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Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: Lightning Thief Disney+ Tie in Edition (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) Paperback – November 21, 2023

by Rick Riordan (Author)

4.7 56,709 ratings

Book 1 of 8: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

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The first book in the #1 New York Times best-selling saga with a cover image and an 8-page photo insert from the Disney+ series!

Lately, mythological monsters and the Olympian gods seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy Jackson’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Percy and his friends have just 10 days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.

Whether you are new to Percy or a longtime fan, this tie-in paperback edition with full-color photos from the Disney+ series is a must-have for your library.

Reading age

9+ years, from customers
Book 1 of 8

Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Grade level

5 - 9
Lexile measure

680L
Dimensions

5.18 x 1.11 x 7.61 inches
Publisher

Disney Hyperion
Publication date

November 21, 2023
ISBN-10

1368098169
ISBN-13

978-1368098168
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Get to know this book

What's it about?
A young boy discovers he's the son of a Greek god and embarks on a quest to find Zeus' stolen lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods.
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Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week.
10,841 Kindle readers highlighted this
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You should’ve seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.
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What horrible things would you have to do in your life to get woven into Hades’s underwear?
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From the brand

The Percy Jackson Series

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The Trials of Apollo Series

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The Magnus Chase Series

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The Heroes of Olympus Series

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The Kane Chronicles Series

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More From Rick Riordan

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Graphic Novels

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Rick Riordan Presents

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From the Publisher


	Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Lightning Thief	Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Sea of Monsters	Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Titan's Curse	Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Battle of the Labyrinth	Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Last Olympian

Customer Reviews	56,709	36,257	33,499	50,911	34,190
Read the Complete Series!	Book 1	Book 2	Book 3	Book 4	Book 5


	Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods	Wrath of the Triple Goddess	From the World of Percy Jackson Sun and the Star, The	The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel	Lighting Thief Illustrated Edition	Camp Half Blood Confidential

Customer Reviews	9,405	—	5,694	4,355	1,297	4,259
Perfect for Fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians!	The original heroes from The Lightning Thief are reunited for their biggest challenge yet: getting Percy to college when the gods are standing in his way.	In his continuing quest to earn college recommendation letters from the gods, Percy has to pet sit the goddess Hecate's polecat and giant mastiff during Halloween week. What could go wrong?	Percy Jackson fans, rejoice! Nico and Will have a book of their own! Demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace must endure the terrors of Tartarus to rescue an old friend in this thrilling adventure.	You've read the best- selling book. Now submerge yourself in the thrilling, stunning, and action-packed graphic novel.	This deluxe gift edition of the internationally best-selling first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, lavishly illustrated by series artist John Rocco, is a must-have for Riordan fans.	In this entertaining guidebook, a companion to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, and Trials of Apollo series, Percy and his demigod friends offer newbies an insider's look at Camp Half-Blood, bug juice and all.


	The Trials of Apollo The Hidden Oracle	Kane Chronicles The Red Pyramid	Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer	Heroes of Olympus The Lost Hero	Daughter of the Deep	The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities

Customer Reviews	23,631	10,491	24,323	27,715	4,543	545
Discover More Books by New York Times #1 Best-Selling Author Rick Riordan	Favorite Greek and Roman demigods return in a five-book adventure quest with a fresh twist: they’re helping Apollo regain his immortal status.	The best-selling author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians takes on ancient Egypt in the first book of a trilogy that offers a modern-day portal into a rich fantastical world of ancient myth.	The world’s foremost expert in bringing ancient stories to life for modern young readers through fast-paced, hilarious, and high-stakes adventure quests turns to Norse mythology for the first time.	Rick Riordan, the best-selling author of the Percy Jackson series, pumps up the action and suspense in The Lost Hero, the first book in The Heroes of Olympus series.	New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan pays homage to Jules Verne in his exciting modern take on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.	Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents ten new stories--including one of his own--about beloved heroes that sprang from the imaginations of some of the best middle grade authors working today.
Type of Mythology	Greek and Roman	Egyptian	Norse	Greek and Roman	None	Various Cultures and Mythologies
Does Percy Jackson Make An Appearance In The Book/Series?	✓		✓	✓

