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Quick answer: If you loved The Last Olympian, read Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief and The Lost Hero, then Fablehaven, Keeper of the Lost Cities, The Wizards of Once and Wings of Fire. All are action-packed myth and fantasy adventures about young heroes with big destinies.
Rick Riordan's 2009 novel is the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, in which Percy and the demigods defend New York against the Titan lord Kronos in a battle for Olympus. It is fast, funny and emotional. The books below offer more Riordan and similar quests for readers who want more.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Sea of Monsters | Rick Riordan | Ages 9-14 | the second book |
| The Lost Hero | Rick Riordan | Ages 10-14 | Heroes of Olympus |
| The Sword of Summer | Rick Riordan | Ages 10-14 | Norse myth |
| The Red Pyramid | Rick Riordan | Ages 10-14 | Egyptian myth |
| Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief | Rick Riordan | 9-13 | myth adventures |
| Fablehaven | Brandon Mull | 9-13 | creature adventures |
| Keeper of the Lost Cities | Shannon Messenger | 9–13 | long series |
| The Wizards of Once | Cressida Cowell | Ages 8-12 | wild fantasy |
| Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy | Tui T. Sutherland | 8-12 | dragon tribes |
| Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | J.K. Rowling | 8–12 | school fantasy |
| Nevermoor | Jessica Townsend | 9-13 | readers who like magic school stories |
| Artemis Fowl | Eoin Colfer | Ages 10-14 | fairy heists |
| Skulduggery Pleasant | Derek Landy | Ages 11-16 | funny and dark |
| The School for Good and Evil | Soman Chainani | 9–13 | fairy-tale school |
| Magyk | Angie Sage | Ages 8-12 | wizards and castles |
1. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Percy and his friends sail into the Sea of Monsters. Funny and fast.
Best for: the second book.
2. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
A new group of demigods meets Percy's old world. Big, long and satisfying.
Best for: Heroes of Olympus.
3. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
A homeless teen learns he is the son of a Norse god. Funny and warm.
Best for: Norse myth.
4. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Two siblings carry the spirit of ancient gods. Adventurous and quick.
Best for: Egyptian myth.
5. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy learns he is a demigod. Funny and fast.
Best for: myth adventures.
6. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Kendra and Seth find that their grandparents' estate is a sanctuary for magical creatures. A fun series.
Best for: creature adventures.
7. Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Sophie learns she is an elf with hidden talents. Big series, big mystery.
Best for: long series.
8. The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
A young wizard and a warrior girl meet in an ancient forest. Funny and illustrated.
Best for: wild fantasy.
9. Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland
Five young dragons are raised to end a war between tribes. Popular and fast.
Best for: dragon tribes.
10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
An orphan discovers he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts. The model for modern fantasy.
Best for: school fantasy.
11. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
Morrigan Crow escapes a curse and joins the Wundrous Society in Nevermoor. Fun and fast.
Best for: readers who like magic school stories.
12. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
A boy genius kidnaps a fairy. Clever and high-tech.
Best for: fairy heists.
13. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
A teenage girl teams with a wisecracking skeleton detective. Sharp humour and action.
Best for: funny and dark.
14. The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
Two girls are taken to a school that trains fairy-tale heroes and villains, and each lands in the wrong place. Darker and bigger.
Best for: fairy-tale school.
15. Magyk by Angie Sage
The seventh son of a seventh son and a missing princess drive this tale of wizards. Whimsical.
Best for: wizards and castles.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Last Olympian: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Last Olympian. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
To keep going with Riordan read The Sea of Monsters, The Lost Hero or The Sword of Summer. For other quests choose Fablehaven, Keeper of the Lost Cities or Wings of Fire. For humour pick The Wizards of Once or Skulduggery Pleasant. For school-based magic read Harry Potter or The School for Good and Evil. Percy Jackson is a series, so reading in order is best. Riordan wrote the first book as bedtime stories for his son, who had ADHD and dyslexia, which is why Percy shares these traits. The series is also available as audiobooks, narrated by Jesse Bernstein.
Related: The Last Thing He Told Me Ending Explained · The Last Thing He Told Me Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Last Olympian about?
The final battle between the demigods and the Titan lord Kronos at New York's Olympus.
Who wrote it?
Rick Riordan.
When was it published?
2009.
Do I need to read the others first?
Yes, it is the fifth and final book of the series.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, a streaming adaptation. Check current listings.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 9 to 14.
Is there a sequel series?
Yes, The Heroes of Olympus and The Trials of Apollo.
What should I read next?
Try The Lost Hero or The Sea of Monsters.
Which book here is best for Egyptian myth?
Try The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, which suits readers looking for Egyptian myth.