My children, 13, 11, and 6 have read all of the books, and are big Percy Jackson fans. We really enjoyed the movie, and found the special effects great! (A little too scarey for my 6 year old at times) I agree, it doesn't follow the book closely, but it's impossible to follow everything and fit it into two hours. the key elements of the story came through, and it set the stage for the next movie. My kids and I all agree, we can't wait for the next one!