I have been waiting for this book since it first came out in May (cliffhanger from the last book). That's a long time to wait, but it ended up being worth it. The book is jam-packed with adventure and Greek god humor. I love Percy's wry sense of humor and also the underlying morals in the story. There were several twists in the story that I didn't grasp until they burst upon me, despite my efforts to understand the Great Prophecy. This series is really well written, interesting, teaches mythology, and manages to keep you on the edge of your seat (if you don't fall off laughing, anyway). A great pick for reluctant readers, especially adventure-loving guys.
Read-alikes:
For the mythology aspect, I enjoyed Goddess of Yesterdayby Caroline B. Cooney
It's also a bit like Harry Potter (prophecy and all that)
RATINGS:
s-factor: !
Not too many, but some.
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->->
Definitely a lot of action, but it isn't detailed or really gory
Overall rating: ****