Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

Written by Rick Riordan

Narrated by Jesse Bernstein

A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week.

So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic--and sarcastic asides--to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives listeners his personal take on a who's who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. "If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9780804168458

Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan (San Antonio, Estats Units, 1964) és, sens dubte, un dels autors de literatura juvenil més respectats. Professor d'institut, el fulgurant èxit de la sèrie «Percy Jackson i els déus de l'Olimp» va fer que pogués dedicar-se exclusivament a l'escriptura.

Reviews for Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

[Kayla Pratt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Percy Jackson telling the story of how all the Greek Gods came to be? Iconic and hilarious . . . I want more.

4.5 stars

[lynnmpk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fun retelling of the myths for the major Greek gods. Great for younger kids who are curious but who may get bored by the language of other mythology books.

[Rachbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review:

In this installment, Percy takes the time to narrate all the stories of the gods, starting with how they came to this world, up to all the myths that bear their names, what they are gods of, sacred animals, etc.

Of course, these tales go hand in hand with Percy's classic sense of humor, with several comments from him and some additional things to the stories.

Personal Opinion:

Although the accounts are a bit strange when it comes to describing the personality of the gods, somewhat insulting: it's quite easy to learn a little about the gods with Percy's way of telling, if all history classes, or in general, were like that, everything would be easier to understand and memorize.

While I don't love how they portray the gods, it's a great tool to learn about them, especially to have a guide to the world of Percy Jackson. (Translated from Spanish)

[charliemeissa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very entertaining book. I have been laughing on every page. Rick Riordan's unique humor makes the experience one of a kind. Quite an eye-catching cover, story without inconsistencies and good spelling. (Translated from Spanish)

[Yarecas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book immerses us in the history of the gods in an incredible way, every sentence was amazing to read, I felt like I was on an adventure and I had a lot of fun. An incredible book that starts Percy’s story off well. (Translated from Spanish)

[panicathemind · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must admit that I laughed a lot with this book. Percy’s sarcastic perspective is perfect for the situation. It is a collection of stories about the beginning of the universe of the Greek gods in a connected way. It’s quite funny, entertaining, and I really liked that it can be read either as a continuation or separately, as it contains spoilers from the main saga, but nothing too exaggerated. In fact, I would have liked it to be the first book I read, as it explains many important things about the saga. It’s easy to read and engaging, and it’s not heavy at all. It even has some unfair moments that will leave you thinking. Highly recommendable. (Translated from Spanish)

[Skily · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great explanation if you want to delve into the world of Greek mythology. I loved the way Percy explains it, super fun. You have to read the entire Percy Jackson saga if you want to know more about its narrator. It has a great story. (Translated from Spanish)

[Reccapitulando · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book composed of incredible stories about the origin of the titans and at the same time the lives of the 12 gods of Olympus. From a comedic perspective narrated by Percy Jackson, the author provides a fresh viewpoint, filled with references to modern times while also teaching us about the most important stories of Greek mythology. Among all the stories, the ones I liked the most are the stories of Athena, Hera, Hades, Hephaestus, and Zeus.

A totally recommended book. ??? (Translated from Spanish)

[emscape · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was on my friend's 11-year-old's summer reading list and she was having a really hard time getting through it, so I offered to read it with her. First of all, I cannot believe this is required reading for that age group! Most of us know that the Greek myths are extremely messed-up with tons of rape and gory killing and gods cavorting and hey did I mention RAPE? Yeah, so, Riordan kind of glosses over the rapey parts of the myths and I'm not sure that makes it better. As a narrator, Percy acknowledges how extremely messed-up all of this is, and it must have been quite an effort for Riordan to present this material in a way that even approaches appropriateness, but that's not actually even possible. Once I informed my friend of this, she told her daughter she didn't have to finish the book and I believe she even went to the school about it.

[sara_cat-107388 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I would give this book 3.5 stars. While I’m glad I read it and will probably reread the Percy Jackson series at some point, I doubt I’ll reread this. It is written as if Percy is the author, so has the feeling and style of having been written by the stereotypical white male American teenager. Which, makes the Greek Gods a bit more fun and approachable for some, but will be annoying to others. Things that are known in modern American culture are consistent throughout the book: Craig’s List, US sport’s teams, reworded common idioms, etc. There are also lots of times, for comedic effect, within a list of horrible things, something that is on a very different level is included. Sometimes I chuckled along and other times I paused and felt a bit uncomfortable.

