It's All Greek

Cassidy sent me an IM, wondering why Bart's and my choice for a movie on Sunday hadn't been Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. She couldn't remember if I had some sort of issue with it. Understandable. I do have a magazine rack. I laughed, with the reply that I'd prefer to read the book before seeing the movie. Why haven't I read the book? Okay, admittedly slight embitterment. A little while back I'd suddenly found myself writing a Greco-Roman mythology story. Then a book with a similar idea (not Percy Jackson) caused me to shelve it for a while. I'll get back to it. I really like Baker Venator, the kid in the book. Plus I now know that my book tells a very different tale.

From what I know about Percy Jackson, I find it delightful. I'm excited to read it. The embitterment has long worn off. I either had other books that took precedence, or it fell off my radar. But I always meant to read it. Now, here it is the motion picture. And I still have yet to turn its pages. Well, I've been in a writing mode rather than a reading one lately. I've started and put down (not for lack of interest) a couple of books already... But you take the inspiration when it comes, that's a given. So write it is...

What a wonderful synchroniztion for a release date of a mythology movie. A weekend with a built in holiday featuring a mythological character. A movie with action and (it would seem from the trailer) a little hint of romance. Valentine's Day, thanks Eros/Cupid. Oooo.

Actually, interestingly enough, Eros/Cupid practically defies origin. Yes, there are references to it. But they're all conflicting. Yes, yes, mythology doesn't always match up from version to version or get altered in the Roman conversion. But the little cherub with the bow and arrow goes beyond those normal discrepencies. He can't even be pinned down to an age. Infant sometimes, strapping teen others. (At least I remember seeing as such when I'd been writing my urban mythology novel. I'm pleased with how Cupid turned out.)

So don't forget the romance of storytelling this holiday.

The photo is from Bart's collection taken in the British Museum during our trip to London.