Bitten TV Series: First Impressions

I wasn't going to write a post about Bitten or at least, not yet... not just after one episode. However, I got an email from Brie this morning asking me if I was going to watch the show... Ever since the first press release for Bitten, I knew I was going to give the tv series a try because I love the novel and the book series by Ms Armstrong... And I know I'm not the only one :) So might as well discuss the adaptation all together, right?

Apparently, Bitten premieres tonight in the States on the Syfy channel... but it being a Canadian production, seems like Canada will be getting advance viewing as Bitten's first episode was shown on Saturday on the Space channel :) After watching the episode, here are my first impressions... but please keep in mind that 1) I'm a huge fan of the book, the series and Ms Armstrong (although it's been a while since I last re-read Bitten) and 2) I'm not an avid tv series/movie watcher. This means I can be biased in some aspects and totally ignorant in others ^_^; Anyway, here we go...

Overall, I think the first episode was good. It was mainly about introducing the characters and setting up the story and world building and I think they were successful in both aspects. In addition, the pacing was good and the episode, well balanced. It wasn't about just the characters or the world building, but really both and they even started the storyline about the mutt. I also quite enjoyed how viewers got to meet most of the supporting cast - quick, but efficient.

The feel of the series is also quite good in my opinion. I liked the opening credit, I think it fit the mood the series is trying to convey and is not too revealing of what's to come. Also, I don't know if it was intentional - probably not LOL - but I thought it fit with the covers of the Canadian edition of the books. The location/scenery so far seems to be pretty spot-on, especially Stonehaven :) And while Bitten is a Canadian production and I'm quite happy about it, I wouldn't be able to tell at first glance. What I mean is that Bitten doesn't feel like a low-budget tv series or differently from any other American productions - which is a good thing :) The only thing I would like the production to improve is the werewolf special effect. It's not bad, but there's something about it... I like that the werewolves are the right colors, but they could look a bit more real feel like they belong in the scenes more.

I know, I know, all of the above is good and well, but it's not what matters most right? What you really want to know is the cast right? One of the main draws to Bitten is the actress who plays Elena, Laura Vandervoort, because she portrayed Supergirl in Smallville... and I think she can definitively carry the series on her shoulders. So far, she's doing a good job as Elena. The only complaint I can see people coming up with - and it'd be the readers - is that she's a bit too feminine. Elena doesn't care about make-up, fashion and would never be caught wearing high heels! However, I think that Laura Vandervoort's portrayal of Elena right now is good and her femininity works. I mean, Bitten's cast is predominantly male given the world that Ms Armstrong created... so playing up Elena's femininity is a good visual contrast in the tv series and I think it really drives home the point that she's the only female werewolf and what it means to be surrounded by all those males. As for the rest of the cast, they had pretty limited screen time, but I'm pretty satisfied with what I've seen so far - especially Michael Xavier as Logan, Joel Keller as Peter and Greg Bryk as Jeremy (even though he is not Asian). Yes, of course, Logan and Peter had very small roles in the novel, so their casting wasn't very crucial, but still, it's nice they fit. Furthermore, it seems to me one of the important changes that they've decided to make was not to kill off Logan's character (he's credited for the 13 episodes at IMDB), which means his role was expanded. Hopefully, it's going to keep the essence of the book and Logan will be Elena's good friend and confident which is the way it is shaping up. And so far, I like what I see of Logan and Elena :)

Greyston Holt and Paul Greene

While I'm happy with most of the actors and actresses chosen, there are two miscasts in my opinion. The first and critical one is Greyston Holt as Clayton. Clayton was always going to be the most difficult character of Bitten to cast... and unfortunately, the casting is a questionable choice for me. Clay is supposed to be traffic-stopping-gorgeous, almost angel-like, with a sandpaper personality LOL. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Greyston Holt isn't handsome enough. Even with that classroom full of girls looking subjugated, I didn't buy it ^_^; In fact, he looks too brutish to be Clay... although the moodiness is there. Personally, I would have swapped Greyston Holt and Paul Greene who plays Philip (Elena's boyfriend) roles. Then again, this is only the first episode and Elena and Clay barely had any interaction, so it's a bit early to tell... who knows, they might have incredible chemistry and that would make his casting all right. Oh and for those who wonder, Clay unfortunately doesn't have his accent in the tv series :( Guess it would have been too hard to explain? Or just too hard for the actor to maintain?... The other flagrant miscast is Paulino Nunes as Antonio. Mr Nunes is just not big enough, doesn't have the immovable presence that Antonio is supposed to have. Antonio might not have a big role, but a miscast is a miscast...

My one big complaint from what I've seen of Bitten so far is the amount of sex/nudity. I was actually concerned about this from the beginning, ever since I read "An erotically charged thriller, Bitten..." in the press release. Erotically charged thriller, really?! And seems like my concern was not for naught :( I know that Bitten not being shown on a mainstream channel, it allows the production to push the limits, I know that sex sells and attracts viewers and most of you probably think I'm a prude... but I just don't want the series to be overtaken by those scenes. Personally, the way the show started and how Elena and Philip were introduced, I could have done without. Then again, I'm probably going to be in the minority...

My verdict? I'm a purist when it comes to tv/movie adaptations. I want them to be as faithful as possible and I take the fact that I didn't spend the first episode of Bitten rolling my eyes, fuming or screaming at the screen as a good sign LOL. In all seriousness, the first episode showed promise and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. So far, the changes done to the story have really been minimal and I hope it continues that way. I mean, if they keep to the original storyline as much as possible, combined with good acting, I don't see why Bitten wouldn't be the next big TV hit :) The biggest question mark for me is going to be Greyston Holt as Clayton... guess we're going to find out soon.

What about you? Any plan of watching it? And if you did already, what did you think?

***

Extra: My book review of Bitten

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

Yep, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians week is not over at Books, Books and more Books yet :) Almost, but not yet :) I thought I'd do a little recap and post my thoughts on the overall series.

 

It's clear from reading my reviews that I enjoyed the series :) Yes, there were weaker books, but there were also better books. As a whole, there's only one word to describe this series: GREAT. LOL, okay, there are many words: awesome, enjoyable and fun :P Especially fun. It's really no surprised the kids have enjoyed it so much, and so did the adults.

To me, it all started with the original idea of combining our modern world with the greek mythology. Seriously, this was a great idea for a world building, because Mr Riordan doesn't have to invent everything from scratch. It's really a win-win situation as well: young readers discover the greek mythology while older readers go ahhh and ohhh, remembering facts that were tucked away in their brain. I mean, while reading this series, I realized that I've picked up a lot about greek mythology over the years through tv, books and other media... and it was simply fun to go ahhh, I know this! and recognizing what myths Mr Riordan brought in. It was also the perfect blending between modern world and mythology and all the modern spins were quite humorous :)

Then, there's the plot which was very interesting and well supported by a very solid world building. The only storyline I found weak was the one of The Sea of Monsters. Aside from it, every book had interesting and complete storyline. The most surprising is that everyone of them contributed to the overall plot of the series. While reading the series, you never questioned why the author was taking this direction with this storyline or think that the series could do without this or that book. There was a gradual build-up throughout the series to the climax and every detail and every character seems to be playing a role in it. The action was great, engrossing and made the readers want to continue reading as fast as possible, but the best was definitively the twists and surprises :D They are many of them and they made the storylines so unpredictable, which you  really need to keep the readers hooked and wanting to read more.

Finally, there's the characters. I liked Percy a lot, but I didn't love him and I think this is a good thing. I feel like Mr Riordan wrote Percy the way he wanted, not a character to please the readers :) For example, Percy is not lovable in a sweet, sweet way. Instead, he has a lot of personality, good and bad qualities and that really made him realistic. It's really the same with Annabeth. She's strong and interesting and I like her, but don't love her. All the other secondary characters added substances to the series and were mostly fun to read about. Nico in particular was very interesting and as I said, I love Tyson :) The gods here were important to the storylines, but most of the time, were there to lighten up the mood :P What I really liked about Percy and Annabeth in this series was watching them grow, their maturation process. How they went to being 12 years old half-bloods to 16 years old half-bloods. How they dealt with their emotions and how growing up changed their relationships and their interactions with other characters.

