Welcome reader, to another year at Camp Half-Blood, the safe haven for demi-gods just like yourself! Many of the writers at The Cosmic Circus are beyond excited for the arrival of the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series on Disney+, having grown up reading the novels from a young age. I didn’t discover the series until I was a teenager, but the novels have a special place in my heart. In our preparation for the series, a guide to the books that inspired the show seems like a great call, so we’re excited to present you with our guide to the world of Percy Jackson!
While the first season of Percy Jackson & the Olympians is adapting just the first novel in the series, The Lightning Thief, becoming familiar with the larger world of Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan might be beneficial for ultimate enjoyment. And boy is the landscape in which Percy Jackson exists is huge. Multiple series each with a few novels, all of which intersect at one point or another. Don’t worry, we’re here to make the process as easy as possible!
Camp Half-Blood Chronicles
The Camp Half-Blood Chronicles is the name attached to the overarching narrative which encompasses the majority of the titles from the world of Percy Jackson. Consisting of three series of novels, each with a distinctive voice and direction, the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles is easy to navigate as the series follows in chronological order. Starting the adventures of Camp Half-Blood is also where the Disney+ series will begin, with Percy Jackson & The Olympians.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
As the title of this pentalogy suggests, our hero is none other than Percy Jackson. When we first meet him, he’s a lost 12-year-old, who doesn’t fit in with the mortal world. However, he quickly learns he’s the son of Poseidon, making him a demi-god and therefore a target because of his blood. He’s whisked off to a safe haven, Camp Half-Blood, but life will never be the same now that the truth of his heritage has been uncovered.
The series follows Percy as he attempts to find a new normal at Camp Half-Blood. Joining the other children of Gods, Percy feels like an outsider, as the Big 3 (Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus) aren’t supposed to have any children. However, he finds companions in Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, a daughter of Athena. The trio travels across the world, facing trials that would make the true Gods tremble in their boots. Their goal is to stop Kronos, the Titan who will do anything to rule over everything. Will Percy, Grover, and Annabeth be able to stop the Titan in time? Or will the world be changed forever?
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
- The Lightning Thief
- The Sea of Monsters
- The Titan’s Curse
- The Battle of the Labyrinth
- The Last Olympian
The Heroes of Olympus
As a continuation to Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Riordan wrote another pentalogy, which features a mixture of old and new heroes. The seeds of The Heroes of Olympus were sowed in The Last Olympian, with a prophecy that seemed innocuous at the time. It stated that seven demigods would unite their powers to stop the evil forces of Gaia, the personification of Earth.
Something unique to The Heroes of Olympus is the expansion of the world of Gods. In Percy Jackson, all the Gods are based on those of the Greeks, however, in this continuation, Riordan explores their Roman side. For those who are familiar with Greek and Roman Gods, with the exception of different names and slightly different manifestations, they are one and the same.
Riordan explores this concept through the introduction of a new camp, Camp Jupiter, which serves as the Roman counterpart to Camp Half-Blood. However, the existence of this camp is uncovered over time, as some of our heroes have had their memories tampered with.
The Heroes of Olympus begins by following three new heroes, establishing them as heroes before bringing in those we already know. The Lost Hero follows Jason Grace, Piper McLean, and Leo Valdez, all of whom are new to the worlds of Gods and demigods. Jason is the first to have amnesia and has to work to gain back his memories throughout the first book. It isn’t until the second book that we see the return of Percy and the seven heroes begin to come together.
Can the prophesied heroes from Camp Half-Blood (Annabeth, Leo, Percy, and Piper) and those from Camp Jupiter (Jason, along with Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque) come together and stop Gaia? Or will the world be changed forever due to their failure? These novels grow in length, telling a more epic tale than that in Percy Jackson & the Olympians, perfect for children growing up with the series.
The Heroes of Olympus
- The Lost Hero
- The Son of Neptune
- The Mark of Athena
- The House of Hades
- The Blood of Olympus
The Trials of Apollo
The final series of the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles is a far departure from the previous two. It’s the first pentalogy that doesn’t heavily feature Percy Jackson. Instead, The Trials of Apollo features a collection of new heroes as well as some of those introduced in The Heroes of Olympus. The series follows Apollo, who because of his actions at the end of The Blood of Olympus, is being punished by Zeus. Turned into a mortal, Apollo, named Lester on Earth, must complete a series of trials, saving five oracles who’ve gone dark. Doing so will result in his reinstatement as a God.
The premise feels a bit reminiscent of Disney’s Hercules, where if he completes certain tasks, he’ll be worthy enough to return to Mount Olympus. On this journey, Apollo won’t be alone, with help from new and old faces alike. The Trials of Apollo pentalogy features so many faces from the past novels that it’s more of who doesn’t show up at one point or another. Joining Apollo on his adventures is Meg, a daughter of Demeter, and her spirit protector Peaches.
Together, can the team recover the oracles, or is he destined to be a pubescent child for the rest of his life? The Trials of Apollo is definitely a series you won’t want to miss.
