Wrath of the Earth

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,

To storm or fire, the world must fall,

An oath to keep with a final breath,

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

-The Great Prophecy

The Earth shakes so hard. The concrete forms a whirlpool of solid asphalt and cement. Later does Percy realize that the whirlpool is forming a face of a woman – a beautiful woman with sharp features. She has a perfect nose and perfectly pursed lips. The woman’s face is indeed beautiful except for the fact that her skin’s made of asphalt. Percy noticed another thing: the woman’s eyes are closed. He stares on the ground for a while then the woman opened her lips and said, “Come Percy. Be my pawn, and I promise you that in my kingdom, you will have your throne.”

Percy answered, “Who are you? What do you want from me?”

She said, “You don’t know me? I am the mother of all that exists in this earth.  I am the ground you walk on. I am the earthquake that moves mountains and engulfs everything in whole. I am the landslide that buries millions on the ground. When I become fully awake, no one can stop me. I will reign in power. I will take revenge on the gods for defeating my children. Now Percy, come with me and we will reign. Help me overthrow the gods and you will get your reward.”

“No! And whoever you are, no matter what you give, I won’t go with you! I’ll tell the gods about you and we will prepare for battle. We will crush you like what we did to Kronos!”

“Tough guy, Percy. Well then, tell them. As you’re preparing for the final battle, I’m already steps ahead of you. You will regret this Percy! You too, will feel my wrath!” Then the woman laughs and the earth shakes again, like her voice caused it. Her laugh resonates supernatural power much stronger than Kronos’. Then the concrete turns into a whirlpool again and she disappears.

Percy wakes up. It was all just a dream. But who the heck was that woman? Percy has to know. Percy has to ask someone who knows. He gets up and goes to Chiron’s office. 

The Fallen One (My Version of How Percy met Kronos for the First Time)

*this story is purely made up so don’t believe it and just read Rick Riordan’s Last Olympian to know the true story.*

The demigods’ defenses are depleting. Many of them are already injured. Their enemies are advancing through their defenses. As the battle continues in the streets of Manhattan, the most parts of the city were put to sleep by Hypnos. There is no one to help them. Even the gods are already drained out of their power. Out from the horizon, they can see Kronos surrounded by his own demigod army and they are coming towards them. There is a very slim chance to win this battle.

Percy runs towards the Titan Lord’s direction when suddenly he feels heavy and slow. He tries to run as fast as he can but it feels like his feet were stepping on a pool of tar. He sees the Titan Lord smirk, as if he’s been expecting to meet him. Then he blinks his eyes slowly when suddenly he feels like everything around him rushes like a strong gust of wind. He opens his eyes. 

Percy is now face-to-face with the Titan Lord of Time. As he stares at the mighty Titan, it seems that time slowed down. The seconds feel like minutes. He looks from left to right. Everything around him is in slow motion. Percy looks at the titan’s eyes. His eyes are look like they’re made of molten gold. They are shimmering and swirling with an unexplainable power.  It feels eerie because he is staring at his ex-co-camper. He is still the Luke Castellan he met before, except for the golden eyes, which resonate an uncomfortable feeling like he is melting – literally melting. It feels like the titan sees through his weakness and seeps the soul inside him. Percy blinks again. Now Kronos is a few feet away from him with the gigantic scythe on his right hand. 

Kronos laughs so loudly. His voice sounds like metal scraping with metal. “Hello, Percy Jackson. Nice to –“  then the Titan Lord of time disappeared under a big blue butt of a fallen hyperborean giant. 

Revenge of the Fallen

Luke Castellan

After eons of living inside a sarcophagus, not to mention that his own son tore him into pieces with his own scythe, Kronos craves to sit back in power. He manipulated Luke Castellan and other demigods to go against the Olympian gods by telling them how neglectful their godly parents are. He also promised them a reward to spare them from death and to give them more perks if they choose to follow him. He influenced the demigods to go against the Olympian gods and start the second Titan War. His sarcophagus was fished out from the depths of Tartarus. 

