Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: The Lightning Thief

Rick Riordan

May 2009 · Disney Electronic Content

About this ebook

The #1 New York Times Bestseller | Now a series on Disney+

12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers he is the son of Poseidon in the opener to the hilarious, fast-paced adventure fantasy series for young readers ages 10 and up

The eBook edition of the first book in Rick Riordan’s thrilling series, filled with magic, mythology, and plenty of monsters

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school again—he can't seem to stay out of trouble. Is he supposed to stand by while a bully picks on his scrawny best friend? Or not defend himself when his teacher turns into a monster and tries to kill him?

Mythical creatures seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. What’s worse, he's angered a few of them: Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Percy and his friends Grover the satyr, and Annabeth, the demigod daughter of Athena, must find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. They travel cross country to the gates of the Underworld in Los Angeles, facing a host of enemies determined to stop them.

Withmillions of copies and over 10 years spent on the New York Times bestseller list, Percy has also become a movie, a Broadway musical, and now a Disney+ series. He continues to find fans in classrooms and libraries across the world.

Ratings and reviews

In the thrilling opener to Rick Riordan’s adventure fantasy series, 12-year-old Percy Jackson discovers he’s no ordinary kid—he’s the son of Poseidon. Aimed at young readers aged 10 and up, this fast-paced and hilarious series kicks off with Percy facing expulsion from boarding school once again. Trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes, whether it's defending his scrawny best friend from bullies or fending off a teacher who suddenly transforms into a monster.

it was a torturous day at school, they were forcing us to read a book from the school library. I had never read in my life, so I had to judge a book by its cover (ik I'm deeply sorry). Low and behold that book was The Lightning Thief. This book taught me that reading isn't actually a secret form of torture, and can instead be used as a form of entertainment. Percy is pretty stupid for half the book cus he didn't go through a character arc yet.

"The Lightning Thief" is a thrilling start to the Percy Jackson series, offering a fresh take on mythology that kept me hooked from the first page. Riordan's storytelling is engaging, the characters are endearing, and the fast-paced plot makes it a must-read for anyone seeking a fun and imaginative adventure.

About the author

Author Info:

Rick Riordan is the author of the first four books in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series: The Lightning Thief; The Sea of Monsters; The Titan's Curse; and The Battle of the Labyrinth. His previous novels for adults include the hugely popular Tres Navarre series, winner of the top three awards in the mystery genre. He lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons.