Percy Jackson and the Olympians
by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Shravan
April 23, 2024
Percy Jackson is one of the best series I have read, ever. It easily sits in my top 3 most favorite series. The other series by Rick Riordan are also great, but this is his "original" series, and it feels absolutely amazing to read.
When reading, I couldn’t wait to see what was next, the suspense, action and plot made this extremely enjoyable. Rick Riordan managed to make every part of this series interesting and filled with adventure. Some of my most favorite parts in this series are the parts when gods come face to face with demigods, especially towards the end of the last book, which made me laugh about a million times. Because of this, I can comfortably rate this series 5 Stars.
One important thing I want to mention is that there are several more continuation and spinoff series, with characters from this series, with The Heroes of Olympus being a direct continuation series. There are also several collections of short stories: The Demigod Files and The Demigod Diaries. These are all the mythological series by Rick Riordan, in my recommended order to read. Percy Jackson, The Heroes of Olympus, The Trials of Apollo, Magnus Chase, The Kane Chronicles, Crossovers, The Demigod Files and The Demigod Diaries.
Because of being super fun and engaging, while being relatively easy to understand, I can easily give this series and age rating of 8+. However, older people (Teenagers, Adults, Seniors) will also really like this series. This series is also a decent introduction to Greek mythology, albeit in an interesting, captivating way.
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Books in this Series
Common Questions About Percy Jackson and the Olympians
What age is Percy Jackson appropriate for?
Percy Jackson is recommended for ages 8-10 (Grades 3rd-5th). The series has action and some intense monster encounters, but the humor and Percy's narration make it super fun and accessible. It's honestly one of the best series for getting kids excited about reading — and they'll learn Greek mythology along the way, which is a nice bonus.
What order should I read the Percy Jackson books?
Read them in this order: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian. After finishing, continue with The Heroes of Olympus — it's the sequel series and it's just as good. Both are on BookVine along with Rick Riordan's other mythology series.
Is Percy Jackson good for a 7 year old?
The first book, The Lightning Thief, can work for an advanced 7-year-old reader, but some of the monster battle scenes might be a bit intense. A lot of parents read it aloud with their 7 year old and then let them read solo from age 8-9, which I think is a really smart approach. If you want something a bit gentler for a 7 year old first, Magic Tree House on BookVine is a great warm-up.
Should my child watch the Percy Jackson show or read the books first?
The Disney+ series is solid, but don't let your kid start there. Have them read at least the first 2 or 3 books — Rick Riordan's writing is so vivid that every kid imagines Camp Half-Blood and the monsters differently, and that's a huge part of the fun. The plot twists hit way harder on the page too. Then watching the show after becomes this cool 'how did they do it?' experience the whole family can enjoy.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is recommended for ages 8 - 10 (Grades 3rd - 5th) with Lexile scores ranging from 590L to 740L.