Percy Jackson is not. Yes, PJ and HP are both fantasty, this means there will be magic and big dark bad guys who do magic. They are both Hero Journey stories, so both will have the wise mentor and the supportive friends. It’s not so much that PJ ripped off HP as both of them follow a pretty standard plot sequence. Kid finds out he’s special----->bad things happen----->kid learns more about special self stuff----->more serious bad things happen----->small break for kid to catch breath and enjoy friends----->more serious bad stuff happens----->kid is discouraged------>kid gets emotional boost usually from mentor or friend----->kid takes on bad guy and wins.
You might notice this is also the basic plot sequence for every action adventure movie ever written.
The PJ movie will look a lot like the HP1 movie because they gave it to the same director. This, IMHO, was a very bad idea. I didn’t like HP1 the movie. They guy has no clue how to direct children. They come out stilted and awkward. Once another director got the HP movies we discovered that most of the HP cast can actually act. What a surprise. Well, unfortunately not Malfoy but we can’t have everything.
No, there has always been a market for YA Fantasy, see Susan Cooper, et al.
But yes, they would have not been heavily marketed or a movie made.
Most of those are very generic with YA Fantasy. In any case, in PJ, the school is a side issue,most of the adventures are out in the Real World, just the opposite with HP.
And Palo Verde–#2 son* wants to learn Greek! (I asked him if he would settle for Latin, but no, it’s Greek all the way. Where in hell am I going to find a Greek tutor in Midwest suburbia?)
*for internet purposes, I have 2 sons: #1 and #2. #1 is 18, #2 is 11. I also have Daughter, but she’s in a class by herself… (she’s 20). The numbers refer only to birth order.
Random question - are the Greek Gods rather jerks? It kinda sounds lie they’re doing what the Greek Gods usually do: have a bunch of bastards and leave them with a pile of magical goodies, then take off with the next hot babymama, while punishing random people.
I mean, I guess I’m biased, since I’ve read too many Greek myths, but the villains must be really nasty if the Greek Gods are presented in any way heroic.
The climax of all the books (I won’t give away the exciting parts) is Percy lecturing the gods on mistreating their children and basically acting like jerks.