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rick Riordan (he/him), dubbed “storyteller of the gods” by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world, including Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+. His most recent novels are The Sun and the Star, which he wrote with award-winning author Mark Oshiro, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods. Rick is also the publisher of an imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, dedicated to finding other authors of highly entertaining fiction based on world cultures and mythologies. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Follow his news at RickRiordan.com.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Disney Hyperion; Media tie-in edition (November 21, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1368098169
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1368098168
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9+ years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 680L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.18 x 1.11 x 7.61 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #37 in Children's Greek & Roman Books
- #183 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books
- #219 in Children's Action & Adventure Books (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 56,709 ratings

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About the authors

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Victo Ngai
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Victo Ngai is a Los Angeles-based artist raised in Hong Kong. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 (Art and Style) honoree, the first Chinese Hamilton King Award Winner, five times Society of Illustrators Gold Medalist and Hugo Award nominee.
Victo's work has often been described as magical realism. Each creation in Victo's world is layered with symbolism and stories that reveal more each time the viewer is engaged. The visual results of her artistic journey take inspiration in part from her Chinese heritage, an art education from the Rhode Island School of Design, a love for classic children's books, and Japanese ukiyo-e.
See more on the author's page
Rick Riordan
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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the Kane Chronicles, and the Heroes of Olympus. He is also the author of the multi-award-winning Tres Navarre mystery series for adults.
For fifteen years, Rick taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. In 2002, Saint Mary's Hall honored him with the school's first Master Teacher Award.
While teaching full time, Riordan began writing mystery novels for grownups. His Tres Navarre series went on to win the top three national awards in the mystery genre - the Edgar, the Anthony and the Shamus. Riordan turned to children's fiction when he started The Lightning Thief as a bedtime story for his oldest son.
Today over 35 million copies of his Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus books are in print in the United States, and rights have been sold into more than 35 countries. Rick is also the author of The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones, another #1 New York Times bestseller.
Rick Riordan now writes full-time. He lives in Boston with his wife and two sons.
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

56,709 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the book compelling for young and older audiences. They describe the book as exceptionally original, modernized, and fresh. Readers appreciate the well-detailed information on mythology that teaches without feeling taught. They also mention the pacing is very fast. Customers enjoy the writing style and the extra pictures. They find the plot exciting and suspenseful. Customers also mention that the characters are compelling. Opinions differ on the detail level, with some finding it very detailed and rewarding, while others say it lacks depth and detail for adult readers.

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Plot Writing style Mythology Readership Characterization Pacing Originality Detail level

451 customers mention "Plot"396 positive55 negative

Customers find the plot entertaining and entertaining. They say it has twists and turns that will leave them wanting more. They also say it sets up the series nicely and introduces the reader to evil monsters.

"The story was fantastic, filled with action and adventure. The movie doesn’t do it justice...." Read more

"...It's a great adventure and very captivating" Read more

"...It's fun, imaginative, exciting, interesting, has male and female heroes who are well-developed characters, teaches without the reader feeling..." Read more

"The Lightning Thief is a non stop adventure that mixes both present day fun with a mythological twist...." Read more

239 customers mention "Writing style"213 positive26 negative

Customers find the writing style delightful, well done, and fast paced. They also say the events are clear and never feel uninformative. Readers appreciate the extra pictures in the special edition book. They say it's easy to get lost in the world, the tone is fun, and the author doesn't take many liberties.

"...It’s a kid appropriate story that is not to hard for a child to understand...." Read more

"...It's middle grade level so it's easy to read and funny. After this series, Rick Riordan became one of my favorite authors for a fun read!" Read more

"First time reading this series. It's an easy read and im enjoying it very much. Follows the show well" Read more

"...its so easy to get lost in the world, the tone is fun, the characters are flawed and complex." Read more

204 customers mention "Mythology"200 positive4 negative

Customers find the book full of gods and monsters, bringing the old Greek myths back to life. They also say the book is touching, inspiring, and plausible. Readers also mention that the characters are well-developed and teach without the reader feeling taught.

"...It's a great story through out the series and it incorporates mythology into everyday modern life in a fun manner...." Read more

"...and female heroes who are well-developed characters, teaches without the reader feeling taught, shows that good and bad aren't always black and white..." Read more

"...There were so many different gods and goddesses, creatures and mythical beings, and I loved how they were incorporated into the story...." Read more

"...Plus Percy is a character that I really found to be interesting, real, plus he is thrust into a world where he has to be brave, despite his fears...." Read more

202 customers mention "Readership"202 positive0 negative

Customers find the book compelling for young and older audiences, and highly recommend it for new readers or readers getting back into reading. They also say the book has good morals and age-appropriate concepts of right and wrong. Readers also mention that the plot hooks them from the start and is a great start to an amazing series.

