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The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the…
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The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2) (original 2006; edition 2007)

by Rick Riordan

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22,712470166 (4.08)344
Demi-god Percy Jackson and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first Percy will discover a secret that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or a cruel joke.
Member:oldmanbluewater
Title:The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2)
Authors:Rick Riordan
Info:Disney-Hyperion (2007), Paperback, 304 pages
Collections:Read, Your library
Rating:
Tags:summer2010

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The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (2006)

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Showing 1-5 of 449 (next | show all)
This is a 3.5 Star book because it really breaks no new ground following the first volume and really doesn't acknowledge that the MCs are a year older (the difference between 12 and 13 is not a tiny one).

"The Sea of Monsters" is charming, morally wise, above-average YA SFF. Just when Riordan seems to have settled into telling over-trodden tales, he unfolds a serving of elegant mindfulness, of moral dilemma for the main characters to face; the strengths of this book are clearly of that sort, since much of the book is quick-paced, action adventure. The introduction of and role played by the new character Tyson really anchors Percy's growth and forwards the overall narrative: well-played, Mr. Riordan! I find it interesting that, of the Olympians introduced so far, the most accessible and _likeable_ is Hermes; but then, maybe it is not so surprising that the god of messengers is fair at communicating. Avuncular Chiron is more present and richly portrayed throughout, given more to say. He offers Percy and us this tidbit in the final act:

"Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling underneath civilization . . . they must be defeated again and again, kept at bay." ( )
  MLShaw | Mar 7, 2024 |
Eh, this was alright. I'd still call it a good book, but it's definitely the weakest entry in the series. It feels like a spin-off story, for the most part. I don't mind spin-offs, but, considering this is book 2 of 5 of the whole series, I expected a bit more. It's probably my fault that I wasn't a massive fan of this book.

Anyway, a lot of what I like about the first book is present here as well. The jokes aren't as strong as they are in the first book, but they're still decent. Riordan's writing style is extremely entertaining. He doesn't beat around the bush. He just gets straight to the point. As a result, these books have very good pacing. They rarely get boring.

I thought Percy and Annabeth got some great character development here. Percy dealing with the shock of having a cyclops as his brother, and Annabeth being tempted by the singing of the Sirens: they both grow quite a bit as a result of these experiences, and it's great to read.

Though I like how quickly Riordan gets to the point in these books, I also sometimes feel that his books are a bit too short. What I love about the later Harry Potter books is actually their length. They really make the whole war against Voldemort feel like an actual war. Things move slowly, and there are lots of moving elements in the massive storyline. Here, things move along a little too quickly for my taste.

A major problem I have with the first book is the fact that a lot of the epic elements of this story feel undermined by the overabundance of jokes. It's even worse in this book. The battles on Luke's ship and the battle with Polyphemus were really silly. They feel really anticlimactic because a quip or a funny thing has to happen every five lines. It got on my nerves at times.

Anyway, despite the numerous problems I have with this book, I still enjoy it quite a bit. It's still Percy Jackson, at the end of the day, so it's quite hard for me to dislike it. ( )
  Moderation3250 | Feb 24, 2024 |
The "Beyoncé?!" meme but Thalia Hahahah
Ahh. I’m hooked.
  hannerwell | Feb 24, 2024 |
Magic
  BooksInMirror | Feb 19, 2024 |
THE SEA OF MONSTERS by Rick Riordan is the second Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, and it ends much more strongly than it begins. I saw the movie years ago, providing me with the basic plot. Still, reading THE SEA OF MONSTERS was very different than watching the movie. It surprised me in several ways.

It wasn't apparent in the movie, but I would describe THE SEA OF MONSTERS as The Odyssey Lite. Percy and Annabeth essentially follow Odysseus' path, with stops at Circe's island, escaping Sylla, Charybdis, and the sirens, and battling a cyclops. Plus, there is a not-so-veiled nod to Penelope. It just so happens that this all occurs in the Bermuda Triangle instead of the Mediterranean Sea. Very clever, Mr. Riordan. Very clever, indeed.

As if retelling The Odyssey weren't enough, THE SEA OF MONSTERS also pushes the overarching plot forward. We learn the answers to one or two secrets, meet new characters, and learn more about Luke's plans. You can feel the story preparing for a big battle. While we aren't at that point yet, you can begin to see how it might unfold.

The other element of THE SEA OF MONSTERS I appreciate is the growing maturity of the characters. Yes, they are still young and act like it. But we also get to see many of the characters overcome prejudices and battle long-held intolerances. Percy doesn't jump quite as fast into an unknown situation. He does take a second or two to think through his actions before jumping. The character development feels natural, befitting the characters' experiences and increase in age.

THE SEA OF MONSTERS is a clever retelling of The Odyssey. Similarly, Percy and friends provide excellent examples of what it means to overcome prejudice. With plenty of monsters and danger to excite the target audience, there are also some great lessons young readers will pick up along the way. No wonder it remains so popular with kids and parents. ( )
  jmchshannon | Feb 6, 2024 |
Showing 1-5 of 449 (next | show all)

» Add other authors (22 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Riordan, Rickprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Baldinucci, LoredanaTraduttoresecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bernstein, JesseNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pracontal, Mona deTraductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rekiaro, IlkkaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Young, PaulCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Dedication
To Patrick John Riordan,

the best storyteller in the family
First words
My nightmare started like this.
Quotations
Humans don't exist on the same level as the immortals. They can't even be hurt by our weapons. But you, Percy--you are part god, part human. You live in both worlds. You can be harmed by both, and you can effect both. That's what makes heroes so special. You carry the hopes of humanity into the realm of the eternal. Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling underneath civilization, the very stuff that makes Kronos stronger. They must be defeated again and again, kept at bay. Heroes embody that struggle. You fight the battles humanity must win, every generation, in order to stay human.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
This LT work is the second volume (of five) in Rick Riordan's series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Please do not combine it with any other individual title or collection of titles from the series. Thank you.
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Demi-god Percy Jackson and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first Percy will discover a secret that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or a cruel joke.

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Book description
Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get . . . well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy's friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and hugely anticipated follow up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family -- one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.
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