So as you can see, Percy Jackson and the Olympians series was great to read, enjoyable and a lot of fun. I'd say all that is due to the care of Mr Riordan in balancing everything :) The only thing I found strange in this series was the gods relationships... and this is not due to Mr Riordan's writing. I'm a romance reader at the core, right? I love when my characters are faithful to each other and you know, I guess I'm traditional. It's just that the relationships between the gods, well it's weird ^_^; I mean, many of them are siblings, but they don't act that way. Many are parents/children, but they don't act that way. Many are spouses, but they don't act that way ^_^; So it's just a bit weird. I understand that's greek mythology and also immortality... However, when you see the gods having so many half-bloods by so many different mortal parents, well... Also, I think I would have enjoyed seeing older half-bloods, adult ones. Ah well, maybe in the sequel?

So yes, I loved this series. It was great fun and I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy :) Yes, this is a young adult series, but it has great plots and world building and likable characters. Plus, Mr Riordan doesn't play the moral, preaching card... so this is pure entertainment :D

Review: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Wooohooo!! We've reached the last day of my Percy Jackson and the Olympians week!! I made it LOL. I've reviewed 5 books in 5 days LOL.

So let's jump into it right away :D

***SPOILERS ALERT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISKS!!***


The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion Books in May 2009

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows.

While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

Genre: Young Adult, fantasy
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #5

The Story: The time has finally come, Percy is on the verge of turning 16 and the prophecy is about the become true. The last year has been difficult for all the half-bloods as they prepared for battle.

After losing a comrade in a raid the half-bloods organized, Percy realizes many things. First, there is a traitor among the half-bloods. Second, they have no chance to win as they are. If they want to survive, someone must be able to face off with Kronos who has taken over Luke's body, thus Percy has to get stronger. To do so, he has to follow Nico's insane plan: to bath in the Styx river.

Percy does so and returns to New York just in time, as the battle begins. Unfortunately, the half-bloods' odds still don't look good. Poseidon is busy fighting Oceanus, almost all the Greek gods have gone to fight Typhon, trying to stop his advance to New York. Many Titans have come out of their hiding places and lesser gods have also chosen to join with Kronos. All are making their way to New York, their goal being to reach Mount Olympus... and only the half-bloods (minus Ares cabin) are standing in their way.

My Opinion: The last book of a series is always read with apprehension, because at this point, everyone has expectations. It can either end the series on excellent not, save the series or ruin it ^_^; Well I'm glad to say that The Last Olympian belongs to the first category. It was simply a great book and definitively doesn't disappointed.

The most important I think was the plot. All 4 books have led to this moments and Mr Riordan doesn't screw up. Everything comes together in an excellent plot, all the loose ends are tied up, readers get their answers and are even surprised by some of the events. The action continues to be at the forefront, a definite important element of this series, but it doesn't overshadow the storylines. Instead, it reels the readers and the plot finishes the job by hooking them up LOL. Basically, you have everything in this book: betrayal, love, sacrifice and friendship. What makes it more realistic and better is that there are some losses, which is unfortunate... but necessary, I think.

Mr Riordan also does a great job, giving every characters some "screen" time. I was very happy to see everyone and even some new ones :P Seriously, this is a very hard thing to do when you have so many characters with such a complex storyline. In addition, the book was filled with surprises and twists. The most surprising one is about Luke. Very well written and thought out.

Perhaps the book was a bit more serious, with so many battles to fight. Still, Mr Riordan was able to add in some humorous scenes :) So, there's a great balance in this book. Basically, whatever worked in previous books worked in this one and it seemed to me Mr Riordan surpassed himself :)

The only thing one would complained is the characters' development. Personally, I was happy with it. The development of the characters is not as pronounced, but still continues in this final volume. It seems to me, all the half-bloods have grown up and matured. This battle has obviously weighted heavily on their shoulders and you can feel it. Percy's feelings and relationships finally get sort out. I was satisfied with it :)

My Grade: A-. Again, this was a book I just couldn't read fast enough, wanting to know what would happen. The best about it is that the ending was very satisfying :) Of course, there's a new prophecy indicating that perhaps, Mr Riordan would write a sequel or another series and that's simply good news :)

***

There it is, the movie trailer :) If you go on Youtube, you'll find a lot of clips and other trailers as well. It's worth a look :) I'm hoping to see the movie eventually (I'll have to juggle with the Olympics schedule LOL).

