What are the Rick Riordan books in order?
The Percy Jackson books are a YA series of five fantasy novels by Rick Riordan based on Greek and Roman mythology.
The series follows Percy Jackson, a teenage boy who discovers that he is a demigod and is sent to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods. Let’s take a closer look at all the Rick Riordan books in order.
Rick Riordan Books In Order:
- The Lightning Thief (2005)
- The Sea of Monsters (2006)
- The Titan's Curse (2007)
- The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008)
- The Last Olympian (2009)
- The Lost Hero (2010)
- The Son of Neptune (2011)
- The Mark of Athena (2012)
- The House of Hades (2013)
- The Blood of Olympus (2014)
What are the Rick Riordan books in order and what are they about? Rick Riordan presents...
1. The Lightning Thief (2005)
The Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The book tells the story of Percy Jackson, a teenage boy who discovers he is the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. He is sent to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (half-human, half-god) to learn how to survive in the world of the gods.
Percy faces several challenges and adventures, along with new friends and enemies, starting with discovering that his best friend, Grover, is a satyr and that his mother is alive and protected by Poseidon. Percy also finds out that he is accused of stealing Zeus' master bolt, a powerful weapon capable of unleashing the full power of a god.
Percy, Grover and Annabeth, Percy's new friend who is the daughter of Athena, embark on a journey to find the real thief and clear Percy's name. The journey takes them to the Underworld and many other dangerous locations, during which Percy discovers new powers and learns about his demigod heritage.
Meanwhile, Percy discovers that he is being pursued by monsters and other dangerous creatures, as well as by Luke, a demigod who is working for the Titan Kronos, who wants to overthrow the Olympian gods.
At the end, Percy is able to clear his name and returns the lightning bolt to Zeus, and finds out that his true father is Poseidon, and is able to reconcile with him.
The book is a mix of Greek mythology, adventure and humor, and the story is full of fast-paced action, mythical creatures and challenges that Percy must overcome. This first book, sets the foundation for the series, introducing the world and characters, and sets the tone for the next books with similar action and adventure.
2. The Sea of Monsters (2006)
The Sea of Monsters is the second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The book continues to follow the story of Percy Jackson, a demigod who is now a second year camper at Camp Half-Blood. This time around Percy and his friends, Annabeth and Grover, set out on a new adventure to save Camp Half-Blood from destruction.
The adventure starts with a prophecy given by the camp's Oracle, which states that the camp is in danger and only a hero can save it, the hero is revealed to be the demigod Tyson, Percy's half-brother who is a cyclops. Together, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover set out on a journey to save Tyson and Camp Half-Blood, They must travel to the Sea of Monsters, also known as the Bermuda Triangle, to retrieve the Golden Fleece and use it to heal the camp's magical borders and save it from monsters who are trying to invade the camp.
Along the way, they face many challenges, including monsters, treacherous sea journeys and betrayal. They also meet new friends and allies such as Clarisse, the daughter of Ares, and Charles Beckendorf, a demigod who helps them navigate the sea monsters.
Throughout the book, Percy must also grapple with personal issues, such as his feeling of being an outsider and struggling with the fact that he's not fully human, but also not fully a god. He also deals with the revelation of his half-brother and the fact that Poseidon, his father, has not been there for him.
In the end, Percy and his friends are able to retrieve the Golden Fleece and heal the borders of camp half blood. Percy is able to accept his half-brother and his demigod heritage, and reconciles with Poseidon.
Like the first book, The Sea of Monsters is a fast-paced adventure that is full of action, humor, and Greek mythology. The book expands on the world and characters established in the first book, and sets the tone for the next books to come with similar themes and adventures.
3. The Titan's Curse (2007)
The Titan's Curse is the third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. This book continues the story of Percy Jackson and his friends, Annabeth and Grover, who are now third-year campers at Camp Half-Blood.
