2006 novel by Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monsters is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan and published in 2006. It is the second novel in the "Percy Jackson &amp; the Olympians" series and the sequel to "The Lightning Thief". This book chronicles the adventures of thirteen-year-old demigod Percy Jackson as he and his friends rescue his satyr friend Grover from the Cyclops Polyphemus and save Camp Half-Blood from a Titan's attack by bringing the Golden Fleece to cure Thalia's poisoned pine tree.
"The Sea of Monsters" was released on April 1, 2006, by Miramax Books, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children, and thus Disney Publishing (succeeded by the Disney Hyperion imprint). It was generally well–received and was nominated for numerous awards, including the 2006 Book Sense Top Ten Summer Pick and the 2009 Mark Twain Award. It sold over 100,000 copies in paperback with over one million copies total and was released in audiobook format on September 6, 2006. "The Sea of Monsters" is followed by "The Titan's Curse", the third book of the five books in the series.
A film adaptation of the book "" was released on August 7, 2013. The book is set to be adapted for the second season of the Disney+ television series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians".
Plot.
After dreaming about Grover being hunted by a monster, Percy wakes on the last day of his seventh-grade year, a peaceful year at Meriwether College Prep. There he has become friends with Tyson, a homeless child the school has taken on as a form of charity. In gym class, while playing dodgeball, Percy is attacked by Laestrygonians but is saved by Tyson and Annabeth, who was returning to Camp Half-Blood after having dreams about the camp in danger. The three take a magical taxi driven by the Graeae to Long Island. At the camp, they see campers led by Clarisse LaRue battling Colchis bulls. Tyson is granted permission to move past the camp's boundary to save Percy again. Tyson is actually a baby Cyclops and a half-brother of Percy, as he is also a son of Poseidon. Someone has weakened the protective walls of Camp Half-Blood by poisoning the tree of the demigod Thalia, leaving the campers vulnerable to future monster attacks. Camp counselor Chiron is accused of poisoning the tree and is fired. Before leaving, Chiron notes that only the Golden Fleece could save the camp. During the chariot races, Stymphalian birds attack, but Percy and Annabeth distract them with Chiron's boombox and Dean Martin's version of "Volare", enabling the Apollo campers to shoot them down.
Due to his charm and skill with a sword, Tantalus becomes the new camp counselor. As a reward for winning the chariot race, Tantalus sends Clarisse LaRue to find the Golden Fleece and forbids anyone else from leaving camp without his permission. After talking with the god Hermes about the fate of his son Luke, Percy leaves camp with Annabeth and Tyson to find Grover. Aided by a hippocampus that Tyson names Rainbow, the trio reach the "Princess Andromeda", a cruise ship filled with monsters and demigods that allied with the titan Kronos. On the ship, they are captured by Luke Castellan, who is working to revive Kronos. The trio escapes on an emergency lifeboat and takes shelter in a hideout that Annabeth, Thalia, and Luke built as children. There, a hydra attacks them, but they are saved by Clarisse on her ship, the "CSS Birmingham".
Annabeth, Percy, and Tyson join Clarisse's quest to the Bermuda Triangle (also known as the Sea of Monsters). To enter the Triangle, the ship tries to pass between Charybdis and Scylla, who attack and destroy it. Clarisse gets separated from the others while Tyson seemingly dies in the explosion, so Percy and Annabeth board a lifeboat and head to the nearest island. After traveling through the narrow strait that Charybdis and Scylla guarded, the two land on the island of the witch-queen Circe. Realizing that she has turned dozens of men into guinea pigs, they escape on the pirate's ship "Queen Anne's Revenge," which Percy can control, while leaving Blackbeard and his crew to deal with Circe. Percy and Annabeth then pass the Sirens.
They reach the island of Percy's half-brother, the cyclops Polyphemus, and discover that he has captured Clarisse. Before journeying to the center of the island, Percy and Annabeth meet Grover, pretending to be a female cyclops to trick Polyphemus into not eating him. Tyson arrives to help as well, having been rescued by Rainbow from the "Birmingham's" wreckage. They find the Golden Fleece, but Polyphemus destroys the "Queen Anne's Revenge", forcing the group to escape on Rainbow and a few other hippocampi. In Miami, Percy realizes that Clarisse must fly back to camp alone as per her prophecy, but he and the others are captured by Luke. Taken aboard the "Princess Andromeda", Percy makes contact with Camp Half-Blood through the goddess Iris and tricks Luke into confessing, exonerating Chiron, who is reinstated. Enraged, Luke battles Percy, but Chiron and other centaurs known as the Party Ponies arrive to rescue them, and Chiron explains that he is mistrusted as Kronos is his father.