Now, he is inside of the ex-half-blood camper named Luke Castellan. He is just waiting for the right time to kill the demigod to let out his true form. He possessed Luke Castellan because his original body was destroyed during the first war between the Titans and the Olympians where Zeus and his siblings tore him into pieces with the use of Kronos’ own scythe. Luke, now embodied by Kronos, appears to have golden eyes and a voice that sounded like knives scraping against stone. It says that wherever Kronos would go, everything around him seems to slow down. Anyone who attempts to go near him seems to go in slow motion.  As a lord of time, he could pretty much manipulate it for his own advantage. 

Kronos, the Titan Lord of Fate, Harvest, Justice, and Time was also known to be an evil father for swallowing his children whole. Gaea warned Kronos that one of his children would replace him in his power. To avoid the prophecy, he swallowed each of his newborn children to keep his throne. Enraged, Rhea tricked him by replacing her last newborn baby with stone and wrapped it in swaddling cloth. She let Kronos swallow the stone and let the baby grow up away from his Father. When their youngest child Zeus grew up, he got into his father’s kingdom and mixed (insert word here) and vinegar into his father’s drink, forcing him to spew out  his children, namely: Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Hera and Poseidon. The children waged a war against their own father and they won. Kronos’ body were torn into pieces with the use of his own scythe: the same weapon he used to overthrow his own father. His followers were thrown out into the pits of Tartarus and suffered eternal suffering. Now, he’s back in action in his new form.

Beware my fellow demigods. Kronos might be anywhere you think is possible. If you see Luke Castellan, just go the other way. You already know him. He’s tall and blonde. He has a scar on his face and he has a bunch of his minions with him. If you see him, just get away from him before it’s too late! 

I Am The Last Olympian

I am the eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea. My name means "hearth" or "fireplace." As I was the first to be born, I was the first child to be swallowed but the last one to be thrown up by my own father. That’s how I got my title as the oldest yet the youngest – the first and the last.

I look like an eight-year-old girl with mousy brown hair when I ‘m not in Olympus. My eyes may be fiery like Ares, but they give you no harm. Instead, my eyes will make you feel warm and snugly.  You may see me holding an iron staff that I use in stoking the fire. I am not the flashy kind of goddess. I am contented having dominion over homes and hearth.   

 I have the power over fire. I can let others see the past, present, and future that deal with family affairs, just like how I let Percy see Luke’s past to make him understand why he’s become what he is now. As the goddess of home and family, I have power over keeping family relations strong and stable. I, too,  vow to be chaste for all eternity. I treasure my innocence and purity. My sacred animal is the donkey for this is the creature that saved me from harm and kept my chastity.  

In my Greek counterpart, I may be a frail-looking goddess. I may be a serene and gentle guardian. However, in my Roman counterpart, I can be more aggressive. I tend to become more disciplined, more logical – more warlike. I give no considerations when one goes over the line.  I can be a harsher guardian than you can ever imagine. So if you ever meet me along the way, just make sure I’m in my Greek counterpart.

They say that I am the weakest Olympian, but being a descendant of Kronos and Rhea still gives me an edge over others. I don’t brag about it, though. I don’t crave for power, attention and recognition. I even gave up my throne to Dionysius and chose to lie low. I don’t want to be easily noticed by anyone. But I assure that I will be there when there is no one to turn to.  I am usually quiet and reserved. I am known to be calm and docile. I don’t start a war between my siblings just because of little things. I am the mediator. I keep the peace between my brethren and I.   

I am the goddess of hearth, home and family. I will be your refuge when you have no one to run to. Even if the gods’ thrones will be destroyed, mine will remain. Even if they will lose their power, mine will stay. I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that's left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian.

When Will I Escape Out of This Labyrinth?

                Are you into adventure? Do you want to go to a maze of myth, magic, mystery and more? Just enter the famous underground labyrinth of Daedalus and prepare for the endless maze full of unknown creatures that will come your way. I’m serious about the endless, by the way.