It's hard to say based on the trailer only... The execution looks great, I'm just worried for the adaptation. By the way, there are plans for a second movie to come out in 2012. So hopefully, they don't screw up too much ^_^;

Stay tuned tomorrow :) I'll have a short post about my overall thoughts on the series and a contest :D

Review: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Ugh, I so need to stop playing Bejeweled Blitz ^_^; It's really taking a lot of my time, which I could be spending reading instead :(

My reading has been slow this week, but I've just finished a great book: Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep! Actually, this month has been great so far, quality-wise :) As a result, I have so many reviews to write ^_^; Hopefully, my reviewing muse will not desert me!

But first, let's continue the Percy Jackson and the Olympians week! :P By the way, I'd like to apologize... my reviews for this series are a bit superficial... Like I only graze the surface and don't go too much into details. Part of it is because it's a series, so I end up saying the same over and over again ^_^; But also, it's been a month already since I've read them and I'm starting to forget the details... But I guess the most important is whether I enjoyed them or not, right? :)

***SPOILERS ALERT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISKS!!***


The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion Books in May 2008

Percy Jackosn isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invite its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigods friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

Genre: Young Adult, fantasy
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #4

The Story: It's now the summer and after the open house day at his new school gone bad, Percy is heading to the Camp Half-Blood. With Percy getting older and soon reaching 16 years old, Nico's disappearance and anger against Percy and Luke and Lord Kronos becoming more prominent threats, the tension at the camp is rising.

Then, during a training exercise, Annabeth and Percy inadvertently found an entrance to the Labyrinth. The half-bloods are aware that Luke is looking for the plans to the Labyrinth, which would allow him and Lord Kronos's army to invade the camp through an underground route, bypassing the protective boundaries... The only way to stop Luke is to find the plans first and so it's Annabeth's turn to lead a quest. Along with Percy, Grover and Tyson, she enters the Labyrinth. What awaits them?...

My Opinion: I really, really enjoyed The Battle of the Labyrinth :) Mainly because the action was non-stopped and of all the twists and surprises. I was simply engrossed by this book and couldn't turn the pages fast enough :)

What I really like about this series is that it is not too predictable and it's not filled with clichés. Add in the greek mythology and it's really refreshing and original :) Plus, Mr Riordan has a good sense of humor and so, there are many laughs while reading it.

Back to The Battle of the Labyrinth, so it has a very strong plot in my opinion. Some might find it too much, but to me, it was great :) I was happy to see Tyson again. It was so funny to learn that Tyson and Grover are scared of each other LMAO. There were many storylines, one of the most interesting one being Nico's. I was happy to see him again and glad that he had some closure.

Again, we see the characters grow and I'm always amazed at how Mr Riordan is able to incorporate these elements in the storyline seamlessly. Now, Percy and Annabeth are almost 15 years old... Deeper feelings are developing between the two... but add in a third party and the relationship and interactions between Annabeth and Percy definitively shift. LOL, Percy is really a guy, not being able to deal with it :P

The only thing that I didn't enjoy much was Annabeth's wishy-washy attitude towards Luke. I understand that he was her friend and someone very important when she was younger... and so, it's harder to turn her back on him and consider him "evil." But the fact that he is the enemy is undeniable and thus, I think that Annabeth should get her act together and treat him so. Her hesitation could have led to tragedies... but then, when you're 14.5 years old, it's not evident I guess.

LOL, something I kept wondering while reading the series was why the half-bloods weren't studying greek mythology more? I mean, wouldn't it be helpful to deal with monsters and people they meet? :) Instead of trying to remember, they would know! :)

My Grade: B+. Anyway, all in all, a great book with a good storyline. The Battle of the Labyrinth is very enjoyable and not just a connecting book or something written to advance the series storyline.

