Percy Jackson and 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 century, and follows the protagonist Percy Jackson, a young demigod who must prevent the Titans, led by Kronos (Cronus), from destroying the world.

The first three books were published in the United States by Miramax Books before it was folded into Hyperion Books, which published the following books. All the books were published in the United Kingdom by Penguin Books versions of each book, have also been released. the books have sold more than 180 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling book series of all time. Two sequel series, ''The Heroes of Olympus'' and ''The Trials of Apollo'', follow.

The first book was adapted into a film titled '' Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'' in 2010, which was commercially successful, but received mixed reviews from critics and the audience as it has very few similarities to the book. An adaptation of the second book, titled '' Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters'', was released in 2013, also to mixed reviews. A TV series based on the novels is currently in production for Disney+.

Origins

Development for the ''Percy Jackson'' series commenced when Rick Riordan began telling bedtime stories for his son Haley Riordan, who had at the time been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. His son, Haley, had been studying Greek mythology in second grade and requested that his father tell him bedtime stories based on Greek myths. When Rick Riordan ran out of myths, his son suggested that he would make up new stories using existing mythological characters and new ones. This led Riordan to create the fictional character of Percy Jackson and create the story of him traveling across the United States to recover Zeus's lightning bolt, which was thought to be done by Hades. Haley suggested that he should turn that story into a book, and Riordan wrote the first book, later becoming known as ''The Lightning Thief'', over the next year despite being busy at that time.

Leaving his manuscript with his agent and editor for review, Rick Riordan presented the book to a group of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders to read and critique. He gained their approval, and with their help, came up with the name of the book and created the way Percy's sword works. In 2004, the book was sold to Miramax Books for enough money for Riordan to quit his job and focus on writing. After it was released on 28 June 2005, it sold over 1.2 million copies. The book was released in multiple versions, including hardcover, paperback and audio editions. It has been translated into multiple languages and published all over the world.

Plot

Set in the mid-2000s, the series follows the story of Perseus "Percy" Jackson, a boy who discovers he is a demigod son of Poseidon. He was abandoned by his father because of an oath made by the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades), the sons of Kronos, to not father any more children after World War II. The oath was sworn since the demigod children of the three gods are too powerful and have potential for great bloodshed (in-universe, World War II was a fight between children of the Big Three). Percy's journey turns even more electrifying when he discovers that numerous people and ancient monsters are trying to kill him due to his status as a demigod, latent strength, and growing influence in the Greek world. Percy also finds out that there are even more demigods like him in Camp Half-Blood, a training camp in Long Island.

With his friend Annabeth Chase, and his best friend and companion Grover Underwood (a satyr who Percy finds out is actually his protector), his journey across the frightening mystic worlds begins. Percy soon finds himself fulfilling extraordinary quests, prophecies, and fighting battles with and for the gods against the rising threat of the Titans. He also finds himself at a crossroads: either he helps in the destruction of the world, or in preserving it.

Books

''The Lightning Thief''

''The Lightning Thief'' is the first book in the series and was released on June 28, 2005.

When Percy Jackson comes home for summer vacation, he and his mortal mother Sally Jackson travel to their cabin in Montauk to escape Percy's stepdad, Gabe Ugliano. However, the trip is cut short after a series of harrowing incidents, including an attack by the Minotaur, resulting in the disappearance of his mother. Percy finds himself at Camp Half-Blood, a training camp for demigods, and discovers that he too is a demigod, son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Percy also learns that his best friend, Grover Underwood, is actually a satyr (a forest spirit with horns, a human torso, and a goat's lower body), and that Zeus has accused Percy of having stolen his Master Bolt, the most powerful weapon in the universe. To clear his name, save the world from another war between the Olympian gods, and possibly save his mother, Percy sets out to retrieve the lightning bolt from Hades, who is suspected of being the real thief, after hearing a prophecy from an oracle at Camp Half-Blood. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth Chase, a daughter of Athena, start on a journey to the underworld, facing numerous mythological monsters on the way. After confronting an innocent Hades, they learn that their friend Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, is the real thief who stole the lightning bolt to allow Kronos, the defeated King of the Titans from the past, a chance to rise again and that Ares, the Greek god of war, helped cover up Luke's crime in order to instigate a war between Olympians. Percy fights Ares and Luke. He barely survived after being bitten by a pit scorpion. He later finds his mother, safe at home.

The book was adapted into a film by Chris Columbus and 20th Century Fox, under the title '' Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'', and it was released on February 12, 2010.

''The Sea of Monsters''

''The Sea of Monsters'' is the second installment in the series, released on April 1, 2006.

Camp Half-Blood is under attack when Thalia's tree, which guards the borders of the camp from the clutches of monsters, is poisoned and slowly begins to die. The camp director is accused and replaced. In order to save the tree and the camp, someone must recover the Golden Fleece, which is somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the Bermuda Triangle. At the same time, Percy finds out that Grover, who has left on a quest to find the missing god Pan, has been captured by the Cyclops Polyphemus and that the Fleece is on Polyphemus' island. Percy sets out to rescue Grover with Annabeth and his Cyclops half-brother Tyson, even though Tantalus, who had replaced Chiron as the camp's activities director, has prohibited him from doing so. Meanwhile, Ares' daughter Clarisse La Rue is sent on an official quest by Camp Half-Blood to retrieve the Fleece. The trip to the Sea of Monsters is long and hazardous, and along the way the heroes encounter several dangers including Scylla and Charybdis, the sorceress Circe, the Sirens, and their former friend Luke Castellan. Percy also learns of a prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi: A child of one of "the Big Three" most important gods (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) will play a vital part in the success or failure of resurrecting Kronos the Titan-King and saving Olympus. After encountering Luke, the heroes eventually retrieve the Fleece and restore Thalia's tree, unknowingly resurrecting Thalia, daughter of Zeus. She had been turned into the tree by her father after she sacrificed herself so Annabeth and Luke could get safely to Camp Half-Blood six years prior.

