When it comes to fantastical book series that shaped our childhoods, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the best. As we get ready for the arrival of the Percy Jackson Disney+ series adapting the beloved stories we’re here to lay out what makes the books so special and the order you need to read the books in to make the most of the series.
Jump to Series:
Percy Jackson and The Olympians BooksThe Heroes of Olympus BooksThe Trials of Apoll Books
What Are the Percy Jackson Books About?
Imagine a world where modern Greek gods have children with the powers of demigods. That’s the fantastical concept at the center of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians book series. Created by Rick Riordan, the stories begins following the titular son of Poseidon as he traverses the secret world of mythical gods, goddesses, and their superpowered offspring. Over the original series and two sequel series The Heroes of Olympus and The Trials of Apollo, the world has expanded massively bringing new characters and new generations of fans to the Greek-myth inspired universe that has been enchanting readers since 2005.
How Many Books are in the Series?
There are a total of 17 books in the Percy Jackson universe, which are spread across three different series. The original Percy Jackson and the Olympian series features 6 books as of 2023 with the addition of The Chalice of the Gods.
Percy Jackson Book Sets
If you’re looking to add a collection of books to your shelves at home, there are a few box sets available. Below are links to both the paperback and hardcover versions for each series:
Includes Poster
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5-Book Paperback Boxed Set
See hardcover version as well.
10th Anniversary Edition
Heroes of Olympus 5-Book Boxed Set
See hardcover version as well.
Trials of Apollo 5-Book Boxed Set
See hardcover version as well.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Books in Order
1. The Lightning Thief
In the original novel that sparked off the series, Percy Jackson, discovers that his normal life is not what it seems. Rather than being a normal 12 year old trying to get through school with ADHD and Dyslexia, he’s actually a demigod! His life is turned upside down when he’s accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt. It’s not just that he’s accused of being a thief though, as he also learns that he’s the son of none other than the god Poseidon. Soon he’s swept away to a summer camp for demigods known as Camp Half-Blood where he must solve the mystery of Zeus’ stolen master bolt and find his way as the son of a god that he’s never known.
2. The Sea of Monsters
After discovering Camp Half-Blood and his new life in the first book, in The Sea of Monsters Percy and his friends have to come together to save the place they first met. When the magic that protects the camp begins to fail the crew must head to the titular ocean in order to find a powerful artifact. But they don’t have much time and in case you didn’t realize the Sea of Monsters is filled with just that. Many, many dangerous creatures fill the pages of this epic adventure, as Percy navigates rough seas and family secrets as he tries to save the day.
3. The Titan’s Curse
As the title hints, this story pushes the Greek mythology of Percy Jackson into the realm of the legendary Titans. When Percy is enlisted to help his old friend Grover he knows something dangerous must have happened, but not even he can guess what’s coming. New demigods are on the horizon and with them comes the threat of one of the oldest beings in the world Kronos who hasn’t forgiven the teens for besting him. That’s not all though as there’s also the matter of a massively powerful ancient monster, and the titular curse to keep them busy.
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
Though he’s starting freshman year, things are far from normal for Percy Jackson. With the war between the Titans and the Gods threatening to spill over into every part of life he can barely catch a break, so when demon cheerleaders show up at school he can’t believe his bad luck. Reimagining the classic Greek Myth of Daedalus and the Minataur, Percy and his Camp Half-Blood buds have to venture deep into the depths of the Earth to defeat the challenges of an intricate maze in order to stop the destruction of all that they hold dear.
5. The Last Olympian
It’s a race to save the legendary Mount Olympus as Percy and his friends must come together in order to defeat the Titans. Luckily they’ve been training all year for just this but as Kronos starts his attack on New York, can the young demigods actually stand against him? This is the epic finale to the battle that began long ago in The Lightning Thief and throws the mythical world of Camp Half-Blood onto the streets of Manhattan for a world-changing fight of the ages.
The Heroes of Olympus Books in Order
Heroes of Olympus 5-Book Boxed Set
1. The Lost Hero
Introducing a new roster of young characters to root for, this book centers on a demigod named Jason who loses his memory on a school trip and ends up becoming entangled in the world of the Olympians. After revealing his powers and being taken to Camp Half-Blood, Jason and his friends must help find the now missing Percy Jackson. But as they undertake their quest they discover some shocking truths about Camp Half-Blood and come up against its rival Camp Jupiter. This super fun expansion of the Percy Jackson universe melds Greek and Roman mythology to set up a whole new series of Olympian adventures!
2. The Son of Neptune
Fans were desperate to know what happened to Percy and in the second Heroes of Olympus book they got an insight into his new status quo. Just like Jason, Percy has lost his memory and in a shocking twist finds himself on the run in California with nowhere to turn. Helped by Roman deities and new friends, Percy manages to reach Camp Jupiter discovering that Camp Half-Blood isn’t the only demigod training ground in America. As always Percy ends up wrapped up in a mythological battle with huge stakes but this time he’s surrounded by Roman gods!
