It took a while for The Lightning Thief to win me over. For much of its length, it felt too nakedly calculated to appeal to Harry Potter fans (with the interesting, but hardly unique, added dimension of a basis in Greek mythology). The character dynamic between Percy Jackson and his pals seemed a bit too Potter-esque, and there are several superficial plot congruities as well. (To be fair, there’s plenty that’s different, too: Jackson has more ‘tude than Potter, and a few interesting foibles, of which my favorite was his dyslexia.)
But I found myself unexpectedly involved with and satisfied by the concluding handful of chapters. I was expecting a twist, but not quite the twist that was delivered, and Riordan resolved at least one conflict I expected to be dragged out through at least another novel. I was at first thinking I’d part company with Jackson after finishing this volume, but I’ve been persuaded to go a little farther.
needs more demons? kinda, but (weak start + strong finish) > (strong start + weak finish)
Needs More Demons Or Not 