The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)
by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (3)
Review by girlaboutbooks
Oh. My. Gods. I love this book! The Titan's Curse is definitely my second favorite on the series (my first favorite is The Lightning Thief). I'm not sure if I've mention this before but I'm inlove with this series so much. And can I just say that Rick Riordan is one of the coolest author ever stepped on this planet.
Like in first and second book, The Titan's Curse is just the right amount of everything. Full of action, cool and funny dialogues which is enough to make you crack on your seat and of course, twists and turns that will leave you breathless! It's perfectly paced and I'm sure if you enjoyed the first and second one, you'll love this one too!
Do I need to say more?
One of the things why I'm always excited in reading this book, is because I know that Rick will throw new characters into the scene again. And I was correct! Rick perfectly introduced them one by one. Ever since I've read about Thalia on the first book, I've always got intrigued by her and in this book, Rick highlighted Thalia's personality pretty well and I ended up liking her. She's as funny, sarcastic and tough as Percy.
The adventure of course is my favorite part in the story as well as Percy's growing feelings toward Annabeth. I'm just really, really excited for them.
The difference of this book from the first two? The Titan's Curse is definitely darker than first two with more mysterious aura. I don't want to give out anything so I'll just leave you with that.
My favorite character aside from Percy and his gang? Zoe Nightshade. At first, I didn't like her, I actually hated her from the first few chapters. I thought she was too uptight but after I've finished reading the book, I knew she's really something. she's very elegant but tough as well. I adore her firm belief and faith to her own principles and her loyalty towards Lady Artemis.
I'm giving this perfect 5 out of 5 stars! 'Nuff said. And yes, I HIGHLY recommend this just because it's very entertaining and such a fantastic read.
Like in first and second book, The Titan's Curse is just the right amount of everything. Full of action, cool and funny dialogues which is enough to make you crack on your seat and of course, twists and turns that will leave you breathless! It's perfectly paced and I'm sure if you enjoyed the first and second one, you'll love this one too!
Do I need to say more?
One of the things why I'm always excited in reading this book, is because I know that Rick will throw new characters into the scene again. And I was correct! Rick perfectly introduced them one by one. Ever since I've read about Thalia on the first book, I've always got intrigued by her and in this book, Rick highlighted Thalia's personality pretty well and I ended up liking her. She's as funny, sarcastic and tough as Percy.
The adventure of course is my favorite part in the story as well as Percy's growing feelings toward Annabeth. I'm just really, really excited for them.
The difference of this book from the first two? The Titan's Curse is definitely darker than first two with more mysterious aura. I don't want to give out anything so I'll just leave you with that.
My favorite character aside from Percy and his gang? Zoe Nightshade. At first, I didn't like her, I actually hated her from the first few chapters. I thought she was too uptight but after I've finished reading the book, I knew she's really something. she's very elegant but tough as well. I adore her firm belief and faith to her own principles and her loyalty towards Lady Artemis.
I'm giving this perfect 5 out of 5 stars! 'Nuff said. And yes, I HIGHLY recommend this just because it's very entertaining and such a fantastic read.
Other Member Reviews
Highly addictive series. I'd planned to read something else between book three and four . . . but Rick Riordan has made that impossible. This was a 5-Star book all the way until the burrito/cannonball scene, for which I had to deduct an entire star.
The individuality of the characters in this series is wonderful. Not only are they quirky, fun, and endearing, but they're all highly motivated by their personal story lines. Very realistic. All too often in the world of literature, characters, once off screen, go into a temporary stasis, as if those characters are just standing around, reading their lines over and over, getting ready for the next scene with the main character. Not so with Rick Riordan's characters. Once off screen, his characters are up to something! For the good guys, it could mean training, searching, rescuing, performing heroic deeds, any number of things. For the bad guys, it means plotting, scheming, and, in the case of the monsters, coming your way. So you better be ready.
The individuality of the characters in this series is wonderful. Not only are they quirky, fun, and endearing, but they're all highly motivated by their personal story lines. Very realistic. All too often in the world of literature, characters, once off screen, go into a temporary stasis, as if those characters are just standing around, reading their lines over and over, getting ready for the next scene with the main character. Not so with Rick Riordan's characters. Once off screen, his characters are up to something! For the good guys, it could mean training, searching, rescuing, performing heroic deeds, any number of things. For the bad guys, it means plotting, scheming, and, in the case of the monsters, coming your way. So you better be ready.
This is easily the most satisfying installment so far of the Percy Jackson franchise. Riordan still runs his tale at full throttle, giving neither characters nor readers barely a moment to pause, reflect, and assess, but more dimensions to the characters and the stakes are brought forward. This book is more about costs and casualties, subtly alluding to Percy's (and Annabeth's) increasing adolescent maturity.
Two new characters take the story in richer directions and one, ten-year-old* Nico, is apparently set to play a greater role in the overall saga; he cuts a cool figure among the other half-bloods and the contrasts are fun. The Olympians are met but for Hestia, and these updated forms work nicely; Apollo's brazen showmanship and lousy haiku are not a real stretch. Dionysus finally gets to play a role in classic character towards the end and Riordan shows why a god of Madness is not one to trifle with, even allowing "Mr. D" to drop the take-away line about power being difficult to resist. Nice.
"The Titan's Curse" is an uptick across the board, but it really is time to address the soon-to-be-15 year old Percy & Annabeth's physical and maturational growth; they still act and talk like they did at 12.
[* - There seems to have been a time-freeze involved along the way, so Nico was _born_ some 80 years previously. More to follow on that, I guess.]
Two new characters take the story in richer directions and one, ten-year-old* Nico, is apparently set to play a greater role in the overall saga; he cuts a cool figure among the other half-bloods and the contrasts are fun. The Olympians are met but for Hestia, and these updated forms work nicely; Apollo's brazen showmanship and lousy haiku are not a real stretch. Dionysus finally gets to play a role in classic character towards the end and Riordan shows why a god of Madness is not one to trifle with, even allowing "Mr. D" to drop the take-away line about power being difficult to resist. Nice.
"The Titan's Curse" is an uptick across the board, but it really is time to address the soon-to-be-15 year old Percy & Annabeth's physical and maturational growth; they still act and talk like they did at 12.
[* - There seems to have been a time-freeze involved along the way, so Nico was _born_ some 80 years previously. More to follow on that, I guess.]
Alright, this is where this series gets really good. When I read this series for the first time a couple years ago, the third installment of was actually my favorite. Now, I would probably place it in 2nd place, just behind Book 4, but we'll see how I feel after re-reading the last two books.
This book, in a lot of ways, is similar to "The Lightning Thief". The majority of the novel is a an adventure through the United States of America, facing monsters left and right, and culminating in an epic final battle with the enemy, followed shortly by a meeting with the gods on Olympus. However, I would say that this book is slightly stronger than book 1 in that aspect. While I found some of the events of "The Lightning Thief" more interesting than the events that took place in this book, "The Titan's Curse" is miles better than "The Lightning Thief" in one major aspect: scale. This time around, the stakes are higher, the jokes are fewer, the battles are more grand and exciting, and the plot twists and revelations are more unbelievable. It just feels like a more solid version of Book 1.
Again, I like the fact that the comedy is somewhat subdued here. It makes everything feel more serious. I love it when children's stories become more mature with each entry. While the jokes are fewer here, they are by no means weaker. Some sections had me laughing my ass off. The section where Atlas tried to grow creatures out of the soil in the museum had me on the floor, man.
This book shows, once show more again, that this franchise is at its best with the adventures. Sure, the epic lore and the plot twists are really exciting, but the most memorable parts of these books for me have always been the adventures through the United States. I just cannot explain how entertaining it is to read about Percy and his friends traveling far and wide, encountering various unexpected obstacles, and coming up with creative ways of overcoming them before moving to the next major stage of their adventure. It reminds me of Lord of the Rings. I always have a timeline in my head of every event that occurs in those books as the characters travel further and further in their journey across the lands. The same thing applies here. It is an extremely enthralling story-telling method. show less
This book, in a lot of ways, is similar to "The Lightning Thief". The majority of the novel is a an adventure through the United States of America, facing monsters left and right, and culminating in an epic final battle with the enemy, followed shortly by a meeting with the gods on Olympus. However, I would say that this book is slightly stronger than book 1 in that aspect. While I found some of the events of "The Lightning Thief" more interesting than the events that took place in this book, "The Titan's Curse" is miles better than "The Lightning Thief" in one major aspect: scale. This time around, the stakes are higher, the jokes are fewer, the battles are more grand and exciting, and the plot twists and revelations are more unbelievable. It just feels like a more solid version of Book 1.
Again, I like the fact that the comedy is somewhat subdued here. It makes everything feel more serious. I love it when children's stories become more mature with each entry. While the jokes are fewer here, they are by no means weaker. Some sections had me laughing my ass off. The section where Atlas tried to grow creatures out of the soil in the museum had me on the floor, man.
This book shows, once show more again, that this franchise is at its best with the adventures. Sure, the epic lore and the plot twists are really exciting, but the most memorable parts of these books for me have always been the adventures through the United States. I just cannot explain how entertaining it is to read about Percy and his friends traveling far and wide, encountering various unexpected obstacles, and coming up with creative ways of overcoming them before moving to the next major stage of their adventure. It reminds me of Lord of the Rings. I always have a timeline in my head of every event that occurs in those books as the characters travel further and further in their journey across the lands. The same thing applies here. It is an extremely enthralling story-telling method. show less
I cannot be disappointed in this series. It’s just too good! The world you get sucked into is amazing! The author has made it so realistic that you feel like you could be a part of it yourself. You’ll never be bored reading this book. There’s so many new myths and monsters to learn about. I love seeing where are these Greek things are in the modern world. Like Mount Olympus in New York and San Francisco. It’s just so cool!
I really liked the story in this one. It’s funny how Percy always gets sucked into these things. I’m super happy he was going to find Annabeth. I loved how Aphrodite got a little involved for a minute. It was really cute. I also really, really love Artemis and was happy to see her in this one. It was so sad that she got kidnapped with Annabeth. Plus Bessie was really cool too.
The characters get better and better each book. Percy is starting to understand his world a little bit more now. He’s also starting to get attached to Annabeth I think. I can’t wait for that to happen. Annabeth is as fantastic as usual and Grover is hilarious. I even started to like Thalia and Zoe. They were really interesting characters.
Basically this was an excellent book that everyone needs to read. Right away.
I really liked the story in this one. It’s funny how Percy always gets sucked into these things. I’m super happy he was going to find Annabeth. I loved how Aphrodite got a little involved for a minute. It was really cute. I also really, really love Artemis and was happy to see her in this one. It was so sad that she got kidnapped with Annabeth. Plus Bessie was really cool too.
The characters get better and better each book. Percy is starting to understand his world a little bit more now. He’s also starting to get attached to Annabeth I think. I can’t wait for that to happen. Annabeth is as fantastic as usual and Grover is hilarious. I even started to like Thalia and Zoe. They were really interesting characters.
Basically this was an excellent book that everyone needs to read. Right away.
Alright, this is where this series gets really good. When I read this series for the first time a couple years ago, the third installment of was actually my favorite. Now, I would probably place it in 2nd place, just behind Book 4, but we'll see how I feel after re-reading the last two books.
This book, in a lot of ways, is similar to "The Lightning Thief". The majority of the novel is a an adventure through the United States of America, facing monsters left and right, and culminating in an epic final battle with the enemy, followed shortly by a meeting with the gods on Olympus. However, I would say that this book is slightly stronger than book 1 in that aspect. While I found some of the events of "The Lightning Thief" more interesting than the events that took place in this book, "The Titan's Curse" is miles better than "The Lightning Thief" in one major aspect: scale. This time around, the stakes are higher, the jokes are fewer, the battles are more grand and exciting, and the plot twists and revelations are more unbelievable. It just feels like a more solid version of Book 1.
Again, I like the fact that the comedy is somewhat subdued here. It makes everything feel more serious. I love it when children's stories become more mature with each entry. While the jokes are fewer here, they are by no means weaker. Some sections had me laughing my ass off. The section where Atlas tried to grow creatures out of the soil in the museum had me on the floor, man.
This book shows, once show more again, that this franchise is at its best with the adventures. Sure, the epic lore and the plot twists are really exciting, but the most memorable parts of these books for me have always been the adventures through the United States. I just cannot explain how entertaining it is to read about Percy and his friends traveling far and wide, encountering various unexpected obstacles, and coming up with creative ways of overcoming them before moving to the next major stage of their adventure. It reminds me of Lord of the Rings. I always have a timeline in my head of every event that occurs in those books as the characters travel further and further in their journey across the lands. The same thing applies here. It is an extremely enthralling story-telling method. show less
This book, in a lot of ways, is similar to "The Lightning Thief". The majority of the novel is a an adventure through the United States of America, facing monsters left and right, and culminating in an epic final battle with the enemy, followed shortly by a meeting with the gods on Olympus. However, I would say that this book is slightly stronger than book 1 in that aspect. While I found some of the events of "The Lightning Thief" more interesting than the events that took place in this book, "The Titan's Curse" is miles better than "The Lightning Thief" in one major aspect: scale. This time around, the stakes are higher, the jokes are fewer, the battles are more grand and exciting, and the plot twists and revelations are more unbelievable. It just feels like a more solid version of Book 1.
Again, I like the fact that the comedy is somewhat subdued here. It makes everything feel more serious. I love it when children's stories become more mature with each entry. While the jokes are fewer here, they are by no means weaker. Some sections had me laughing my ass off. The section where Atlas tried to grow creatures out of the soil in the museum had me on the floor, man.
This book shows, once show more again, that this franchise is at its best with the adventures. Sure, the epic lore and the plot twists are really exciting, but the most memorable parts of these books for me have always been the adventures through the United States. I just cannot explain how entertaining it is to read about Percy and his friends traveling far and wide, encountering various unexpected obstacles, and coming up with creative ways of overcoming them before moving to the next major stage of their adventure. It reminds me of Lord of the Rings. I always have a timeline in my head of every event that occurs in those books as the characters travel further and further in their journey across the lands. The same thing applies here. It is an extremely enthralling story-telling method. show less
It's winter break and an urgent message from Grover sends Percy and his friends running to the satyr's aid. Naturally, things go awry, resulting in a mission to recover Annabeth and the goddess Artemis, both of whom have gone missing. On this journey, Percy uncovers revelations about the ancient power that is threatening Camp Half-Blood and Mount Olympus.
The plot of this third volume of the Percy Jackson series is virtually identical to the first two-- someone close to Percy goes missing and he goes on a quest to rescue them. As Percy travels west with his companions to rescue Annabeth and Artemis, he encounters various enemies, mythological creatures, and gods and goddesses. The story zips along quickly, glossing over many details (how can Grover control power lines with his reed pipes?), with not enough time spent on even the very emotional moments (the fate of certain characters), all the while accompanied by Riordan's familiar cheesy style of humour.
Still, The Titan's Curse introduces a few surprising twists which really changes the situation for Percy and the others, and by the end of the book, the overarching storyline has really picked up. The threat of danger from Kronos, the main antagonist, feels a lot more immediate and real, and I get the sense that the storyline is shifting away from these episodic missions and will start to deal with the greater questions of war between Olympus and Kronos, with the prophecy of the half-blood child of one of the big three show more gods, and Percy's role and ultimate fate in all this.
As the Percy Jackson universe expands wih these plot developments, a whole slew of new characters were introduced, both divine and human. I enjoyed meeting the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, and her irreverent, haiku-loving twin Apollo. I also love the idea that Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, didn't really have a distinct face. After a meeting with her, you can only remember that you saw the absolute most beautiful woman, but you can't remember what she actually looked like. Of the new half-bloods, I really only took to Nico-- it's really cute how he asks so many questions and I loved the fact that he geeks out over his games! It seems like he has an important roles to play in the rest of the series, so I will be looking forward to any scene he is in.
(Also, can I add that I really like how Riordan is developing the relationship between Percy and Annabeth? They are incredibly adorable and I also think it's hilarious that Aphrodite seems to ship them as well. I also like how Riordan actually tries to explore Percy's emotions more in this book-- perhaps a sign that Percy is slowly maturing.)
There were a lot of things going on in this book, and occasionally things felt a bit disjointed-- the quick switch from scene to scene, even after emotional moments, was kind of jarring. But it's clear that with this book, Rick Riordan was busy setting up all of the pieces, arranging them in the right places, in preparation for what I hope will be an exciting climax for the series. show less
The plot of this third volume of the Percy Jackson series is virtually identical to the first two-- someone close to Percy goes missing and he goes on a quest to rescue them. As Percy travels west with his companions to rescue Annabeth and Artemis, he encounters various enemies, mythological creatures, and gods and goddesses. The story zips along quickly, glossing over many details (how can Grover control power lines with his reed pipes?), with not enough time spent on even the very emotional moments (the fate of certain characters), all the while accompanied by Riordan's familiar cheesy style of humour.
Still, The Titan's Curse introduces a few surprising twists which really changes the situation for Percy and the others, and by the end of the book, the overarching storyline has really picked up. The threat of danger from Kronos, the main antagonist, feels a lot more immediate and real, and I get the sense that the storyline is shifting away from these episodic missions and will start to deal with the greater questions of war between Olympus and Kronos, with the prophecy of the half-blood child of one of the big three show more gods, and Percy's role and ultimate fate in all this.
As the Percy Jackson universe expands wih these plot developments, a whole slew of new characters were introduced, both divine and human. I enjoyed meeting the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, and her irreverent, haiku-loving twin Apollo. I also love the idea that Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, didn't really have a distinct face. After a meeting with her, you can only remember that you saw the absolute most beautiful woman, but you can't remember what she actually looked like. Of the new half-bloods, I really only took to Nico-- it's really cute how he asks so many questions and I loved the fact that he geeks out over his games! It seems like he has an important roles to play in the rest of the series, so I will be looking forward to any scene he is in.
(Also, can I add that I really like how Riordan is developing the relationship between Percy and Annabeth? They are incredibly adorable and I also think it's hilarious that Aphrodite seems to ship them as well. I also like how Riordan actually tries to explore Percy's emotions more in this book-- perhaps a sign that Percy is slowly maturing.)
There were a lot of things going on in this book, and occasionally things felt a bit disjointed-- the quick switch from scene to scene, even after emotional moments, was kind of jarring. But it's clear that with this book, Rick Riordan was busy setting up all of the pieces, arranging them in the right places, in preparation for what I hope will be an exciting climax for the series. show less
I really am enjoying these books, I wish these were released when I was a kid, but alas I was an adult when they started coming out. I would have eaten these up as a young girl.
This was another adventure filled, nonstop action with one goal in process that never felt overwhelming or underwhelming.
I love the pacing in which new characters are introduced, but I will say I was taken by surprise that this is when we met Nico di Angelo (the fandom always talks about him when he is like 15ish, he is 10 in this one) I had a complete misrepresentation of what to expect when first meeting Nico thanks to the fandom (what can you do ¯_(ツ)_/¯ )This adorable little 10 yr old was precious and so happy and full of life (clearly the version the fandom loves comes into play after the events in this book, which I can see happening because what happens in this book is hard for a child of 10 to deal with) but I also wasn’t expecting everyone to figure out his parentage they way they did either.
Zoe’s story broke my heart and when *spoiler* Artemis honored her by putting her in the stars I knew exactly which constellation she was gonna be and Ahh I just loved that! It was so bittersweet, I may have shed a tear or two.
The overarching story is progressing quite well too, each book continues to connect to each other and the war that is being built up towards, is staying in focus so I appreciate that. I was actually a little clueless this time around with who the General was until who Zoe show more was was finally revealed. The way the myths are rewritten to fit Riordan’s world, while staying as close to the “original” sources really does continue to impress me.
Also throughout this book there is a bit of exploration into Percy’s feelings toward Annabeth and I loved how subtle it is, but it still hits enough that you can tell the boy is in denial about having a crush on her, it’s adorable.
I will say I’m conflicted over Thalia, she came in during this book and then also left in this book. I was thinking she would be around longer but I understand her story arc, just kind of surprised it went by so quickly.
After the final events of this book I’m really interested in the direction the next book will go. It ended on a low note so seeing how the next will start will be interesting. show less
This was another adventure filled, nonstop action with one goal in process that never felt overwhelming or underwhelming.
I love the pacing in which new characters are introduced, but I will say I was taken by surprise that this is when we met Nico di Angelo (the fandom always talks about him when he is like 15ish, he is 10 in this one) I had a complete misrepresentation of what to expect when first meeting Nico thanks to the fandom (what can you do ¯_(ツ)_/¯ )This adorable little 10 yr old was precious and so happy and full of life (clearly the version the fandom loves comes into play after the events in this book, which I can see happening because what happens in this book is hard for a child of 10 to deal with) but I also wasn’t expecting everyone to figure out his parentage they way they did either.
Zoe’s story broke my heart and when *spoiler* Artemis honored her by putting her in the stars I knew exactly which constellation she was gonna be and Ahh I just loved that! It was so bittersweet, I may have shed a tear or two.
The overarching story is progressing quite well too, each book continues to connect to each other and the war that is being built up towards, is staying in focus so I appreciate that. I was actually a little clueless this time around with who the General was until who Zoe show more was was finally revealed. The way the myths are rewritten to fit Riordan’s world, while staying as close to the “original” sources really does continue to impress me.
Also throughout this book there is a bit of exploration into Percy’s feelings toward Annabeth and I loved how subtle it is, but it still hits enough that you can tell the boy is in denial about having a crush on her, it’s adorable.
I will say I’m conflicted over Thalia, she came in during this book and then also left in this book. I was thinking she would be around longer but I understand her story arc, just kind of surprised it went by so quickly.
After the final events of this book I’m really interested in the direction the next book will go. It ended on a low note so seeing how the next will start will be interesting. show less
When Percy, Annabeth and Thalia go to a school to help two siblings who are half-bloods, they get into a fight and Annabeth is presumed dead (though Percy believes otherwise). During the fight, Artemis and the Hunters showed up to help, but Artemis ends up missing, as well. Some of the Hunters must team up with some of the Campers to help save both Annabeth and Artemis.
I really liked this one, and since I was less excited about book 2, which I listened to on audio, I think I'll stick with print (or ebook) for the rest of the series. More characters/gods were introduced in this one, and there was plenty of humour, as well. It was quick to read and a lot of fun, I thought!
I really liked this one, and since I was less excited about book 2, which I listened to on audio, I think I'll stick with print (or ebook) for the rest of the series. More characters/gods were introduced in this one, and there was plenty of humour, as well. It was quick to read and a lot of fun, I thought!
In this installment, we meet the redeemable group of men-hating crazy women, Artemis's hunters. I remember hating these girls like crazy when I was younger (and I still think Bianca's a little jerk, but whatever) but found them a lot more reasonable this time around. Also, this one actually made me shed a tear, which is crazy because I never cried in this one before; I only ever cried in The Last Olympian in Luke's backstory scenes (I sob like a baby in those scenes).
Also, I just have to
Rachel: The heck?
Percy: You can see me?
Also, I just have to
Rachel: The heck?
Percy: You can see me?
This is the strongest in the series.
We meet some of my favourite characters, Nico, Thalia.
For a middle-grade novel imbued with action and adventure, it adds some heavy things like grief and loss into the mix. I also loved the Huntresses of Artemis and wish we could get more information about them and Artemis as a whole. Percy became a lot more mature in this, he's growing up : D
We meet some of my favourite characters, Nico, Thalia.
For a middle-grade novel imbued with action and adventure, it adds some heavy things like grief and loss into the mix. I also loved the Huntresses of Artemis and wish we could get more information about them and Artemis as a whole. Percy became a lot more mature in this, he's growing up : D
Between Artemis, Zoe, Bianca, Thalia, and Annabeth, girls and goddesses dominated Titan’s Curse. It was refreshing, too, to see Percy at the end of Cupid’s bow (or in Aphrodite’s limo lol) rather than in the middle of everything as Annabeth was. (I wish we'd had a chap or two in her POV--she really went and held up the universe for several straight days.)
But damn that ending was brutal. Teared up on the bus home. Think this is my favorite of the series so far.
But damn that ending was brutal. Teared up on the bus home. Think this is my favorite of the series so far.
I asked my thirteen-year-old for some YA/MG recs for a Bookopoly prompt last month, but then I never ended up landing on that prompt. Still, the intensity with which he held my gaze after pointing out that I'd never finished the Percy Jackson series convinced me to put books 3-5 back on my to-read list.
I think I enjoyed this book more than the previous two. Maybe because now I know what I'm getting out of a Percy Jackson book, so there's no more "adjusting" period to reading a book for middle-grade readers. Maybe it's because my kid has been recommending MG/YA books to me more frequently. Maybe it's just because I was so charmed by the idea of Artemis turning boys who trespassed in her girls-only camp into jackalopes. Jackalopes. Now that's a goddess I'm invested in seeing that she's not overthrown by cranky titans.
Anyway, it was fun. And I guess I'm committed to finishing out the series after all.
I think I enjoyed this book more than the previous two. Maybe because now I know what I'm getting out of a Percy Jackson book, so there's no more "adjusting" period to reading a book for middle-grade readers. Maybe it's because my kid has been recommending MG/YA books to me more frequently. Maybe it's just because I was so charmed by the idea of Artemis turning boys who trespassed in her girls-only camp into jackalopes. Jackalopes. Now that's a goddess I'm invested in seeing that she's not overthrown by cranky titans.
Anyway, it was fun. And I guess I'm committed to finishing out the series after all.
Starting a few months after the events at the end of book 2 – The Sea of Monsters – The Titan’s Curse kicks off right in the thick of it with demigods Percy, Annabeth and newly resurrected Thalia on their way to meet their friend Grover and help him locate two new demis and bring them to Camp Half Blood. Things don’t work out well and Annabeth ends up missing in action. Things get even worse when they meet the Goddess Artemis who ends up carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Quite literally. Our heroes must mount a rescue whilst fighting mythological foes, archetypical monsters, all the while dealing with a prophecy that foretells that one of them – Thalia or Percy – would bring about the end of the Gods. Or maybe save them all. This is probably the turning point for the series – before The Titan’s Curse, in spite of the arguably portentous tone of the events that took place thus far and the talk about the end of the Gods, monster attacks and the like , there was a certain degree of lightness and mindless fun running through them. In here, people get killed. Injured. Maimed. Taken. These kids have to deal with truly scary stuff and make hard, life-altering decisions. It’s archetypical Coming of Age, Quest, Hero’s Journey all rolled into one. And although Percy is the main character (and Annabeth takes a back seat in this book), the other companions still get their moment to shine. Similarly, Percy has a tendency to run head first into show more trouble and this is clearly taken as a flaw – directly addressed as a problem and a potential fatal weakness – his own Achilles’ Heels to keep on topic. The Titan’s Curse feels like a more grown-up book that doesn’t exactly sugar coat events in illo tempore without completely crossing the line. Gods and Heroes are portrayed as petulant and volatile, some of them assuming the body of teenagers to fit their temperament. It suits them and it suits the story. The ending has a nice twist and an even better decision made by Percy: it’s a bold if stupid move, and one that fits this hero. show less
Summary: Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, and his friends travel to Maine to pick up some new half-bloods and bring them back to camp, but things go terribly awry: the monster stalking the half-bloods proves more difficult than expected, even with the help of the goddess Artemis and her Huntresses. Percy is distraught when Annabeth falls, seemingly to her death, but when they return to camp, the heroes are in for bigger problems. Artemis has since gone missing, after setting out on the trail of the most dangerous monster of them all. A quest is organized to rescue her, and Percy tags along... although his real reason is less about the goddess and more about his dreams of Annabeth, still alive and in terrible danger.
Review: I'm afraid that my reviews for these books are in danger of becoming repetitive, but the truth of the matter is that the books themselves continue to be just as good as the first: exciting mid-grade action adventure, funny on a number of levels, clever worldbuilding, fun use of Greek mythology, and a fun read all around. The Titan's Curse draws mostly on parts of the Hercules myth, but even before I figured that out, I knew who the the titular Titan was, and so the big reveal at the end was less surprising than it might have been. (I also did put down this book in the middle, break out my D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, and re-read the Hercules section, so I had a fairly good idea of what was coming in general, although it was fun as always to see how show more Riordan translated it into the modern world.) One thing I did notice that separated this book from the previous ones was that Percy really is starting to grow up, which has some interesting consequences for his relationships with both gods and mortals (and girls in particular), and Riordan handles the character development subtly and realistically. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: From a grown-up's perspective, these books are total brain candy, but they're at least really well done brain candy. Don't start on book 3, but the series is definitely recommended for anyone looking for a fun read with a mythological flair. show less
Review: I'm afraid that my reviews for these books are in danger of becoming repetitive, but the truth of the matter is that the books themselves continue to be just as good as the first: exciting mid-grade action adventure, funny on a number of levels, clever worldbuilding, fun use of Greek mythology, and a fun read all around. The Titan's Curse draws mostly on parts of the Hercules myth, but even before I figured that out, I knew who the the titular Titan was, and so the big reveal at the end was less surprising than it might have been. (I also did put down this book in the middle, break out my D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, and re-read the Hercules section, so I had a fairly good idea of what was coming in general, although it was fun as always to see how show more Riordan translated it into the modern world.) One thing I did notice that separated this book from the previous ones was that Percy really is starting to grow up, which has some interesting consequences for his relationships with both gods and mortals (and girls in particular), and Riordan handles the character development subtly and realistically. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: From a grown-up's perspective, these books are total brain candy, but they're at least really well done brain candy. Don't start on book 3, but the series is definitely recommended for anyone looking for a fun read with a mythological flair. show less
Yet another rescue mission falls in Percy Jackson's lap, but this time, in addition to the goddess Artemis, his best friend Annabeth needs urgent assistance from her fellow half-blood heroes. Third time's the charm it seems, since this installment of the series is the best so far. The stakes for Percy are incredibly high since it's not just his own life that's endangered, but that of Annabeth. Also, the Kronos plotline is really picking up in this book and he and his cronies (ha!) are getting closer to victory than ever before. I'm enjoying the play on classic myth in this series and Riordan seems to get better and better at mixing the plotlines in a seamless way. This is aimed at the slightly younger range in the YA-sphere than I normally prefer, but the story is fun enough that I'll happily suspend whatever qualms I have about the writing.
I continue to be impressed with this series, thanks to its engaging personality and fresh take on Greek mythology. Riordan even manages to introduce more characters and give the story more weight while maintaining a nice balance among action, exposition and humor. Looking forward to books #4 and #5 arriving from Amazon!
This was by far the best of the three novels. I immediately hated the character I thought would be my favorite, but then I loved her. And then all my hopes and dreams were crashed when the one god I thought didn't have children, did. And you meet more of the gods/goddesses then ever before and their personalities are awesome. Also, Percy is still perfectly flawed which I love. Luke is.... growing on me. Annabeth is growing off of me, to be honest. I still love Grover, and I probably always will. Although now I have an increased desire to drink more coffee... and I love the monsters/animals/creatures you meet and interact with this. Also, I cried. Like, I full on cried. Books RARELY make me cry. Bring tissues.
The third installment of the Percy Jackson series begins with Percy, Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth trying to sneak out two new half-bloods from under the watchful eye of a monster. Annabeth disappears during the battle, and with the help of Artemis and her Hunters, it's up to Percy to find Annabeth, save a goddess, and fight the General of monsters.
While the others were enjoyable enough, though nothing that really stood out, this one was disappointing. The adventures in the first two were fun to guess - a mattress salesman named Crusty? Hmm, who is that referencing? - and clearly relied on some knowledge of mythology to get the joke. This one, however, was irksome to anyone who does know their mythology.
The first major problem I had was with the portrayal of Artemis. Rather than being a grown woman, she is given the visage of a 12-year-old child. She does tell Percy that she could choose to look older, but has picked the average age of her Hunters, a band of those loyal to the goddess who are made immortal, never grow up, and turn their back on the company of men. It's problematic to equate not wanting romance with eternal childhood, but the entire attitude of "ew, boys" is idiotic; particularly the line of rejecting the company of men, considering, you know, Orion was Artemis's best friend and all. Not wanting romance with a guy doesn't mean hating guys.
That was annoying enough, but I was willing to chalk it up to interpretation, until there was a minor, throw-away joke. show more Artemis asks for her brother Apollo's help and Apollo teases his "little" sister. She protests and he says he was born first.
No. No he wasn't. The problem is that if you're relying on readers to "get the joke" by knowing some mythology beforehand, then when you mess it up, they're going to know. This was not a minor point, either - Artemis was not only the protector of maids, but also of women in childbirth, because immediately after being born, she helped her mother deliver Apollo (in other news, Greek gods, what can you do?). It was a pretty major factor of Artemis's character, and it was pointless to change it. I might have been okay with it if it had served a purpose greater than a few joking lines, but it didn't. That was it. That was the whole reason, so Apollo could tease his "little" sister. Combined with the fact she looks like a twelve-year-old, Artemis came across as less goddess-like and more like a female Peter Pan figure.
There also appeared to be some continuity errors. Minor, maybe, but annoying. At one point Percy asks himself: "But could you even send an Iris-message to a god? I'd never tried" (67). Yes, you have, Percy. In the last book, page 239, you called Dionysus, remember?
Or Nico proudly proclaims he has almost all the god statues for his game "except for a few really rare ones" (emphasis mine; 35). Yet later Bianca gives Percy a statue to give to Nico and says that it is the "only statue he [doesn't] have" (194).
There also seems to be some inconsistency, even within individual books, about the whole "names have power" thing. When Percy says the names of creatures/gods, everyone warns him to be more careful, but then later, he does so without any repercussions. In this one, Nico immediately names Dionysus - which earned Percy a stern warning - and no one mentions anything about it.
By themselves, they would be annoying, but not really anything too detracting, but they started piling up, and the plot just wasn't engaging enough in this one to make up for its problems. There were a few good lines, and "Bessie" and Blackjack and his crew were adorable and delightful, but this was probably the weakest one in the series; its good parts were just not enough to redeem the problems with it. show less
While the others were enjoyable enough, though nothing that really stood out, this one was disappointing. The adventures in the first two were fun to guess - a mattress salesman named Crusty? Hmm, who is that referencing? - and clearly relied on some knowledge of mythology to get the joke. This one, however, was irksome to anyone who does know their mythology.
The first major problem I had was with the portrayal of Artemis. Rather than being a grown woman, she is given the visage of a 12-year-old child. She does tell Percy that she could choose to look older, but has picked the average age of her Hunters, a band of those loyal to the goddess who are made immortal, never grow up, and turn their back on the company of men. It's problematic to equate not wanting romance with eternal childhood, but the entire attitude of "ew, boys" is idiotic; particularly the line of rejecting the company of men, considering, you know, Orion was Artemis's best friend and all. Not wanting romance with a guy doesn't mean hating guys.
That was annoying enough, but I was willing to chalk it up to interpretation, until there was a minor, throw-away joke. show more Artemis asks for her brother Apollo's help and Apollo teases his "little" sister. She protests and he says he was born first.
No. No he wasn't. The problem is that if you're relying on readers to "get the joke" by knowing some mythology beforehand, then when you mess it up, they're going to know. This was not a minor point, either - Artemis was not only the protector of maids, but also of women in childbirth, because immediately after being born, she helped her mother deliver Apollo (in other news, Greek gods, what can you do?). It was a pretty major factor of Artemis's character, and it was pointless to change it. I might have been okay with it if it had served a purpose greater than a few joking lines, but it didn't. That was it. That was the whole reason, so Apollo could tease his "little" sister. Combined with the fact she looks like a twelve-year-old, Artemis came across as less goddess-like and more like a female Peter Pan figure.
There also appeared to be some continuity errors. Minor, maybe, but annoying. At one point Percy asks himself: "But could you even send an Iris-message to a god? I'd never tried" (67). Yes, you have, Percy. In the last book, page 239, you called Dionysus, remember?
Or Nico proudly proclaims he has almost all the god statues for his game "except for a few really rare ones" (emphasis mine; 35). Yet later Bianca gives Percy a statue to give to Nico and says that it is the "only statue he [doesn't] have" (194).
There also seems to be some inconsistency, even within individual books, about the whole "names have power" thing. When Percy says the names of creatures/gods, everyone warns him to be more careful, but then later, he does so without any repercussions. In this one, Nico immediately names Dionysus - which earned Percy a stern warning - and no one mentions anything about it.
By themselves, they would be annoying, but not really anything too detracting, but they started piling up, and the plot just wasn't engaging enough in this one to make up for its problems. There were a few good lines, and "Bessie" and Blackjack and his crew were adorable and delightful, but this was probably the weakest one in the series; its good parts were just not enough to redeem the problems with it. show less
I am really enjoying this series. It's very similar to Harry Potter (an oracle/prophecy and the fate of the magical/mythical world resting on a single kid), but it's lack of originality doesn't bother me enough to give the series a lower rating. Not much in the literature world is original, really. This is certainly not as great as the HP series, but still an entertaining and fun read.
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
The Titan’s Curse, third installment in PJO series, revolved around Percy’s quest of rescuing goddess and Annabeth and save the world from the new evil plan of Luke who is now completely under the spell of Kronos. It is about friendship, good vs evil, some immortal family drama, a non stop battle of overthrowing each other and being true hero.
From the blurb only shows how intriguing this book is going to be. Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in danger, prophecy says five should go on quest from long Island west and two shall perish during the quest. Who those two are?
It started with discovery of 2 strong half-bloods, a fight with spike throwing half Lion and half human monster, riding back on sun chariot with some not-so-friendly young eternal maidens, and as always some terrifying nightmares that force them to go on deadly quest. Things got really exciting when we get to know Thalia might be a prophecy as she was going to turn 16 in few days.
I felt like a teen jumping with excitement when I started this book. This third book was much better and more entertaining than first two. Adventure, prophecy, humor, Percy’s sassy and witty nature, twist and turns everything goes one level up. Oh and loved the writing. Did I mention before how interesting titles of this book are? ‘I Break A Few Rocket Ships’, ‘I Wrestle Santa’s Evil Twin’, ‘We Meet Dragon Of Eternal Bad Breath’… Not just this but all show more books in series has catchy titles.
This time Percy deals with insecurity because of all attention going to Zeus’s daughter Thalia, being a second famous hero as Thalia is senior in experience, even though she was a tree; his confusion about his feeling for Annabeth, uneasiness on prospect of Annabeth joining hunters, grief on losing her, missing his half-brother and father, feeling angry because of his rash decision and sad as everyone considered Thalia over him. All his emotions felt realistic. As book progressed he turned out better like previous books. He got over his feelings and looked at the present situation more maturely and fought bravely side by side with his friends against their common enemy. And Percy gets to know about his fatal flaw in the end, I loved that part most in the book.
Luck was creative villain who came up with another new strategy with one goal overthrowing Olympians and ruling the world godless with treacherous Titans. Thalia surprised me by showing hopes for Luck and also made me anxious when they came face to face in climax. There was a moment when I thought she would consider joining him and his evil plan. But I liked the decision she made in the end. It was brave and really admiring. It shows readers how tempting the taste of power can be and how much strength one needs to fight it.
Thalia and Percy made deadly combination. I so much missed Annabeth in whole book and when we met her again in climax, it was such an overwhelming feel. Oh and her dad was really amazing. We see why Athena fell in love with this smart crazy professor. Grover was as usual amusing but what I liked more was we get to see his satirical power and he was braver than previous book, one step closer to his biggest dream.
Two new strong half-blood we meet in the book were Nico and Bianca. I loved Nico in the beginning. He was sweet child. His awe and excitement on seeing his mythomagic game coming to reality was infectious. Bianca was selfish for making life changing decision and leaving Nico alone to care for himself, but I couldn’t hold grudge after what happened. And hunters were all strong-female-character lover’s dream.
Myth was just fabulous in this book. We get to know about hunters, Zoe’s history with the famous hero and Percy’s blade riptide, the General, Garden of Hesperides, Mountain of despair, doomsday monster; we are also introduced to new and some ancient gods and goddess- Artemis, Apollo, Aphrodite, Nereus, and Athena (she can be really intimidating, you don’t want on her bad side). Oh I was mesmerized by entry scene of Aphrodite. Author wrote more than perfect description about her. She was definitely most dangerous goddess. Percy feared her more than Ares, so you can imagine what I mean.
End was great. Sad, shocking and I also liked decision of Olympians.
This book was full package of lots of emotions, angst, tense, sad, lovely and awe-inspiring moments with lots of witty humor and twist and turns. And now I’m desperate to read fourth book in the series. I would love to know more about new mortal character who happens to see through the mist and saved Percy’s life.
Overall, it was just fabulous, super fast paced, Greek mythomagical adventure that readers of MG, YA genre would definitely enjoy. show less
The Titan’s Curse, third installment in PJO series, revolved around Percy’s quest of rescuing goddess and Annabeth and save the world from the new evil plan of Luke who is now completely under the spell of Kronos. It is about friendship, good vs evil, some immortal family drama, a non stop battle of overthrowing each other and being true hero.
From the blurb only shows how intriguing this book is going to be. Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in danger, prophecy says five should go on quest from long Island west and two shall perish during the quest. Who those two are?
It started with discovery of 2 strong half-bloods, a fight with spike throwing half Lion and half human monster, riding back on sun chariot with some not-so-friendly young eternal maidens, and as always some terrifying nightmares that force them to go on deadly quest. Things got really exciting when we get to know Thalia might be a prophecy as she was going to turn 16 in few days.
I felt like a teen jumping with excitement when I started this book. This third book was much better and more entertaining than first two. Adventure, prophecy, humor, Percy’s sassy and witty nature, twist and turns everything goes one level up. Oh and loved the writing. Did I mention before how interesting titles of this book are? ‘I Break A Few Rocket Ships’, ‘I Wrestle Santa’s Evil Twin’, ‘We Meet Dragon Of Eternal Bad Breath’… Not just this but all show more books in series has catchy titles.
This time Percy deals with insecurity because of all attention going to Zeus’s daughter Thalia, being a second famous hero as Thalia is senior in experience, even though she was a tree; his confusion about his feeling for Annabeth, uneasiness on prospect of Annabeth joining hunters, grief on losing her, missing his half-brother and father, feeling angry because of his rash decision and sad as everyone considered Thalia over him. All his emotions felt realistic. As book progressed he turned out better like previous books. He got over his feelings and looked at the present situation more maturely and fought bravely side by side with his friends against their common enemy. And Percy gets to know about his fatal flaw in the end, I loved that part most in the book.
