![]() Cover of unknown later US edition with Rocco illustration (same as first ed.) | |
Author | Rick Riordan |
---|---|
Cover artist | John Rocco (depicted) |
Series | Percy Jackson & the Olympians (book 2) |
Genre | Fantasy, Greek mythology, young-adult novel |
Published | April 1, 2006 |
Publisher | Miramax Books and Disney Hyperion [1] |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book |
Pages | 279 [1] |
ISBN | 0-7868-5686-6 |
OCLC | 64664383 |
LC Class | MLCS 2006/45756 (P) [1] |
Preceded by | The Lightning Thief |
Followed by | The Titan's Curse |
The Sea of Monsters is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan and published in 2006. It is the second novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and the sequel to The Lightning Thief . This book chronicles the adventures of thirteen-year-old demigod Percy Jackson as he and his friends rescue his satyr friend Grover from the Cyclops Polyphemus and save Camp Half-Blood from a Titan's attack by bringing the Golden Fleece to cure Thalia's poisoned pine tree.
The Sea of Monsters was released on April 1, 2006, [2] by Miramax Books, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children, [1] [2] and thus Disney Publishing (succeeded by the Disney Hyperion imprint). It was generally well–received and was nominated for numerous awards, including the 2006 Book Sense Top Ten Summer Pick [3] and the 2009 Mark Twain Award. [4] It sold over 100,000 copies in paperback [5] with over one million copies total [6] and was released in audiobook format on September 6, 2006. The Sea of Monsters is followed by The Titan's Curse , the third book of the five books in the series.
A film adaptation of the book Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters was released on August 7, 2013. [7] The book is set to be adapted for the second season of the Disney+ television series Percy Jackson and the Olympians . [8]
After dreaming about Grover being hunted by a monster, Percy wakes on the last day of his seventh-grade year, a peaceful year at Meriwether College Prep. There he has become friends with Tyson, a homeless child the school has taken on as a form of charity. In gym class, while playing dodgeball, Percy is attacked by Laestrygonians but is saved by Tyson and Annabeth, who was returning to Camp Half-Blood after having dreams about the camp in danger. The three take a magical taxi driven by the Graeae to Long Island. At the camp, they see campers led by Clarisse LaRue battling Colchis bulls. Tyson is granted permission to move past the camp's boundary to save Percy again. Tyson is actually a baby Cyclops and a half-brother of Percy, as he is also a son of Poseidon. Someone has weakened the protective walls of Camp Half-Blood by poisoning the tree of the demigod Thalia, leaving the campers vulnerable to future monster attacks. Camp counselor Chiron is accused of poisoning the tree and is fired. Before leaving, Chiron notes that only the Golden Fleece could save the camp. During the chariot races, Stymphalian birds attack, but Percy and Annabeth distract them with Chiron's boombox and Dean Martin's version of "Volare", enabling the Apollo campers to shoot them down.
Due to his charm and skill with a sword, Tantalus becomes the new camp counselor. As a reward for winning the chariot race, Tantalus sends Clarisse LaRue to find the Golden Fleece and forbids anyone else from leaving camp without his permission. After talking with the god Hermes about the fate of his son Luke, Percy leaves camp with Annabeth and Tyson to find Grover. Aided by a hippocampus that Tyson names Rainbow, the trio reach the Princess Andromeda, a cruise ship filled with monsters and demigods that allied with the titan Kronos. On the ship, they are captured by Luke Castellan, who is working to revive Kronos. The trio escapes on an emergency lifeboat and takes shelter in a hideout that Annabeth, Thalia, and Luke built as children. There, a hydra attacks them, but they are saved by Clarisse on her ship, the CSS Birmingham.
Annabeth, Percy, and Tyson join Clarisse's quest to the Bermuda Triangle (also known as the Sea of Monsters). To enter the Triangle, the ship tries to pass between Charybdis and Scylla, who attack and destroy it. Clarisse gets separated from the others while Tyson seemingly dies in the explosion, so Percy and Annabeth board a lifeboat and head to the nearest island. After traveling through the narrow strait that Charybdis and Scylla guarded, the two land on the island of the witch-queen Circe. Realizing that she has turned dozens of men into guinea pigs, they escape on the pirate's ship Queen Anne's Revenge, which Percy can control, while leaving Blackbeard and his crew to deal with Circe. Percy and Annabeth then pass the Sirens.
They reach the island of Percy's half-brother, the cyclops Polyphemus, and discover that he has captured Clarisse. Before journeying to the center of the island, Percy and Annabeth meet Grover, pretending to be a female cyclops to trick Polyphemus into not eating him. Tyson arrives to help as well, having been rescued by Rainbow from the Birmingham's wreckage. They find the Golden Fleece, but Polyphemus destroys the Queen Anne's Revenge, forcing the group to escape on Rainbow and a few other hippocampi. In Miami, Percy realizes that Clarisse must fly back to camp alone as per her prophecy, but he and the others are captured by Luke. Taken aboard the Princess Andromeda, Percy makes contact with Camp Half-Blood through the goddess Iris and tricks Luke into confessing, exonerating Chiron, who is reinstated. Enraged, Luke battles Percy, but Chiron and other centaurs known as the Party Ponies arrive to rescue them, and Chiron explains that he is mistrusted as Kronos is his father.
