myths, still cannot resist taking human lovers. That leads to leaving half-breed children scattered around. Half-breeds, also called demi-gods, or even heroes. Percy begins to understand what that kind of heritage means when he is given a quest - to get Zeus's lightning bolt from its thief, and return it to Olympus in Manhattan.

The author weaves Greek myths into the narrative, perhaps a bit too obvious for adult readers -- don't know how obvious they were to younger readers. The action is straightforward, and it is an engaging story that does, indeed, mirror Harry Potter's coming of age. The first one is not as addictive as the Harry (Potter or Dresden) series, but is enjoyable. Recommended. ( )

Oh dear: someone's been reading Harry Potter and quite falsely assuming that he can produce another publishing phenomenon by stealing the best ideas. Bad mistake, Mr. Riordan (although it seems to be working out for you financially). This series is everywhere derivative - not an origiinal thought in it. And my biggest gripe: it does not even adhere to its own internal logic. Phooey. This one goes in the Salvation Army bin. ( )

I thought the book was very good. I had to force myself to put it down. There was nonstop action. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. ( )

The Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson series and I must say, it’s a killer start. Percy is a ordinary boy with extraordinary powers. He has never been able to figure out why he is so different from all the other kids until one day, he discovers he is the son of a Greek god and his father needs him to do something important. Zeus’ master bolt has gone missing and it is up to Percy, along with his friends Grover the satyr and Annabella, the daughter of Athena to find it.
I’ve been a fan of Greek mythology since I was a kid and I took a university course in it last year so to read through and piece together which myths they were using and see them used in a modern setting was very educational and entertaining. It’s got all the elements of a great book; action, adventure, good plot line, great characters… the only bad thing I can think to say is that it leans a little too much into Harry Potter territory sometimes. Boy with a mysterious past and powers, a bad guy only the hero can defeat, best friends are a boy (well, satyr in this case) who can’t seem to live up to his family’s goals and a girl who is a know-it-all bookworm? The Lightning Thief does read a lot like Harry Potter, for sure but it is interesting in its own right and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series to find out what happens. ( )

action liked it

Riordan is a fantastic author! He has been able to reach older elementary students straight up through high school levels! The humor in this book is something I absolutely loved, and when you couple it with all the action and mystery, it is a book/series that reaches a variety of readers! ( )

Alot of Harry Potter similarities..but I did enjoy it! ( )

Extremely predictable. I was a little disappointed that the author seemed to expect his young readers to have some knowledge of Greek and Roman religions, but not that they would have enough literary knowledge to see his plot points coming from a mile away.

There are some good messages in the book, but there's also this over-glorification of Western culture and almost all of the characters are white (I'm not just taking for granted that they're white; it's always described, like "she had blonde hair and grey eyes" or "he had pale skin").

I've now read the second book, which has a lot of the same predictability issues, but you can tell the series gets better as it goes along. Overall an entertaining book, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wanted the last 100 pages to be surprising. ( )

Have you been expelled from 6 schools? Are you a half-blood? I am! Hi I’m Percy Jackson and I’m 12 years old. Things are rough, but they start to get better once I am offered a quest. On my quest I have to go to the underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead, find Zeus’ master lightning bolt, and return it to Olympus before the summer solstice in 10 days. If you want to know if Grover, Anna Beth, and I can make it in time you’ll have to read Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. ( )

I really enjoyed this story and I know that it is appealing to 5th & 6th graders, especially to boys. Full of action and adventure. It is refreshing to have characters straight out of Greek Mythology instead of wizards and witches. It has the history of the myths with a modern edge that helps with its appeal. Glad there are more books in the series to read. ( )

Percy is a troubled kid who finds out that he is a demi-God when he ends up at Camp Half-Blood with many more kids just like him. Only he, unlike the other kids, is the son of Poseidon, who was not supposed to have kids....so his mere existence breaks the rules. He ends up on an adventure that takes him from New York to L.A. and into the Underworld and back with the help of two friends, the daughter of Athena and his best friend, a satyr. Along the way he meets the fates, the furies, Medusa, Ares, Hades, Zeus, Poseidon, Dionysus (Mr. D) and of course his mentor, the centaur Chiron. He must prove himself worthy while settling an argument between the Gods, and at the same time, try to rescue his mother from the underworld.....!

This is a high action book with action, adventure, humor, and even a little romance. It also has Greek mythology. I would recommend this book to just about anyone. ( )

This is grest book for All ages. It has a funny twist on every page. It also educates you on Greek Mythology. I felt I could really connect with the charachters. It is more or less an easy read. ( )

man was this a fantastic book! however this goes to show how long it's been since I got my butt over to LT. I'm a mess.

Anyway fantastic, universe, wonderful characters, intriguing plot. I captures the imagination and doesn't let go.

This book was basically a Harry Potter copycat, but who cares? Love Harry Potter, love the copycats, I say. And even though there were a million plot points that were similar to the Potter, I still found myself breezing through this book with a big smile on my face.