Luck was creative villain who came up with another new strategy with one goal overthrowing Olympians and ruling the world godless with treacherous Titans. Thalia surprised me by showing hopes for Luck and also made me anxious when they came face to face in climax. There was a moment when I thought she would consider joining him and his evil plan. But I liked the decision she made in the end. It was brave and really admiring. It shows readers how tempting the taste of power can be and how much strength one needs to fight it.
Thalia and Percy made deadly combination. I so much missed Annabeth in whole book and when we met her again in climax, it was such an overwhelming feel. Oh and her dad was really amazing. We see why Athena fell in love with this smart crazy professor. Grover was as usual amusing but what I liked more was we get to see his satirical power and he was braver than previous book, one step closer to his biggest dream.
Two new strong half-blood we meet in the book were Nico and Bianca. I loved Nico in the beginning. He was sweet child. His awe and excitement on seeing his mythomagic game coming to reality was infectious. Bianca was selfish for making life changing decision and leaving Nico alone to care for himself, but I couldn’t hold grudge after what happened. And hunters were all strong-female-character lover’s dream.
Myth was just fabulous in this book. We get to know about hunters, Zoe’s history with the famous hero and Percy’s blade riptide, the General, Garden of Hesperides, Mountain of despair, doomsday monster; we are also introduced to new and some ancient gods and goddess- Artemis, Apollo, Aphrodite, Nereus, and Athena (she can be really intimidating, you don’t want on her bad side). Oh I was mesmerized by entry scene of Aphrodite. Author wrote more than perfect description about her. She was definitely most dangerous goddess. Percy feared her more than Ares, so you can imagine what I mean.
End was great. Sad, shocking and I also liked decision of Olympians.
This book was full package of lots of emotions, angst, tense, sad, lovely and awe-inspiring moments with lots of witty humor and twist and turns. And now I’m desperate to read fourth book in the series. I would love to know more about new mortal character who happens to see through the mist and saved Percy’s life.
Overall, it was just fabulous, super fast paced, Greek mythomagical adventure that readers of MG, YA genre would definitely enjoy. show less
THE TITAN'S CURSE is the third book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and the first book I have not previously read. Unfortunately, I had two issues with my reading experience that made it my least favorite of the first three books.
My first issue is with Jesse Bernstein's narration. For some reason, he chooses to change the voices of certain characters after two books in the series. As if that were not jarring enough, he stumbles in his narration of Percy's voice. He doesn't use enough sarcasm - something Percy already has in spades, made worse by being a fourteen-year-old. The change is subtle, but it makes Percy whinier and less enjoyable a character.
My other issue with THE TITAN'S CURSE is that the entire story feels repetitive. The first book is, in essence, a rescue mission with a deadline, and so is THE TITAN'S CURSE. The danger, locations, and rescuees might be different, but that's about it. A mysterious person is still sending danger to stop Percy and his friends. Percy still becomes the de facto quest leader. The two books are twins, and it makes for a boring read. In fact, I fell asleep while listening during one point, missed about 30 minutes of narration, and had no problems understanding the story despite the missing gap.
THE TITAN'S CURSE was indeed written for children, and formulaic stories are helpful learning tools for the target demographic. I had higher expectations for the series, hoping the narrative would mature as Percy show more ages. Maybe if Mr. Bernstein had not stumbled so much during his performance, my opinion would be different. I still plan to finish the series, but I now know to temper my expectations. show less
My first issue is with Jesse Bernstein's narration. For some reason, he chooses to change the voices of certain characters after two books in the series. As if that were not jarring enough, he stumbles in his narration of Percy's voice. He doesn't use enough sarcasm - something Percy already has in spades, made worse by being a fourteen-year-old. The change is subtle, but it makes Percy whinier and less enjoyable a character.
My other issue with THE TITAN'S CURSE is that the entire story feels repetitive. The first book is, in essence, a rescue mission with a deadline, and so is THE TITAN'S CURSE. The danger, locations, and rescuees might be different, but that's about it. A mysterious person is still sending danger to stop Percy and his friends. Percy still becomes the de facto quest leader. The two books are twins, and it makes for a boring read. In fact, I fell asleep while listening during one point, missed about 30 minutes of narration, and had no problems understanding the story despite the missing gap.
THE TITAN'S CURSE was indeed written for children, and formulaic stories are helpful learning tools for the target demographic. I had higher expectations for the series, hoping the narrative would mature as Percy show more ages. Maybe if Mr. Bernstein had not stumbled so much during his performance, my opinion would be different. I still plan to finish the series, but I now know to temper my expectations. show less
THIS is where this series becomes truly interesting! With the return of Thalia comes a lot of questions and intrigue, as well as a new complex character who has quite a bit of courage, a truly frightening past, and a huge decision in front of her that adds a special arch to the overall plot. The romance between Percy and Annabeth also begins to blossom, which is a sweet storyline apart from the main conflict. I loved meeting various gods in this one - Apollo was a scream, Artemis is admirable, Aphrodite was surprisingly charming, and Athena was absolutely perfect. My one complaint is that there was so little Annabeth in this one!
In The Titan's Curse, the third installment of the Percy Jackson series, the presence of an oracle dramatically sets the tone for a darker and more intense storyline. As the characters delve deeper into the world of ancient Greek mythology, they find themselves facing formidable challenges and dangerous adversaries.
The oracle, a mummy-like figure known for dressing in hippie clothes and hanging out in the attic, is the source of the camp's prophecy. Normally, she rarely has been seen outside of the attic, that is until the very moment she comes to the campsite to speak of what is to come to the campers setting out on the high-stakes rescue mission to save Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt, and find Annabeth.
The tone of the novel takes a darker turn as the oracle delivers a chilling prophecy, hinting at a traumatic event that will shake the foundations of the protagonist's world. This prophecy sets the stage for the overarching conflict of the story and creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and impending doom.
With the Oracle's warning hanging over their heads, Percy and the others set out to find Artemis and Annabeth by navigating treacherous paths, making sacrifices to fulfill their destinies, and facing the powerful and vengeful Titans who are determined to rain down destruction and chaos upon the world.
The presence of the oracle also introduces an element of mystery and intrigue. As the characters unravel the layers of the prophecy and seek to understand its true meaning, show more they are forced to confront their limitations and make difficult choices. This adds a psychological depth to the story, as the characters grapple with their fears and navigate the blurred lines between right and wrong.
The oracle's importance in The Titan's Curse sets a dark and foreboding tone, infusing the story with tension, uncertainty, and a sense of impending danger that waits in the shadows. Through her prophecies, Percy and his friends are confronted with the harsh realities of what the future might hold if the Titans get their way. show less
The oracle, a mummy-like figure known for dressing in hippie clothes and hanging out in the attic, is the source of the camp's prophecy. Normally, she rarely has been seen outside of the attic, that is until the very moment she comes to the campsite to speak of what is to come to the campers setting out on the high-stakes rescue mission to save Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt, and find Annabeth.
The tone of the novel takes a darker turn as the oracle delivers a chilling prophecy, hinting at a traumatic event that will shake the foundations of the protagonist's world. This prophecy sets the stage for the overarching conflict of the story and creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and impending doom.
With the Oracle's warning hanging over their heads, Percy and the others set out to find Artemis and Annabeth by navigating treacherous paths, making sacrifices to fulfill their destinies, and facing the powerful and vengeful Titans who are determined to rain down destruction and chaos upon the world.
The presence of the oracle also introduces an element of mystery and intrigue. As the characters unravel the layers of the prophecy and seek to understand its true meaning, show more they are forced to confront their limitations and make difficult choices. This adds a psychological depth to the story, as the characters grapple with their fears and navigate the blurred lines between right and wrong.
The oracle's importance in The Titan's Curse sets a dark and foreboding tone, infusing the story with tension, uncertainty, and a sense of impending danger that waits in the shadows. Through her prophecies, Percy and his friends are confronted with the harsh realities of what the future might hold if the Titans get their way. show less
Percy Jackson's third adventure happens over Christmas break this time, instead of summer. He joins Annabeth and Thalia to investigate Westover Hall after receiving a distress call from Grover. Humorously, his mom drives them, and then releases them to their hero business. When they find Grover, they learn he has found two half-bloods at the school, but a powerful monster is also pursuing them. Of course, the monster is masquerading as Dr. Thorn, the vice principal. Teachers are not presented in a friendly light in this series. The four heroes attempt to rescue the di Angelo siblings, but when Thorn reveals his true nature as a Manticore, the fight becomes desperate. The Hunters, maiden girls sworn in service to Athena, enter the fray, and beat Thorn, but in his defeat he falls off a cliff and takes Annabeth with him. Percy and his friends are devastated.
Athena learns that an ultimate monster is loose, and she sends the Hunters off to Camp Half-Blood while she hunts it. Her lieutenant, Zoe, grudgingly follows her orders. Nico and Bianca di Angelo also head to Camp, and the group relates everything that happened to Chiron. Their quiet time is limited, though; Percy dreams of Annabeth imprisoned, and Zoe has a similar dream involving Athena. The kids receive a new prophecy, and thus a new mission: to find the dangerous monster that will lead them to Athena, and hopefully Annabeth as well. Although Percy is left out of the mission, at Zoe's request, he discreetly follows show more them on his pegasus (discreetly on a pegasus, that sentence is a bit ridiculous), and he soon joins forces with the team.
The group of five children heroes track Athena across the country, receiving help from a wild boar sent by Pan and a mystical transport secretly given by Apollo, not to mention the angel statues at Hoover Dam, all of which allow them to travel vast distances in short periods of time. Along the way, they encounter a troop of undead men born from a dragon's tooth that are relentless in their mission to kill Percy, a metal giant sleeping at the edge of the gods' junkyard, and a lion with metallic fur. They even receive help from Dionysius to destroy the evil manticore Thorn. Their journey terminates in San Francisco. If they can make their way past the dragon Ladon, the children will finally face the General and Luke, and see their abducted friends.
Book three, and the adventure for the demigods continue, with the fast pace and refreshing humor from previous books in the series. Percy, as our first-person narrator, is a sympathetic character who has some faults but is essentially good and true. The reader can easily identify with him, since he was just a regular kid before his world was rearranged two years ago, and he views many of the strange mythological occurrences with the same surprise as we would. In addition to Percy, the book handles a large cast of characters, from major supporting roles to more cameo-like appearances, and each individual has a distinct personality. Some characters are more developed than others, but they all fit perfectly in the setting the author has created. Riordan displays a wonderful inventiveness in basing old mythological locations and monsters around contemporary places and people, and makes the blending of ancient and new believable, at least in the context of the world he has created. I read through this book quickly, because I cared for the characters and the action rarely slowed. The Olympians series has two more books, and I plan to polish them off sooner rather than later. show less
Athena learns that an ultimate monster is loose, and she sends the Hunters off to Camp Half-Blood while she hunts it. Her lieutenant, Zoe, grudgingly follows her orders. Nico and Bianca di Angelo also head to Camp, and the group relates everything that happened to Chiron. Their quiet time is limited, though; Percy dreams of Annabeth imprisoned, and Zoe has a similar dream involving Athena. The kids receive a new prophecy, and thus a new mission: to find the dangerous monster that will lead them to Athena, and hopefully Annabeth as well. Although Percy is left out of the mission, at Zoe's request, he discreetly follows show more them on his pegasus (discreetly on a pegasus, that sentence is a bit ridiculous), and he soon joins forces with the team.
The group of five children heroes track Athena across the country, receiving help from a wild boar sent by Pan and a mystical transport secretly given by Apollo, not to mention the angel statues at Hoover Dam, all of which allow them to travel vast distances in short periods of time. Along the way, they encounter a troop of undead men born from a dragon's tooth that are relentless in their mission to kill Percy, a metal giant sleeping at the edge of the gods' junkyard, and a lion with metallic fur. They even receive help from Dionysius to destroy the evil manticore Thorn. Their journey terminates in San Francisco. If they can make their way past the dragon Ladon, the children will finally face the General and Luke, and see their abducted friends.
Book three, and the adventure for the demigods continue, with the fast pace and refreshing humor from previous books in the series. Percy, as our first-person narrator, is a sympathetic character who has some faults but is essentially good and true. The reader can easily identify with him, since he was just a regular kid before his world was rearranged two years ago, and he views many of the strange mythological occurrences with the same surprise as we would. In addition to Percy, the book handles a large cast of characters, from major supporting roles to more cameo-like appearances, and each individual has a distinct personality. Some characters are more developed than others, but they all fit perfectly in the setting the author has created. Riordan displays a wonderful inventiveness in basing old mythological locations and monsters around contemporary places and people, and makes the blending of ancient and new believable, at least in the context of the world he has created. I read through this book quickly, because I cared for the characters and the action rarely slowed. The Olympians series has two more books, and I plan to polish them off sooner rather than later. show less
"This book very much follows the formula established by its predecessors even though the action is more intense, and you certainly get the feeling that author Rick Riordan is building towards his big finale. I feel like this book easily holds up to the two previous installments, but I found myself a bit underwhelmed by certain aspects, namely the formulaic feel of the beginning of the book, and Percy's serious and multiple blunders early on. On the other hand, the introduction of new characters: gods, heroes and mythical creatures alike combined with the evident path towards the true climax of the series kept me interested and made for an overall pleasant read.
The story starts off as the usual, almost repetitive form, with Percy answering a distress call from Grover, but this time the differences are that it's mid-winter instead of the beginning of the school year, and Annabeth and Thalia join Percy from the start. I should mention that, at this point, I began feeling very frustrated about Percy's behavior; it seemed to me that he was trying to compete with Thalia, since she is the new deal, daughter of one of The Three and all, but he is failing miserably! He is making a lot of rash and quite frankly stupid judgement calls just to prove a point to Thalia. And speaking of Thalia, it still felt weird having her back in action so suddenly, but I quickly got used to her and grew to like her a lot. Soon enough they return to Camp Half-Blood and a quest is presented, as show more always. As usual, there is a limited time frame to accomplish the quest.
Now don't get me wrong, plenty of things surprised me along the way.There is a much bigger part of the story involving gods, both new ones and the ones we've met before. Regarding the later, we get new and interesting details on them. Arthemis and her Hunters were a highlight and a really gobbled up the scenes that they were in. I loved how the gods fit together into the plot as a whole and it's always neat to see them in their updated or modernized personas. As always, the writing style is simple and to the point, and while a first person narrative from a 14 year old boy isn't very lyrical or groundbreaking, it does make for a quick and fun read.
Interesting quotes that I didn't include in the review:
The Last Passage
The story starts off as the usual, almost repetitive form, with Percy answering a distress call from Grover, but this time the differences are that it's mid-winter instead of the beginning of the school year, and Annabeth and Thalia join Percy from the start. I should mention that, at this point, I began feeling very frustrated about Percy's behavior; it seemed to me that he was trying to compete with Thalia, since she is the new deal, daughter of one of The Three and all, but he is failing miserably! He is making a lot of rash and quite frankly stupid judgement calls just to prove a point to Thalia. And speaking of Thalia, it still felt weird having her back in action so suddenly, but I quickly got used to her and grew to like her a lot. Soon enough they return to Camp Half-Blood and a quest is presented, as show more always. As usual, there is a limited time frame to accomplish the quest.
Now don't get me wrong, plenty of things surprised me along the way.There is a much bigger part of the story involving gods, both new ones and the ones we've met before. Regarding the later, we get new and interesting details on them. Arthemis and her Hunters were a highlight and a really gobbled up the scenes that they were in. I loved how the gods fit together into the plot as a whole and it's always neat to see them in their updated or modernized personas. As always, the writing style is simple and to the point, and while a first person narrative from a 14 year old boy isn't very lyrical or groundbreaking, it does make for a quick and fun read.
Interesting quotes that I didn't include in the review:
There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it.
The Last Passage
“He spoke!” Grover cried.
“Calm down, my young satyr,” Chiron said, frowning. “What is the matter?”
“I . . . I was playing music in the parlor,” he stammered, “and drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee! And he spoke in my mind!”
“Who?” Annabeth demanded.
“Pan!” Grover wailed. “The Lord of the Wild himself. I heard him! I have to . . . I have to find a suitcase.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said. “What did he say?”
Grover stared at me. “Just three words. He said, ‘I await you.’”
One of the best of the PJO series. The story about Zoe Nightshade made me really hooked to this one. I may have even cried a bit when she died(so sorry for spoilers). Really enjoying Rick's writing style.
These books are so fun. I love Riordan's humor (his chapter titles make me chuckle every time), plus the many allusions to Greek mythology--some very well-known, others more obscure. He's also a great plotter--one hijink after another, and so many fun adventures, all with perfect pacing. The book just flew by.
I also really liked the new characters here--Zoe, and Thalia. Even though it's a series where you fall in love with some characters who are in and out pretty quickly, the thing is, you still really fall in love with them. Plus some of your favorites return. And I love that Percy is Poseidon's son, because I love water. And Poseidon seems like a pretty cool dad.
Loved some of the twists here. I like the way Riordan gives small hints and then reveals what it all means at the perfect time. I'm having so much fun reading this series.
I also really liked the new characters here--Zoe, and Thalia. Even though it's a series where you fall in love with some characters who are in and out pretty quickly, the thing is, you still really fall in love with them. Plus some of your favorites return. And I love that Percy is Poseidon's son, because I love water. And Poseidon seems like a pretty cool dad.
Loved some of the twists here. I like the way Riordan gives small hints and then reveals what it all means at the perfect time. I'm having so much fun reading this series.
The Titan's Curse is nearly all adventure and action, and not all of it rests with Percy in this third installment. Refreshing! We meet the Hunters, the female-empowerment branch of the demigod set, a mysterious set of twin half-bloods and we even learn why that quest to find Pan is so gosh-darn enticing and important. In our story, things go horribly wrong during what should be a simple grab of two young half-bloods and Annabeth seems to disappear into thin air. Back at camp, dreams appear to several individuals and we learn that Annabeth is in danger, along with Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. New monsters, old threats and big secrets await a cross-country trip our hero Percy isn't even selected to be a part of until fate clearly intervenes.
It's a fun read and there's enough monster action to choke a Pegasus. It's exactly the stuff of heroic adventure. There's still plenty to share about the difficulties of parents (mortal and god alike), as well as the mysterious backgrounds of newer quest members. But Riordan has hit a stride in this third volume; the sharing enhances and pushes the story forward instead of feeling like a drain on the action where you push through it just so you can get to the next battle or snark-off with Ares. I'm looking forward to the next volume.
It's a fun read and there's enough monster action to choke a Pegasus. It's exactly the stuff of heroic adventure. There's still plenty to share about the difficulties of parents (mortal and god alike), as well as the mysterious backgrounds of newer quest members. But Riordan has hit a stride in this third volume; the sharing enhances and pushes the story forward instead of feeling like a drain on the action where you push through it just so you can get to the next battle or snark-off with Ares. I'm looking forward to the next volume.
I've been reading these like you eat peanuts or potato chips or whatever junk food you inhale and you look back and you can't believe you consumed all that. The thing is, you see, these are madly quick reads--as in I can read twice the number of pages in an hour than I usually can. Well, they're children's books, so certainly nothing demanding, they're in large font, and they're heavy on the action and dialogue so they zip by. And like junk food, no they're not nutritious--this isn't going to help you build muscles and it's not full of vitamins. Brain food this is not.
But yes, they're fun, and this is my favorite of the books so far. Mostly because this was the first Percy Jackson book where I wasn't reminded of Harry Potter every five pages. Maybe I still would had I started here, but I'm used to it enough I guess I'm not continually shouting HP clone! This helps. A lot. It also introduced several new characters: Thalia (ok, we got a glimpse last book, but this time she was fore and center), Bianca and Nico Di Angelo, Zoe Nightshade, among others. And I liked them--even felt more than a bit for them at times. And this still is imaginative in the way it uses classical mythology in contemporary America. So, yeah, this left me definitely wanting to read the next installment.
But yes, they're fun, and this is my favorite of the books so far. Mostly because this was the first Percy Jackson book where I wasn't reminded of Harry Potter every five pages. Maybe I still would had I started here, but I'm used to it enough I guess I'm not continually shouting HP clone! This helps. A lot. It also introduced several new characters: Thalia (ok, we got a glimpse last book, but this time she was fore and center), Bianca and Nico Di Angelo, Zoe Nightshade, among others. And I liked them--even felt more than a bit for them at times. And this still is imaginative in the way it uses classical mythology in contemporary America. So, yeah, this left me definitely wanting to read the next installment.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, mainly because we were introduced to some new characters and a bigger plot twist was revealed at the end of the book (even though I slightly saw it coming I was still like WOW!)
I always love it when the Oracle gives us a prophecy because they are always so beautifully cryptic that I always try to decipher what it might mean .. and sometimes I am pretty close other times after the prophesied event occurs I'm like ... oooohhhhh of course that what they meant :D
I love this series and believe it can be read and enjoyed by all ages.
I always love it when the Oracle gives us a prophecy because they are always so beautifully cryptic that I always try to decipher what it might mean .. and sometimes I am pretty close other times after the prophesied event occurs I'm like ... oooohhhhh of course that what they meant :D
I love this series and believe it can be read and enjoyed by all ages.