3. The Mark of Athena
What should have been a celebratory reunion for Annabeth and Percy is overshadowed by the threat of war as Camp Jupiter prepares to face down a foe of mythological proportions. The young Demigod takes center stage in this epic seafaring adventure that sees our young heroes travel to Rome in order to connect with the Demigods there, all the while Annabeth tries to work out her place in the story as the daughter of Athena and hero of Olympus.
4. The House of Hades
It’s a quest to escape the underworld when Annabeth and Percy find themselves there after the events of Mark of Athena. In their journey to find the Doors of Death, the duo and their friends who are still in the mortal world will have to work together in order to survive. As if Hades wasn’t enough to contend with someone trying to raise the Greek iteration of Mother Earth, Gaea, which the kids also have to stop. Who said it would be easy being a Demigod?
5. The Blood of Olympus
In the final novel from The Heroes of Olympus series, Percy and Annabeth have to battle the horror of Gaea along with their crew in order to stop the deities’ horrific plan. As the title suggests she needs the blood of Demigods to truly rise but luckily the Demigods have each other, though they’ll have to solve the brewing tension between Camps’ Half-Blood and Jupiter before they can really come together and solve their Titan sized problem.
The Trials of Apollo Books in Order
Trials of Apollo 5-Book Boxed Set
1. The Hidden Oracle
In the second spin-off of the Percy Jackson and the Olypians series, Zeus is back to his old terrible father shenanigans as he transforms his son — the god Apollo — into a teenager and banishes him to New York City. Once on Earth he has to enlist the help of a Demigod named Meg and of course the heroic Percy Jackson to save the day and earn the forgiveness of his father. This means he’ll have to wrangle control of the Five Oracles which will take the crew on another mythologically charged adventure through Riordan’s fantastical world.
2. The Dark Prophecy
Continuing the story of Apollo and his quest to find the Oracles in order to take his place as a god once again. Alongside his Demigod buddies, Apollo must venture across America in order to free the next Oracle, all the while battling against mythical creatures and the mysterious Triumvirate Holdings, along with one of its leaders Commodus. Expanding the new lore introduced in The Trials of Apollo this is a gripping continuation of the Percy Jackson series.
3. The Burning Maze
Apollo’s battle against the evil emperors of Triumvirate Holdings takes center stage here as he comes up against multiple mythological creatures and famed historical figures. You’ll catch appearances from Caligula, Madea, Strix, and even Caligula’s favorite horse Incitatus. This is another epic adventure that pits Apollo against fearsome foes and tragic losses as he unravels the Triumvirate’s shocking plans and tries to regain his immortality while keeping his friends safe. And trust us when we say that’s not an easy set of responsibilities to juggle.
4. The Tyrant’s Tomb
The penultimate book in the Trials of Apollo series takes Apollo and friends to the edge as they find themselves up against the brutal Caligula and his followers. In order to help protect Camp Jupiter from the onslaught of Triumvirate Holdings, Apollo and his crew must venture into the ancient tomb of a terrifying tyrant that will put them in more danger than ever before. It’ll also lead to the final trial of Apollo, which will define and seal his fate forever.
5. The Tower of Nero
In the final Trials of Apollo book the stage is set for an epic battle back in New York City. It’s all been leading to this as the young god and his demigod buds have come up against their biggest foe yet. It’s an epic finale with massive stakes as mythical families are reunited, friendships are tested, and Apollo finally learns whether or not he’s done enough to return to his place on Mount Olympus. But if you’re desperate for more stories in this universe, don’t despair as there’s one more standalone novel that ties into the world of Percy Jackson.
6. The Sun and the Star
Bringing two fan favorite characters to the forefront of their own story, The Sun and the Star centers on Nico di Angelo and Will Solace who were introduced in earlier Percy Jackson novels. Nico is the son of Hades which means that life is far from easy for him, and as the son of Apollo, Will has had his fair share of adventures too. But when Nico starts hearing a voice calling him to the depths of the underworld the pair are tested like never before, in this story that will sate the appetites of Percy Jackson fans everywhere, especially those who miss Camp Half-Blood.
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more. Rosie is a published comics author who has written titles including Godzilla Rivals vs. Battra and The Haunted High-Tops. She co-hosts the weekly Crooked Media pop-culture podcast X-Ray Vision. When she’s not writing, you can find her playing Dragon Ball FighterZ or rewatching weird old horror and martial movies in her free time. She loves making comics and zines as well as collecting VHS and reading much manga as humanly possible. You can find her on social at @rosiemarx.
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