Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes

Sixteen-plus hours is a lot of listening time! Yet, taking it in chunks, listeners will delight in this collection, not only appreciating the breadth of the mythology but also the joy that Jesse Bernstein takes in his narration. As Perseus "Percy" Jackson, Bernstein narrates with an insider's point of view, as he is a son of Poseidon, and the hero and storyteller of Riordan's Percy Jackson books. Bernstein uses varied pacing, stretched-out words and pauses, and punched-out words and phrases, all in service of portraying the wise, know-it-all teenager that his character is. While the core of the myth is accurate (Atalanta does toss out three apples during her race), its telling is rife with witty comments as well as modern language and phraseology. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

August 31, 2015
The demigod son of Poseidon offers his take on 12 figures from Greek myth in this irreverent and informative follow-up to Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods (2014). Jokey contemporary references appear in quick succession (“We know you have a lot of options when choosing a directional wind, and we appreciate your business,” Zephyrus, god of the west wind, tells Psyche); Rocco takes a comparatively old-school approach with his moody portraits of Hercules, Atalanta, and others. Percy’s existing fans and newcomers will be equally delighted. It’s worth it just to watch Riordan/Percy squirm through the myths’ ickier details, such as Pasiphaë’s seduction of a bull: “This is a good time for all of us to put down the book again, run around in circles screaming, ‘Ewww!’ and wash our eyes out with Visine.” Ages 8–12. Agent: Nancy Gallt, Nancy Gallt Literary Agency.