Review: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Title: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods
Author: Rick Riordan, John Rocco (Illustrator)
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: August 19th 2014
Series or Standalone: Standalone but a companion to Percy Jackson & Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series
Format: Paperback, 336 pages

A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don’t need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week.

So begins Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic–and sarcastic asides–to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who’s who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus.  Percy does not hold back.

“If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that.”

Rick Riordan made me love the greek mythology. No doubt with that. But I have zero intention of reading the actual greek mythology. Just seeing that thick book with the smallest font I’ve ever seen before. My brain says no. My body says no.

This book is actually a compilation of different stories of the twelve olympians and some gods and titans. Hades, Artemis, Persephone, Zeus, Atlas, Hestia and everyone. Name it. Every stories is narrated by Percy Jackson himself. So imagine a 21st century teenager telling you all this greek stuff with overloaded persassyness (if such word exists) on it. Just imagine. Cool right? The stories never get boring with Percy’s pov. It never will. You know. It’s Percy. And John Rocco’s stunning artwork made the book more enjoyable. I mean, I literally spent more than a minute devouring its beauty. Yeah, that’s me.

Unlike Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series which are both middle grade. Is HoO middle grade or young adult? It confuses me, actually. But I don’t think this one is. Why? It contains rapes in different forms. Yes. Zeus in snake form to snake-Demeter or horse-Poseidon to horse-mortal woman? nymph? (I forgot, sorry). Do you think it’s weird enough? Wait and see.

It also includes putting your ugly children down to underworld, killing your own dad, swallowing whole your children, killing your own baby-eating-dad, cooking your own son into stew, and kidnapping a goddess to make her as a wife. You know. Just a typical day for your favorite gods.

Well if you’re a fan and a demigod, this is a must-read for you. And Percy narrates it!!!! I know you miss him too as much as I do. Higly recommended.

Review: The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

Title: The Demigod Files
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Publication Date: February 10th 2009
Series or Stand Alone: Standalone, but this book is a companion to the Percy Jackson & the Olympian Series.
Format: Hardcover, 151 pages

How do you handle an encounter
with Medusa on the New Jersey
interstate? What’s the best way to take down a minotaur? Become an expert on everything in Percy’s world with this must-have guide to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Complete with
interviews, puzzles, games, and
original short stories by Rick
Riordan.

If you’ve loved the Percy Jackson Series, and missed the characters so much. You surely don’t want to miss this out. This book- a companion to the said series, set at the time after The Battle of the Layrinth and before the final book- will surely appeal to the fans of Rick’s works. So let’s talk about the contents of this book. It includes a map of Camp-Half Blood, which is good if you really want to visualize what the camp looks like. There are also interviews with some demigods, including the Stoll Brothers. Which will make us feel closer to them. It also features three different short stories of Percy with different demigods, that’s still as dangerous as before. And that will also give us small hints of what will happen to the next book or series. And it also contains informations about the gods, weapons, etc., and games which is a piece of cake, and a sneak peek at The Last Olympian, the last and the final book of the series.

This is good and fun to read because it helps us to know the characters better and to enjoy them more. But the book would be better if more demigods were included to the interview like Thalia, Nico, or Rachel. Because this is their chance to be seen more. And I want more of them. Nevertheless, if you’re an avid fan and wanted to be a half-blood like me. You’ll like this.

Review: The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

Title: The Demigod Diaries
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Publication Date: August 14th 2012
Series or Standalone: Standalone, but this book is a companion to the Heroes of Olympus Series.
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages

What dangers do runaway
demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn’t take kindly to intruders?

How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads (who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion…all in one hour or less?

With his trademark wit and
creativity, Rick Riordan answers
these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection.

After the The Demigod Files, a companion to the best-selling series Percy Jackson & the Olympians, took us to the inside world of demigods. Here comes another great book that would surely love by every avid fans of the series out there. If you’ve totally read the first series and reading the next one, I know that there are still some questions on your mind that remained unanswered. And I think this one did a great job to get all those things out of our minds that will give answers to our bucket of questions. And in my opinion, I think Rick really assured that this would appeal to the readers because he included the stuff that what most fans really wanted to see. Yes, there is Percabeth celebrating their first monthsary but with a little twist (yeah, that includes helping another god), the diary of Luke’s early life which I think everyone is curious about and of course our dude, Leo Valdez! Who doesn’t like that guy?