The book was adapted into a film by Thor Freudenthal and 20th Century Fox, under the title '' Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters'', and was released on August 7, 2013.

''The Titan's Curse''

''The Titan's Curse'' is the third installment in the series. It was released on May 11, 2007.

On a mission to rescue the half-bloods Bianca and Nico di Angelo; Percy, Annabeth, Thalia and Grover are attacked by a Manticore, and rescued by the goddess Artemis and her Hunters. However, Annabeth falls off a cliff while fighting the manticore and is captured. Later, Artemis is captured by Luke's army while on the hunt for the Ophiotaurus, a cow-serpent monster that was foretold to bring the downfall of Olympus when its entrails are sacrificed. Artemis' lieutenant Zoë Nightshade, daughter of Atlas and a sister of the Hesperides leads Bianca (now a hunter), Thalia, and Grover on a quest to save her. Percy, who was not invited to join the party, follows them on behalf of Nico di Angelo, promising that he will do his best to protect Nico's sister Bianca, as well as wanting to find Annabeth. The others eventually encounter Percy when he warned them about skeletal warriors pursuing them, and he joins their group despite getting nearly killed by Zoë and Bianca before being accepted.

The group are chased across the country. Bianca is able to kill one, which leaves the others mystified. As they make their way across a godly junkyard, Bianca sets off a trap. She later dies sacrificing herself to save the others, breaking Percy's promise to Nico. They find Annabeth with Luke and Artemis, who is holding up the sky. Percy then takes it from Artemis and they trick Atlas into his original position under the sky. Thalia replaces Zoë, who dies saving Artemis and, as Artemis' lieutenant. Thalia's induction as a lieutenant of Artemis ensures that she will become immortal, never aging to reach 16, thus escaping the Great Prophecy and leaving Percy to fulfill it. They return to camp and Percy informs Nico about Bianca's death during the journey. Nico blames Percy for failing to protect her and runs away, only after causing skeletal warriors invading the camp to fall into the dark void of the Underworld, thus alerting Percy to the fact that Hades is Nico and Bianca's father.

''The Battle of the Labyrinth''

''The Battle of the Labyrinth'', the fourth installment in the series, was released on May 6, 2008.

Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson go on a quest to find Ariadne's string in order to locate Daedalus's workshop within the labyrinth, which Luke Castellan and his army are looking for too. A swordsman named Quintus is subbing for Mr. D as Camp Half-Blood's director, since Mr. D is on a mission to get the minor gods to be on the gods' side of the war. The questers go on a journey inside the labyrinth, facing many monsters. They eventually discover a forge belonging to the god Hephaestus being used by Kronos's smiths. To escape, Percy triggered a volcanic eruption that puts him in a coma.

Percy awakes on the island Ogygia, being tended by the immortal Calypso. He eventually returns to his friends and recruits Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a mortal he encountered in the previous book, to navigate the labyrinth. With Rachel's help, the group find Daedalus's workshop, where they find out that Quintus is actually Daedalus. Daedalus betrays them and sells them out to Luke, and the questers flee back to camp. Luke's army follows them and a battle ensues. The demigods win but suffer many casualties including Daedalus, Castor, and Lee Fletcher. After the battle, they prepare for the oncoming war against Lord Kronos, who has possessed the body of Luke Castellan and who has risen to obliterate Olympus.

''The Last Olympian''

''The Last Olympian'', the fifth and final installment in the series, was released on May 5, 2009.

Percy Jackson learns that Kronos' forces are preparing to attack Olympus. Poseidon, Percy's father, decides that it is time for Percy to learn what exactly the Great Prophecy means. Seeking a way to defeat Kronos, Nico di Angelo tells Percy his plan, though Percy doesn't like it. Percy bathes in the River Styx, making his body invulnerable except one small chosen part of his body (his Achilles' heel, in his case the small of his back). Kronos leads a siege of New York City and puts its mortal citizens to sleep. Percy leads the campers, Hunters, nature spirits, and centaurs to protect Mount Olympus from Kronos and his forces. While they protect Olympus, the gods battle the monster Typhon as he makes his way across the country to New York. Kronos, possessing Luke's body, forces his way into Olympus and battles Percy in Olympus' throne room. Typhon reaches New York but is defeated after the arrival of Poseidon's forces, led by Tyson.

Annabeth is able to help Luke overcome Kronos, and Percy gives Annabeth's knife to Luke. Luke, also invulnerable from bathing in the River Styx, stabs himself in his armpit, his mortal spot to destroy Kronos and save Mount Olympus, dying heroically. The gods reward Percy and his friends and offer him immortality. Percy rejects the offer but instead requests for the gods to claim all their children and to have cabins for all the gods, including the minor ones. Rachel Elizabeth Dare becomes Apollo's next Oracle, breaking Hades' curse on the position, and recites the next Great Prophecy. The book finishes with Percy and Annabeth becoming a couple, and ominous clouds looming over Rachel's next Great Prophecy. The story is continued in sequel series ''The Heroes of Olympus'' and ''The Trials of Apollo''.

Supplementary works

''The Demigod Files''

''The Demigod Files

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