Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. When his mom tells him the truth about where he came from, she takes him to the one place he’ll be safe—Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island). There, Percy learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead to disastrous consequences. Together with his friends—a satyr and other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Ah, Percy. Yes, he’s super mainstream now, but I will always think of him as my Percy. I picked up Percy Jackson randomly from the Barnes and Noble kids reading program. I remember taking it with me that day, to read at my brother’s basket ball game… I had it finished by dinner time. I was so entranced.

I have always been a fan of mythology, and Percy tied that into my real life. Not only were my favorite myths brought to life before my eyes, I felt like the story was one that could happen to me at any moment. The writing made the adventures seem real, and I couldn’t help but fall in love.

Percy was the first character I felt like I was really able to grow up with. Although I had another favorite series being released at the time, like Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Missing, none of the books centered around kids who were actually growing up like Percy was. Every book he’d be a bit older, and so would I. I felt like I was experiencing the same awkward, kid trials that he was. We were in it together.

And, I won’t lie. I have some major issues with how the Percy Jackson empire is being handled now. It has been severely monetized, which is unfortunate. However, I am very glad that Percy is being sent out for a whole new generation, because I feel that it was invaluable to me. I hope it is the same for those who are reading the Heroes of Olympus, etc. now. It may not be my Percy/Riordan, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be theirs.

Anyways, this post was basically me being a Percy Jackson hipster (proof here). I hope those of you who haven’t read it, will. It’s worth a shot.

Maddie