Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson series and is written by Rick Riordan. In this book, we are introduced to Percy Jackson, a thirteen year old boy who learns that his father is none other than the ancient Greek god Poseidon and that all the Greek myths exist. Once Percy goes to a camp where he meets demi-gods like himself (demi-gods are people who have a human parent and godly parent), he must go on a quest to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt before an all-out war erupts between the gods.
It’s hard to find a kid who hasn’t heard of Percy Jackson these days, because these books are one of the most popular book series for kids ever made. In an era in literature where the fantasy genre is filled with numerous titles, “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” has managed to stand out by not only creating a strong foundation for a successful franchise but by also mixing an interesting premise with amazing writing. As good as the premise is, I love Rick Riordan as an author because of his hilarious dialogue and his amazing character work, and all of this is on full display here. If you haven’t read this book yet, you are missing out on a lot, and if you have read this book before, then you should reread it (for what I assume is your millionth time).