Percy Jackson & the Olympians Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| The Lightning Thief | 2005 | Buy |
| The Sea of Monsters | 2006 | Buy |
| The Titan’s Curse | 2007 | Buy |
| The Battle of the Labyrinth | 2008 | Buy |
| The Last Olympian | 2009 | Buy |
Rick Riordan taught English and history in San Antonio for 15 years before Percy Jackson changed his life. He created the character for his son Haley, who was struggling in school and had been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Riordan made up bedtime stories about a boy just like Haley who discovered those challenges were actually signs of godly heritage.
The Lightning Thief was published in 2005. Percy Jackson learns he’s the son of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, and gets sent to Camp Half-Blood where demigods train to survive. The books frame ADHD as battle reflexes and dyslexia as a brain wired for ancient Greek. Riordan turned conditions that made school difficult into superpowers.
The series has sold over 45 million copies. After two poorly received film adaptations in 2010 and 2013, Disney+ produced a television series in 2023 with Riordan heavily involved as a writer and executive producer. He’d been vocal about his disappointment with the films; the show gave him a chance to get it right.
Riordan has expanded far beyond Greek mythology. The Kane Chronicles cover Egyptian gods. Magnus Chase explores Norse mythology. The Trials of Apollo continues the Percy Jackson world. He also launched Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint publishing mythology-based books by diverse authors, bringing in perspectives beyond his own expertise.