Great Books based on Greek myths

So I've recently been reading a lot of Greek myth books and I thought I'd share them.

 Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan:

This series is a lot of fun. Written with the voice of a sarcastic boy named Percy, the epic saga to restore the balance between demigods and gods is a familiar tale if you've read the original myths.

The Heroes of Olympus Series by Rick Riordan:

Half a sequel to the Olympians series and half an introduction to new heroes, the Heroes of Olympus series is written from a third person point of view and follows several demigods who are connected in a quest between the Roman and Greek sides of the gods.

The Goddess Test Series by Aimee Carter:

A very interesting twist on the myth of Persephone. Kate Winters is swept into the world of Greek gods without even knowing it, and must pass a test to be with Henry, who claims to be Hades, god of the underworld. Kate's choice takes her on a quest to prove her loyalty and strength as a future goddess.

 The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter:

This book is a collection of stories written in the point of view of different Greek Gods and Goddesses. A prequel to the Goddess Test series, it sets up the inner conflict of the Gods and shows the situation in a vulnerable light, making all the flaws of immortality an interesting dilemma for the main characters.


Cupid by Julius Lester:

A very clever and well written retelling of the myth Cupid and Psyche. I read this book long ago but could never find it in the bookstore. Once I found it, I had to buy it and read it again. Not many modern books are written with this kind of "Story Teller" voice.

Adversity

"Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself." - Battleship 2012


         I find this quote very true, especially in stories. A character will only learn who they are when they reach that moment where everything is lost or everything goes wrong. What they do in that moment defines who they are and what they are capable of. I just finished reading The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan and I discovered that Sadie and Carter are strong reliable characters when they face adversity. Even with other problems or angst around them, the task at hand becomes their main focus and they always do the best they can. These actions define internal strength of character. Many stories focus on the result of adversity. Mulan faces adversity to learn what she can do. Alice must face the Jabberwocky in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland to discover herself. Aang constantly faces adversity and in doing so, he discovers who he is, and how he can restore peace and balance to himself and the world. Harry Potter is forced to face adversity with every encounter with Voldemort.  Emma finds strength and courage in the face of adversity in ABC's Once Upon A Time. And, of course in the movie Battleship, Alex Hopper discovers what he is capable of when adversity strikes unexpectedly and leaves him to become the leader of a ship he never believed he could command. 
       Maybe there is a truth to thinking that way in real life. Sure it's not easy, buy maybe a crisis or conflict can be viewed as a test of will and character. This is why authors say that you cannot be too kind to your characters. If you pamper them, they will never learn or grow, no matter how hard you try to force them to. It makes a lot of sense. A character must be relatable to the audience and if the author wrote about someone on cloud nine all the time, it would get boring and repetitive. The character wouldn't change, learn or develop at all. There must be a challenge, a conflict or an intrusion into the character's world. If not, there is no story. 
      Once a character is faced with a hopeless situation, it is their reaction to adversity that makes them interesting. Any character does this, a hero, a villain, a sidekick and a mentor are all effected by adversity in some way. Their personalities are formed around their experiences with adversity. Villains tend to dwell on the past and hold grudges while heroes rise above their inner chaos and find the strength and courage to believe in them selves. Mentors teach heroes to face adversity through their own experience. 
     Adversity is a powerful factor in a story, and in a person's life. People learn through experience, and those that overcome adversity are a little more confident in handling tough situations. Real story characters must accept or reject adversity in some way in order to be considered a sympathetic character. Adversity allows a person to discover who they are and what they are capable of. It can be anything, but once the person accepts adversity, they grow a little stronger.

Book Review: The Throne of Fire

Anyone who has read Percy Jackson knows that Rick Riordan has the ability to mix mythology, sarcasm and adventure all into one. His recent series The Kane Chronicles is told through Clever Carter and his sister Sadie. Now his new novel The Throne of Fire adds more action and sarcasm than the first.
From the beginning, we are reminded that the book is actually a recording and the last recording mentioned a red pyramid and a certain locker inside a school. In this recording, not only are we introduced to two new characters, apprentices of Sadie and Carter, but we also learn that New York is home to "other gods". Carter mentions that he might have seen a winged horse at one point. A new challenge presents itself for the Kane siblings. They must find the book of Ra which has been separated into three scrolls. But the gods are not all on their side. It's a race against the clock as both Carter and Sadie try to find the scrolls before the solstice, and avoid the gods and goddesses that are not so keen on their plan. I highly recommend this book to anyone that craves adventure, fun, chocolate and zebras, and I rate the "recording" five out of five Egyptian relics.
For more fun and adventures, visit the website: http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/kane-chronicles/books/book-2.aspx

Book review: The Lost Hero (spoiler free)

Last year, I became a huge fan of the Percy Jackson series. This is not only because I'm a fan of Greek Mythology, but also because I loved the elements of fun tied in to an epic tale. It was the perfect escape from tests, homework and any kind of stress that you can imagine. So, naturally I have all the books, seen the movie and own a movie Tshirt. I also own The Red Pyramid, because I enjoy Egyptian Mythology. I had to get the next book when it came out.
This book goes on a different path than the Percy Jackson series. It is told in third person and follows three main characters. The first character, Jason (no doubt a familiar name to Greek Mythology fans) begins the story with no memory of the past. He is accompanied by Piper, a half Cherokee girl claiming to be his girlfriend, and Leo a spirited, brown haired trouble maker who claims to be his best friend. Together these three go on a journey filled with suspense. This story will test your knowledge of mythology in general and takes more of a serious turn than Percy. I still found this book to be enjoyable and exciting. It's more of an epic than a satire. Still I give The Lost Hero four out of five bronze dragons. I practically couldn't put it down!