***

I was debating whether to post the movie trailer today or not, but I think I'll wait till tomorrow with the final post :) However, I'll be discussing them.

I've pretty much been through all the trailers available online. My sister has not read the books, so she's been quite curious about them. So I've seen a lot of scenes and characters and so on... and here is a list of things I've been unhappy with so far ^_^;

- Persephone's presence in the movie and the fact that she doesn't seem very much in love with Hades.
- They've eliminated Clarisse character or at least, I don't see her at all in IMDB. I mean, I've read somewhere that they've casted Silena Beauregard... That's just weird/wrong.
- Annabeth's invisibility cap seems to be missing.
- Percy looks way, way, way too powerful. I don't think he was able to manipulate water so well till the last book!
- Hades actually got his hands on the lightning bolt. By the way, I bet his Helm of Darkness is not missing.
- Percy vs Luke's showdown - on top of buildings and all. Ugh.
- What they did with Medusa's head.
- Percy's shield :(
- No mention of Kronos at all!

Okay, I guess the list could go on and on and on ^_^; Am I being too picky? It's just, I like my movies to be faithful to the books if they are adaptations. I can understand changes to the story if it's too hard to adapt... but to eliminate important characters and make things more dramatic just for the movie to be more of a hit. Nah... especially since The Lightning Thief is part of a series. I mean, are they planning to adapt the other books as well? In that case, they're going to have lots of difficulty...

What do you think?

Review: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

And we continue with the third book :D

***SPOILERS ALERT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISKS!!***

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion Books in October 2007

When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and... a ride from his mom.

The demigods race to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up a devious trap, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.

Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge yet - the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #3

The Story: It's the winter vacation and Percy, Annabeth and Thalia are heading to Westover Hall to rescue Grover who is danger along with the two half-bloods he found, Bianca and Nico. They almost lose to the monster, but luckily for them, Artemis and her Hunters show up and save the day. Unfortunately, it is too late for Annabeth who has fallen down the cliff.

Later on, Percy, Thalia, Bianca and the leader of Artemis's Hunters, Zoe, set out on a quest to rescue Artemis who's left to find the monster that will destroy Mount Olympus. Percy believes that Annabeth is still alive and thus, if they find Artemis, they will also find Annabeth. However, what the group of youngsters don't realize yet is that they are walking into a trap carefully laid down by Kronos and Luke... but one they have no choice to fall into if they want to save Annabeth and Artemis.

Genre: I'm going to skip any comments on the writing, because it's still up par with the two previous books. During the whole series, the writing was consistent, easy to read and enjoyable. It fit the mood of the series and so, I prefer to focus on the storylines and the characters.

Overall, The Titan's Curse was more interesting and enjoyable than The Sea of Monsters, but I feel something was missing. On one hand, I was happy Annabeth did not play such a big role in this book. I was able to focus even more on Percy and how he deals with other girls, ones that don't always go along with his choices and decisions. At the same time, I think Annabeth and Percy's relationship is vital to the series, because it keeps evolving from book to book. Thus, not seeing many interactions between Annabeth and Percy, it made the book off a little bit.

Again, the book is full of action and it's very enjoyable. I think that the pacing was better, even though there was a little lull - when the kids found themselves at the camp. However, it was very short, so it was okay :)

I really enjoyed the introductions of the new characters such as Artemis and Apollo. Boy, are they different from the portrayals in the Dark-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, LOL :) Thalia was another cool character and it's true that she is a female version of Percy. I wonder if they are so similar because they are both the children of one of the 3 big gods. Hmmm. I like how Mr Riordan writes Percy's internal struggles. They are all very subtly incorporated in the storyline and as a result, readers get to witness Percy's maturation. In The Titan's Curse, we see how Percy is used to lead, but with the presence of Thalia and Zoe, people tend to look at them for answers and plans instead of Percy and so, he has to deal with that. It's all very subtle, but at the same time, very realistic :D

What really makes this series work in my opinion is Mr Riordan's clever incorporation of the greek mythology. It's very interesting and fun. I know a bit about it, so I keep going ahhh and ohhh LOL. I also get to learn a lot of new things and that keeps my attention engaged :)

One thing I didn't like in this book was Bianca's character. She did not play such a big role, but her joining the Hunters annoyed me. I thought it was very selfish of her and I couldn't help but feel bad for Nico :( Especially at the end.

