After the blockbuster first film, Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters to Release on 30th August 2013!

The half-human son of Poseidon – the Greek god of the sea –  once saved the world, but Percy’s starting to think that might have been a fluke.  Is he a flash in the pan…a one-quest wonder?

The magical borders of Camp Half-Blood are beginning to fall and a horde of mythical monsters threatens to destroy the sanctuary for the children of the gods. In order to save the demigods’ haven, Percy and his friends must find the fabled and magical Golden Fleece.  Their journey takes them to Washington, D.C. and on to the Florida coast, where they set sail on a treacherous odyssey into the uncharted, deadly waters of the Sea of Monsters, known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle. The stakes are higher than ever and if Percy doesn’t succeed, Camp Half-Blood will cease to exist and all of Olympus will crumble. 

The first film Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief would become a global box-office and home entertainment hit.  The film, directed by Chris Columbus, who is executive producer on PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, was enjoyed by millions around the world, including filmmaker Thor Freudenthal. 

After viewing “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” Freudenthal began reading the books and became a fan.  “I found a lot of emotion and an irreverent, whimsical tone in the books,” he says. “The amazing trick that [author] Rick Riordan pulls off is having fun at a very fast pace and not always taking himself too seriously.  But he never sacrifices the emotional core, which is a bunch of kids who have a heavy burden to carry:  they have parents who are larger than life and are mostly absent.  I’m a sucker for big emotions in a movie, and I also love a healthy sense of humor to go along with it.  Both the books and this movie embody those notions.”

Lerman returns as the titular hero, the demigod son of Poseidon, who embarks on his own, modern-day Odyssey.  “At the beginning of this film, Percy is not living up to his potential and he doubts himself,” says Lerman.   “Percy feels abandoned by his father, the Greek god Poseidon, and then, he finds out that he has a brother.”

If shocking family revelations weren’t enough, Percy must deal with Polyphemus, an enormous and powerful Cyclops; Charybdis, the sea monster; the raging Colchis Bull, a giant, metallic and fire-breathing creature that attacks Camp Half-Blood; the Manticore, a formidable monster with a lion’s body and a long, scorpion-like tail; and the ancient Oracle, an ancient mummified mystic with empty eye sockets and skeletal features.  The Oracle further complicates Percy’s sense of self and duty, says Lerman, when it tells him he “is either going to destroy Olympus or save it.  He’s not sure if he can rise to the occasion.”

Percy has a lot at stake, according to Freudenthal.  “He’s trying to save Camp Half-Blood and prove himself as a hero. He’s grown distant from his father, who is not really responding to his requests for help.  Percy embarks upon his ‘odyssey’ for two reasons: to save his home, and to ascertain if he is indeed a hero.”

Alexandra Daddario returns as Annabeth Chase, the demigod offspring of Athena, goddess of wisdom, the role she created in “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief.”  “One of the most enjoyable aspects of the first film was accessing a bad-ass quality that you don’t really get to access in your real life.  It’s been a great experience being able to do that,” says the actress.

Brandon T. Jackson reprises the role of Grover, Percy Jackson’s satyr friend.  Jackson explains that in Greek mythology, satyrs, which are half man, half goat, “are mischievous.  They are fun-loving characters and very protective of the earth.  Grover has a lot of heart.  He would do anything to save Camp Half-Blood, and he would give his life for Percy because they’re best friends.”

Jackson admits that reprising a character “is challenging because you’ve got to bring growth to the character.  In this film, Grover is a little older; he’s got his horns now.  Grover doesn’t want to go on this quest because it could actually kill him.  But he has to because a satyr guide is required to find the Golden Fleece.

“He’s not scared, but he knows his life is in danger with Polyphemus, the gigantic Cyclops in possession of the Golden Fleece,” Jackson continues.  “Grover would rather stay at home and chill at Camp Half-Blood.  Polyphemus is like Kryptonite to him.  He eats satyrs for breakfast!”

Jake Abel is back as Luke, the first film’s “lightning thief,” and the son of Hermes, the messenger of the gods.  “Demigods are the sons and daughters of gods and human beings,” says Abel.  “They inherit the powers or characteristics of their god parent.  Luke, being the son of Hermes, is very mischievous and a quick thinker.  He’s mercurial, enigmatic and devious.

