After a year spent trying to prevent a catastropic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson--a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any "normal" friends.
But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: The magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters--the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millenia--only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name...the Bermuda Triangle.
Now Percy and his friends--Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson--must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/12/the-sea-of-monsters-by-rick-riordan.html The Sea of Monsters picks up twelve months after The Lightning Thief, with our hero Percy back in New York with his now single mother and attending Meriwether College Prep. Grover is away on his quest, attempting to find what no other Satyr has found before. The past year has been uneventful, even with new friend Tyson by his side. Until the final day of school when all hell seems to break loose, and of course Percy and his friends are in the line of fire, quite literally.
They must not only rescue their friend from the Cyclops that is determined to make Grover his bride, steal back The Golden Fleece, rescue the camp from being overrun by monsters and heal Thalia's tree. All in a days work for young Percy.
I actually enjoyed The Sea of Monsters more than it's predecessor, it was humourous, sassy and highly entertaining. But most of all it featured new character and Cyclops Tyson. His character was an absolute delight, his fascination with ponies and childlike innocence was incredibly lovely.
Tyson was staring at Chiron in amazement. He whimpered like he wanted to pet Chiron's flank but was afraid to come closer. 'Pony?'
Ending with a surprising revelation, I can't wait to jump into book three. The Percy Jackson series is not only fun and entertaining, but wonderfully written. A must have for middle grade enthusiasts, lovers of young adult and adults alike. I'm utterly in love.
