Tuesday, June 30, 2009

New Release Tuesday: Offerings from the Realm of Greek Mythology





This week’s new release suggestions come from the realm of Greek Mythology. I have just finished one of Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” books which will be the subject for the Cybrarian’s review at the end of the week, and thought it would be a good time to take a peek at some offerings from the Greek mythology theme.

Atlantis Unleashed (Warriors of Poseidon, Book 3) by Alyssa Day
Eleven thousand years ago Poseidon’s warriors took an oath swearing to protect humanity from those who stalk the night. Now powerful forces are uniting and it all comes down to a warrior prince and a woman of science; these two souls are all that stand between justice and the eternal darkness.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (Kindle Edition)
This is the Kindle version of the second book in the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. Summer is the time for all young heroes to gather at Camp Half-Blood to train in the art of survival against the monsters that live in the real world seeking to destroy the young demigods. It is called Camp Half-Blood because it is a safe place, a summer camp, specifically for young campers with one mortal parent and one parent who is a Greek god.

Amazon has this to say about the second book in the series: “after a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any “normal” friends. Things don’t stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia-only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name-the Bermuda Triangle. Now Percy and his friends-Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson-must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family-one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon-s son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.” This series is wrought with traditional Greek mythology with a modern flavor. This series makes great family summer reading, just a thought...

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8 comments:

joe doaks-Author said...

In reading your reviews, it's occurred to me that there may be a segment of the reading public that's not familiar with fantasy, or, perhaps unsure where to start in the genre.

Maybe for a future post you could suggest a series of books to get these folks started. (These folks would include me--grin) I guess we're all up to speed on Harry Potter, and that's good, but the field seems to have so much more to offer.

Or, maybe there is no "starting point?" Maybe one just jumps in and goes. Not sure. Share your thoughts with us.

Best regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog

Marvin D Wilson said...

Another great offering with this feature, Nancy - keep up the great work!

The Old Silly

N A Sharpe said...

Hmmmm...interesting. Well, I don't know that there is one particular place to start - I guess it would depend on your taste and type of story you like. I enjoy the epic classics like Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, where Middle Earth is inhabited by Hobbits and Orcs (although I had a heck of a time first getting through the Hobbit - I couldn't get past the first couple chapters but kept hearing how much I would like the book so I kept trying and everyone was absolutlely right - I loved the books and movies...once I got past the initial chapters). I also like CS Lewis' land of Narnia in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This new series I have started, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is quickly growing into a favorite because I love the ancient Greek mythology (which they do refer to frequently through the series - but Riordan does tell you the gest of the mythology within his story). If you are not familiar with the characters of the fantasy realms, you could always get my Destineers' Journal of Fantasy Nations as a guide to the beings of the fantasy world (LOL).

One series you may enjoy is the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It is more contemporary and combines fantasy with mystery (think Sam Spade meets an adult Harry Potter).

If you like the feel of the traditional medievalish era Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth is a great series!

There are also some great sci-fi series, if you like the futuristic blend with a more scientific background (there are many offsprings of the Star Wars and Star Trek series which is a good place to start) Hope this helps! Great question - thanks Galen!

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

N A Sharpe said...

Hi Marvin! Thanks for stopping by - glad you are enjoying them - hope you can find something great to add to your reading list here!

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Hi Nancy!

My son LOVES Rick Riordan and is eagerly awaiting the next installment. Wonder if he'd like the Poseidon series or if it's more for adults in subject matter?

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

N A Sharpe said...

Hi Elizabeth!

This Poseidon series is geared more towards an adult audience.

Did you know the Percy Jackson series is coming to the big screen? I think it is expected to release in February 2010. Chris Columbus is directing. There is soooo much they could do with this. I'm loving the series so far!

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

Helen Ginger said...

The Percy Jackson series is a huge hit, with adults and young adults. I'm very happy for Rick Riordan. He's a very nice guy. The books deal with mythology, which as far as I know, hadn't been explored for kids before his series.

Helen
Straight From Hel

N A Sharpe said...

Hi Helen,

I'm just starting to read them and I really like them - it does deal directly with Greek mythology and integrates the ancient mythology with the current story timeline.

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

 
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