Okay. There are still few games included in this book that as easy as before, an interview with Hermes’s snakes, and also a debut story from Rick Riordan’s son, Haley, entitled Son of Magic that will let us know what happened to the demigods who fought in Krono’s army, how the mist works, and why monsters can smell demigods. Those are just some of our questions waiting to be unveiled in this book. And I’m assuring you this gonna be a fun read.

Yes, at last! We got a chance to see a small part of Luke Castellan’s early life, in his own perspective, with Thalia the way how they struggled to keep themselves alive after running away from their own families. And also how they met such a promising little girl who shared with the same fate named, Annabeth. The short story allows us to see the hardships Luke endured in his life, how he lost his faith to the gods and why he started hating them even his godly father Hermes. But the story focuses more on the day they met Halycon Green, a son of Apollo, and how they managed to escape from his house.

Seeing one of Luke’s adventures is great, because I really wanted to know what happenend to him in his own point of view. And I think despite of his wrong deeds, we still like this guy. And as to the other stories, they are still the same as before, like fighting with the most dangerous monsters and managed to keep themselves alive. Since this is a special book like the first one, I really wish to see the heroes in a normal day, I mean a day with NO quest, fighting monsters, or doing another favor from a god. I know I’m not the only one who wants the same thing. Because sometimes it gets tiring, seeing them doing the same thing all over again. Isn’t that good to see Percabeth enjoying their date without a quest to think about? Or the other demigods to do their own stuff without worrying about how to kill an annoying earth goddess? That would be really great even in just a day.

And about the debut story of Haley, considering his age at 16, at that moment of writing this book, it is good that he was abled to explain some things to us despite of some flaws and gave us another a new demigod to love. All in all, this is good.

Review: The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Title: The Blood of Olympus
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Series or Standalone: Heroes of Olympus #5
Format: Hardcover, 516 pages

Though the Greek and Roman
crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them, and they’re stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens.

She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake. The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood.

The Roman legion from Camp
Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps. The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea’s army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

With so many battles we fought together. Hardships we both endured. Laughters we shared. Those are precious to me. I’m very happy to know these amazing demigods: Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Piper, Jason, Reyna, and all those roman/greek demigods. You’re too many to mention but I know you know how awesome you guys are.

I’m really crying right now because I’m happy and sad. I still remember the very first day I met Percy and Grover at Yancy Academy. It was the 17th day of April. The very first day I read and finished a book. These two series, are really the reason why I’m still reading till this day. Now, the adventure has officially comes to an end. Oh gods I’m crying again.

Thank you Uncle Rick, for allowing us to spend our days and nights at Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter. For letting us to go aboard the Argo II. It was a tough journey. Retrieving the freaking lightning bolt, crossing the sea of monsters, seing your friends die, escaping the labyrinth, winning a war against titans, saving a goddess, fighting a war again, following the mark of Athena, surviving in tartarus, and defeating the earth goddess.

Okay. That’s enough. Let us now talk about the book. Obviously the The Blood of Olympus has only 516 pages which is quite few compare to the preceding books with 553, 574, or 583  pages. And this is a final book, probably the last time you’ll see your favorite characters. So I was expecting and craving to see more of the story. But the pacing was just so fast especially with the fighting scene. I wish it was longer.

Having Nico’s and Reyna’s  POVs is surely a yes yes yes to some especially to me. Because we have to understand the series has lots of characters and they need to be seen. And I think they were given enough attention in this book. And It’s really good to see how they feel and what they think in their own perspectives.

And also what I really like about the finale is the things that I wanted to see (probably same with the other readers) really happened. And I’m glad about it.

If you’re half-way or you’ve finished already reading this book. It can be understood that there’s no more Perco/Percico

Anyway, this is a great book. Hope you finished the whole series.