Where to start with Rick Riordan’s books

by Puffin team

min read

Image: Alicia Fernandes/Penguin

New to Rick Riordan? Well, it’s very simple really – his characters are all normal teenagers living in the modern world. They just happen to be demigods too…

From Norse and Greek mythology to the legends of Ancient Egypt, we’ve outlined some of Rick Riordan’s most impressive, imaginative worlds. All you need to do is decide which adventure to go on first.

Explore Greek and Roman myths and legends

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Book 1) (2005)

Percy Jackson is your everyday teenage New Yorker – or at least he was. In the very first novel in Rick Riordan’s epic five-part series, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Percy suddenly goes from being a normal kid to accidentally vaporizing his maths teacher! In that single moment, Percy’s life changes forever. Our unlikely hero discovers that he is, in fact, a half-blood – a demigod, half-human half-god – and that his dad is in fact, Poseidon, the ancient Greek God of the Seas. Percy is then immediately thrown into training, trials, and dangerous adventures worthy of a modern-day Greek hero; from learning to be a warrior at Camp Half-Blood to battling monsters in the modern-day world. Yesterday, homework was a worry, today, staying alive is. Join Percy and his friends on an epic adventure that will take you from the darkest depths of the Underworld (watch out for Hades!), to the heights and wonders of Mount Olympus.

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus Book 1) (2010)

Set within the same world as the Percy Jackson series, comes Riordan’s earth-conquering spin-off series, The Heroes of Olympus. New, old (and ancient) heroes and villains explore and battle their way across the pages of the incredible books in this epic series. In The Heroes of Olympus, Riordan draws on elements of Roman mythology, adding them to his ready-made world of Greek myths and legends – introducing us to Camp Jupiter, filled with Roman demigods. Can these new heroes work together with the demigods of Camp Half-blood (yep, Percy and his friends are back!) to help protect the world from earth goddess, Gaea? This is the perfect follow-up series for those who have completed the Percy Jackson books and are looking for their next big reading thrill. Or it’s a great way to begin your demigod journey!

The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo Book 1) (2016)

This time around, the hero of the series is, in fact, a legendary Greek God: Apollo. There’s just one little thing – Apollo angered his father Zeus, the King of the Gods, and he’s been banished to Earth. Not only that, he’s now a human teenage boy called Lester! Apollo’s without his godly powers, and stuck in New York of all places. Confused (and very annoyed), Lester sets off to Camp Half-Blood to seek help. Let the Trials of Apollo begin…

The Sun and the Star (2023)

This brand-new standalone adventure from the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians follows Nico de Angelo (son of Hades) and Will Solace (son of Apollo). Nico is very familiar with the realms of death and so when a distressed voice begins to plague his dreams, he's certain it's coming from the Underworld. When he's given an ominous prophecy, Nico has no choice but to go there. And, of course, his boyfriend Will is not about to let him go on this quest alone. However, this prophecy has come with a warning: Nico will have to leave something of equal value behind on his journey...

Discover the beauty and magnitude of Norse mythology

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer (Book 1) (2015)

Perhaps you want a few more mystical hammers, fire giants, zombies, and mischievous Gods from your adventures? If so, you MUST explore Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase series, because it’s got the lot. Magnus Chase is an orphan living on the streets of Boston. That is until one day he’s kicked awake by a stranger, who has a terrifying message: “They’re after you.” Magnus is soon reunited with his obnoxious uncle and learns that his long-lost dad is actually a Norse god called Frey. Just like that, this unlikely hero’s life is changed forever. The world of Magnus Chase comes with new, unimaginable worlds to explore, full of never-ending adventure.

Unlock the legends of Ancient Egypt

The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles Book 1) (2010)

The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately, are their gods. Egyptian myths and ancient curses are on the cards in Rick Riordan’s The Kane Chronicles. Our heroes are brother and sister, Carter Kane and Sadie Kane. Their epic adventure is ignited when their dad accidentally unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos, from the British Museum. Carter and Sadie escape, but not before Set imprisons their dad within a golden tomb. The pair embarks on a mission to rescue their father which leads to an incredible discovery: the truth about their family’s history. This terrifying and turbulent quest is an adventure of adventures. Are you in?

And for some sci-fi fantasy...

Daughter of the Deep (2021)

The newest addition to Rick Riordan's catalogue steers away from Gods and mythology and instead draws inspiration from Jules Verne's classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a school that is renowned for producing the best marine scientists, naval warriors, and underwater explorers. But when she and her class embark on their end-of-school-year trial at sea, a terrible tragedy occurs that changes everything.

Where to start with Rick Riordan’s books

Explore Greek and Roman myths and legends

Discover the beauty and magnitude of Norse mythology

Unlock the legends of Ancient Egypt

And for some sci-fi fantasy...

Which Harding-Pencroft House should you be sorted into?

Who’s your godly parent?

An A-Z of the worlds of Rick Riordan

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