                The labyrinth is an actual underground maze found under the island of Crete. A demigod named Daedalus made it as a trap for the Minotaur. Because Olympus moved to the America in the modern time, the maze did too. There are tons of entrances that will lead you to the labyrinth. Just look for any passageway which has a Delta (Δ) sign somewhere on it. Look somewhere inside your house, maybe there’s one on it. Check all your doors, your closet, and your basement. Did you see one? 

               Daedalus’ labyrinth has four rooms you can get into. The first chamber is called the Roman Room.  This room has paintings of the Roman gods at a feast on one wall. There’s an old fountain in the midst of the room. Too bad it doesn’t work. It could’ve been a great view.  You may also be astounded to see a guy with two faces in this place. What’s weirder is that the guy’s two faces often squabble with each other! He can be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, if only he doesn’t have two faces. Anyway, the guy’s name is Janus.  He’s the god of doors and passageways. He is somewhat confusing, just like the way it’s confusing to see a guy with two faces.

              The second is the Pit Room. You will see several waterfalls here. The waters here are crystal clear, refreshing and enthralling.  You’d really be tempted to jump on it.  You can take a dive if you want to. Be careful, though.  Every waterfall leads you to dark pits of Tartarus. Now you understand why it is called the ‘Pit Room’.

 The last division is called the Classroom. However, do not be fooled by its name. You may think that it’s just a typical middle school classroom, but it ‘s not. Inside, skeletons make up the walls of the room. There’s a grading machine at the right corner of the room and the Sphinx uses it for her  deadly gameshow. Do you know the Sphinx? She’s a half-woman half-lion who enjoys giving people puzzles and riddles. She’s a smart girl indeed, but she’s very brutal. She kills anyone who can’t get an answer right. So if ever she asks you a question, you really should answer it or you’d be one of those skeletons stuck on the walls.

As I’ve said before, you can get in and out of the labyrinth in any portals with Delta signs on it. You may be surprised to see a ranch with bunch of man-eating horses and cattle on one door and a beautiful girl proposing a marriage to you on the other. You can even get to the different states of the America through this maze. You’d be lucky if that’s the case. Sometimes, the ways can also lead you to sudden death. The maze is infested with terrifying, man-eating monsters. Remember, this labyrinth was purposely made to trap monsters particularly the walking bunch of muscle with huge horns called the “Minotaur”.  But if you get right on track, the labyrinth actually brings you to its center, the heart of the labyrinth – Daedalus’ workshop. His workshop houses all his great works of art and automatons. From sketches, to manmade wings, to robots – name it. He has it.

What’s more astonishing about the labyrinth is that it has a life on its own. It expands and the walls shift constantly.  Remembering which way you came from is no use. The walls can tell how old the labyrinth is. Every part of the mind-boggling maze is made of different materials varying from corals to stones and to cement. It is like the labyrinth’s own timeline! And also, time in the labyrinth is much slower than that in the outside world. You may feel like you’re just minutes gone from the world, but actually, you’re gone for like an hour or two. Pretty cool, huh?

           Now, about going to the right entrance and exit, you can do it by using Ariadne’s string. The problem is, no one knows where is it now. The other way is to befriend a clear-sighted mortal who can see monsters. Bring them with you when you get inside the labyrinth and they’ll tell you the way. They can see it.  Don’t let them be killed, though. It’d be your problem eventually.

         Are you ready for the best adventure in your life? Please say yes so I can wish you a happy journey on the underground maze.  Oh, I forgot. The labyrinth’s life force is tied to Daedalus. He is dead, so the labyrinth’s dead too. It’s crumbled into pieces. My bad. Anyway, let’s just play video games instead! 

Keep Calm and Save the World with a Pen

“This is a pen. This is a pen!”

-Percy Jackson (The Lightning Thief)

               

Anaklusmos – it is the Greek translation for Riptide. Riptide is Percy’s main weapon in his battles.  Chiron gave Riptide to Percy after Poseidon claimed him as his son. The sword took form as a normal ballpoint pen. It’s just a simple, disposable pen with Anaklusmos written on its side. However, when uncapped, becomes a three-foot long, leaf-shaped sword made of celestial bronze. Crazy, isn’t it?