The story begins when Percy and his friends are called to rescue a group of kidnapped demigod children, who were taken by the powerful Titan, Atlas. Along the way, they encounter new challenges and allies, including a fierce hunter named Artemis and her band of Hunters, as well as Percy's new love interest, a demigod named Zoë.
Percy and his friends soon realize that the kidnapped demigods are central to a larger plot to defeat the Olympians and establish Atlas as the new ruler of the world. Percy and his friends must race against time to stop the Titans and save the demigod children.
Throughout the book, Percy faces personal challenges, including his growing feelings for Zoë, and dealing with the fact that his father, Poseidon, is distant and uninvolved in his life. He also struggles with the idea that he may not be the hero that everyone believes him to be.
In the end, Percy and his friends are able to save the demigod children and defeat the Titans, but not without great cost, Percy and his friends lose one of their own, and Percy learns that being a hero is not always easy and comes at a high price.
The Titan's Curse continues the fast-paced adventure and Greek mythology of the series and adds new elements, including the introduction of the Artemis and her hunters. The book deepens the character development of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover and sets the stage for the next books in the series, with the introduction of new characters and plot elements.
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008)
The Battle of the Labyrinth is the fourth book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The book continues the story of Percy Jackson and his friends, Annabeth and Grover as they set out on a new adventure to save the world of the gods.
The story begins with Percy and his friends being sent on a quest by Chiron, the camp's activities director, to enter the Labyrinth, an ancient maze built by the god Daedalus, and stop Kronos, the evil Titan Lord, from gaining control of the Labyrinth and unleashing his forces on Camp Half-Blood and the mortal world. Along the way, Percy meets new friends and allies, including Daedalus' apprentice, Nico di Angelo, and a daughter of Athena, Rachel Elizabeth Dare.
Throughout the book, Percy and his friends face many challenges and dangers as they navigate the Labyrinth, and Percy discovers new powers and learns more about his demigod heritage. The quest forces Percy to confront his feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, and he struggles with the idea that he may not be the hero that everyone believes him to be.
In the end, Percy and his friends are able to stop Kronos and his minions from gaining control of the Labyrinth, but not without great cost. Percy and his friends lose one of their own, and Percy has to make a difficult decision that will change his life forever.
The Battle of the Labyrinth continues the fast-paced adventure, humor, and Greek mythology of the series and adds new elements, including the introduction of the Labyrinth and the powerful demigod Nico di Angelo. The book deepens the character development of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover and sets the stage for the next books in the series, with new challenges and dangers to come.
5. The Last Olympian (2009)
The Last Olympian is the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series written by Rick Riordan. The book concludes the story of Percy Jackson and his friends, Annabeth and Grover, as they set out on a quest to defeat Kronos and save both the world of the gods and the mortal world.
The story begins with Percy and his friends returning to Camp Half-Blood, and finding out that it is under attack by monsters and Titans who are trying to fulfill the prophecy of Camp Half-Blood being destroyed. The prophecy says that the camp will fall if Kronos, the Lord of Titans, rises, and Percy is the only one who can stop it.
Throughout the book, Percy and his friends face many challenges and dangers as they navigate their way through the battle, and Percy discovers new powers and learns more about his demigod heritage, as well as the true nature of his relationship with the gods. The quest forces Percy to confront his feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, and he struggles with the idea that he may not be the hero that everyone believes him to be.
In the end, Percy and his friends are able to stop Kronos and his minions, but not without great cost. Percy and his friends lose many of their own, and Percy has to make a difficult decision that will change his life forever, deciding to leave the camp to protect it from further attack and make a new life for himself.
The Last Olympian concludes the series in a fitting way, providing a satisfying end to the story, with action, adventure and a mix of humor, and emotional depth. The book deepens the character development of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover and provides closure to the story arc of Percy's journey and the quest to defeat Kronos.
The order of books in the Hero of Olympus series
The series was completed with the release of The Last Olympian in 2009, but there is a spin-off series called The Heroes of Olympus. This series is a continuation of the story, which follows Percy and Annabeth among other characters, in the five book series.
