Julia McGrath ’23
Staff Writer
mcgrathjj@lakeforest.edu
I don’t have many childhood memories related to the Percy Jackson series. What I do remember is how mad all my third-grade classmates were about the infamous film adaptation. Granted, there’s a lot that made fans angry about that film: the characters were much older than they were in the books, Annabeth wasn’t blonde, and the drastic plot changes, to name a few. Everyone I knew had something to say about this movie, but having not read the books, I didn’t really have anything new to add.
When young actor Walker Scobell was announced as Percy for the Disney+ series coming out in 2024, the internet went berserk. Author Rick Riordan is heavily involved in the production, so the series’ fanbase was confident that this son of Poseidon would outshine the right person, wrong time that was the 2010 film’s Percy, a then-18 Logan Lerman. I was happy enough about the casting of Scobell, having seen him give an unforgettable performance in Netflix’s The Adam Project alongside Ryan Reynolds. It was obvious this kid was going places, but playing the protagonist of a middle school book series based on Greek mythology will undoubtedly bring him to a whole other level of notoriety.
It turns out, this casting choice was just the push I needed to pick up the first Percy Jackson book, The Lightning Thief. This book has probably already picked up a stream of new readers, thanks to the rock musical of the same name that premiered off-broadway in 2014. I listened to the cast recording recently as well, and was pleasantly surprised at how the story and characters from the work it’s based on are brought to life so well in song form. From the opening number that references the iconic opening line to the finale that leaves you wanting more, The Lightning Thief musical is full of catchy lyrics, teenage angst, and heart. It’s worth a listen, whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or a regular theater kid like me.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR BOOK 2 AHEAD
As I make my way through the original series (because there are many, many, many spin offs), I notice that each book packs a lot of content into the last 50 pages or so, both putting the reader through an emotional rollercoaster of a finale and setting up the next installment. Take the end of Sea of Monsters, for example: after Percy, Annabeth, and Grover fight against their former friend Luke, Chiron reveals that his father is Kronos, Zeus’ cannibal father and the big bad of the series. They also use the Golden Fleece to save Camp-Half Blood from monsters and Tyson, Percy’s cyclops brother, leaves to work for their father deep in the ocean. As if that wasn’t enough plot, the Golden Fleece works a little too well in saving the camp and brings Annabeth’s friend Thalia, a daughter of Zeus who was preserved as a tree, back to life. It’s a lot to take in, and in my experience, leaves the reader with a massive reading hangover. That’s book-speak for an ending that’s so good that you can’t read another book for at least a day.
A display of killer world-building and a lovable protagonist to boot, it’s understandable why readers are enchanted by these books. I found myself laughing, crying, and absolutely in love with this world and the people in it. Reading the original Percy Jackson series has only made me more excited to watch the television adaptation in two years, and thanks to Riordan’s extensive body of work involving Percy and friends, I have no shortage of reading material to keep myself occupied until then. I’m happy to now call myself a fan and wonder who my godly parent would be (my best guess is Aphrodite). I can’t wait to see what else in store for the members of Camp Half-Blood as I start The Battle of the Labyrinth. No spoilers, please!
The original Percy Jackson series can be found at the Lake Forest Public Library just outside North Campus, as well as at the Lake Forest Bookstore in a boxed set for $35.
