How to Read the 'Percy Jackson' Books in Order in the Wake of the Disney+ Series
There's a LOT going on with these Greek gods.
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At long last, the highly anticipated Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
The show, inspired by Greek myths, is an adaptation of a YA book series by writer Rick Riordan. Those just getting into the world of gods and demigods through watching it on TV might want to follow along with the series at home. (And older fans? Well, they might want to take this as an opportunity to do a re-read.) If that's the case, we've laid out how to read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books in order.
It might not be as simple an undertaking as it seems, though. At first, it was pretty cut-and-dry: There were five books in the series. But then Riordan felt there were more stories to tell, so a second five-book series, The Heroes of Olympus, was born. And when that was over, well, there are a lot of Greek myths, you know? So a third five-book series, The Trials of Apollo, came along. And maybe Riordan felt some of the character's stories still had more juice in them, so he went back to a couple of them and added a book or two.
To date, there are 17 books that take place in the Percy Jackson universe, and another is due out in September 2024. The good news? It means there's a lot to catch up with after binging the TV series and waiting for the next season.
The Lightning Thief (2005)
This is the book that kicks off the whole series: Percy Jackson, a Holden Caulfieldesque boarding school student, gets tangled up in the business of Greek gods when he's accused of stealing Zeus's lightning bolt. He and his friends must find the real thief in order to bring peace to the warring gods.
The Sea of Monsters (2006)
This time, Percy is challenged with retrieving the Golden Fleece — which happens to be in a dangerous stretch of ocean called the Sea of Monsters. This book weaves in lots of seafaring Greek myths, including parts of the Odyssey (Circe, sirens and Cyclops, anyone?), and even pulls in lore about the Bermuda Triangle.
The Titan's Curse (2007)
When the goddess Artemis goes missing, Percy bands together a group to go after her. This is a good one for fans of cool monsters, like a Manticore (head of a man, body of a lion, and tail of a scorpion) or an Ophiotaurus (half-cow, half-serpent).
The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008)
War is coming, and Percy's side and the side of his main rival, Luke, are both trying to bolster their armies. They all want to find the workshop of the master craftsman Daedalus. The problem? The workshop is somewhere within a sprawling Labyrinth, and no one knows where it is — or how to get out once they find it.
The Last Olympian (2009)
In the final(ish) installment of the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy is preparing to do battle in the war against the Titans when his father tells him the truth surrounding a prophecy about Percy's 16th birthday. What will his fate turn out to be?
The Chalice of the Gods (2023)
Rick Riordan said he'd keep the Percy Jackson books series at five, but good ideas can never stay dormant for too long these days. So, this fall, got our first new Percy Jackson and the Olympians installment in 14 years. And this time, Percy has the hardest challenge of all: getting into college. In order to get his first of three letters of recommendation, he has to do a quest for Ganymede, the cupbearer of the gods.
COMING SOON: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess
Not one to rest on his laurels, Riordan has announced that the next book is already set to go, with a release date of September 24, 2024. No pre-order links are available yet, though.
"It seemed cruel not to see Percy through all the way to college, given that I had already sketched out three adventures, one for each letter of recommendation," Riordan said on his website. "This will be the second!"
The Lost Hero (2010)
After The Last Olympian, Riordan wanted to put the story of Percy Jackson to rest (for a while, at least), but there were still stories to tell about demigods and their Camp Half-Blood. So he launched a new series, The Heroes of Olympus, with a trio of new demigods at the forefront: Jason, Piper and Leo. Other favorite characters from Percy Jackson and the Olympians pop up, too.
Fans who miss the OG characters Percy will be pleased to know that Percy himself returns for a major role in this story — only, unfortunately for him, he has amnesia. He finds himself at another camp for demigods, only this time they're Roman gods, not Greek ones.
The Mark of Athena (2012)
Here, the three protagonists of the new series (Jason, Piper and Leo) join forces with a trio of heroes who met in the Roman demigod camp (Percy, Hazel and Frank). But a prophecy calls for seven heroes — who will complete their party?
The House of Hades (2013)
In this one, the now-combined heroes have to head to their most dangerous location yet: the Underworld. They plan to seal the Doors of Death to stop evil from rising up, but there's one problem: Percy and Annabeth are trapped inside.
The Blood of Olympus (2014)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians started off as a five-book series, so it only makes sense that The Heroes of Olympus would follow suit. To end this series, our heroes have to defeat an army of giants to set things right with the gods.
The Hidden Oracle (2016)
You think after two, five-book series, the world of Greek gods would be spent — but you'd be wrong! After The Heroes of Olympus wrapped up, Riordan returned with The Trials of Apollo. This one finds Apollo in a mortal's body in modern-day New York City. He meets a girl name Meg, and the two of them set out to restore Apollo's immortality.
The Dark Prophecy (2017)
In order for Apollo to regain his godlike status, Apollo must leave the demigod camp and take a cross-country trip, trying to restore Oracles that have gone dark. Along the way, he runs into characters new and old, including a couple familiar names from Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
The Burning Maze (2018)
This one takes place in a location already known to fans of Percy Jackson (and Greek myth): They're back in the labyrinth. This time, they're looking for an Oracle that speaks only in puzzles.
The Tyrant's Tomb (2019)
Apollo's cross-country trip has finally taken him to the other coast, to San Francisco specifically, where they return to the camp of Roman demigods. A battle is brewing, and they need to find the tomb of a forgotten Roman ruler if our heroes stand a chance.
The third, five-book series comes to its ultimate conclusion in The Tower of Nero. Apollo has learned all he can from the Oracles, uncovered a prophecy and now must meet his fate, And, when he does, it thoroughly concludes this saga of gods and demigods...
The Sun and the Star (2023)
...until this past spring, that is. In true Rick Riordan fashion, five books just wasn't enough, and this was was written as a follow-up to The Tower of Nero. It follows Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, and his boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo. It was co-written by Riordan and Mark Oshiro, author of Anger Is a Gift. Will this be the start of a new series? Riordan called it "a standalone adventure," but with him you can never be too sure!
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