Rick Riordan
Author of The Lightning Thief
About the Author
Rick Riordan was born on June 5, 1964, in San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in English and history, he taught in public and private middle schools for many years. He writes several children's series including Percy Jackson and the show more Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, and The Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, and The Trials of Apollo. He also writes the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults. He has won Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus Awards for his mystery novels. . (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Rick Riordan
From the Kane Chronicles Brooklyn House Magician's Manual (An Official Rick Riordan Companion Book): Your Guide to Egyptian Gods & Creatures, Glyphs & Spells, and More (2018) 377 copies, 2 reviews
Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades / Horrible Histories: The Groovy Greeks (2009) — Author — 361 copies, 7 reviews
Rick Riordan Presents: Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities, The: New Stories About Mythic Heroes (2021) 349 copies, 7 reviews
39 Clues: The Maze of Bones: A Graphic Novel (39 Clues Graphic Novel #1) (The 39 Clues) (2023) 173 copies, 1 review
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Complete Series and Percy Jackson's Greek Gods Boxed Set (2016) 69 copies
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book Two: Sea of Monsters Disney+ Tie in Edition (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) (2025) 29 copies
Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Percy Jackson Coloring Book (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) (2017) 28 copies
Percy Jackson Collection, - The Lightning Thief, the Last Olympian, Titans Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth (2011) 16 copies
Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods & Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes By Rick Riordan 2 Books Collection Set (2018) 11 copies
Percy Jackson e gli dei dell'Olimpo. Le origini del mito: Il ladro di fulmini-Il mare dei mostri-La maledizione del titano (2013) 10 copies
Percy Jackson Ultimate 7 copies
red pyramid bonus chapter sampler 5 copies
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series 2 Books Collection Set By Rick Riordan (The Chalice of the Gods, Wrath of the Triple Goddess) (2024) 3 copies
Read Riordan: Five-Book First-in-Series Paperback Box Set (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) (2019) 3 copies
Rick Riordan Presents Sampler 3 copies
The Throne of Fire Chapter Sneak Peek! : Kane Chronicles, Book Two (The Kane Chronicles) (2011) 3 copies
[unidentified works] 2 copies
La deessa de tres caps (Percy Jackson i els déus de l'Olimp 7) (Colección Salamandra Juvenil) 2 copies
El mar dels monstres (Percy Jackson i els déus de l'Olimp 2) (Colección Salamandra Juvenil) 2 copies
"About the Author" 2 copies
Percy Jackson The Olympian 1 copy
Piramide Gorria 1 copy
Percy Jackson 2 1 copy
Percy Jackson 3 1 copy
Gudinnans vrede 1 copy
Percy Jackson 1 1 copy
De dødes skib 1 copy
גיברוי האולימפוס 4: בית האדס 1 copy
גיבורי האולימפוס 3: אות אתנה 1 copy
פרסי ג'קסון והקרב על המבוך 1 copy
גיבורי האולימפוס 2: בן נפטון 1 copy
פרסי ג'קסון ותקוות האולימפוס 1 copy
פרסי ג'קסון וים המפלצות 1 copy
פרסי ג'קסון וגנס הרק 1 copy
פרסי ג'קסון וקללת הטיטאן 1 copy
גורלו של אפולו: האורקל הנסתר 1 copy
גורלו של אפולו: המבוך הבוער 1 copy
גורלו של אפולו: הנבואה האפלה 1 copy
The Maze of Bones- Book one 1 copy
G229 - O filho de Netuno 1 copy
Rick Riordan The Trials of Apollo 6 Books Collection Set (Books 1-5 [PB], Camp Jupiter Classified [HB]) (2025) 1 copy
9 From The Nine Worlds 1 copy
The Red Pyramid copy 2 1 copy
Dypets Datter 1 copy
The Trials of Apollo 1 copy
Apollon et Artémis, les jumeaux terribles: Percy Jackson et les secrets de l'Olympe - tome 1 (2020) 1 copy
Rick Riordan Collection 3 Books Set (Demigods and Magicians, Hotel Valhalla, Camp Half Blood) (2018) 1 copy
Under the Baseball Moon 1 copy
The Last Olympian Book # 5 1 copy
Legends- Limited Edition 1 copy
Percy Jackson's - Greek Gods 1 copy
השמש והכוכב 1 copy
Associated Works
Tales of the Greek Heroes: Retold from the Ancient Authors (1958) — Introduction, some editions — 2,006 copies, 8 reviews
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (2019) — Introduction, some editions — 1,245 copies, 38 reviews
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief [2010 film] (2010) — Original novel — 580 copies, 5 reviews
A Taste of Murder: Diabolically Delicious Recipes from Contemporary Mystery Writers (1999) — Contributor — 48 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Riordan, Richard Russell, Jr
- Birthdate
- 1964-06-05
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Texas, Austin
Alamo Heights High School - Occupations
- teacher
author - Organizations
- Presidio High School
- Short biography
- Richard Russell Riordan Jr. (born June 5, 1964) is an American author. He is known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, about a twelve-year-old Percy Jackson who discovers he is a son of the Greek god Poseidon. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million copies in the US. 20th Century Fox has adapted the first two books of his Percy Jackson series as part of a series of films. His books have spawned related media, such as graphic novels and short story collections.
