What? You run? Coward! Stand still and die!” Percy had no intention of doing that.

But this plan of yous!' Tawaret shuddered, causing a tsunami of jiggling hippo flesh.

I’ve met plenty of embarrassing parents, but Kronos, the evil Titan Lord who wanted to destroy Western Civilization? Not the kind of dad you invited to school for Career Day.

Patterns repeat themselves in history

And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?" "Bad?" I guessed. "Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus amd Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight." "Bad," I repeated.

Behold!" Percy shouted. "The god's chosen beverage. Tremble before the horror of Diet Coke!

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the level of success I've had. I was just writing stories for my own sons.