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Considering that I started this one yesterday in the evening, I’m so grateful that the Percy Jackson books are such pageturners or else I wouldn’t have finished this review for today. Now that I’m thinking on it, I was definitely flipping pages in The Titan’s Curse faster than ever before. This series is really starting to pick up speed for me. I flew through it at pegasus speed. Or something like that. Anyway, with The Titan’s Curse, I definitely feel like the stakes are starting to get much more intense, just like I’d hoped.
The tone of this series subtly shifts a bit more to the dark side in The Titan’s Curse. The comic relief’s still there of course, but everything’s a bit more dangerous and the comedic elements might be slightly more spaced out. There’s also more of an overarching plot to this one than in previous installments, which had breaks for games and little adventures. Now, it’s pretty much all about advancing the larger plot of the impending war against the titans and the prophecy that might be about Percy.
The Titan’s Curse comes with yet another prophecy delivered by the Oracle. In this one, the reader learns that one of the five selected for this quest will die, killed at the hand of their father, and that one will be lost. Umm, hello tension. If you want me to be invested emotionally in the outcome, letting me know that someone will most definitely be dying by the show more end of the book is a good way to do that. Plus, Annabeth is in jeopardy, which is not cool bro. In the previous installments, I felt like everyone was safe, but now I was really questioning which member of the questing team would bite the dust, thus the intense reading speed.
As with The Sea of Monsters, there continues to be great character development. In the previous one, Percy discovered new depths to Clarisse, who is sadly lacking form The Titan’s Curse. However, he does get to meet some new characters. Plus, he’s able to forge a new understanding of Dionysus, which I think was sorely needed and all the more touching for how much of a dick Mr. D was throughout the series. It’s not like anyone really becomes someone different and changes intrinsically, but they’ll let a little of their better side shine through and I really love that. It’s not like Percy will suddenly be best friends with someone he misunderstood but they learn to respect one another and form alliances. It’s cool. Oh, also super curious to see what becomes of Thalia, because she could basically do anything at this point. Oh oh, also also very glad to see Grover getting to really do some stuff and be less of a silly sidekick.
There’s a whole bunch of new characters introduced, and they’re pretty much all winners. Obviously, my heart was immediately charmed by Bessie, the sea cow monster thing, and Blackjack, the pegasus shown on the cover. How much do I love that the pegasi talk like they’re from New York? So much, and I don’t even know why. I wasn’t so sure initially how I felt about the new heroes, Bianca and Nico, but by the end both won me over. They will do such interesting things. Then there’s Zoë, a Hunter, who’s kind of a bitch, but also awesome. The way that Riordan ties all the plot threads together by the end was little short of masterful.
Finally, I do think I see the ship starting to like trim sails or whatever nautical jargon means getting ready to leave the dock. Like, there’s the school dance at the beginning and it’s like they’re still a bit too young for romantical feelings, but things do seem to be changing. The fact that Aphrodite is watching Percy and Annabeth like her own personal reality TV station is basically my new favorite thing. I expect major cuteness, please. Pretty much the only issue I had with this book was that there was not enough Annabeth.
Basically, I am ready for the next book, but unfortunately the ebook has not been made available to me by my library, and I can’t read the copy I bought because traveling. Much sad. There better be shipping and death and pegasi. show less
Considering that I started this one yesterday in the evening, I’m so grateful that the Percy Jackson books are such pageturners or else I wouldn’t have finished this review for today. Now that I’m thinking on it, I was definitely flipping pages in The Titan’s Curse faster than ever before. This series is really starting to pick up speed for me. I flew through it at pegasus speed. Or something like that. Anyway, with The Titan’s Curse, I definitely feel like the stakes are starting to get much more intense, just like I’d hoped.
The tone of this series subtly shifts a bit more to the dark side in The Titan’s Curse. The comic relief’s still there of course, but everything’s a bit more dangerous and the comedic elements might be slightly more spaced out. There’s also more of an overarching plot to this one than in previous installments, which had breaks for games and little adventures. Now, it’s pretty much all about advancing the larger plot of the impending war against the titans and the prophecy that might be about Percy.
The Titan’s Curse comes with yet another prophecy delivered by the Oracle. In this one, the reader learns that one of the five selected for this quest will die, killed at the hand of their father, and that one will be lost. Umm, hello tension. If you want me to be invested emotionally in the outcome, letting me know that someone will most definitely be dying by the show more end of the book is a good way to do that. Plus, Annabeth is in jeopardy, which is not cool bro. In the previous installments, I felt like everyone was safe, but now I was really questioning which member of the questing team would bite the dust, thus the intense reading speed.
As with The Sea of Monsters, there continues to be great character development. In the previous one, Percy discovered new depths to Clarisse, who is sadly lacking form The Titan’s Curse. However, he does get to meet some new characters. Plus, he’s able to forge a new understanding of Dionysus, which I think was sorely needed and all the more touching for how much of a dick Mr. D was throughout the series. It’s not like anyone really becomes someone different and changes intrinsically, but they’ll let a little of their better side shine through and I really love that. It’s not like Percy will suddenly be best friends with someone he misunderstood but they learn to respect one another and form alliances. It’s cool. Oh, also super curious to see what becomes of Thalia, because she could basically do anything at this point. Oh oh, also also very glad to see Grover getting to really do some stuff and be less of a silly sidekick.
There’s a whole bunch of new characters introduced, and they’re pretty much all winners. Obviously, my heart was immediately charmed by Bessie, the sea cow monster thing, and Blackjack, the pegasus shown on the cover. How much do I love that the pegasi talk like they’re from New York? So much, and I don’t even know why. I wasn’t so sure initially how I felt about the new heroes, Bianca and Nico, but by the end both won me over. They will do such interesting things. Then there’s Zoë, a Hunter, who’s kind of a bitch, but also awesome. The way that Riordan ties all the plot threads together by the end was little short of masterful.
Finally, I do think I see the ship starting to like trim sails or whatever nautical jargon means getting ready to leave the dock. Like, there’s the school dance at the beginning and it’s like they’re still a bit too young for romantical feelings, but things do seem to be changing. The fact that Aphrodite is watching Percy and Annabeth like her own personal reality TV station is basically my new favorite thing. I expect major cuteness, please. Pretty much the only issue I had with this book was that there was not enough Annabeth.
Basically, I am ready for the next book, but unfortunately the ebook has not been made available to me by my library, and I can’t read the copy I bought because traveling. Much sad. There better be shipping and death and pegasi. show less
My Summary: It's been almost 3 months since Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson retrieved the Golden Fleece and saved Camp Half-Blood - along with restoring Thalia to her body. Now, Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth must set off to help rescue a pair of Half-Blood siblings that Grover's found. The only problem is, Grover isn't the only person who caught the scent of Bianca and Nico de Angelo - there's a monster hiding in the midst of the children's school, and he's not going to let them leave without a fight.
Just when all seems lost, Artemis (the goddess of maidens and the Hunt) appears with her Hunters, who do their best to help. But just when it looks like they've won, the monster disappears - taking Annabeth with him.
Percy's desperate to go after the thing, but Artemis stops him, saying Annabeth has been taken somewhere he can't follow. Instead, he is to take the de Angelo kids to Camp, along with the Hunters.
Forbidden to leave the camp and told he isn't allowed to come on a quest, Percy does the unthinkable: he breaks out and follows the group on their quest, hoping that the chilling dreams he's been having link the disappearance of Artemis and Annabeth. He only hopes he won't have to chose between the two when the time comes to fulfill the prophecy...
My Thoughts: I loved this one! It definitely made up for the second one, and I loved the inclusion of the Hunters of Artemis (my favourite myth from when I was younger, along with the Persephone & Hades myth).
Zoe was a great show more character - at some points I hated her guts, but I knew she was only doing what she though was right. And Bianca was cool too, although her abandonment of her brother really irked me... I forgave her, though (eventually).
Like I said in previous reviews, I really like the way that Riordan matures his characters - they always seem totally believable, and they act and think the way you would expect kids their age to.
Final Thoughts: If you haven't picked up this series yet (or at least put it on your TBR list) I definitely recommend you do! They're great books that are guaranteed to keep you hooked from start to finish, and they're great reads for boys and girls of any age. show less
Just when all seems lost, Artemis (the goddess of maidens and the Hunt) appears with her Hunters, who do their best to help. But just when it looks like they've won, the monster disappears - taking Annabeth with him.
Percy's desperate to go after the thing, but Artemis stops him, saying Annabeth has been taken somewhere he can't follow. Instead, he is to take the de Angelo kids to Camp, along with the Hunters.
Forbidden to leave the camp and told he isn't allowed to come on a quest, Percy does the unthinkable: he breaks out and follows the group on their quest, hoping that the chilling dreams he's been having link the disappearance of Artemis and Annabeth. He only hopes he won't have to chose between the two when the time comes to fulfill the prophecy...
My Thoughts: I loved this one! It definitely made up for the second one, and I loved the inclusion of the Hunters of Artemis (my favourite myth from when I was younger, along with the Persephone & Hades myth).
Zoe was a great show more character - at some points I hated her guts, but I knew she was only doing what she though was right. And Bianca was cool too, although her abandonment of her brother really irked me... I forgave her, though (eventually).
Like I said in previous reviews, I really like the way that Riordan matures his characters - they always seem totally believable, and they act and think the way you would expect kids their age to.
Final Thoughts: If you haven't picked up this series yet (or at least put it on your TBR list) I definitely recommend you do! They're great books that are guaranteed to keep you hooked from start to finish, and they're great reads for boys and girls of any age. show less
The Titan’s Curse is better than it predecessors and sets up the next entries nicely.
Where the last book was weighed down by lackluster stakes, this one brings the conflicts to a new level of urgency. The plot grows in every chapter and the power of the main villain is on display. The villain is finally someone to fear, since we see what he does to those that serve him and what he has in store for our heroes. The immediate quest feels more perilous and important. By the end of the book, even if good prevails, so does an uneasiness, since the future is full of implications.
The strength of this plot-driven sequel is the give and take of loss and victory. Sometimes heroes need to fail to grow . The first entries suffered from a safer approach. With this one, all bets are off and a nice tension permeates the pages as safety nets dissolve.
Character-wise it's more of the same. The differing personalities of the cast result in a well-rounded lineup, rather than a main character stealing the show. Motives and backstory add layers, but some of the touches could be called "paint-by-numbers." Nobility is sometimes predictable, but you shouldn't come into this series looking for subtlety.
It would be nice to see more nuanced villainy, to get more motive for their dastardly deeds. There are a few exceptions in some of the newly introduced characters, hinted at with a returning villain, Luke, but overall, it was consistent with the other books.
The writing seems to have improved as show more well. The narrative relied less on happenstance and the tense ending felt well set-up. It lacked poetic descriptions and memorable lines, but the juxtapositions of myths and our world are always good for a grin. Playful irreverence and pop culture references don't distract from an engaging quest. I would like to see more world building in the next installment and some new mythological references to texture the reading experience.
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to get into this book without first picking up the previous adventures. At least by this point the training wheels begin to come off. show less
Where the last book was weighed down by lackluster stakes, this one brings the conflicts to a new level of urgency. The plot grows in every chapter and the power of the main villain is on display. The villain is finally someone to fear, since we see what he does to those that serve him and what he has in store for our heroes. The immediate quest feels more perilous and important. By the end of the book, even if good prevails, so does an uneasiness, since the future is full of implications.
The strength of this plot-driven sequel is the give and take of loss and victory. Sometimes heroes need to fail to grow . The first entries suffered from a safer approach. With this one, all bets are off and a nice tension permeates the pages as safety nets dissolve.
Character-wise it's more of the same. The differing personalities of the cast result in a well-rounded lineup, rather than a main character stealing the show. Motives and backstory add layers, but some of the touches could be called "paint-by-numbers." Nobility is sometimes predictable, but you shouldn't come into this series looking for subtlety.
It would be nice to see more nuanced villainy, to get more motive for their dastardly deeds. There are a few exceptions in some of the newly introduced characters, hinted at with a returning villain, Luke, but overall, it was consistent with the other books.
The writing seems to have improved as show more well. The narrative relied less on happenstance and the tense ending felt well set-up. It lacked poetic descriptions and memorable lines, but the juxtapositions of myths and our world are always good for a grin. Playful irreverence and pop culture references don't distract from an engaging quest. I would like to see more world building in the next installment and some new mythological references to texture the reading experience.
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to get into this book without first picking up the previous adventures. At least by this point the training wheels begin to come off. show less
When Percy Jackson receives a distress call from his friend Grover, he rushes to help, even though he needs a ride from his mother. Grover has discovered two powerful half bloods and Percy and his friends immediately move to protect them. Soon they discover that Bianca and Nico di Angelo may not be all they seem. But Percy has other problems - his friend Annabeth as well as Artemis is missing and Percy has been having dreams that show they are in danger. A prophecy has declared that five people will go to help them but not all will return. Percy is determined to be the one to help Annabeth but the gods may have other ideas.
"The Titan's Curse" is the third book in Rick Riordan's excellent children's series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians". Riordan really hits his stride with this book and the Harry Potter similarities are largely gone as Riordan makes this series his own. The idea of setting the series in a world where mythological gods are real is a great one and Riordan continues to do a good job of comingling the mythological world with the real world by using mythological characters such as Poseidon, Artemis, Aphrodite, Apollo, Hermes, Atlas and more. Once again Percy and his friends have to go on a quest fraught with danger and Riordan creates just the right sense of adventure and danger without it being too scary (although there is death in this book). Riordan also does a great job of using both real places like the Hoover Dam and mythological places like Mount show more Olympus. Like the other books in the series, the book is written in the first person, narrated by Percy and it really does feel as if Percy is there in front of the reader telling his story. There is a wonderful sense of humor throughout the book, although it can be a bit juvenile at times (not surprising considering the intended audience). There are some intriguing twists and turns and surprises in the book that make it even more interesting. Since the characters are aging as the series goes on, they are maturing and there is just the tiniest whiff of romance in the book that will no doubt grow in the rest of the series. Since there are more books to come, "The Titan's Curse" ends with a cliffhanger that will leave readers wanting more.
"The Titan's Curse" is an imaginative, wonderfully done children's book. show less
"The Titan's Curse" is the third book in Rick Riordan's excellent children's series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians". Riordan really hits his stride with this book and the Harry Potter similarities are largely gone as Riordan makes this series his own. The idea of setting the series in a world where mythological gods are real is a great one and Riordan continues to do a good job of comingling the mythological world with the real world by using mythological characters such as Poseidon, Artemis, Aphrodite, Apollo, Hermes, Atlas and more. Once again Percy and his friends have to go on a quest fraught with danger and Riordan creates just the right sense of adventure and danger without it being too scary (although there is death in this book). Riordan also does a great job of using both real places like the Hoover Dam and mythological places like Mount show more Olympus. Like the other books in the series, the book is written in the first person, narrated by Percy and it really does feel as if Percy is there in front of the reader telling his story. There is a wonderful sense of humor throughout the book, although it can be a bit juvenile at times (not surprising considering the intended audience). There are some intriguing twists and turns and surprises in the book that make it even more interesting. Since the characters are aging as the series goes on, they are maturing and there is just the tiniest whiff of romance in the book that will no doubt grow in the rest of the series. Since there are more books to come, "The Titan's Curse" ends with a cliffhanger that will leave readers wanting more.
"The Titan's Curse" is an imaginative, wonderfully done children's book. show less
The Titan's Curse is the third installment in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, written by Rick Riordan for mythology enthusiasts wishing to tempt children into sharing their passion. If you're interested in book three, that means that it's more than likely that you've read the first two... and let's face it. You're probably like me. If you don't absolutely despise a series, you're going to keep reading, if only to figure out where everything winds up. Do not fear: Percy Jackson and the Olympians continues to be a delight and certainly doesn't feel like a chore as you continue through the books. If you (or your kids... because I guess this is supposed to be for young adults, right?) are even slightly interested in mythology, then Riordan will be right up your alley.
Even more than The Sea of Monsters, this book dives right in to the story without much summary... to the point where it actually felt rather abrupt and I wasn't sure if I had missed something, as there was no familiar re-entry that usually kicks off a series installment. Annabeth (daughter of Athena), Thalia (the daughter of Zeus that was brought back to life at the end of the second book), and Percy have set out to meet Grover the satyr at a military school, where he's found two powerful demigods and needs the help of his friends to bring them back to Camp Half-Blood. Bianca and Nico are a brother-sister pair in a military school and getting them out won't be easy, as the vice principal is a show more manticore in disguise. In the rescue attempt, things go wrong and Annabeth is lost with the enemy. She's not dead, as originally feared, but she disappears and you just know that whatever else is going on, it will be Percy's mission to retrieve his lost friend who he might be more than a little sweet on.
The main villain in this book (aside from the manticore) is "the General" who has a great deal invested in bringing Kronos back to power. It takes a good part of the book to reveal exactly who "the General" might be, but those who are up on their Greek mythology should be able to guess. At the manticore & the General's command are zombie skeleton warriors, so be prepared for lots of action in this book. We also meet a few new gods, including a very attractive Apollo and the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, who disconcertingly appears as a young girl. Along with Artemis, there are her Hunters -- young women (who need not be half-bloods to join) who swear off men and stay young forever, immortal until they fall in battle or break their oath. Zoe Nightshade is Artemis's lieutenant, clearly a mythological figure of some kind, but that revelation takes a while. Much to her younger brother's displeasure, Bianca accepts Artemis's offer to join her Hunters, feeling as though she needs to take a path that is just her own. When Artemis decides she needs to go solo to track a new and powerful monster (that will play a key role upcoming events), everyone else heads back to camp. Once there, the Oracle has a prophesy so compelling that it leaves its attic to deliver it: five must go on a quest to save Artemis before the Winter Solstice, but one will be lost and another will die by a father's hand. Even though Percy isn't on the initial list of questers, there's no way that our hero pass up this opportunity, particularly when he knows that Annabeth will be somewhere close by. The quest takes the heroes to San Francisco, with several stops in between, and lots of questions are still unanswered by the end of the book. Riordan relies a bit on a deus ex machina in this one, but we'll let it slide. This is the darkest book yet, though, with truly frightening villains and actual bloodshed/death.
For me, The Titan's Curse didn't seem to have the parts of Riordan's storytelling that I enjoy most -- namely, the complicated nature of the gods and the implications of being involved in an immortal world for mortal heroes. We do have some intense situations here where individuals must make some very tough choices. At one point towards the end, in a battle, Riordan depicts one hero's resolve to kill another person. Lots of issues with parents still abound (these are teenagers, after all) and so the part of the prophesy that talks about a hero dying by a father's hand is quite interesting. Unfortunately, Percy doesn't seem to really spend a lot of time thinking on this one (well, we know it probably isn't Percy, seeing as there are several books left), but it still would have been an interesting bit of confusion for Percy if he were to have considered circumstances where his own demise would be brought about by Poseidon. Otherwise, Riordan's humor is quite liberally used in this book (Apollo spouts terrible haikus, Percy's pegasus Blackjack is rather casual in his conversation, and so on), as even Riordan knows that this is quite a transition book as we prepare for bigger things. It was disappointing to not have Annabeth along for most of the ride, but allowing the heroes to experience real pain and the force of immortal struggles bearing down on their shoulders... well, it shows that Riordan isn't simply trying to create another hero series, but rather, he's fully committed to his world and the implications of Greek mythology in it. show less
Even more than The Sea of Monsters, this book dives right in to the story without much summary... to the point where it actually felt rather abrupt and I wasn't sure if I had missed something, as there was no familiar re-entry that usually kicks off a series installment. Annabeth (daughter of Athena), Thalia (the daughter of Zeus that was brought back to life at the end of the second book), and Percy have set out to meet Grover the satyr at a military school, where he's found two powerful demigods and needs the help of his friends to bring them back to Camp Half-Blood. Bianca and Nico are a brother-sister pair in a military school and getting them out won't be easy, as the vice principal is a show more manticore in disguise. In the rescue attempt, things go wrong and Annabeth is lost with the enemy. She's not dead, as originally feared, but she disappears and you just know that whatever else is going on, it will be Percy's mission to retrieve his lost friend who he might be more than a little sweet on.
The main villain in this book (aside from the manticore) is "the General" who has a great deal invested in bringing Kronos back to power. It takes a good part of the book to reveal exactly who "the General" might be, but those who are up on their Greek mythology should be able to guess. At the manticore & the General's command are zombie skeleton warriors, so be prepared for lots of action in this book. We also meet a few new gods, including a very attractive Apollo and the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, who disconcertingly appears as a young girl. Along with Artemis, there are her Hunters -- young women (who need not be half-bloods to join) who swear off men and stay young forever, immortal until they fall in battle or break their oath. Zoe Nightshade is Artemis's lieutenant, clearly a mythological figure of some kind, but that revelation takes a while. Much to her younger brother's displeasure, Bianca accepts Artemis's offer to join her Hunters, feeling as though she needs to take a path that is just her own. When Artemis decides she needs to go solo to track a new and powerful monster (that will play a key role upcoming events), everyone else heads back to camp. Once there, the Oracle has a prophesy so compelling that it leaves its attic to deliver it: five must go on a quest to save Artemis before the Winter Solstice, but one will be lost and another will die by a father's hand. Even though Percy isn't on the initial list of questers, there's no way that our hero pass up this opportunity, particularly when he knows that Annabeth will be somewhere close by. The quest takes the heroes to San Francisco, with several stops in between, and lots of questions are still unanswered by the end of the book. Riordan relies a bit on a deus ex machina in this one, but we'll let it slide. This is the darkest book yet, though, with truly frightening villains and actual bloodshed/death.