"...It's middle grade level so it's easy to read and funny. After this series, Rick Riordan became one of my favorite authors for a fun read!" Read more

"...THE LIGHTNING THIEF is a great book for adults and kids...." Read more

"This was a good beginning to the series and I have to say after reading the book I understand why book readers didn't like the movies...." Read more

"...This is a good place to start and won't disapoint...." Read more

174 customers mention "Characterization"166 positive8 negative

Customers find the characters compelling, and the narrative simple, human, and funny.

"...I definitely recommend this book. The characters have such strong personalities, and the author showed incredible details. 😊..." Read more

"...He brings them to life in the 21st Century with believable characters and situations that are well-developed and that allow the stories to flow from..." Read more

"...And guess what...I was hooked! I loved the characters and how the author developed them for the reader by revealing their identities slowly...." Read more

"...It handles the adventure, characters and situations very well and will leave you wanting more...." Read more

98 customers mention "Pacing"87 positive11 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book fast and perfect. They also say the writing is amazing and the book never seems to drag.

"...The book moves at a fast pace because the reading level is more for middle grade students rather than high schoolers but the story was still..." Read more

"...Overall, I felt like it was a very fast-pace book, which sometimes felt like things were rushed, but also a kid wouldn’t always dwell on some of the..." Read more

"...The read was really fun, and it was a very quick paced book, which I personally love...." Read more

"...It was well written an a fast read." Read more

57 customers mention "Originality"54 positive3 negative

Customers find the book exceptionally original, imaginative, and modern. They say the integration of modern technology and real American places helps it feel fresh and surprising.

"...It's fun, imaginative, exciting, interesting, has male and female heroes who are well-developed characters, teaches without the reader feeling..." Read more

"...But he is courageous and clever, stubborn and loyal. He is the best he can be, and he's getting even better...." Read more

"...and spins them in an entertaining way, one that also manages to seem fresh and surprising...." Read more

"...Truly wonderful and have recommended it to so many people. Truly extraordinary and amazing." Read more

62 customers mention "Detail level"40 positive22 negative

Customers are mixed about the detail level. Some mention the book itself is very detailed and a pleasure to read, with more action and depth. They also appreciate the resourceful, brave, and real characters. However, others say it's confusing, overwhelming, and lacks depth and detail for adult readers. They say the book is repetitive and boring, and the author uses weird ways of describing things.

"...take a while to read outloud to younger readers, but the effort is well rewarded. The story is rich and deep, and will keep your child's attention...." Read more

"...The author uses some weird ways of describing things and relies too much on brand name usage...." Read more

"...Tons of monster-fighting, problem-solving, and even a bit of age-appropriate romance thrown in as the characters age along with the target audience...." Read more

"...like how the book is written in first person and that it is a scary but a nice scary. My recommendation age wise is for ages 10ish up" Read more

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Vol_Fan

Great story, easy read.

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024

Verified Purchase

The story was fantastic, filled with action and adventure. The movie doesn’t do it justice. The tv show was much better but even it doesn’t hold a candle to this book.

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2024

Verified Purchase

Ok to any parents, uncles ,aunts,and close friends this is a great book .Because if you’re child likes Greek mythology or any action packed book then it’s the best book.It’s a kid appropriate story that is not to hard for a child to understand. The best part is it is a long book and it’s very fun to read without getting bored . If you’re child seems interested in reading something like this then I recommend

P.S (just my personal opinion if you’re child doesn’t like it just know i didn’t do that on purpose)

2 people found this helpful

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Lauren

One of my favorite series!

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024

Verified Purchase

This series will always be one of my favorites! I have re-read it multiple times and this series is what got me into reading in the early-ish 2000s. It's middle grade level so it's easy to read and funny. After this series, Rick Riordan became one of my favorite authors for a fun read!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Littlemiss

Phenomenal series

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024

Verified Purchase

This is my favorite series. It's a great story through out the series and it incorporates mythology into everyday modern life in a fun manner. It's a great adventure and very captivating

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Gayle Julien

Super series!

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

I am an adult reader (and teacher) who enjoys good YA books. I read them for my own enjoyment and to be able to recommend good reading material to middle school students. I have finished the PJ series and decided to return to book 1 to write a review.

