WARNING: I'm going to sound like a hyper five-year-old here. Percy Jackson is such a great narrator. It's really hard to sell me on fantasy series, because oftentimes the protagonist ends up being a pansy. Yes, really. But Percy is anything but that. He's brave, heroic, and--most importantly-- really funny; in situations, he is the first person to poke fun at the grandiose mythology that surrounds him, and is always willing to look at the most ominous creatures with a sense of humor. In this first installment, Percy is accused of stealing Zeus's lightning bolt. Following that, he is thrown into this underground world where Greek myths are real and Percy discovers that he has unexpected powers. Living up to his namesake Perseus, Percy strikes off on a quest with his friends to find the bolt and clear his name. This series is a fun way to learn about Greek mythology and, apparently, it knows no age boundary. (I originally bought it for my little sister, and ended up stealing it from her to finish. From then on, this series had me hooked.) And, okay, this may not be Shakespeare, but come on. It's so much fun!
