all of percy jackson books in order

Why Reading the Percy Jackson Series in Order Matters

Rick Riordan didn’t just write a single series—he built a literary mythology. Reading all of percy jackson books in order ensures the characters develop as intended, major reveals land properly, and story arcs don’t get confusing. Scrambling the order? That’s like starting a puzzle from the middle.

Core Percy Jackson Series (The Original Five)

Here’s where it began—the original “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series.

1. The Lightning Thief – Percy discovers he’s a demigod and sets out to recover Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt.
2. The Sea of Monsters – Percy embarks on a quest to save Camp HalfBlood from disaster.
3. The Titan’s Curse – New alliances—and real dangers—change everything.
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth – The war with Kronos escalates, and Percy takes his most dangerous journey yet.
5. The Last Olympian – Things come to a head in a final battle for Olympus.

Beyond Olympus: The Heroes of Olympus Series

This sequel series adds new demigods, alternate viewpoints, and a longer story arc. Start here after finishing the original five:

1. The Lost Hero
2. The Son of Neptune
3. The Mark of Athena
4. The House of Hades
5. The Blood of Olympus

These books expand the universe significantly and merge Greek and Roman mythology in a smart way.

The Trials of Apollo Series

If you’re still hooked, you’re not done. This fivepart sequel series follows Apollo (in a mortal teenage body, no less) atoning for past mistakes:

1. The Hidden Oracle
2. The Dark Prophecy
3. The Burning Maze
4. The Tyrant’s Tomb
5. The Tower of Nero

Expect familiar faces and new threats—but read this only after both previous series, or it’ll spoil major plot points.

Companion Books and Extras

Not mustreads, but they add flavor and backstory:

The Demigod Files – Bonus stories set during the events of the original series. The Demigod Diaries – Background tales tied to “Heroes of Olympus.” Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods – Percy’s snarky take on classic myths. Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes – More myth summaries, in his voice.

These are fun side dishes, great between maincourse novels.

One New Entry: The Chalice of the Gods

Released in 2023, this installment is a return to Percy’s voice and set between earlier events. It’s positioned before The Trials of Apollo but after the main five. Read after “The Last Olympian” and before “The Heroes of Olympus” for clean continuity.

Ideal Reading Order (10 Main Books):

To recap, here’s the simplest full order for the main adventures:

1. The Lightning Thief
2. The Sea of Monsters
3. The Titan’s Curse
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
5. The Last Olympian
6. The Chalice of the Gods
7. The Lost Hero
8. The Son of Neptune
9. The Mark of Athena
10. The House of Hades
11. The Blood of Olympus
12. The Hidden Oracle
13. The Dark Prophecy
14. The Burning Maze
15. The Tyrant’s Tomb
16. The Tower of Nero

Best Strategy: Start Young, Grow With Percy

Riordan built the books so they age up with the reader. The first book is simple and fun; by the time you reach “The Tower of Nero,” you’re dealing with deeper themes and higher stakes. Starting from the beginning pays off.

Final Word: Stick to the Sequence

If you’re planning a deep dive, commit to the order. You’ll get cleaner plot progression, richer character payoffs, and fewer spoilers. Knowing all of percy jackson books in order is the simplest way to do the series justice—and enjoy it the way Uncle Rick intended.