''The Sea of Monsters'' is an
American fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...
-
adventure novel
Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction.
History
In the Introduction to the ''Encycloped ...
based on
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
written by
Rick Riordan
Richard Russell Riordan Junior (; born June 5, 1964) is an American author, best known for writing the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million co ...
and published in 2006. It is the second novel in the ''
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' is a series of five fantasy novels written by American author Rick Riordan, and the first book series in the '' Camp Half-Blood Chronicles''. The novels are set in a world with the Greek gods in the 21st centu ...
'' series and the sequel to ''
The Lightning Thief
''The Lightning Thief'' is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel written by Rick Riordan in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. It won the Adult Library Services Association Be ...
''. This book chronicles the adventures of thirteen-year-old
demigod
A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...
Percy Jackson
Perseus "Percy" Jackson is a fictional character, the title character and narrator of Rick Riordan's ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. He is also one of seven main protagonists of the sequel series '' The Heroes of Olympus'', appear ...
as he and his friends rescue his
satyr
In Greek mythology, a satyr ( grc-gre, σάτυρος, sátyros, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( grc-gre, σειληνός ), is a male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exa ...
friend
Grover
Grover is a blue Muppet character on the popular PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street''. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a blue monster who rarely uses contractions when he speaks or sings. Grover was originall ...
from the
Cyclops Polyphemus
Polyphemus (; grc-gre, Πολύφημος, Polyphēmos, ; la, Polyphēmus ) is the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology, one of the Cyclopes described in Homer's ''Odyssey''. His name means "abounding in songs and leg ...
and save Camp Half-Blood from a
Titan's attack by bringing the
Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece ( el, Χρυσόμαλλον δέρας, ''Chrysómallon déras'') is the fleece of the golden-woolled,, ''Khrusómallos''. winged ram, Chrysomallos, that rescued Phrixus and brought him to Colchis, where ...
to cure
Thalia's poisoned pine tree.
''The Sea of Monsters'' was released on April 1, 2006,
[ by ]Miramax Books
Miramax Books was an American publishing company started by Bob and Harvey Weinstein of Miramax Films to publish movie tie-ins. Between 2000 and 2005, while Jonathan Burnham was its president and editor-in-chief, the imprint published the memoirs ...
, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children[ and thus Disney Publishing (succeeded by the ]Disney Hyperion
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW), formerly known as The Disney Publishing Group and Buena Vista Publishing Group, is the publishing subsidiary of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its imprints inclu ...
imprint). It was generally well–received and was nominated for numerous awards, including the 2006 Book Sense
IndieBound is a marketing movement for independent bookstores launched in 2008 by the American Booksellers Association. With resources targeted for "indie" booksellers, it promotes fiscal localism. IndieBound's curated reading lists include the I ...
Top Ten Summer Pick and the 2009 Mark Twain Award
The Mark Twain Readers Award, or simply Mark Twain Award, is a children's book award which annually recognizes one book selected by vote of Missouri schoolchildren from a list prepared by librarians and volunteer readers. It is now one of four M ...
. It sold over 100,000 copies in paperback with over one million copies total and was released in audiobook format on September 6, 2006. ''The Sea of Monsters'' is followed by ''The Titan's Curse
''The Titan's Curse'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan. It was released on May 1, 2007, and is the third novel in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series and the sequel to '' The Sea o ...
'', the third book of the five books in the series.
A film adaptation of the book, '' Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters'', was released on August 7, 2013.
Plot
The novel begins with Percy dreaming about Grover being hunted by a monster. He wakes on the last day of his seventh-grade year, a peaceful year at Meriwether College Prep. There he has become friends with Tyson, a homeless child that the school has taken on as a form of charity. In gym class, during a game of dodgeball, Percy is attacked by a gang of Laestrygonians but is saved by Tyson and Annabeth, who was on her way back to Camp Half-Blood after having dreams about the camp in danger. The three take a magical taxi driven by the Graeae
In Greek mythology the Graeae ( grc, Γραῖαι; ; English translation: "old women", "grey ones", or "grey witches"; alternatively spelled Graiai and Graiae) were three sisters who had gray hair from their birth and shared one eye and one t ...
to Long Island. Upon reaching the camp, they see a group of campers led by Clarisse LaRue battling a pair of Colchis bulls. Tyson is granted permission to move past the camp's boundary to save Percy once again. It is revealed that he is a baby Cyclops and a half-brother of Percy, as he is also a son of Poseidon. An unknown enemy has weakened the protective walls of Camp Half-Blood by poisoning the tree of the demigod Thalia, leaving the campers vulnerable to future monster attacks. Camp counselor Chiron is accused of poisoning the tree and is fired. Before leaving, Chiron notes that only the Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece ( el, Χρυσόμαλλον δέρας, ''Chrysómallon déras'') is the fleece of the golden-woolled,, ''Khrusómallos''. winged ram, Chrysomallos, that rescued Phrixus and brought him to Colchis, where ...
could save the camp. Shortly thereafter, Stymphalian birds attack during the chariot races, but Percy and Annabeth distract them with Chiron's boombox and Dean Martin's " Volare", enabling the Apollo campers to shoot them down.
Due to his charm and skill with a sword, Tantalus
Tantalus ( grc, Τάνταλος ) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the wate ...
becomes the new camp counselor. As a reward for winning the chariot race, Tantalus sends Clarisse LaRue to find the Golden Fleece and forbids anyone else from leaving camp without his permission. After having a talk with the god Hermes about the fate of his son Luke, Percy leaves camp with Annabeth and Tyson to find Grover. With the help of the hippocampus that Tyson names Rainbow, the trio reach the ''Princess Andromeda'', a cruise ship filled with monsters and demigods that allied with the titan Kronos. On the ship, they are captured by Luke Castellan and learn that he is working to revive Kronos. The trio narrowly escapes on an emergency lifeboat and takes shelter in a hideout that Annabeth, Thalia, and Luke built as children. There, a hydra finds and attacks them, but they are saved by Clarisse on her ship, the ''CSS Birmingham.''
Annabeth, Percy, and Tyson join Clarisse's quest and journey to the Bermuda Triangle (also known as the Sea of Monsters). To enter the Sea of Monsters, the ship tries to pass between Charybdis and Scylla, who attack and destroy it. Clarisse gets separated from the others while Tyson is seemingly killed in the explosion so Percy and Annabeth board a lifeboat and head to the nearest island. Like Odysseus, after traveling through the narrow strait that Charybdis and Scylla guarded, the two land on the island of the witch-queen Circe. Realizing that she has turned dozens of men into guinea pigs, they escape on the famous pirate's ship ''Queen Anne's Revenge
''Queen Anne's Revenge'' was an early-18th-century ship, most famously used as a flagship by Edward Teach, better known by his nickname Blackbeard. Although the date and place of the ship's construction are uncertain, it was originally believed ...
'' which Percy can control, while leaving Blackbeard
Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known abou ...
and his crew to deal with Circe. Percy and Annabeth pass the Sirens, and Annabeth confesses her insecurities to Percy.
They reach the island of Percy's half-brother, the cyclops Polyphemus
Polyphemus (; grc-gre, Πολύφημος, Polyphēmos, ; la, Polyphēmus ) is the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology, one of the Cyclopes described in Homer's ''Odyssey''. His name means "abounding in songs and leg ...
where they discover that he has captured Clarisse. Before journeying to the center of the island, Percy and Annabeth meet Grover pretending to be a female cyclops to trick Polyphemus into not eating him. Tyson arrives to help as well, having been rescued by Rainbow from the ''Birmingham's'' wreckage. They find the Golden Fleece, but Polyphemus destroys the ''Queen Anne's Revenge'', forcing the group to escape on Rainbow and a few other hippocampi. In Miami, Percy realizes that Clarisse must fly back to camp alone as per her prophecy, but he and the others are captured by Luke. Taken aboard the ''Princess Andromeda'', Percy manages to make contact with Camp Half-Blood through the goddess Iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
and tricks Luke into confessing, exonerating Chiron who is reinstated. An enraged Luke battles Percy, but Chiron and several other centaurs known as the Party Ponies arrive to rescue them and Chiron explains that he is mistrusted as Kronos is his father.
