The Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, written by Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson is a 12-year-old boy who has never enjoyed school. He attends a boarding school, where he and his friend Grover often find themselves victims of bullies. Percy had always learned about Greek mythology and monsters in his Latin class. However, one day, during a school field trip, something seems to change. Percy experiences a strange encounter with his so-called math teacher. Soon these stories that he used to label as myths become less of legends and more of reality. Before he knows it, Percy is at Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for kids who have a god as one of their parents. Percy didn't remember much about his father-just the faint, warm memory of his smile. He and his mother had had only each other for most of his life. A series of events take place, and after proving himself worthy, Percy is claimed by his father Poseidon. As a new demigod, Percy must take on a sudden quest with a dangerously approaching deadline. He meets a girl named Annabeth and finds out that his friend Grover isn’t so human. It is up to the three of them to find Zeus’ lightning bolt in order to stop a war from boiling between the gods. The future of humanity and the fate of Olympus rests in their hands.
I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was action-packed throughout and took me through a journey. It felt like I was discovering all these new things along with Percy, which helped me see how quickly he had to learn to adjust to his new situation. The majority of the book shows Percy, Grover, and Annabeth traveling from place to place within the US trying to find Zeus’ bolt and return it to Mount Olympus within ten days. This book never made me feel bored. In fact, it kept me wanting to read and never put the book down. It peaked my interest from the beginning and had many fascinating incidents, along with a shocking plot twist at the end. I would recommend The Lightning Thief, and the entirety of the Percy Jackson series, to anyone 10+ who loves a good adventure.