For me, The Titan's Curse didn't seem to have the parts of Riordan's storytelling that I enjoy most -- namely, the complicated nature of the gods and the implications of being involved in an immortal world for mortal heroes. We do have some intense situations here where individuals must make some very tough choices. At one point towards the end, in a battle, Riordan depicts one hero's resolve to kill another person. Lots of issues with parents still abound (these are teenagers, after all) and so the part of the prophesy that talks about a hero dying by a father's hand is quite interesting. Unfortunately, Percy doesn't seem to really spend a lot of time thinking on this one (well, we know it probably isn't Percy, seeing as there are several books left), but it still would have been an interesting bit of confusion for Percy if he were to have considered circumstances where his own demise would be brought about by Poseidon. Otherwise, Riordan's humor is quite liberally used in this book (Apollo spouts terrible haikus, Percy's pegasus Blackjack is rather casual in his conversation, and so on), as even Riordan knows that this is quite a transition book as we prepare for bigger things. It was disappointing to not have Annabeth along for most of the ride, but allowing the heroes to experience real pain and the force of immortal struggles bearing down on their shoulders... well, it shows that Riordan isn't simply trying to create another hero series, but rather, he's fully committed to his world and the implications of Greek mythology in it. show less
Rereading this book was way more painful than I expected it to be. If you've read it you know why...and if you haven't get to it and feel the pain with me! I love basically all the characters and having a book set in winter made this feel different from the books before and after it. It feels a little more high stakes and serious, but of course is still hilarious (Dam snack bar) and a great read.
Another fun adventure... well, fun for me. Probably not so fun for Percy, Thalia and Annabeth.
I love Percy as a narrator. He has such a wonderful sense of humor about things, while still looking at life through the eyes of a teenager who thinks that he has all the answers. He has a lot of strengths and abilities, but he's still humbled and embarrassed by the fact that his mom has to drive him to his battles.
I was happy to see some new characters make an appearance in this story, as the group started out this story on a quest to pick up two new half-bloods, brother and sister Bianca and Nico di Angelo. I called Nico and Bianca's parentage long before it was revealed in the book, as well as some other plot points. I know a little mythology, so it didn't make it hard to guess these things, but that did not take away from my enjoyment at all. And again, for younger readers, these books might inspire a yearning to find out more about what really happened.
We got to interact with a few more gods and goddesses, including Artemis and her Hunters, which intrigued me. We also got to see a few new tricks from some of the gods we've seen all along. Things are rapidly coming to a head... We've only got two more years before the prophecy is, or could be, fulfilled. I can't wait to see what happens.
I love Percy as a narrator. He has such a wonderful sense of humor about things, while still looking at life through the eyes of a teenager who thinks that he has all the answers. He has a lot of strengths and abilities, but he's still humbled and embarrassed by the fact that his mom has to drive him to his battles.
I was happy to see some new characters make an appearance in this story, as the group started out this story on a quest to pick up two new half-bloods, brother and sister Bianca and Nico di Angelo. I called Nico and Bianca's parentage long before it was revealed in the book, as well as some other plot points. I know a little mythology, so it didn't make it hard to guess these things, but that did not take away from my enjoyment at all. And again, for younger readers, these books might inspire a yearning to find out more about what really happened.
We got to interact with a few more gods and goddesses, including Artemis and her Hunters, which intrigued me. We also got to see a few new tricks from some of the gods we've seen all along. Things are rapidly coming to a head... We've only got two more years before the prophecy is, or could be, fulfilled. I can't wait to see what happens.
*Review* (warning contains minor spoilers)
This book was sooo good. One thing I LOVED was the addition of new characters- gods, demigods, and monsters alike. With each one, I learned something else. The one I loved the most was meeting Aphrodite. She was exactly the way I pictured her to be and her purpose of coming to spice up Percy's love life made me like her even more. I love the fact that she is giving him a challenge too lol. Because of this, one of my favorite parts of the book was when Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth go to Olympus and meet Grover there with the creature and all the gods are there for the winter solstice. Another thing I loved was Riordan's signature twists and turns of adventure. The book surprised me on almost every page. From finding out that Zoe, Bianca, and Nico were actually the son and daughters of different gods, to finding out that the girl Rachel was mortal but could still see through The Mist, I was continuously staring open mouthed at the pages. The last thing I liked, was of course, the witty language. I laughed throughout the whole story. Now for what I did not like was the way Athena treated Percy, whether it be the truth or not. And I did not like the fact that even though his love life did come up, it did not go into too much detail and did not give us too much insight. But I guess that's why there's the rest of the series lol Looks like I'll be starting the next one TONIGHT :)
This book was sooo good. One thing I LOVED was the addition of new characters- gods, demigods, and monsters alike. With each one, I learned something else. The one I loved the most was meeting Aphrodite. She was exactly the way I pictured her to be and her purpose of coming to spice up Percy's love life made me like her even more. I love the fact that she is giving him a challenge too lol. Because of this, one of my favorite parts of the book was when Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth go to Olympus and meet Grover there with the creature and all the gods are there for the winter solstice. Another thing I loved was Riordan's signature twists and turns of adventure. The book surprised me on almost every page. From finding out that Zoe, Bianca, and Nico were actually the son and daughters of different gods, to finding out that the girl Rachel was mortal but could still see through The Mist, I was continuously staring open mouthed at the pages. The last thing I liked, was of course, the witty language. I laughed throughout the whole story. Now for what I did not like was the way Athena treated Percy, whether it be the truth or not. And I did not like the fact that even though his love life did come up, it did not go into too much detail and did not give us too much insight. But I guess that's why there's the rest of the series lol Looks like I'll be starting the next one TONIGHT :)
So far I have enjoyed this 3rd book in the series the best. Many unexpected things happened, the plot is quite brilliant! And it's so funny!
And I know it says recommended age for this book is 9-12, but honestly, a good story has no age limits!
And I know it says recommended age for this book is 9-12, but honestly, a good story has no age limits!
The third book in the series is as fun and adventure-filled as the first two. Readers encounter gods not met in the first two books, learn more Greek mythology stories, meet some new heroes, and face unexpected monsters (some treacherous, some quite docile). The narrative maintains the same humor as the first books, even while the heroes are in mortal danger.
I particularly enjoyed the council of the gods and seeing the characters develop as individuals and as friends. In the first couple of chapters I was afraid that I had already figured out the plot, but was pleased to be surprised by unexpected twists later in the book. Overall, I found this to be an exciting addition to the Olympian series.
I particularly enjoyed the council of the gods and seeing the characters develop as individuals and as friends. In the first couple of chapters I was afraid that I had already figured out the plot, but was pleased to be surprised by unexpected twists later in the book. Overall, I found this to be an exciting addition to the Olympian series.
I enjoyed this chapter of Percy Jackson's journey just as much as the first two. The introduction of Artemis and the hunters was cool. I like meeting new characters. It was interesting to see how Percy related to some of the newer characters in the series. Parts made me laugh (think the Hoover Dam conversation!) and parts made me cry (no spoilers in my review, so we won't go there) I think the ending was good, but of course leaves me hanging and I want more. Eager to get on to book 4!
Book 3 of the series once again features a coast-to-coast quest (literally Bar Harbor, Maine to the Bay Area of California) as Percy Jackson seeks to find his friend Annabeth and the goddess Artemis. The book introduces half-bloods Nico and Bianca di Angelo, features Zeus' daughter Thalia for the first time, and brings in Zoë Nightshade and the Hunters of Artemis. All of these characters will be significant to the course of the narrative in the ensuing novels. But I feel The Titan's Curse doesn't work as well as a stand-alone adventure and feels a bit formulaic. It's still clever and fun, though.
Terzo appuntamento con la nuova saga rivelazione per giovanissi (e non solo!) dedicata a Dei, semidei e figure mitologiche classiche, per una volta, più vicine alle nostra cultura mediterranea dei soliti vampiri e zombie (e che, nuovamente, ci siamo fatti fregare da uno statunitense!).
Percy Jeckson è l'eroe che sta appassionando i nuovi lettori del 2000 e che qualcuno già giudica degno erede di Harry Potter, maghetto che ha riportato alla lettura milioni di ragazzi in tutto il mondo. Concretamente Rick Riordan non è ancora al livello di J.K.Rowling ma, con questo terzo romanzo, si sta dimostrando chiaramente sempre più un degno avversario. Lo stile di Rick Riordan è molto più semplice e leggero di quello della Rowling (soprattutto se paragonato agli ultimi romanzi della saga di Harry Potter) ma leggendolo è facile cadere in un gradevole senso di deja vu, grazie soprattutto alla sua incredibile ironia e freschezza. Sembra di leggere, come sensazioni e non come contenuti!, i primi piccoli e carinissimi romanzi di Harry Potter, quando ancora l'autrice scriveva per giovanissimi e non si era buttata sul fantasy per young adult.
Riordan gioca, con destrezza invidiabile, con la mitologia classica e la porta, con ironia, nella nostra società moderna. Non è impossibile leggere di Apollo che porta a spasso il sole con una spider rossa e, nel narrarlo, l'autore riesce sempre a dare una giustificazione plausibile ogni volta che scienza, religione e modernità si scontrano show more duramente (come appunto sulla questione del Sole intesa come stella, divinità e palla di fuoco). In poche parole l'autore riesce a farci provare delle emozioni, indipendentemente dall'età, non sdegnando anche qualche lezione di crescita/vita senza mai assumere un tono saccente o paternalistico. Un ottimo autore, senza dubbio.
Il libro si apre con Percy, Annabeth, Grover e Talia impegnati a salvare due piccoli semidei, Bianca e Nico, dai mostri. Peccato che, quando c'è di mezzo Percy, le cose non possono andare mai semplicemente lisce e, nello specifico, assieme al figlio di Poseidone nella missione c'è anche la rediviva figlia di Zeus, perchè illuderci? Le cose precipeteranno, anche piuttosto in fretta.
Infatti i nostri eroi vengono attaccati da una manticora e Annabeth, figlia di Atena, viene catturata e data per "perduta". Sarà solo l'intervento della dea Artemide e delle sue Cacciatrici che impedirà al resto della comitiva di finire a dir poco tragicamente. Sarà questo l'inizio che darà il via ad una nuova profezia e missione, una corsa contro il tempo per ritrovare Annabeth e la Dea Artemide, finite entrambe in mano al nemico.
Fra una fuga e l'altra i nostri giovani eroi ci cimenteranno in questa missione apparentemente impossibile che li porterà invitabilmente a San Francisco, zona di influenza dei Titani. Che ci sia il loro zampino ancora una volta?
Incontreremo vecchi e nuovi personaggi (fra cui Afrodite - interessata unicamente al lato romantico della missione -; Apollo, Artemide e le Cacciatrici) e conosceremo meglio i vecchi, finendo con scoprire che sotto ognuno di loro c'è molto più di quel che pensavamo.
Senza contare che i colpi di scena non mancheranno fino all'ultima pagina, è assicurato! Infatti avremo modo di conoscere altri giovani eroi, figli del Trio Divino (Poseidone, Zeus e Ade), che subentreranno come possibili distruttutori dell'Olimpo.
Su chi ricadrà la Profezia? Percy? Talia? I nuovi eroi? Non ci è dato ancora modo di scoprirlo, purtroppo, ma a quanto sembra l'autore ha deciso di tenerci con il fiato sospeso fino all'ultimo romanzo! show less
Percy Jeckson è l'eroe che sta appassionando i nuovi lettori del 2000 e che qualcuno già giudica degno erede di Harry Potter, maghetto che ha riportato alla lettura milioni di ragazzi in tutto il mondo. Concretamente Rick Riordan non è ancora al livello di J.K.Rowling ma, con questo terzo romanzo, si sta dimostrando chiaramente sempre più un degno avversario. Lo stile di Rick Riordan è molto più semplice e leggero di quello della Rowling (soprattutto se paragonato agli ultimi romanzi della saga di Harry Potter) ma leggendolo è facile cadere in un gradevole senso di deja vu, grazie soprattutto alla sua incredibile ironia e freschezza. Sembra di leggere, come sensazioni e non come contenuti!, i primi piccoli e carinissimi romanzi di Harry Potter, quando ancora l'autrice scriveva per giovanissimi e non si era buttata sul fantasy per young adult.
Riordan gioca, con destrezza invidiabile, con la mitologia classica e la porta, con ironia, nella nostra società moderna. Non è impossibile leggere di Apollo che porta a spasso il sole con una spider rossa e, nel narrarlo, l'autore riesce sempre a dare una giustificazione plausibile ogni volta che scienza, religione e modernità si scontrano show more duramente (come appunto sulla questione del Sole intesa come stella, divinità e palla di fuoco). In poche parole l'autore riesce a farci provare delle emozioni, indipendentemente dall'età, non sdegnando anche qualche lezione di crescita/vita senza mai assumere un tono saccente o paternalistico. Un ottimo autore, senza dubbio.
Il libro si apre con Percy, Annabeth, Grover e Talia impegnati a salvare due piccoli semidei, Bianca e Nico, dai mostri. Peccato che, quando c'è di mezzo Percy, le cose non possono andare mai semplicemente lisce e, nello specifico, assieme al figlio di Poseidone nella missione c'è anche la rediviva figlia di Zeus, perchè illuderci? Le cose precipeteranno, anche piuttosto in fretta.
Infatti i nostri eroi vengono attaccati da una manticora e Annabeth, figlia di Atena, viene catturata e data per "perduta". Sarà solo l'intervento della dea Artemide e delle sue Cacciatrici che impedirà al resto della comitiva di finire a dir poco tragicamente. Sarà questo l'inizio che darà il via ad una nuova profezia e missione, una corsa contro il tempo per ritrovare Annabeth e la Dea Artemide, finite entrambe in mano al nemico.
Fra una fuga e l'altra i nostri giovani eroi ci cimenteranno in questa missione apparentemente impossibile che li porterà invitabilmente a San Francisco, zona di influenza dei Titani. Che ci sia il loro zampino ancora una volta?
Incontreremo vecchi e nuovi personaggi (fra cui Afrodite - interessata unicamente al lato romantico della missione -; Apollo, Artemide e le Cacciatrici) e conosceremo meglio i vecchi, finendo con scoprire che sotto ognuno di loro c'è molto più di quel che pensavamo.
Senza contare che i colpi di scena non mancheranno fino all'ultima pagina, è assicurato! Infatti avremo modo di conoscere altri giovani eroi, figli del Trio Divino (Poseidone, Zeus e Ade), che subentreranno come possibili distruttutori dell'Olimpo.
Su chi ricadrà la Profezia? Percy? Talia? I nuovi eroi? Non ci è dato ancora modo di scoprirlo, purtroppo, ma a quanto sembra l'autore ha deciso di tenerci con il fiato sospeso fino all'ultimo romanzo! show less
Okay, so this installment in the Percy Jackson series wasn't quite as good as #2, but I blame that mostly on the fact that Tyson is hardly in it at all. Instead, we have a new "new friend", who is quite serious and never cries or pats the ponies or makes an expandable shield from a wristwatch. In fact, the tone of this book is generally more serious than the previous one (Grover does not at any point wear a wedding dress, which seems a shame). Yes, I get that the world within the series is getting darker, and the characters are getting older, so one ought to expect the more serious tone, but this again is what happens to so many of these types of series -- Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, etc. They start out bright and fresh and funny and then get bogged down in their own dark sides. While this is made up for by the deepening of the peril and the intensifying of the quest (keeps us reading, that's for sure), it's a shame because those of us who have read a few of these series (and that's not just adults, but kids too these days) are often most entertained by what is funny or fresh or irreverent about them. I mean, Rowling's one-liners were the best things about the first couple HP books, but then they got forgotten as the story progressed. It seems that something similar will be happening to this series. Does that mean I'll stop reading it? Nah. I'm still interested and it is still interesting. (PS: People we like die in this book -- which is yet another familiar development show more -- so if your children started reading this series quite young, you might want to read this one with them.) show less
Truly the reason I think this story works so well in the place that it is in the series is because of the number of characters that are introduced. Even though they are not the main characters or focus, they play crucial roles later in the series, as well as in the world of Percy Jackson as a whole.
Even though the story doesn't follow Annabeth (i.e. my favorite character), I still love this story, and large amounts of character development across multiple characters, as well as the repetition of the important character flaws that exist in the MCs that allude to future plot points in the next couple of books.
Even though the story doesn't follow Annabeth (i.e. my favorite character), I still love this story, and large amounts of character development across multiple characters, as well as the repetition of the important character flaws that exist in the MCs that allude to future plot points in the next couple of books.
In this installment, we meet the redeemable group of men-hating crazy women, Artemis's hunters. I remember hating these girls like crazy when I was younger (and I still think Bianca's a little jerk, but whatever) but found them a lot more reasonable this time around. Also, this one actually made me shed a tear, which is crazy because I never cried in this one before; I only ever cried in The Last Olympian in Luke's backstory scenes (I sob like a baby in those scenes).
Also, I just have to
Rachel: The heck?
Percy: You can see me?
Also, I just have to
Rachel: The heck?
Percy: You can see me?
Percy is at it again.
Not listening to the people in charge. Fighting with Gods. Making snap decisions that could endanger the entire world.... all in the attempt to save it from the more recent cataclysm.
The evil guys are gathering and the General has stolen Annabeth and Artemis. With the help of some of Artemis' Hunters, will they be able to save them before Kronos is put back together?
Another fun and quick read by Riordan. I am loving this series more with every book. You can see his writing become more comfortable. I love watching the evolution of a writer.
This is a YA book I am happy to have in my personal library.
Not listening to the people in charge. Fighting with Gods. Making snap decisions that could endanger the entire world.... all in the attempt to save it from the more recent cataclysm.
The evil guys are gathering and the General has stolen Annabeth and Artemis. With the help of some of Artemis' Hunters, will they be able to save them before Kronos is put back together?
Another fun and quick read by Riordan. I am loving this series more with every book. You can see his writing become more comfortable. I love watching the evolution of a writer.
This is a YA book I am happy to have in my personal library.
The continuing adventures of Percy Jackson and his friends as they prepare for the coming war with Kronos and his Titans, The Titan's Curse finds the kids on a quest to save both Annabeth and the goddess, Artemis. The stakes are getting higher and the challenges more... challenging, as Kronos and Luke are finalizing their plans to attack Camp Half-Blood, and then Olympus. The story itself is becoming slight more serious as the series progresses. Riordan doesn't lose any of his wit and humor, but you can tell that the series is beginning to take a grave turn.
I know that I shouldn't think too much about these stories and just enjoy them for what they are, brain candy, but I can't help but feel that the stories are just a bit rushed and that the death of a character is not usually met with more than a cursory, passing comment. If fact, there was one death in the book that I actually didn't believe to be a death just due to the flip attitude that the surviving characters had to the death. It's just me, but the idea of characters dying in this series doesn't seem to carry much weight at all.
I'm still really enjoying the interactions the gods are having with the kids, and I really like that Riordan does stick to the ancient laws that have been set down in mythology, instead of bending the rules to fit the needs of his story. Flaws aside, I'm still enjoying the series.
I know that I shouldn't think too much about these stories and just enjoy them for what they are, brain candy, but I can't help but feel that the stories are just a bit rushed and that the death of a character is not usually met with more than a cursory, passing comment. If fact, there was one death in the book that I actually didn't believe to be a death just due to the flip attitude that the surviving characters had to the death. It's just me, but the idea of characters dying in this series doesn't seem to carry much weight at all.
I'm still really enjoying the interactions the gods are having with the kids, and I really like that Riordan does stick to the ancient laws that have been set down in mythology, instead of bending the rules to fit the needs of his story. Flaws aside, I'm still enjoying the series.
Fast, fun read. Less silly than the first two books. Plenty of mystery to figure out while reading. My only gripe is that Percy seems to spend an awful lot of time in the air considering that Zeus told him he would lightning bolt his ass if he ever tried to fly again. I guess you can file that under 'gods can be fickle' though.
In an interesting twist, at the end of The Sea of Monsters, the power of the Golden Fleece served to cure Thalia's Tree to such an extent that Thalia, daughter of Zeus, also came back to life. This complicates matters in The Titan's Curse by adding a second demigod with a parent who is a member of the "Big Three", and muddying the meaning of the prophecy that everyone had previously assumed applied directly to Percy. This, as one might expect, is just the beginning of the problems that confront Percy Jackson and his friends in the third installment of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, as the main story line of the series begins to seriously pick up steam.
The story starts off, as the previous two installments did, with trouble at a private school. The twist this time around is that it is no longer Percy Jackson having trouble come to him, but rather, he, Annabeth, and Thalia are seeking out previously unidentified demigods to bring them to safety at Camp Half-Blood. This is a fairly critical piece of character development, transforming Percy from being a mostly reactive character into a full-fledged protagonist. This also brings to the fore an element that will become increasingly important to the main plot of the series and Annabeth's character development - the dangers inherent in, and the struggles half-bloods face, in trying to win their way to the sanctuary of Camp Half-Blood.