The Golden Fleece is hung on Thalia's pine tree, and the tree is cured. Grover is given a furlough on his quest to find the god Pan, having cleared the obstacle of Polyphemus luring in searchers through the Golden Fleece. The camp holds a second chariot race which Percy and Annabeth win with the help of Tyson who departs after accepting an offer from Poseidon to work in the god's underwater Cyclops forges. However, the Fleece's magic is too strong and it resurrects Thalia, providing another possible demigod for the Great Prophecy, which Percy realizes was Kronos' intention all along.
Characters
; Percy Jackson
Perseus "Percy" Jackson is a fictional character, the title character and narrator of Rick Riordan's ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. He is also one of seven main protagonists of the sequel series '' The Heroes of Olympus'', appear ...
: The son of Poseidon
Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...
; a 13-year-old demigod
A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...
who goes to the island of Polyphemus
Polyphemus (; grc-gre, Πολύφημος, Polyphēmos, ; la, Polyphēmus ) is the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology, one of the Cyclopes described in Homer's ''Odyssey''. His name means "abounding in songs and leg ...
in the Bermuda Triangle to find Grover
Grover is a blue Muppet character on the popular PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street''. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a blue monster who rarely uses contractions when he speaks or sings. Grover was originall ...
and recover the Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece ( el, Χρυσόμαλλον δέρας, ''Chrysómallon déras'') is the fleece of the golden-woolled,, ''Khrusómallos''. winged ram, Chrysomallos, that rescued Phrixus and brought him to Colchis, where ...
. He is accompanied by Annabeth and Tyson, his half-brother, on the quest. He is successful in the end and gives Clarisse the Fleece while he is attacked by Luke on his way to the Camp. However, he and his friends are rescued by Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs".
Biography
Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
and the Party Ponies.
; Annabeth Chase
A description of most characters featured in various mythology series by Rick Riordan.
Overview
List indicator(s)
* A dark grey cell indicates that the character was not in the property or that the character's presence in the property has yet to ...
: The daughter of Athena. A demigod
A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...
who is 13 years old and a friend of Percy. She accompanies him to the island and helps him in his quest by rescuing Percy from Circe's island. Annabeth is injured by Polyphemus and recovers with the help of the Golden Fleece. She accompanies Percy to Camp after Chiron succeeds in rescuing them from the hands of Luke and the Titan army.
; Grover Underwood
A description of most characters featured in various mythology series by Rick Riordan.
Overview
List indicator(s)
* A dark grey cell indicates that the character was not in the property or that the character's presence in the property has yet to ...
: The guard for Percy given by the gods, a satyr who has been captured by Polyphemus
Polyphemus (; grc-gre, Πολύφημος, Polyphēmos, ; la, Polyphēmus ) is the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology, one of the Cyclopes described in Homer's ''Odyssey''. His name means "abounding in songs and leg ...
during his search for the wild god Pan. Due to his poor eyesight, Polyphemus mistakes Grover for a female Cyclops. He is rescued by his friends Percy and Annabeth.
; Clarisse La Rue: Daughter of Ares who was given the quest of retrieving the Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece ( el, Χρυσόμαλλον δέρας, ''Chrysómallon déras'') is the fleece of the golden-woolled,, ''Khrusómallos''. winged ram, Chrysomallos, that rescued Phrixus and brought him to Colchis, where ...
. With the help of Percy and his friends, she is successful in her quest. Percy gives her the Fleece that she takes to Camp Half-Blood. Polyphemus wishes to wed her after it is revealed to him that Grover is a male satyr.
; Luke Castellan: The main antagonist, now 20; works for Kronos. He captures Percy and the rest before being thwarted by Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs".
Biography
Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
and his brethren, the Party Ponies.