The Golden Fleece is hung on Thalia's pine tree, which is cured. Having cleared the obstacle of Polyphemus luring in searchers through the Golden Fleece, Grover is given a furlough on his quest to find the god Pan. The camp holds a second chariot race, which Percy and Annabeth win with the help of Tyson, who departs after accepting an offer from Poseidon to work in the god's underwater Cyclops forges. However, the Fleece's magic is too strong, and it resurrects Thalia, providing another possible demigod for the Great Prophecy, which Percy realizes was Kronos' intention all along.
The Sea of Monsters received generally positive reviews with reviewers praising the storyline, the themes and the author's style of writing. [9] [10] [11] "In a feat worthy of his heroic subjects, Riordan crafts a sequel stronger than his compelling debut," said a Publishers Weekly review. [12] School Library Journal singled out the novel's plot and main character, stating, "Percy is an appealing kid, and the subject of a chilling prophecy may resonate with readers." [10] Child magazine wrote, "Featuring the cliff-hangers and sassy attitude kids loved in The Lightning Thief – plus a surprising new family secret – this outstanding sequel should win over a fresh legion of fans." [13] Children's Literature called the writing extraordinary [13] and added, "This book, sequel to The Lightning Thief, is an amazing mixture of mythology and young adult fiction." [13] Matt Berman, of Common Sense Media, praised the book, saying "The Percy Jackson series continues to be pure fun, with the author doing nearly everything right to produce a book that few kids will be able to resist." [11] Norah Piehl of Kidsreads.com lauded the style of the book, and noted similarities with its prequel. [9] It sold over 100,000 copies in hardcover by the time paperback copies were released in April 2007. [5]
However, Kirkus Reviews was critical of the book, writing, "it's doubtful Percy wouldn't guess Tyson's otherworldly connection immediately after the dodgeball game ... some of the humor will zip over the heads of the target audience" although they added, "Percy's sardonic narration and derring-do would keep the pages turning." [2]
On September 6, 2006, a seven-hour and 54 minute audiobook version of The Sea of Monsters, read by actor Jesse Bernstein, who also narrated The Lightning Thief 's audiobook, [18] was published worldwide by Listening Library. [19] [20]
AudioFile magazine praised the audiobook, raving, "This action-packed book (second in a series) will delight fans of Percy Jackson, the half-blood son of Poseidon, as Percy once again battles mythical monsters in modern-day settings while on his mission to save the tree that guards Camp Half-Blood." [20] They praised Bernstein, saying "Narrator Jesse Berns helps listeners slip right into the oddly engaging world that Riordan creates, in which contemporary teen characters and those from classical mythology intermingle" [20] and that he could successfully portray teenagers while keeping the pace fast allowing listeners time to revel in the book's humor. Auditions have already been cast for this yet-to-be blockbuster. There may still be a few spaces for extras, though. [20] The magazine Publishers Weekly raved about Bernstein's "snappy delivery and all the right funny touches" that made the "action-packed fantasy such fun." [18]
Following the box office and DVD success of the movie, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief , a film adaptation of The Sea of Monsters was first reported in early 2011. [21] In fall 2011, it was confirmed that 20th Century Fox would release the film on March 27, 2013. [22] [23] Filming began in April 2012. In February 2012, Mary Birdsong, Missi Pyle and Yvette Nicole Brown were cast as the Gray Sisters. [24] In March 2012, Nathan Fillion joined the cast as Hermes and Anthony Head, replacing Pierce Brosnan, as Chiron. [25] [26] In April 2012, Paloma Kwiatkowski was cast as Thalia and The Hunger Games star Leven Rambin has been cast as Clarisse La Rue. [27] It was announced on May 8, 2012, that the film had moved up to March 15, 2013, but was later postponed for an August 16, 2013 release. [7] Fox decided on a final release date for August 7, 2013. [28] Logan Lerman returned as Percy Jackson in the movie. Jake Abel also reprised his role as Luke Castellan. In January 2012, The Secret Circle star Grey Damon was cast as Chris Rodriguez.[ citation needed ]
The Sea of Monsters was published as a graphic novel on June 2, 2013. [29]
On February 7, 2024, the Disney+ television series Percy Jackson and the Olympians was renewed for a second season that will adapt The Sea of Monsters. [8]
The novel was followed by The Titan's Curse , released on May 1, 2007. In The Titan's Curse, Percy, Grover, Annabeth and Thalia go to a school to recruit two powerful demigods. [30] Like its predecessors, this book was well received and reviewers praised its humorous style and the plot of the story. [31] [32]
The Lightning Thief is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first children's novel by Rick Riordan. The opening installment in the series Percy Jackson & the Olympians, the book was recognized among the year's best for children. Riordan followed the novel with various books and spin-off series, spawning the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles media franchise.
The Titan's Curse is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan. It was released on May 1, 2007, and is the third novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and the sequel to The Sea of Monsters. It is about the adventures of the 14-year-old demigod Percy Jackson as he and his friends go on a dangerous quest to rescue his 14-year-old demigod friend Annabeth Chase and the Greek goddess Artemis, who have both been kidnapped by the Titan Atlas.
