A beginner's guide to Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is the mastermind behind Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief, which in the twenty years since it was first published has been joined by over twenty books set in the same universe. The Riordanverse now contains multiple series, following the adventures of Percy Jackson, the Heroes of Olympus, the Kane siblings, Magnus Chase, Ana Dakkar and Apollo (aka Lester Papadopolous). Riordan intertwines complex characters, captivating plots and Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Norse mythologies to create worlds I have been dreaming of living in for years.
So, for those demigods wanting to jump into a world of monsters, magic, gods and heroes, here is the complete guide to the Riordanverse, in what I believe is the best order to read them. Happy reading and welcome demigods to our first stop . . . Camp Half-Blood!
Percy Jackson and The Olympians
Part one
It all began with young 12-year-old Percy Jackson – a troubled kid, struggling with dyslexia and ADHD. But one fateful day, when he vaporises his pre-algebra teacher, his whole life is turned upside down. Now, wrapped in a world of monsters, demigods and gods, Percy must navigate his life that has suddenly been turned into pure chaos, with quest after quest and prophecy after prophecy.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians is a five-part series set at Camp Half-Blood, the only safe place for demigods, and follows protagonists Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood – our golden trio. Percy is our classic ‘chosen one’ character who is an unreliable but humorous narrator, describing his journey from becoming a demigod, a hero and then a legend. Paired with intelligent and wise daughter of Athena, Annabeth, along with empathetic and loyal Satyr Grover, the three characters embark on multiple quests to save the world.
From retrieving Zeus’ lightning bolt and preventing a war, to embarking on a journey to the Sea of Monsters, to navigating a Labyrinth to prevent Titans escaping and fighting to save Olympus – Percy Jackson has it all. Fantasy, adventure, found family, romance, action, mystery and Greek mythology all packed into five incredible books, that leave you wanting more. So, pack your bags demigods, to embark on a new journey to the world of Percy Jackson and The Olympians!
Main series:
- The Lightning Thief
- The Sea of Monsters
- The Titan's Curse
- The Battle of the Labyrinth
- The Last Olympian
Novellas/Companion Novels:
Next up . . . Camp Jupiter!
The Heroes of Olympus
Welcome back to the world of gods and demigods – but this time we welcome Roman mythology to our story! There’s a new prophecy: “Seven heroes shall answer the call, To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with the final breath, As foes bear arms to the Doors of death.”
Heroes of Olympus is one of my favourite book series of all time – a five-part sequel series to Percy Jackson and The Olympians that blends Greek and Roman mythology and follows a new generation of demigods – introducing new characters and bringing back some of our favourites. The series revolves around the seven demigods of the prophecy, Jason, Piper, Leo, Percy, Annabeth, Hazel and Frank, who join forces and travel to Rome and Greece. Together, they lead dangerous quests to stop giants from conquering the world, confront their darkest fears and try to stop the primordial earth goddess Gaea from awakening.
This team of the most powerful demigods must learn to work together and face the adversities of self-discovery, reconciliation, sacrifice, fatal flaws and past lives. The series expands on the world of Percy Jackson, introducing new characters and challenges while deepening the mythological lore.
Set sail for a new adventure with the heroes of Olympus!
Main series:
Novellas:
Next up . . . meet the Kane siblings and welcome to the world of Egyptian mythology!
The Kane Chronicles
The next stop on our journey is The Kane Chronicles trilogy, which is centred around Egyptian mythology. Introducing a brand-new storyline, we meet siblings Carter and Sadie Kane who discover their heritage as descendants of powerful Egyptian magicians. Together, they must journey across the globe, master magical abilities, unearth the secrets of their family’s past to face off against gods, demons and other magicians.
The series explores themes of responsibility, family, leadership and the importance of legacy whilst incorporating the balance between light and darkness, order and chaos, and modernity and ancient traditions. The Kane Chronicles is a face-paced story, full of humour and adventure, combining the excitement of a modern-day adventure with the richness of ancient mythological tales!
Main series:
Novellas:
- Demigods and Magicians: Three Stories from the World of Percy Jackson and the Kane Chronicles
- Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual
Next up . . . Norse mythology!
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
Meet Magnus Chase – an iconic character known for his sarcasm, humour and intelligence. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is a trilogy centred around Norse mythology that introduces Magnus, Valkyrie Samirah al-Abbas, dwarf Blitz, elf Hearthstone and Alex, the child of Loki.
