The Mythology of Percy Jackson and The Olympians.
I imagine that if you asked most kids today what they knew about Greek mythology, their first answer would probably be Wonder Woman. Their second answer however, would be Percy Jackson — and no, I don’t mean that terrible film adaptation made by Fox. I’m talking about the hit fantasy series created by the master author Rick Riordan.
The series follows the adventures of a young man from New York named Perseus “Percy” Jackson, who, after a fierce battle with a creature from the underworld, discovers that not only are the gods of ancient Greece real, but that he is actually the child of one such deity. Percy must then learn to manage himself through a world of gods, monsters, and terrifying entities, all while dealing with an ancient prophecy that hangs over his head.
The Percy Jackson series is definitely fun and entertaining, but the thing that really makes the books so strong is the way they tackle Greek mythology. Whereas some sources, especially other children’s books, might try to alter or tone down the Grecian myths in order to fit their stories, Riordan doesn’t do that. He keeps the stories of the ancient Greeks as close to the originals as possible. The Greek gods are presented as vengeful, arrogant beings who look down on the humans that they govern. Most monsters are written and described in a manner similar to how they were in the old stories, despite how unusual they may appear to be, like Briares, the hundred-handed one. He even includes ancient artifacts from the myths such as the mythical healing sheep skin, the golden fleece. The series truly embraces the old Grecian myths.
But while Riordan keeps the ancient stories as close as possible, he also puts his own humorous, modern spin on things. Percy’s father, the sea god Poseidon, dresses in Hawaiian shirts and hangs out on the coast to fish. Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, now rests in some extra dimensional plane atop the Empire State Building. Even a den of beings that cause people to become so consumed with fun and joy that they become trapped is reimagined as a hotel and casino in Las Vegas. All the old creatures and ideas from the Greek stories are given fresh and inventive new twists to them so that they can fit into the more modern context of the stories, giving a unique feel to the series universe.
Percy Jackson is such a powerful tool for mythological information because of how it manages to successfully adapt the old stories. It’s not only a hilarious series with powerful characters, but also essentially a guide to the whole of Greek mythology. By reading the series, you get a feeling of wanting to know more about the myths, creatures, and gods found within it. And before you can even say “Olympus,” you’re elbow deep into recreational myth research. It makes you want to look up as much information as possible because you want to have an even greater understanding of the world that the characters inhabit.
The way that the series manages to combine ancient mythological stories and use them with a modern aesthetic makes the Percy Jackson series both an entertaining read and a useful tool for learning the tales of ancient Greece. Reading them makes the myths come to life and causes the reader to want to learn more. This series and its sequels create amazing worlds and lovable characters all built around the strange and mystical world of mythology.
