Rick Riordan – Author Biography
Early Life
Rick Riordan was born on June 5, 1964, in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in English and history, then earned a teaching certificate and spent fifteen years as a middle-school English and social studies teacher in Texas and California. His classroom experience — telling stories to keep restless students engaged — became the foundation of his writing voice.
Career
Riordan first published adult mystery novels featuring private investigator Tres Navarre, beginning with Big Red Tequila (1997), which won the Shamus and Anthony awards. But his breakthrough came from his son Haley, who had been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia and asked his father to tell him bedtime stories about Greek myths. Riordan invented Percy Jackson, a dyslexic twelve-year-old who discovers he is a modern-day demigod. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2005) launched one of the bestselling children’s series of all time. Riordan left teaching in 2002 to write full time and has since built the “Riordanverse” — interconnected series covering Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse mythology — while also launching the Rick Riordan Presents imprint to publish diverse mythologies by other authors.
Major Works
Percy Jackson & the Olympians (five books, 2005–2009), The Heroes of Olympus (five books, 2010–2014), The Kane Chronicles (Egyptian mythology), Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (Norse mythology), The Trials of Apollo, and the Nico di Angelo adventures. With more than 190 million copies sold worldwide, he is among the bestselling children’s authors in history. The Disney+ Percy Jackson series (2023) brought the books to a new generation.
Writing Style and Themes
Riordan writes in a fast, funny first-person voice packed with snarky asides, cliffhanger chapters, and mythology made accessible. His signature move is reframing ancient myths as living, modern adventures — ADHD and dyslexia become signs of demigod battle reflexes. Recurring themes include found family, loyalty, the weight of prophecy, and ordinary kids rising to mythic challenges. His books are deliberately inclusive, with heroes of many backgrounds, abilities, and identities.
Legacy
Riordan did for mythology what J.K. Rowling did for magic schools: he made ancient stories feel urgently alive for young readers. His books are credited with turning reluctant readers into lifelong ones, and the Rick Riordan Presents imprint has opened doors for underrepresented voices in middle-grade fiction. He has won the Children’s Choice Book of the Year and the Stonewall Book Award, among many honors.
