Box Set: Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1-3

I picked this set up mainly because it was a great deal for the first three books in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I figured it would be an economic way to check out a series that’s gotten a lot of popularity.

This set is, simply, an amazing buy, and can’t be beat at $11. The books in the set are:

-Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2: The Sea of Monsters
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3: The Titan’s Curse

Each book in the series is a contained adventure, but also part of a larger plot line that continues through the five books. I’ve reviewed each book separately; the reviews can be found on my profile/website if you’re curious.

The basic idea is that Percy Jackson is a young demigod, half human and half Greek god. He is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. He grows up over the course of the books, starting at age 12 and finishing at 16. Percy’s life is full of adventures and dangers, as he often heads off on quests to save his friends or Camp Half-Blood, sanctuary of the demigods. In “The Lightning Thief,” Percy and his friends must find Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. In “The Sea of Monsters,” they hunt for the Golden Fleece. And in “The Titan’s Curse,” the young demigods search for a missing friend as well as the Greek god Artemis.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an outstanding series, one that I will be rereading often. Riordan’s writing is witty, humorous, educational, fun, etc.; these are great books for kids and parents to read together.

5/5.

Book 110: Katharine, the Virgin Widow

Katharine of Aragon, by Jean Plaidy

“Katharine of Aragon,” by Jean Plaidy, is actually an omnibus of the author’s three previous novels about Henry VIII’s first queen. The books are: “Katharine, the Virgin Widow,” “The Shadow of the Pomegranate,” and “The King’s Secret Matter.” So this volume is a great deal, as you’re really getting three books for the price of one.

Plaidy is an excellent historical fiction writer. I’d seen her recommended several times, and was eager to read something of hers. Katharine happens to be a favorite figure of mine, but Plaidy has written novels on just about anyone you could want to read about in English history.

“Katharine, the Virgin Widow” focuses on the young princess and her first marriage to Henry’s brother, Arthur. The book starts with Katharine’s journey from Spain to England; I would have liked to see Plaidy write some scenes from the princess’s life before England – references are made to her “previous” life quite a bit, and it would have been nice to read some of them, rather than just get a line or two of memories. But otherwise, a great book, that introduces readers the different players in the English monarchy and politics.

“The Shadow of the Pomegranate” continues Katharine’s story after her marriage to Henry VIII, and focuses on her difficulty to conceive an heir.

“The King’s Secret Matter” finishes Katharine’s sad tale, recounting Henry’s efforts to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn. Plaidy captures Katharine’s dignity and fight to remain a queen through all of Henry’s machinations to set her aside.

Plaidy pens an engrossing story of Katharine of Argaon, one that fans of historical Tudor fiction will surely enjoy. I’ll definitely be picking up more of her novels, because I think they are great introductions for periods or people I’m unfamiliar with.

4/5.