The Trials of Apollo
- The Hidden Oracle
- The Dark Prophecy
- The Burning Maze
- The Tyrant’s Tomb
- The Tower of Nero
Other adventures from the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles
You might think after fifteen books, perhaps the adventures of these young demigods would be over, but there are quite a few additional stories left to enjoy. The first is a recent release, written jointly by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro, The Sun and the Star. The novel picks up two months after the conclusion of The Trials of Apollo and follows a one-off adventure of demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace.
Nico is a son of Hades, an individual out of his time, having been born in the 1930s and trapped in the Lotus Hotel (back in The Titan’s Curse). Will is the son of Apollo, a character that has cropped up across all three of the aforementioned series. In The Sun and the Star, the duo is given the quest of recusing Bob, a Titan with ties to earlier novels. However, as they venture into Tartarus, they also have to navigate their relationship as boyfriends and Nico’s feeling of being a fish out of his own time. For a deeper exploration of the novel, check out Luna’s review!
The next one might be the one that fans of the original Percy Jackson series are most excited about. Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods is a direct narrative continuation that is coming out later this year. This novel reunites the original trilogy as they work to complete three quests, so Percy can secure some godly recommendation letters to college. Their journey begins with retrieving Zeus’ goblet before it is taken and used by someone else. I cannot wait to dive into this one when it comes out in September.
Standalone novels
- The Sun and the Star
- Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods
There is also a slew of short stories featuring the heroes from the Half-Blood Chronicles, most of which can be found in bound copies with the franchise branding on them. Demigods & Magicians features a collection of crossovers with The Kane Chronicles, which we’ll get to in a moment. The Demigod Files serves as a companion piece to Percy Jackson & The Olympians with The Demigod Diaries being the same for The Heroes of Olympus.
Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo is a one-off short story written for Guys Read: Other Worlds. The story focuses on Percy and Grover on a mission in New York City, attempting to recover the gold singer of Apollo. While none of these stories are essential to the series, those looking to consume every piece of Percy Jackson media out there will want to get their hands on these stories.
Short Stories
- Demigods & Magicians
- The Demigod Files
- The Demigod Diaries
- Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo
The larger shared universe in the world of Percy Jackson
If the extensive volume of written material from the world of Percy Jackson wasn’t enough for you, you’re in luck. Riordan expanded the universe with stories exploring other gods and religions, in a similar fashion to the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles, beginning with The Kane Chronicles.
The Kane Chronicles
This trilogy of novels explores the mythos of Egypt and the Egyptian gods. Our two protagonists throughout the series are Carter and Sadie Cane, siblings who have great magical powers. They are decedents of Ramses the Great (Ramses II) and Narmer, two pharaohs, with bloodlines that run deep in Egyptian lore.
The story is framed as Riordan typing up audio transcripts from the two main characters, an attempt at bringing a sense of realism to this world of fantasy. Their story begins with the loss of their father, an Egyptologist that goes missing, sending them to go live with their uncle. Through their uncle, they learn of their magical heritage and discover that they are to be the hosts to Horus and Isis, in a similar fashion to Layla in Moon Knight.
The duo are incredibly powerful magicians but are also blessed with god-specific abilities, such as the ability to control Horus’ sacred animals for being his avatar. The series explores the sibling’s battle with The House of Life, the governing body of magicians that have a problem with the two being hosts for the gods.
The Kane Chronicles
- The Red Pyramid
- The Throne of Fire
- The Serpent’s Shadow
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
Last, but certainly not least, is the story of Magnus Chase, cousin to Annabeth. However, his story doesn’t lie in the Greek or Roman camps, but instead in the world of Norse Mythology. Turns out that 16-year-old Magnus Chase is the son of Frey, A Norse God. His story begins as an orphan in Boston, having lost his mother in a wolf attack. His journey begins with his death, shepherded to the afterlife by a Valkyrie turned companion Samirah (Sam), a daughter of Loki. Joining him is Blitz, the dwarven son of Freya, Hearth, an elf from Alfheim, and eventually Alex, another child of Loki.
Across the main three novels, Magnus and his companions must work together to stop Ragnarok and Loki, before it’s too late. 9 from the Nine Worlds is a companion novel, telling stories from across the nine realms of Norse Mythology.
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
- The Sword of Summer
- The Hammer of Thor
- The Ship of the Dead
- 9 from the Nine Worlds
Welcome to the world of Percy Jackson!
Just like the mythology that inspired it, the World of Percy Jackson is expansive. Who knows where it will go, especially if the Disney+ series proves to be popular. That being said, as long as Riordan is willing to write more, fans will be lining up for any adventures from these brave heroes.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians is expected on Disney+ in 2024. Will you be checking out these books ahead of time? What did you think about the films from the early 2010s? Let us know on Twitter or in The Cosmic Circus Discord.
[All images credit to Disney/Disney Hyperion/Rick Riordan. For more about Mr. Riordan and his books visit his official site at RickRiordan.com]
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