Michael Reads Percy Jackson: The Titan’s Curse – Ch 1

At last I have time to get back to Percy Jackson! I can’t think of anything terribly clever for this intro, so let’s dive right into the first full installment of Michael Reads Percy Jackson: The Titan’s Curse…

My Rescue Operation Goes Very Wrong

Riordan starts me off with a first chapter that wastes no time in bringing me up to speed on Thalia and getting the action going. (It’s only the Friday before winter break? I hadn’t expected things to start up into summer!) I’m not yet sure if this chapter has a direct bearing on the plot of the book, or it just serves as an in media res way to reintroduce the characters, ala the first scene of a James Bond movie. But I’m sure I’ll find out. I’m liking The Titan’s Curse so far…

Already I’m finding that seeing “Thalia” written and not thinking of a redheaded Muse is going to take some getting used to. (I’m getting ready to do a reading of Zeus Is Dead at Norwescon, so I’ve got Thalia on the brain more than usual.)

Thalia was great at giving evil looks, what with the punk clothes she always wears—the ripped-up army jacket, black leather pants and chain jewelry, the black eyeliner and those intense blue eyes.

My version of Muse-Thalia and Riordan’s halfblood-Thalia are so very different, even just in the way they dress. I get the idea that Riordan-Thalia wouldn’t be caught dead in a dress, and Muse-Thalia would only wear that outfit if she were watching The Matrix. 😀

But now onward! For Grover has sent out a distress signal!

I enjoyed the way Riordan sets up Westover Hall, from the initial view of the castle on a snowy clifftop to the battle flags and weapons on the walls inside. And then Thalia snaps her fingers and Jedi-mind-tricks the teachers? She can do that?! Percy asks about that swiftly, which I was glad for:

I could feel the teachers’ eyes on my back, but I walked closely to Thalia and asked in a low voice, “How did you do that finger-snap thing?”
“You mean the Mist? Hasn’t Chiron shown you how to do that yet?”

NO, he hasn’t! He hasn’t said a damn thing about it! I demand to know why! And you’d better demand it, too, Percy! (Also, hey! More about the Mist, like I’ve been wanting. Cool.)

I was surprised to see Grover just running up, free. I figured he was already locked up, given the rescue thing. But then Grover explains by saying that he found half-bloods, and I suddenly realized that I’d kind of forgotten that they still look for ’em.

“Monsters?”
“One.” Grover looked nervous. “He suspects. I don’t think he’s positive yet, but this is the last day of term. I’m sure he won’t let them leave campus without finding out. It may be our last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he’s always there, blocking me. I don’t know what to do!”

A monster? Sure you know what to do! You outnumber it four to one now, and the monster doesn’t suspect you. Sneak up behind it and stab it in the face! That’s a nice universal solution, right? Though I guess Dr. Thorn does suspect them, but stick to the plan! Stab it in the face!

Soon Percy goes off on his own to try to rescue the two half-bloods, and while splitting the party is hardly ever a good idea, I don’t begrudge Percy this. It’s very human that he’d feel pressure to prove himself, and he’s right, there might not be time to find the others anyway. Plus it’s the perfect opportunity to sneak up behind Mr. Thorn and stab him in the face!

That’s going to be my new go-to advice for characters in this book now, I think.

Of course, by this time I’d gotten so swept up in things that I’d completely forgotten the title of this chapter, and then WHAM! Ackbar’ed!

Random Comments:

• Thalia complains about the choice of Jesse McCartney for music. Who the heck is Jesse McCartney? Is he related to Paul? Am I old for not knowing this?
• Why can’t half-bloods live in San Francisco? What’s right there?! I must to be knowings!
• Related to that, what is it that Annabeth should “probably tell” Percy?
• And, oh yeah: WHAT THE HELL IS DR. THORN?

My favorite line(s) from this first chapter are:

He was wearing a black T-shirt that took me a few seconds to read: It said WESTOVER HALL: GRUNT. I wasn’t sure whether that was, like, Grover’s rank or maybe just the school motto.

So I laughed out loud. Wanna fight about it?

Thus far The Titan’s Curse is off to a great start. I need to read chapter two as soon as possible, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to post it, what with Norwescon later this week. But I’ll try not to make you wait too long. Don’t forget that you can sign up to get alerts whenever a new blog post goes up here on Geek Notes, too.
Oh, and please don’t actually answer the questions I posed in the Random Comments section. I’ll find out in the course of reading the book, I’m sure. That’s just to let you folks know what’s going through my mind as I AM reading. Thanks! 😀