The Sea of Monsters

This is book 4 for Once Upon a Time.

 The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion;(March 20, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1423103343

From Booklist

In this second adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy is anticipating the end of seventh grade and a summer at Camp Half-Blood with kids who are the offspring of Greek gods and mortals. He dreams that his pal Grover, a satyr, is in danger. After monsters attack in his school gym class, Percy and Tyson, a homeless kid, are picked up by Annabeth, a half-blood friend, and rushed to the camp, which is under attack. The tree that guards the camp is dying, and Chiron, the activity director, has been dismissed. Another dream reveals that Grover, whose peril is increasing, is on the same island as the legendary Golden Fleece, which may be the cure for the troubled camp. With the help of Hermes, Percy and his pals set off to the Sea of Monsters, where they encounter legendary dangers. Riordan's clever mix of classical mythology, contemporary teen characters, and an action-packed adventure will bring new readers to the series. Diana Herald

Well, Percy and his friends seem to get into trouble as fast as some “hobbits” I know!

I am finding all the referrals to the Mythical Gods has kept it all very interesting.  And as I said it’s action packed and fast paced, hard to leave the book down for very long.

I think I needed some easy reading with good story telling since my ability to do anything for very long is limited.

I know the first two books have been made into movies but I did not see them..I can see where they would be super filled with special effects.

This was an enjoyable read and I have book 3 here so I will read that and at least I will have read 5 books for OUaT!  I am sure young adults will enjoy these books very much… and heck they are a good change for us “not so young” too!

The Lightning Thief

This is book 3 for Once Upon a Time.

 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion;(March 21, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0786838655

From School Library Journal

At first glance, Perseus Jackson seems like a loser (readers meet him at a boarding school for troubled youth), but he's really the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. As he discovers his heritage, he also loses that mother and falls into mortal danger. The gods (still very active in the 21st-century world) are about to go to war over a lost thunderbolt, so Percy and sidekicks Grover (a young satyr) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) set out to retrieve it. Many close calls and monster-attacks later, they enter Hades's realm (via L.A.). A virtuoso description of the Underworld is matched by a later account of Olympus (hovering 600 floors above Manhattan). There's lots of zippy review of Greek myth and legend, and characters like Medusa, Procrustes, Charon, and the Eumenides get updates. Some of the Labors of Heracles or Odysseus's adventures are recycled, but nothing seems stale, and the breakneck pace keeps the action from being too predictable. Percy is an ADHD, wise-cracking, first-person narrator. Naturally, his real quest is for his own identity. Along the way, such topics as family, trust, war, the environment, dreams, and perceptions are raised. There is subtle social critique for sophisticated readers who can see it. Although the novel ends with a satisfying conclusion (and at least one surprise), it is clear that the story isn't over. The 12-year-old has matured and is ready for another quest, and the villain is at large. Readers will be eager to follow the young protagonist's next move.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI

So… I had forgotten that i bought these three books  long ago.   Since you attention span and comprehension and eyes have, let’s say… not been the best, I thought reading something easy might work.   And it actually did!    So, for now it’s YA books to keep me reading i guess.

I know this was made into a movie, which I haven’t seen, but I certainly can see how young people could enjoy this as a movie.

For adults it is double spaced and fast reading.  I don’t think too many pages go by when you find yourself utter..”what next?”   

I was surprised with parts of the ending and even more surprised to read that it “could have been” a stand alone book…but we all know it isn’t.   I just wanted to mention that in case you want a quick enjoyable read with likeable (and non likeable) characters but not necessarily want to read the whole series.

I did enjoy this and even though my past learning much about “the Gods” I guess I knew enough to not have a problem.  (that would be embarrassing for a 70 yr old to have a problem with a book written for the very young..duh…but then again some teachers I had I can honestly say I didn’t learn very much from!)

If you want quick and enjoyable and easy..this may be a book for you.  OR.. for you to read to a child or grandchild?  Check it out.

Xanth by Two

I read this book for Once Upon a Time..

 

Xanth by Two by Piers Anthony (two complete books in one)

Series: Xanth Novels
Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (February 16, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0765324156

(cover art: Darrel K Sweet)

 

Demons Don’t Dream begins a Xanth sequence as young adventures play for the highest stakes of all: the future of Xanth--and of Earth as well!
Dug thought that the disk he got from his friend was just a fantasy game.  He didn't particularly like fantasy games, but he'd made a bet with Ed, and a bet's a bet.  So he loaded the game and…
Within moments he had left Mundania and was standing in a forest glade in Xanth, with his Companion in Adventure Nada Naga -- a beautiful Princess who just happened to be a shape-changing serpent.  For a long time Dug thought that this was just an incredibly convincing virtual world.  Then he began to believe in Magic.  Which was a good thing, because the prize in this Game is the Power of Magic in Xanth.
In the next installment, Harpy Thyme, Gloha must brave a demoness and snow dragons, malevolent clouds and musical volcanoes, on a wild odyssey that takes her not only across the length and breadth of Xanth, but on journeys through Time, Space, and the perilous realms of Madness and Mundanity.

Many years ago I read a number of Piers Anthony’s Xanth books but along the way I guess I got to busy with family and stopped reading for a long time.

I found this book in a thrift store and decided it would be good for OUaT and grabbed it up.

Some might say that Piers Anthony is a genius.  Right from the beginning his books about Xanth, are full of “puns”.  After my first few books I wondered how he could possibly keep up the puns and keep finding new ones!  So, although years (eons?) have passed I found myself  rolling my eyes to the heavens as he once again managed to write, not just a story, but a game, using as many puns at before.  (re: a Humble Pie bush grew pies that made you humble if you ate it)

The first story Demons Don’t Dream was very original in that instead of just a story of someone (and some things) that live in Xanth having a story, he took someone from Mundania (that would be us) and brought them into his book via a game they had to play.

One thing I would say is that if you  have never read any Xanth books you wouldn’t enjoy this book because  knowing about Xanth and it’s magic's  would leave you wondering just what was going on.  But if you  have read some and want a trip back in time this would be a good book to read.

Unfortunately even reading this one book took me a very long time.. I was/ am dealing with much depression and anxiety and the passing of the love of my life, BooBoo Kitty.  So I have to admit that the book didn’t have enough of “something” to keep my mind off of other matters and so I didn’t jump back to the book each time I sat down.  But please know it was not the fault of the Author or the book.