Finally, my favorite part of the book would be Bessie LOL. The fearful creature turned out to be innocent and cute :P Really clever of Mr Riordan. I loved seeing new gods and goddesses and how everyone interacts with each other. That was quite fun.

My Grade: B. Not the best book, but not the worst either :) Again, very enjoyable and fun.

***

Medusa = Uma Thurman, Chiron = Pierce Brosnan

I think Uma Thurman and Pierce Brosnan as Medusa and Chiron are two of the best choices for this cast. I mean, they just fit the characters and they are great actors. The snakes on Medusa's head are very well-done. I mean, definitively creepy and I can imagine it'll be even creepier on screen when they move! As for Chiron, well I thought Pierce Brosnan was a good choice... but oh my, the hair ^_^; A bit too long and curly ^_^; That's not quite how I imagined Chiron ^_^; He's supposed to be a centaur... and for some reason, I imagined him as a white horse. I guess in my head, I thought he was on the old side... Ah well. I'm getting excited for the movie, even though I'm not 100% sure after watching the trailer.

Review: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

So Day 2 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians week! :D Today, I'll be reviewing The Sea of Monsters, the second book in the series. From here on, it'll be hard to avoid spoilers, so be warned!!

***SPOILERS ALERT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISKS!!***


The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
published by Hyperion Books in June 2006

Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get... well ugly. And the unexpected arrival ofhis friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and wildly popular follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first, Percy will discover 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.

Genre: Young Adult, fantasy
Series:Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #2

The Story: Wow, it's when I'm about to write this synopsis that I realize how much I left out in the review of The Lightning Thief ^_^; But let's give it a try :D

The Sea of Monsters start about a year after the events in The Lightning Thief where at end, Percy discovered that Luke, the half-blood of Hermes, was the real lightning thief. Luke has been enraged at the gods for ignoring and neglecting their half-bloods and wants to be recognized. As a result, he has allied himself with Kronos, the fearful king of the Titans, who has plans to destroy the Greek gods... Everyone believes that this alliance will play a huge role in the events that will happen when the half-blood from either Zeus, Poseidon or Hades turns 16 years old.

The year between The Lighting Thief and The Sea of Monsters has been quiet, except that lately, Percy has been having dreams of Grover being in danger. Then, on the last day of school, Percy is attacked. Luckily for him, Annabeth shows up just in time and they escape to the camp, dragging Percy's new friend, Tyson. It turns out that Tyson is in reality a cyclops and Percy's half-brother.

Things at the camp are not going well. First of all, Chiron - their mentor - has been fired because it is believed that he has poisoned Thalia's tree. Because the tree is dying, the boundaries of the camp has weakened as well, allowing monsters to come through and attack. Percy and Annabeth believe that only the Golden Fleece could save Thalia's tree... and luckily, Grover seems to have found it. Against the camp director's decree, Annabeth, Percy and Tyson embark on another quest: to find the Golden Fleece and save Grover... and thus, they head to the Sea of Monsters.

My Opinion: Let's get right into it. In my opinion, The Sea of Monsters was the weakest book in the series, definitively not my favorite. My main complaint was the overall storyline was not very interesting and failed to grab my attention. The reason was it took too much time to set it up and so, the action, i.e. the good parts, started very late in the book which is always a detriment in a fantasy novel. Then, once the action started, it was just too fast, one event after another and the end. I guess it was a question of balance and pacing, it just wasn't right... which is disappointing considering it was perfect in The Lightning Thief.

Still, there were some good things about it. I like seeing the characters' growth. Annabeth and Percy are now 13 years old and while it's only been a year, you do see some maturation. The best example would be Tyson. In some aspect, Tyson is simple-minded, not the brightest light and cyclops in general are not well viewed... and so at first, Percy was embarrassed, but he still defended Tyson when others were making fun of him. You see Percy's mixed emotions and how he deals with them and I thought it was very realistic and well-written. LOL, I have to admit, Tyson is a favorite of mine in this book :) He's just so endearing. His character is quite different from all the others: honest and earnest with a gentle core. There were quite a few LOL moments involving Tyson and Percy :D Other characters are starting to be more fleshed as well - that was interesting and a good build up for the rest of the series.

