Riordan’s first entry in the series, “The Lightning Thief,” appropriately sets the stage for Percy as a teenager suddenly thrust towards immense power and responsibility, as well as his exposure to a hidden world rife with danger and potential. His time at Camp Half-Blood helps him train his abilities to an extent while forging new friendships allows him to accomplish several quests that would have been impossible to tackle alone. “The Sea of Monsters” firmly roots Percy as the perfect fantasy protagonist — he is brave and sassy, yet flawed in the best of ways, while also being burdened by a chilling prophecy set to change the course of his destiny.
While Riordan’s writing has been consistently compelling throughout the series, “The Sea of Monsters” legitimized the fictional world’s appeal to its audiences, as it deftly meshed Greek mythology with modern-world shenanigans. Moreover, we get to see more of the characters already introduced in the first book, even as interpersonal relationships are allowed to flesh out in genuine, interesting ways that tie into the narrative down the line. While “The Sea of Monsters” was previously adapted into a film, the movie version sacrifices a significant chunk of the canon in favor of dramatics — a problem that can be remedied in an eight-part second season, should the series indeed be renewed for one.
New episodes of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” season 1 will premiere Tuesdays on Disney+.