“In this first film, Luke stole Zeus’ lightning bolt, and PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS is a continuation of his journey, rebelling against his father,” Abel continues. “Feeling angry, forgotten and neglected, he wants to show the gods who’s boss, and Luke comes up with a plan to end the reign of the gods and, in the process, bring some of the demigods over to the dark side.”

Luke, like Percy, seeks the Golden Fleece, but for a very different reason. “Luke wants to bring back the ultimate, original evil, which is Kronos, the Titan who was overthrown by his sons,” says Abel.  “With the Fleece, Luke can resurrect Kronos and bring him back to life.  Luke believes Kronos will promise him everything and help him bring down Olympus and conquer the world.”

On his journey to battle Luke and retrieve the Golden Fleece, Percy discovers he has a half-brother, Tyson, who is a Cyclops.  “Tyson is a sweet, teenage Cyclops,” says Freudenthal.  “Cyclopes are viewed as monsters, but everything about Tyson is the opposite of that.”

“Tyson is a warrior, of sorts,” says Douglas Smith, who plays the one-eyed teen.  “He’s a really soulful, salt of the earth Cyclops.  Tyson is one of those people who seem overly simple but he’s actually got a deep wisdom.  It comes in handy in the quest because he’s got a variety of skills that only Cyclopes have.  He’s a good guy, and identifies more with the Half-Bloods than with the other Cyclopes, who like to eat demigods.  Tyson looks like a villain, but he has a heart of gold and that can be very confusing when people meet him.  And it’s confusing for him, too.”

Like Percy, Tyson is a son of Poseidon, but while Percy’s mother is human, Tyson’s mother was a sea nymph.  Smith describes the sibling relationship: “Percy and Tyson are half-brothers, but Tyson doesn’t like to harp on that.  Percy doesn’t expect to have a brother show up at camp, he doesn’t expect to bring him along on the journey, and he does not expect to be won over by Tyson’s optimism and point of view, which is fresh and filled with wonder.  Ultimately, Percy realizes that Poseidon is looking out for him, because he sent Tyson to Percy.”

Initially, the filmmakers planned to give Smith a prosthetic eye, but they decided to create the eye mostly through visual effects.  The prosthetic shrank in size from a full facemask to a small forehead application that created the effect of a single brow, which Smith only had to sport when Tyson wears sunglasses.  And, as in the book, an application of magical mist creates the illusion of Tyson having two eyes; for those scenes, Smith wears only his own visage.  

The newest demigod at Camp Half-Blood is Clarisse LaRue, daughter of Ares, the god of war.  Leven Rambin plays Clarisse, whom she says is, “innately prone to fighting, competition and being the best.  She always wants to prove herself to her father, who wanted a son, so she’s trying to live up to that.”

“Clarisse contributes to Percy’s feelings of inadequacy and makes him question his abilities and whether he belongs in Camp Half-Blood,” says Freudenthal. “Clarisse is insecure, and that’s why she has such an attitude.  It’s her insecurity that someone’s going to best her or embarrass her that drives her to feel the need to bully people.”

 

 

 

Anthony Head portrays Percy’s mentor, Chiron, a Centaur – half-man and half-horse.  “Centaurs like drinking and partying, and Chiron is completely the opposite; he’s learned and kind,” says Head, who is best known for his role as the mentor to the heroine of the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” “Chiron treats Percy like a son.  He’s noble and at the same time, possesses some darkness because he is Kronos’ son.  And Kronos is the ‘big bad’ who is basically responsible for all the things wrong in the world of Percy Jackson.”

Academy Award®-nominee and Golden Globe® and Emmy Award®-winner Stanley Tucci plays Dionysus, known as Mr. D to the young residents at Camp Half-Blood.  “He’s the god of wine, and hedonism,” notes Tucci. “I like wine and I thought it was appropriate for me to take the role; there was no need for research!” he quips. 

“Zeus has put a curse on Mr. D and every time he tries to have some wine, it turns into water,” Tucci continues.  “He’s also not happy about being in a position of responsibility.  Mr. D is miserable and a terrible leader.  He can’t remember anybody’s name, and he’s probably more scared than the students are.  Mr. D is a wreck and should not be in this position – and that’s what made the role so much fun for me.” To embody the hirsute and heavyset figure, Tucci sports a moustache, beard, wig, and a fake paunch.