On its own, the storyline of The Sea of Monsters is weak and not as interesting, but it does have some quite interesting twists. Especially the end, adding another player in the whole prophecy :D So it does contribute to the series andit makes it worth to read.

My Grade: B-. As a whole, The Sea of Monsters is not a bad book: it's well-written, the characters are getting more and more interesting, it does contain some good action and a few laughs. Unfortunately, its storyline is a bit boring and weak in comparison to the rest of the series.

***

Yesterday, we talked about the casting of the main characters... today, it's the gods of Olympus' turn :D Let's start with the big three.

Zeus = Sean Bean, Poseidon = Kevin McKidd, Hades = Steve Coogan

As a whole, I don't really have any complaints about this casting. I'm a bit familiar with Sean Bean because of Lords of the Ring and of course, Kevin McKidd plays Owen Hunt in Grey's Anatomy, so he's not a total stranger for me. However, I do not recognize the actor for Hades. I'm actually not too worried about their acting, because their roles are not that large... The most important I think was their presence and charisma and in that department, I think they were good choices... especially Zeus. Also, I don't know, but there is a small family trait no?

My biggest concern is actually their costumes. Is that what they're going to wear during the movie? Really?!? Because it totally doesn't fit the description in the books. A better look below.

Sure, they're Greek Gods, so I understand what the costumes department was thinking... but hello, doesn't fit the description of the book!! I think this is going to take a lot away from the movie... because one of my favorite parts of The Lightning Thief was reading the contemporary descriptions of the gods. For example, Poseidon is a beach bum and Zeus, a businessman. As for Hades, I really don't like his costume... a bit too rocker or gothic in my opinion. I think they could have spent the money to make Hades' robe... it would have been much more dramatic.

In the two pictures above, you see 2 women... Athena and Persephone...

Persephone = Rosario Dawson, Athena:Melina Kanakaredes

Arghhhh!!! What is that?!?!? I have nothing against the actresses, they're both talented and beautiful women... but they don't fit the roles in my opinion!! Actually, the biggest problem? Persephone doesn't appear in The Lightning Thief since it's summer!!! And true, she's Hades' wife... but why the wicked look? I don't know, it doesn't really fit my knowledge of Persephone (plus, she's supposed to be blond). So I definitively think Rosario Dawson is a miscast.

As for Athena, well besides the fact that she too is supposed to be blond, nothing to say really. I think they could have chosen someone better to play the role, but Melina Kanakaredes is definitively not my first choice.

What do you think?

Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

How was everyone's week-end? Hope everyone had a good time, despite the possible bad weather :D

Mine was quiet, but enjoyable. I was able to read Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh and my favorite female curling team won their 3rd national title in a row! Woohoo!! Plus, I started reading a manga named Bakuman which was really interesting and enjoyable :D And I've even started cleaning my room again for the Chinese New Year :D Hopefully, it'll be done in time and I won't have to rush :P

Last month, I read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, all 5 books :) I've been meaning to write some posts about the books, but just haven't gotten around to do it. Then, this morning I realized that the movie is coming out this Friday... that's exactly 5 days. Hmmm, 5 days, 5 books... see where it's going? LOL. So let's start :)


The Lightning Thief by Rick Rioardan
published by Hyperion Books in June 2005

Percy Jackosn is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest. Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Genre: Young Adult, fantasy
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #1

The Story: Percy is a 12 years old boy who has always felt different from others and thus, isolated. In addition, weird things keep happening to him and lately, it's getting worse. First, he gets attacked by his math teacher how then disappeared and nobody seems to remember her. Then, his new best friend, Grove, is acting very strangely...

Sensing the danger, Percy's mother decides to bring him to a summer camp that was suggested by Percy's father. While Percy and Grover make it safely to the camp, Percy's mother falls victim to a Minotaur. Finally, Percy puts two and two together and realizes that he is a half-blood, i.e. the child of a mortal and a Greek god... and he is not the only one. The summer camp welcomes all the half-bloods and train them to face dangers and monsters.

