(After a short eternity, I am trying to start blogging again. I kind of miss it. Suffice to say that school has started so maybe I'll have more to say now.)

So I just finished The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordian. It is possible that I am one of the last people in America to read this book, since virtually everyone I know already has and keeps saying that I need to read it, I really do.

I read it for my book club, and to be honest if it wasn't for the club I probably wouldn't have finished it.

I found Percy, the main character, to be kind of annoying in places, but mostly really naive. Not like I-was-a-little-sheltered naive, like I-am-a-moron naive. The boy walked into EVERY SINGLE TRAP in the book he could have possibly walked into, and it left you wondering why he apparently didn't inherit any brains from his father, who is a god and you'd think he'd be a little bit smart at least. Hey, camp counselor and buddy. I'd love to go hang out with you by ourselves, despite the fact that you are acting extremely weird and my fate includes betrayal by a friend! No problem! Let's go!

I like Annabeth and Grover, and a lot of the supporting characters. I found the modernized portrayal of the Greek gods amusing--such as the EZ Death line at the Underworld. Clever and all that.

Don't get me wrong. I can see why the books are popular. It's a tried and true formula--boy/girl discovers that he/she has some kind of superhuman powers, makes friends/sidekicks, makes a petty enemy, discovers that he/she has to save the world from something awful, and then goes and DOES save the world from something awful, temporarily vanquishing the petty enemy along the way.

It's just that I think it's a little old. And The Lightning Thief seemed very formulaic in parts to me, so I can't really say I loved it.

Oh well. I suppose I'm glad I read it, anyway.

Have you read it? What did you think?