Nathan Fillion, an iconic figure to sci-fi fans from his work in the series “Firefly” and the movie based upon it, “Serenity,” joins the Olympians as Hermes, messenger of the Gods.  To humans, Hermes appears as a UPS worker; to the young Olympians, he is a gorgeously-tailored businessman who takes the Half-Bloods on a tour of his colossal parcel sorting hub. 

Hermes is the father of demigod Luke.  “Luke is causing all the trouble, and they need to find him,” says Fillion.  “Luke is a troubled kid and it breaks Hermes’ heart a little bit.  But we see that they’re not heartless gods.  There is a modicum of feeling there.”

Fillion had seen “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” and recalls being pleased when he heard they were making a second.  He admits, “It’s neat, having an inner nerd and being a fan of something and then getting to participate.”

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS – About the Production

By Joe Utichi – www.joeutichi.com

The former Six Flags theme park in Louisiana, which was closed after the damage and flooding wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, is alight for the first time since that devastating event. In the years that followed, it had become part of the surrounding swamp, and home to alligators, armadillos, snakes and the other flora and fauna of this part of the world. It was about as far from habitable as could be.

But the crew of PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS have moved in for a two-week shoot at the park, which will double for the damaged lair of the blind cyclops Polythemus as part of a new quest for the character first brought to the big screen in 2010’s PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF, which grossed more than $200M at the global box office. The crew has spent the past five weeks getting it ready: laying down new wiring and adding to the rundown nature of the place. Oh, and moving the alligators out.

“It’s a pretty eerie set and a pretty harsh environment to work in,” says Logan Lerman, who returns to the title role. “Hot, humid and full of bugs.”

“They took out all the alligators that had been there, but there are still armadillos other creatures walking around,” laughs Alexandra Daddario, who returns to the role of Annabeth. “So you’re sitting there in the mud, tied up to posts, with bugs crawling all over you: all you can do is laugh. It’s either laugh or cry, and it’s best to laugh!”

Still, if it seems like the cast and crew are enduring hardships to bring this story to the screen, their quest is nothing to that of their heroically inclined fictional counterparts, and it’s born of a keen desire to return to the Olympian world of PERCY JACKSON. “There was definitely a period of time when we wondered: will that be it?” remembers Lerman. “It was fantastic when this movie came together, and it was nice to have that period of time away.  It’s great to come back into the old shoes and play Percy again.”

Indeed, all of the returning cast are enthused to return, as much to see each other as to follow Percy’s adventures. “I’ve become so close to these people,” says Daddario. “Logan and Brandon Jackson, I’m so close with them that it’s like going to do a film with your best friends. It’s a level of familiarity which means you feel really comfortable.”

But while the characters are the same, the journey they’re on is different. In PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, the safety of the demigods’ home at Camp Half-Blood is threatened when the perimeter defences are destroyed. Percy, Annabeth and their satyr protector Grover (played by a returning Brandon T. Jackson) must quest to find the Golden Fleece, which is in the care of the violent blind cyclops Polythemus, so that they can bring life back to Thalia’s Tree, the mystical oak that keeps their home safe.

“At the end of the first film Percy was the hero,” explains Lerman of his character’s journey. “But at the start of this one, he’s been replaced by Clarisse, the stronger, better demigod at Camp Half-Blood. He feels insecure, he’s full of self-doubt, and he’s constantly being beaten by Clarisse.”

Played by Leven Rambin, a newcomer to the series, Clarisse is the half-blood daughter of Ares, the god of war. And she’s fixing for battle at every opportunity. “She’s a bully,” says Lerman. “She’s very competitive, very tough and she stomps on Percy at every opportunity.”

But if Percy is feeling the heat, at least he still has the support of his friends. Fans of the books will be especially pleased to learn that Annabeth dons blonde locks in the films for the first time in SEA OF MONSTERS, just like her character in the books. “I think the character is more in touch with the books too,” argues Daddario. “This is a very difficult and emotional journey for her, more so than in the first film, because she’s questing to save a character who’s very close to her.”

Daddario won’t be drawn on just who it is she’s questing to save, but fans of Greek myth will know that satyrs and quests for the Golden Fleece don’t mix. “We’re all older and a little wiser,” reveals Jackson. “And my character really doesn’t want to go on this quest. He knows that cyclops eat satyrs for breakfast. This one’s a death wish for him.”