The story begins with Magnus, a homeless teenager living in Boston who discovers that he is the son of a Norse god, Frey. On his sixteenth birthday, everything turns upside down as he becomes roped into a world of dwarfs, elves, Valkyries, heroes, gods and even the afterlife. Magnus and his friends must prevent giants from awakening and causing the destruction of the Nine Worlds, face mythological creatures and try to stop Loki from triggering Ragnarök.
Main series:
Novellas:
- Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds: Your Introduction to Deities, Mythical Beings & Fantastic Creatures
- 9 From the Nine Worlds
And we’re back to Greek mythology with Apollo!
The Trials of Apollo
Say hello to the Greek god Apollo, who has been cast down to Earth as a mortal teenager as punishment from Zeus . . . yikes! The Trials of Apollo begins with Apollo, who is now a mortal 16-year-old named Lester Papadopoulos – stripped of his divine powers, and has turned into a short teen, suffering from acne and teenage hormones. Joined by demigod daughter Meg McCaffrey, they discover ancient oracles to confront a new threat arising from the ancient Roman emperors who have returned to power. Along the way, we meet some of our favourite characters from The Heroes of Olympus as Apollo learns more about what it means to be a human, a hero, a god and a leader.
The Trials of Apollo is known for its humour, adventure and emotional depth, blending mythology and modern-day challenges. It explores transformation, loyalty, power, redemption and humanity whilst facing daunting obstacles. But can Apollo learn what it’s like to be human? And can he save the world in his human form rather than his god form?
Main series:
Next up . . . Tartarus 💀
The Sun and the Star
The Sun and the Star is a standalone novel co-written by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro, which focuses on two beloved characters from Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus: Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades, and Will Solace, the son of Apollo.
The novel follows Nico and Will as they embark on a perilous journey to rescue Bob the Titan who is trapped in the depths of Tartarus, the lowest part of the Underworld. As the duo descend, their relationship is tested by the challenges of monsters, isolation, and the environment of Tartarus.
Nico must face demons both internal and external as his relationship with Will is tested to the core in this adventure featuring two of the most popular characters in the Riordanverse. But can they find the light in the Underworld?
Next up . . . a trip back down memory lane!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Part two
Welcome back Percy, Annabeth and Grover! Our golden trio is back for a new series that takes place shortly after The Heroes of Olympus series and is written in the same first-person style of the original Percy Jackson books. The story centres around Percy Jackson during his senior year of high school, but unlike most teenagers, Percy must deal with gods and monsters on top of the usual stress of schoolwork and applying to college. Percy’s primary goal is to get into New Rome University with Annabeth but to go, he must secure three letters of recommendation from the Olympian gods – and go on a quest for each.
This new adventure captures the spirit of the earlier Percy Jackson novels, blending nostalgia, mythology, humour and relatable teenage experiences. The first book of this upcoming trilogy is Percy Jackson and the Chalice of The Gods where Percy, Annabeth and Grover must retrieve the Chalice of the Gods, a powerful artefact that grants immortality, before it falls into the wrong hands. Can Percy, Annabeth and Grover find it in time?
Main series:
- The Chalice of The Gods
- The Wrath of The Triple Goddess (releasing 24th September 2024!)
- To be announced . . .
Next up . . . Harding-Pencroft Academy!
Daughter of the Deep
Daughter of the Deep is a standalone novel that departs from Riordan’s typical mythology-based stories and is instead inspired by Jules Verne’s classic novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island.
Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators and underwater explorers in the world. Her freshman year culminates with the class’ weekend trial at sea where the details of the trip are being kept secret. But on their way to the ship, Ana and her schoolmates witness a tragedy that will change the trajectory of their lives, and their professor informs Ana that their rival school and Harding-Pencroft have been fighting a cold war for a hundred and fifty years. Now that the war has been turned up to a full boil and the freshmen are in danger, Ana embarks on a journey to face deadly enemies and dangers she never thought possible.
The Riordanverse is a complex universe with many characters and stories, but it truly is rewarding reading about found family that never fails to make you smile. I have immense love for this universe – Percy Jackson is my favourite literary character of all time and The Heroes of Olympus is my favourite book series ever.
So happy reading demigods and welcome to the Riordanverse!
Alicia Vu is a member of the 2024 Readings Teen Advisory Board.
