There are unfortunately still some people who think that reading books that were intended for children after you are a child is something wrong or weird.
But of course, as those of us who can appreciate a good book when we read one know, the intended audience has nothing to do with how enjoyable a book can be.
Of course, we should all just be reading what we want to, and be able to move past the recommended age if that is part of the process.
A perfect example of this is Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series.
Riordan has created an expansive world that you will not want to leave, but unfortunately, it is finite, and there are only so many books in this series to enjoy. If you already know what books make up the Riordanverse, then you know what we mean.
However, if you are looking for something similar to fill the void after catching up with Percy Jackson, or you want a break from binging the series to try something different, then you are in the right place.
This guide is focused on books like Percy Jackson for kids but are focused on some more mature themes which are appropriate for an adult audience.
Books Like Percy Jackson
OUR TOP PICK
EDITORS CHOICE
BEST VALUE
Babel, Or The Necessity Of Violence – R.F. Kuang
OUR TOP PICK
American Gods – Neil Gaiman
This is one you have probably heard of already, a Neil Gaiman story that has some loyal followers of its own.
This story follows Shadow, who is an ex-convict and while he was in prison, everything he thought he knew has crumbled around him.
During this time his wife was murdered and there is now a war brewing between gods which is now impacting the life of mortals in weird ways.
He suddenly gets offered a job by a stranger which he willingly accepts not thinking he has anything to lose.
As mentioned, this is one of Gaiman’s most well received titles and it was then adapted into a series by Starz.
This was received with a bit more mixed reception than the book and lasted for 3 seasons. It also has a comic adaptation by Dark Horse as well.
The combination of mystery and mythology is perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson series! Gods are always at odds with each other, and this is most obvious in Riordan’s works. If you don’t know which gods are in Percy Jackson, then you’re in for a wild journey!
EDITORS CHOICE
Ariadne – Jennifer Saint
If you’re looking for adult fiction books that specifically focus on the Greek mythology, then this offering by Saint is one you are going to want to look out for.
This story follows the life of the Princess of Crete as well as her brother being the Minotaur.
She is responsible for helping Theseus the Prince of Athens kill her sibling but she isn’t set free after this in the way she would have hoped.
The story of the Minotaur has already been covered quite a few times with plenty of adaptations — Percy Jackson being one one of them. Curious about who the main characters in Percy Jackson are? A Minotaur is among them!
The name of Ariadne might be recognizable to certain fans of Greek mythology, however, the way Saint portrays this often overlooked character of the story, as well as her younger sister Phaedra is the perfect way to adapt this story to keep it fresh.
BEST VALUE
Babel, Or The Necessity Of Violence – R.F. Kuang
In this story we see Professor Lovell take the orphan Robin Swift from Canton all the way to London back in 1828 to help them study Chinese and Latin, as well as Ancient Greek.
Why? The hopes of preparing them for the Royal Institute of Translation that is hosted by Oxford University.
This is also called Babel and it is an institute known for being not just the global center for translation, but also the center for magic as well.
They use the art of manifesting meaning by using enchanted silver bars that were amassed by Britain through their powers of colonization.
However, there is also the Hermes Society who is trying to stop this imperial expansion from growing any more.
Then there is a war between Britain and China caused by the need for opium and silver, Robin is given the choice to serve their home country or to betray the imperial power that has raised him.
There are no gods in this story, but the humans are capable of doing plenty of damage themselves.
RUNNER UP
Between Earth And Sky Trilogy – Rebecca Roanhorse
The first story in Roanhorse’s trilogy is Black Sun and this is a story that begins with a prophecy: “A god will return / When the earth and sky converge / Under the black sun.”
The Winter Solstice is usually a celebration in the city of Tova, however, this is the year wherein it will overlap with a solar eclipse.
And this is when the Sun Priest says that the world will be knocked off balance.
This adds more pressure to a ship from a far off city that is set to arrive on the same day.
The disgraced captain Teek Xiala has a song able to calm water or even warp the mind of a man.
But there is also the seemingly harmless Serapio as well.
This is a trilogy that takes influence from plenty of Native American mythos, as well as stories that come from pre-Colombian civilizations as well, like the Mayans and the Aztecs too.
This is an epic about power, combined with the individual struggle.
It combines themes about what it is like to exist in a society that is against you, and it is also one of the best fantasy books from a BIPOC author too.
RUNNER UP
Circe – Madeline Miller
This story follows Circe who is a witch that has the power to turn enemies into monsters, monsters that can harm even the gods.
Of course, this threatens Zeus who chooses to exile her to her own desert island.
But here she is able to hone her abilities as well as tame beasts making her even more powerful.
She is supposed to be alone there, however, she ends up meeting plenty of other famous figures from Greek mythology like Medea, Odysseus, the Minotaur, and Daedalus with Icarus too.
The fate of Circe is not one which is easy to avoid as she is tasked with having to protect herself when she is pitted against a vengeful Olympian.
She is given the choice of joining the gods, a group with whom she belongs since she is the daughter of Helios the Titan, or the humans who she has grown fond of.
We follow Circe as a witch who is complex and has her entire narrative contained in this standalone.
RUNNER UP
The Dark Star Trilogy – Marlon James
This trilogy by James is a massive fantasy epic focused on following African mythology.
The first story is called Black Leopard, Red Wolf and this follows a hunter who is called Tracker.
Tracker is hired to find a boy who vanished 3 years ago.
Tracker is accustomed to working alone, but the nature of the case means that he has to work with a massive search party.
This party is full of bizarre characters, however, the one who catches their attention the most is Leopard who is a shape-shifter.
The group travel far, but the further they go, the more creatures they find who pose a threat to them.
The boy who they are looking for is special according to the group, but Tracker is not privy to these details, and he wants to work out why, especially when it comes to be vital for his survival.
There are monsters as well as gods afoot and Tracker is reminded that survival means looking after yourself.
RUNNER UP
Elektra – Jennifer Saint
We follow Elektra who is the youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon who are the Queen and King.
Her father ends up betraying her mother right before the Trojan War, and now Clytemnestra has to deal with the family curse they were choosing to ignore.
Elektra is hoping that she is able to bring her father back from war, a war that is continuing to claim more and more lives.
This character is an infamous heroine from Greek mythology, so getting to see Saint’s adaptation of her is amazing.
Summary
Hopefully this guide has shown you just how many books are amazing to read that are similar to the Percy Jackson series.
The Percy Jackson series is incredibly popular, and a lot of the authors who grew up reading the earlier entries in this series are now writing books clearly inspired by it.
This means we will just start to see more and more books that are inspired by Riordan’s works coming throughout the years.
And there’s an entire pantheon-worth of Riordan’s works to take inspiration from. One does not simply ask how many Percy Jackson books are there without expecting upwards of 15-20!
I have been reading books for as long as I can remember, and have fallen deeply in love with more books than I can count!
With this site, I hope that you can find a novel to get you out of a reading slump, or to get you hooked on a series. So, pick up one of our recommendations today. I promise you that you won’t regret it!
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