It doesn’t help that a cyclops turns up at Camp Half-Blood before Percy and co. even get a chance to set off. Tyson, played by series newcomer Douglas Smith, turns out to be Percy’s half-brother, the product of Poseidon’s dalliance with a nymph. “Cyclopes have a reputation for being monsters,” explains director Thor Freudenthal. “So his arrival is bad news for a lot of the half-bloods, including Percy.”

“Brotherhood and the importance of family is definitely a new theme for the series,” continues Lerman, whose character is jealous of the apparently close relationship Tyson has with Poseidon, who doesn’t appear to communicate with Percy at all. “We had a great time playing it: Douglas was a blast and was a great addition to the cast.”

Tyson accompanies the trio on their quest this time, much to the chagrin of Annabeth. “If you’ve read the books, you’ll know she has a solid reason for disliking Cyclopes,” reveals Daddario. “And so part of the journey of the film is all of them learning to accept Tyson. Is he a good guy or a bad guy? Will he mess everything up or help save the day?”

Indeed, she says, it’s part of the charm of the PERCY JACKSON films that these high-concept themes still offer relatable themes to audiences of all ages. “Always in life you’ll meet people you’re not sure of and maybe you’ll take against them for the wrong reasons, so it’s relatable in that way.”

Continues Freudenthal: “Tyson comes in with the best of intentions and with incredibly strong will and excitement. So as much as he mixes things up within the group, in the end he really helps Percy become the hero he needs to become.”

Freudenthal himself is mixing things up. He comes to PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS fresh to the franchise – Chris Columbus directed the first film – and brings a new sensibility to Rick Riordan’s popular world. “He’s completely different from Chris,” says Lerman. “Tonally, the movies are very different because of the different filmmakers. I think this is definitely lighter than the first one. It’s more comedic, and more fun. I loved that about his vision.”

Many directors would feel intimidated following in the footsteps of Columbus, who is a veteran of films like HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE, MRS. DOUBTFIRE and HOME ALONE. But Freudenthal was grateful for the work Columbus had done to establish the universe of PERCY JACKSON. “I was able to build on what Chris had done and go from there. I could have fun with the world and maybe refine the tone for myself. I have a very different visual style than Chris, which I can’t even necessarily pinpoint. The first movie does the job of establishing things for you, so your job is to dive in deeper, broaden the range, expand the world and have fun with the relationships and the characters.”

Freudenthal was also keen to bring in more of the book than the screen time of the first film allowed. “I wanted to expand the grand mythology of it, having to do with the character of Thalia and the tree that she becomes,” he explains. “What I really liked about the books is that they have their first person narrative as if written by Percy. So there’s a sort of lightness to that, a bit of irreverent humor and style that is firmly in place in this movie.”

And while THE LIGHTNING THIEF introduces the Olympian Gods, this film deals more in the fauna of their world, and all its various beasties. “Scale-wise this is a much bigger movie,” enthuses Lerman. “There are so many more creatures and visual effects. It’s huge.”

Agrees Daddario: “The monsters definitely get bigger! We go to the Sea of Monsters and something pretty unbelievable happens there. We really take the cliffhanger moments to a different level this time around.”

Freudenthal is enthusiastic about this kind of quest moviemaking. Every day, he says, there’s a new challenge and a new “mini-movie” to shoot. “It’s a dream because I felt like, within our four months of shooting, we were dealing with so many different methods of making a movie in so many different places, whether it’s digital, practical, location shooting and the rest. It keeps you on your toes, I’ll say that.”

Keeping the entire cast on their toes was the inclusion this time around of veterans Stanley Tucci and Nathan Fillion to the ensemble. “That’s the great thing about these movies is you’re there the whole time and all these great actors come in,” says Daddario. “The people I get to work with and learn from are unbelievable.”

Working with Tucci was a master-class for Jackson, a stand-up-turned-actor who admired his co-star’s comic chops. “He had this off-kilter approach to the character, which takes a certain talent,” he remembers. “He gave Dionysus this, ‘don’t want to be here,’ swagger, which is great for the show because everyone knows a camp counsellor never wants to be there but he’s doing it for the check or is burdened by the kids. So he’s like, ‘Go do a quest, I’ll be over here.’”

