It was clear why the book Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan was a bestseller right from the first page. The introduction targets fantasy readers, immediately getting them involved, and intrigues them with a very personal opening: “Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood.” One sentence and we are sold. Of course more follows that sentence, but it only takes that one to hook us. We ask ourselves “why doesn’t this person want to be a half-blood? What is a half-blood?” Using the word look allows the author to talk to me, the reader.

The author did not completely maintain that perspective through the story, but the feeling of personal involvement never completely left either. Yes, the story was fairly predictable, and the clues were telling. Yet I still wanted to know what was going to happen next. I don’t mind not being in the dark about everything that’s happening. Though, thats a subjective thing, sometimes I like more, sometimes less.

Basically the story is about a young man, Percy Jackson who is framed for theft of Zeus’s lightning bolt and who spends the entirety of the book trying to figure out who actually has it and how to get it back without starting WWIII in the process.

The descriptions used in the story were interesting and fun. Additionally, I read this book out loud and aside from having a hard time saying a few names, I thought that the experience only added to the book. I think most adventurous children could get a kick out of hearing this story. Plus, nothing jumped out at me as being only for mature readers. If anything, this book might be a good book to encourage non-readers to read. The 1/2 gods were dyslexic teens with ADHD. Who doesn’t love a “problem” really meaning you are extraordinary?

Kate

The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
(c) 2005, Disney Hyperion Books
Publisher Reading Level: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-4231-3494-7
375 Pages