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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Books I-III
Collecting The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titans' Curse
Humans and half-bloods agree—Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series fit for heroes! Relive the adventure from the beginning with this eBook set containing the first three books from the best-selling series: The Lighting Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan’s Curse.
Humans and half-bloods agree—Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series fit for heroes! Relive the adventure from the beginning with this eBook set containing the first three books from the best-selling series: The Lighting Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan’s Curse.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2008
2712 people are currently reading
12877 people want to read
About the author
Rick Riordan
369 books452k followersRick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 769 reviews
August 11, 2018
It's a series for children, I know, but don't we all need to reconnect with our inner-child sometimes? And this is perfect for pleasure reading. At least if you can find humour in ancient Greek mythology in connection with American younger readers' pop-culture.
And now that I'm done with the first three I cannot wait to get my hands on the others.
And now that I'm done with the first three I cannot wait to get my hands on the others.
August 27, 2025
Beats the pants off Harry Potter. Wonderful YA literature, and one of the few YA works that doesn't draw a thick black line between boys and girls (while, at the same time, it paints a light, subtle and entirely realistic picture of a boy's dawning awareness that girls exist).
You can tell Riordan knows his Greek myths inside and out, loves them, and gets it. My only quibble is the way he casts the epic battle(s) in terms of Good vs. Evil: a very Judeo-Christian view, and one that is antithetical to the spirit of the Greek myths, where the Gods just jerk mortals and each other around on a level playing field.
You can tell Riordan knows his Greek myths inside and out, loves them, and gets it. My only quibble is the way he casts the epic battle(s) in terms of Good vs. Evil: a very Judeo-Christian view, and one that is antithetical to the spirit of the Greek myths, where the Gods just jerk mortals and each other around on a level playing field.
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December 22, 2014This series makes my top 5 favorite series list. My friend made me read them and Im so glad she did
May 3, 2009
I loved it. I finished the first book, The Lightning Theif, in a day. It's awesome. I kept thinking how good it would be to read this to any kid, especially those with struggles like ADHD and dyslexia. The struggles these kids have turn out to be a blessing. Instead of not seeing correctly, it's that they see overly well. They're given superpowers and are more than mortals. It's a really fun read based on Greek mythology in modern times.
June 14, 2015
LOVED this series so freakin much!! Gotta read book 4, soon :D I miss Olympian Gods.. Percy and Annabeth <3 <3 <3
March 17, 2009
This series was one of the most fun in fantasy fiction, for me! It is real, to the point, very tongue and cheek and almost always full of surprises. For instance when Percy steps out of the 'elevator' that takes his trio to Olympia, he steps out and 'nearly has a heartattack!' It has fantasy mixed with very real human emotions. None of the thinking about mankind and the greater good conflict, this guy wants to know which bully will beat him up in his next school and who his mum will date next. I couldn't put the books down till I had finished them and re-read the funny bits again!
July 10, 2017
These are the first three books of the series 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'. All the books of this series were very good. Although I did enjoy all of them, the one that was more interesting was the third book. The third book was 'Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse'. This book, in my opinion, had the most adventure. They lost and gain new people throughout their 'Prophecy'. None of the other books really had that in them. You may disagree and like other books, but the third book remains the best to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2015
Got me into reading when I was younger and never fails to make me fall in love again when I re-read!
November 13, 2016
The two stars are mainly because of my history with this book, plus the fact that he wrote it for his son.
I used to love these books, they were very favorite books when I read them and Riordan was, as far as I was concerned, a genius. Then I read some other things, and I got interested in some other books that became my favorites instead of these, but I still remembered these books as really, really great.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I reread the series. I had been reading about them online and hearing about them, mostly some negative things, and I was wondering if I had been wrong the first time I read them. Well, it turns out I was, at least in my opinion.
First, the writing is junk. I am not saying the plot or the characters (yet), I am saying the writing. I recognized what I saw here, and I can recognize this in all of his kids books. This was a guy who didn't know how to write, and knew this about himself, but was clever, and put just enough more-or-less witty remarks and corny jokes in to distract the readers from the fact that he can't write. I recognize his inability to write in his adult books, too. Even though he has written many, many books by this point, both before and after Percy Jackson, he can't exactly write a book.
The next thing which irritated me were the jokes on their own. Just bad. It was funny at times, I admit that. And in the first couple of chapters it's fine. But by the time you are third of the way into the first book and have been hearing these not-so-witty, not-so-funny "jokes" then I kind of just wanted to throw the book out of the window. When a series has a couple of remarks like this scattered about, and used at important times, then it's funny, or at least one can stand it. But just the jokes every five seconds were making me claw my own eyes out.
