I started reading this with The Newest Olympian podcast, which is great fun. However, I couldn't wait a week for each chapter. I just had to finish. I remember listening to it with my son on road trips when he was pretty small. This series really created a love of mythology in him. That said, I don't really remember much of the series beyond what was in the less than good movies.

Riodan does a pretty good job with the teenage voice. Percy and Anabeth both sound like teenagers, maybe a bit older than they are in the books but still teenagers. Also, I love that Percy is a good kid whose been in trouble a lot. I've met lots of kids like him as a teacher. Percy and Anabeth both really exemplify the untainted view that the world should try to achieve social justice, that things should be fair, and we should all work to make them such if we can. Those things that are out of our hands are out of our hands, so be it.

Percy feels like a real hero.

My only frustration with this book is that it really isn't a self contained story. Despite being book one of a beloved series, this book feels incomplete.