My son Haley has been doing TFK (Time for Kids) assignments all year. When he saw this review of his dad's book was coming out in the summer issue, when he would not be in class, he says, "Rats! I would've gotten a 100 on that assignment for sure!"
The Lightning ThiefBook 1: Percy Jackson & the Olympians
By Rick Riordan(available July)
Reviewed by TFK Kid Reporter Emily E. Russell
Genre: Fiction
Number of Pages: 375
What’s the basic storyline?
This is a book about ancient gods in modern times. It focuses on a boy named Perseus "Percy" Jackson. Percy is a "half-blood," because his mom is a human and his dad is Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Percy and his friends must prevent a war between the gods. This is not an easy task, especially because monsters will do anything to stop them along the way.
Were the characters believable? What made them believable or unbelievable?
The characters are unbelievable but fun! One character is half human, half goat and he has flying shoes. Some other characters are "half-bloods," meaning one of their parents is a god, and the other is human. The characters may be unbelievable, but that's what makes this book so great!
Would you recommend this book to other kids? If so, why?
I definitely recommend this book. It is filled with adventure and the events are far from predictable!
What’s not-so-great about the book?
There are many different creatures in the book. It got a little bit confusing.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), how would you rate this book?
I give this book an eight out of ten rating because it is suspenseful and creative. It is an incredible book.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
A Tribute to Murder by the Book
I had the honor of writing the following tribute for the 2005 Edgar Awards, when Murder by the Book in Houston was presented the Raven Award for their contribution to the mystery genre. It's a terrific bookstore. If you aren't already familiar with them, you need to check them out http://www.murderbooks.com/.
A Tribute to Murder by the Book
In 1997, a few weeks after my first book came out, I was sitting at a signing table at a regional mystery con, talking to the author next to me as we both waited for our lines of adoring fans to materialize. We had a lot of time to talk.
“Do you have bookstore signings lined up?” the other author asked, as if this were a painful question. She might’ve been asking me about medical tests I had to undergo.
“A few,” I told her.
I’d already done one signing in my native San Antonio, but I confessed that I was worried how I would do away from my home turf, in a town where my family and friends wouldn’t pack the bookstore.
The other author, a veteran of many novels, nodded sympathetically. “Where is your next signing, dear?”
“Murder by the Book,” I said, “in Houston.”
The look of relief on her face was amazing. Her shoulders relaxed. She patted my hand. “Oh, that will be wonderful.”
I asked her how she could possibly be sure. After all, I was a complete unknown.
“Because it’s Murder by the Book,” she explained, as if that were all I needed to know.
I soon discovered she was right.
My first trip to Murder by the Book spoiled me rotten. Martha, Dean, David and the whole staff welcomed me as if I were a best-selling author. They had a stack of pre-sales for me to sign. The crowd was large and enthusiastic. They even served margaritas. What more could an author ask?
Nor was my first experience a fluke. Year after year, Murder by the Book has consistently been a highlight of my book tours. Judging from what other authors tell me, the verdict is unanimous: Martha Farrington’s Murder by the Book is simply an incredible institution.
For the first few years I visited, I wasn’t sure what their secret was. I had a feeling it was more than Martha’s cute pet dogs, or Dean’s margaritas, or David’s boyish charm at the microphone. The problem was, I was always in and out of the store much too fast. I never got to browse. Last year, I finally got to remedy that situation.
On a rainy spring afternoon, I arrived two hours early for my signing. I expected the store to be quiet. Instead I found it bustling with activity. Authors had stopped by to chat. Customers had driven hours from tiny towns in rural Texas to get their book fix. Locals had strolled in to get recommendations or just visit with the staff. And the staff knew everything about mysteries. They could field the most esoteric question. They could find any author or title the customer was searching for.
The bookshelves themselves were proof of the store’s greatness. They were papered with note cards. Almost every series had a hand-written staff comment, a thoughtful review, a helpful summary. The shelves were a novel in their own right. I spent two hours browsing and learning. I could easily have spent two weeks. Being at Murder by the Book, I felt like I had my finger on the pulse of the mystery genre. No wonder the store was heaven for visiting authors. Who wouldn’t want to attend an event there?
I’m not saying there aren’t other fantastic bookstores. Of course, there are. But whenever I have to explain to someone the importance of independent booksellers, whenever I think back on my best experiences as an author, whenever I need a mystery genre question answered or a new series to read – one store immediately comes to mind. Murder by the Book is simply the best. Thank you, Martha, to you and your awesome staff for the years of dedication and enthusiasm you’ve given the mystery community. Heartfelt congratulations on your Raven Award!
A Tribute to Murder by the Book
In 1997, a few weeks after my first book came out, I was sitting at a signing table at a regional mystery con, talking to the author next to me as we both waited for our lines of adoring fans to materialize. We had a lot of time to talk.
“Do you have bookstore signings lined up?” the other author asked, as if this were a painful question. She might’ve been asking me about medical tests I had to undergo.
