Summary
After writingPercy Jackson & The Olympians, Rick Riordan’s career took off, and he’s had the opportunity to share a plethora of works from different perspectives for readers of all ages.A recurring theme across Riordan’s book series is that he’s interested in mythologyfrom all around the world and sharing this cultural history with younger audiences. However, the magic and spark that all of his protagonists share is enough to transport anyone back into the golden days of unbridled imagination. Each story is imbued with the kind of adventure that all readers dream of.
As Riordan has grown more established as a writer, his work has only become increasingly conscious of representing a wide array of stories and individuals.
Thanks to his descriptive prose and vivid characters,Riordan’s work is uniquely suited to adaptation for the screen.Percy Jacksonseason 2 will likely make changes to the book’sstory, but this is for the best as the series moves into more contemporary and diverse territory. As Riordan has grown more established as a writer, his work has only become increasingly conscious of representing a wide array of stories and individuals. Though every book he’s written has something exciting to offer, there are a few series in his collection that rise to the top as the best.
The 10 Best Rick Riordan Books Of All Time Ranked
Rick Riordan is the author of the Percy Jackson novels as well as its many spin-offs, and each book has a reason to be considered one of his best.
7The 39 Clues (2008–2011)
A series that Riordan collaborated on with several authors.
The first and last books inThe 39 Cluesseries feature Riordan as a contributing author,but each book is well worth reading. When Amy and Dan Cahill suddenly discover they’re part of an internationally powerful and influential family, their world turns upside down. However, things grow even more sinister when they get the opportunity to participate in a worldwide treasure hunt. They must compete against relatives willing to go to extreme lengths to find the prize. As a new author takes over for each successive book, new characters and elements are introduced that make the story more rich.
The fantasy and magical elements that draw so many readers to his work are absent fromThe 39 Clues, even if there are more unrealistic aspects of the narrative.
The 39 Cluescan’t rank higher in Riordan’s list of book series because he didn’t have a hand in writing all of them, and the series never rose to the heights of popularity that his other work achieved. Additionally, the fantasy and magical elements that draw so many readers to his work are absent fromThe 39 Clues, even if there are more unrealistic aspects of the narrative.One of the best parts ofThe 39 Cluesis getting to know Dan and Amy,as their sibling dynamic fuels much of the emotional realism in the series.
6Tres Navarre (1997–2007)
Riordan’s only adult fiction series was started before he wrote Percy Jackson.
Riordan’s only adult fiction series boasts seven books and a strong command of the history and culture of the Southwestern U.S. All of Riordan’s works engage with cross-country travel and adventure. However,Tres Navarrefocuses specifically on Texas and the character Tres.Combining facets of mystery, dark academia, and the Western genres,Tres Navarreis a unique blend of storiesthat was well ahead of its time in the way it transcends only one niche of fiction. Throughout the books, it’s clear that Tres is a child at heart and can’t resist a call to action.
The biggest takeaway from reading theTres Navarreseries is that Riordan is best suited for children’s literature and can’t escape his love of adventure. Riordan began to wrap up theTres Navarreseries after writing seven books from his protagonist’s perspective and as thePercy Jacksonseries began to grow in popularity. Though he’s a strong writer no matter the genre,Riordan has too much heart and too little darkness to tackle an adult mystery series.There’s value in reading theTres Navarrebooks, but they’re all a reminder that Riordan’s children’s books are for everyone.
5The Kane Chronicles (2010-2012)
Though it features much of the same magic, The Kane Chronicles is Riordan’s least popular mythological series.
WhilePercy Jacksonfocuses on demigods,The Kane Chroniclespositions its lead characters as a pair of magicians.
The Kane Chroniclesis set in the same universe asPercy Jacksonand uses many of the same narrative tricks and story choices. However, the trilogy has faded to the background of Riordan’s work despite it being just as dynamic a tale. Similarly toThe 39 Clues,The Kane Chroniclesfollows a pair of siblings, Carter and Sadie, who encounter the gods of Egypt and a family secret that goes back centuries. WhilePercy Jacksonfocuses on demigods,The Kane Chroniclespositions its lead characters as a pair of magicians. This presents a new magic system that’s slightly more complex.
Additionally, though the monsters inPercy Jacksonand Riordan’s other Greek and Roman mythological books aren’t weak, the forces of evil and chaos inThe Kane Chroniclesare even scarier. One reason whyThe Kane Chroniclesdidn’t have the success ofPercy Jacksonis because the series splits the perspective between Carter and Sadie from the start. This makes it a little harder to fully get to know the characters. Additionally,Carter and Sadie are on their own against chaos for so much of the series, making the world feel slightly smallerthan inPercy Jackson.