6. The Lost Hero (2010)
The Lost Hero is the first book in the Heroes of Olympus series, written by Rick Riordan. This series is a spin-off of Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and set in the same world, but with new main characters, Jason, Piper, and Leo.
The story begins with Jason, Piper, and Leo, three seemingly normal teenagers, who are all suddenly swept away to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods, only to realize that they have no memory of their past. They soon discover that they are the children of the ancient Greek gods and are tasked with a quest to save the world of the gods and the mortal world from an impending danger.
Throughout the book, the three friends face many challenges and dangers as they navigate their way through the quest, and they must learn to work together, trust one another and overcome their personal demons. Along the way, they meet new friends and allies, including Percy Jackson, Annabeth, and Grover, who help them on their journey and provide guidance.
In the end, Jason, Piper, and Leo are able to complete the quest, but not without great cost. They learn that their memories have been erased for a reason and that they are the key players in a larger prophecy.
The Lost Hero is an exciting new addition to the Percy Jackson world and provides a fresh start for readers who are familiar with the series. The book provides new characters and perspectives to the series, and maintains the fast-paced action, humor, and Greek and Roman mythology that fans of the series have come to love.
7. The Son of Neptune (2011)
The Son of Neptune is the second book in the Heroes of Olympus series, written by Rick Riordan. The book continues the story of the series' new main characters, Jason, Piper, and Leo, as well as Percy Jackson who was revealed to be alive at the end of The Lost Hero.
The story begins with Percy, who is suffering from amnesia and living in the Roman demigod camp, Camp Jupiter, under the name of Frank Zhang. He doesn't know who he is, or that he's a demigod, but he is loyal to the Roman gods and their way of life. He becomes involved in a quest when the camp is attacked by giant monsters, and he is sent on a journey with two new friends, Hazel, a girl who can control metal, and Frank, a guy who can shape-shift into any animal.
The quest leads Percy, Hazel and Frank to many dangerous places and they encounter many challenges and enemies along the way, all while Percy tries to regain his memories and figure out who he really is. They discover that the Roman and Greek camps are on the brink of war, and they must find a way to stop it and save the world of the gods and the mortal world from an impending danger.
Throughout the book, Percy, Hazel, and Frank must learn to trust each other and overcome their personal demons as they navigate through the quest. Along the way, they meet new friends and allies who help them on their journey, including old friends from the Percy Jackson series.
In the end, Percy and his friends are able to complete the quest, but not without great cost, as Percy discovers that he must make a difficult decision that will change his life forever and affect the fate of the world of the gods and the mortal world.
The Son of Neptune is an exciting continuation of the Heroes of Olympus series, and provides a new perspective on the Percy Jackson universe and its characters. The book continues the fast-paced action, humor, and Greek and Roman mythology that fans of the series have come to love. It also deepens the character development of Percy, Hazel and Frank, and further explores the complex relationships between the Roman and Greek gods.
8. The Mark of Athena (2012)
The Mark of Athena is the third book in the Heroes of Olympus series, written by Rick Riordan. The book continues the story of the series' main characters, Percy Jackson, Jason, Piper, and Leo, as well as the new characters, Hazel and Frank, and Annabeth Chase, a character from Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
The story begins with Annabeth Chase, who is on a quest to find and rescue Percy Jackson, and joins forces with the new characters, Hazel and Frank. Together, they set out on a journey to Rome to save Camp Jupiter from an impending danger and prevent the Roman and Greek camps from going to war. Along the way, they face many challenges, including dangerous monsters and treacherous adversaries, and meet new friends and allies who help them on their journey.
Throughout the book, the characters must learn to work together, trust one another and overcome their personal demons as they navigate through the quest. The story is full of action, adventure and a mix of humor, and explores the complicated relationships between the Roman and Greek gods, as well as the different perspectives and culture of the two camps.
