I get a lot of questions from young readers, but this one is a perennial favorite - Which of my own characters would I most like to be?
Writing about Greek gods, I certainly have a lot to choose from. I suppose I could choose Apollo, the ultra-cool god of poetry, although in my world he does have a tendency to spout bad haiku. I'm also partial to Poseidon - no surprise, since I made Percy Jackson his son. I like Poseidon's laid-back attitude, and I certainly wouldn't mind hanging out in the Caribbean, but I do think it would get lonely at the bottom of the sea.
What about my demigod heroes? Percy is an obvious choice, but while I do share Percy's sense of humor and feel very close to him after writing five books in his voice, I don't think I'd want to change places with him. Percy is much braver than I could ever be, and honestly you couldn't pay me enough to go through high school again. In a real fight with monsters, I would not be in the front lines like Percy and Annabeth. I would be more like Grover, hiding behind a bush and whimpering, "Don't kill me!"
Would I be Grover? Hmm, I like cheese enchiladas just fine, but I don't think the tin cans would agree with my digestive track. The goat legs would also be challenging, as down here in Texas they would very quickly get me labeled ‘El Diablo.'
After much thought, I've decided I most relate to Chiron, the immortal trainer of heroes. And no, not just because Pierce Brosnan is taking that role in the movie. Like me, Chiron is first and foremost a teacher. His job is to train heroes, not to be the hero himself. I would be comfortable in that role. In my years in the classroom, I always enjoyed helping students discover their talents, and maybe find skills they didn't even know they had. Making someone who is a reluctant reader into a lover of books may not seem as exciting as teaching a demigod to fight hydras, but in my perspective, it's just as important!
Chiron has a sensible, easy-going attitude. He is also there, always dependable. He's a person I'd like to be, although I will admit, it would get a little old being a horse from the waist down. Staircases would be murder. Elevators? Forget it. And taking my wife out to dinner at a romantic restaurant would be difficult, unless the restaurant had a stable. On the bright side, I'd never have to worry about parking again, and I'd get great mileage. A little hay and water, and I'm good to go.
So yes, I'll stick with Chiron as my character of choice. Who's your favorite character? Who would you like to be, either from the Percy Jackson series or another book? Summer is a great time for pondering such questions!
Editor's Note: Rick Riordan is the bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series. Rick jump starts our Summer Reading Program, which will continue through August with guest authors and celebrities posting every Monday and Thursday.