4Magnus Chase And The Gods Of Asgard (2015–2017)
After grappling with Greek, Roman, and Egyptian gods, Riordan moved on to Norse mythology.
Unsurprisingly, Annabeth Chase’s family boasts not one but two all-powerful demigods, as Annabeth is one of the most compelling characters fromPercy JacksonandThe Heroes of Olympus. Her cousin, Magnus, might be related to her by blood, buthis god-like heritage takes the form of Norse mythology, as he’s the son of Frey, the god of fertility.Like Annabeth, Magnus spends most of his childhood on the run and on his own, but he doesn’t have a Camp Half-Blood to run to, making his path to safety and power all the more difficult.
InThe Sword of Summer, the audience gets a taste of a whole new batch of gods and legends, but this time, Riordan wisely connects the stories to thePercy Jacksonuniverse.Thanks to Magnus' relation to Annabeth,Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgardgot the bump in awareness and popularitythatThe Kane Chronicleslacked. As Mangus' adventures continue, his friends and allies flesh out the larger world of the story, and it’s easy to get lost in the exciting new developments of Riordan’s well-received series. Though it’s not as strong asPercy Jackson, it’s a lot of fun.
3The Trials Of Apollo (2016-2020)
Though the gods feature prominently inPercy JacksonandThe Heroes of Olympus, it’s not untilThe Trials of Apollothat Riordan writes from the perspective of a god. Apollo is introduced early on in thePercy Jacksonseries, but, like all the deities who help Percy and his friends, Apollo is treated as an otherworldly entity with seemingly limitless power. However,everything changes inThe Hidden Oraclewhen Apollo is punished by Zeus and is transported back to Earthin the form of a human who needs all the help he can get.
ThoughThe Trials of Apollodoesn’t feature all the characters from the earlier series,Percy JacksonandThe Heroes of Olympus, it does include some, and it’s a treat to hear from them again.
Many of thebest Greek mythology moviesdeal directly with stories of the gods and their descent to Earth, but few see the gods having to complete trials to regain their mystical powers. ThoughThe Trials of Apollodoesn’t feature all the characters from the earlier series,Percy JacksonandThe Heroes of Olympus, it does include some, and it’s a treat to hear from them again. Additionally,Apollo, or Lester in human form, makes a surprisingly empathetic and nuanced protagonistwho grows into someone worth rooting for as he traverses across the U.S. in classic Riordan fashion.
2The Heroes Of Olympus (2010–2014)
Though it’s the follow-up to Percy Jackson, The Heroes of Olympus distinguishes itself as something new.
When picking up the first book inThe Heroes of Olympusseries,The Lost Hero, it was easy to be disappointed that Percy Jackson was nowhere to be found. Suddenly,Roman mythology was being introduced alongside the familiar Greek gods and monsters,along with a new cast of characters who were nowhere to be found in the first series. However, it doesn’t take long for Jason and his friends to win over the audience and prove that there is plenty more to the story, especially once Percy returns inThe Son of Neptune.
Additionally,The Heroes of Olympuswas a little more serious and mature thanPercy Jackson and the Olympians,allowing readers who grew up reading about Percy’s adventures to easily make the transition to the next series. The development of Annabeth and Percy’s relationship inThe Heroes of Olympusshows a level of growth and maturity that demonstrates that Riordan understands how to execute proper character development. Riordan also had the opportunity to learn from some of the missteps he made withPercy Jacksonand include more diverse storylines and individuals so that all readers could feel represented by the text.
Percy Jackson’s Story Would Be Unrecognizable If Rick Riordan Had Followed The Real Greek Myth
Percy Jackson’s story would have been wildly different had Rick Riordan stuck to the troubled demigod’s original divine parentage in Greek mythology.
1Percy Jackson & The Olympians (2005–2009)
Riordan’s breakout series is remembered as some of the best middle-grade writing of all time.
Percy grows and changes throughout the books, but he’s always a character the reader wants to go on an adventure with.
The middle-grade genre of books is sometimes overlooked, but it’s a difficult niche to write for as it’s an important transition between early chapter books and young adult narratives. However, if there was ever a perfect example of a middle-grade book series, it would bePercy Jackson. Though it has some flaws,it’s an enduring story with one of the most likable and relatable protagonistsof any series, middle-grade or not. Percy grows and changes throughout the books, but he’s always a character the reader wants to go on an adventure with.
Though the series didn’t start the modern popularity of Greek mythology, it helped its following growand is part of the reason that so many readers seek out mythological books today. Many excitingnew characters will be inPercy Jacksonseason 2, and they’re only the tip of the iceberg, as the series will continue to grow in scale as the seasons progress.Percy Jackson and the Olympiansis the series that put Riordan on the map, and it’s the source of the stories that would come later and establish Riordan as the author he’s known as today.
