As a child, I always had my nose in a book. One of my favorite series has been the "Percy Jackson" series written by Rick Riordan. This series tells the story of Percy Jackson, a demigod son of the Greek god Poseidon, as he faces the trials of being part of an important prophecy and of course, the trials of puberty. When I had heard they were making a movie, it was pure excitement in my mind.
By the time the movie adaptation of the first book ('Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief') was released, all five novels of the book series had been released. I was nearly shaking with excitement to see the movie in theaters. Logan Lerman was starring as the main character, and I had had a huge crush on him. I had high expectations to say the least.
Logan Lerman as "Percy Jackson"
When I came out of the movies that fateful evening, I was devastated. This movie had been NOTHING like the book series. I had been willing to overlook the fact that the characters were supposedly aged at 17, when the original book characters were only 12. Yes, only 12-years-old. In the movie, the characters took turns driving a truck.
Unfortunately, the movie had derived so far from the original novel, it was totally un-enjoyable. As a huge fan of the series, this had been such a disappointment. I was completely disheartened. Some major plot points were completely thrown away by Hollywood, while other parts of the movie were sad and predictable.
So, Hollywood, this article is for you. When someone gives you the rights to make their books into movies, do it right. The fans are giving you their complete and utter trust to see their favorite characters, plots, and scenes come alive. I understand that some things play better on screen, while some scenes are better to read. It's understandable. But some wonder why their movies do so terribly? No fan wants to drag themselves (and others) to see a movie and give the movie money when it's a total disappointment to see in the first place.
Despite how terrible the movie was, I will not stop reading, nor will I stop reading the series. I will probably never watch the movies ever again to be honest, but I will not stop reading. Rick Riordan manages to create a beautiful, stunning fictional world that I can relate to, even now at 22-years-old. Percy may only be 12-years-old in "The Lightning Thief," but his sense of humor and fun attitude are timeless. Thank you Uncle Rick, for creating this amazing series and all of the amazing books that came after.
But seriously, I can't forgive or forget the "Percy Jackson" movies. Sorry.