On the whole, Riordan does a good job of calling out the actions of the gods and saying: yeah, this obviously does not follow our moral code, but that’s how things were then. And at least to me, it didn’t come across as an excuse, but more as just a statement of fact. Though, sometimes word choice did seem to play a bit into gender stereotypes, but it didn’t feel strong and I didn’t notice it through the entire book, just certain parts.

One other thing I enjoyed about the book was that it gave me new perspective on The Song of Achilles and Lore Olympus, Season 1. Though, because of the mix of comedy and putting things into modern terms, there are some things that I would definitely want to look up in a second source before telling someone: I learned this thing about Greek gods...

If you are interested in the Greek gods, I would say see if you can read the first chapter before deciding to get it. If you like the style of the first chapter, you’ll probably enjoy the rest of the book.

[phoenixcomet · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great romp through the pantheon of Greek gods as narrated by Percy Jackson. A perfect compendium to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

[SofiaArtnt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good to learn more about Greek mythology, and I like the funny and sarcastic comments, and the adventure. (Translated from Spanish)

[SeleneZM · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is a perfect book to learn about the history of the Greek gods. Percy's humor makes the reading light and enjoyable. (Translated from Spanish)

[Becky28 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is narrated by Percy, so laughter is guaranteed. It is an excellent book to learn a bit more about Greek mythology and its origins, everything that surrounds these gods, and the humor and the way Percy tells it is amazing; it makes you laugh and gives very honest opinions. He doesn't go for the typical and I dare say he stands firmly with what he thinks and makes it clear that the Greek gods are not a piece of cake, showing both the good and the bad sides. It's good to read it after the others (in order), but even if you just want to know a little more about mythology, it's still worthwhile. (Translated from Spanish)

[Zcky1226 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

To start, I want to thank Percy for turning a book about mythology and history into an analogy of stories with his own point of view, because of course, his jokes and quips made the reading more enjoyable, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing every time that kid said something.
I also have to admit that although Percy Jackson has become one of my favorite series, every time they mentioned the twelve Olympian gods or even heroes and titans, my memory would falter a bit to remember who was who and what they did.
So, thanks to the explanations of each god and their adventures, that changed my life. Even though I don't remember all the characters completely, at least I know who the gods of Olympus are; I was even surprised to learn details I didn't know about each of them. I have always really liked the mention of historical things, cities, or "natural monuments", the way it intertwines with history is fascinating, and I absolutely LOVED that.
Now, when they mention a child of Athena, Zeus, or Hermes, and even Hephaestus, I will know for sure who their Olympic father is. (Translated from Spanish)

[Literato · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ideal for beginners in the world of Greco-Roman mythology who do not expect any seriousness from the author. It is rich in youthful humor, with some liberties taken by the author to make it more entertaining, and it is quite narrative. It addresses the topic by first discussing how the world was created, how the first gods were born, the different generations of these, and how the Olympians ended up prevailing. Then, it starts narrating the history of some of the most important gods, treating the story of each god in different ways. For example, when talking about Hades, it discusses Tartarus, some punishments he imposed on the deceased, etc., and when speaking of Dionysus, it recounts his story of how he transitioned from being considered an ordinary human to becoming a god.
In conclusion, it is a good introduction to Greek mythology, but I emphasize that the myths are the most well-known and the gods the most important, so it is not recommended for someone already well-versed in the topic. However, it provides a broad idea of the mindset and religion of the ancient Greek civilization. Above all, if you are serious and cannot tolerate American-centrism or jovial jokes, I do not recommend this book. Happy reading to the intrepid, however! (Translated from Spanish)

[dmartinez · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was indeed very long, but I loved the way Percy introduces us to Greek mythology; from the beginning with Gaia, Atlas, and the Golden Age (which is not good at all). And of course, the great stories of each god cannot be missed, definitely a very informative book, but without losing Percy's humor. A masterpiece, I give it 4 stars :) (Translated from Spanish)

