In May 2009, author Rick Riordan released The Last Olympian, the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The series introduced young readers to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp to train half-bloods—human children of the Greek gods. In the final chapter of The Last Olympian, the oracle, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, delivers a new prophecy, leaving Camp Half-Blood readers spell-bound and expectant for a sequel series.
And Riordan delivered.
On October 12, 2010, Rick Riordan debuted his latest young fiction masterpiece, Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero.
Readers acclaim Riordan’s authorship by placing The Lost Hero number one on the New York Times best-seller list for the sixth week in a row. Impressed? What if I told you that book one in The Heroes of Olympus series isn’t the first time Riordan’s name has hung on the Times best-seller list? The current number two (with a twenty-nine week reign on the Times best-seller list) is The Red Pyramid, book one of Riordan’s Kane Chronicles.
Why is The Lost Hero ranked #1? Because Riordan grabs his readers from page one: “Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day.” From that point on, there was no putting the book down. The Lost Hero introduces the fans of Camp Half-Blood to three new heroes (well, two heroes and a heroine), while keeping us connected with old friends. Questions buzzed in my head as I searched for answers from page to page. Who was Jason and what was his connection to Camp Half-Blood? Why can’t he remember who he is? Who are Piper and Leo? And, where is Percy?
“Jason has a problem.”
Riordan first introduces Jason, a fifteen—or is it sixteen—year-old boy who suffering from a major case of amnesia. He can’t remember who the girl holding his hand is (she claims to be his girlfriend, Piper), how he got on the school bus in the middle of the desert, who he is, or where he came from. Amidst all the confusion, Jason finds himself in the midst of a mythological world that seems strangely familiar.
“Piper has a secret.”
Starved for attention from her movie-star dad, Piper uses her soothing voice to manipulate others to give her things—for free. Her smooth tongue landed her in the wilderness school—a private school for troubled teens, but Piper is troubled by more than her honey-tipped tongue. Since being separated from her father, she constantly dreams of his capture and torture. A voice as smooth as her own offers her father’s freedom, but only at a high price. Will Piper betray her friends to free her father?
“Leo has a way with tools.”
Leo constantly tinkers with metal objects—mechanical marvels are quickly created (and destroyed) as he thinks. His quick wit and sarcastic humor help Jason and Piper relax as the trio faces the unknown. A startling discovery at Camp Half-Blood shows Jason, Piper, and the others that Leo is more than a clown.
The Lost Hero takes fans back to Camp Half-Blood and continues to train “campers” in Greek mythology. The book introduces more gods (Hera, Aphrodite, and Hephestus take center stage). But Riordan doesn’t stop with Greek mythology. With a slight twist of his pen, Riordan introduces the gods Roman connections through Jason. While Annabeth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Piper, and Leo continually reference the Greek attributes of the gods, Jason instructs on their militaristic, Roman characteristics.
Whether you’re an old fan of Camp Half-Blood or a new recruit, The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero will keep you on your toes. In just 550 pages, Jason, Piper, and Leo lead you on a chase against time from coast to coast with stops in New Mexico, Quebec, California, and New York. Once you start reading, you won’t want to put the book down until it’s finished.
The wait for book two, The Son of Neptune, due to release fall 2011, seems as painful as fighting off mythical creatures between summers. Nevertheless, a wait lies before Camp Half-Blood fans. Maybe now we’ll be able to focus on our school work (which isn’t likely)—or maybe we’ll pick up Riordan’s Kane Chronicles and dive into Egyptian mythology while we wait. After all, book two of the Kane Chronicles (still to be titled) is due to release in the spring of 2011.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
01 December 2010
08 November 2010
the reading rainbow
Every summer morning while I was growing up, after finishing my sugar-coated Cheerios, I sank into my family’s burgundy couch and turned on PBS. I impatiently waited through the 1990s children’s commercials for Skip-Its and Ballzakits. Finally, LeVar Burton appeared on the screen and I began to sing, “Butterfly in the sky, I can fly twice as high, just take a look it’s in a book, The Reading Rainbow.” My imagination soared with the butterfly; LeVar Burton was my hero.
