I was a huge fan of Percy Jackson as a middle schooler, which is what inspired me to write this passion piece to add to my portfolio.

(01/12/24)

This article was written as spec work to showcase my content writing skills. This was not commissioned or endorsed by any client.

Let me set the scene: I’m eleven years old on December 25th, 2015. The gift I was most excited to open wasn’t a pair of new shoes or a cute shirt from Justice. I made a beeline towards the rectangle-shaped wrapped present—a box set of Rick Riordan’s best selling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

For the next three years, I lived and breathed these books. I read and wrote fanfiction in a spiral notebook that is, unfortunately, lost to time. I created original characters of my own. Online, I proudly put Cabin 6 in all my social media bios (sorry, Mom!). I would gush with other fans about why Percabeth was the ship of all time. I ranted and raved about why the movies were NOT a faithful adaptation and therefore didn’t deserve to exist. 

To call me just a fan would probably be a gross understatement.

But what’s all the buzz surrounding Percy Jackson about anyways? Why does it have a legion of loyal fans so dedicated to it?

The first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, was released in 2005. In it, we are introduced to Percy Jackson and his friends as they navigate their identities as Greek demigods and face the powers threatening to destroy the world as they know it. From thereon, the original series spanned into five books, two sequel series, and numerous spin-off series that take place in the same universe. 

Percy Jackson as a character proves himself to be likable from the start. He begins the series as a “troubled kid” who has been kicked out of six schools in six years, and is just trying to make it to the end of sixth grade. His trials in his normal life resonate with readers, especially those who struggle with ADHD and dyslexia like him. 

Another character that struck a chord with readers, particularly young girls, is Annabeth Chase. Smart and witty, Annabeth uses her wisdom as a daughter of Athena to get her friends out of sticky situations. She proved that being a girl doesn’t make you weak or helpless—there’s strength in intellect, as she is arguably one of the most capable characters in the series. 

Many themes are explored throughout the series’ run such as family, friendship, heroism, and identity. Most characters struggle in their home lives, as one of their parents is literally a god and the other a mortal. Each mortal parent handles this situation differently, which shapes the worldview and character of their child. The reader sees this often paralleled between Percy and other characters (I won’t spoil who!) that follow a different moral compass than he does.

Each character has a fatal flaw that proves to be their downfall, and for Percy, that flaw is his excessive personal loyalty. This means that he sooner would let the world burn than allow anything to happen to his loved ones. And to some, that challenges the idea of what heroism really is. 

Since the first book’s release, it has sold over a hundred million copies, been translated into almost 40 languages, and been adapted into several mediums, including two movies, a musical, and most recently a television series on Disney+/Hulu. But what’s the best explanation for its immense popularity among Gen-Z readers? 

Despite being a middle-grade series, the series tackles topics that reach marginalized young audiences such as racism, sexuality/gender identity, and neurodiversity. In all of Riordan’s mythology series following the original, more characters are introduced that represent a variety of races and cultures. Several characters are revealed to be LGBTQ+ in subsequent books, presenting it as just a part of who they are instead of making them token characters. 

Controversy has been sparked in recent years by the casting of a young Black actress for the role of Annabeth Chase, a character written as blonde, gray-eyed, and white. Originally written to subvert the stereotype of the “dumb blonde”, the modern portrayal of the character takes on a new role. By having an intelligent, capable, and strong character seen on screen as a woman of color, dreams are made more accessible to children of color—children who otherwise wouldn't dare dream to be powerful and brave unless exposed to media showcasing such. 

In addition, all of the demigod characters have ADHD and dyslexia, which is portrayed as an advantage rather than a disability. When Rick Riordan first conceptualized the story, he told it as a bedtime story to his son Haley who had been diagnosed with both of these disorders. Since then, many readers have seen themselves in Percy’s struggles to control his impulses and succeed in a school environment. My own seven year old brother with ADHD had the first book read to him, and exclaimed, “He’s just like me!”

Less than 20 years have passed since the release of the first book, but the franchise has left quite an impression in both the publishing and entertainment industry. In 2018, the Rick Riordan Presents imprint was kicked off with the publication of Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi. The idea behind this venture was to let POC authors of different cultures be able to tell stories about their own respective mythologies. As of 2024, almost 48 books have been published under the line.

The Disney+ television series premiered on December 20, 2023 to critical acclaim. With a current impressive score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and a walkthrough exhibit being displayed at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios, the message is very clear: Percy Jackson isn’t going anywhere for a while. 

The middle school fangirl in me would just die if she were able to experience all this. For both old and new campers at Camp Half-Blood, this is the time to be alive. So don your weapon of choice, make sure you have enough drachmas and ambrosia, and bring on the monsters!

All the books are available to buy at your local bookstore or retail website. The Lightning Thief musical soundtrack is on your favorite music streaming platform. You can watch both the Percy Jackson movies and show on Disney+. And of course, I wouldn’t want to miss the limited time exhibit at Hollywood Studios before it leaves.