PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE DEMIGOD FILES
by
Rick Riordan
Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423121664
Ages 10-up
160 pages
If you’re one of those people who has already visited a bookstore to pre-order your copy of THE LAST OLYMPIAN, you’re probably also counting down the days until the release of the thrilling conclusion to Rick Riordan’s series about Percy Jackson and the Olympians. What’s an aspiring demigod to do while waiting for the final installment in their favorite series? The answer might be found inside the top-secret DEMIGOD FILES, a perfectly snack-sized portion of Percy Jackson’s adventures that just might tide you over until the main course.
THE DEMIGOD FILES, a slim volume ideal for tucking into backpacks and pulling out during quiet reading time, is certainly aimed at the most dedicated Percy Jackson fans. They’ll soak up details from the witty, candid interviews with Camp Half-Blood’s most famous residents, including Clarisse La Rue, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood and Percy Jackson himself (sample question for Grover: “Who would you least like to meet in a dark alley --- a Cyclops or an angry Mr. D?”). They’ll peruse the map of Camp Half-Blood, the illustration of Annabeth’s fully loaded camp trunk, and the full-color portraits of Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Ares, Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Chiron to see if the drawings match the world they’ve created in their imaginations. They’ll challenge themselves with a crossword puzzle and word jumble, and reinforce their newfound knowledge of Greek mythology with a handy chart listing the primary Olympians who play key roles in Percy’s life.
What these rabid fans will most appreciate, though, is the collection of three Percy Jackson original short stories that make up the bulk of THE DEMIGOD FILES. In “Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot,” Percy has to help his sworn enemy, Clarissa, when her brothers Phobos and Deimos (the immortal sons of Clarissa’s dad, Ares) hijack the war chariot she’s been entrusted with. In “Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon,” a game of Capture the Flag gets even more out of control than usual, when a horde of Myrmekes (those would-be giant armored ants) battle the kids over a bronze dragon automaton that might also threaten their lives. And in “Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades,” Percy’s plans for Christmas don’t involve a voyage to the Underworld, but that’s exactly what he gets when he, Nico and Thalia pay a call on Persephone. Throughout these entertaining and well-developed short stories, Riordan’s trademark mix of adventure, humor and solid mythology is at play.
Three short stories, two puzzles, plenty of interviews, pictures and lots of fun. Oh, and did I mention that there’s a sneak peek of that concluding Percy Jackson novel? That in and of itself should make this slim volume, jam-packed with plenty of Olympian extras, a “must have” for any demigod wannabe.
--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl
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