Of course, for a film defined by clashes with monsters, there are plenty of scrapes for the cast to get themselves into this time. Freudenthal was amazed at how much Lerman, Daddario and Jackson knew about stunts, fighting and wire work. “They were so much more experienced with all that stuff than I was,” he laughs. “But this movie presented different physical challenges for them in that we didn’t want to repeat the action of the first film. Based on their old experiences they were ready to take things to the next level.”

Lerman remembers three months of fight training on the first PERCY JACKSON film, so was grateful all of that knowledge was inherent to begin with, and the time didn’t need repeating for SEA OF MONSTERS. “It was insane,” he says. “It was our first time doing anything like this so we really had to figure it out. I’d never held a sword before. But now we kind of know what we’re doing and it was much, much easier to jump back into it.”

Lerman says that after two movies playing Percy he knows his way around a sword. So is he a dangerous man to be around? "I think so," he laughs. "But then, I think anyone would probably be. I think it's pretty easy. You just chop."

So after two PERCY JACKSON movies, Lerman certainly knows his way around a sword. And if anything's certain about their quest this time out, it's that combat will play a big part. As with everything in Percy's world, only the most courageous need apply.

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS – The Percy Encyclopedia

ANGRY HARPIES – An Olympian videogame, not dissimilar to a popular mortal game themed around winged creatures. Of course, at Camp Half-Blood, harpies munch on demigods who sneak out of their cabins at night, so the stakes of the game are suitably adjusted for Percy’s world. Appears: PJ:SOM

ANNABETH CHASE – One of Percy Jackson’s best friends, Annabeth is the demigod daughter of Athena. She took a while to warm to Percy when they first met, coming around only after he showed his mettle in a game of Capture the Flag. She joined Percy on his quest to find the Lightning Thief and once again to recover the Golden Fleece. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

AUNTIE EM’S GNOME EMPORIUM – There are friendlier garden centers in the world than this, though Auntie Em’s fine collection of stone statues can’t be beat. Percy comes here to find one of Persephone’s pearls, but he doesn’t like who Auntie Em turns out to be. Like many hellish places, it’s located in New Jersey. See also: Medusa. Appears: PJ:TLF

CAMP HALF-BLOOD – A sanctuary for the children of the Gods, Camp Half-Blood is located on the Long Island Sound and is the ultimate training camp for demigods. Run by Dionysus and Chiron, the camp is Percy’s home and the place where he learns how to fulfil his destiny as Poseidon’s son. See also: Chiron. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

CHARIOT OF DAMNATION – Otherwise known as a New York City taxicab. It can be hailed by saying, “Stop, Chariot of Damnation” in ancient Greek and by paying the fare of one gold Drachma. Its triplet drivers, The Gray Sisters, almost certainly don’t have up-to-date drivers’ licenses. See also: Gray Sisters, The. Appears: PJ:SOM

CHARYBDIS – With teeth that look like shark fins, it’s easy to mistake a mid-ocean appearance by Charybdis for a very bad time. In fact, it’s a whole lot worse than you can imagine. Once a beautiful Naiad, in recent years Charybdis has taken on the form of a giant mouth, swallowing anything in her path. See also: Sea of Monsters, The. Appears: PJ:SOM

CHIRON – The activities director at Camp Half-Blood, Chiron is the centaur son of Kronos. But unlike his angry dad, he’s one of the good guys, helping Percy adjust to life as a demigod and instilling him with the skills and confidence to achieve his quests. See also: Camp Half-Blood. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

CIRCELAND – This theme park built by the goddess Circe has seen better days when Percy and crew find themselves there. It’s been in disrepair ever since Polyphemus moved in, and provides the backdrop for one of Percy’s greatest battles. See also: Polyphemus. Appears: PJ:SOM

CLARISSE LA RUE – A demigod daughter of Ares, Clarisse is the cream of Camp Half-Blood’s crop, a solid warrior and something of a bully. She lives to best Percy at the camp’s many challenges. Appears: PJ:SOM

COLCHIS BULL – A mechanical behemoth made of bronze and constructed in Hephaestus’s forge, Percy encounters a Colchis Bull when one attacks Camp Half-Blood and breaks the camp’s perimeter defenses.  Appears: PJ:SOM