Books are a huge part of my life. Chills run up my spine as I read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s The Long Winter, even in the middle of a hot, Missouri summer. Little Women always teaches me a new lesson, and I fall in love with Mr. Darcy when I pull Pride and Prejudice off the shelf before the start of every semester. Life without books would be . . . empty and void. I keep Tribeca and Barnes & Noble in business—I can’t leave those stores without a new book in hand. Last fall, Dad complained that he nearly broke his back carrying my 50-gallon tub full of books from the basement to my room on first floor. “You need to get rid of some of these books before you graduate,” Dad grunted as he dropped the tub on the floor. My emphatic reply? “I can’t get rid of my books, Dad!”
Dad surprised me this summer by suggesting I research Barnes & Noble’s NOOK, a competitor of Amazon’s famous electronic book, the Kindle. I was hesitant at first—nothing can replace the pure bliss of turning the page of a book. An electronic book? No thank you. But then again, this was Dad suggesting a way for me to buy more books, so I did some research.
The original NOOK matched Amazon’s Kindle in every way—instant wireless access to over 2 million books, paper-like text, long battery life, lending options, and note taking and highlighting features. The difference between the two products? Amazon created one and Barnes & Noble the other. That's it. But this fall, Barnes & Noble is raising the bar.
On November 19, 2010, Barnes & Noble will release the NOOKcolor. The NOOKcolor screen fills the once gray world of electronic reading with color—16 million colors on an LG screen, to be precise. With continued wi-fi capabilities, Android 2.1, and 8GB of storage, the NOOKcolor is taking a giant leap forward, leaving the Kindle and iPad behind.
The NOOK’s sleek design invites the reader to get lost in a book. At eight inches tall and five inches wide, the NOOK is the size of a typical book cover. At half an inch thick and weighing under a pound, the NOOK’s light weight tempts the reader to carry it everywhere. The seven-inch color touch screen allows readers to access over a million books and magazines with the touch of a finger. The screen runs at a high resolution and is back-lit, making reading easy on the eyes, no matter the time of day.
But looks aren’t everything.
The NOOKcolor sports techie features that make the most refined reader drool. Each NOOKcolor comes equipped with wi-fi—no annual fee (it’s part of the original expense). The unlimited wi-fi allows readers to download their favorite books, or that new release, regardless of location. Owners of NOOKcolor also stay in touch with the world with one-touch, instant access to social networking sites like facebook and twitter.
Like the iPhone, NOOKextras allows the reader to download applications outside of books. Readers tune in to Pandora radio or upload their own MP3s to enjoy their favorite music while they read. Want a break? Other applications include games like Sudoku and chess.
Need to work on the go? No problem. The NOOKcolor uses Quickoffice, allowing readers to view Microsoft Office documents as well as saving and transferring PDF and JPEG files. Whether reviewing the job at home or during the long commute to the office, Barnes & Noble’s NOOKcolor keeps businessmen connected.
With access to over two million books, downloadable applications like Pandora and Sudoku, and on-the-go access to Microsoft Office, the only fear a NOOKcolor owner has is space. The vast 8GB will seemingly slip away fast, but don’t panic—simply slide a memory card into the back of your NOOKcolor and, viola—unlimited space.
I’ve grown up and life has changed, but I can still fly. PBS no longer airs The Reading Rainbow. LaVar Burton only appears on my screen when I watch Star Trek reruns on the science-fiction network. I can’t remember all the lyrics to my favorite childhood show, though I can still hum the tune. For me, there’s a new reading rainbow: the NOOKcolor.
Books are a huge part of my life. Chills run up my spine as I read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s The Long Winter, even in the middle of a hot, Missouri summer. Little Women always teaches me a new lesson, and I fall in love with Mr. Darcy when I pull Pride and Prejudice off the shelf before the start of every semester. Life without books would be . . . empty and void. I keep Tribeca and Barnes & Noble in business—I can’t leave those stores without a new book in hand. Last fall, Dad complained that he nearly broke his back carrying my 50-gallon tub full of books from the basement to my room on first floor. “You need to get rid of some of these books before you graduate,” Dad grunted as he dropped the tub on the floor. My emphatic reply? “I can’t get rid of my books, Dad!”
