Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan is an American author whose Percy Jackson series brought Greek mythology to life for young readers, creating one of the most beloved children's fantasy franchises of the century.

Rick Riordan created Percy Jackson almost accidentally — originally inventing the character to help his dyslexic, ADHD son engage with mythology. The result was The Lightning Thief, which launched a series that has sold hundreds of millions of copies and introduced classical mythology to an entire generation of young readers. The five Percy Jackson books, culminating with The Last Olympian, follow the half-blood son of Poseidon through escalating battles with Greek monsters and Olympian politics, with humor, action, and genuine heart woven throughout.

Riordan writes with an instinctive understanding of middle-grade sensibilities. Percy’s voice is funny without being arch, the mythology is adapted with care and creativity, and the books are genuinely educational without feeling like it. The series handles dyslexia and ADHD not as limitations but as traits that are reframed as divine gifts — a messaging decision that has resonated deeply with many young readers. By the time readers reach The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian, the series has built into something emotionally satisfying.

Adult readers may find the prose thin and the plotting mechanical compared to more literary fantasy. But that misses the point. As children’s fiction — pacy, funny, mythologically rich, and inclusive — the Percy Jackson series is exceptional, and its influence on how young people relate to classical literature is difficult to overstate.