This has really been a long time coming. The Lightning Thief has been at the back of my reading list pretty much ever since I learned to read. I have always been fascinated with ancient history and adventure of course - even though that’s a given for a reader, only the types vary between people - and so it would be only natural for me to have consumed the entirety of Rick Riordan’s catalogue many times over by now, but for one reason or another I never got around to reading it before. Probably because our family didn’t really buy too many books and this first of the series was never available in any library - and for a good reason.

I finally got time to read again after almost a year of very intense studying and thus reading exclusively mathematics, technical writing and code documentation during that time, and having received the entire series as a birthday gift I could not wait to finally right this wrong. I was not let down and now I must say, I kind of regret not having grown up with the series.

This is pretty much the perfect children’s book, right up there with Harry Potter and the like. It is masterfully written but in a way that is also a breeze to read through. The story is gripping, the characters are interesting, vibrant personalities and their dynamics feel natural and often quite entertaining with hints of more profound themes too, such as loneliness, trust, mentorship, love in a platonic and familial sense and the nature of friendship.

I enjoyed it immensely, even after having recently entered my third decade of life but I’m a little melancholic about having possibly missed the potentially massive impression this book could have made on me at around 9 to 13 years old. I was definitely still impressed but less in the sense of being awestruck by the immersive blending of ancient Greek mythology and modern day, but more by the way of how this was achieved on a technical and structural level. While the book’s target audience is apparent, of course, in the ages of the main characters’, it also shows in the pacing of the book, which I can see being excellent for keeping younger readers engaged and invested throughout the book, but which felt, at times, even a bit too fast for my taste as I would have enjoyed a few longer conversations delving deeper into every aspect of the world and detail of each myth. Perhaps that is just a manifestation of my own of my own impatience, however. The story is also quite straightforward and fairly simple, such that I called a plot twist already half-way through but it is still satisfying and fun.

The Lightning Thief is the perfect start for a great series, with a satisfying story that leaves the reader mostly content with just the right amount of closure but still hungry, if not starving for more. It is written in a clever and witty way - just look at the titles of the chapters - and Percy is relatable and mature enough in his first-person narrative for the story to be enjoyable for all young-minded readers regardless of age. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to be featured in every and all bookcases with the chance of it being passed by any children as this can really act as one of those magical portals momentarily transporting you to another realm full of inspiration. Percy Jackson is a great role model for any kid and getting lost in his beautifully crafted world for the short while in which one flies through this book cannot hurt the owner of the bookcase either. Have it in reserve for lending to the curious and give it as a present to all adventurous 9 to 13-year-old kids who have not yet read it. Well-timed, this can ignite or uphold their love of reading and so unlock all kinds of new worlds, ideas and experiences to them for life.