Rick Riordan author page

Rick Riordan biography

Rick Riordan is an American author born on 5 June 1964 in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in English and History and later earned a teaching certificate from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Riordan taught middle school English and history for fifteen years before becoming a full-time writer.

Riordan’s first published novel was Big Red Tequila (1997), the first in the Tres Navarre mystery series. He gained international recognition with The Lightning Thief (2005), the opening book of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, which integrates Greek mythology into modern adventure. The series comprises five books, concluding with The Last Olympian (2009).

He expanded his mythological scope with the Heroes of Olympus series (2010–2014), focusing on Roman mythology, followed by the Kane Chronicles (2010–2012), centred on Egyptian mythology. The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series (2015–2017) explores Norse mythology. Riordan also authored the Trials of Apollo series (2016–2020).

In 2023, Riordan co-authored The Sun and the Star with Mark Oshiro, a companion novel in the Camp Half-Blood universe. He also published The Chalice of the Gods (2023) and Wrath of the Triple Goddess (2024), both additions to the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series.

His books have been translated into over 40 languages with more than 190 million copies sold worldwide. Riordan served as executive producer on the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which premiered in December 2023 and was renewed for a second season in 2024. The series won Outstanding Young Teen Series at the 3rd Children’s and Family Emmy Awards.