; Tyson the Cyclops: Percy's half brother; he is initially portrayed as a homeless child before Annabeth helps Percy realize that he is a Cyclops. After being claimed by Poseidon, Tyson experiences a great deal of prejudice against his race, although he befriends Charles Beckendorf who trains him in metalworking. He accompanies Percy and Annabeth in their quest and befriends a hippocampus whom he names Rainbow. He is very big and has one brown eye. When Clarisse's ship explodes, he is presumed dead until it is learned that he survived due to his immunity to fire and Rainbow rescuing him from the wreckage. Displaying a talent in metalworking, Tyson accepts an offer to work in Poseidon's underwater Cyclops forges and he crafts Percy a wristwatch shield as well as weapons for the second chariot race.
; Tantalus
Tantalus ( grc, Τάνταλος ) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the wate ...
: An ancient king and the demigod son of Zeus who was cursed for cooking his son and feeding him to the gods. As a punishment, Zeus killed Tantalus and took him to Hades in the Underworld who cursed him to always suffer starvation and thirst which takes the form of food and drink always moving away from him no matter what Tantalus does. After Chiron is fired under suspicion of poisoning Thalia's pine tree, Tantalus is hired as the new activities director at Camp Half-Blood where he is shown to be sadistic and cruel, greatly enjoying tormenting Percy and his friends and blatantly showing favoritism towards Clarisse La Rue. Tantalus reinstates the camp's chariot races and is more concerned with the outcome than the attack by Stymphalian birds. After Percy tricks Luke into confessing and exonerates Chiron, Dionysus dismisses Tantalus who is returned to the Underworld. In his last moments on Earth, Tantalus' curse appears to finally break as he catches a cheeseburger, but he is returned to the Underworld before he can eat it.
; Charles Beckendorf: The friendly fifteen-year-old head of the Hephaestus cabin who goes only by his last name. Due to his father employing Cyclopes in his forges, Beckendorf lacks the prejudice towards Tyson that the other campers have and as a result, he befriends Tyson and trains him in metalworking. Beckendorf sets up the chariot race tracks and he faces off with Percy and Annabeth in the final race and is defeated thanks to Tyson's wristwatch shield invention.
; Rainbow: A friendly hippocampus summoned by Percy for a ride to the ''Princess Andromeda'' who also befriends Tyson. He later rescues Tyson from the wreckage of the ''CSS Birmingham'' and helps to carry Percy and his friends to Miami. He transports Tyson to the underwater Cyclops forges of Poseidon at the end of the book.
; Agrius and Oreius: The mythical bear twins who act as Luke's henchmen throughout the book. During Chiron's rescue mission, one of the Party Ponies kills Oreius with an arrow through the head as he prepares to rip apart Annabeth and Grover. Agrius is left so stunned that Blackjack the pegasus can break free, kick Agrius in the head, killing him, and escape.
; Circe
Circe (; grc, , ) is an enchantress and a minor goddess in ancient Greek mythology and religion. She is either a daughter of the Titan Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse or the goddess Hecate and Aeëtes. Circe was renowned for her vas ...
: A Greek goddess of magic and the daughter of Hecate
Hecate or Hekate, , ; grc-dor, Ἑκάτᾱ, Hekátā, ; la, Hecatē or . is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depict ...
and Helios who runs a spa on an island in the Sea of Monsters. Over the centuries, she is shown to have captured numerous ships and planes that have entered the Sea of Monsters, also known to mortals as the Bermuda Triangle, and transforms men into guinea pigs while giving women a spa treatment. Many of the men are then sold as classroom pets while she keeps the most troublesome in a cage. When Percy and Annabeth arrive on the island, Circe transforms Percy into a guinea pig, but Annabeth can break the spell by using special multivitamins provided by Hermes which also make Annabeth temporarily immune to her magic. Annabeth inadvertently turns back Circe's other caged victims, including Blackbeard and his crew who overrun the island while Percy and Annabeth escape on the ''Queen Anne's Revenge
''Queen Anne's Revenge'' was an early-18th-century ship, most famously used as a flagship by Edward Teach, better known by his nickname Blackbeard. Although the date and place of the ship's construction are uncertain, it was originally believed ...
''.