Before Chiron gave Anaklusmos to Percy, the original owner of the sword was the famous son of Zeus: Hercules. Before it looked like a ballpoint pen, it was Zoe’s hair clip. It’s just a simple hair clip. Zoe is one of the beautiful immortal Hesperides who are daughters of the powerful titan, Atlas. In The Titan’s Curse, Percy dreamed of Zoe giving the hair clip to Hercules, which turned into a bronze sword in his hands. That’s how he knew where his sword came from. Zoe gave it to Hercules to fight the  dragon Ladon on his twelve labors, but after the fight Hercules didn’t acknowledge Zoe’s help so she had to face his father Atlas and  her sisters’ anger for giving Hercules the sword. That betrayal made Zoe hate male demigods and decided to join the Hunters of Artemis to keep away from them.

Because the sword was from Atlas’ daughter, Riptide became heavy in Percy’s hands when he was face-to-face with the titan. Percy failed to defeat Atlas and forced to hold the sky to let Artemis fight him. The sword is perfect in Percy’s grip as it gets its power from the ocean and Percy is a son of Poseidon so they really make a good connection. The sword is made of celestial bronze, which is known to be very deadly to monsters and immortals. But don’t worry, if you’re no immortal or demigod, you’d be safe. The blade will just pass right through you, leaving no scratch at all! What makes the sword very interesting is that even when lost, misplaced, or simply thrown away, Riptide will just return to Percy’s pocket as an ordinary ballpoint pen. Percy won’t have to worry about missing weapons...unless he has no pockets or that would really mean trouble. Its only drawback is that even if it takes form as a pen, it can’t be used for writing. Uncapping the pen would simply just free Riptide from its disguise. 

So my co-demigods, be careful with sharp objects. Another word of warning: be extra careful of sharp objects disguising as safe and harmless objects. You don't want to die because you did not know that a mobile phone was a scythe when you pressed its call button. That would be the most ridiculous death ever. 

Escaping the Titan’s Curse

              Do you know a guy named Atlas? He’s very famous, actually. Does he sound familiar to you? Your book of geographical figures is named after him. Anyway, we are kind of searching for him right now. He’s neglecting his heavy responsibility.

            This Atlas guy is bound to carry the sky on his shoulders forever and he escaped. He was punished by Zeus to hold the sky throughout eternity for leading the armies of Kronos against the Olympians during the Titan War. His work is somewhat tedious so I really would not wonder why he wants to escape, but still, he’s on the loose! We need to go and find him! If you are wondering who’s carrying the weight of the world right now, it’s Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. And she’s losing her strength! Percy and the others are on their way there though. I just hope it's not too late when they get there. So fellow demigods, we need to hurry up! You don’t want to know how it feels like if the sky falls down on you.   

Will you help us in searching for him?  This mighty Titan of endurance and strength is also known  as ‘The General’. He is Kronos’ second-in-command. He has a slicked back hair. His skin is light brown. He is tall and muscular with a brutal face, huge shoulders, and hands that could snap a flagpole in half. He wears a black business suit. He looks like a member of the mafia. He was recently seen in the Air and Space Museum raising a bunch of skeleton soldiers.

 We really need to find him. We are all in humongous trouble if we can’t catch him. He and Kronos is up to something and I swear, what they’re up too is really not good. It is not good at all! They just want to overthrow the Olympian gods and sit in power again. If their own kind will reign, that would mean the end of the world, my fellow demigods and mortals. He’s very strategic and smart by the way, I bet he’s halfway on his plan to world domination. Are you smothered with fear right now? You should be. Our lives are in grave danger while he’s on the loose!

So if you have seen this guy in your neighborhood or maybe near your school or at the mall, don’t ever go near him. He is very dangerous. Call us instead.  Just produce a rainbow in any way you can and throw a golden drachma on it. A golden drachma is the Greek currency by the way. If you don’t have it, just throw any coin on the rainbow. A girl with iridescent eyes will appear and talk to you. Just tell her to connect to Camp Half-Blood. Thanks a lot. Your help is of great use right now. 

Can You ‘Fleece’ Heal Me?

