Where to Start: The Recommended Reading Path
Before diving into the epic clash of Greek and Roman demigods in The Heroes of Olympus, there is one crucial rule: you should absolutely read the original Percy Jackson & the Olympians series first. While The Lost Hero kicks off with a new cast of characters, the overarching plot, character arcs, and world-building directly continue from the events of The Last Olympian. Reading them out of order will spoil major plot points of the first series and leave you confused about the stakes and history of Camp Half-Blood.
Once you have completed the original five Percy Jackson books, the recommended path is to read the five main novels of The Heroes of Olympus in their exact publication order, followed by the companion stories to round out your knowledge of the Riordanverse.
The Heroes of Olympus Main Series in Publication Order
The main storyline is tight, chronological, and spans five massive novels published between 2010 and 2014. Each book building toward a prophecy to prevent the earth goddess Gaia from waking.
- The Lost Hero (2010): The series begins with a clean slate at Camp Half-Blood. We meet Jason Grace, a boy with amnesia who arrives alongside Piper McLean and Leo Valdez. They are quickly sent on a quest to rescue Hera and discover a completely different side of the demigod world.
- The Son of Neptune (2011): The perspective shifts to Camp Jupiter, a militaristic training ground for Roman demigods. Here, a memory-wiped Percy Jackson arrives and teams up with Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang to travel to Alaska, release Thanatos (Death), and defend the camp.
- The Mark of Athena (2012): The Greek and Roman demigods finally unite. Annabeth Chase takes center stage as she leads a tense mission to Rome to follow the ancient, dangerous Mark of Athena and find the Athena Parthenos, hoping to heal the rift between the two factions.
- The House of Hades (2013): The darkest entry in the series follows Percy and Annabeth as they struggle to survive the nightmarish depths of Tartarus. Meanwhile, the remaining demigods aboard the Argo II must travel through Greece to reach the Doors of Death from the mortal side.
- The Blood of Olympus (2014): The final showdown. The seven demigods must stop the Giants from spilling demigod blood at Athens, which would wake Gaia, while Reyna, Nico, and Coach Hedge race to transport the Athena Parthenos back to Camp Half-Blood to prevent war between the camps.
Chronological Placement of Companion Books
Rick Riordan has released several companion guidebooks and short story anthologies that expand on the events of the main series. While they can be skipped, they offer fun context for hardcore fans.
The Demigod Diaries (2012)
This collection contains four short stories, diary entries, and puzzles. Because some stories take place at different points in the timeline, placement can be tricky:
- The Diary of Luke Castellan is a prequel set years before the start of The Lightning Thief, showing Luke and Thalia's early travels.
- Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes is set in the month between the end of The Last Olympian and the start of The Lost Hero.
- Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford takes place at Camp Half-Blood during the build-up to the Argo II's departure, making it fall chronologically between The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune.
- The Son of Magic is written by Rick Riordan's son, Haley Riordan, and introduces Alabaster Torrington, a demigod who fought on Kronos's side.
Recommendation: To avoid spoilers regarding character dynamics and powers, read this collection after finishing The Blood of Olympus, or at the earliest, after The Mark of Athena.
Camp Half-Blood Confidential (2017)
Written as a welcome guide for new campers, this book features humorous commentary, history lessons, and safety tips from Percy, Annabeth, Nico, and Chiron. It was published during the release of the sequel series, The Trials of Apollo. Because it references events that occur throughout the entire fight against Gaia, you should wait until you have finished The Blood of Olympus to read it.
The Heroes of Olympus Graphic Novels
For visual learners or fans looking to revisit the story in a new medium, the series has been adapted into graphic novels by Robert Venditti, featuring artwork from various illustrators. The graphic novels follow the exact same plot as the prose books:
- The Lost Hero: The Graphic Novel (2014)
- The Son of Neptune: The Graphic Novel (2017)
- The Mark of Athena: The Graphic Novel (2019)
What to Know Before You Start: Greek vs. Roman
The core concept of The Heroes of Olympus is the duality of the gods. In the Percy Jackson universe, the Greek gods migrated to America, but they also possess Roman aspects representing discipline, military order, and conquest. The series introduces Camp Jupiter in California, where Roman demigods train, contrasting with the more relaxed, Greek-inspired Camp Half-Blood in New York. The tension between these two cultures—and how the seven chosen heroes must bridge the gap—drives the entire narrative. The series also shifts from Percy's first-person perspective to a third-person limited perspective, rotating between different demigods to give readers a broader view of the conflict.
What to Read Next: The Trials of Apollo
Once you finish The Blood of Olympus, the story continues directly in The Trials of Apollo series, starting with The Hidden Oracle. This five-book series focuses on the god Apollo, who has been stripped of his divinity by Zeus and cast down to earth as a mortal teenager named Lester Papadopoulos. He must seek out ancient Oracles to restore his godhood, with the help of various demigods from both camps. Reading The Heroes of Olympus is mandatory to understand where the characters end up at the start of Apollo's trials.