What's great about the way Rick Riordan has written the novel is that without realising it the audience are being educated in Greek mythology to an extent if you think about it, I don't know about others who may have had a chance to read it but personally before hand I never would have been able to name Greek Gods. However, some may argue that you can't take it seriously because yes they do seem to be living in the USA but that's the fun of fiction! It's a playground for our imagination, a chance to get lost, forget the world around us and open our minds to completely alien realms or (like in this book) see our world in a mystifyingly different light.

Onto the book itself, Percy Jackson in Percy Jackson's in his own words;

' I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things really started going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends and generally trying to stay alive. '

If that synopsis does not draw you in to read this action packed book we are not on the same wave length - but hey, that's fine because everyone's different- basically as suggested by the title this is the book where poor normal Percy is accused by Zeus (God of the Sky) of stealing his lightning bolt. Percy's world turns upside down not just because of that minor situation also because he didn't even know he was destined for all this stuff, not only that if he doesn't do it before the summer solstice a war between the Gods will erupt like a volcanoe on one of it's really bad days.

This book for me was awesome! Jam packed with bits of history, inter-textual references to a lot of famous USA landmarks (making easy to imagine battles) and the light hearted humour between Percy, Grover and Annabeth. We've got some mythological creatures tossed in there along with food of the God's that I've heard of and now really want to try...look out for ambrosia and nectar and you'll get my drift. Romance may also be on the cards between Annabeth and Percy in future books I feel, unless Riordan does a Rowling by making Annabeth go for Grover instead. Who knows where friendship may lead us? 

If I was to put my English lit student on I'd say this book was about Percy's self discovery and learning to accept who is as well as what he's more than capable of. I'd say it's gives kids the message that believing in yourself, no matter who you are, is vital; after all if you can't believe in yourself then no one else can. 

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is a terrific tale of friendship and heroism! It's got humour, light history, adventure and action; best part is that this isn't the end there's at least four/five more books to look forward to reading...OUT NOW!

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This was first published on the Guardian Children's Book site on 26th July 2015

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jul/26/percy-jackson-and-the-lightning-thief-rick-riordan-review

Picture found at: http://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Thief-Percy-Jackson-Olympians/dp/0786838655