Five Things We Love About Rick Riordan: From The Thoughts Of A Long-Suffering Olympian

The genius, the author, the hero: Rick Riordan

“Someone on Instagram asked what Percy Jackson fans are called. I believe the correct term is ‘long-suffering.’” – Rick Riordan

Truer words have never been said. The man who spoke this quote has made us laugh: he made us laugh to the point where we spew the drink from our mouths, till tears of joy stream down our eyes, till we’re so distracted from reality, that the sudden calling of someone asking why we’re laughing seems to break a spell in which we were under. This man also left us gasping in shock, screaming after a huge 360 degree plot twist, crying in grief at the death of yet another beloved character, and so much more just in the span of a few short chapters. Rick Riordan has indeed left us long-suffering. Without further ado, here are the five things we love about the man, so deservingly titled ‘the storyteller of the gods”.

1. He makes the best cliffhangers

Now, now, you may be thinking what is there to love about this?? However, no matter how much you ranted, and wept, and screamed – admit it. Percy and Annabeth falling into Tartarus at the end of The Mark of Athena, was the best plot twist of this century. It left us so wrecked with anxiety and emotion that fans agonized over the long wait till the next book, which is exactly what the perfect cliffhanger should do. 

Leo Valdez. I'll love him till the ends of the Earth.

Also, may I mention the one where Leo died… and for a brief period of time we thought that he was dead? I almost didn’t finish the rest of the book after that one. But, then taaadaaa! Leo’s alive and all is right again in the world.

2. His books feel incredibly real… and make us truly feel like demigods

From the minute I read the first page of The Lightning Thief I knew that I was hooked. There was a very distinct ‘before’ and ‘after’ in my life; there was no going back. From the second I read that page, Rick had already made me feel like a demigod. Throughout the next few books this feeling exponentially increased, to the point where I almost always chose one of his novels to dive into the world of Camp Jupiter or Camp Half-Blood. For me, and billions of others besides, his novels became an incredible fictional reality.

3. He created Percy Jackson

This man whipped up the funniest, most ridiculous, powerful and caring character in the history of fictional characters. Really, does any more need to be said? He made Percy Jackson! We can’t even imagine a world without Percy Jackson.

Percy Jackson

4. Mythology would have never been as fun without Rick

Eight or so years ago, when the first of the Olympian novels came out, we lived in a world where mythology was nowhere near as enjoyable as it is now among children and young-adults. Rick’s novels played a huge role in changing that. He will forever be regarded in novel history as the man who popularized the age old myths of the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse – and several new ones which I can’t remember – gods.

All our favorites in the same frame :)

5. Few can make characters who are as alive as Rick’s

Among the trillions of fictional characters out there, there are only few that stick in our mind: Harry, Ron and Hermione by J. K. Rowling, Heathcliff by Charlotte Bronte, Tris and Tobias from Divergent, Rhys and Feyre from ACOWAR… and of course Percy Jackson, Leo Valdez, Annabeth Chase and the dozens of other characters we know and love from Rick Riordan. We all have a favorite demigod in mind, someone we relate and love and do not want Rick killing off. This level of dedication can only be inspire by the one and only, Rick Riordan.

Are you among the tiny minority who haven’t read a Riordan book yet? Well, what are you waiting before?! Be sure to take a look at my review on The Burning Maze, the third book in The Trials of Apollo series, before you make up your mind.