The Titan's Curse, as I'm sure pretty much everyone out there knows, is installment #3 in the Percy Jackson series.
In it, we have:
- Two new, very powerful half-bloods of unknown parentage
- A manticore
- Haiku by Apollo
- Another rousing game of Capture the Flag, Campers vs. Artemis' Hunters
- Multiple automatons
- Zombies
- More time with Blackjack the Pegasus
- A Big Bad who makes Luke look like a weenie
And, of course, much more, including chapters called "Thalia Torches New England" and "An Old Dead Friend Comes to Visit".
Most fans of the series will be totally happy with it and by the end of the last page, they'll be gasping for more.
Me? I'm kind of over it. I still think the series is smart and funny and exciting and so on -- and #3 did have me turning the pages (and how!), but this time around, I found the HP parallels really distracting:
Percy = Harry
Grover (the best friend who has grown up in this other world) = Ron
Annabeth (the brainiac) = Hermione
Camp Half-Blood = the summer camp version of Hogwarts
Kronos (dead Big Bad whose followers are trying to bring back to life) = Voldemort
Capture the Flag = Quidditch
Big Prophecy that might refer to Percy = Big Prophecy that might refer to Harry
and so on. Which is odd, because they didn't distract me before. I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes.
Like I said -- I still thought it was smart and funny and exciting, etc. And obviously, the parallels aren't exact -- Percy's parents are alive, the prophecy is different and the relationship between Luke and Annabeth and Thalia is much more complicated than any relationship I can think of between a Death Eater and a Good Guy in the HP books. But there are still a whole lot of similarities.
So that's it for me, for now, I think.
Until the next one comes out. By then, I'll have probably gotten over myself and I'll be ready for more.
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Amazon | Indiebound.
From the very first this book fell into the (sparse) category of "I'm not crazy about these myself but I am very happy to recommend them." Parts of them I just thought hilarious and brilliant (Ares as a Hell's Angel) but overall not for me.
Posted by: cc | 26 June 2007 at 10:19 AM
Yeah, I remember you saying that way back when you read the first one. And there are really fun bits -- in this one, Apollo is a total ass (as, in my opinion, he should be, but in an awesome way) and it was hilarious.
So, yeah, I'll totally still be recommending them. But I, personally, am over it.
Posted by: Leila | 26 June 2007 at 10:28 AM
The prophecy thing bugged me in Sea of Monsters, which I just read (still waiting on hold for #3), and the dead Big Bad thing. I felt like the charm of originality wore off after the first one - still a fun read and I'll keep going with the series, no question. The second just didn't manage to out-do the first in any way.
Posted by: jessmonster | 26 June 2007 at 01:42 PM
I loved the book do you know what the 4th or 5th book will be called?
Posted by: David Ntichman | 10 January 2008 at 06:59 PM
This book rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: | 19 March 2008 at 02:40 PM
i like sexy
Posted by: lucas | 02 September 2008 at 08:26 PM
I like boobs
Posted by: lucas | 02 September 2008 at 08:27 PM
GROOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS BOOBS AND SEXY lUCAS??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Posted by: opyui | 02 September 2008 at 08:28 PM
These are the book I had wrote.
The Lightning Theif
The sea of monsters
The titans curse
The Battle of LabyRinth
The water waves on on on
I like the book Titans Curse because I made up the Manticore, tyson, Grover, Percy, and more. I really think the 6th book should be The battle to Tyson. It was a great idea so watch out for them!!
Posted by: RickRiordan | 02 September 2008 at 08:41 PM
I read it in the bathroom Durrrrrrrrrrrr
Posted by: one dude says | 02 September 2008 at 09:15 PM
I read it in the bathroom Durrrrrrrrrrrr
Posted by: one dude says | 02 September 2008 at 09:16 PM
I read it in the bathroom Durrrrrrrrrrrr
Posted by: one dude says | 02 September 2008 at 09:16 PM
go on YOUTUBE AND TYPE IN VICTOR DISCOVERY COLLEGE ITS ABOUT AN INTERVIEW OF RICK RIORDAN!!! YOU SEXY BABES WILL LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE HIM LIKE Leila she said Apollo and Hera should kiss ( she told me that at school!!!!!!!!!)
Posted by: another dude says | 02 September 2008 at 09:20 PM
I CAN NAME EVERY HALF-BLOOD!!! PERCY, ANNABETH, AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA MORON!!
Posted by: ANNIE | 02 September 2008 at 09:23 PM
STOP BRAGGING ANNIE DALE EROSRE!!!!!!!!!!!! BIKINIS LOOK SO GOOD ON LACEY GREEN!!!!
Posted by: COLLIN IN HOUSTON,TEXAS | 02 September 2008 at 09:25 PM
I SAID THE COMMENT ABOVE!!!
Posted by: COLLIN IN HOUSTON,TEXAS AT gLEASON | 02 September 2008 at 09:26 PM
I THINK RICK RIORDAN WRITES AMAZING BOOKS! I REALLY WANT HIS AUTOGRAPH BUT HE LIVES IN SAN ANTONIO I LIVE IN HOUSTON! IF YOU RICK RIORDAN IS READING THIS PLEASE COME TO GLEASON SOMETMIE. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSE! PLEASE!
Posted by: VICTOR | 02 September 2008 at 09:31 PM
I AGREE TOTTALY SEXY VICTOR!!!!!!!
Posted by: CUTE GIRL SAYS | 02 September 2008 at 09:31 PM
I LIKE RICK ALOT ALOT ALOT ALOT ALOT HE IS TOOTALLY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: ANOTHER CUTE GIRL SAYS | 02 September 2008 at 09:34 PM
SFDJnfgkjngfgggggggggfffffffffffsda4tsatnhszentrztrdtyuioyoyuouuuuuuyoyyouyouyouyoyucf
Posted by: kronos | 02 September 2008 at 09:51 PM
Hi nick!! I had a great time at school today!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: thomas | 02 September 2008 at 09:52 PM
hi thomas!! I had a great time at school today too. told you she was wearing a bra!!!
Posted by: nick | 02 September 2008 at 09:54 PM
I LOVE THE PERCY JACKSON SERIES!
Posted by: Christina | 02 September 2008 at 09:58 PM
I LOVE THE PERCY JACSON SERIES!! IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOLLLLL
MY FRIEND IS KRONOS JUST KIDDINGGGGGGGGGGGG
Posted by: VICTOR ZZZZZZZZZZZZ | 02 September 2008 at 10:03 PM
YOOOOYOYOYOYYOOYOYOYOYOYOYOYOYOYOYYOYOOYOYOYOYOYOY
Posted by: WHEEEEEEEEEEEE | 02 September 2008 at 10:04 PM
HELLO rICK
Posted by: WHEEEEEEEEEEEE | 03 September 2008 at 08:18 AM
YO
Posted by: WHEEEEEEEEEEEE | 03 September 2008 at 08:19 AM
HI RICK RIORDAN I KNOW YOU HAVE ARMPIT HAIR LIKE ME
Posted by: ONE DUDE SAYS | 03 September 2008 at 08:20 AM
I KNOW
Posted by: ANOTHER DUDE SAYS | 03 September 2008 at 08:21 AM
I LOVE LADIES
Posted by: 88 DUDES SAYS | 03 September 2008 at 08:22 AM
THIS BOOK IS LIKE SOOOOOOOOOO COOL. I REALLY LIKE YOUR BOOKS
Posted by: DAVID SAYS | 03 September 2008 at 08:23 AM