In the end, the characters are able to complete the quest, but not without great cost, as they lose one of their own and Percy is forced to make a difficult decision that will change his life forever and affect the fate of the world of the gods and the mortal world.
The Mark of Athena continues the fast-paced action, humor and Greek and Roman mythology that fans of the series have come to love. It also continues the theme of friendship, trust, and sacrifice, and provides a deeper understanding of the characters, as well as the mythology. The book sets the stage for the next books
9. The House of Hades (2013)
The House of Hades is the fourth book in the Heroes of Olympus series, written by Rick Riordan. The book continues the story of the series' main characters, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang and Leo Valdez.
The story begins with the characters being separated and sent on a quest to close the Doors of Death and prevent Gaea, the Earth Mother, from rising. Percy and Annabeth are tasked to travel to the underworld in order to close the Doors of Death, while Leo, Hazel, and Frank must find a way to prevent Gaea's rise. Each group faces many challenges and dangers, including treacherous adversaries and difficult decisions, as they journey through the mortal world and the underworld.
Throughout the book, the characters must learn to trust one another and overcome their personal demons as they navigate through the quest. They also meet new friends and allies who help them on their journey and provide guidance.
In the end, the characters are able to close the Doors of Death and prevent Gaea's rise, but not without great cost, as they lose one of their own, and Percy and Annabeth must make a difficult decision that will change their lives forever.
The House of Hades continues the fast-paced action, humor, and Greek and Roman mythology that fans of the series have come to love. It also deepens the character development of the main characters and explores the theme of sacrifice, friendship, and trust. The book sets the stage for the next and final book of the series, in which the characters will face their biggest challenge yet.
10. The Blood of Olympus (2014)
The Blood of Olympus is the fifth and final book in the Heroes of Olympus series, written by Rick Riordan. The book concludes the story of the series' main characters, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, and Leo Valdez, as they set out on a quest to save the world of the gods and the mortal world from the powerful giant, Gaea.
The story begins with the characters being reunited and learning that Gaea is planning to rise and destroy both the Greek and Roman camps. They must put aside their differences and join forces in order to stop Gaea and save the world. They set out on a dangerous journey, facing many challenges and difficult decisions, as they make their way to Camp Jupiter, where the final battle will take place.
Throughout the book, the characters must learn to work together, trust one another, and overcome their personal demons as they navigate through the quest. They also meet new friends and allies who help them on their journey, and provide guidance.
In the end, the characters are able to stop Gaea and save the world, but not without great cost, as they lose one of their own and Percy and Annabeth must make a difficult decision that will change their lives forever.
The Blood of Olympus concludes the series in a fitting way, providing a satisfying end to the story with action, adventure, and a mix of humor, and emotional depth. The book deepens the character development of the main characters and provides closure to the story arc of their journey and the quest to save the world. It also continues the theme of friendship, trust, and sacrifice that runs throughout the series.
Rick Riordan is a compelling author and his series' are perfect for motivating YA readers
Rick Riordan's books, graphic novels, and short stories motivate kids to read more through their engaging and entertaining content, incorporation of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology, relatable characters, tackling of real-world issues, and easy-to-understand yet challenging writing style that encourages further reading.
If you love reading about Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods and also enjoyed the Heroes of Olympus series, you may also enjoy these companion books. You can get any of them on Amazon, your local library, or—best of all—a small bookstore:
- The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid, The Throne of Fire, and The Serpent’s Shadow
- The Magnus Chase books: Gods of Asgard, The Hammer of Thor, The Ship of the Dead, and 9 From the Nine Worlds, The Sword of Summer,
- The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle, The Dark Prophecy, The Burning Maze, The Tyrant’s Tomb, and The Tower of Nero
- The Demigod Diaries
- rSinger of Apollo, The Son of Sobek, and Maze of Bones.
But what about younger readers? What motivates them to read voraciously?
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