Riordan's first full-length novel was Big Red Tequila, which became the first book in the Tres Navarre series. His big breakthrough was The Lightning Thief (2005), the first novel in the five-volume Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which placed a group of adolescents in a Greco-Roman mythological setting. Since then, Riordan has written The Kane Chronicles trilogy and The Heroes of Olympus series. The Kane Chronicles (2010-2012) focused on Egyptian mythology; The Heroes of Olympus was the sequel to the Percy Jackson series. Riordan also helped Scholastic Press develop The 39 Clues series and its spinoffs, and penned its first book, The Maze of Bones (2008). His most recent publications are three books in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, based on Norse mythology. The first book of his The Trials of Apollo series, The Hidden Oracle, was released in May 2016. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Places of residence
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Map Location
- Texas, USA
Members
Discussions
A really exiting talk about rick riordans books in Book talk (March 2023)
The new Trials of Apollo book by Rick Riordan coming out May 3rd!!! in Book talk (June 2018)
[The Lightning Thief] (with spoilers) in Hogwarts Express (January 2017)
The Last Olympian - spoilers! in Hogwarts Express (January 2010)
Reviews
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 2 The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 2) (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, 2) by Rick Riordan
***This review and more can be found at my blog Love at First Write***
I am absolute Riordan trash and will always read his books but this one was seriously good. As usual, I pre-ordered Rick’s book and started it the second it arrived! Unfortunately, college life has got me reading and writing so many things that I didn’t get a chance to finish until after my finals ended this Friday (4/28). Just in time for Rick’s next book that comes out May 2nd!
I love this book because I love the show more quips and sassy banter that fills all of Rick’s novels. They’re even better because I’m actually learning about mythology while reading them! Percy Jackson got me hooked because I absolutely adored and extensively read about Greek mythology as a kid and it was awesome to see the myths in action. Now, the Norse Gods have become just as enjoyable.
What is truly my favorite part of this series that puts it above all of his other books is the diversity of characters represented. Our main character, Magnus Chase, was homeless on the streets of Boston before he was killed and taken to Valhalla to train to fight in Ragnarok. He’s such a caring guy which is such a refresher from the macho hero stereotype going around YA. Hearthstone is a runes magician who’s deaf and all the gang learns ASL to communicate with him. The book doesn’t treat his deafness as a disability which is amazing for kids to be reading, while still acknowledging situations that make Hearth uncomfortable that an able-bodied person wouldn’t think twice about (such as having your hand held or pinned down, hence losing Hearth’s ability to communicate). There are also the very badass children of Loki, Sam and Alex. Alex is the only one that wasn’t in book one, and they’re gender fluid which is why this books gets 5 stars. Rick added a new character and that character expanded the books diversity- thank you Rick! Alex’s presence respectfully teaches Magnus, and therefore kids reading the series, about gender fluid people and representation is so important. So far, I have not read a single book including a gender fluid person and being able to read about a character like some of my friends helps validate their existence. Rick also does an awesome job of Sam being a POC Muslim without using stereotypes. Magnus again respectfully learns her boundaries and her religion which is again great for kids to be reading. Diversity is such a good thing and for a popular author to delve into it is fantastic for the kids growing up now. I seriously wish books were like this back in my day.