                    In The Sea of Monsters, Thalia’s tree was poisoned by Luke Castellan, an old Half-Blood camper who turned against the gods. To save the tree that guards the whole camp against the dangerous monsters roaming around the camp, they must get hold of the Golden Fleece. It is the only way to save Thalia’s tree. So Percy and his friends journey through the treacherous lair of the seductively scary sirens, Circe’s spa smacked in the middle of nowhere. They were even attacked by Scylla, swallowed in whole by Charybdis, stood face to face with flesh-eating sheep and face the wrath of the big one-eyed carnivore named Polyphemus in the Sea of Monsters just to get this magical Golden Fleece.

The Golden Fleece

                 The fleece restored Thalia’s tree. It made the tree even healthier, strengthening the magical defenses that surround their camp.  To their amazement, even Thalia, from years of deep slumber, awakened and came out from the tree.  The Golden Fleece is a very powerful object, which can heal any living thing that needs healing. It makes the vegetation healthier, grow faster and bear more produce.  It can heal humans too. Just make sure they’re still alive when you use it on them. It does not take effect on dead people. That would really be creepy.             

The fleece came from a ram called Chrysomallus, a flying ram with a golden fleece, which is no

w the constellation Aries. The Fleece has a long history. It was sent by Poseidon to Phrixus and Helle to save them from sudden death. Well, Helle died anyway. She fell down while they were flying. The ram comforted Phrixus who became emotional from her sister’s demise. I wonder how it feels to talk with a flying golden ram. Anyway, Phrixus landed safely on Colchis and decided to offer the ram to Poseidon as a token of gratitude. The fleece was set aside and hung on to Ares’ sacred oak tree and left it there. Then a rude but mighty hero named Jason stole it from them.

                 So if you are sick, just go to Camp Half-Blood and touch the fleece hanging on Thalia’s tree beside Camp Half-Blood’s entrance. You’d be healed in no time. Be careful, though. A dragon called Peleus guards it. You might not want to get singed before you get to the tree. And don’t say I didn’t warn you! 

Apollo and His Annoying Haikus

Apollo and His Annoying Haikus

“Dreams like a podcast,
Downloading truth in my ears.
They tell me cool stuff."

"Apollo?" I guess, because I figured nobody else could make a haiku that bad.
He put his finger to his lips. "I'm incognito. Call me Fred."
"A god named Fred?” 

-                                                                                                        --The  Titan’s Curse

Isn’t it inspiring when a Greek god is in touch with his poetic side? Well, think again. Wait until you hear Apollo recite his haikus that are as bad as rotten tomatoes. I hope he can’t read this blog post. I don’t want to end up like Midas. Anyway, our steamy sun god right here is so hooked in poetry.

Apollo, also known as “Fred” in The Titan’s Curse is the Greek god of the sun, medicine, music, poetry, archery and whatnot. He is not just your typical god.  He is hot, not just because he is the sun god, but because of his looks and his style. He appears as a good-looking teenage boy with alluring blue eyes and sandy hair, not to mention his blinding, dazzling smile that could melt the ice caps in Antarctica. He also owns an iPod and usually wears Ray Ban sunglasses. What makes him hotter is that he owns a sun chariot, which transforms into a red Maserati in the presence of mortals. This god is excels in everything, well, except in poetry, I guess.

In The Titan’s Curse, Zoe Nightshade tells that Apollo has been very obsessed with haikus since his last visit to Japan. There was even a time when he spent his time making Limericks after he’d been to Ireland. Being so self-absorbed and all, he even thinks he’s very great in poetry when in truth, he is very bad at it. His poetry sucks. Who would make a haiku about being so cool? Though he may be terrible, it seems that no one dares to tell him that. He’s very hot-tempered and you don’t want to see him turn mad. So if you want to tell him something, be very careful you might wake up having donkey ears.

On the Silver Screens -- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

   In demigods we trust.   

Facing the wrath of Charybdis...

August 7, 2013 – the second installment of the film adaptation for the ever-famous Percy Jackson and the Olympian series is now showing on the theatres near you. For all the myth-o-maniacs out there, never miss this movie! You got to watch it or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. There’s more to expect from the sequel.

The sequel now talks about Percy’s second adventure: the search for the Golden Fleece and save his satyr best friend, Grover from the hand of the one-eyed menace named Polyphemus. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, together with Clarisse La Rue, Percy’s archrival in Camp Half-Blood goes through a journey to the perilous, horrifying Sea of Monsters in the midst of the ever-famous Bermuda triangle to fetch the Golden Fleece on the island of Polyphemus. The Golden Fleece is the only way to save Thalia Grace’s tree which is dying because of poison. The tree protects the whole camp from the terrifying monsters roaming around the woods. But the problem is they’re not the only side who wants to take the Golden Fleece. Luke Castellan, son of Hermes and Percy’s foe from the first book is now backing in the game. Luke wants the Golden Fleece to revive the evil Titan, Kronos. What will happen to their expedition? Whose side will win? Read the book series and find out.

While in 'Circeland'

Just like the first movie, they changed tons of details from the book. Grover was lost because he was searching for Pan, one of the Olympian gods who went AWOL. Right from the first chapter of the book, he was already gone and was lured by Polyphemus to his lair with the use of the Golden Fleece. Why was he kidnapped by Luke in the movie?! The scene with Polyphemus was also changed. They’re supposed to trick the Cyclops, not just run away from him. And why the heck was Luke trapped in Polyphemus’ cave? The worst thing that happened: Kronos has risen. He wasn’t supposed to rise until the fourth book! And why didn’t I see Circe and her island full of men turned into hamsters? But how they named Polyphemus’ island as Circeland was very clever. It was very clever, indeed. I also liked the last part. Just watch the movie to know what the last part is. Anyway, I’m glad they kept the humour and the child-friendly feel on the movie. I really enjoyed watching it. My co-movie watchers stared at me as if I’m mentally deranged because I laughed hilariously every time a character slipped in a punch line.

Aside from the effects and all, the cast and characters were very well chosen. Though, I expected Clarisse to be a bulky and rowdy gal. I was shocked when the one who portrayed was very pretty and slim. Annabeth’s already blonde in the movie too! I’m happy about that. I liked Dionysius both in the movie and in the novel. I’m also glad that the movie showed my exact expectation for Dionysius.  It’s just funny how he forgets Percy’s name. Come on, who’s Perry Johnson anyway? Oh the last but not the least: Tyson, Percy’s Cyclops half-brother is kind of cute in the movie. Who would’ve thought that a Cyclops can be cute?

Overall, the movie was great. Just don’t compare it to the novel if you don’t want to get disappointed. The movie was very entertaining. Not a part of it is a waste of time. It’s even better to watch the movie on 3D. What are you waiting for myth-o-maniacs? Run to the nearest theatres now and watch Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters now! I swear you’d enjoy it.

                 

From Bedtime to Bestseller

The book cover

"You shall go west and face the god who has turned
you shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned
you shall be betrayed by the one who calls you a friend
and fail to save what matters most in the end."

                Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief -- the bedtime story turned into bestselling children’s book talks about a misunderstood twelve-year old demigod living in modern-day New York who has dyslexia & ADHD.  He tries to fit in to the world of mad, mediocre people yet it seems that he just can’t. He has been admitted to various schools but no teacher can handle his impulsiveness. He can’t even learn how to read English because of his dyslexia. Good thing, he is still surviving in his boarding school in New York.
 
