How to read the Rick Riordan books in order
Rick Riordan wrote the beloved Percy Jackson series, but this isn’t the only series you should read.
Who is Rick Riordan?
Richard Rick Riordan is an American author, and he was born in 1964 in San Antonio. Riordan wrote numerous stories and series, but his most famous one is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Riordan received numerous awards, and his books topped the New York Times Best Seller List. In 2016, Rick Riordan started his imprint called Rick Riordan Presents.
Non-series books
If you want to start with books that are not a part of any series, there are a few to choose from.
- Cold Springs (2004)
- Daughter of the Deep (2021)
- The Sun and the Star (2023)
The Sun and the Star was written with Mark Oshiro, and it will be published on May 2, 2023. The book is not a part of the series, but it is set in the world of Percy Jackson stories with Greco-Roman themes.
39 Clues
The 39 Clues is a series of adventure novels. Riordan helped Scholastic publish the collection, and he wrote the first book in the series. His story is called The Maze of Bones, and Riordan also penned Vespers Rising. There are additional stories and series that follow the 39 Clues.
Anthologies
While each of these books was published individually, they are now available as an anthology.
- The Son of Sobek (2013)
- The Staff of Serapis (2014)
- The Crown of Ptolemy (2015)
The anthology came out in 2016, and it is called Demigods and Magicians.
Collections
Now, if you are looking to read one of his series, you should know about all the details that come with them, as well as the proper reading order.
Percy Jackson
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the most famous story written by Rick Riordan. The series is set in the 21st century, but with Greek gods living among people. Percy Jackson, a demigod, has to stop the Titans who are led by Kronos and save the world.
- 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 Chalice of the Gods (2023)
The sixth book in the series is set to release on September 26, 2023. The Lightning Thief is the beginning of the saga and introduces the characters of Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood.
From the World of Percy Jackson (co-authored with Mark Oshiro)
The Sun and the Star is set in the world of Percy Jackson, and it follows Nico di Angelo and Will Solace. It will be a perfect story for all that enjoy reading about the world and that loved Nico when he appeared in The Titan’s Curse. The book will be published on May 2, 2023.
Percy Jackson & Kane Chronicles Crossover
Another spin-off adventure combines Percy Jackson and Kate Chronicles, and it is called Demigods and Magicians. As mentioned earlier, this is an anthology that combines three previously released stories.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians also received an adaptation in the form of graphic novels. There are five titles, and they were all written by Riordan in collaboration with Robert Venditti, Nate Powell, Jose Villarrubia, Attila Futaki, Tamas Gaspar, Antoine Dode, and Gregory Guilhaumond. They include":
- The Lightning Thief Graphic Novel (2010)
- The Sea of Monsters Graphic Novel (2013)
- The Titan’s Curse Graphic Novel (2013)
- The Battle of the Labyrinth Graphic Novel (2018)
- The Last Olympian Graphic Novel (2019)
Percy Jackson companion books
There are many books that are related to the Percy Jackson series, including:
- The Demigod Files (2009)
- The Ultimate Guide (2010)
- Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo (2013)
- Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods (2014)
- Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes (2015)
- Camp Half-Blood Confidential (2017)
- The Percy Jackson Coloring Book (2017)
- The Lightning Thief: Illustrated Edition (2018)
Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo is a short story that was published in Guys Read.
Heroes of Olympus
Heroes of Olympus is another series written by Rick Riordan. And while you can read it as a stand-alone series, Riordan planned for people to read it after the Percy Jackson series.
- The Lost Hero (2010)
- The Son of Neptune (2011)
- The Mark of Athena (2012)
- The House of Hades (2013)
- The Blood of Olympus (2014)
Percy Jackson is still important for the series, and you might want to check the previous series first. The Heroes of Olympus series also includes The Demigod Diaries and Demigods of Olympus.
Kane Chronicles
While the Percy Jackson books explore Greek mythology, gods, and heroes, The Kane Chronicles take a similar approach. But this time, the focus is on Egyptian mythology. Naturally, the story is original, and the premise is that Egyptian deities are living in the modern world. The protagonists are Sadie and Carter Kane. The books include:
- The Red Pyramid (2010)
- The Throne of Fire (2011)
- The Serpent’s Shadow (2012)
The Kane Chronicles also include Survival Guide and Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual.
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
The next trilogy on the list, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard continues exploring the mythology and stories about gods. This time, the focus is on Norse mythology.
- The Sword of Summer (2015)
- The Hammer of Thor (2016)
- The Ship of the Dead (2017)
The Camp Half-Blood Chronicles includes stories from Norse, Greek, and Egyptian mythology, and they are all set in the same universe. The series includes additional titles such as Hotel Valhalla: Guide to the Norse Worlds, The Magnus Chase Coloring Book, and nine from the Nine Worlds.
Omnibus books
It is possible to find the entire series in a box set on an omnibus. This includes Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, and crossovers. Of course, since most of these book series have five or more titles, you won’t be able to find it in a single book.
Tres Navarre
The Tres Navarre series follows Jackson Tres Navarre and his adventures. The series starts with Big Red Tequila, which is also the first book Rick Riordan published. The Tres Navarre series has seven novels.
- Big Red Tequila (1997)
- The Widower’s Two-Step (1998)
- The Last King of Texas (2001)
- The Devil Went Down to Austin (2002)
- Southtown (2004)
- Mission Road (2005)
- Rebel Island (2008)
Trials of Apollo
Trials of Apollo is another series of five books, and the collection is a sequel to Heroes of Olympus. The series came out between 2016 and 2020.
- The Hidden Oracle (2016)
- The Dark Prophecy (2017)
- The Burning Maze (2018)
- The Tyrant’s Tomb (2019)
- The Tower of Nero (2020)
This means that for the entire story, you will need to start with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, continue with Heroes of Olympus, and end with the Trials of Apollo. The series also includes Camp Jupiter Classified.
How to enjoy reading Rick Riordan’s books
If you are interested in learning more about Percy Jackson, the world of gods, and the incredible stories Rick Riordan wrote, the simplest way is to listen to audiobooks.
Read Rick Riordan books on Speechify Audiobooks
Speechify is one of the best audiobook platforms you can find today. Once you start using it, you will get access to a rich audiobook library and hundreds of writers across the globe, including Rick Riordan and his Tres Navarre series. The app is easy to use, and it will work on multiple devices. It is also a great way to improve the accessibility of your device and make the content usable for people with dyslexia and learning disabilities. But at the same time, there are those who are auditory learners and people who love multitasking. Speechify is an app for everyone. Sign up for Speechify Audiobooks and get your first listen for free.
FAQ
Are all of Rick Riordan's books connected?
All of Riordan’s books are set in the same universe. This means that characters might interact with one another at one point. This includes all the stories about deities from Norse, Greek, and Egyptian mythologies.
Do you have to read The Kane Chronicles before the Trials of Apollo?
The Kane Chronicles are set before the Trials of Apollo. The safest option is to read the series as they were published.
What is the second book in The Kane Chronicles?
The second book in the Kane Chronicles is The Throne of Fire, which was published in 2011.