I enjoyed the mythology and the whole 'son-of-a-Greek-god' angle. The characters were fun and realistic (as realistic as demi-gods can be.) I'm hooked! ( )

The main difference between the three young children of The Lightning Thief and the three young children of Harry Potter is that these children are half-bloods (demigods) and not witches or wizards. Other than that, trouble seems to follow a special boy because his unique connections to another god and his two friends, a boy and girl of course, tag along on this adventure. Despite many similarities to another fantasy series, this is still a fun read, especially for children looking for the next Harry Potter series. ( )

Percy Jackson, diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, gets bounced around to different boarding schools until his math teacher turns into a monster from greek mythology and attacks him. From then on he's forced to acknowledge his heritage as a half-blood, son of Poseidon, and is recruited into finding Zeus's stolen lightning and Hades's missing helm to prevent an all out war on Mt. Olympus. This is a fun fast paced adventure story as Percy, with the help of his friends, a daughter of Athena and a satyr, travel across the country fighting monsters in search of the entrance to the Underworld. This is a story of a boy discovering his strengths, who he is, and that his weaknesses aren't really weakness at all. It's a great blend of greek mythology and magic into the modern world. The Lightning Thief is the first in a trilogy and when I finished it I was eager to pick up the next. What a great read. ( )

3.5 rating for an adult, but 4 stars for mid teens down to 10 years old. The heroes are about 12, so it would really capture that age group's imagination, I think.

Set in modern day US, but the Greek Gods are alive & well. Percy & his friends are dyslexic, ADHD & generally don't fit into our world or school well. They find out why & embark on a quest. There are some twists & turns along the way, with clues, so an astute reader will have some foreknowledge, but it's a very well done plot. The characters are well drawn & have excellent motivations. There are a half dozen main ones, just enough to keep things interesting, but not enough to get confusing.

It's a fairly quick read, but there is plenty of meat in the book for discussion. It would probably be excellent for a middle school class to read. Lots of fun & every engaging. I will look for the second book, but this one stands alone very well, too. I was quite impressed.

A little more interesting than the previous volume as more characters come into our "world" and the Gods take a more active hand (or at least more of an interest) in this growing evil - the slow rebirth of Kronos!

Some small surprises are sprinkled throughout and the setup continues in regards to who the "prophecy" child might really be - with a small twist brought in at the very end.

Again, an okay romp for adults. Young readers who've enjoyed the first 2 volumes, will dig this one as well. ( )

As there are umpteen reviews I won't say much except that of the 4 books in the "Percy and the Olympians" series that I've read thus far, this first one is the weakest. The Lightening Thief drags a bit, as if it's not confident in where it's going, and isn't as tightly plotted as the following books. But do, DO! read it and the rest of the series if you love a good, intelligent adventure. The book is suitable for any one and is a most satisfying read. The characters are fun, there's frequent laughs and some subtle drama.


"The Lightening Thief" might be slightly flawed, BUT it is better than the 95% of the books I've read in this age range/genre. If you aren't totally enamored of the first book, get the second one and be prepared to be blown away.

HIGHLY recommend.

Pam T~
reviewer at BooksForKids-reviews ( )

What struck me most about this book was that it was written in the same style as the Pendragon books. This might simply be the best way most Young Reader books are written, but for some reason it took me longer to get into it because of the comparison.

The story itself, simply enough, is about a kid who discovers that he is in fact a godling - son of a Greek God. And, much the way Harry Potter's life gets wacky upon learning of his magical background, Percy Jackson soon finds himself hunted by old Greek Monsters bent on destroying him (and others like him).

It's a decent read but not really gripping. It's more like a straightforward tale with some interesting (and not too annoying) characters. Now that I'm familiar with the setup and the hook, I'm expecting the subsequent books to have more bite. At least, I'm hoping for it! ( )

This is a great book. It had a Happry Potter feel, but for the younger, less mature kids. I would say 10 - 12 range.

Great! ( )

Do you love Harry Potter? Are you interested in mythology? Then you will enjoy this book.

This story takes the best parts of Harry Potter and mixes it with classic Greek Mythology (could this get kids interested in the classics?), adds a bit of a mystery and a good deal of action with strange creatures like a Minotaur, Satyrs, and Furies.
Percy Jackson, the central character who is ADD and dyslexic, is in the 6th grade at a boarding school for difficult children and has little inclination of his parentage until he accidentally(?) vaporizes his math teacher. At the end of the school year, he returns to his home and while taking a day trip with his mother, he is attacked by strange creatures. The story continues to expose Greek Mythology and reveal Percy's parentage and what he is needed to do.
The tale is fast-paced and entertainingly moralistic pitting good against evil, light against dark, weak against strong. There is definitely a strong similarity to the Harry Potter stories, so if you didn't like Harry, you won't like Percy. Another Harry Potter, not quite, but definitely a fun read. ( )

Susan says: Percy Jackson has always believed that he is a normal 6th grader - well, with ADD and dyslexia, but pretty normal - until the day he vaporizes his math teacher, and then no one believes she was ever there. The ride takes off from there, and it is a pretty exciting adventure. It turns out that Percy is the son of Poseidon - a half-blood - and he goes to a camp of half-bloods to learn how to do many of the things that are necessary. He is then sent on a quest to get Zeus's lightning bolt back from someone - he doesn't exactly know which god did it, but they want to start war. You can tell that this is the first in the series, and it definitely made me want to read more. The Greek mythology is introduced seamlessly, and there is so much action and great characters. I can see why kids want to read this series so quickly. I am a little unsure about how he portrays ADD and dyslexia - that these are really labels put on half-bloods because their minds are trained differently. I just don't know how I feel about that. But all in all, an exciting book - I think the teens will really like it.

Merideth says: I finally got around to reading this book. I know they are really popular, and I can see why. The book moves fast, it's got a different cast of characters than most of the fantasy books for teens, and it's well written. I guess my only problem with it is that if you made a checklist of a fantasy hero, Percy would fit the mold perfectly. He's a misfit, of unknown parentage, who has weird things happen around him for no good reason. It felt a little trite, but it was still a good read. ( )