This thematic development is good, but unfortunately, it is one of the the few plot show more elements the book that is truly new to the series. After Annabeth is captured in the opening sequence and Artemis sets out to rescue her before getting captured herself, the plot becomes fairly ordinary as the rest of the characters set out on a quest cross-country from New York to California, battling monsters all the way, to stop the plans of the evil titan Kronos and his General. This cross-country quest seems very reminiscient of the quest from The Lightning Thief in which the main characters traveled from New York to California battling monsters along the way. The secondary plot, involving the hunt for a beast so powerful that it could topple Olympus, also reminds one of the quest to recover Zeus' thunderbolt so as to prevent an earth shattering war. The resolution of the secondary quest does have an interesting twist, although as happens so often in the series, one wonders why the various immortals didn't let percy in on the information that would have prevented the crisis stemming from this plot element to begin with. The newly discovered demigods have unknown heritage, just as Percy did in the beginning of The Lightning Thief, although the clues concerning the true nature of their divine parentage are just as heavy-handed as the clues to Percy's were before Poseidon claimed him, leading the reader to wonder just how dumb Chiron and Dionysus are that they are unable to add two and two together to get four.
This is not to say that The Titan's Curse is a wasted book in the series - although it is probably the weakest of the five. The book introduces and fleshes out both Artemis and Apollo as developed characters, as well as adding Artemis' Huntresses as characters. The most interesting character added is Rachel Dare, a mostly normal human with an extraordinary ability that is important to the plot of the book. The action in the book is just as fast-paced as in the previous books, and there is a fair amount of humor, although with Annabeth "off-screen" for most of the book, one loses much of the banter between her and Percy, with Annabeth's role in the book mostly being taken by the angsty Thalia and the somewhat dour Zoe. The book also advances the larger plot relating to Kronos and Luke, revealing a little bit more of Kronos' plans to take on the Olympian gods, and just how dangerous he and his allies are, ramping up the tension just in time for the next book to commence.
Although this book is probably the weakest of the Percy Jackson series, it is still quite a diverting read. The weaknesses of the book seem to stem from the fact that, as the middle book in the series, there is not much new being added to the background of setting or the characters, and the main conflicts of the series have not yet progressed to the point where they are being resolved. As a result, other than some more in-depth character development to flesh out the various actors in the drama, the story is more or less simply filling in the space between The Sea of Monsters and The Battle of the Labyrinth. Even still, Percy Jackson is such a likable protagonist who is called upon to undertake some literally Herculean tasks, and the action and humor are so fun to read, that despite it being less impressive in comparison to the other books in the series, it is still a really good example of young adult fiction, and one that is definitely worth reading.
This review has also been posted to my blog Dreaming About Other Worlds. show less
The story starts off, as the previous two installments did, with trouble at a private school. The twist this time around is that it is no longer Percy Jackson having trouble come to him, but rather, he, Annabeth, and Thalia are seeking out previously unidentified demigods to bring them to safety at Camp Half-Blood. This is a fairly critical piece of character development, transforming Percy from being a mostly reactive character into a full-fledged protagonist. This also brings to the fore an element that will become increasingly important to the main plot of the series and Annabeth's character development - the dangers inherent in, and the struggles half-bloods face, in trying to win their way to the sanctuary of Camp Half-Blood.
This thematic development is good, but unfortunately, it is one of the the few plot show more elements the book that is truly new to the series. After Annabeth is captured in the opening sequence and Artemis sets out to rescue her before getting captured herself, the plot becomes fairly ordinary as the rest of the characters set out on a quest cross-country from New York to California, battling monsters all the way, to stop the plans of the evil titan Kronos and his General. This cross-country quest seems very reminiscient of the quest from The Lightning Thief in which the main characters traveled from New York to California battling monsters along the way. The secondary plot, involving the hunt for a beast so powerful that it could topple Olympus, also reminds one of the quest to recover Zeus' thunderbolt so as to prevent an earth shattering war. The resolution of the secondary quest does have an interesting twist, although as happens so often in the series, one wonders why the various immortals didn't let percy in on the information that would have prevented the crisis stemming from this plot element to begin with. The newly discovered demigods have unknown heritage, just as Percy did in the beginning of The Lightning Thief, although the clues concerning the true nature of their divine parentage are just as heavy-handed as the clues to Percy's were before Poseidon claimed him, leading the reader to wonder just how dumb Chiron and Dionysus are that they are unable to add two and two together to get four.
This is not to say that The Titan's Curse is a wasted book in the series - although it is probably the weakest of the five. The book introduces and fleshes out both Artemis and Apollo as developed characters, as well as adding Artemis' Huntresses as characters. The most interesting character added is Rachel Dare, a mostly normal human with an extraordinary ability that is important to the plot of the book. The action in the book is just as fast-paced as in the previous books, and there is a fair amount of humor, although with Annabeth "off-screen" for most of the book, one loses much of the banter between her and Percy, with Annabeth's role in the book mostly being taken by the angsty Thalia and the somewhat dour Zoe. The book also advances the larger plot relating to Kronos and Luke, revealing a little bit more of Kronos' plans to take on the Olympian gods, and just how dangerous he and his allies are, ramping up the tension just in time for the next book to commence.
Although this book is probably the weakest of the Percy Jackson series, it is still quite a diverting read. The weaknesses of the book seem to stem from the fact that, as the middle book in the series, there is not much new being added to the background of setting or the characters, and the main conflicts of the series have not yet progressed to the point where they are being resolved. As a result, other than some more in-depth character development to flesh out the various actors in the drama, the story is more or less simply filling in the space between The Sea of Monsters and The Battle of the Labyrinth. Even still, Percy Jackson is such a likable protagonist who is called upon to undertake some literally Herculean tasks, and the action and humor are so fun to read, that despite it being less impressive in comparison to the other books in the series, it is still a really good example of young adult fiction, and one that is definitely worth reading.
This review has also been posted to my blog Dreaming About Other Worlds. show less
I enjoyed the third book in this series much better than the second. I thought the writing and portrayal of the characters and the gods was solid and far from trite as it could have been. I did enjoy a few twists and turns and at least a couple "I did not see that coming" moments.
I'm still pretty impressed with Rick Riordan as a writer that I'd consider reading his other series as well.
I'm still pretty impressed with Rick Riordan as a writer that I'd consider reading his other series as well.
This series has never once left me not wanting more. I have always enjoyed traveling into book and standing alongside Percy has he travels to stop yet another plan of Luke. However, this time Percy must set out to rescue not only Annabeth but the Greek God, Artemis. What troubles will Percy face when rescuing his friends.
The plot came to me very easily and I really enjoyed that. Although this book still kept me guessing about what I thought would happen next. With books, I love when the plot comes to me clearly but I don't like a book that gives it all away. And this book didn't.
Thank you!!! I was waiting to see when you would finally bring in a Titan. I am all for the good guys but I am sorry to say (not really) that I have been dying to see when he would put an all powerful titan into the series. Yes I know they have bad written all over them, but still amazing.
This book contains action, adventure, love, peril, and everything a reader should have when reading this book. I ask all readers to check out this book, and if not this series.
I give this book 4 souls!
The plot came to me very easily and I really enjoyed that. Although this book still kept me guessing about what I thought would happen next. With books, I love when the plot comes to me clearly but I don't like a book that gives it all away. And this book didn't.
Thank you!!! I was waiting to see when you would finally bring in a Titan. I am all for the good guys but I am sorry to say (not really) that I have been dying to see when he would put an all powerful titan into the series. Yes I know they have bad written all over them, but still amazing.
This book contains action, adventure, love, peril, and everything a reader should have when reading this book. I ask all readers to check out this book, and if not this series.
I give this book 4 souls!
Out of all the books, this one took me the longest to really get into. I don't know if I was just busy, or what. Once I did though, I was into it for the long run. This introduced my favorite character (Nico!), and I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. I also loved the Hunters. And Apollo was amazing. Again, the storytelling here is masterful - superb. Another round of applause to Rick Riordan.
In the third book of Percy Jackson and the Olympian's series, events come to a head as Percy is once again forced to go on another quest in order to save his friend, Annabeth from death at the hands of yet another of Kronos' devious schemes. More Olympian Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes are introduced as the fate of all the Gods and Titans are balanced on the cusp of a hero that is yet to be determined. Everyone, humans, and God's alike are beginning to align themselves for the final battle and Percy becomes the central figure in which the fate of all resides.
Finally a book in the series that captured my attention. The pattern of events does not stray far from the first two books, but with this third book, the storyline gets somewhat more interesting with new characters that I surprisingly cared for far more than I ever did with Percy and his original crew. Perhaps it's the mystery and secrecy of their unknown identities that draws you in and keeps you wanting to find out what their fates will be. With three books completed and the end in sight, I can safely say that although Percy Jackson is no Harry Potter, he stands on his own two feet with a flair of his own and a character that his very own.
Finally a book in the series that captured my attention. The pattern of events does not stray far from the first two books, but with this third book, the storyline gets somewhat more interesting with new characters that I surprisingly cared for far more than I ever did with Percy and his original crew. Perhaps it's the mystery and secrecy of their unknown identities that draws you in and keeps you wanting to find out what their fates will be. With three books completed and the end in sight, I can safely say that although Percy Jackson is no Harry Potter, he stands on his own two feet with a flair of his own and a character that his very own.
Percy Jackson and his friends have one wonderful story that rivals Harry Potter, at least in my eyes.
This series keeps getting better - the surprise ending / reveal was a great addition to the story to make me want to read the next novel. Rick Riordan has made another hit! And I really want to read the next story in this series...
We follow Percy Jackson, Grover, Thalia and some hunters on a journey! They must save a god and a friend, and save the world from evil (again! Geez, these guys never get a break, do they?).
Rick left the book with some great "cliffhangers" or loose ends. Certain characters may or may not be alive, certain people may or may not be who they say they are, and certain people may or may not be the legend everyone has been waiting for! This author knows how to write a good book that gets all audiences interested, not just the youngings!
If anything, the start of this book was a little slow. Once I was about halfway into it I was finally hooked, but the start but was little boring. But, if you can get through the boring start, you are off to the races! Great action, adventure, possible romance? It's great!
Four out of five stars!
This series keeps getting better - the surprise ending / reveal was a great addition to the story to make me want to read the next novel. Rick Riordan has made another hit! And I really want to read the next story in this series...
We follow Percy Jackson, Grover, Thalia and some hunters on a journey! They must save a god and a friend, and save the world from evil (again! Geez, these guys never get a break, do they?).
Rick left the book with some great "cliffhangers" or loose ends. Certain characters may or may not be alive, certain people may or may not be who they say they are, and certain people may or may not be the legend everyone has been waiting for! This author knows how to write a good book that gets all audiences interested, not just the youngings!
If anything, the start of this book was a little slow. Once I was about halfway into it I was finally hooked, but the start but was little boring. But, if you can get through the boring start, you are off to the races! Great action, adventure, possible romance? It's great!
Four out of five stars!
Riordan is really starting to get into obscure mythology here, or at least I, who haven't had anything to do with mythology since the 9th grade, think so. As the Titans continue to gain power, helped by Luke of course, characters come forward that have been around since before the gods. Luckily, Riordan is great at doling out the information you need to know. I feel like things would make more sense if you know what was going on from the beginning, but I managed to LOVE this book, without picking up any of the clues that I should have (Spoiler: Nico gets mad and the ground opens up and eats some soldiers=he's a son of Hades? So didn't make that jump). It's like a mystery/adventure novel.
My only complaint: How can Riordan make San Francisco a bad place? I was offended/sad, although I do have to admit that the ever present fog (mist) was very convenient for his plot. He better make it a happy place by the end of the 5th book.
My only complaint: How can Riordan make San Francisco a bad place? I was offended/sad, although I do have to admit that the ever present fog (mist) was very convenient for his plot. He better make it a happy place by the end of the 5th book.
Fast, fun read. Less silly than the first two books. Plenty of mystery to figure out while reading. My only gripe is that Percy seems to spend an awful lot of time in the air considering that Zeus told him he would lightning bolt his ass if he ever tried to fly again. I guess you can file that under 'gods can be fickle' though.
2,5 stelle
Più procedo con la saga e più la valutazione cala... aiuto xD In tutta sincerità non ho trovato nulla di innovativo in questo terzo volume: la solita ricerca di persone/cose, gli aiutini dati da dèi vari, le profezie di morte. Anche il fatto di scoprire che mezzosangue (e non solo i mezzosangue) è figlio di quale dio è diventata una routine.
Un po' mi dispiace visto che l'ironia di Percy mi va a genio, tuttavia non ho idea se leggerò anche gli ultimi due per timore di cadere nella monotonia più assoluta. La maggior parte dei personaggi hanno una durata così breve che mi è stato quasi impossibile farmene un'idea precisa e men che meno affezionarmi a loro.
L'unica "novità" rispetto ai precedenti è che ad un certo punto mi sono persino commossa lievemente, ma siccome quando leggo sono parecchio emotiva non è un'indicazione molto affidabile :')
Più procedo con la saga e più la valutazione cala... aiuto xD In tutta sincerità non ho trovato nulla di innovativo in questo terzo volume: la solita ricerca di persone/cose, gli aiutini dati da dèi vari, le profezie di morte. Anche il fatto di scoprire che mezzosangue (e non solo i mezzosangue) è figlio di quale dio è diventata una routine.
Un po' mi dispiace visto che l'ironia di Percy mi va a genio, tuttavia non ho idea se leggerò anche gli ultimi due per timore di cadere nella monotonia più assoluta. La maggior parte dei personaggi hanno una durata così breve che mi è stato quasi impossibile farmene un'idea precisa e men che meno affezionarmi a loro.
L'unica "novità" rispetto ai precedenti è che ad un certo punto mi sono persino commossa lievemente, ma siccome quando leggo sono parecchio emotiva non è un'indicazione molto affidabile :')
Unindo mitologia grega, muita aventura e tramas hilárias, a história de Rick Riordan sobre um adolescente com TDAH que descobre ser filho do deus do mar e precisa navegar entre o mundo humano e o divino se tornou um best-seller e formou uma geração de leitores apaixonados, que até hoje acompanham a saga de Percy e seus amigos. Agora, a Intrínseca relança os cinco livros da série em uma edição com nova arte de capa, muito pedida pelos leitores. As belas ilustrações da artista Victo Ngai acompanham o design da mais nova aventura do semideus, O cálice dos deuses , que chega às livrarias em lançamento mundial no dia 26 de setembro.
No terceiro livro da série, um chamado do amigo Grover deixa Percy a postos para mais uma missão: dois novos meios-sangues foram encontrados, e sua ascendência ainda é desconhecida. Como sempre, Percy sabe que precisará contar com o poder de seus aliados, com sua leal espada Contracorrente... e com uma caroninha da mãe.
Eles só não desconfiam de que os jovens descobertos não são os únicos em perigo: Cronos, o Senhor dos Titãs, arquitetou um de seus planos mais traiçoeiros, e nossos heróis serão presas fáceis. Um monstro ancestral foi despertado ― um ser com poder suficiente para destruir o Olimpo ―, e Ártemis, a única capaz de encontrá-lo, desapareceu.
Percy e seus amigos têm apenas uma semana para resgatar a deusa sequestrada e solucionar o mistério que ronda o monstro que ela caçava. Divertidíssimo e repleto show more de ação, o livro coloca nosso herói e seus aliados frente a frente com o maior desafio de suas vidas: a terrível profecia da maldição do titã. show less
No terceiro livro da série, um chamado do amigo Grover deixa Percy a postos para mais uma missão: dois novos meios-sangues foram encontrados, e sua ascendência ainda é desconhecida. Como sempre, Percy sabe que precisará contar com o poder de seus aliados, com sua leal espada Contracorrente... e com uma caroninha da mãe.
Eles só não desconfiam de que os jovens descobertos não são os únicos em perigo: Cronos, o Senhor dos Titãs, arquitetou um de seus planos mais traiçoeiros, e nossos heróis serão presas fáceis. Um monstro ancestral foi despertado ― um ser com poder suficiente para destruir o Olimpo ―, e Ártemis, a única capaz de encontrá-lo, desapareceu.
Percy e seus amigos têm apenas uma semana para resgatar a deusa sequestrada e solucionar o mistério que ronda o monstro que ela caçava. Divertidíssimo e repleto show more de ação, o livro coloca nosso herói e seus aliados frente a frente com o maior desafio de suas vidas: a terrível profecia da maldição do titã. show less
I have 2 copies of this book.
I'm enjoying the series. I love the way the author has updated the Greek gods. This book was darker than the previous books. Five of the kids from Camp Half-Blood go on a quest to stop the titan Kronos from being resurrected--this has been an ongoing thing since book one. But Kronos is gaining followers and getting stronger.
A prophecy says among other things that one will die by their father's hand and one will be lost. There are new monsters to fight. And the total Atlas and his burden figure strongly in this book.
The friends must work together to destroy the new threat to Olympus despite their losses. Themes of loss, loyalty, and sacrifice are explored.
I'm enjoying the series. I love the way the author has updated the Greek gods. This book was darker than the previous books. Five of the kids from Camp Half-Blood go on a quest to stop the titan Kronos from being resurrected--this has been an ongoing thing since book one. But Kronos is gaining followers and getting stronger.
A prophecy says among other things that one will die by their father's hand and one will be lost. There are new monsters to fight. And the total Atlas and his burden figure strongly in this book.
The friends must work together to destroy the new threat to Olympus despite their losses. Themes of loss, loyalty, and sacrifice are explored.
In The Titan's Curse, Percy Jackson sets out on another quest with his friends to rescue the goddess, Artemis, and his friend, Annabeth, who have been kidnapped by Luke and another mysterious monster known as The General. On top of that, two new demigods of unknown parentage have been found.
This is easily my favorite of the Percy Jackson books so far. It was much more fast-paced, the characters were much more developed and it was plain fun. I enjoyed the twists at the end regarding the prophecy. Only two more books to go and I will have finished the series!
This is easily my favorite of the Percy Jackson books so far. It was much more fast-paced, the characters were much more developed and it was plain fun. I enjoyed the twists at the end regarding the prophecy. Only two more books to go and I will have finished the series!
My favorite one so far. This book made me cry. I’m going to be sad when this series is over.
In this third installment of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy faces yet another set of problems. His best friend Annabeth has been kidnapped by a manticore. Thalia, Zeus’s daughter, is constantly arguing with him. There are two new half-bloods at camp, Bianca and Nico, who are confused and angry about their identities and their new situation. And then the goddess Artemis disappears, and Percy and his friends must find her fast, before the Olympians declare an all-out war on the Titans, destroying western civilization in the process.
As with the first two books, this novel is a quick and entertaining read. I really like the way Riordan ties various Greek myths into the story: Percy encounters the Hesperides, Atlas, and the Old Man of the Sea, among others. This series would be a great tool for teaching elementary-school kids about Greek mythology. On the other hand, I’m a bit disappointed that the books haven’t “grown up” a little as Percy gets older. I can’t help contrasting this series with the Harry Potter books, where as Harry gets older the plots get darker and more complicated. In this series, the tone remains light and humorous, despite the fact that Percy goes through some incredibly harsh trials. However, I am still enjoying the series and will continue reading.
As with the first two books, this novel is a quick and entertaining read. I really like the way Riordan ties various Greek myths into the story: Percy encounters the Hesperides, Atlas, and the Old Man of the Sea, among others. This series would be a great tool for teaching elementary-school kids about Greek mythology. On the other hand, I’m a bit disappointed that the books haven’t “grown up” a little as Percy gets older. I can’t help contrasting this series with the Harry Potter books, where as Harry gets older the plots get darker and more complicated. In this series, the tone remains light and humorous, despite the fact that Percy goes through some incredibly harsh trials. However, I am still enjoying the series and will continue reading.
Monsters are coming out of the woodwork and the heroes are working at keeping the world from ending, the monsters are stirring, Artemis is missing and only five of the demigods can go to battle the evil.
There's a lot about family and keeping in touch with family in this one. The characters have to make some hard choices about their lives and what the future holds for them and knowing that one of them could be the person who heralds the death of the gods isn't comforting. Percy is having to grow up and make difficult choices in his life, the punches aren't being held back.
It's an interesting read, light enough stuff but with a serious undertone.
There's a lot about family and keeping in touch with family in this one. The characters have to make some hard choices about their lives and what the future holds for them and knowing that one of them could be the person who heralds the death of the gods isn't comforting. Percy is having to grow up and make difficult choices in his life, the punches aren't being held back.
It's an interesting read, light enough stuff but with a serious undertone.
With Annabeth and the goddess Artemis kidnapped, Percy, Grover, the still freshly returned Thalia and some of Artemis's hunters must join forces and go on a mission to save them. Prophecies, dreams and signs all imply that the Titan's powers are growing and sooner rather than later something must be done. With undead assassins as well as a new and mysterious enemy, the kids have their hands full on their journey from Camp Half-Blood to the Mountain of Despair.
It has been long enough since reading the first two [I remember taking some issue with book one] that I really cannot compare the levels of enjoyment, writing, plotting, etc, etc. What I will, however, do, is reply to the book briefly, and standalone.
