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Friday 31 August 2012

Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades by Rick Riordan

My Rating: 2 Stars

Goodreads says:
This title contains a brilliant "Percy Jackson" mini adventure plus "Horrible Histories Groovy Greeks" - a winning combo for "World Book Day!" The goddess Persephone has summoned Percy, Thalia and Nico to the Underworld in order to retrieve Hades' powerful sword before it falls into the wrong hands. Easier said than done in a world full of evil daimons, ghosts and ghouls. Not to mention Iapetos - brother of the powerful Titan lord, Kronos. This time the young demigods are really up against it - will Percy manage to return the sword before it's too late? 

My Review:
I am a huge Percy Jackson fan. I just LOVE the series and Rick with all my heart. As a result, when I heard about this book, I just HAD TO read it. But I am sorry to say this book disappointed me. Immensely.

The story line is an interesting one, that takes place in the Underworld. Persephone summons Percy, Thalia and Nico to help find Hades's sword that is built with a Death's key in the hilt (hope I got the term right :P) This key can lock and unlock death (I know! Right!) and also, theoretically, Tartarus. So it is imperious that Percy and gang get the sword back. They are given a potted carnation by Persephone that will help them catch the thief and if all it petals fall off, it means the thief has fled, all hopes lost (poor flower.... I would catch the thief just to save it LOLs). So Percy, Thalia and Nico set off with their flowery compass to catch the thief. And needless to say, they do so just at the right moment.

With ittie-bitties about Sisyphus, Melinoe and the river Lithe, this 5-chapter story has great potential but (I never thought I'd have to say this for a Rick book) it doesn't live up to it. Essentially it reads more like a fanfiction story than the author's original work. So, yeah. Disappointment overload.

So if you are a Percy Jackson fan, I'd say go for this only if you really HAVE to. The novella doesn't really affect the story-line at all so you can skip it without any regrets.

So my rating would be: 2 Stars

P.S.: I understand I might be a little biased in my rating. You see, if I didn't know how well Rick really writes, I would have given this one 3 stars. But since I do know that Rick's writing is awesomeness personified I justify 2 stars to be apt. 

Alrighty then guys, until next time, Happy Reading!!!

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