Dad surprised me this summer by suggesting I research Barnes & Noble’s NOOK, a competitor of Amazon’s famous electronic book, the Kindle. I was hesitant at first—nothing can replace the pure bliss of turning the page of a book. An electronic book? No thank you. But then again, this was Dad suggesting a way for me to buy more books, so I did some research.
The original NOOK matched Amazon’s Kindle in every way—instant wireless access to over 2 million books, paper-like text, long battery life, lending options, and note taking and highlighting features. The difference between the two products? Amazon created one and Barnes & Noble the other. That's it. But this fall, Barnes & Noble is raising the bar.
On November 19, 2010, Barnes & Noble will release the NOOKcolor. The NOOKcolor screen fills the once gray world of electronic reading with color—16 million colors on an LG screen, to be precise. With continued wi-fi capabilities, Android 2.1, and 8GB of storage, the NOOKcolor is taking a giant leap forward, leaving the Kindle and iPad behind.
The NOOK’s sleek design invites the reader to get lost in a book. At eight inches tall and five inches wide, the NOOK is the size of a typical book cover. At half an inch thick and weighing under a pound, the NOOK’s light weight tempts the reader to carry it everywhere. The seven-inch color touch screen allows readers to access over a million books and magazines with the touch of a finger. The screen runs at a high resolution and is back-lit, making reading easy on the eyes, no matter the time of day.
But looks aren’t everything.
The NOOKcolor sports techie features that make the most refined reader drool. Each NOOKcolor comes equipped with wi-fi—no annual fee (it’s part of the original expense). The unlimited wi-fi allows readers to download their favorite books, or that new release, regardless of location. Owners of NOOKcolor also stay in touch with the world with one-touch, instant access to social networking sites like facebook and twitter.
Like the iPhone, NOOKextras allows the reader to download applications outside of books. Readers tune in to Pandora radio or upload their own MP3s to enjoy their favorite music while they read. Want a break? Other applications include games like Sudoku and chess.
Need to work on the go? No problem. The NOOKcolor uses Quickoffice, allowing readers to view Microsoft Office documents as well as saving and transferring PDF and JPEG files. Whether reviewing the job at home or during the long commute to the office, Barnes & Noble’s NOOKcolor keeps businessmen connected.
With access to over two million books, downloadable applications like Pandora and Sudoku, and on-the-go access to Microsoft Office, the only fear a NOOKcolor owner has is space. The vast 8GB will seemingly slip away fast, but don’t panic—simply slide a memory card into the back of your NOOKcolor and, viola—unlimited space.
I’ve grown up and life has changed, but I can still fly. PBS no longer airs The Reading Rainbow. LaVar Burton only appears on my screen when I watch Star Trek reruns on the science-fiction network. I can’t remember all the lyrics to my favorite childhood show, though I can still hum the tune. For me, there’s a new reading rainbow: the NOOKcolor.
28 September 2010
the secret garden--journal 4
The long drive home and back to college this weekend gave me plenty of time to read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett. The nine hour drive Sunday afternoon married the messages of the morning and the fantasy world of Misselthwait Manor in my mind. My thoughts compared the beauty of the secret garden to the peace I have in Christ.
I have always loved the story of The Secret Garden. I remember watching the movie over and over again in elementary, but time passed and I forgot about the beautiful garden. The story captured me once again after hearing Broadway’s version on an ipod at camp this summer. As soon as I returned home, I bought the CD for myself and listened to it religiously during the first two weeks at college. I finally bought the book last week and determined to read it during my trip home this weekend. And I did.
The magic of the story returned as soon as I opened the cover. Peaceful thoughts filled me as I delved deeper into the book. I could hardly wait to turn the page and read by the glow of a flashlight when the sun went down. Nothing could keep me from the words on the page. Well, almost nothing. As I read I was reminded of a verse I heard in Sunday School. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and hare heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
For Mary Lennox and Colin Craven, peace and rest are represented by the “Magic” of the secret garden, but that is not true peace. God is peace. He promises the heavy-laden and overburdened ease and relief. He knows and can give exactly what is needed.
Distress is a part of life. Like Mary and Colin, I become overwhelmed with circumstances and only see the gray, dead world around me. Selfishness blinds the beauty that surrounds me; it separates me from the peace I have in Christ. If I listen to the voice of God and cultivate my soul to grow in Him, a secret garden will grow within me.
I have always loved the story of The Secret Garden. I remember watching the movie over and over again in elementary, but time passed and I forgot about the beautiful garden. The story captured me once again after hearing Broadway’s version on an ipod at camp this summer. As soon as I returned home, I bought the CD for myself and listened to it religiously during the first two weeks at college. I finally bought the book last week and determined to read it during my trip home this weekend. And I did.
The magic of the story returned as soon as I opened the cover. Peaceful thoughts filled me as I delved deeper into the book. I could hardly wait to turn the page and read by the glow of a flashlight when the sun went down. Nothing could keep me from the words on the page. Well, almost nothing. As I read I was reminded of a verse I heard in Sunday School. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and hare heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
For Mary Lennox and Colin Craven, peace and rest are represented by the “Magic” of the secret garden, but that is not true peace. God is peace. He promises the heavy-laden and overburdened ease and relief. He knows and can give exactly what is needed.
Distress is a part of life. Like Mary and Colin, I become overwhelmed with circumstances and only see the gray, dead world around me. Selfishness blinds the beauty that surrounds me; it separates me from the peace I have in Christ. If I listen to the voice of God and cultivate my soul to grow in Him, a secret garden will grow within me.
20 September 2010
first impressions--journal 3
As I was reading “The Mousetrap,” a mystery play by Agatha Christie, thoughts of first impressions came to my mind. “The Mousetrap” traps the characters and audience in the newly opened Monkswell Manor guest house during a snow storm. First impressions cause Mollie and Giles Ralston, the owners of Monkswell Manor, to question the character of their guests. Secrets hide the truth and a twist ending surprises all. Though the Ralstons and their guests are creations of Agatha Christie, assumptions based on first impressions occur often in real life.
Each new segment of my life brings change. Some changes I run to with anticipations, others I crawl slowly toward, afraid of the outcome. Whether I run with anticipation or crawl with fear, change involves people and first impressions. New semesters bring new roommates, camp brought new coworkers, and each camp week brought three to nine new campers. My first impressions of these new people are as varied as their individual personalities. My initial reaction to new people often parallels Giles’s attitude: everyone is weird.
Counseling at camp this summer showed me the flaws I make with first impressions. Every Monday for nine weeks, I met and made assumptions about new campers. I based my assumptions on church membership, dress height, and weight. Before I knew her name, I mentally evaluated the joy and trials my camper would bring to the cabin. The second week of junior camp brought four bubbly, hyper girls to my cabin. I anticipated a fun, stress-free week. I was wrong. Every day was filled with the constant giggling of four disobedient girls. Frustration filled me as I reprimanded them at every turn. My first impression was dead wrong. The angel-faced eight-year-olds I welcomed on Monday morning brought me to my knees multiple times throughout each day. By the end of the week, I realized that second impressions deceive as well. The four girls God sent me that week were what I needed to become more like Christ.
Each new segment of my life brings change. Some changes I run to with anticipations, others I crawl slowly toward, afraid of the outcome. Whether I run with anticipation or crawl with fear, change involves people and first impressions. New semesters bring new roommates, camp brought new coworkers, and each camp week brought three to nine new campers. My first impressions of these new people are as varied as their individual personalities. My initial reaction to new people often parallels Giles’s attitude: everyone is weird.
Counseling at camp this summer showed me the flaws I make with first impressions. Every Monday for nine weeks, I met and made assumptions about new campers. I based my assumptions on church membership, dress height, and weight. Before I knew her name, I mentally evaluated the joy and trials my camper would bring to the cabin. The second week of junior camp brought four bubbly, hyper girls to my cabin. I anticipated a fun, stress-free week. I was wrong. Every day was filled with the constant giggling of four disobedient girls. Frustration filled me as I reprimanded them at every turn. My first impression was dead wrong. The angel-faced eight-year-olds I welcomed on Monday morning brought me to my knees multiple times throughout each day. By the end of the week, I realized that second impressions deceive as well. The four girls God sent me that week were what I needed to become more like Christ.
06 September 2010
castles in the air
Writing has always been a passion of mine, so a required class titled 'Advanced Writing' tickled my fancy. What could possibly be more fun than a class about writing? Each week I have to turn in a journal assignment that begins "As I was reading __________ this weekend, a thought struck me . . ." Being the planner that I am, I was anticipating writing my first journal entry on a new book I am reading, but my plans were changed when Mandy Jo gave me a journal she bought for me in China.
The cover reads 'DREAM' in big, bold, red letters. I was excited just by the cover--I love dreams! --but the real treasure are the pages between the covers. Pictures of sea & landscapes fill the book with little quotes on life & dreaming sprinkled along the way. Of course, there is pleanty of room to write as well. Mandy Jo could not have selected a better gift!
Homework was a quick & easy task this weekend & I soon found myself bored. Reading was an option, but I really wasn't in the mood. As I scanned my desk, my eyes caught the little DREAM journal. What fun it would be to fill those blank pages! I sat at my desk for five minutes or more contemplating what to fill the blank spaces with. Then it hit me. Why not write down my dreams--the realistic & fanciful, plausible & impractical--in the book filled with quotes on dreams?
Almost immediately, a quote by Henry David Thoreau came to mind. With the aid of google, I quickly located the entire quote, which, in turn, sparked the idea for my journal entry this week. Below is the entire quotation (I love the whole passage) & part of my writing assignment. Be encouraged! Dream big & build your castles in the air!
Thoreau’s encouragement brings to mind so many of God’s promises to me, particularly those of his thoughts for me and His will for the direction of my life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells me that God has thoughts and plans for my life that exceed my wildest dreams. The castles He would build for me are far greater than any I could build for myself.
I am, without a doubt, a dreamer. I desire to accomplish great things with my life: I want to change the world! Thoreau’s quote sparked thoughts of my “castles in the air.” My castles have changed shape and size over the years. Why? because of Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” As I have grown closer to my Lord I have learned that Psalm 37:4 is not saying that I should only obey God so I will get what I want, but rather that the more I delight and grow in my knowledge of the person of God, the more I will want what God wants for my life. I want to have built great, majestic castles in my dreams and I want to see them become a reality, but more than anything, I want God to be the master architect of my life. He helps me craft beautiful castles and gives me the ability to build the foundations I need to bridge fantasy and reality.
The cover reads 'DREAM' in big, bold, red letters. I was excited just by the cover--I love dreams! --but the real treasure are the pages between the covers. Pictures of sea & landscapes fill the book with little quotes on life & dreaming sprinkled along the way. Of course, there is pleanty of room to write as well. Mandy Jo could not have selected a better gift!
Homework was a quick & easy task this weekend & I soon found myself bored. Reading was an option, but I really wasn't in the mood. As I scanned my desk, my eyes caught the little DREAM journal. What fun it would be to fill those blank pages! I sat at my desk for five minutes or more contemplating what to fill the blank spaces with. Then it hit me. Why not write down my dreams--the realistic & fanciful, plausible & impractical--in the book filled with quotes on dreams?
Almost immediately, a quote by Henry David Thoreau came to mind. With the aid of google, I quickly located the entire quote, which, in turn, sparked the idea for my journal entry this week. Below is the entire quotation (I love the whole passage) & part of my writing assignment. Be encouraged! Dream big & build your castles in the air!
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favour in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” (Thoreau, Walden)
Thoreau’s encouragement brings to mind so many of God’s promises to me, particularly those of his thoughts for me and His will for the direction of my life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells me that God has thoughts and plans for my life that exceed my wildest dreams. The castles He would build for me are far greater than any I could build for myself.
I am, without a doubt, a dreamer. I desire to accomplish great things with my life: I want to change the world! Thoreau’s quote sparked thoughts of my “castles in the air.” My castles have changed shape and size over the years. Why? because of Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” As I have grown closer to my Lord I have learned that Psalm 37:4 is not saying that I should only obey God so I will get what I want, but rather that the more I delight and grow in my knowledge of the person of God, the more I will want what God wants for my life. I want to have built great, majestic castles in my dreams and I want to see them become a reality, but more than anything, I want God to be the master architect of my life. He helps me craft beautiful castles and gives me the ability to build the foundations I need to bridge fantasy and reality.
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