This is not my favorite of the three books of the series that I have read. Book two remains my favorite because I absolutely adored Tyson. And the fishponies. I was thrilled to have so many baddies that I sort of already knew about pop up and be put on display through Riordan's perspective. This book had far too little Tyson and just a touch to much catty girl time. I understand that they have histories, pasts and are all essentially trapped in puberty in this specific universe [which happens in ya/kids books], but Thalia is kind of a horrible person.
This annoys me.
But I will be the first to admit that teenage girls often annoy me far more quickly than teenage boys. I'm just predisposed to detest drama, which teenage girls tend to radiate.
The plot was simple and show more quick--here's the problem, let's go solve it. Side mysteries, such as the new kids' parentage, the huntress Zoe's history and the identity of the new bad guy are interesting and interspersed through the execution of the story. Much like the preceding novels, and I imagine the following as well, Riordan sets this book's actual story around a prophecy. In this case, the set up is the disappearance and kidnapping of Annabeth and Artemis, followed by the arrival of the huntress's at Camp Half-Blood. Once the prophecy is delivered [in outstandingly unusal and disturbing circumstances], the ball is set to rolling. It establishes certain amounts of anticipation and focus that will pull the reader along as they search for clues to explain the cryptic rhyme.
All in all, it is an engaging story with fun action and interesting characters. I'm not bowled over by it, but thoroughly support it. A lot.
Let's hope the next book has more Tyson. show less
It has been long enough since reading the first two [I remember taking some issue with book one] that I really cannot compare the levels of enjoyment, writing, plotting, etc, etc. What I will, however, do, is reply to the book briefly, and standalone.
This is not my favorite of the three books of the series that I have read. Book two remains my favorite because I absolutely adored Tyson. And the fishponies. I was thrilled to have so many baddies that I sort of already knew about pop up and be put on display through Riordan's perspective. This book had far too little Tyson and just a touch to much catty girl time. I understand that they have histories, pasts and are all essentially trapped in puberty in this specific universe [which happens in ya/kids books], but Thalia is kind of a horrible person.
This annoys me.
But I will be the first to admit that teenage girls often annoy me far more quickly than teenage boys. I'm just predisposed to detest drama, which teenage girls tend to radiate.
The plot was simple and show more quick--here's the problem, let's go solve it. Side mysteries, such as the new kids' parentage, the huntress Zoe's history and the identity of the new bad guy are interesting and interspersed through the execution of the story. Much like the preceding novels, and I imagine the following as well, Riordan sets this book's actual story around a prophecy. In this case, the set up is the disappearance and kidnapping of Annabeth and Artemis, followed by the arrival of the huntress's at Camp Half-Blood. Once the prophecy is delivered [in outstandingly unusal and disturbing circumstances], the ball is set to rolling. It establishes certain amounts of anticipation and focus that will pull the reader along as they search for clues to explain the cryptic rhyme.
All in all, it is an engaging story with fun action and interesting characters. I'm not bowled over by it, but thoroughly support it. A lot.
Let's hope the next book has more Tyson. show less
If you've read my previous reviews, you'll know that I've been enjoying the Percy Jackson series. I keep worrying that it may start ebbing downward in terms of entertainment/enjoyability/etc but in this third book in the series, Riordan keeps the momentum and excitement going strong. I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum here but I will assume some familiarity with the Percy Jackson series in general. If you haven't read them yet, you should start with Lightning Thief and work your way through the series. The author does a good job of bringing you up to speed and each book stands on its own, but personally I think it's worthwhile to start at the beginning and follow the adventure through.
Titan's Curse opens with a pretty good teaser adventure to start things off. Percy and his friends are off to recruit some new half-bloods to the camp. Naturally a bit of danger comes along with it. I actually liked this element a little more than the "attack at Percy's school" from the previous book, mainly because it shows Percy's growth as a character in that he's now being entrusted with the task of helping bring in more half-bloods. This initial adventure ends with a mix of success and disaster and becomes part of the impetus for the main quest in the book.
I have mixed feelings on the character and plot dynamics in this adventure. The general plot reminded me a little of the first book in that it was a sort of "journey" quest to take our heroes cross-country in search of a show more particular person. They encountered different challenges along the way, but the main form felt a little reused. I was also bummed to have very little Annabeth in this book. I really liked the way she and Percy interacted and wanted to see more. Still, it was cool to get to know Thalia a bit better and find out more about her (although by the end of the book, I'm left wondering what her future involvement will be).
Overall, the adventures and the mythology were a lot of fun. Very well written and researched. I really liked the villains in this particular book. They were a lot of fun and provided some cool new tension. The story also opened up new information for the overarching plot of the series (in terms of details on the main prophecy as well as some new curve balls into how it will play out).
I'm still really enjoying this series and look forward to the final couple of books to see what's going to happen. So far, the series is still staying at the "young adult" / "middle readers" reading level rather than increasing in depth and intensity. They are becoming more complex, but not with leaps and bounds by grade/age level. Personally I kind of prefer it that way. For kids who are reading these books as they come out, it would make sense to have the reading level step up with each book because the kids will naturally get older. I felt like the Harry Potter series made a few leaps in complexity/depth that felt a little out of place. With Percy Jackson, I think it's still possible for a kid to read the whole series (I'm making assumptions about the last books) without having to mature a few years while waiting publication of the next book. At the same time, there is enough depth and adventure to keep older kids (and even adults) engaged enough.
Once again, another great book in a fun series. Give it a try. :)
****
4 out of 5 stars show less
Titan's Curse opens with a pretty good teaser adventure to start things off. Percy and his friends are off to recruit some new half-bloods to the camp. Naturally a bit of danger comes along with it. I actually liked this element a little more than the "attack at Percy's school" from the previous book, mainly because it shows Percy's growth as a character in that he's now being entrusted with the task of helping bring in more half-bloods. This initial adventure ends with a mix of success and disaster and becomes part of the impetus for the main quest in the book.
I have mixed feelings on the character and plot dynamics in this adventure. The general plot reminded me a little of the first book in that it was a sort of "journey" quest to take our heroes cross-country in search of a show more particular person. They encountered different challenges along the way, but the main form felt a little reused. I was also bummed to have very little Annabeth in this book. I really liked the way she and Percy interacted and wanted to see more. Still, it was cool to get to know Thalia a bit better and find out more about her (although by the end of the book, I'm left wondering what her future involvement will be).
Overall, the adventures and the mythology were a lot of fun. Very well written and researched. I really liked the villains in this particular book. They were a lot of fun and provided some cool new tension. The story also opened up new information for the overarching plot of the series (in terms of details on the main prophecy as well as some new curve balls into how it will play out).
I'm still really enjoying this series and look forward to the final couple of books to see what's going to happen. So far, the series is still staying at the "young adult" / "middle readers" reading level rather than increasing in depth and intensity. They are becoming more complex, but not with leaps and bounds by grade/age level. Personally I kind of prefer it that way. For kids who are reading these books as they come out, it would make sense to have the reading level step up with each book because the kids will naturally get older. I felt like the Harry Potter series made a few leaps in complexity/depth that felt a little out of place. With Percy Jackson, I think it's still possible for a kid to read the whole series (I'm making assumptions about the last books) without having to mature a few years while waiting publication of the next book. At the same time, there is enough depth and adventure to keep older kids (and even adults) engaged enough.
Once again, another great book in a fun series. Give it a try. :)
****
4 out of 5 stars show less
Once again, the books begins bang as Percy and his try to help to new demigods reach Camp Half Blood. In the midst of the chaos they meet Artemis and her band of hunters. In additional to Artemis, this book introduces a slew of familiar Greek faces in clever ways. Annabeth is not in this book as much as the first two and it made me realize how much I like her. I missed her character, but enjoyed getting to learn a bit more about her back story.
This one, like the first two, is a quick read. There is constant action and before you know it, the book is done. I’ve heard some people refer to these books as “Harry Potter Lite” and I think that’s a great description. I never find myself quite as attached to the characters or involved in the story as I do with HP, but I enjoy reading them.
Again, one of my favorite parts of both books is the Greek mythology that’s woven into the story. Reading about mythology that's been around for centuries in a modern setting makes the books endlessly entertaining. There are five books in the series and I'll definitely be reading the final two.
This one, like the first two, is a quick read. There is constant action and before you know it, the book is done. I’ve heard some people refer to these books as “Harry Potter Lite” and I think that’s a great description. I never find myself quite as attached to the characters or involved in the story as I do with HP, but I enjoy reading them.
Again, one of my favorite parts of both books is the Greek mythology that’s woven into the story. Reading about mythology that's been around for centuries in a modern setting makes the books endlessly entertaining. There are five books in the series and I'll definitely be reading the final two.
While I still love the series, I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first two; it seemed a bit more uneven with a sillier version of humor than I'd come to expect from the series, and the foreshadowing was heavy enough that I found aspects of it predictable. Still, though, well worth the time, and I'll certainly be reading the rest of the series, though I am hoping that what I see as foreshadowing in this book doesn't make the future books as predictable as I fear. Regardless, they're fast, and a fun ride!
I read this book to my 11 year old son, one chapter a night before bed. much to my son's dismay as he begged me to read a 2nd chapter almost everynight. It caught and held his attention. I stumbled over all the Greek gods' names but the action is there and it's a great book and series for the preteen.
Although this book seems to be regarded as the weakest book in the series, I thought it was quite a bit better than its predecessor, The Sea of Monsters. I thought the build-up and suspense was much better. I liked the relationship between Thalia and Percy, short-lived as it was. I especially loved the actual scene involving the titan's curse. I thought that was very well written. I think I might even call this book my favorite of the series so far. It caused me to finally break down and buy nice boxed set of the entire series.
I still wouldn't say these are the best youth fiction books around, but they're decent. Being a college graduate student, these "silly" books are all that keeps me sane sometimes so I'm going to continue reading the series. Having already read a couple chapters of the fourth book, I can say that one looks like it's going to be excellent!
4 stars!
I still wouldn't say these are the best youth fiction books around, but they're decent. Being a college graduate student, these "silly" books are all that keeps me sane sometimes so I'm going to continue reading the series. Having already read a couple chapters of the fourth book, I can say that one looks like it's going to be excellent!
4 stars!
I'm just sad after reading that. But it was so good. I was so excited and scared with anticipation the entire time. I'm so excited that I got to meet Nico... though I hate how it ended between him and Percy. I hope it all gets figured out. Though I can't wait to read the next one I am scared.
A LOT happens in the third installment of the Percy Jackson series, Titian's Curse. We meet at least a handful of new characters (some I didn't care for at first but realized towards the end of the book that they had grown on me). Five of these characters (some old and new) are put on a dangerous quest together to save a goddess. They are faced with many obstacles and experience great tragedy as the oracle said they would.
I really enjoyed Titan's Curse, it was much like "The Lightning Thief" (First book of PJO series) with so many exciting adventures and new characters. The second book was enjoyable too and it also introduced new characters and had adventure but it fell a little flat for me; This book definitely livened up the series.
I was a dissapointed that two of my favorite characters were missing through out the majority of the book. I understand their absence was necessary to the story, but I missed them, haha. I'm not sure if by reading these books back to back that the level of writing has grown on me (these books are written for younger people) or if Rick Riordan's writing is maturing with each book. Either way I'm glad, as this makes the story more enjoyable. I wish I had read these books years ago.
This book ended on such an exciting discovery that it almost felt like a clifhanger. I can't wait to dive into the next book and continue the series.
I really enjoyed Titan's Curse, it was much like "The Lightning Thief" (First book of PJO series) with so many exciting adventures and new characters. The second book was enjoyable too and it also introduced new characters and had adventure but it fell a little flat for me; This book definitely livened up the series.
I was a dissapointed that two of my favorite characters were missing through out the majority of the book. I understand their absence was necessary to the story, but I missed them, haha. I'm not sure if by reading these books back to back that the level of writing has grown on me (these books are written for younger people) or if Rick Riordan's writing is maturing with each book. Either way I'm glad, as this makes the story more enjoyable. I wish I had read these books years ago.
This book ended on such an exciting discovery that it almost felt like a clifhanger. I can't wait to dive into the next book and continue the series.
Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.
I'm going to come right out and say that The Titan's Curse was probably my least favorite of the series. I think I have a little something called "third book syndrome" because the third is always my least favorite. I mean, it would make perfect sense. I skipped the "second book syndrome" gene... I got something much worse. But enough about me and my genes.
We came here to talk about the book, so I'll begin. Probably my biggest problem with this one was that there was no precursor. I felt like the beginning was lacking - just thrown into a secret mission I know nothing about? Jeez, I'm confused now. All of the others at least had some hint of what was going on. Not to mention the fact that Annabeth goes missing about a chapter in... and Percy without Annabeth? Well, he's a little bit off. I think that Annabeth really balances Percy out, so without her around to mediate, he was kind of... impetuous, but also... a bit sad.
And I just missed Annabeth - she's a big part of the books for me, so with out her there it kind of fell apart. I did like the introduction of new characters, though. Nico, Bianca and Thalia all have a great part to play, and each has a distinctly different personality. I enjoyed Thalia's fiery attitude and headstrong ways; a few times I was even sure that her and Percy were going to outright battle over something!
There were several unexpected twists, and a few expected ones. I had my suspicions about Bianca show more and Nico - it turns out that in the end, I was right. All in all, The Titan's Curse is my least favorite of all the Percy books, but obviously it holds information that is important to me. show less
I'm going to come right out and say that The Titan's Curse was probably my least favorite of the series. I think I have a little something called "third book syndrome" because the third is always my least favorite. I mean, it would make perfect sense. I skipped the "second book syndrome" gene... I got something much worse. But enough about me and my genes.
We came here to talk about the book, so I'll begin. Probably my biggest problem with this one was that there was no precursor. I felt like the beginning was lacking - just thrown into a secret mission I know nothing about? Jeez, I'm confused now. All of the others at least had some hint of what was going on. Not to mention the fact that Annabeth goes missing about a chapter in... and Percy without Annabeth? Well, he's a little bit off. I think that Annabeth really balances Percy out, so without her around to mediate, he was kind of... impetuous, but also... a bit sad.
And I just missed Annabeth - she's a big part of the books for me, so with out her there it kind of fell apart. I did like the introduction of new characters, though. Nico, Bianca and Thalia all have a great part to play, and each has a distinctly different personality. I enjoyed Thalia's fiery attitude and headstrong ways; a few times I was even sure that her and Percy were going to outright battle over something!
There were several unexpected twists, and a few expected ones. I had my suspicions about Bianca show more and Nico - it turns out that in the end, I was right. All in all, The Titan's Curse is my least favorite of all the Percy books, but obviously it holds information that is important to me. show less
Was this a good book? Yes, a little bit juvenile, but it was never boring. I still think that the flaws of this series are Grover and Percy, but even if they do appear a lot, there are some pretty awesome characters to balance. Also, Zoë Nightshade goes to my favourite characters/I-wish-they'd-give-you-a-spinoff/we-could-have-had-it-all list
Annabeth and the goddess Artemis are missing. Percy, Thalia, and Grover embark on a quest to find them before the winter solstice, just a few days away. Artemis is needed to vote at a meeting of the gods about the Titan issue. And well, Annabeth is Annabeth, and her friends are worried about her.
I've waited too long to write this review! I hate it when that happens!
This is another page turner in the Percy Jackson series, and it took lots of twists and turns that I did not see coming. I loved getting to know Thalia better. I had figured out some basic things about her, just knowing her background, but getting to see her in action was great! She and Percy are a little too much alike to click together well, but they're still friends and they still look out for each other. Annabeth was largely absent though, and I did miss her a lot.
There is some setup for the rest of the series, and I am curious to see where all this is going. Oh, and the monster everyone is worried about? What a shocker that was!
Highly recommended for fans of the series, and everyone should be a fan of this series!
I've waited too long to write this review! I hate it when that happens!
This is another page turner in the Percy Jackson series, and it took lots of twists and turns that I did not see coming. I loved getting to know Thalia better. I had figured out some basic things about her, just knowing her background, but getting to see her in action was great! She and Percy are a little too much alike to click together well, but they're still friends and they still look out for each other. Annabeth was largely absent though, and I did miss her a lot.
There is some setup for the rest of the series, and I am curious to see where all this is going. Oh, and the monster everyone is worried about? What a shocker that was!
Highly recommended for fans of the series, and everyone should be a fan of this series!
Ok, so this is the third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series and I am finally getting into the flow of the writing. The things that annoyed me in the first two books don’t have as much of an impact.
Percy still annoys me. He irritates me when he sees something and thinks it can’t be real.
“He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo’s kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.”
I mean seriously dude, your dad is a Greek God and you still doubt that something is possible! I have some to accept that I will never love Percy, but Annabeth and Grover (his main sidekicks) are growing on me. Also, just as in book 2, Riordan has created some really entertaining secondary characters so I can almost forgive him for Percy. I have some to appreciate him for who he is. It’s like Will & Grace, you don’t watch the show because you love Will and Grace! Heck no, they are practically boring. You watch it because Karen and Jack are two of the funniest people in the world of television. It doesn’t matter that the show is called Will & Grace, just like it doesn’t matter that it is the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. He is just the glue that holds the story together. You read it show more for the other characters, the secondary ones who carry the story and make it entertaining. Because although you may not care what happens to Percy, you really want to know how it ends and what the crazy Greek Gods will do next. show less
Percy still annoys me. He irritates me when he sees something and thinks it can’t be real.
“He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo’s kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.”
I mean seriously dude, your dad is a Greek God and you still doubt that something is possible! I have some to accept that I will never love Percy, but Annabeth and Grover (his main sidekicks) are growing on me. Also, just as in book 2, Riordan has created some really entertaining secondary characters so I can almost forgive him for Percy. I have some to appreciate him for who he is. It’s like Will & Grace, you don’t watch the show because you love Will and Grace! Heck no, they are practically boring. You watch it because Karen and Jack are two of the funniest people in the world of television. It doesn’t matter that the show is called Will & Grace, just like it doesn’t matter that it is the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. He is just the glue that holds the story together. You read it show more for the other characters, the secondary ones who carry the story and make it entertaining. Because although you may not care what happens to Percy, you really want to know how it ends and what the crazy Greek Gods will do next. show less
The third book in a great children's fantasy series that rivals the Harry Potter books, and in some ways is more fun. Percy Jackson, a half-blood demigod with a mortal mother and Poseidon for a father, is the subject of an ancient prophecy that says when he is 16 he will either save Olympus or aid in its destruction. This book continues the Titan Kronos' uprising of the Titans against the Olympian gods, and involves Atlas, Artemis, a couple of new half-bloods, and Annabeth's father. A fine enjoyable series that has a fair amount of mythology to teach, and one or two life lessons. What more could you ask for?
I don't think this one was nearly as engaging as the last adventure, but it was still a good read. There were enough hints of things to come that I'm still interested in going forward.
It's not everyday you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.
But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.
Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...
But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.
Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...
This book starts off with a big bang and the excitement never stops. The Half-blood gang manage to get themselves in a whole new world of trouble, like finding two new powerful demigods while fighting a manticore, searching for the kidnapped Goddess Artemis, and saving Anabeth who is believed to be dead.
I have to say, I was happy to learn more about the Hunters and the legend of Atlas. They were tied perfectly into the story and worked with the plot. I also liked their leader Zoe, although she was annoying to me at first, she was a wonderful addition to the group. I wasn't completely all that sure about Thalia at first. She kind of annoyed me during the book but she became more likeable as the story progressed. Besides, being stuck as a tree for seven years really does a number on you.
Percy continues to keep me deeply interested in the story and now that his flaw is out in the open and there is a possibility that Nico could be the one of the prophecy, the tension is intense. All in all, this was another great story by Rick Riordan and I just can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
I have to say, I was happy to learn more about the Hunters and the legend of Atlas. They were tied perfectly into the story and worked with the plot. I also liked their leader Zoe, although she was annoying to me at first, she was a wonderful addition to the group. I wasn't completely all that sure about Thalia at first. She kind of annoyed me during the book but she became more likeable as the story progressed. Besides, being stuck as a tree for seven years really does a number on you.
Percy continues to keep me deeply interested in the story and now that his flaw is out in the open and there is a possibility that Nico could be the one of the prophecy, the tension is intense. All in all, this was another great story by Rick Riordan and I just can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!
Percy Jackson is now 14, and finds himself (yet again) fighting monsters and getting himself into trouble. Luke is still building an army, and the titans are growing more powerful. As the titans grow in power, the worst beasts of mythology are resurfacing, joining the titan cause. Annabeth and the goddess Artemis have gone missing, and it’s up to a team of 5 young heroes and Hunters to find them. They trek across the country in their search, occasionally aided by a well-meaning god or goddess. Along the way, they encounter various foes that try to impede their progress and turn them to the titan’s cause.
As I’ve said in my reviews of The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters, these books are an excellent adventure story! Percy once again finds himself traveling across the country, running into a variety of mythical beasts and new friends. Unlike the previous books, the beasties in Titan’s Curse are bigger, meaner, and harder to defeat. The titans are continuing their efforts to rise again and defeat the gods, and old enemies continue in their efforts to destroy Percy and his friends.
This book does an excellent job of keeping the reader on their toes when trying to determine the motives of each character. Who will join which side? Who is truly good or truly evil? Who will stay on at Camp Half Blood, and who will go? Up to the last, you are surprised by actions of the characters and even encounter a couple of huge surprises that will definitely become major plot show more devices in the remaining books.
