Comments on: Percy Jackson Meets Harry Potter?

By: Henry

Henry — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:17:55 +0000

I just finished watching the movie adaptation the other day, and, while I wasn’t expecting it to win any Oscars, I thought it was a pretty enjoyable story. I confess, at the age of 20 I tried to read the books and put the first one down somewhere around the Medusa chapter. Some juvenile fiction is just too…juvenile. I respected the mythology and Riordan’s use of it in the modern-day story though.

I agree that Riordan is coming from a very Potter-influenced place, but like John said, what young adult fantasy author (post 1997) isn’t? Publishers are buying these books because they hit the “Potter Points,” and so authors are trying to sell those points. However, I think that some people are making too close of a connection. I believe that Percy Jackson resembles Harry Potter in the same way that Odysseus resembles Luke Skywalker: it’s a story built around the established narrative framework of the Hero’s Journey, complete with Immaculate Birth, Departure, Initiation, Trial, “Death” and “Rebirth,” Master of Two Worlds, etc. etc. We might think that Riordan was sitting with his Potter books, studying protagonists and such, but I think it much more likely that he was studying Homer…or perhaps Lucas…

By: Trent

Trent — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:52:57 +0000

@ Christina: No, the plot was anything but original. You don’t seem to understand what a plot is. Plot refers to the interactions between characters and events. The locations of Olympus and the Underworld are story elements.

By: Trent

Trent — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:38:25 +0000

The movie adaptation absolutely sucked. A quick summary of it = diversity quota + political correctness gone crazy. The Greek goddess Persephone played by multi-racial Rosia Dawson!?! A black satyr! This is supposed to be Greek mythology, for crying out loud! Greek gods, goddesses, and mythological creatures were (gasp and drum roll) WHITE! Does no one have any respect for European culture anymore?

I remember people were screaming racism because “Memoirs of a Geisha” had too many Chinese actors instead of Japanese. I’m curious how these people would have reacted if some of the characters had been played by white and black actors to “diversify” things up. I really, really wonder. *eye roll*

By: Christina

Christina — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:16:30 +0000

I read both harry potter and percy jackson and i have to say percy jackson is better. One is that outside of camp half-blood Percy has real problems that childern can relate to. He’s dilexic and ADHD and gets bad grades because of it. Not only that but the plot was so original Olympus on the 600th floor of the empire state building and the underworld under L.A. Harry always have come across me as a nerd who needs the acptences of teachers unlike Percy who’s rejected by defending people who can’t defend themselves. Percy’s humor and personality just makes him even more likable. Plus the kids got some real daddy issues and needs to prove to Posedion that he can be proud of Percy. Harry did nothing to earn that gorly whereas Percy needed to cross the country several times and complete various quests to earn his. I think hermione is kinda a cry baby and annabeth is BA. Percy’s heart is always in the right place and never loses hope Harry became a little emo in the fifth book. And finally Rick made it so descitive its like an graphic novel in words plus the series dosn’t completely focous on romance and has a killer back-story between Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth. Potter’s deaths are bathed in darkness and grieve but Jackson’s deaths (there are a lot more) are bathed in life, honor, and celebration.
Daugther of Apollo, out.

By: John

John — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:26:38 +0000

Your point is well taken and I have made it myself previously. I’d note, though, that the reason Percy Jackson was published in the aughts but not the nineties is Potter-mania, cut and dried. And the thought that his book series wasn’t re-packaged by author, agent, and/or editors in light of that historic event is not credible.

By: Sbark

Sbark — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:20:01 +0000

Kate,

According to Wikipedia (not always reliable), Percy Jackson was written in 1994 but not published until 2005. If Wikipedia is correct, any similarities are not from either author influencing the other. They just drew from a lot of the same sources.

I disagree about the originality of J.K. Rowling. I agree that she drew her ideas from numerous other sources. However, I don’t see that as a sign of lack of originality. She deftly combined her numerous sources to create a story that is fresh and imaginitive. There are few authors that don’t pull many of their ideas from other sources. If J.K. Rowling is unoriginal because of her use of other sources, then Shakespeare is just as unoriginal.

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 05:54:58 +0000

Percy Jackson was written in 1992(5 years before HP.)Why is everyone sticking up for Rowlings.Almost or all of her characters are mythically named.The dementors are wraiths.Aragon the spider is Aragon the hero and the spider(whats her name.)Argus,Minerva,Remus,Hermione,so so.Then theirs Fenrir out of Norse.
I think Rowlings was unoriginal.All of her ideas are myths or egends she turned around.
Theres one book i want to see,Aaron Greyhound.Its based on Norse mythology.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:38:05 +0000

And Nick, don’t be afraid to come back to those N books later on. Sometimes we aren’t ready for a book when we first meet it! Are you noting what you do and don’t like about the books?
Keeping that list may also be handy later on. I had a student who, on her college application for a school to which she was transferring,, was expected to list all the books she’d read in the last 5 years!

By: nick

nick — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:15:48 +0000

I was reading the Harry Potter books in school and finished but when I heard kids in my class say Percy Jackson was good I started reading that after Harry Potter. Now i’m on the fourth book The Battle Of The Labyrinth in Percy Jackson. I like both Harry Potter And Percy Jackson the same amount but I will read a lot of other books and love them too. So if you love to read I will tell you something i’m doing and that is getting a big note book and writing down the name of that book so I can read those books and the other thing i’m doing with it is putting down an L for like and an N for no

By: natalie

natalie — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:44:56 +0000

I absoulutley love the hp series!! i heard that pj was just like hp, so i tried it. i fell in love immediatley! then i started to notice the similiaities between the two. Percy is the hero like harry, gover percys best friend replaces harry’s best friend, the loyeal sidekick ron. and annabeth replaces hermione both r know-it-alls. Chiron the wise centaur replaces the headmaster of hogwats, albus dumbeledore. The titan lord kronos is the same as lord voldermort. luke castellan and draco malfoy r both enemies with the hero and serve the ultimate bad guys. the stoll twins are also likethe funny mishcevous wesley twins. Finally magic is replaced by greek mythology. Both r fantastic books and u should definetly read them.