; Reyna Ramírez-Arellano: The demigod daughter of Bellona who appears as one of the attendants on Circe's island who looks after Annabeth. Although she is unnamed in ''The Sea of Monsters'', she is identified as one of Circe's attendants in the book ''The Son of Neptune
''The Son of Neptune'' is a 2011 fantasy-adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the second book in '' The Heroes of Olympus'' series, preceded by ''The Lost Hero'' and followed by ...
'' and ''The Mark of Athena
''The Mark of Athena'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It was published on October 2, 2012, and is the third book in ''The Heroes of Olympus'' series, a sequel of the ''Percy Ja ...
'' with Annabeth specifically recognizing her in the latter.
; Hylla Ramírez-Arellano: The demigod daughter of Bellona who appears as an attendant on Circe's island, specifically the one who greets Percy and Annabeth upon their arrival on the island. While she is only addressed as Hylla in ''The Sea of Monsters'', she reappears as the Queen of the Amazons in ''The Son of Neptune
''The Son of Neptune'' is a 2011 fantasy-adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the second book in '' The Heroes of Olympus'' series, preceded by ''The Lost Hero'' and followed by ...
'' where Percy recognizes her from their previous meeting.
; Blackbeard
Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known abou ...
: The famous pirate who is also a demigod son of Ares. Captured and turned into a guinea pig centuries before by Circe along with his crew, he is inadvertently set free by Annabeth and he is left marooned on the island when Percy and Annabeth steal the ''Queen Anne's Revenge
''Queen Anne's Revenge'' was an early-18th-century ship, most famously used as a flagship by Edward Teach, better known by his nickname Blackbeard. Although the date and place of the ship's construction are uncertain, it was originally believed ...
'' to escape. In ''The Son of Neptune
''The Son of Neptune'' is a 2011 fantasy-adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the second book in '' The Heroes of Olympus'' series, preceded by ''The Lost Hero'' and followed by ...
'', ''The Mark of Athena
''The Mark of Athena'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It was published on October 2, 2012, and is the third book in ''The Heroes of Olympus'' series, a sequel of the ''Percy Ja ...
'' and ''The Blood of Olympus
''The Blood of Olympus'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It was released on October 7, 2014, is the fifth and final novel in '' The Heroes of Olympus'' series. It is followed by ...
'', it's revealed that he had subsequently destroyed the island's resort and escaped with Reyna and Hylla as his slaves before they forced him to let them go.
; Blackjack: A pure black pegasus who makes a cameo as Luke's prisoner and unwilling steed near the end of the book. He makes his escape when Chiron rescues Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson, killing Agrius who had been holding Blackjack prisoner for Luke. As revealed in ''The Titan's Curse
''The Titan's Curse'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan. It was released on May 1, 2007, and is the third novel in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series and the sequel to '' The Sea o ...
'', Blackjack, crediting Percy with his escape, subsequently followed him back to Camp Half-Blood where he becomes Percy's loyal friend and steed.
; Thalia Grace
A description of most characters featured in various mythology series by Rick Riordan.
Overview
List indicator(s)
* A dark grey cell indicates that the character was not in the property or that the character's presence in the property has yet to ...
: The demigod daughter of Zeus
Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...
and a childhood friend of Luke, Annabeth, and Grover who mainly appears through dreams. Several years before the book, she was killed in a monster attack and turned into the pine tree
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden ac ...
that powers the borders of the camp which is now in danger due to Luke poisoning it. After the Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece ( el, Χρυσόμαλλον δέρας, ''Chrysómallon déras'') is the fleece of the golden-woolled,, ''Khrusómallos''. winged ram, Chrysomallos, that rescued Phrixus and brought him to Colchis, where ...
is used to cure the tree, Thalia is resurrected by the Fleece's power in another attempt by Kronos to control the Great Prophecy.
Critical reception
''The Sea of Monsters'' received generally positive reviews with reviewers praising the storyline, the themes and the author's style of writing. "In a feat worthy of his heroic subjects, Riordan crafts a sequel stronger than his compelling debut," said a ''Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
'' review. ''School Library Journal
''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...
