So last week I finished rereading Percy Jackson for like the fourth time and hit that dreaded wall again. You know the one – where you’re just craving more monsters, gods messing with humans, and kids who find out they’re something special. Felt totally stuck, staring at my bookshelf like it owed me money.
Starting the Hunt (aka Googling Like Mad)
First thing I did? Slammed my laptop open and typed “books like percy jackson” like my life depended on it. Scroll, scroll, scroll. Found lists alright – tons of ’em! But man, everyone seemed to recommend the same ten things. Felt kinda repetitive, you know? Needed more depth.
Digging Deeper & Making Rules
Decided I needed a system. Grabbed a notebook – real old-school. Scribbled down what makes Percy Jackson work for me:
- Relatable kid heroes: Not adults, not tiny kids. Teens figuring stuff out.
- Mythology or magic thrown in our world: Hidden worlds, gods ordering pizza, magic libraries under NYC.
- Funny stuff: Riordan’s humor is key. Needed that snark, that lightness.
- Series preferred: Gotta settle in for the long haul, not just a quick fling.
These became my checklist. No checklist? Forget about it, I’d get lost.
The Actual Reading Test Drive
This part took weeks. Seriously, my couch became my permanent office. Went through stacks of books. Some winners, some total snoozers.
Started with the obvious ones people always shout about. The Kane Chronicles – yeah, Egyptian gods in New York! Solid. Magnus Chase – Norse gods and Boston. Fun, but different vibes. Then branched out. The Heroes of Olympus sequels? Duh, obviously included.
Tried stuff off the beaten path. Picked up one with Celtic legends involving falcons or something? Total misfire. Quit after 50 pages. Scratched it off the list hard. Another one about Arthurian kids got super dark super quick. Too grim. Next!
Found some gems though! That Artemis Fowl kid? Clever little dude messing with fairies. Techy magic fun. Almost skipped one cause the cover looked cheesy (Fablehaven, anyone?), but gave it a shot. Hidden magical sanctuary? Messy, dangerous secrets? Loved it! Added it quick.
Building the Final List (with Headaches)
Narrowing it down was painful. Felt like choosing between my theoretical children. Needed variety. Some heavier, some lighter, different mythologies. Made myself pick just 12. Argued with myself. “Is that Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians kid weird enough? Absolutely! That weirdness is gold.” Settled on a mix – Egyptian, Norse, Greek again, Irish stuff, some totally made-up magic worlds. Made sure they all had that “normal kid finds out they’re crazy special” energy.
Done… For Now
Finally stacked my top 12 in a list order that made some kind of sense. Still feels a bit weird leaving some out, but hey, gotta draw the line somewhere. Wrote up little blurbs for each, trying hard to capture why each one scratched that Percy itch without spoiling the good bits.
Biggest lesson learned? You gotta filter those online lists through your own needs. And always, always read a sample chapter! Saved me from a few duds. Still thinking about adding maybe that weird one with clockwork birds someone mentioned… but later. My brain needs a break from ancient prophecies. For a day.