 

FERRYMAN, THE – Also known as Charon, this cloaked figure transports dead spirits across the River Styx into the Underworld... for a price. He takes Drachma only – a fact Grover learns to his peril when he tries to pay with US dollars. Appears: PJ:TLF

GOLDEN FLEECE, THE – A satyr’s favourite trinket, the Golden Fleece is an extremely powerful artifact with great healing and protective abilities. When Camp Half-Blood’s perimeter defenses fail, Percy and friends quest to find the fleece to help protect the camp. See also: Thalia’s Tree. Appears: PJ:SOM

GRAY SISTERS, THE – Three old women who’ve seen better days, the Grays operate the Chariot of Damnation taxi service. This would be less frightening if they didn’t share a single eye between them. See also: Chariot of Damnation. Appears: PJ:SOM

GROVER UNDERWOOD – A satyr and one of Percy’s best friends, Grover is probably the first connection Percy has to the magical world of his birth. He’s sent to watch over Percy and serve as his protector, and he helps Percy get to grips with his station once the secret of his birth is revealed to him. Loyal to the last, Grover is the best half-human, half-goat hybrid a man could have. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

HEKATONKHEIRE – Hundred-handed brothers of the Cyclopes, Hekatonkheires make great baristas in the high-pressure world of multi-latte delivery. See also: Siren Coffee. Appears: PJ:SOM

HELLHOUNDS – Decidedly less attractive than your average poodle, Hades keeps a pack of hellhounds to guard his palace in the underworld. Good luck teaching them to play nice. Appears: PJ:TLF

HYDRA – A multi-headed monster, the Hydra comes with one rather fantastic design feature: when it’s beheaded, another two heads grow in its place. Percy defeats the Hydra with a little help from a decapitated Medusa. See also: Medusa. Appears: PJ: TLF

LAISTRYGONIAN – A race of monster giants, they’re best known in myth for figuring into Odysseus’s travels. Percy encounters them on Luke’s ship on his quest to find the Golden Fleece. See also: Princess Andromeda, The. Appears: PJ:SOM

LIGHTNING THIEF, THE – All-out war amongst the Gods is threatened when Zeus’s Master Bolt of lightning goes missing, and in the guilty-until-proven-innocent world of the Olympians, Percy is the first suspect. He must quest to clear his name, find the bolt and uncover the real thief. See also: Luke Castellan. Appears: PJ:TLF

LOTUS HOTEL AND CASINO, THE – Once you enter, you won’t want to leave. With its trademark lotus flower treats, this uber-casino in Las Vegas traps visitors for decades or more, and they don’t notice time flying. Percy, Annabeth and Grover visit to recover one of Persephone’s pearls, but when they finally escape they’re shocked by how long they were trapped inside. Appears: PJ:TLF

LUKE CASTELLAN – The truant son of Hermes, Percy first encounters Luke as an ally, aiding him in his quest to uncover the real Lightning Thief. But Percy soon realizes he’s been double crossed, and Luke was the Thief all along. An architect of evil, Luke returns to tear down the perimeter defences of Camp Half-Blood and wants to bring Kronos back to life. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

MANTICORE – A prominent figure in Kronos’s army, the manticore has a human face, a lion’s body and a long, scorpion-like tale that can shoot spikes. It’s probably never had much luck on a blind date. Appears: PJ:SOM

MEDUSA – A proprietor of statuary in New Jersey, Medusa is a gorgon with snakes for hair, from whom a single direct glance can turn people to stone. Percy cleverly uses the mirrored back of his iPod Touch to avoid her gaze. See also: Auntie Em’s Gnome Emporium. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

MINOTAUR, THE – A monster with the head of a bull on the body of a man, the minotaur is the first creature Percy is able to defeat when he is indoctrinated into the world of the Olympians. Appears: PJ:TLF

MISS DODDS – Percy’s pre-algebra teacher is scary enough for the subject she teaches, but it soon transpires that she’s not just a harbinger of math. In fact, she’s Alecto in disguise, who’s one of the three Furies, and a chief servant to Hades. She attacks Percy on a field trip and is seen off by Chiron, precipitating Percy’s introduction to the world of the Olympians. Appears: PJ:TLF