'' singled out the novel's plot and main character, stating, "Percy is an appealing kid, and the subject of a chilling prophecy may resonate with readers." '' Child'' magazine wrote, "Featuring the cliff-hangers and sassy attitude kids loved in ''The Lightning Thief'' – plus a surprising new family secret – this outstanding sequel should win over a fresh legion of fans." ''Children's Literature'' called the writing extraordinary and added, "This book, sequel to ''The Lightning Thief'', is an amazing mixture of mythology and young adult fiction." Matt Berman, of Common Sense Media, praised the book, saying "The Percy Jackson series continues to be pure fun, with the author doing nearly everything right to produce a book that few kids will be able to resist." Norah Piehl of Kidsreads.com lauded the style of the book, and noted similarities with its prequel. It sold over 100,000 copies in hardcover by the time paperback copies were released in April 2007.
However, '' Kirkus Reviews'' was critical of the book, writing, "it's doubtful Percy wouldn't guess Tyson's otherworldly connection immediately after the dodgeball game ... some of the humor will zip over the heads of the target audience" although they added, "Percy's sardonic narration and derring-do would keep the pages turning."
Awards
* 2006 Book Sense
IndieBound is a marketing movement for independent bookstores launched in 2008 by the American Booksellers Association. With resources targeted for "indie" booksellers, it promotes fiscal localism. IndieBound's curated reading lists include the I ...
Top Ten Summer Pick
* 2006 '' Child'' magazine Best Book
* 2006 Kirkus Reviews Best Fantasy Sequel
* 2006 Barnes & Noble Best of 2006 for Kids & Teens
* 2006 Voice of Youth Advocates
''Voice of Youth Advocates'' (''VOYA'') is a bimonthly magazine that provides book reviews and information for librarians with a focus on young adult materials.
History and profile
''VOYA'' was established in 1978. The founders are Dorothy Brode ...
(VOYA) Top Shelf Fiction Pick for Middle School Readers
* 2007 Cooperative Children's Book Center choice
* 2007 Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. YALSA is a national association of librarians, library workers and advocates whose mission is to expand the capacity of l ...
(YALSA) Best Book for Young Adults
* 2009 Mark Twain Award
The Mark Twain Readers Award, or simply Mark Twain Award, is a children's book award which annually recognizes one book selected by vote of Missouri schoolchildren from a list prepared by librarians and volunteer readers. It is now one of four M ...
(Riordan's ''The Lightning Thief
''The Lightning Thief'' is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel written by Rick Riordan in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. It won the Adult Library Services Association Be ...
'' won the previous year)
Adaptations
Audiobook
On September 6, 2006, a seven-hour and 54 minute audiobook
An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements.
Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
version of ''The Sea of Monsters'', read by actor Jesse Bernstein, who also narrated ''The Lightning Thief
''The Lightning Thief'' is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel written by Rick Riordan in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. It won the Adult Library Services Association Be ...
''s audiobook, was published worldwide by Listening Library
Penguin Random House LLC is an Anglo-American multinational conglomerate publishing company formed on July 1, 2013, from the merger of Penguin Group and Random House.
On April 2, 2020, Bertelsmann announced the completion of its purchase of P ...
.
'' AudioFile'' magazine praised the audiobook, raving, "This action-packed book (second in a series) will delight fans of Percy Jackson, the half-blood son of Poseidon, as Percy once again battles mythical monsters in modern-day settings while on his mission to save the tree that guards Camp Half-Blood." They praised Bernstein, saying "Narrator Jesse Berns helps listeners slip right into the oddly engaging world that Riordan creates, in which contemporary teen characters and those from classical mythology intermingle" and that he could successfully portray teenagers while keeping the pace fast allowing listeners time to revel in the book's humor. Auditions have already been cast for this yet-to-be blockbuster. There may still be a few spaces for extras, though. The magazine ''Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
'' raved about Bernstein's "snappy delivery and all the right funny touches" that made the "action-packed fantasy such fun."