The Golden Fleece is hung on Thalia's pine tree, which is cured. Having cleared the obstacle of Polyphemus luring in searchers through the Golden Fleece, Grover is given a furlough on his quest to find the god Pan. The camp holds a second chariot race, which Percy and Annabeth win with the help of Tyson, who departs after accepting an offer from Poseidon to work in the god's underwater Cyclops forges. However, the Fleece's magic is too strong, and it resurrects Thalia, providing another possible demigod for the Great Prophecy, which Percy realizes was Kronos' intention all along.
Critical reception.
"The Sea of Monsters" received generally positive reviews with reviewers praising the storyline, the themes and the author's style of writing. "In a feat worthy of his heroic subjects, Riordan crafts a sequel stronger than his compelling debut," said a "Publishers Weekly" review. "School Library Journal" singled out the novel's plot and main character, stating, "Percy is an appealing kid, and the subject of a chilling prophecy may resonate with readers." "Child" magazine wrote, "Featuring the cliff-hangers and sassy attitude kids loved in "The Lightning Thief" – plus a surprising new family secret – this outstanding sequel should win over a fresh legion of fans." "Children's Literature" called the writing extraordinary and added, "This book, sequel to "The Lightning Thief", is an amazing mixture of mythology and young adult fiction." Matt Berman, of Common Sense Media, praised the book, saying "The Percy Jackson series continues to be pure fun, with the author doing nearly everything right to produce a book that few kids will be able to resist." Norah Piehl of Kidsreads.com lauded the style of the book, and noted similarities with its prequel. It sold over 100,000 copies in hardcover by the time paperback copies were released in April 2007.
However, "Kirkus Reviews" was critical of the book, writing, "it's doubtful Percy wouldn't guess Tyson's otherworldly connection immediately after the dodgeball game ... some of the humor will zip over the heads of the target audience" although they added, "Percy's sardonic narration and derring-do would keep the pages turning."
Adaptations.
Audiobook.
On September 6, 2006, a seven-hour and 54 minute audiobook version of "The Sea of Monsters", read by actor Jesse Bernstein, who also narrated "The Lightning Thief"'s audiobook, was published worldwide by Listening Library.
"AudioFile" magazine praised the audiobook, raving, "This action-packed book (second in a series) will delight fans of Percy Jackson, the half-blood son of Poseidon, as Percy once again battles mythical monsters in modern-day settings while on his mission to save the tree that guards Camp Half-Blood." They praised Bernstein, saying "Narrator Jesse Berns helps listeners slip right into the oddly engaging world that Riordan creates, in which contemporary teen characters and those from classical mythology intermingle" and that he could successfully portray teenagers while keeping the pace fast allowing listeners time to revel in the book's humor. Auditions have already been cast for this yet-to-be blockbuster. There may still be a few spaces for extras, though. The magazine "Publishers Weekly" raved about Bernstein's "snappy delivery and all the right funny touches" that made the "action-packed fantasy such fun."
Film adaptation.
Following the box office and DVD success of the movie, "", a was first reported in early 2011. In fall 2011, it was confirmed that 20th Century Fox would release the film on March 27, 2013. Filming began in April 2012. In February 2012, Mary Birdsong, Missi Pyle and Yvette Nicole Brown were cast as the Gray Sisters. In March 2012, Nathan Fillion joined the cast as Hermes and Anthony Head, replacing Pierce Brosnan, as Chiron. In April 2012, Paloma Kwiatkowski was cast as Thalia and "The Hunger Games" star Leven Rambin has been cast as Clarisse La Rue. It was announced on May 8, 2012, that the film had moved up to March 15, 2013, but was later postponed for an August 16, 2013 release. Fox decided on a final release date for August 7, 2013. Logan Lerman returned as Percy Jackson in the movie. Jake Abel also reprised his role as Luke Castellan. In January 2012, "The Secret Circle" star Grey Damon was cast as Chris Rodriguez.
Graphic novel.
"The Sea of Monsters" was published as a graphic novel on June 2, 2013.
Television adaptation.
On February 7, 2024, the Disney+ television series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" was renewed for a second season that will adapt "The Sea of Monsters".
Sequel.
The novel was followed by "The Titan's Curse", released on May 1, 2007. In "The Titan's Curse", Percy, Grover, Annabeth and Thalia go to a school to recruit two powerful demigods. Like its predecessors, this book was well received and reviewers praised its humorous style and the plot of the story.
References.
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