“A few,” I told her.
I’d already done one signing in my native San Antonio, but I confessed that I was worried how I would do away from my home turf, in a town where my family and friends wouldn’t pack the bookstore.
The other author, a veteran of many novels, nodded sympathetically. “Where is your next signing, dear?”
“Murder by the Book,” I said, “in Houston.”
The look of relief on her face was amazing. Her shoulders relaxed. She patted my hand. “Oh, that will be wonderful.”
I asked her how she could possibly be sure. After all, I was a complete unknown.
“Because it’s Murder by the Book,” she explained, as if that were all I needed to know.
I soon discovered she was right.
My first trip to Murder by the Book spoiled me rotten. Martha, Dean, David and the whole staff welcomed me as if I were a best-selling author. They had a stack of pre-sales for me to sign. The crowd was large and enthusiastic. They even served margaritas. What more could an author ask?
Nor was my first experience a fluke. Year after year, Murder by the Book has consistently been a highlight of my book tours. Judging from what other authors tell me, the verdict is unanimous: Martha Farrington’s Murder by the Book is simply an incredible institution.
For the first few years I visited, I wasn’t sure what their secret was. I had a feeling it was more than Martha’s cute pet dogs, or Dean’s margaritas, or David’s boyish charm at the microphone. The problem was, I was always in and out of the store much too fast. I never got to browse. Last year, I finally got to remedy that situation.
On a rainy spring afternoon, I arrived two hours early for my signing. I expected the store to be quiet. Instead I found it bustling with activity. Authors had stopped by to chat. Customers had driven hours from tiny towns in rural Texas to get their book fix. Locals had strolled in to get recommendations or just visit with the staff. And the staff knew everything about mysteries. They could field the most esoteric question. They could find any author or title the customer was searching for.
The bookshelves themselves were proof of the store’s greatness. They were papered with note cards. Almost every series had a hand-written staff comment, a thoughtful review, a helpful summary. The shelves were a novel in their own right. I spent two hours browsing and learning. I could easily have spent two weeks. Being at Murder by the Book, I felt like I had my finger on the pulse of the mystery genre. No wonder the store was heaven for visiting authors. Who wouldn’t want to attend an event there?
I’m not saying there aren’t other fantastic bookstores. Of course, there are. But whenever I have to explain to someone the importance of independent booksellers, whenever I think back on my best experiences as an author, whenever I need a mystery genre question answered or a new series to read – one store immediately comes to mind. Murder by the Book is simply the best. Thank you, Martha, to you and your awesome staff for the years of dedication and enthusiasm you’ve given the mystery community. Heartfelt congratulations on your Raven Award!
Greek Mythology and the Lightning Thief
This article was published in the San Antonio Express-News prior to the first book signing for the Lightning Thief. We had a sell-out crowd! Sorry to those folks who came and didn't get a book. Hopefully you got a chance to pre-order a signed copy.
Greek mythology gets mortal twist in 'The Lightning Thief'
Web Posted: 06/09/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Steve BennettExpress-News Book Editor
In his first book for young adults, mystery ace Rick Riordan, creator of the award-winning Tres Navarre detective series, delves into the question: What if the gods — you know, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades and that gang — were still pulling strings on earth? And, what if their offspring with us mere mortals — "half-bloods" — were alive and well and living among us?
Riordan will read from and sign copies of "The Lightning Thief," book one of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians trilogy for young adults, today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Twig Book Shop in Alamo Heights.
Percy is short for Perseus, and yes, Percy is half god, half mortal. His father is one of the Big Three mentioned above, but Percy doesn't discover his true identity until he's 12 years old and strange things start happening to him. Up until then, he thinks he is just a normal kid suffering from dyslexia, ADHD, weary of bullies and being kicked out of yet another school for getting into fairly innocent trouble.
On a summer vacation to the Long Island sea shore, Percy, his mom and his friend Grover (who's not what he seems to be) are attacked by a Minotaur, the mythical half-man, half-bull creature who smells like "rotting meat." Percy and Grover barely escape the attack; Percy's mom doesn't.
Percy finds himself in a protected war-training camp for those like him, and once again, is caught in a web of mistaken circumstances. It seems one of Zeus' lightning bolts, one he fought the Titans with, has been pilfered, and the Big Guy is pointing the finger at Percy.
Percy must discover and recover the bolt within 10 days, by the summer solstice, or risk serious bodily discomfort and all-out war among the gods. Think Hades has a finger in this mess? You betcha.
Percy sets off cross-country from New York with the satyr Grover and a daughter of Athena on a quest chock full of goose-pimpling adventures.
Riordan, a former middle school teacher, imaginatively mixes it up, infusing Greek myth in a contemporary setting. It's easy to believe Percy battling Medusa, the snake-headed lady, and Ares, the biker-cum-god of war, and Cerberus, the three-headed mutt who guards hell's gates. Along the way, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.
