The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2) [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Rick Riordan (Author), Jesse Bernstein (Reader)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9–In this sequel (Miramax Books, 2006) to Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief (Hyperion, 2005; Listening Library, 2005) 13-year-old Percy is just finishing up his school year and is looking forward to another great summer at Camp Half-Blood with all the other demigods. But even before school ends, things start happening, and soon Percy is at camp along with Tyson, a homeless kid adopted by Percy's school. At camp, Percy not only discovers that Tyson is a Cyclops and a son of Poseidon, which makes him Percy's half-brother, but also that the camp is in trouble. There's a quest to rescue Percy's friend, Grover the satyr, and to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The plot zips along with plenty of action; lots of mythological monsters, titans, and gods; and a leavening of humor. Jesse Bernstein does a good job of giving Percy a youthful voice in this first-person narrative, while at the same time creating appropriate voices for the other characters. Listeners who have not read or listened to the first book in the projected trilogy will want to do so before the next installment is published.–Sarah Flowers, Santa Clara County Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-9. In this second adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy is anticipating the end of seventh grade and a summer at Camp Half-Blood with kids who are the offspring of Greek gods and mortals. He dreams that his pal Grover, a satyr, is in danger. After monsters attack in his school gym class, Percy and Tyson, a homeless kid, are picked up by Annabeth, a half-blood friend, and rushed to the camp, which is under attack. The tree that guards the camp is dying, and Chiron, the activity director, has been dismissed. Another dream reveals that Grover, whose peril is increasing, is on the same island as the legendary Golden Fleece, which may be the cure for the troubled camp. With the help of Hermes, Percy and his pals set off to the Sea of Monsters, where they encounter legendary dangers. Riordan's clever mix of classical mythology, contemporary teen characters, and an action-packed adventure will bring new readers to the series. Diana Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (June 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739331191
• ISBN-13: 978-0739331194
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (209 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #45,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #48 in	Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Greek & Roman
  #25 in	Books > Books on CD > Children's Fiction > Fantasy
  #13 in	Books > Books on CD > Children's Fiction > Classics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lightning DOES strike twice, June 25, 2006

By	Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme" (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Rick Riordan comes through again, and this follow up to The Lightning Thief is just as entertaining, informative and action-packed as the first book. This time Percy (son of Poseidon) is at school in New York when things start to go downhill fast, beginning with some bad dreams about his friend Grover the satyr, followed by an attack by cannibalistic dodge ball players.

When Annabeth (daughter of Athena) arrives on the scene with more bad news, Percy has to embark on another quest, this time unsanctioned, to save Camp Half-Blood, which is vulnerable to attack since its defenses have been breached. He also has to save Grover, who's found himself in an inter-species entanglement in which he doesn't quite see eyes to eye with his suitor.

Accompanying them is Percy's class mate Tyson, a street kid who counts Percy as his only friend, but who is much, much more than he seems. The three travel to the treacherous Sea of Monsters in the face of insurmountable odds to capture the Golden Fleece, which hopefully can counteract the poison and restore the magical protection of the Camp.

Steeped in Greek mythology, yet written for young readers, this one is highly recommended for developing the imagination with its combination of thrilling adventure and legend.


Amanda Richards, June 25, 2006

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cornwall, Ny sixth Grader, March 10, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Cornwall, New York Sixth Grader 3/7/07

I am a sixth grader. I think The Sea of Monsters is a great book. Percy Jackson returns in this story with new monsters, new surprises and a new camp director?! This exciting sequel to the Lightning Thief is with a plot and flow equivalent to that of the first. Who knew what could happen when a normal game of dodge ball turns into a struggle to survive? Percy is soon warned that Camp Half Blood is no longer safe for demigods. A crushing and devastating blow for Percy, who himself is a half blood. Someone has poisoned Thalia's tree and Chiron is the prime suspect. A quest must be taken up to retrieve the Golden Fleece!

Much to Percy's dismay he is not given the quest! Although he and Annabeth are forbidden to go this quest, they still go out into the mortal world to find the Fleece. Percy has been contacted in his dreams also by a person who is important to him. According to this person the Fleece is in the Sea of Monster. Unfortunately, that person is in the peril of death. He must now bring back the Fleece and save that person. Challenges await them though, so incredibly evil and ruthless...

Rick Riordan does a great job with this book. I like how the flow of the story fits in with the action theme. Riordan also pleases me with a splash of humor in this book. He also creates such great details on his characters that they come to life for me. Also, the spunk of Percy and his friends adds spark to the story. The creativity of the mixing of the Greek religion and modern day society produces an interesting blend. Whoever thought that Greeks were boring obviously never read this book. His creativity really makes this book shine. A two thumbs up book for any reader. I especially recommend this book for bookworms and fantasy readers, this book will really satisfy you.

Can Percy save the Golden Fleece and his friend? Will peace be restored to Camp Half Blood? Will Chiron be proved innocent?

EG

31 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even better (funnier, more action-packed) than Book 1, May 19, 2006

By	bensmomma "bensmomma" (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2) (Hardcover)

"Sea of Monsters" is a sequel to Riordan's "Lightning Thief." Percy Jackson (you may or may not know from Lightning Thief) is the son of the Greek God Poseidon and a modern American woman, living in 21st-century New York. In Book Two, he returns to Camp Half-Blood (a secret camp for the children of gods and mortals, most of whom have secret powers), to learn that the Camp's protective veil has been broken by monsters and evil beings bent on destroying the half-blood kids. To save the camp, he and his friends the wise and brave Annabelle (daughter of Athena), Grover (his nerdly centaur sidekick), and a new character Tyson (who turns out to be a cyclops in need of a haircut), must seek out the Golden Fleece.

Which turns out to be in....Florida, I believe!

This summary illustrates the way in which Riordan ramps up two aspects of the earlier book: its humor, and its superficial similarities to the Harry Potter books. Riordan has a real sense of humor and an ear for witty kid-like dialogue (I loved the bits where Grover is captured by a larger Cyclops and talks his way out of marrying the big brute). A Voldemort-like character also takes shape in this 2nd volume - but he has not the physical strength to come back in full form yet, and will require the treachery of some of the half-bloods (presumably continued in future volumes) to come back to full power.

As in the first volume, readers will uncover a lot of entertaining bits of Greek mythology, embedded in the book like nuts in a brownie. Another delicious volume.