The book is fast-paced without feeling rushed, and has a perfect balance between dialogue and action. Having recently started living in Boston for university, having a book that’s partially set in Boston has been a blast and reading about all of the Nine Worlds of Norse Myth and exploring them for the first time along with Magnus is the best! show less
I am absolute Riordan trash and will always read his books but this one was seriously good. As usual, I pre-ordered Rick’s book and started it the second it arrived! Unfortunately, college life has got me reading and writing so many things that I didn’t get a chance to finish until after my finals ended this Friday (4/28). Just in time for Rick’s next book that comes out May 2nd!
I love this book because I love the show more quips and sassy banter that fills all of Rick’s novels. They’re even better because I’m actually learning about mythology while reading them! Percy Jackson got me hooked because I absolutely adored and extensively read about Greek mythology as a kid and it was awesome to see the myths in action. Now, the Norse Gods have become just as enjoyable.
What is truly my favorite part of this series that puts it above all of his other books is the diversity of characters represented. Our main character, Magnus Chase, was homeless on the streets of Boston before he was killed and taken to Valhalla to train to fight in Ragnarok. He’s such a caring guy which is such a refresher from the macho hero stereotype going around YA. Hearthstone is a runes magician who’s deaf and all the gang learns ASL to communicate with him. The book doesn’t treat his deafness as a disability which is amazing for kids to be reading, while still acknowledging situations that make Hearth uncomfortable that an able-bodied person wouldn’t think twice about (such as having your hand held or pinned down, hence losing Hearth’s ability to communicate). There are also the very badass children of Loki, Sam and Alex. Alex is the only one that wasn’t in book one, and they’re gender fluid which is why this books gets 5 stars. Rick added a new character and that character expanded the books diversity- thank you Rick! Alex’s presence respectfully teaches Magnus, and therefore kids reading the series, about gender fluid people and representation is so important. So far, I have not read a single book including a gender fluid person and being able to read about a character like some of my friends helps validate their existence. Rick also does an awesome job of Sam being a POC Muslim without using stereotypes. Magnus again respectfully learns her boundaries and her religion which is again great for kids to be reading. Diversity is such a good thing and for a popular author to delve into it is fantastic for the kids growing up now. I seriously wish books were like this back in my day.
The book is fast-paced without feeling rushed, and has a perfect balance between dialogue and action. Having recently started living in Boston for university, having a book that’s partially set in Boston has been a blast and reading about all of the Nine Worlds of Norse Myth and exploring them for the first time along with Magnus is the best! show less
Now, this book has a breathless pace and a pretty thin constitution as far as how it's held together, but it has very relatable, likeable even, characters and ridiculously high entertainment value. The updated portrayals of immortals from Greek myth are a hoot (though Dionysus is played more for laughs than Euripides would countenance), but it all does actually Go Somewhere and Say Something. Without really rising above YA chops, this is fun read. Recommended and now I need the second volume.
I’m just going to say it. I have never given a Rick Riordan book less than 5 teacups or stars in my entire life. He has been one of my favourite authors since I picked up The Lightning Thief when I was thirteen. I’ve never read books that are so action-packed, hilarious, and genuinely fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this new series debut, and I would highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend it! However, I would strongly encourage you to read Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus show more before diving into this one. I know that sounds like a huge commitment, but trust me, you won’t regret it! These books are absolutely fantastic, and to grow with, love and appreciate this world and these characters to the fullest I think everyone should start at the very beginning (it’s a very good place to start 😉)
I’m so glad that Riordan is not finished writing about our friends at Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter! I thought with his new Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, we had left our Big Seven behind, but of course good ol’ Rick wasn’t going to let us down. In The Hidden Oracle, we join the god, Apollo, who has been turned into a sixteen year old boy as punishment for his son’s involvement in the war that took place in The Heroes of Olympus. In order to return to his rightful place on Mount Olympus, Apollo must undergo many trials, and needless to say adventure and hilarity ensues from page one!