                One day, the class goes to a field trip in a museum where he is attacked by a substitute-teacher-turned-into-a-fury because he is suspected as the one who stole Zeus’ lightning bolt. He is the one accused because he is Poseidon’s son. And it is known that the children of the Big Three, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades fight over each other to prove who’s who.  He then discovers that his ‘disabled’ best friend, Grover Underwood is actually his guardian satyr and that he is a demigod. Grover sends Percy to a Greek demigod camp called Camp Half-Blood in the Long Island Sound after the attack to keep him safe and to train his demigod skills. There he learns that his ADHD and dyslexia are actually the results of being a demigod. Before he even arrives at the camp, they are attacked by a huge Minotaur but they survive. Later in the story, he is claimed by his father who is Poseidon only because he thought Percy was the one who stole Zeus’ lightning bolt. Percy explains that he isn’t the one who stole it but Zeus does not believe him. And if Percy can’t prove him wrong, there will be another war of the gods at hand. He suspects that Hades stole it because of the usual big three squabbles.  So he set off on a race against time to search for the missing lightning bolt. He goes to the entrance of the Underworld in Los Angeles to retrieve Zeus’ master bolt. Throughout their journey, there are several mythical monsters who try to get in their way including the famous snake-haired Medusa, the weaver-turned-into-a-humongous-spider Echidna and many more. Percy and his friends arrive at Hades’ lair and finds out that his Helm of Darkness was also stolen. It is later revealed that Luke Castellan, Hermes’ son who was the one who welcomed Percy on camp, is the one who stole the master bolt. Luke plans to give it to Kronos to let him reign in power again but he fails.

                 "The book has sold over 1.2 million copies in the subsequent four year, appearing on the New York Times children's Best Seller list and being listed as one of the Young Adult Library Services Association's Best Books for Young Adults, among other awards." -Wikipedia

                On February 12, 2010, a film adaptation directed by Chris Columbus invaded the silver screens worldwide. According to Wikipedia, the film ranked number two at the North America box office with $83 million on its first week. . The movie earned $226, 497, 209 worldwide. The cast includes Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson), Alexandra Daddario (Annabeth Chase), Brandon T. Jackson (Grover Underwood) and Jake Abel Luke Castellan. The big stars, Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman and Rosario Dawson took part in the movies as Chiron, Medusa and Persephone respectively.

Myth-o-mania: Where it All Began

It all started with a bedtime story.           

Rick Riordan, an award-winning, bestselling author of the famous Percy Jackson & the Olympians series was an English and Social Studies teacher back then. He taught Greek mythology to middle schoolers, particularly.  He never thought that it will lead him to a new booming career. He wrote adult novels at that time but writing children’s book series was never part of the plan. Until one day…

His oldest son, Haley, asked him to tell some great Greek myths as bedtime stories. So he did. The time came when he ran out of myths to tell. So Haley asked if Riordan could make up some new characters instead. And in a snap, Percy Jackson came into existence.

Percy was a demigod who had a quest to get back Zeus’ lightning bolt which was stolen by another demigod. Riordan based this main character to his son, who at that time was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. Just like his son, this Percy guy also has ADHD and dyslexia, which to the Greek world are so-called signs and symptoms of being a demigod. Riordan added this detail to the story to sink into Haley’s mind that being different will not affect what talents, potentials and dreams he has.

 After Riordan told Percy’s story to him, Haley liked it and suggested that he should write it as a novel. Fuelled by his son’s request despite his hectic schedule, he was motivated to finish the book for him. Before he submitted his manuscript to the publisher, he let his middle-school students critique it. They even helped him in naming the book and how Percy’s sword works. Then his first modern-day Greek mythology book entitled The Lightning Thief was out in the market. His work caught the public’s interest for creatively making mythology light and child-friendly.

                The humorous and adventure-filled novel was succeeded by four more installments to make up the whole series. After the Percy Jackson series, Riordan released a trilogy based on Egyptian mythology and named it The Kane Chronicles. The story revolves around the siblings, Carter and Sadie Kane who try to awake the Sun God Ra to fight against Apophis, the God of Chaos. At the same time that he was making The Kane Chronicles, he also made other installments for the Percy Jackson series in which Roman and Greek Mythology were fused into one. The latest series was entitled Heroes of Olympus where the story revolves around seven teenage demigods who were prophesied to save the world from destruction by defeating the earth deity, Gaea. The series already have four published books and the final installment is still in the making.  Just because of a bedtime story…

                All these fast-paced, humorous, modern-day mythologies surely grabbed the kids’ attention. Even adults enjoy his book series. Riordan’s works made mythology fascinating and child-friendly by writing it in a witty, light mood. The mythology fans out there will surely drool over these novels. Even the lazy readers will love to read them.