Many reviewers appear to try to compare this series to Harry Potter. Frankly, other than its ability to make the reader want to keep turning the page and anxiously await the next book, I can't begin to compare the two! HP is pure fantasy with magic as its foundation. PJ, on the other hand, has its basis in Greek mythology. To me, this alone places PJ into more of an "historical fantasy" genre rather than pure fantasy. Magic certainly plays a role but it is actually a very small part compared to HP. The emphasis here is on the abilities humans attributed to the gods of ancient Greece and Rome and the fantasy part is how those abilities might affect modern offspring of those immortals and modern mortals, children known as demigods. The fact that so many cultures of ancient times in so many places had similar gods with similar attributes has to make one wonder if there isn't some factual basis as to their existence.

That said, Mr. Riordan clearly has done his research into the lives of the gods and goddesses and all of the associated monsters, creatures, and peoples of legend and history. He brings them to life in the 21st Century with believable characters and situations that are well-developed and that allow the stories to flow from one exciting adventure or quest to another without confusion or frustration on the part of the reader. Face it, how many of us remember the hierarchy, attributes, and tales of even the top 12, nevermind all the minor deities and various creatures from our high school classes and mandatory reading of Homer, The Odyssey, and even Shakespeare? Probably not many, mainly because most of us had no real frame of reference to hang all that ancient stuff in. I had more exposure than most because I took several years of Latin (which sadly is taught in very few schools today) and yet I learned a great deal I didn't know reading this wonderful series of books I had difficulty putting down! As a teacher, an avid reader, and hopefully future author I have deep admiration of Mr. Riordan's word crafting, ability to challenge YA readers with expansive vocabulary without overwhelming, his characters to whom we can all relate in a variety of aspects, and his creativity in bringing ancient mythology alive for this generation of readers. I also appreciate his highlighting some of the positives of two common learning difficulties, ADHD and dyslexia, that plague so many people in our inactive, word-oriented society. Many of our greatest minds and most creative inventors dealt or deal with one or both of these alternate ways of viewing the world, yet instead of embracing and developing these special thinkers and their skills we call them "learning disabled" and make them feel stupid when in reality these particular "disabilities" tend to be accompanied by higher than normal intelligence!

Many reviewers have synopsized this and other books in the series so I have deliberately avoided doing so and have instead focused on WHY young readers should be encouraged to read this book and the entire series. It's fun, imaginative, exciting, interesting, has male and female heroes who are well-developed characters, teaches without the reader feeling taught, shows that good and bad aren't always black and white, and has good values such as loyalty, honesty, and the value of friends, family, and community without preaching. Besides, it's just plain a darn good read for kids of nearly all ages!

12 people found this helpful

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N. S.

Richie's Picks: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2006

Verified Purchase

" 'Like it or not -- and believe me, plenty of people weren't very fond of Rome, either -- America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here.'

"It was all too much, especially the fact that I seemed to be included in Chiron's we, as if I were part of some club.

" 'Who are you, Chiron? Who...who am I?'

Chiron smiled. He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up and out of his wheelchair, but I knew that was impossible. He was paralyzed from the waist down.

" 'Who are you,' he mused. 'Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But for now, we should get you a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be s'mores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate.' "

If I were to discuss the Boy Scouts of America, there would certainly be some harsh sentiments that I'd have to express, both in regard to the national organization and, also, in regard to my own recollections of having been an adolescent member. But among the Scouting experiences about which I have only positive memories are the couple of weeks each summer during the late Sixties that I spent at Woodworth Lake Scout Reservation in upstate New York.

Woodworth Lake was encountered at the end of the five-hour bus trip that would always commence at the crack of dawn from the Long Island suburb where I was growing up. Mornings at Woodworth Lake would begin with our trekking from our respective lakeside campgrounds to the dining hall where one member of each assigned table had arrived even earlier in order to set the table and serve as that day's waiter. The days would end after dark, with all of the groups in attendance at the camp coming together in a natural amphitheater location to perform skits for one another and to join together in song. (Thirty years later at circle time, I'd think back warmly to those campfire evenings as I taught preschoolers to sing such camp memories as "Waltzing Matilda," "Yellow Submarine," and "There's a Hole in the Bucket, Dear Liza.")

