Percy Jackson Books in Order (Full Reading Guide)

Read Rick Riordan's Greek and Roman demigod saga in order: the five Percy Jackson & the Olympians books first, then the five Heroes of Olympus sequels. Publication order is the right reading order.

Why this order?

Percy Jackson is the easiest kind of series to order: it was written to be read front to back, and publication order matches the story timeline almost perfectly. Start with Percy Jackson & the Olympians, the original five-book arc that runs from The Lightning Thief (2005) through The Last Olympian (2009). These follow Percy, a twelve-year-old who learns he is the son of Poseidon, and build one continuous war against the Titans across summers at Camp Half-Blood.

Once you finish The Last Olympian, move straight into The Heroes of Olympus, the five-book sequel series that opens with The Lost Hero (2010) and closes with The Blood of Olympus (2014). This second arc widens the world to include Roman demigods at Camp Jupiter and a new ensemble of seven heroes, with Percy returning as part of a larger cast. Reading the original five first is essential, because Heroes of Olympus assumes you already know the characters, the camp, and how the first war ended.

The main gotcha is the spin-offs. Riordan kept writing in the same universe, so after Heroes of Olympus the story continues in The Trials of Apollo (five books), while the Egyptian-myth Kane Chronicles and the Norse-myth Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard are connected spin-offs with their own crossovers. None of those are required to enjoy the ten core books, so we list only the two Greek and Roman series here.

If you came from the 2023 Disney+ adaptation, note that the show begins with The Lightning Thief, so the publication order below is also exactly where to start the books.

Frequently asked questions

How many Percy Jackson books are there?

This page covers the ten core Greek and Roman books: five in Percy Jackson & the Olympians and five in The Heroes of Olympus. Counting connected spin-offs like The Trials of Apollo, Kane Chronicles, and Magnus Chase, the wider Riordanverse runs to dozens more.

What order should I read Percy Jackson in?

Read in publication order. Start with the five Percy Jackson & the Olympians books from The Lightning Thief to The Last Olympian, then continue with the five Heroes of Olympus books from The Lost Hero to The Blood of Olympus.

Do I need to read Percy Jackson before The Heroes of Olympus?

Yes. The Heroes of Olympus is a direct sequel series that assumes you know the characters and how the first Titan war ended, so read the original five books first.

Is the Disney+ show in the same order as the books?

Yes. The 2023 Disney+ series begins by adapting The Lightning Thief, so the book publication order is also the best place to start if you watched the show first.

What comes after The Heroes of Olympus?

The story continues in The Trials of Apollo, a five-book series. The Kane Chronicles (Egyptian myth) and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (Norse myth) are connected spin-offs set in the same universe.

Can I read the series chronologically instead of by publication?

There is no separate chronological order to worry about. The story unfolds in the same sequence it was published, so publication order is also the chronological reading order.