In my opinion, Apollo was definitely one of the funnier gods we met in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. With his sun chariot, obsession with haiku, and his “totally rad” attitude, he made for some major comic relief in the early series. It was interesting to read this book from his perspective because we still had that hilarious aspect of his character, but we were also able to see one of the gods as more than just a one dimensional parody, which I find the gods in Riordan’s series tend to be. At first I didn’t know how I felt about this because I liked having the gods be these funny, pompous, and somewhat oblivious characters. Although we did get that side of Apollo, the line seemed to blur between his godly personality and that of the demigod perspective we get from characters like Percy Jackson or Leo Valdez. Sometimes I found myself thinking that his voice sounded too much like a demigod and didn’t seem to match the immortal god Apollo. However, Apollo does comment that his fears and thoughts are oddly human and probably an aspect of his punishment. In seeing things through this perspective, Apollo has definitely grown into a much more complex character than we first met a couple of series ago.
And of course, you can’t go wrong with the haiku chapter titles. I laughed out loud at the beginning of every chapter! Here were a few of my favourites:
You’ve got to be kid– / Well, crud, what just happened there? / I ran out of syl–
Up in my business / Always burning Oracles / Romans gonna hate
It takes a Village / People to protect your mind / “Y.M.C.A.” Yeah
The Hidden Oracle was one of the best books I read this year and I’m so excited to see where this series goes! I always know that I’m in for a good time whenever I pick up a Rick Riordan read:) After this, I’m sure I’ll be picking up Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard pretty soon! show less
I’m so glad that Riordan is not finished writing about our friends at Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter! I thought with his new Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, we had left our Big Seven behind, but of course good ol’ Rick wasn’t going to let us down. In The Hidden Oracle, we join the god, Apollo, who has been turned into a sixteen year old boy as punishment for his son’s involvement in the war that took place in The Heroes of Olympus. In order to return to his rightful place on Mount Olympus, Apollo must undergo many trials, and needless to say adventure and hilarity ensues from page one!
In my opinion, Apollo was definitely one of the funnier gods we met in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. With his sun chariot, obsession with haiku, and his “totally rad” attitude, he made for some major comic relief in the early series. It was interesting to read this book from his perspective because we still had that hilarious aspect of his character, but we were also able to see one of the gods as more than just a one dimensional parody, which I find the gods in Riordan’s series tend to be. At first I didn’t know how I felt about this because I liked having the gods be these funny, pompous, and somewhat oblivious characters. Although we did get that side of Apollo, the line seemed to blur between his godly personality and that of the demigod perspective we get from characters like Percy Jackson or Leo Valdez. Sometimes I found myself thinking that his voice sounded too much like a demigod and didn’t seem to match the immortal god Apollo. However, Apollo does comment that his fears and thoughts are oddly human and probably an aspect of his punishment. In seeing things through this perspective, Apollo has definitely grown into a much more complex character than we first met a couple of series ago.
And of course, you can’t go wrong with the haiku chapter titles. I laughed out loud at the beginning of every chapter! Here were a few of my favourites:
You’ve got to be kid– / Well, crud, what just happened there? / I ran out of syl–
Up in my business / Always burning Oracles / Romans gonna hate
It takes a Village / People to protect your mind / “Y.M.C.A.” Yeah
The Hidden Oracle was one of the best books I read this year and I’m so excited to see where this series goes! I always know that I’m in for a good time whenever I pick up a Rick Riordan read:) After this, I’m sure I’ll be picking up Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard pretty soon! show less
Summary: Demigod Percy Jackson has known about the prophecy - that a child of one of the "big three" Greek gods will make a choice on his sixteenth birthday that will either doom or save Mount Olympus - since he was twelve. Now Percy's a week away from turning sixteen, and the forces of the Titan Kronos are arrayed against the Olympians, and closing in. The demigod campers of Camp Half-Blood have been preparing for this battle all year, but how can a small group of half-mortals hope to stand show more against the combined forces of the Lord of Time and his allies and monster servants?
