Let's choose a name for a new storybook superhero. Old-fashioned, solid English names are en vogue, so let's go with the flow. We can't use 'Harry' - there is already one hero around with that name. What about 'Percy'? That has the solid, no-nonsense ring to it we want. Next, we need a surname that sounds a bit ordinary for a superhero. 'Potter' would have been great, but somebody else got there first. 'Jackson' has an everyday ring to it and it goes well with 'Percy'. Our search is over. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Percy Jackson, a new superhero with a very ordinary sounding name that hides all the magic powers and mystery we would expect from a hero whose job it is to save the world. Twelve-year-old Percy is an ordinary boy who wouldn't knowingly harm anybody. He suffers from an attention deficit problem, has dyslexia and is tormented constantly by his odious stepfather. He attends a special school in New York for difficult children, but even the experienced teachers can't stop Percy from getting into trouble. He attracts disasters like a light attracts moths. On a recent school trip to a museum, Percy got angry with his maths teacher. Before he knew what was happening, his temper flared up and the helpless teacher vanished into thin air! However did he manage to do that? When Percy's mum hears about what happened at the museum, she decides it is time for her confused son to learn the truth about himself. Percy is a half-blood, the son of one of the gods of Ancient Greece, who are alive and well today, and living in America. Percy is packed off to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp where young demi-gods learn their trade. Unfortunately, most half-bloods don't live to be teenagers because they are killed off by hit-squads of monsters out to destroy the power of the gods. Percy is obviously in for a fun time at Camp Half Blood. Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief is a fun, light-hearted adventure. If you can accept its far-fetched plot and characters, you will enjoy the ride. Once he gets to Camp Half Blood, Percy finds out he responsible for preventing world destruction. Nothing new there: that's what superheroes do. In his second adventure, Percy Jackson and the Sea Monsters, powerful Percy finds himself battling evil forces on an island in the middle of the Sea of Monsters. It isn't long before he discovers this treacherous part of the ocean is The Bermuda Triangle. Cue another chaotic adventure, that keeps the pages turning and the smiles coming at top speed. Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson adventures are thrill-filled American affairs with more than a generous nod in the direction of Harry Potter. The first two books are entertaining yarns, that are highly diverting, but lack originality. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters By Rick Riordan Published by Puffin ISBN 0 141 38147 7 ISBN 0 141 38149 3 John Millen can be contacted on MillenBookshelf@aol.com