Books Like Percy Jackson
More Rick Riordan first: The Kane Chronicles (Egyptian mythology), Magnus Chase (Norse mythology), The Trials of Apollo — all set in the same world with the same energy.
Best step up for older readers: American Gods (Gaiman) — mythology in the modern world, but for adults. The Song of Achilles for literary Greek mythology.
Best for younger readers: The Alchemyst (Scott), Aru Shah (Chokshi), Anansi Boys (Gaiman).
More Rick Riordan — Same World, Different Mythology
The Kane Chronicles — Rick Riordan
Siblings Carter and Sadie Kane discover they are descended from Egyptian pharaohs and can channel Egyptian gods. Riordan's Egyptian trilogy has the same rapid-fire pace, mythology-made-modern humour, and quest structure as Percy Jackson. Shares the same universe — crossover short stories exist. Start with The Red Pyramid.
Start with The Red Pyramid →Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard — Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase — a homeless teenager in Boston — discovers he's the son of a Norse god and gets swept into preventing Ragnarok. Riordan's Norse trilogy introduces Magnus, who is Annabeth Chase's cousin (connecting to the Percy universe). Same formula, brilliant Norse mythology deployment. Features one of YA fiction's first non-binary characters. Three books; all published.
Start with The Sword of Summer →The Heroes of Olympus — Rick Riordan
The direct follow-up to Percy Jackson — merging Greek and Roman demigod worlds. Percy, Annabeth, and new characters must prevent Gaea from rising. Read after the original five Percy Jackson books. The series is beloved by fans though slightly less focused than the original. Start with The Lost Hero.
Start with The Lost Hero →Same Age, Different Author — Best Alternatives
Aru Shah and the End of Time — Roshani Chokshi
Twelve-year-old Aru accidentally awakens a demon and discovers she's a reincarnation of one of the five Pandava brothers. Published under Riordan's imprint for diverse mythology, this series captures the exact Percy Jackson energy — fast, funny, mythology-dense — while drawing on the Mahabharata. Four books; complete. One of the standout entries in the Riordan Presents line.
Start with Book 1 →The Alchemyst — Michael Scott
Twins Sophie and Josh discover their employer is Nicholas Flamel — and that the myths and legends of every culture are real. Scott blends Greek, Celtic, Egyptian, Japanese, and dozens of other mythologies into one quest spanning six books. More densely plotted than Percy Jackson; draws on real historical figures (Machiavelli, Shakespeare, Billy the Kid as immortals). Six books; complete.
Start with The Alchemyst →Ranger's Apprentice — John Flanagan
Will is an orphan who becomes apprentice to a mysterious Ranger in a medieval kingdom. No mythology — pure quest-and-adventure. For Percy Jackson fans who want the propulsive action and coming-of-age arc without the gods. Flanagan writes short chapters with momentum that matches Riordan. Twelve main books plus the Brotherband Chronicles spinoff (six books); all complete.
Start with Book 1 →The Inheritance Cycle — Christopher Paolini
Farm boy Eragon finds a dragon egg and is swept into a rebellion against an evil king. Paolini wrote Eragon at 15. The series draws heavily on Tolkien and Star Wars but has genuine world-building and a loyal fanbase. Longer and more epic in tone than Percy Jackson — closer to Harry Potter in feel. Four books; Murtagh (2023) continues the world.
Start with Eragon →Step Up — For Older Readers Who Loved Percy
American Gods — Neil Gaiman
Ex-convict Shadow Moon is recruited by the god Odin — travelling across America's forgotten roadside shrines where old gods cling to existence against new gods of technology and media. Gaiman's mythology-in-the-modern-world novel is what Percy Jackson fans grow into. Darker, literary, and haunting — but the core concept (mythology walking among us) is identical. The natural step up for 16+ readers.
View on Amazon →Anansi Boys — Neil Gaiman
Fat Charlie Nancy discovers his estranged father was Anansi — the spider trickster god — and that he has a brother who inherited the godly powers. Gaiman's most accessible mythology novel — warmer and funnier than American Gods. Standalone; no need to read American Gods first. For Percy Jackson fans ready for something more adult without losing the humour.
View on Amazon →The Song of Achilles — Madeline Miller
The Trojan War told through the relationship of Achilles and his companion Patroclus. Miller's debut is the literary Greek mythology novel — for Percy Jackson fans who want the gods and heroes of the original myths, written beautifully for adults. Orange Prize winner. Circe (2018) is equally good, following the witch of the Odyssey.
View on Amazon →Circe — Madeline Miller
The minor witch of the Odyssey gets her own story — banished to her island, discovering her powers, and encountering Odysseus, Daedalus, and the Minotaur along the way. Miller reimagines Greek mythology with modern psychological depth. Circe outsold The Song of Achilles — start with either; both stand alone. The natural adult landing point for readers who loved Percy's world.
View on Amazon →More Mythology-Based Fantasy
Daughter of the Moon Goddess — Sue Lynn Tan
Xingyin, daughter of the Moon Goddess Chang'e, embarks on a quest across the Celestial Kingdom drawing on Chinese mythology. Tan writes with the quest-adventure structure of Percy Jackson and the literary quality of Madeline Miller — a rare combination. The duology is complete (Heart of the Sun Warrior is Book 2). For readers who want mythology beyond the Greek and Norse traditions.
View on Amazon →The Sword of Kaigen — M.L. Wang
A warrior woman in a Japanese-inspired fantasy world discovers her family's hidden history. Wang's self-published novel became one of the most acclaimed fantasy debuts of the 2010s by word-of-mouth alone. More character-driven than Percy Jackson but shares the mythology-as-worldbuilding DNA. For older Percy fans ready for something more emotionally demanding.
View on Amazon →Finished all of Rick Riordan's books? The reading order across all his mythology series: Percy Jackson (5) → Heroes of Olympus (5) → Kane Chronicles (3) → Magnus Chase (3) → Trials of Apollo (5) → The Sun and the Star (with Mark Oshiro, 2023). That's 22 books — several years of reading.