One thing I love about Rick Riordan’s writing is that everything has a purpose. When you meet a character, or the character notices something in their surroundings, you know it plays a part. Sometimes that part is immediately obvious, but other times they come up again later and surprise you! Generally I would complain that this trait tends to make a book predictable, however that was not the case with The Titan’s Curse. Up until the end, Riordan continued to drop plot twists that amazed me!
The one thing that continues to bother me about these books is how incredibly daft Percy seems to be! As mentioned in my review of Sea of Monsters, he refuses to learn anything about Greek mythology. He continues to find himself up against mythical beasts and wondering, “Who fought this before? How did they beat it?” If I suddenly learned I would be fighting the worst monsters in history, I’d go home and do my homework! And yet, another year passes with Percy never having any clue as to who the other characters are talking about or what sorts of monsters he’s facing! It’s no wonder Percy never goes on his quests alone, considering he’d be dead within a day on his own! Most of his success in battle can simply be attributed to miraculous amounts of luck- and not ingenuity or preparation.
Aside from Percy’s short-sightedness, this book is yet another installment in an exciting and interesting tale that I believe anyone, young or old, would enjoy! Percy Jackson takes you on a modern adventure through ancient Greek myths and legends and gives new life to the stories. The reading is quick and easy, and I got through the book within a day. If you enjoy escaping into a good book for a few hours, check out Percy Jackson! show less
As I’ve said in my reviews of The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters, these books are an excellent adventure story! Percy once again finds himself traveling across the country, running into a variety of mythical beasts and new friends. Unlike the previous books, the beasties in Titan’s Curse are bigger, meaner, and harder to defeat. The titans are continuing their efforts to rise again and defeat the gods, and old enemies continue in their efforts to destroy Percy and his friends.
This book does an excellent job of keeping the reader on their toes when trying to determine the motives of each character. Who will join which side? Who is truly good or truly evil? Who will stay on at Camp Half Blood, and who will go? Up to the last, you are surprised by actions of the characters and even encounter a couple of huge surprises that will definitely become major plot show more devices in the remaining books.
One thing I love about Rick Riordan’s writing is that everything has a purpose. When you meet a character, or the character notices something in their surroundings, you know it plays a part. Sometimes that part is immediately obvious, but other times they come up again later and surprise you! Generally I would complain that this trait tends to make a book predictable, however that was not the case with The Titan’s Curse. Up until the end, Riordan continued to drop plot twists that amazed me!
The one thing that continues to bother me about these books is how incredibly daft Percy seems to be! As mentioned in my review of Sea of Monsters, he refuses to learn anything about Greek mythology. He continues to find himself up against mythical beasts and wondering, “Who fought this before? How did they beat it?” If I suddenly learned I would be fighting the worst monsters in history, I’d go home and do my homework! And yet, another year passes with Percy never having any clue as to who the other characters are talking about or what sorts of monsters he’s facing! It’s no wonder Percy never goes on his quests alone, considering he’d be dead within a day on his own! Most of his success in battle can simply be attributed to miraculous amounts of luck- and not ingenuity or preparation.
Aside from Percy’s short-sightedness, this book is yet another installment in an exciting and interesting tale that I believe anyone, young or old, would enjoy! Percy Jackson takes you on a modern adventure through ancient Greek myths and legends and gives new life to the stories. The reading is quick and easy, and I got through the book within a day. If you enjoy escaping into a good book for a few hours, check out Percy Jackson! show less
Another good addition to the Percy Jackson series. Fast but fun read. I like these series, how Riordan blends Greek mythology into a modern US setting.
Third book in this pretty interesting YA series. Still full of action, mythological beasts and gods. I especially liked Artemis and couldn't help picturing Ares and Aphrodite as portrayed by the actors in Xena-Hercules way back when. So this time Percy meets Artemis and her army of huntress. A new quest where Annabeth is taken out of the game early on, we have a resolution to the Thalia problem and the creation of a new foe. The mythological angles is well done and with some humor (I especially like the junk yard of the gods in the middle of the Arizona desert). Quick paced and a fast read. I'm looking forward to the next book which I'll read in English since the French translation is not available yet.
The Titan's Curse is the third in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympian's series. I've already reviewed The Lightning Thief, book and film, as well as The Sea of Monsters, and if you've read any of those, you know I love this series.
For a fun YA read without the overly dramatic focus on burning, unrequited, tragic passion, there is nothing better than Percy Jackson. Fast-paced stories with unique, Greek-god-driven plot lines, this series is my guilty pleasure. I love the mythology present in the book, and I am intrigued by the whole Titans versus Olympians, mysterious prophecies, hero children elements of the stories. While many bemoan the fact these books are written for young adults, I love it. It makes for quick read for one. And honestly, I enjoy reading a YA book that actually reads like it was written for young adults.
For a fun YA read without the overly dramatic focus on burning, unrequited, tragic passion, there is nothing better than Percy Jackson. Fast-paced stories with unique, Greek-god-driven plot lines, this series is my guilty pleasure. I love the mythology present in the book, and I am intrigued by the whole Titans versus Olympians, mysterious prophecies, hero children elements of the stories. While many bemoan the fact these books are written for young adults, I love it. It makes for quick read for one. And honestly, I enjoy reading a YA book that actually reads like it was written for young adults.
Riordan, R. (2007). Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children.
1423101480
312 Pages
Appetizer: Set in winter, the third book in the Percy Jackson series begins with Percy, Annabeth and Thalia answering a call for assistance from Grover to come to Westover Hall in Maine. The satyr has found two more half-blood children of the Greek gods who could aid them against the mounting forces of the bad guys.
When Percy and his friends arrive they discover that the newly discovered half-bloods have also been discovered by the monsters as well. When a fight ensues, Percy is aided by a Greek goddess he has not met previously and the hunters who follow her. Yet, despite the assistance, Annabeth is still lost, potentially forever. While another prophecy is in the words, Percy is more concerned with trying to find his lost friend, a quest that will, once again, take Percy across the country to battle monsters and gods that want to overthrow the Olympian gods.
As the third book in the series, The Titan's Curse holds its place well, making many references to the previous novels and also setting more more of the conflicts for the rest of the series.
I have to say, I am impressed with the scope of Riordan's vision for this series/epic. Sure, he is re-presenting many of the classic characters of myth, but it's amazing the way he has brought them all together in this mounting tension over a possible war between the Titans and the show more Olympians.
*Slight spoiler for the second book* With Thalia back, I really liked the tension Riordan created between them over who was the hero of the prophecy that's driving this series. I liked that it could be used to discuss jealousies and attempts to share responsibilities. *end slight spoiler*
I also liked Riordan's interpretation of Artemis and her hunters. I found it particularly interesting since the young adult novel, Rampant (with killer unicorns!) had a very different approach. (While these books might be good to compare, it's important to note that they're intended for slightly different ages. Rampant is an upper-young adult novel and the Percy Jackson series tends to fall between middle grade and young adult territory)
ACTIVITIES:
An activity specific to this book of the series would be to focus on Apollo's interest in poetry. A teacher could share some poetic forms (haiku and limericks are directly mentioned) and have readers write their own poetry about the series or Greek gods in response. Or they could complete the limerick that begins "There once was a goddess from Sparta...."
More than some of the other books in this series, The Titan's Curse could be used to trigger discussion on the experience of having an absent father and the emotions and difficulties that can cause for a child.
This book could also be used to discuss jealousy, competition, gender roles, Greek mythology (of course!) and even the scary process of realizing you may *like* like one of your friends.
QUOTES OF NOTE:
"The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to a new boarding school. We picked up my friends Annabeth and Thalia on the way" (p. 1).
"Grover looked at Thalia desperately. I tried not to feel upset by that. Used to be, Grover looked at me for answers, but Thalia had more experience than any of us with fending off monsters n the real world" (p. 8).
"He raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."
The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before.
He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.
"Green grass breaks through snow.
Artemis pleads for my help.
I am so cool."
He grinned at us, waiting for applause.
"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.
Apollo frowned. "Was it?"
"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?"
"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.
Zoe Nightshade turned to us. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta--" (p. 47).
"Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The bane of Olympus shows the trial,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand" (p. 89).
TASTY RATING: !!! show less
1423101480
312 Pages
Appetizer: Set in winter, the third book in the Percy Jackson series begins with Percy, Annabeth and Thalia answering a call for assistance from Grover to come to Westover Hall in Maine. The satyr has found two more half-blood children of the Greek gods who could aid them against the mounting forces of the bad guys.
When Percy and his friends arrive they discover that the newly discovered half-bloods have also been discovered by the monsters as well. When a fight ensues, Percy is aided by a Greek goddess he has not met previously and the hunters who follow her. Yet, despite the assistance, Annabeth is still lost, potentially forever. While another prophecy is in the words, Percy is more concerned with trying to find his lost friend, a quest that will, once again, take Percy across the country to battle monsters and gods that want to overthrow the Olympian gods.
As the third book in the series, The Titan's Curse holds its place well, making many references to the previous novels and also setting more more of the conflicts for the rest of the series.
I have to say, I am impressed with the scope of Riordan's vision for this series/epic. Sure, he is re-presenting many of the classic characters of myth, but it's amazing the way he has brought them all together in this mounting tension over a possible war between the Titans and the show more Olympians.
*Slight spoiler for the second book* With Thalia back, I really liked the tension Riordan created between them over who was the hero of the prophecy that's driving this series. I liked that it could be used to discuss jealousies and attempts to share responsibilities. *end slight spoiler*
I also liked Riordan's interpretation of Artemis and her hunters. I found it particularly interesting since the young adult novel, Rampant (with killer unicorns!) had a very different approach. (While these books might be good to compare, it's important to note that they're intended for slightly different ages. Rampant is an upper-young adult novel and the Percy Jackson series tends to fall between middle grade and young adult territory)
ACTIVITIES:
An activity specific to this book of the series would be to focus on Apollo's interest in poetry. A teacher could share some poetic forms (haiku and limericks are directly mentioned) and have readers write their own poetry about the series or Greek gods in response. Or they could complete the limerick that begins "There once was a goddess from Sparta...."
More than some of the other books in this series, The Titan's Curse could be used to trigger discussion on the experience of having an absent father and the emotions and difficulties that can cause for a child.
This book could also be used to discuss jealousy, competition, gender roles, Greek mythology (of course!) and even the scary process of realizing you may *like* like one of your friends.
QUOTES OF NOTE:
"The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to a new boarding school. We picked up my friends Annabeth and Thalia on the way" (p. 1).
"Grover looked at Thalia desperately. I tried not to feel upset by that. Used to be, Grover looked at me for answers, but Thalia had more experience than any of us with fending off monsters n the real world" (p. 8).
"He raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."
The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before.
He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.
"Green grass breaks through snow.
Artemis pleads for my help.
I am so cool."
He grinned at us, waiting for applause.
"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.
Apollo frowned. "Was it?"
"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?"
"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.
Zoe Nightshade turned to us. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta--" (p. 47).
"Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The bane of Olympus shows the trial,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand" (p. 89).
TASTY RATING: !!! show less
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Halfway through the series and it's starting to get a bit repetitive, both the books and my reviews, I'm afraid.
Because I still really liked the mythology, which for me really is the strongest point of the series. I never particularly likes Percy or Annabeth, I mean they are nice enough but the teaming up of the smart girl and the not so smart but good boy who's going to save the world is something I've seen a bit too many times before. Therefore, neither of them really stood out. The mythology, however, did. (And I know this is not the only series using a lot of Greek mythology, but it's very cleverly done, positioning it in modern America. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to set the story in Europe).
Artemis and her Hunters were introduced in this book, and made the story for me. Also, the prophecy is getting more complicated still. I did start to get the feeling when reading this that the story follows the same structure every time (both in and between the books). While not my favourite, I still really enjoyed reading it.
Halfway through the series and it's starting to get a bit repetitive, both the books and my reviews, I'm afraid.
Because I still really liked the mythology, which for me really is the strongest point of the series. I never particularly likes Percy or Annabeth, I mean they are nice enough but the teaming up of the smart girl and the not so smart but good boy who's going to save the world is something I've seen a bit too many times before. Therefore, neither of them really stood out. The mythology, however, did. (And I know this is not the only series using a lot of Greek mythology, but it's very cleverly done, positioning it in modern America. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to set the story in Europe).
Artemis and her Hunters were introduced in this book, and made the story for me. Also, the prophecy is getting more complicated still. I did start to get the feeling when reading this that the story follows the same structure every time (both in and between the books). While not my favourite, I still really enjoyed reading it.
At this point I realized that all these books are the same. Percy starts at a school he's about to wash out of. He fights some monsters on campus. Return to Camp Half-Blood for a debriefing and a stupid camp game (like CTF). Gripe and wring your hands about a prophecy. Go on a quest that everyone says no to, to save some kidnapped friend/parent. Fight some things. Get in a confrontation with Draco Luke. Get drawn in by temptation a la some myth about Hercules or Orpheus or Homer. Have a fight scene where everything goes back to normal. Return to Camp Half-Blood. Hear ominous rumblings of prophecy. Sprinkle in some cuddly monsters and a few unimportant side characters. Forget to include character developments, and make sure that nothing changes by the end of the book.
Everyone knows how terrific these stories are, so let me just say that I find them getting more enjoyable as I read them and am looking forward to more. I appreciate that although there are complications in the relationships of the main friends, it isn't the main plot point, and they put them aside to get the work done.
Everything THE SEA OF MONSTERS did for me, THE TITAN'S CURSE managed to undo.
I just cannot figure out why these books start to bore me about half-way through. Maybe it's a lack of connection I have to Percy, irresponsible, cocky little kid that he is; maybe it's that the action scenes seem too contrived? I don't mind action and suspense in a book - but it's a constant roller-coaster in these books and by the time I'm halfway through I start to get a bit.. well.. motion-sick.
Here's the thing though. I did like the story, I loved the mythology. Really enjoyed the scene with Atlas, but the in-between parts and the various battles and joking and surfer-dude gods just kind of made the whole thing blah for me.
So I'm stuck in the middle on rating this book - because technically, there's really nothing wrong with it. I'm just lukewarm on the whole thing.
I just cannot figure out why these books start to bore me about half-way through. Maybe it's a lack of connection I have to Percy, irresponsible, cocky little kid that he is; maybe it's that the action scenes seem too contrived? I don't mind action and suspense in a book - but it's a constant roller-coaster in these books and by the time I'm halfway through I start to get a bit.. well.. motion-sick.
Here's the thing though. I did like the story, I loved the mythology. Really enjoyed the scene with Atlas, but the in-between parts and the various battles and joking and surfer-dude gods just kind of made the whole thing blah for me.
So I'm stuck in the middle on rating this book - because technically, there's really nothing wrong with it. I'm just lukewarm on the whole thing.
I thought this one was much better than the first two, and more like the Heroes of Olympus series in writing style; much more fun and compelling to read than the first two Percy Jacksons.
I can't even rate it lower than a 5.
Rick Riordan is such a talented writer it's amazing.
Now we read about the rising forces working with Kronos the evil dictator Titan lord that ruled before the times of the Olympians to take them down being led by Luke the shady son of Hermes that has tried to kill Percy a couple of times now. Because of that army's increasing number satyr's are working double time to recruit more and more heroes to camp to stand a chance. Grover has just been sent to take in a pair of siblings from a boarding school and asks Percy, Annabeth and the newly resuscitated Thalia daughter of Zeus for help. Little did they know that Lady Artemis, an olympian goddess also had her sights on one of the siblings, the young girl, to recruit her in her group of sworn maidens...but she wasn't the only one Artemis wanted.
But soon it seems that Artemis goes missing and it's up to Zoe the Huntress, Bianca di Angelo/newly recruited Huntress, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood and Percy Jackson (who crashes the rescue party) to find her before a very important meeting at Mount Olympus/Empire State Building that could determine how the war is fought against Kronos.
Ugh it had so much action, so many good twists on olympic god references and THE FEELS.
Seriously if you or a kid you know hasn't read the series you have to. Like now.
Rick Riordan is such a talented writer it's amazing.
Now we read about the rising forces working with Kronos the evil dictator Titan lord that ruled before the times of the Olympians to take them down being led by Luke the shady son of Hermes that has tried to kill Percy a couple of times now. Because of that army's increasing number satyr's are working double time to recruit more and more heroes to camp to stand a chance. Grover has just been sent to take in a pair of siblings from a boarding school and asks Percy, Annabeth and the newly resuscitated Thalia daughter of Zeus for help. Little did they know that Lady Artemis, an olympian goddess also had her sights on one of the siblings, the young girl, to recruit her in her group of sworn maidens...but she wasn't the only one Artemis wanted.
But soon it seems that Artemis goes missing and it's up to Zoe the Huntress, Bianca di Angelo/newly recruited Huntress, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood and Percy Jackson (who crashes the rescue party) to find her before a very important meeting at Mount Olympus/Empire State Building that could determine how the war is fought against Kronos.
Ugh it had so much action, so many good twists on olympic god references and THE FEELS.
Seriously if you or a kid you know hasn't read the series you have to. Like now.
Re-reading this series has made me remember why I loved it so much as a kid. Great world building, compelling characters, interesting plot. It's just overall a good time. Uncle Rick never disappoints.
Re-reading this series has made me remember why I loved it so much as a kid. Great world building, compelling characters, interesting plot. It's just overall a good time. Uncle Rick never disappoints.
The third instalment of The Olympians series featuring young hero Percy Jackson. The Satyrs have been sent out searching for new half-bloods to bring up the numbers at Camp for the impending war and it seems Grover has managed to find a couple at a boarding school in Maine. Percy, Annabeth & Thalia are sent to pick them up before the other side can make a grab for them. Events obviously don't go according to plan and off we set on the all-action ride that dominates this series. They end up needing help to survive an initial encounter which is provided by Artemis and her Hunters but not without some cost. The remaining companions and the Hunters are sent to Camp Half-Blood while Artemis goes off to Hunt a new evil. The oracle makes an appearance and it is time for a new quest. Percy almost misses out but manages to tag along anyway as the mad-cap thrill ride continues. Can he rescue his friend, save the goddess and prevail over the forces of evil once again?
A better story than the second, Sea of Monsters, and greater character interaction too. Readers with a higher degree of understanding in Greek mythology than I possess will certainly get a lot more out of these books than I do but they are quick and easy to read being aimed primarily at the younger end of the YA spectrum. The ending sets up the next book in the series and I will, at some point, continue as book four is already on the tbr shelves.
A better story than the second, Sea of Monsters, and greater character interaction too. Readers with a higher degree of understanding in Greek mythology than I possess will certainly get a lot more out of these books than I do but they are quick and easy to read being aimed primarily at the younger end of the YA spectrum. The ending sets up the next book in the series and I will, at some point, continue as book four is already on the tbr shelves.
I found the whole series somewhat predictable, was annoyed by Percy being so slow to understand things and was even bored a couple of times. The only thing that had me going was the Greek mythology, but it couldn't hold my interest for long. After reading two and a half books, I've finally given up. Had I read this series as a kid, I might have enjoyed it.
I feel like I always say this with RR books, but this was another solid addition to the series. Great story line, great character (we meet more gods!) and we see some old favorites as well. The tension is really starting to build and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next story. I would recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars.
I love Rick Riordan's writing style and the percy Jackson and the Olympians series is my faovrite of all his series. I love mythology and he does a great job of bring any and all mytholgy to life in a fresh and new way. I find the characters to be engaging and to feel really real. I love how he weaves the mythology into modern times so you feel like you are learning something as you are being entertained.
In the third installment of the tales of Percy Jackson, Percy is upset when Annabeth disappears because he doesn't know if she is still alive or not. He returns to Camp Halfblood and there he is teamed with Thalia, Grover, and 2 hunters (disciples of Artemis) to find the goddess Artemis and get her to the meeting of the Gods in time for the Winter solstice. Percy has dreams which show him Annabeth in trouble and throughout his adventures he is trying to find her while fulfilling his quest.
What I really enjoyed about this segment of the Percy Jackson series, was the inclusion of famous landmarks such as Hoover Dam and the Empire State building. It was so much fun to think of these places in a different ways.
The series is fun and reminds me of why, as a child, I was fascinated by mythology.
What I really enjoyed about this segment of the Percy Jackson series, was the inclusion of famous landmarks such as Hoover Dam and the Empire State building. It was so much fun to think of these places in a different ways.
The series is fun and reminds me of why, as a child, I was fascinated by mythology.
The motel read the series, the more invested I get in the characters. I was crying a it towards the end, I’ll admit. I do love the strategic timing of revealing the last bit of information about things or people and realizing that everything before fits into place better with the new understanding. Though things seem to be leading towards one thing at the end of this book, but it’ll be interesting to see how long it appears to stay on that track - Riordan has done a great job of making readers feel like things are going one way while actually building a path leading somewhere else.
Published Reviews
ThingScore 75
So it's funny, but it's also very exciting, with the gods behaving in that disgraceful and unpredictable way that gods do. Then there are the really bad guys. If you're familiar with these ancient characters, you'll be impressed by how Riordan handles them. If they're new to you, it's a gripping introduction.
added by stephmo
Readers who are familiar with ancient mythology will enjoy Riordan's tongue-in-cheek approach; those who aren't just might be tempted to go to the original sources to learn more.
added by stephmo