[entrepaginasylibros · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked the book, it's very entertaining and quick to read. What I liked the most was the author's writing style, it's simple and clear.
For the most part of the book, I laughed a lot; the way he narrates the events and tells us about the history of the gods and their creation was great.
I highly recommend it if you liked Percy Jackson. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jackie Herrera · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was very, very fun, although at the same time it made me learn a lot. I discovered many things about the Greek gods that also helped clarify ideas that for some reason people have about the gods, but we do not understand that they are the Romans or the Greeks. There’s nothing better than having Percy Jackson narrate the stories in a fun and dynamic way about the Greek gods, starting from the beginning and understanding how they were formed, all the way to getting to know the summarized history of each important god of Olympus. There’s nothing like a funny narrator with a sense of humor to explain the complicated history of Greek mythology. Although the book is big and filled with names of gods, titans, demigods, and other mortals, one tries to keep track of everything that's recounted and not forget the virtue of each god or goddess. Beyond simply informing you in an easy way about mythology, that is the only purpose of the book, and I love that. If at any point I doubt any story of an Olympian, I can refer back to the chapter that talks about them in the book and clarify my ideas a bit. Now, as these are stories, I was intrigued by the description of images of each god or goddess, which made me more interested in learning about them. Rick Riordan always knocks it out of the park with these books. (Translated from Spanish)

[LolaGenero · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a perfect book for lovers of Greek mythology. A combination of history and comedy that delights millions of people with the same passion: Percy Jackson. (Translated from Spanish)

[Lala2105 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Many people underestimate modern literature because they consider it basic and even garbage without knowing what they can find in books similar to Percy Jackson.

With this book, one can delve into the ancient Greek world in both an educational and fun way, revealing the perspective that higher beings like the gods are not perfect and that some of their mischief is worth remembering. (Translated from Spanish)

[Lorevelaz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This, like all the books by Rick Riordan, is great. I love how he describes each of the Greek gods, how he manages to teach you history in an easy and fun way.

That's why I love his books; they make you want to know more about each mythology he tells us about. Even if it's in a humorous way or with references to our era, that's what makes it so fun and great.

I recommend it to anyone who enjoys mythology and wants to learn more about these Greek gods and history. (Translated from Spanish)

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like how this gets around the 100+ versions of each myth through humor and "lol, I don't get it either." The narrator was excellent, the stories chosen were all very interesting and fed into the main series well.

[YesiA98 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's a great book ideal for reviewing some Greek myths, but Rick Riordan incorporates the sense of humor that characterizes Percy, making each myth more fun, dynamic, and easy to understand. I loved that it not only included the 12 Olympians, but also the myths of Hades and Persephone. I must admit that my favorite myths since I can remember are: Apollo and Daphne, Persephone and Hades, Hyacinth and Apollo, Ganymede, the birth of Apollo and Artemis. And now I can add the birth of Aphrodite, Pallas, and Athena, among many others. I loved it; it was a light read despite being an extensive book and it captured me just like any other book by Rick. (Translated from Spanish)

[Skarlet1503 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thanks to this book, I have learned a lot about mythology. Percy makes learning history so much fun. (Translated from Spanish)

[ray_-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is by far the best Greek Mythology book I've ever read, and I have read quite a bunch of those.

I loved every moment in it, I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt (and people started looking at me weirdly).
I freaking LOVE Percy's sarcasm and way of telling the stories, I liked how even though he was talking about legends that happened ages ago, he had an opinion about everything!
I loved how he pointed out whenever anyone did anything wring, and how feminist he was.

All in all, this book just proved that I can never have enough of Percy Jackson

[LilianaJurezCervantes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's sad that such a good book is translated in such a regional way, a bit ugly that it's in Spanish from Spain when one is Mexican and doesn't speak like that at all. In fact, I didn't understand a couple of things. (Translated from Spanish)

[Valery777 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this book, Percy Jackson is in charge of telling us the stories of the most important gods of Greek mythology. He does this with his characteristic humor and simplicity. If you don't know much (or anything) about Greek mythology, this book is perfect to dive into this incredible world, even if you already know the story, it will still give you a good time. 100% recommended. Rick Riordan definitely knows how to do his job. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jennifer Fernández Naveiras · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved it. It’s a simple and fun way to delve into Greek mythology. It is highly recommended for children. That way, they gradually learn about this fascinating mythological world. (Translated from Spanish)

[tiffanyak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rick Riordan is simply fantastic at making the world of Greek mythology come alive in the modern world. To do so even within the companion books for the series is a fantastic feat though, and you will indeed find the trademark humor and fun of the series even here. The major gods are all here, complete with Percy's rather colorful commentary as he tells their stories in a way that even the Greek mythology lovers won't have heard before.