Rick Riordan: IS He The Next JK Rowling?

Ever since JK finished the Harry Potter series with Deathly Hallows, everyone has been wondering which author will meet or even exceed her popularity. At one point in time, I would have ventured to guess Jenny Nimmo was the heir apparent. Her Charlie Bones series was not only entertaining, but very much a Harry Potter fan type of book. The main character, Charlie, is a boy who, as he is growing to become a young man, has to struggle with learning new skills (in his case, talking to people in photographs/objects/memories), while solving a major mystery based upon the book, find his father, and try to stop whatever evil plot his grandmother and her sisters have planned. I personally enjoyed the books, but I found them to be rather systematic. All the books, by the end, tended to blend together.

My next future J.K. candidate would have been the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. They are a great blend of magic, family, mystery, and adventure. However, as much as I love the series, Angie Sage is a talented author in her own right. She is different enough from J.K. that she isn't the next J.K Rowling... more like others are the next Angie Sage! I will keep buying Septimus books as long as Angie Sage cranks them out.

Which brings me to Rick Riordan. Different critics are touting him as the new wannabe J.K. Rowling. And WITH GOOD reason! He is an author from Texas who writes about a young boy (named Percy Jackson) who finds out that his father was an Olympian God. Suddenly, his life is turned around and he is at Camp Half-Blood, a camp for demigods in training. Like Harry, he is being forced to learn a whole new way of life while struggling to be a teenager with normal problems. Percy mets friends, enemies, people who want him to succeed and those who want him to fail. Like Harry, he has problems that exist in both worlds and he tries to come to grips with how the effect his life in both worlds. Unlike Harry, who is fairly likable from the start, Percy is a little less than likable at the beginning because he seems to not fit in anywhere and you learn that he keeps getting kicked out of schools because of his ADHD problems. So, my question is: IS Rick Riordan the J.K. Rowling wannabe that people think he could be? My feeling is a resounding "No". Mr. Riordan is a talented author. Not unlike the Jennifer Scales series (Alongi and Alongi-Davidson) or even Pullman's Northern Lights/Subtle Knife, Amber Spyglass series, we have a protagonist who we can learn to like, even admire, for their adventures. He is a great author in his own right and does not have to stand in anyones shadow. If Mr. Riordan is a success, and his books currently are, it is not because he is J.K in waiting. It is because he figured out what kids want to read. And for me, anything that gets them wanting to read is a plus in my book!

I Have Two Predictions... It Will Be A Guy... And His Name Shall Be "David"!

Like the guy in the Washington Post this morning, American Idol's final two isn't getting me as excited as it normally would. I mean... after Carly left, there wasn't much doubt in my mind that we'd likely see dueling David's. Yes, Syesha COULD have pulled off an upset and knocked Lil' David out. Stoner Jason could have decided to actually look interested in singing and "wooo-ed" America. Didn't happen. As I said in my title line... I only have two predictions for the final. The winner will be a male... and he will be named David. I actually will take it one more step. He will have dark hair, too! And the teenage girls... alright... all the swooning women in the audience will scream and scream and scream when the winner sings. And then, our new Idol shall be crowned. Go, David!

Who do I really expect to win? Cook all the way. In this likely event, I hope AI is smart enough to have security both of Lil' David and his father Jeff. Jeff might decide to take his "hostility" out on the poor judges... using that broken Coke glass/bottle he smuggled in. And, keep him away from his son for at least 48 hours. That is how long I expect it will take for a record producer to sign him. Either way, both Davids should have good careers. At least one album will be made for both. Even Brooke, Carly, and Michael Johns got that!!!

Good luck to both David contestants in their run for the Idol glory. Oh, and let us wish Big Brown good luck at the Belmont. Go Brown!