MIST, THE – A supernatural force controlled by the goddess Hecate, the Mist twists a mortal’s sight into masking the extraordinary with the ordinary, allowing Cyclopes like Tyson to mix with mortals without freaking them out: as long as the Mist lasts, he appears to have two eyes. Olympians can see through the Mist and get to the truth of things. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

OLYMPIC PARCEL SERVICE (OPS) – The Olympian equivalent of a courier service, the OPS is a complex parcel delivery system run by Hermes. And since he’s the official messenger of the Gods, you can expect a pretty speedy service. See also: Hermes. Appears: PJ:SOM

OLYMPUS – The home of the Olympian gods, Olympus can be reached through a portal located atop the Empire State Building. It is here that the Gods commune and Zeus reigns as King. Appears: PJ:TLF

PARTHENON (NASHVILLE) – A complete replica of the Parthenon in Ancient Greece, naturally and logically located in Nashville, Tennessee. Percy goes to this replica Parthenon to recover one of Persephone’s pearls, and while he’s there inadvertently installs a new exhibit: the stone-frozen Hydra he’s forced to battle. Appears: PJ:TLF

PERCY JACKSON – The hero of our story, Percy Jackson’s mom Sally had Percy after a fling with Poseidon. Kept from the Olympian world for a long time, Percy thinks his ADHD and Dyslexia make him a bit of a loser, but he soon learns how to turn them into an advantage. He’s been the champion of many successful quests. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

PERSEPHONE – Hades’ wife is actually his prisoner, kept in the Underworld against her will and desperate to escape. She has secret visitors whom she summons by sending pearls into the real world. She takes quite a shine to Grover. See also: Persephone’s pearls. Appears: PJ:TLF

PERSEPHONE’S PEARLS – Percy and the gang must collect three of Persephone’s pearls, scattered throughout the United States, in order to journey to the Underworld and confront Hades. They’re not available in stores. See also: Persephone. Appears: PJ:TLF

POLYTHEMUS – What’s angrier than a Cyclops? Try a blind Cyclops. Percy and friends must travel to Polyphemus’s lair, in Circeland, to recover the Golden Fleece and rescue Grover. Polythemus won’t make this very easy at all. See also: Circeland. Appears: PJ:SOM

PRINCESS ANDROMEDA, THE – A pretty impressive cruise ship captained by Luke Castellan, the Princess Andromeda serves as the HQ for Kronos’s army and houses Kronos’s sarcophagus. See also: Kronos, Luke Castellan. Appears: PJ:SOM

RIPTIDE – Percy’s sword looks like a pen when it’s not in use, making it really convenient for those long, already-arduous quests demigods are always going on. But when it’s needed, it transforms in record time, and may well be the best inanimate bronze friend Percy has. Appears: PJ:TLF, PJ:SOM

SEA OF MONSTERS, THE – Mortals know it as the Bermuda Triangle, and the Mist prevents them from seeing the monsters that are responsible for all the famous disappearances there. You’ll find the likes of Polythemus, Scylla and Charybdis there, if you’re reckless enough to visit. Appears: PJ:SOM

SIREN COFFEE – To a Mist-affected mortal, this is like any of the other numerous chains of stores catering to caffeine addicts. But to Olympians, it’s a one-stop shop for all your Ambrosial needs.  Staffed by Hekatonkheires, you can be guaranteed of the fastest service a hundred pairs of hands can manage. See also: Hekatonkheire. Appears: PJ:SOM

THALIA’S TREE – Located at the final resting place of the demigod Thalia, daughter of Zeus, who gave her life to save her friends as she rushed toward Camp Half-Blood, Thalia’s Tree was created by Zeus to preserve his daughter’s soul. It stands watch over the entrance to the camp and provides a magical barrier to ward off danger. Appears: PJ:SOM

TYSON – If life in an Olympian world isn’t confusing enough on its own for Percy, he soon discovers he has a Cyclops half-brother. Tyson and Percy don’t hit it off immediately, though Percy soon warms to Tyson’s love and loyalty. Appears: PJ:SOM

UNDERWORLD, THE – The domain of Hades, the gateway to this hellish world is where one might imagine: Los Angeles. Percy, Annabeth and Grover must journey to the Underworld to save Percy’s mother, kidnapped by Hades. Appears: PJ:TLF