If you've grown up in the 2000s, you have probably encountered the Percy Jackson series at least once in your life. The adventure fantasy series by Rick Riordan follows Percy, the half-blood child of Poseidon, go through a number of dangerous and challenging obstacles (with lots of references to Greek Gods). The franchise became so popular that the series was adapted for the big screen in 2010, with Logan Lerman playing our main guy Percy.

I have to admit, while the whole Percy Jackson craze was going on around me I was too busy with my head stuck in the 'Gone' series by Michael Grant so I wholly missed out. But, as we have already learnt by digging into other fandoms, it is no surprise why the Percy Jackson series became as big as it did. Not only were these fantasy stories which provided an escape from the monotony of the modern world, but they also featured Greek gods aka only the coolest people to ever exist in literature.

Day 1: Understanding Why

For someone who has never read any of the Percy Jackson books, I wanted to know what clicked with fans. I had an inkling, seeing as the book was a fantasy novel with a similar appeal as Harry Potter to allow readers to escape to a new world. But what was it specifically about the Percy Jackson books which got fans so hooked?

"I think one main point is the writing as such. Every fan starts as a reader of the series and then you just can't stop because the books are so good!" one fan told me enthusiastically.

I knew the feeling. When you read one book and you just can't stop because it's so good. It makes you wish you could simultaneously read faster to finish the book but also somehow continue to reading it for the rest of your life because it's that good.

'People who read are dreamers. And just like Potterheads who daydream of hogwarts, we dream of going to camp halfblood/ jupiter. So maybe the series is something to waste our freetime on? What I experienced as I was younger and read the series for the 1st time is the feeling of excitement that you get after you finish a book/ chapter/ whatever. The plot has enough references to the real world that you catch yourself thinking: "actually it could be true... maybe" you feel special, like you could be a child of a god/ goddess.' Another person told me

This was backed up by another person telling me that 'in this fandom it's okay to dream ,to be childish,  whatever you want to be no matter how old you are. They don't force you to grow up...'

It's something a lot of us strive for without ever properly admitting it. Who doesn't enjoy pretending to be a child again who believes that anything in the world is possible? Even being the child of a Greek God? Sometimes these small pockets of daydreaming can be the only thing that makes someone's day, and I was glad to hear that this series was providing that happiness to its readers.

Day 2: Fanfiction

I was already beginning to get a sense of why fans wrote fanfiction - it was a fun way to engage with the story you loved. Not only did it give you license to do whatever with the characters you held close to your heart, but it also allowed fans to rewrite, rethink and expand on the pre-existing books.

"Well I personally do it because my mind makes up too many scenarios and I like getting them out on paper, but others probably do Rick Riordan gives us such a huge universe and so many options for creativity. Most of the characters are very relatable in one way or another and people like to see them interact outside of canon," one writer told me

So who was the fan favourite character?

"Percy: he's got that likable aura about him. Most people can imagine themselves being a "Percy", a loyal, strong and handsome hero. There's also Leo. Leo: Most relatable of all. Has problems but solves them like most people, by joking. And he's very sarcastic. So, basically in real life you might be a Leo, but you want to be a Percy," a fan told me.

'People get attached to specific characters and imagine a completely different personality and plot for them,  putting pieces together in their minds. Its all also in the style of writing,' another person told me.

I wonder if there is any proof that fans tend to always go towards the either awkward or sarcastic characters in literature. What I thought was quite interesting was that one fan told me that Percy was the fan favourite character. Sometimes when it comes to large book series, side or minor characters sometimes outshine the main character.

Day 3: Books vs Films

'The fans hate the films. They have nothing to do with the actual books. I've never met someone who read the books and still said the films were good. Well in the first book percy is about twelve years old. The main plot is about his adventures and Annabeth (many years after the first book becoming his girlfriend) has to learn to trust him. In the movie Percy is about 17 years old and his relationship to Annabeth develops much faster. Also the actress playing her looks nothing like her appearance according to the book. And the effects e. g. When something explodes are not very good. But the main reason is really the plot and the actors," one fan told me passionately when I asked about the films.

I was a little taken aback. I hadn't expected that reaction. Wondering whether I had just gotten the wrong end of the stick from one fan, I decided to ask someone else.

"Oh we HATE them. The Percy Jackson films are horribly done, so much so that even Rick Riordan hates them. I personally refuse to even watch them, and there are definitely PJO/HoO fans who pretend they don't exist at all," I was told.

So if the author of the books hates the movies, they must really be bad. Rick Riordan has even written to teachers asking them to not show the films in schools, and that he doesn't want to have anything to do with them.

"No. Stop. Please. No class deserves such a punishment. I mourn the loss of perfectly good classroom time."
Riordan tweeted in 2016 about the films being shown in classrooms.

Now I know that book fans often have love-hate relationships with the films. But I had never seen so much hatred for a book to film adaptation before from a fanbase, which took me aback slightly. But it was interesting; it showed to me how much these fans loved these books with all their hearts, to the point where any deviation from the book was going to cause the film to be blacklisted.

I knew how they felt. I remember how disappointed I was when I watched the Maze Runner film after loving the book with my whole heart. I was so pissed off that they had changed so much, and it felt like the book had been seen as an afterthought, or just a platform to make some quick cash from the fans.

Day 4: The Greek Aspect

What I've always really admired about the Percy Jackson was the element of  Greek mythology in them. I think it's such an interesting touch to add to books designed for teens, and one that I really respect.

"I think [it's the Greek gods] which often what first brings people to the fandom, because a lot of times it's an interest in the deities, but once you've read the first book it becomes interest in the characters more than the deities. So I think it attracts people a lot but its not what they stay for, if that makes sense," one fan told me when I asked about the role of the Greek gods in attracting readers.

It adds a really interesting element to the books which isn't always seen in mainstream books. I've always been fascinated by Greek gods, ever since I was very young, and I think it's quite a common interest. Maybe it's because teens have grown up with films like Hercules (aka the most underrated Disney film), or maybe there is just a universal attraction to these mythical beings which all have very interesting backstories and powers.

Day 5: Reflection

Again, I was quite surprised by the amount of the requests I had to do this fandom. Of course I knew the series was big, but I wasn't sure how active the fanbase was.

I was also beginning to understand the real appeal to the popular fantasy books. There are hundreds - probably thousands - of fantasy books out there but the ones which gain an active fandom are the ones with characters which the fans feel like they can relate. Percy Jackson provides a world in which fans wish they could live in, and the series unlocks the imagination of all the fans who love it.

I was really impressed by the adoration and love the fandom gave to Rick Riordan - sometimes in these kind of fandoms the author of the series is forgotten completely.

NEXT WEEK:

SHANE DAWSON

comment any other fandoms you'd like to see chapters on next ;)