Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan

I am still feeling compelled to read this series.  In this latest book featuring Percy Jackson Riordan has told yet another story with enough plot twists and action to keep readers going.  I especially appreciated his humor in this book.  Riordan has managed to merge contemporary culture, particularly consumerism, with Roman and Greek gods and myths.  I think it can be used to help readers understand the role that these myths played in ancient cultures.

 Recently, with several co-authors, I published an article for teachers on using YA Literature and appropriate nonfiction to make the required study of The Odyssey something that is more engaging to ninth graders.  The various Percy Jackson  books were a large part of this.  (Along with Michael Scott's Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series.  Having these familiar and well loved books help young adults understand why their schools place such emphasis on The Odyssey and other classic works. 

I look forward to Riordan's next book in this series. 

The Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan

I admit that I am having a bit more difficulty being swept away by Riordan's Egyptian mythology series. It's probably lack of background knowledge and experience. I've studied and been surrounded by the Greek and Roman gods of his Percy Jackson series since I was in 7th grade. I know little of Egyptian gods.

It would be a good idea to begin reading up on them. I've always been a fan of Elizabeth Peter's Ameila Peabody series set in Egypt. Perhaps I would get more out of them if I understood more of the Egyptian history and gods. Riordan seems to have worked hard to find characteristics and interrelationships between the gods--although I expect much of it has to be creativity on his part.

I'll be interested in how teens respond to this series. So far reviews on the Barnes and Nobel site suggest it is being well received. It does have several advantages as far as characters go. We have both a male and female main character (brother and sister). There is also a secondary character with a fatal genetic condition.

Meanwhile, the next book in the Heroes of Olympus series is due out in October. If I don't get through the research on Egyptian mythology I at least have the next Olympian book to look forward to.

The Lightening Thief, by Rick Riordan

It appears that I am on a mythology kick. True! One of the interns I worked with last spring taught a unit on mythology associated with reading of The Odyssey. This book is probably appropriate for younger or less able readers than Michael Scott's Nicholas Flamel series. It is well written and more narrowly focused on Greek gods than Scott's work is. Overall I give it strong ratings. It would make an excellent companion piece to a class exploration of The Odyssey especially for students will reading difficulties. Many of the same quest episodes are paralleled in this book and would allow for discussion of Odysseus's (Ulysses) quests and their meanings.

I will be reading other books in the series. They have been very popular and I am eager to follow up on Riordan's treatment of the epic.