"Greek myth is a subject that really catches kids on fire," Riordan says, although he hasn't quite yet put his finger on the reason. "I guess because it's still so relevant in our lives. The neat thing for me is to figure out how to do that, to combine the myth with the modern."
Percy was born a couple years back when Riordan's son, a second-grader then, requested another bedtime myth. Riordan, who schooled sixth-graders in Greek mythology, had run out of them, so he invented this "half-blood" kid, part god, part human, and spun a fantastic tale. Riordan's son gave the epic tale a thumbs-up and told his father, "You know, dad, you should write that down." Dad did.
Publishing houses' mouths watered and a bidding war ensued.
With the subsequent advance and three-book deal, Riordan was able to quit his teaching job at St. Mary's Hall and devote himself full-time to writing the Percy series as well as his detective series set in San Antonio, which has won Riordan the big three of mystery awards, the Edgar, the Anthony and the Shamus. "Mission Road," the latest Tres Navarre odyssey, will be out next month. Riordan has a reading at the Twig from that book July 12.
"Half-blood" is a term that has some resonance this summer, but Riordan was well into the publishing process with Percy before J.K. Rowling announced the title of her latest Harry Potter book, due July 16.
"It's just one of those bizarre coincidences," Riordan says. "I don't know what she means by 'half-blood,' but I have the feeling it's not the same as what I mean. When she released the title of her book, I thought, 'Oh, this is interesting.' I guess we'll just have to wait and see what she's referring to."
Greek mythology gets mortal twist in 'The Lightning Thief'
Web Posted: 06/09/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Steve BennettExpress-News Book Editor
In his first book for young adults, mystery ace Rick Riordan, creator of the award-winning Tres Navarre detective series, delves into the question: What if the gods — you know, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades and that gang — were still pulling strings on earth? And, what if their offspring with us mere mortals — "half-bloods" — were alive and well and living among us?
Riordan will read from and sign copies of "The Lightning Thief," book one of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians trilogy for young adults, today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Twig Book Shop in Alamo Heights.
Percy is short for Perseus, and yes, Percy is half god, half mortal. His father is one of the Big Three mentioned above, but Percy doesn't discover his true identity until he's 12 years old and strange things start happening to him. Up until then, he thinks he is just a normal kid suffering from dyslexia, ADHD, weary of bullies and being kicked out of yet another school for getting into fairly innocent trouble.
On a summer vacation to the Long Island sea shore, Percy, his mom and his friend Grover (who's not what he seems to be) are attacked by a Minotaur, the mythical half-man, half-bull creature who smells like "rotting meat." Percy and Grover barely escape the attack; Percy's mom doesn't.
Percy finds himself in a protected war-training camp for those like him, and once again, is caught in a web of mistaken circumstances. It seems one of Zeus' lightning bolts, one he fought the Titans with, has been pilfered, and the Big Guy is pointing the finger at Percy.
Percy must discover and recover the bolt within 10 days, by the summer solstice, or risk serious bodily discomfort and all-out war among the gods. Think Hades has a finger in this mess? You betcha.
Percy sets off cross-country from New York with the satyr Grover and a daughter of Athena on a quest chock full of goose-pimpling adventures.
Riordan, a former middle school teacher, imaginatively mixes it up, infusing Greek myth in a contemporary setting. It's easy to believe Percy battling Medusa, the snake-headed lady, and Ares, the biker-cum-god of war, and Cerberus, the three-headed mutt who guards hell's gates. Along the way, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.
"Greek myth is a subject that really catches kids on fire," Riordan says, although he hasn't quite yet put his finger on the reason. "I guess because it's still so relevant in our lives. The neat thing for me is to figure out how to do that, to combine the myth with the modern."
Percy was born a couple years back when Riordan's son, a second-grader then, requested another bedtime myth. Riordan, who schooled sixth-graders in Greek mythology, had run out of them, so he invented this "half-blood" kid, part god, part human, and spun a fantastic tale. Riordan's son gave the epic tale a thumbs-up and told his father, "You know, dad, you should write that down." Dad did.
Publishing houses' mouths watered and a bidding war ensued.
With the subsequent advance and three-book deal, Riordan was able to quit his teaching job at St. Mary's Hall and devote himself full-time to writing the Percy series as well as his detective series set in San Antonio, which has won Riordan the big three of mystery awards, the Edgar, the Anthony and the Shamus. "Mission Road," the latest Tres Navarre odyssey, will be out next month. Riordan has a reading at the Twig from that book July 12.
"Half-blood" is a term that has some resonance this summer, but Riordan was well into the publishing process with Percy before J.K. Rowling announced the title of her latest Harry Potter book, due July 16.
"It's just one of those bizarre coincidences," Riordan says. "I don't know what she means by 'half-blood,' but I have the feeling it's not the same as what I mean. When she released the title of her book, I thought, 'Oh, this is interesting.' I guess we'll just have to wait and see what she's referring to."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)