The Lightning Thief
Wikipedia
A Guide to Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series
The Lightning Thief is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel written by Rick Riordan in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series.
The Lightning Thief is narrated by Percy Jackson, a twelve-year-old diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. While on a school trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the chaperones, Mrs. Dodds, turns into a Fury and attacks him. Percy's favorite teacher, Mr. Brunner, lends Percy a magical sword-pen to defeat her. After school lets out, Percy goes on a trip to Long Island with his mother, Sally.
In the middle of the night, Percy's friend Grover Underwood reveals himself as a satyr and tells them they are in danger. The three drive to a mysterious summer camp, but the Minotaur attacks them, grabs Sally, and causes her to disappear in a blinding flash of gold light. Believing his mother has died, Percy kills the beast with one of its own horns, drags an unconscious Grover into the camp, and soon falls unconscious himself.
When Percy awakens, he learns that the camp is called Camp Half-Blood and that he is a demigod, the son of a human and a Greek god. He settles into camp life and meets several other demigods, including Luke Castellan and Annabeth Chase. After a hellhound attacks him after a game of Capture the Flag, he is saved by Chiron and then claimed by his father, the god Poseidon. Chiron explains to Percy how the three eldest male gods-Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades-swore an oath not to have children more than 70 years ago; Percy represents a violation of the oath. This, coupled with the fact that Zeus's master lightning bolt has recently been stolen, has bred much suspicion between the gods.
Percy is given the task of locating Zeus's original lightning bolt before an all-out war can break out between the gods. He chooses Annabeth and Grover to accompany him to the realm of Hades, as Hades is the most likely culprit of the theft. Before he leaves, Percy is given Chiron's magic sword Anaklusmos ("Riptide") and Luke's flying sneakers. The trio travels towards Los Angeles, where the entrance to Hades's realm resides.
Along the way, they are attacked by several monsters, including the Furies, Medusa, Echidna, and the Chimera. They also do a favor for the god Ares, who gives them a backpack full of supplies and safe transportation to Nevada. Percy gradually learns more about his companions, his powers, and the world of the Greek gods. When they arrive in Hades's realm, Grover is nearly dragged into Tartarus by Luke's flying shoes. The battered group finally meets Hades, who reveals that his Helm of Darkness has also been mysteriously stolen, and accuses Percy of stealing it. Hades threatens to kill Sally Jackson (who is being held hostage by the god) and reanimate the dead unless his helm is returned.
When Percy finds the missing master bolt inside Ares's backpack, the group realizes they've all been manipulated by Ares. Narrowly escaping the Underworld, Percy challenges Ares to a duel on the beach. After a long and tough fight, Percy wins, and he gives the Helm of Darkness to the Furies. Hades realizes that Percy is not the thief of the helm nor the master bolt, and returns Mrs. Jackson to their apartment in New York.
Percy takes the master bolt back to Zeus on Mount Olympus, who rewards the young hero by not killing him. Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood as a hero and enjoys the rest of his summer there. On the last day of camp, however, he goes into the woods with Luke, who reveals himself to be the real thief of Hades's Helm and Zeus's bolt, following the orders of Kronos. Kronos also manipulated the power-hungry Ares into taking part in the scheme.
Luke explains his beliefs that the gods are too irresponsible and are poor leaders who need to be overthrown. He offers Percy the chance to join him, and when Percy refuses, Luke tries to kill him with a scorpion. Percy manages to kill it but is badly poisoned and faints. When he has awakened and recovered, Percy is given the choice of whether to return home for the school year or stay at camp year-round. After much thought, he decides to spend the school year with his mother, even though it will be more dangerous for him with Luke and Kronos on the loose. Grover and Annabeth also leave the camp for the year but promise to keep in touch with Percy.
The Lightning Thief is narrated by Percy Jackson, a twelve-year-old diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. While on a school trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the chaperones, Mrs. Dodds, turns into a Fury and attacks him. Percy's favorite teacher, Mr. Brunner, lends Percy a magical sword-pen to defeat her. After school lets out, Percy goes on a trip to Long Island with his mother, Sally.
In the middle of the night, Percy's friend Grover Underwood reveals himself as a satyr and tells them they are in danger. The three drive to a mysterious summer camp, but the Minotaur attacks them, grabs Sally, and causes her to disappear in a blinding flash of gold light. Believing his mother has died, Percy kills the beast with one of its own horns, drags an unconscious Grover into the camp, and soon falls unconscious himself.
When Percy awakens, he learns that the camp is called Camp Half-Blood and that he is a demigod, the son of a human and a Greek god. He settles into camp life and meets several other demigods, including Luke Castellan and Annabeth Chase. After a hellhound attacks him after a game of Capture the Flag, he is saved by Chiron and then claimed by his father, the god Poseidon. Chiron explains to Percy how the three eldest male gods-Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades-swore an oath not to have children more than 70 years ago; Percy represents a violation of the oath. This, coupled with the fact that Zeus's master lightning bolt has recently been stolen, has bred much suspicion between the gods.
Percy is given the task of locating Zeus's original lightning bolt before an all-out war can break out between the gods. He chooses Annabeth and Grover to accompany him to the realm of Hades, as Hades is the most likely culprit of the theft. Before he leaves, Percy is given Chiron's magic sword Anaklusmos ("Riptide") and Luke's flying sneakers. The trio travels towards Los Angeles, where the entrance to Hades's realm resides.
Along the way, they are attacked by several monsters, including the Furies, Medusa, Echidna, and the Chimera. They also do a favor for the god Ares, who gives them a backpack full of supplies and safe transportation to Nevada. Percy gradually learns more about his companions, his powers, and the world of the Greek gods. When they arrive in Hades's realm, Grover is nearly dragged into Tartarus by Luke's flying shoes. The battered group finally meets Hades, who reveals that his Helm of Darkness has also been mysteriously stolen, and accuses Percy of stealing it. Hades threatens to kill Sally Jackson (who is being held hostage by the god) and reanimate the dead unless his helm is returned.
When Percy finds the missing master bolt inside Ares's backpack, the group realizes they've all been manipulated by Ares. Narrowly escaping the Underworld, Percy challenges Ares to a duel on the beach. After a long and tough fight, Percy wins, and he gives the Helm of Darkness to the Furies. Hades realizes that Percy is not the thief of the helm nor the master bolt, and returns Mrs. Jackson to their apartment in New York.
Percy takes the master bolt back to Zeus on Mount Olympus, who rewards the young hero by not killing him. Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood as a hero and enjoys the rest of his summer there. On the last day of camp, however, he goes into the woods with Luke, who reveals himself to be the real thief of Hades's Helm and Zeus's bolt, following the orders of Kronos. Kronos also manipulated the power-hungry Ares into taking part in the scheme.
Luke explains his beliefs that the gods are too irresponsible and are poor leaders who need to be overthrown. He offers Percy the chance to join him, and when Percy refuses, Luke tries to kill him with a scorpion. Percy manages to kill it but is badly poisoned and faints. When he has awakened and recovered, Percy is given the choice of whether to return home for the school year or stay at camp year-round. After much thought, he decides to spend the school year with his mother, even though it will be more dangerous for him with Luke and Kronos on the loose. Grover and Annabeth also leave the camp for the year but promise to keep in touch with Percy.