Soon after his arrival, Percy is claimed by Poseidon... which causes a big brouhaha due to the prophecy and the breach of a pack. Years ago, the Oracle announced that a catastrophe would happen once the half-blood of one of the big Three (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades) would turn 16. As a result to the prophecy, the three brothers have sworn not to have any other half-bloods. Thus Percy is somewhat feared.

Furthermore, Percy has been accused to have stolen Zeus's lightning bolt and now set out on a quest in company of Grover (who turns out to be a satyr) and Annabeth, daughter of Athena, to find out the real culprit.

My Opinion: Okay, my synopsis was perhaps not the best... but all I have to say is that I really enjoyed The Lightning Thief a lot :D Enough to make me pick up the sequel right away :) Enough to have me read the whole series in a week! :D

Basically, I enjoyed Mr Riordan's writing a lot because it was simple to read. It seems to me the simplicity of the writing style showcased the world building, as in readers were allowed to focus more on the details of the world building. The world building was also very interesting and intriguing. I really enjoyed how Mr Riordan mixed the Greek mythology into our modern world and I liked the idea of a summer camp to train half-bloods. Even the idea of 12 cabins, each representing a god or goddess and their half-bloods living in their respective cabin. Everything was just fun and very clever. Definitively an interesting world and a good start for a young adult series :D

Not only was the world building interesting, but so were the characters and the storyline. The three main characters, Percy, Annabeth and Grover, were a bit stereotypical, but not annoying so they were fun to read and follow. The best though was to see Mr Riordan's take on the gods and goddesses - their personalities, the modern spin on them and their relationships LOL.

Great world building, fun characters and best of all, a great plot. The storyline was interesting, complex and it contained enough twists to surprise the readers and keep them intrigued. In addition, I felt the storyline was not overshadowed by the world building, which is rare considering how complex it is, so Mr Riordan did a great job balancing the two.

One thing I was happy about is that the relationship between Percy and Annabeth at this point is still very platonic. I mean, they're 12! I'm not even sure they really like each other LOL.

My Grade: B++. All in all, The Lightning Thief was a very enjoyable. The focus was where it should have been and it's a great opening to this series :D

***

Here are the three actors chosen play our three main characters: Logan Lerman as Percy, Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth and Brandon T. Jackson as Grover. Personally, I have never seen any of these actors' performances so I cannot really criticize the choice. They all look older, more like 16 years old instead of 12 which is more appealing to the audience, so not a bad decision. I think Logan Lerman will be able to portray Percy convincingly. I'm not sure about Annabeth... She's supposed to be blond ^_^; Okay, I'm being picky here... but you know, would it have been hard to follow the book? As for Grover, well I guess they had to be politically correct, right? Among the three, I think he was the weakest choice... simply because he doesn't look "weak" enough in my opinion. Grover is not the bravest satyr and I don't think that will come across. I don't know if people remember the satyr in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but that was closer to my idea of Grover.

So what do you think? Do you agree with the casting of Percy, Annabeth and Grover?

A Re-read challenge for 2009?

Hmmm, perhaps I should wait for asking fellow bloggers opinions since half of you are going to disappear this week-end to eat turkey, but LOL :) I had this idea this morning and well, am too impatient to wait anyway.

Okay, so I've been buying lots of books lately... however, surprisingly, instead of reaching for these new releases... I've been grabbing oldies that I've already read... and as a result, yesterday, I've re-read Love Songs by Katherine Stone... Actually, I've realized that it's been a while since I've re-read any of my keepers... and it made me realized that I missed them ^_^;

So long story short, I've been wondering if anyone would be interested in a Re-read Challenge starting probably in January 2009. I mean, there is a lot of challenges out there where the goal is to purge the TBR pile... but most of us have a huge collection of keepers. How long has it been since you've picked up one of your dear keepers? Wouldn't it be interesting to see what you think of them now? Don't you want to share them with your fellow bloggers?

I was thinking of a format similar to Keishon's TBR Day... what do you think? Would you join?