Film adaptation
Following the box office and DVD success of the movie, '' Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'', a film adaptation of ''The Sea of Monsters'' was first reported in early 2011. In fall 2011, it was confirmed that 20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
would release the film on March 27, 2013. Filming began in April 2012. In February 2012, Mary Birdsong
Mary Evans Birdsong (born April 18, 1968) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and singer. She has worked in the theater and voiceover work and is a regular cast member on '' Reno 911!''
Early life
Birdsong was born in Florida and grew u ...
, Missi Pyle
Missi Pyle (born November 16, 1972) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in a number of successful films, including ''Galaxy Quest'' (1999), '' Big Fish'' (2003), ''Bringing Down the House'' (2003), '' Dodgeball: A True Underdog ...
and Yvette Nicole Brown
Yvette Nicole Brown (born August 12, 1971) is an American actress, comedian, writer and host. She starred as Shirley Bennett on the NBC sitcom ''Community'', as Dani in the 2015 version of '' The Odd Couple'' on CBS and as Dina Rose on the AB ...
were cast as the Gray Sisters. In March 2012, Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion (; born March 27, 1971) is a Canadian-American actor. He played the leading roles of Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds on '' Firefly'' and its film continuation '' Serenity'', and Richard Castle on '' Castle''. , he was starring as J ...
joined the cast as Hermes and Anthony Head
Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954) is an English actor and singer. Primarily a performer in musical theatre, he rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s following his role in the Gold Blend couple television advertisements for Nescafé, w ...
, replacing Pierce Brosnan, as Chiron. In April 2012, Paloma Kwiatkowski was cast as Thalia and ''The Hunger Games
''The Hunger Games'' is a series of young adult dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The first three novels are part of a trilogy following teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and the fourth book is a prequel set 6 ...
'' star Leven Rambin
Leven Rambin is an American actress. She is known for playing look-alike half-sisters Lily Montgomery and Ava Benton on '' All My Children'', and for her recurring roles on ''Grey's Anatomy'' and '' Gone'', as well as '' Terminator: The Sarah Co ...
has been cast as Clarisse La Rue. It was announced on May 8, 2012, that the film had moved up to March 15, 2013, but was later postponed for an August 16, 2013 release. Fox decided on a final release date for August 7, 2013. Logan Lerman
Logan Wade Lerman (born January 19, 1992) is an American actor. He is known for playing the titular role in the fantasy-adventure ''Percy Jackson'' films. He appeared in commercials in the mid-1990s, before starring in the series ''Jack & Bobb ...
returned as Percy Jackson in the movie. Jake Abel
Jacob Allen Abel (born November 18, 1987) is an American actor. He has appeared in the film adaptations of the young adult novels ''Percy Jackson'' (2010–2013), ''I Am Number Four'' (2011), and '' The Host'' (2013), along with portraying musi ...
also reprised his role as Luke Castellan. In January 2012, ''The Secret Circle'' star Grey Damon
Grey Damon (born September 24, 1987) is an American actor, known for his roles in '' Friday Night Lights'', ''The Nine Lives of Chloe King'' and ''Station 19''. He resides in Los Angeles. Beginning with its premiere on May 28, 2015, Damon co-sta ...
was cast as Chris Rodriguez.
Graphic novel
''The Sea of Monsters'' was published as a graphic novel on June 2, 2013.
Sequel
The novel was followed by ''The Titan's Curse
''The Titan's Curse'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan. It was released on May 1, 2007, and is the third novel in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series and the sequel to '' The Sea o ...
'', released on May 1, 2007. In ''The Titan's Curse'', Percy, Grover, Annabeth and Thalia go to a school to recruit two powerful demigods. Like its predecessors, this book was well received and reviewers praised its humorous style and the plot of the story.
References
External links
Rick Riordan Myth Master
at publisher Penguin Books (UK)
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
at publisher Disney-Hyperion Books (US)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sea Of Monsters
2006 American novels
Action novels
2006 fantasy novels
American fantasy novels adapted into films
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Bermuda Triangle in fiction
Novels set in Long Island
2006 children's books
Cultural depictions of Blackbeard
Novels by Rick Riordan
Mark Twain Awards