I just started rereading the books and loved it!
The Lightning Thief:
A fun introduction to the world of Percy Jackson. The book felt very „monster of the week“ and i didn´t get the feeling of a ongoing story like with book 2-5. I would have liked more of Chiron/Grover in the first episode (for example Chiron teaching fighting) & seeing the fates earlier and Percy earsdropping on Grover/Chiron could have helped build up tension/mystery imo. In general longer episode 1 would have been great with more time spend an the beach with Sally etc. I really liked the time spend in Camp, it is build beautiful and felt like camp for me. I wanted to spend more time there, but didn´t feel like we need to spend more time there. But: It felt like a place one would like to visit and not so much like a „home“ for Percy. Additional to that i really like almost all the casting, i think the cast has good chemistry with each other. I only thought Sally was a bit overacted at times and Hades kind of missed the mark. I liked most of the changes (Medusa, Tunnel of Love!, Fight with Luke), but didn´t like some other (Zoo truck talk, Lotus casino, Missing the deadline). They should really work on the tension/action for the next seasons (weather changing for example), not letting the kids know everything and not shying away from darker themes of the books (Gabes abuse). I liked the themes per episodes, i just think every episode would have benefited from being longer, so more things from the book can be included. I loved how they set up Percy and Annabeths relationship with them helping each other seeing differnt „worlds“.
The Sea of Monsters:
I really liked this book more than i thought i would (given it is often placed at last place in rankings). It was a fun, short adventure with a lot of good character building for Percy and Annabeth and good moments for their developing relationship. I like that we spend some more time in camp and thought C.C. Island and the Sirens scene were very good moments. The fight to save Grover was great too and i loved the Party Ponys (i need them in the show!). The twist at the end: perfect and that they helped move forward Kronos plan all along. I have to say as of right now (re-read book 1-3) that would probally be the book i would pick first for a re-read if i just want to have a fun time. I loooove Tyson!
Hopes for the TV Show:
- i really hope they leave in Percys prejudice towards Tyson and his conflicting feelings about Poseidon. Maybe even tone down Annabeths dislike towards Tyson a little bit, since she was already ruder in S1 than in the book. Percy was a little bit to perfect hero for my liking so imo it could be his time to show flaws. I also think they shouln´t change too much regarding the Sirens scene or Percy/Annabeths conversations around that time in the book – really great scenes there.
- I just hope they get a good actor fot Tyson, who brings some fun/light-heartness to his scenes. I really hope they allow this season to be more fun/light hearted/ridicoulus (for example the scene were Percy turns into a guinea pig, let that be a little bit over the top). I think this season would be great for more humor (Rick said they are working on including more humor this season)
- Honestly: I hope they don´t spend to much time with Grover, i like the actor and the character. But i hope that not too much time is spend with Grover captured. If they add something interesting like the scenes with Ares in episode 5– that´d be cool, but not if it takes away from the main plot line of the season. I for example was bored during Grovers scenes in the Lotus Casiono (that + Sally flashbacks in Ep 7 were the most boring parts of the season for me)
- I need Martha and Georges lines in the show (I don´t need to see the cleaning harpies), but i hope they don´t spend too much time with Hermes. We already met him, so i wouldn´t mind if they shorten his scenes.
- I would love to have Annabeths „nobody“-scene on the island
- I would kill for Luke/Annabeth flashbacks (maybe in season 3?)
- I honestly don´t care about Clarisse that much, but i think she´s gonna play a bigger role, i just hope not too big (since shes older and could film longer)
- and Brandon Severs as Beckendorf please!
- in general: i hope we get introduced to more campers, who play a role later (Beckendorf, Selina, the Stoll twins, Ethan etc.)
The Titan´s curse:
I have to admit it took me longer than expected to connect to the characters compared to the previous books. I think when Percys joins the quest group after leaving CHB is when i started to get really into the story. The structure and characters just felt really differnt. I loved how Percys and Annabeths relationship/dance really framed the story. Talking about the new characters: Like i said it took me longer to connect to them, i didn´t really feel anything regarding Bianca (of course felt sorry for her, but that´s it), i kinda mixed up Zoe and Artemis sometimes and i took me some time to start to like Thalia, but i think her and Percys relationship was really well develeped (even better than Percy/Annabeth in book 1 imo). So it was kinda dissapointing when she left for the hunters at the end, would have loved to see more of her and for example Annabeth together. Her scenes with Luke were great. I also have to say that Annabeths absolutly blind faith in Luke feels kinda uncharacteristic for me. A part of me hopes they change that in the tv-series (even tho i know people would hate that xd). I didn´t like how she just watched during the last battle and would have liked it more if Chiron thought her how to control the Mist, since Thalia is already very powerful and just there for 1 ½ books. The ending scene on Olympus was really really cool and the backstory on D.
Hopes for the show:
- I need „Annabeth“ by „The Happy Return“ to play during this season. :D
- They need more/longer episodes, because i want even more Annabeth/Luke/Thalia flashbacks and to see more of Annabeth (Luke tricking her into holding the sky etc.).
- I´m curios how they gonna handle Ares not cursing Percys sword.
- i think making S2 more fun(ny) and light hearted, showing us more of Percys/Annabeths bond could very well contrast a darker season 3 with Annabeth missing.
- Can´t wait to see Walkers acting in this season, it´s gonna be great. I love how he let´s us see Percys anger (which should have been Percys fatal flaw imo).
The Battle of the Labyrinth:
This is one of my favourite books from the series. I don't know somehow this book had the effect on me that i expected for TTC.
• I felt like we spend more time in camp since Percy returns to camp and it takes around 100 pages till they leave camp for the quest
• The tone in this book worked perfect for me.
• After i really missed Annabeth in the last book, i was so happy that she has so much to do in this one. Percy & Annabeth really solidified themself as a team/potental couple in this one, even when they are fighting. It's cristal clear imo that they are gonna end up together, so i found the "romances" with Calypso/Rachel a little bit unnecessary. I would have liked if Percy/Rachel would have stayed platonic (Annabeth could still be jealous) and Calypso one-sided/bewitching Percy. Annabeth blindly trusting Luke still irks me, but i like this Luke more than the one who would kill Annabeth without a second thought in book 2 (that´s one of the reasons why i like the change to the Luke reveal in the show). I know they we're people who didn't like Percys/Annabeths behaivor in this one, but i totally get why Leah is excited for S4: The book really focuses on Annabeth: her pride/over confidence in (her) knowledge (Sphinx/Dädalus), prejeduces against others (Rachel), her jeolusy (Percy), her trust in Luke/Loyality (Percy), her relationships with Percy in general, her qualities as a group leader/member in camp (for example Clarisse or Wacholder). Percy solifides his role as a leader and hero, too. I found it a little bit annoying that he saves the day so often (at the ranch for example), but i think Percys fatal flaw being loyality is kind of boring, too.
• I liked the developing trusting relationship between Grover and Tyson.
• In contrast to Artemis, Bianca, Zoe and in parts Thalia i really felt like going on a quest with friends with Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson (<3) and in parts Nico. And while i don't really like Rachel-as-a-possible-love interest, i liked her as a character.
• Loved the plot in general: Janus, the Ranch, Quintus, Hera, Nico being influenced, the sphinx.
Hopes for the tv show:
After i read about BotL on here i really expected Annabeth vs. Rachel to be way worse than it was at the end. In general i LOVED Annabeth in this book (It almost feels like her book more than Percys) and i hope they don´t over-do Annabeth/Percy/Rachel. They need longer/more episodes from season 3 on going forward, because i wanna see almost everything from these books come to life.
The Last Olympian:
I was sceptical if this book could top book 4 for me, but it´s a tie. Tbh i did not expect to Like this book as much as i did. After i adored BotL i thought the last book would be more about fighting (Something i find boring fast). But i loved every part of it. Everything in the book just felt right. Somehow RR managed it to have so many things happening & so many characters in this book, but it still felt like i spend a lot of time in every moment and every character got their moment to shine. It is the best paced book out of the 5 by far for me. I don´t think i would change anythink about it, even if i could. Starting with the beginnging i really felt like on „vacation“ with Percy and Rachel just to be thrown into the mythological world again, seeing the underwater palast and fearing fo camp half blood after that. I did not expect to see Nico again & for him to play such a big role in this last battle. Loved the scenes with him and Percy visiting May, who adds a tragic backstory for Luke and shows us what could happen to Rachel. Manhattan falling asleep and the battle of Manhattan we're fantastic. I loved the mixture between fights/mythology/stiller moments. Everything that makes the books so great. Percy and Annabeths moments in this book (Styx, the scene after she takes the knife for him, him turning down immortality, the end) are perfect, you feel the connection and chemistry through the book pages. I also loved how it were Percy, Grover and Annabeth in the final fight (I loved the little elevator scene). The ending felt perfect, how Rick manages it to jump from war back to camp and it still feels completly natural, is really a gift. I love that there are more books (reading HOO next, can´t wait for HoH), but it would have worked as a complete ending, too. He really wrote a suspenseful, tragic, sad and happy book at the same time without that many of my favourite characters dying. The only thing that missed the mark for me was Silena being seen as a hero (if i hadn´t been spoiled already i would have for sure suspected Clarisse as the spy, I still thinks it was very weak from her to refuse to fight).
I loved rereading these books and can´t wait for HOO (maybe i´ll read the Demigod Files before that). As someone who liked the first season of the tv show, i can´t wait for the rest of the series