Whether you’re an avid reader and already a huge fan of the books, or you’re a newbie looking to delve into the fun, exciting and mythical world of Percy Jackson – there’s simply no denying that it can be difficult to figure out where to start, especially given the fact that there are over 30 books in the series and counting.
Fun fact: Even though Rick Riordan’s books are often referred to as the “Percy Jackson Series” there’s only a few books that actually feature him in the plot – and this can lead to even more confusion for those who are wanting to delve into the existing world of Percy Jackson for the first time.
What orders do the books come in? And what is the best way to read all of them?
This is where we come in to lend you a helping hand. In this guide, not only are we going to be providing you with a list of all of the Percy Jackson books so far (as well as the ones that are currently expected to be released in the near future) but we are also going to be sharing with you two ways that you can opt to read the Percy Jackson series of books, too.
So, whenever you’re ready, just keep on reading to discover the Percy Jackson books!
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the first way that you can read the Percy Jackson books – by their order! Let’s check out the order of the Percy Jackson books (by publication order) in the following list below:
To help make the following list a little easier to read, we are going to be removing any indication of which series the book belongs to, and instead just list each book one after the other in order of release dates.
Whenever you’re ready, just keep reading:
While it is generally recommended that you read the Percy Jackson books in series order, there are a few reasons why you might want to read the Percy Jackson books by order of their publication release.
The main reason that you might want to read the Percy Jackson books by order of their publication release is if you are already familiar with the storyline and want to experience the Percy Jackson world from a new perspective.
As well as this, opting to read the Percy Jackson books by order of their publication is that you will have the ability to read the books in the same way that readers of Percy Jackson did when the books were first released.
Even though this can seem a little disjointed at first, reading from the publication date order will provide you with the ability to spot and uncover a variety of “Easter eggs” throughout each book that you will only be able to pick out by reading it via this order.
That being said, if you haven’t yet read the Percy Jackson books and you would like to begin, then you might find that the next method for reading the series is better suited for you and your reading experience.
This is especially true given the fact that there are some Percy Jackson books that belong to different series. So, whenever you’re ready, let’s go ahead and make our way to the next section to check it out a little more.
The next way (and undoubtedly the most popular way) to read the Percy Jackson books is in the series order.
The main benefit that you will be able to get from opting to read all of the Percy Jackson books in this way is that you will be able to follow a consistent storyline that won’t feel disjointed or muddle up characters, the chronological order or the plot.
That being said, let’s take a look at the order of the Percy Jackson books by series below:
Even though the Percy Jackson books were initially released by order of publication (which was the default way that many early readers of the Percy Jackson books read all of the books) it is widely considered that opting to read the Percy Jackson books by order of series is by far the best way to read the books.
Not only is the chronological timeline in order, but opting to read these books via this method will also mean that you won’t have to deal with any confusing plot switches or character changes, either.
To follow on from this, it is worth keeping in mind that if you do decide to read the books by order of their series, then you will have a slightly different reading experience than those who opt to read the books by order of their publication release.
However, all that being said, opting to read the books via their series will mean that the storyline will feel more cohesive, and you will only ever have one group of characters throughout each series that you read through.
Keep in mind, however, reading via this order might mean that you encounter a spoiler or two along the way.
Regardless of this minor issue, many people find that reading the Percy Jackson books by order of their series is a much more enjoyable experience as there is no room for any confusion.
This makes it a great and more simplistic reading option to go for if you haven’t read the books yet, or if you have a young child or teen that wants to read the books for the first time.
As we have already briefly discussed in a point above, despite the fact that these books by Rick Riordan are often referred to as simply the “Percy Jackson books” there’s only a few that actually feature him in it.
So, let’s take a closer look at each one that Percy Jackson can be found in below:
This is the first book that we are introduced to Percy Jackson, and likely the book in which you are most familiar with.
Percy is described as being a great kid, but he just can’t seem to concentrate on his schoolwork or control his temper, for that matter.
While at boarding school, Percy is convinced that his teacher tried to kill him after turning into a monster, and when his mom catches wind of it – she knows that it’s time for him to find out the truth.
Percy is sent to Camp Half Blood, where he learns that he is a demigod and his father is Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea.
In the next book in the series, Percy sets out with his friends to recover the Golden Fleece before his camp, Camp Half Blood, gets destroyed.
As you might already be able to guess, just like the first book, the Sea of Monsters is full of shenanigans, life lessons and thrilling drama that makes it a real page turner. Perfect for teens and adults, alike!
In this next book, Artemis goes missing, and it is Percy’s responsibility to figure out what has happened.
To set the scene, the Oracle predicts to Percy before setting out on this thrilling adventure that not all of his friends will survive, and the drama is only raised when Percy’s best friend and love interest, Annabeth, happens to mysteriously go missing…
In the Battle of the Labyrinth, we see Percy Jackson attend school as a freshman and, in true Percy style, his first day begins with a new student being followed by a gang of demon cheerleaders!
In this action-packed fourth installment in the series, the Olympians have a race against time to stop the evil Titan lord Kronos.
Of course, Percy and his friends are given the responsibility of undertaking a quest through the treacherous Labyrinth. It’s a thrilling adventure!
In the latter part of this awesome adventure, readers learn that the half-bloods have been preparing all year for a battle against the Titans – and they’re well aware that the odds aren’t exactly in their favor.
With Kronos’s army outnumbering the Olympians, it’s up to Percy and the gang to put a stop to the evil Kronos.
In this final installment, Percy Jackson is finally in his senior year of high school.
If he wants to go to Mount Olympus for college, he’ll need to get three letters of recommendation to get approved – and the only way that he can do this is if he undertakes three dangerous quests.
There we have it! We’ve made it to the end of the article.
Now that you have taken the time to read through all of the above, we hope that we have been able to help you learn a little bit more about the Percy Jackson books, as well as help you to figure out what reading option out of the two is going to be the right fit for you.