Camp Half-Blood Chronicles is a media franchise created by author Rick Riordan, encompassing three five-part novel series, two short-story collections, two myth anthology books, a stand-alone short story, three crossover short stories, an essay collection, multiple guides, seven graphic novels, two films, a video game, a musical, and other media. Set in the modern world, it focuses on groups of demigod teenagers, and features many characters from Greek and Roman mythology. The first series, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, follows the adventures of a boy named Percy Jackson at a summer camp for Greek demigods. The second series, The Heroes of Olympus, introduces several more lead characters and a second camp for Roman demigods named Camp Jupiter. The third series, The Trials of Apollo, follows the now-mortal god Apollo, with appearances by many characters from the first and second series.
The Battle of the Labyrinth is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan. It is the fourth novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. The novel was first published in the United States on 6 May 2008 by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide. It has been published in hardcover, audiobook, ebook, and large-print editions. The Battle of the Labyrinth has been translated into 29 languages from its original English.
The Last Olympian is a fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology by Rick Riordan, published on May 5, 2009. It is the fifth novel of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and is the direct sequel to The Battle of the Labyrinth. The Last Olympian revolves around the demigod Percy Jackson as he leads his friends in a last stand to protect Mount Olympus.
Perseus "Percy" Jackson is a fictional character, the title character and narrator of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He is also one of seven main protagonists of the sequel series The Heroes of Olympus, appearing in every book except The Lost Hero, and appears in the Trials of Apollo series, making him one of the few characters to appear in all three series of the Camp Half-Blood chronicles. He has also been a narrator and protagonist in Riordan's Greco-Roman/Egyptian crossover stories, part of the Demigods and Magicians collection. The character serves as the narrator in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods and Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, also by Rick Riordan.
The Demigod Files is a collection of short stories by Rick Riordan published on February 10, 2009. It is a supplementary book to series Percy Jackson & the Olympians. It mainly contains three short stories, titled "Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot", "Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon", and "Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades". It is set between the fourth and fifth novels, The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a 2010 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and written by Craig Titley, based on the 2005 novel The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The film is the first installment in the Percy Jackson film series. It stars Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson alongside an ensemble cast that includes Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pantoliano, and Uma Thurman.
The Lost Hero is an American fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It was published on October 12, 2010, and is the first book in The Heroes of Olympus series, a sequel to the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. It is preceded by The Last Olympian of Percy Jackson & the Olympians and followed by The Son of Neptune. The novel has since been translated into many languages and released as a hardcover, e-book, audiobook, and paperback.
The Heroes of Olympus is a pentalogy of fantasy-adventure novels written by American author Rick Riordan. The novels detail a conflict between Greek demigods, Roman demigods, and Gaea. In the fourth book of the series, there is also a fight against Tartarus, which, in Greek mythology, was the darkest and deepest point of the Underworld.
The Son of Neptune is a 2011 fantasy-adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the second book in The Heroes of Olympus series, preceded by The Lost Hero and followed by The Mark of Athena. The story follows the adventures of amnesiac Percy Jackson, a demigod son of Neptune, also known as Poseidon, as he meets a camp of Roman demigods and goes to Alaska with his new friends Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang to free the Greek god of death, Thanatos, and help save the world from Gaea, the earth goddess. The novel is narrated in the third-person, switching between the points of view of Percy, Frank, and Hazel.
The Mark of Athena is an American fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It was published on October 2, 2012, and is the third book in The Heroes of Olympus series, a sequel to the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. It is preceded by The Son of Neptune and followed by The House of Hades. The novel is narrated in the third-person.
The Demigod Diaries is a collection of short stories relating to The Heroes of Olympus book series.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is a 2013 fantasy adventure film directed by Thor Freudenthal from a screenplay by Marc Guggenheim, based on the 2006 novel The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. The sequel to Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), it is the second and final installment in the Percy Jackson film series.
The House of Hades is a fantasy-adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan, based on Greek and Roman mythology. It was published on October 8, 2013, and is the fourth book in The Heroes of Olympus series, preceded by The Mark of Athena and followed by The Blood of Olympus.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a two-film series based on the novel series of the same name by the author Rick Riordan. The series was distributed by 20th Century Fox, produced by 1492 Pictures and consists of two installments. The first film, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), was directed by Chris Columbus and was released on February 12, 2010. The second installment, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, was originally intended to be released in March 2013 but was instead pushed back to August 7, 2013, and was directed by Thor Freudenthal. While the film series was intended to match the five novel book series, and the second film laid the foundation for a third film, further films were never produced. The shortened series in total grossed nearly $430 million at the worldwide box office. A reboot television series premiered on Disney+ in December 2023.
The Lightning Thief is a musical with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and a book by Joe Tracz, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Rick Riordan. The musical follows Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy who newly discovers that he is a demigod and goes on a quest to find Zeus' missing lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an American fantasy television series created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg for Disney+, based on the book series of the same name by Riordan. Walker Scobell stars as Percy Jackson, alongside Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood.