The Greek Gods and Modern Touches in Percy Jackson and the Olympians Anonymous College

Rick Riordan’s book series for young adults follows the adventures of teenager Percy Jackson as he fights monsters, carries out quests, and generally acts the hero after discovering that the father he never knew is the Greek god Poseidon. His adventures begin after he arrives at Camp Half-Blood, where he meets other half-bloods (one mortal parent, one godly) and, after consulting the Oracle of Delphi, sets out with his friends to save Olympus and the world. In the first four books, the half-bloods encounter and resolve relatively minor problems as the Titan Lord Kronos slowly regains power and in the fifth, the army of Olympus clashes with that of the Titans. Riordan imagines Greek mythology as it would appear in the twenty-first century, how modern society and innovation impact the actions and behaviors of both gods and monsters, heroes and villains.

In Riordan’s vision, Mount Olympus and the gods follow the “Heart of the West,” which began in Ancient Greece before migrating to Rome, then Western Europe, and finally to the United States, where Olympus currently resides on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building. In present-day America, the gods have adapted human inventions to fit their own needs, modernizing their...