User blog:Techne/My Love for Percy, or, Why a Nearly 20-year-old Loves PJO, Yet Hates Twilight

So, I felt like writing a blog, and since I was bored at work...

I like... no, I love Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I know, shocking, right? Yet I'm not your ordinary fan-girl; I haven't bothered to check, but I believe I'm about five years older than the avarage member of the Percy Jackson Fanfiction Wiki (correct me if I'm wrong). So how did I end up here?

The answer is pretty simple: Greek mythology. It has been my favourite mythology, along with Scandinavian mythology, for years. But still, I didn't read it immediately when I first saw it. And why? I was suspicious, I can admit that. I thought it was a "kiddie book" and immediately assumed that Percy was a son of Zeus, instead of Poseidon. It would have been so obvious for a book like that. So I shrugged and put it back down. I can't remember when that happened exactly, but I presume I was 15 or 16 at the time.

But I did read the book. I had loaned it from a library, having seen it there and thought: "Well why not? Let's give it a shot." I started browsing it one Sunday evening, just before I left for Vaasa, where I study in a University. I was hooked immediately and had to read it again immediately after I had finished it.

Yeah, I was wrong about the book. Big time. But I'm here now, aren't I? And Percy Jackson has officially become one of my favourite book series. Unlike Twilight.

Oh, yes. Twilight.

You have to wonder, though: if I like vampires, as much as I like Greek mythology, why do I hate the Twilight books? There are several reasons, one of them being that Rick Riordan, unlike Stephenie Meyer, can write. I list the other two major reasons below.

Reason no. 1: Staying true

Rick Riordan hasn't twisted the mythology notably to suit his own means, other than claiming that the Greek gods are alive and kicking and Olympus is situated right on top of the Empire State Building. But that's fine, because he had thought an entirely plausible explanation for it. Meyer, on the other hand, went and destroyed the vampire myth that I loved so much. I don't mind the 'vegetarian' vampires or the fact that they can be outside on daytime. It's the fact that they sparkle. I mean, come on, that's your excuse for vampires avoiding sunlight?! Please. I remember an episode of Charmed, where the sisters encountered a vampire. This vampire could be out on daytime, but he wore shades and protective overalls. That, is a plausible excuse. Not *shrudders* sparkling. Also consider this: Edward is a vampire, and thus, a living dead. There is no blood nor any other fluid circulating in his body. Yet he can father a child. How is that possible when all of his organs have turned to stone? Give me a plausible explanation for that, other than "Edward and Bella had to have a kid (with a lousy name)".

Reason no. 2: Characters

Frankly, Meyer's characters suck. They have no personalities whatsoever, besides being Mary Sues (Edward and Bella especially), but being a Mary Sue doesn't count for having a personality, right? Riordan's characters have depth in them and they also grow as the story progresses.

Let's have an example: In The Lightning Thief, Percy believes he has to protect his mother and is absolutely devastated when she 'dies'. Then he leards about the Underworld and a desire to save her is awakened. He doesn't immediately act on it, because he knows he can't save her yet, as he doesn't know enough. Then he is offered a quest and a chance to go to underworld. Now he acts. Along the way, he makes a lot of mistakes, but he learns from them. He proves himself to be a loyal friend. And, in the end he doesn't save his mother - he let's her save herself, because he has learned that she doesn't need him to protect her all the time.

Then there is Bella... A lonely girl who has taken care of her mother all her life and 'sacrifices' herself for her happiness. She moves from Arizona to Washington and meets Edward who turns out to be a vampire. They fall madly in love, but Edward tries to distance himself from her, because he has to protect her. Bella has decided that she has to became a vampire, and thus Edward's equal. She doesn't give a damn what her parents might think about it and is not interested in having other friends due to her obsession with Edward. When she is attacked, and nearly killed, by James, she shrugs it of like nothing had happened. She doesn't have other characteristics except Ed-obsession nor does she grow with the story.

See what I mean? Also, in PJO even the minor characters have distinctive personalities, unlike in Twilight, where they are all made from the same mold.

Well, I think that covers my main reasons for my Twilight antipathy. If you have any other reasons, or if you disagree with me, I'm willing to discuss about them!

Techne 17:45, June 2, 2010 (UTC)