Review: I've complained in the past about the previous books in this series being too episodic, so you might think that I'd be thrilled that The Last Olympian is much more tightly focused, involving only the battle between the Camp-Half-Blood-ers and the forces of Lord Kronos. And in some ways, I am. But I also felt a little cheated; the book (as is usual) skips over almost a year since the ending of the previous one, but in this case, there was a lot of stuff - preparations and skirmishes, etc. - that happened during that year that would have been interesting to see. Percy also makes a lot of side comments that reference the intervening time without much explanation or elaboration. I can understand why Riordan chose to structure the series as he did, but I do think there's a way to tell a complete and fast-moving story without slam-cutting readers right to the big blowout at the end.
But as for the big blowout itself, it was pretty great. The books in this series have matured as Percy does, and this is not a battle without some serious, permanent, and not-kiddie-stuff consequences. Riordan doesn't linger on the deaths, but he makes sure we feel them, and this book made me sniffly more than once -- pretty good for a series that started out as silly mid-grade fantasy adventure. Of course, the silliness is not gone completely; there are touches of humor throughout (both subtle and more overtly silly), even at some of the darkest moments. And plot-wise, Riordan manages to wrap up all of the threads of his story in a way that was satisfying, yet that I didn't see coming - an impressive feat in a genre that is typically plagued by predictability. All in all, I had a blast with this series, and am looking forward to starting the follow-up books. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Don't start at the end, but this series as a whole is great, definitely recommended for fans of mythology, and anyone who is looking for a light, fun, funny read that isn't overly juvenile or completely brainless fluff. show less
Review: I've complained in the past about the previous books in this series being too episodic, so you might think that I'd be thrilled that The Last Olympian is much more tightly focused, involving only the battle between the Camp-Half-Blood-ers and the forces of Lord Kronos. And in some ways, I am. But I also felt a little cheated; the book (as is usual) skips over almost a year since the ending of the previous one, but in this case, there was a lot of stuff - preparations and skirmishes, etc. - that happened during that year that would have been interesting to see. Percy also makes a lot of side comments that reference the intervening time without much explanation or elaboration. I can understand why Riordan chose to structure the series as he did, but I do think there's a way to tell a complete and fast-moving story without slam-cutting readers right to the big blowout at the end.
But as for the big blowout itself, it was pretty great. The books in this series have matured as Percy does, and this is not a battle without some serious, permanent, and not-kiddie-stuff consequences. Riordan doesn't linger on the deaths, but he makes sure we feel them, and this book made me sniffly more than once -- pretty good for a series that started out as silly mid-grade fantasy adventure. Of course, the silliness is not gone completely; there are touches of humor throughout (both subtle and more overtly silly), even at some of the darkest moments. And plot-wise, Riordan manages to wrap up all of the threads of his story in a way that was satisfying, yet that I didn't see coming - an impressive feat in a genre that is typically plagued by predictability. All in all, I had a blast with this series, and am looking forward to starting the follow-up books. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Don't start at the end, but this series as a whole is great, definitely recommended for fans of mythology, and anyone who is looking for a light, fun, funny read that isn't overly juvenile or completely brainless fluff. show less
Lists
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Library Books (1)
. (1)
2000s decade (1)
Current To Read (1)
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YA (1)
Farm Boy Fantasy (1)
Which house? (1)
el (10)
Requests (3)
Elaina's (4)
al.vick-series (4)
Loan Library (5)
Overdue Podcast (5)
Read in 2024 (5)
Read in 2023 (6)
Mystery Series (7)
August TBR (1)
Read in 2025 (2)
Favorite Series (2)
READ in 2024 (3)
6th Grade (2)
Wish List (2)
4th Grade Books (2)
Best Young Adult (3)
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 254
- Also by
- 20
- Members
- 337,505
- Popularity
- #11
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 6,029
- ISBNs
- 2,884
- Languages
- 35
- Favorited
- 330