In between the morning and evening festivities, I'd get to tackle projects of my choosing that would lead to merit badges, swim in the bracing cold lake, hike for miles with my buddies, and swat mosquitoes. Woodworth Lake was where I learned to row well enough to be able to subsequently conquer the substantial winds and tides of Northport Bay and Huntington Harbor. It was the location of contests where a Crisco-covered watermelon would be tossed into the lake between two competing camp groups, or where late-night scavenger hunts were occasionally conducted, with success leading to coupons that were redeemed for tasty midnight snacks. And then there was that night in 1969 when we all sat together inside the canteen and stared in awe as Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

Sure, there were plenty of guys with whom I became friendly over those years, as a result of attending patrol and troop meetings back at home. But there was a whole different bonding that developed between those of us who spent afternoons together, developing skits for the evening campfire, and mornings together, waking up hours away from our families and familiar living patterns.

I'm currently sitting up in bed, hours from home, the only light coming from the laptop in my lap. It's an hour before sunrise, and there's a freight train whistle in the distance -- something we stopped hearing in our part of the world decades ago. Sunrise will lead me and Shari back out to the gorgeous Sierra lakes, trails, and vistas that we're experiencing this week. Traveling hours away from home in order to wander through and over mountains is clearly one of those learned behaviors resulting from my summer camp experiences.

Although Percy Jackson's summer camp experience clearly shares some similarities with mine, as well as with those of most adolescents venturing away from home and habit, it would be safe to say that Percy's summer camp experience at Half-Blood Hill (beginning shortly after the incident in which he unwittingly vaporizes his pre-algebra teacher) also involves quite a few dissimilarities from the summer camp norm:

"We must have been on the north shore of Long Island, because on this side of the house, the valley marched all the way up to the ocean, which glittered about a mile in the distance. Between here and there, I simply couldn't process everything I was seeing. The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture -- an open-air pavilion, an amphitheater, a circular arena -- except that they all looked brand new, their white marble columns sparkling in the sun. In a nearby sandpit, a dozen high school-age kids and satyrs played volleyball. Canoes glided across a small lake. Kids in bright orange T-shirts like Grover's were chasing each other around a cluster of cabins nestled in the woods. Some shot targets at an archery range. Others rode horses down a wooded trail, and unless I was hallucinating, some of their horses had wings."

In the wake of a horrifying series of experiences at the end of the school year, Percy Jackson, a self-described "troubled" kid, finds himself at Half-Blood Hill. And he comes to find out that his dyslexia, his attention deficit disorder, his mediocrity in school, his knack for inevitably causing disaster on school field trips, all stems from his being the product of a relationship between a mortal and a Greek god.

"Being a half-blood is dangerous. It's scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways."

Teaming up with a satyr named Grover and a bright girl named Annabeth (The author repeatedly teases readers with subtle allusions to HP.), Percy Jackson sets out with his new-found powers on a quest to...

" 'So let me get this straight,' I said. 'I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead.'

" 'Check,' Chiron said.

" 'Find the most powerful weapon in the universe.'

" 'Check.'

" 'And get it back to Olympus before the Summer Solstice, in ten days.'

" 'That's about right.'

"I looked at Grover, who gulped down the ace of hearts.

" 'Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?' he asked weakly.' "

Filled with out-of-this-world adventures, and chapter titles like, "I Play Pinochle with a Horse," "I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom," and "I Ruin a Perfectly Good Bus," Percy Jackson's search for himself is the ultimate summer camp experience.

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Amazon Customer

great book!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024

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This book was both fun and entertaining. Once I started reading it I just couldn’t stop ( which was not a bad thing ). For the longest time I refused to read it but I decided to an it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Highly recommend reading

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Paul Clinton and/or Frances Clinton

A gift

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024

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I know we gave them to our grandchildren, different ages, but they love them

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Cliente de Amazon

Excelente regalo.

Reviewed in Mexico on June 30, 2024

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Fue un regalo y les encantó el libro.

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Lina

Lindoo.

Reviewed in Brazil on April 15, 2023

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O livro é lindo, apesar de não ser como a versão brasileira, gostei da qualidade, as dimensões dele são diferentes e as páginas são cinza, não sei se dá pra perceber nas fotos. Mas no geral o livro é uma gracinha, no fim vem um capítulo das Crônicas dos Kane e um capítulo do Mar de Monstros, ainda não li essa versão em inglês, mas já li e reli a versão em português e amo demais essa saga! Ele parece ser ótimo para quem está num nível intermediário em inglês, e vai ser o meu primeiro em outro idioma! No mais, gostei muito da aquisição.