Cover of The Lightning Thief
Myth & Legend FictionHorrorAdventure

The Lightning Thief

by

  • 2005 first published
  • 384 pages
  • ★ 4.3 (417 ratings)
  • 108 editions
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Published in 2005, The Lightning Thief is a mythic fiction and horror novel by Rick Riordan. It takes readers to Manhattan and Long Island in Modern Times. Characters include Percy Jackson, Poseidon (Greek deity) and Zeus (Greek deity). Readers will find themes of Greek Mythology, camps, friendship and identity.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.3 out of 5 from 417 ratings, and 5,764 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 108 editions across 12 languages.

At about 384 pages, most readers finish it in 7–8 hours.

About The Lightning Thief

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction—Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.
Description from Open Library

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Setting

Era

Characters

Subjects

  • Greek Mythology
  • Camps
  • Friendship
  • Fantasy fiction
  • Fantasy
  • Young Adult Fiction
  • Mythology, Greek
  • Identity
  • Adaptations
  • Greek Gods
  • Children's fiction
  • Gods
  • Action & Adventure
  • Fantasy & Magic
  • Legends, Myths, Fables
  • Gods and goddesses

Quick answers

Who wrote The Lightning Thief?

The Lightning Thief was written by Rick Riordan and first published in 2005.

What genre is The Lightning Thief?

It is usually shelved as Myth & Legend Fiction, Horror and Adventure.

How long is The Lightning Thief?

The median edition has 384 pages, about 7–8 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to The Lightning Thief?

Readers who like it often enjoy Zeus, Face of Death and Ares and the Spear of Fear.

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