Michael Reads Percy Jackson: The Titan’s Curse – Ch 2

One of these days I should go through all of the Percy Jackson chapter titles so far and pick my top 5 favorite, because I’m pretty sure this one would be among them. That’s right, it’s time for the second chapter of Michael Reads Percy Jackson: The Titan’s Curse…

The Vice Principal Gets a Missile Launcher

Because I’m still at Norwescon and wanting to get something up to all of you who have been waiting so patiently for the next chapter here, this entry will be slightly more of a stream-of-consciousness post than I usually do. You have been warned…

“The stirring of monsters.” Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. “The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all— the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!”

The greatest and most powerful monsters are waking up? I are excited! Will we get dragons? (I like dragons.) And there are dragons in Greek mythology. Though more likely, I suppose, he’s talking about some of the things from the Titan War (i.e. “the Titanomachy,” if you want to get snobby about it), which would also be quite welcome. Or will Riordan pull some mash-up and give us Cthulhu? I’d be on board for that, too.

Ohhhh, Thalia’s Aegis is just modeled after Zeus’s. That explains my question of why Zeus would give something that powerful to a mortal, even his daughter. Olympian knock-off!

Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form— his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.
“A manticore!”

Oh! I’d kind of forgotten those things existed. Er, existed in mythology, I mean. Certainly not in real life. I didn’t actually see one in the woods when I was 9. And it definitely wasn’t part of some secret CIA program. That would just be silly.

“A manticore?” Nico gasped. “He’s got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!”

And immediately I like Nico. (Also, he reminds me of someone, but I’ll wait to say who until I get to know him more…)

His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn’s shoulder.

Hey, it’s Artemis!! 😀 …At least I hope it’s Artemis. Maybe it’ll just be one of her kids. Don’t disappoint me, Riordan…

It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo’s kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.

Odds of it being Artemis: 96.7%.

Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them.

Well, poop. Odds of it being Artemis: 0.09%.

“The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast.”

Revising previous estimate! Odds of Artemis: 92.1%! (Also, I’m getting dizzy.)

The young girl looked at me, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. “I am Artemis,” she said. “Goddess of the Hunt.”

Odds of Artemis: 99.99%. …One never can be sure. Imposters are everywhere. (I just met some guy in a café claiming to be Apollo…) But who are these other girls, and why are they all so young? Do they only appear that way when they’re in a YA novel?

Also, is somebody going to go get Annabeth? She, like, fell off the cliff, and…yeah. I don’t figure she’s dead, but perhaps she’s hanging onto the cliff side…? Maybe someone could go check?

So my Apollo prediction for The Titan’s Curse is possibly closer to coming true. I mean, where you’ve got one twin, the other can’t be far behind, right? …Anyone?

Don’t answer that.