Maybe I am being unreasonable about this one, but I found his portrayal of the Greek Gods and Goddesses to the very, very disrespectful. Particularly Dionysus got on my nerves. He was a God that, like all of the others, was worshipped by people for many years as a big part of their lives, and in Percy Jackson he is depicted as a loser he gets drunk on soda! Riordan does similar things with other Gods and Goddesses. I wouldn't mind them being in the series if he was just a bit more respectful.
I also was bothered by the main character's dyslexia. Obviously, I was not bothered that the main character has dyslexia, what bothered me was how Riordan made having dyslexia be like. At one point, Percy (main character) sees a sign that says "Private Event" as "Pirate Event" I have researched dyslexia a lot (for personal reasons, long before I read Percy Jackson for the first time) and no one with dyslexia would have seen "Private" as "Pirate". In the fifth book, Percy sees "Gods" as "Dogs" not only is this one highly unlikely (if even possible), it also contrasts what he wrote in the first book. (For example, wouldn't he more likely see "gods" as "os", since he couldn't see the R or the V in "Private"?) . I feel like he could have made the dyslexia more realistic--it is not something to laugh about, it's a real obstacle in the lives of people who have it. This annoyed me the first time I read this book, too, but I got past it.
This book series also totally copied Harry Potter, but without a lot of the things that made Harry Potter a work of art. Lots of books now have slightly copied minor things from that series, but never a complete copy, and never as bad as Riordan. For example, the main character has messy black hair and green eyes, and has never had many friends (Harry/Percy) and is raised by at least one abusive member of their family (The Dursleys'/ Percy's stepfather). Next, he finds out he is has magic and gets a special weapon (Harry's wand/Riptide) and he goes to school to learn about his magic (Hogwarts/Camp-half-blood) he meets a very wise teacher who he likes (Dumbledore/Chiron) and one teacher that he doesn't like (Snape/Dionysus. Though Snape was a much better and more complex character then Dionysus was in Percy Jackson). The main character's two best friends are boy who is very loyal, but not that smart (Ron/Grover) and girl who is brilliant but can be a little bit of a know-it-all sometimes (Hermione/Annabeth). There is a boy with longish blonde hair who is cruel to the main character (Malfoy/Luke), and a set of mischievous brothers (Fred and George/Travis and Connor) and set of twins where one dies (Fred and George/Caster and Pollux). The villain's name is not supposed to be said (Voldemort/Kronos), and at some point the main character is known for surviving something no one has before (Harry survived the killing curse/Percy reached sixteen), there is a character who is not in the series very much, but is very kind and nice to the main character, but he dies (Cedric/Beckendorf) and this character was also dating a girl who was nice enough but cried a lot (Cho Chang/Silena Beauregard). I could go on. It appears that Ridordan had a pretty good idea for a book series, but couldn't think of a plot so he found one that had already been used and was popular, but changed it slightly.
In short, I can't think of Percy Jackson as anything more then a cheap, Harry Potter rip-off.
I used to love these books, they were very favorite books when I read them and Riordan was, as far as I was concerned, a genius. Then I read some other things, and I got interested in some other books that became my favorites instead of these, but I still remembered these books as really, really great.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I reread the series. I had been reading about them online and hearing about them, mostly some negative things, and I was wondering if I had been wrong the first time I read them. Well, it turns out I was, at least in my opinion.
First, the writing is junk. I am not saying the plot or the characters (yet), I am saying the writing. I recognized what I saw here, and I can recognize this in all of his kids books. This was a guy who didn't know how to write, and knew this about himself, but was clever, and put just enough more-or-less witty remarks and corny jokes in to distract the readers from the fact that he can't write. I recognize his inability to write in his adult books, too. Even though he has written many, many books by this point, both before and after Percy Jackson, he can't exactly write a book.
The next thing which irritated me were the jokes on their own. Just bad. It was funny at times, I admit that. And in the first couple of chapters it's fine. But by the time you are third of the way into the first book and have been hearing these not-so-witty, not-so-funny "jokes" then I kind of just wanted to throw the book out of the window. When a series has a couple of remarks like this scattered about, and used at important times, then it's funny, or at least one can stand it. But just the jokes every five seconds were making me claw my own eyes out.
Maybe I am being unreasonable about this one, but I found his portrayal of the Greek Gods and Goddesses to the very, very disrespectful. Particularly Dionysus got on my nerves. He was a God that, like all of the others, was worshipped by people for many years as a big part of their lives, and in Percy Jackson he is depicted as a loser he gets drunk on soda! Riordan does similar things with other Gods and Goddesses. I wouldn't mind them being in the series if he was just a bit more respectful.
I also was bothered by the main character's dyslexia. Obviously, I was not bothered that the main character has dyslexia, what bothered me was how Riordan made having dyslexia be like. At one point, Percy (main character) sees a sign that says "Private Event" as "Pirate Event" I have researched dyslexia a lot (for personal reasons, long before I read Percy Jackson for the first time) and no one with dyslexia would have seen "Private" as "Pirate". In the fifth book, Percy sees "Gods" as "Dogs" not only is this one highly unlikely (if even possible), it also contrasts what he wrote in the first book. (For example, wouldn't he more likely see "gods" as "os", since he couldn't see the R or the V in "Private"?) . I feel like he could have made the dyslexia more realistic--it is not something to laugh about, it's a real obstacle in the lives of people who have it. This annoyed me the first time I read this book, too, but I got past it.
This book series also totally copied Harry Potter, but without a lot of the things that made Harry Potter a work of art. Lots of books now have slightly copied minor things from that series, but never a complete copy, and never as bad as Riordan. For example, the main character has messy black hair and green eyes, and has never had many friends (Harry/Percy) and is raised by at least one abusive member of their family (The Dursleys'/ Percy's stepfather). Next, he finds out he is has magic and gets a special weapon (Harry's wand/Riptide) and he goes to school to learn about his magic (Hogwarts/Camp-half-blood) he meets a very wise teacher who he likes (Dumbledore/Chiron) and one teacher that he doesn't like (Snape/Dionysus. Though Snape was a much better and more complex character then Dionysus was in Percy Jackson). The main character's two best friends are boy who is very loyal, but not that smart (Ron/Grover) and girl who is brilliant but can be a little bit of a know-it-all sometimes (Hermione/Annabeth). There is a boy with longish blonde hair who is cruel to the main character (Malfoy/Luke), and a set of mischievous brothers (Fred and George/Travis and Connor) and set of twins where one dies (Fred and George/Caster and Pollux). The villain's name is not supposed to be said (Voldemort/Kronos), and at some point the main character is known for surviving something no one has before (Harry survived the killing curse/Percy reached sixteen), there is a character who is not in the series very much, but is very kind and nice to the main character, but he dies (Cedric/Beckendorf) and this character was also dating a girl who was nice enough but cried a lot (Cho Chang/Silena Beauregard). I could go on. It appears that Ridordan had a pretty good idea for a book series, but couldn't think of a plot so he found one that had already been used and was popular, but changed it slightly.
In short, I can't think of Percy Jackson as anything more then a cheap, Harry Potter rip-off.
April 9, 2020
Percy Jackson. The Percy Jackson series was my favorite series in middle school and I kept up with Heroes of Olympus throughout high school and some of Trials of Apollo in college. I will start crying when I read a new book with Percy in it because I genuinely miss him as a character when he hasn’t showed up in a book for a while. I’m actually in the same place as all my PJO/HoO books right now and I am seriously considering a full re-read.
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I didn't realize there were more. Probably should have gotten the full set but I'm still happy with this purchase.
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I didn't realize there were more. Probably should have gotten the full set but I'm still happy with this purchase.
January 16, 2011
helped me with my greek mythology
December 27, 2021
The Percy Jackson books are really just superb.
I remember my first time through the series as a much younger reader (probably around Percy's age, in fact, which is about 12 in the first book), and I know I loved them then. This series follows demigods, or the children of Greek gods and mortals, as they fight to defend their own lives as well as Olympus, the home of their godly parents (fights which take both physical and emotional forms). The premise is truly incredible, and it was so compelling to see the stories of Greek mythology translated into a fun series for a young audience. The writing is humorous, easy to read, and very approachable for readers of all ages. And the characters, especially Percy, are so lovably relatable.
I adored the series as a kid, but I hadn't taken the time to revisit them until this year. As a freshman in college, I was seeking some nostalgia and a reminder of the normalcy of home, so I decided to pick up the Percy Jackson books one more time. Am I glad I did! I raced through all the books -the fact that I was reading the collection came in very handy here, since I didn't even have to wait for the library! - and I found myself transported to the world of the demigods once again. Percy is still as relatable as ever - all the characters are incredible, for that matter - the writing is still joyful and fun, and the idea is as compelling as ever. Despite being a book for children, this series manages to deal with some complicated themes (and does it very well) and also captures experiences relevant for all ages. It's also just such a great time!
I'm sure most people have at least heard of Percy Jackson at this point, but I don't know how many people have taken the time to make their way through the series, so this is my pitch to start! If you've never read it, it is absolutely not too late to start, and it will be an enjoyable read for sure. If you've already read it, like I had, the nostalgia makes the experience even better. This is a series that is both incredible entertaining but also leaves you more than you were when you started, and I think that's the best kind. I know I'll be paying Camp Half-Blood another visit very soon!
I remember my first time through the series as a much younger reader (probably around Percy's age, in fact, which is about 12 in the first book), and I know I loved them then. This series follows demigods, or the children of Greek gods and mortals, as they fight to defend their own lives as well as Olympus, the home of their godly parents (fights which take both physical and emotional forms). The premise is truly incredible, and it was so compelling to see the stories of Greek mythology translated into a fun series for a young audience. The writing is humorous, easy to read, and very approachable for readers of all ages. And the characters, especially Percy, are so lovably relatable.
I adored the series as a kid, but I hadn't taken the time to revisit them until this year. As a freshman in college, I was seeking some nostalgia and a reminder of the normalcy of home, so I decided to pick up the Percy Jackson books one more time. Am I glad I did! I raced through all the books -the fact that I was reading the collection came in very handy here, since I didn't even have to wait for the library! - and I found myself transported to the world of the demigods once again. Percy is still as relatable as ever - all the characters are incredible, for that matter - the writing is still joyful and fun, and the idea is as compelling as ever. Despite being a book for children, this series manages to deal with some complicated themes (and does it very well) and also captures experiences relevant for all ages. It's also just such a great time!
I'm sure most people have at least heard of Percy Jackson at this point, but I don't know how many people have taken the time to make their way through the series, so this is my pitch to start! If you've never read it, it is absolutely not too late to start, and it will be an enjoyable read for sure. If you've already read it, like I had, the nostalgia makes the experience even better. This is a series that is both incredible entertaining but also leaves you more than you were when you started, and I think that's the best kind. I know I'll be paying Camp Half-Blood another visit very soon!
January 4, 2025
Only book 2 was not so good but the rest were great
January 13, 2023
as good as I remember
Childhood classic and holds the test of time. Still funny, the action still has you turning the page. Ready for the next one.
Childhood classic and holds the test of time. Still funny, the action still has you turning the page. Ready for the next one.
July 23, 2023
Reread: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
March 1, 2025
In *Percy Jackson and the Olympians* (Books #1-3), Rick Riordan crafts an engaging narrative that skillfully blends fantasy elements with vividly depicted mythological creatures. His storytelling creates striking imagery, allowing readers to easily visualize the unfolding events. The characters are well-developed, each with distinct personalities, making it difficult to resist the urge to dive deeper into their adventures. This journey not only entertains but also ignites a desire to explore the wonders of mythology once again.
I first encountered these captivating books upon their release, and revisiting them now, I still feel the same thrill and excitement that initially captivated me. The adventurous tale unfolds at a lightning pace, filled with humor that keeps readers smiling amidst the chaos. With every turn of the page, the story offers exhilarating moments and unpredictable twists, ensuring that every reader enjoys a delightful experience.
I first encountered these captivating books upon their release, and revisiting them now, I still feel the same thrill and excitement that initially captivated me. The adventurous tale unfolds at a lightning pace, filled with humor that keeps readers smiling amidst the chaos. With every turn of the page, the story offers exhilarating moments and unpredictable twists, ensuring that every reader enjoys a delightful experience.
September 28, 2018
Honestly, this was one of the best series I have ever read in my life (no kidding). The plot twists and how Rick Riordan introduces the new characters and monsters are truly pulling me in to read more. I can't wait to read the 4th and 5th book to finish the series. At the end of book three, it ends with a cliffhanger, with makes my dyingly want to know more. I can't believe all three of the main gods all had children! Percy and Nico who appear more in the story, are truly contrasting characters. Even though Thalia joined the hunters and Zoë Nightshade, Bianca Di Angelo have given their lives in the quest, they are also apart of the hunters, which is lead by the goddess Artemis. My friend told me that, After Nico hears that his sister has passed away, he turns into an emo kid. Percy is still the same. Always getting kicked out of school and fighting monsters with is pen-sword, Riptide. So far, my favorite books of the series were the Sea of Monsters and the Titan's Curse. If you are interested to read books about Greek Myths, and truly want to read an amazing book, I recommend this Series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2019
"Percy Jackson And The Olympians" is one of my favorite book series. I love gods and goddesses, so the Percy Jackson books have lots of them. The books made me feel powerful. They made me feel powerful because when I read a book I imagine my self as one of the characters. The characters had powers and the defeated Kronos. I read the next series and it was amazing. Thinking about it now I feel like the series was one of the main reasons that I love Greek mythology.
August 4, 2015
This is a cute series for children. I didn't read into it at all (there were probably large plot holes looming that I just purposefully ignored), because I wanted a brainless, fun read. Percy Jackson definitely delivered.
December 19, 2008
Please read my last comment
June 24, 2011
i read all of them they were so great i wanted more of them.
October 18, 2011
I think it is a so so book because it doesn't have alot of action and not alot of fighting
May 25, 2013
Extremely exciting,thrilling and a must-read for those who LOVE greek mythology.
October 9, 2016
Never a dull moment in the series. All of the books were a delight.
August 23, 2025
I know these books are a big thing at the moment and even being made into a show, but this was my very first introduction to them. I’ve heard them compared to Harry Potter and other similar series. In my opinion, Harry Potter is much better so far, but then again I’ve only read the first book so far.
I personally thought that the characters, both the kids and the adults as well, were very juvenile both in their dialogue and their actions. I know that the books are written for kids and are supposed to come from a kid’s perspective, but even then there were many sentences I cringed through. Because of the orientation towards children, I will waive this as being important, but it certainly contributed to my rating.
The storyline felt a bit anticlimactic to me. The way that it ended at least left it on a cliffhanger and with a certainty that there would be more books, but there wasn’t necessarily any one part in the book that I would point out and identify as the highlight. Again, I would say this is similar to how Harry Potter starts out as well. It takes a minute to get going, so I will afford this book the same grace I did with the HP series.
None of the characters are particularly likable right away or even for a while after the start. I felt like I didn’t feel any sort of connection or affection towards any of them until maybe 3/4 ish through the book, if that. I assume that as the books go on and you get to know them better you appreciate them more.
One plus I will certainly hand to this book is the dive into Greek mythology. I admit I have very little knowledge on this subject, which I was sure would disadvantage me in understanding the book, but as it is written for kids, mostly everything is explained and talked about in a very digestible way. I did use Google a few times to further my understanding or answer a question or two that I had but overall you do not need any sort of Greek foreknowledge to understand or enjoy the book.
Overall I would say it was ok. I gave it 4 stars rather than 3 because in my experience, fantasy books written for the tween/early teen years develop and mature over time with continuing books, just as the minds of their primary readers do. So I am hoping for a better and better experience with each simultaneous book!
I personally thought that the characters, both the kids and the adults as well, were very juvenile both in their dialogue and their actions. I know that the books are written for kids and are supposed to come from a kid’s perspective, but even then there were many sentences I cringed through. Because of the orientation towards children, I will waive this as being important, but it certainly contributed to my rating.
The storyline felt a bit anticlimactic to me. The way that it ended at least left it on a cliffhanger and with a certainty that there would be more books, but there wasn’t necessarily any one part in the book that I would point out and identify as the highlight. Again, I would say this is similar to how Harry Potter starts out as well. It takes a minute to get going, so I will afford this book the same grace I did with the HP series.
None of the characters are particularly likable right away or even for a while after the start. I felt like I didn’t feel any sort of connection or affection towards any of them until maybe 3/4 ish through the book, if that. I assume that as the books go on and you get to know them better you appreciate them more.
One plus I will certainly hand to this book is the dive into Greek mythology. I admit I have very little knowledge on this subject, which I was sure would disadvantage me in understanding the book, but as it is written for kids, mostly everything is explained and talked about in a very digestible way. I did use Google a few times to further my understanding or answer a question or two that I had but overall you do not need any sort of Greek foreknowledge to understand or enjoy the book.
Overall I would say it was ok. I gave it 4 stars rather than 3 because in my experience, fantasy books written for the tween/early teen years develop and mature over time with continuing books, just as the minds of their primary readers do. So I am hoping for a better and better experience with each simultaneous book!
February 26, 2025
This one of my favorite books Percy is the GOAT got hooked on this series after like the first chapter or two, and I finished the series like a month later top tier would recommend
Ok so who thinks that the show is sooo close to the book am I wrong, like why did they make Annabeth black like I don’t care that much but the book, said she looked like a California beach girl. So that is all I going to say
Ok so who thinks that the show is sooo close to the book am I wrong, like why did they make Annabeth black like I don’t care that much but the book, said she looked like a California beach girl. So that is all I going to say
September 1, 2024
Amazing book, Greek Mythology was always a topic I enjoyed learning about and to see them being implemented in a novel was a joy to read!! The only reason i'm not giving it a 5 star is that I could really tell it was a young adult book. I like my books to go dark all the way.
January 8, 2019
this book is good
February 25, 2021
All of the books are really good except for the sea of monsters. You can skip that one.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 769 reviews