Richard Russell Riordan Jr., better known as Rick Riordan, is an acclaimed American author, born on June 5, 1964. He is widely recognized for his work on the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. His books have been translated into forty-two languages and have sold over thirty million copies in the United States alone.

The success of his first series led to movie adaptations by 20th Century Fox, though Riordan was not involved in their production. However, he is currently a co-creator and executive producer for the television adaptation on Disney+, released in 2023. Riordan's works have expanded into other media, including graphic novels and short stories.

Rick Riordan's debut novel was Big Red Tequila, which began the Tres Navarre series. His breakthrough came with The Lightning Thief (2005), the first of a five-volume series, where contemporary teens are placed in a Greco-Roman mythological storyline. Riordan has since penned The Heroes of Olympus (a sequel to Percy Jackson), The Kane Chronicles (focused on Egyptian mythology), and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (focused on Norse mythology).

Additionally, he contributed to the development of The 39 Clues series by Scholastic, writing the first book, The Maze of Bones. In 2021, he released Daughter of the Deep, and in collaboration with Mark Oshiro, published The Sun and the Star in 2023.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Riordan taught English and history in middle schools for fifteen years. His contributions to the mystery genre with the Tres Navarre series won him prestigious awards including the Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus.

Rick Riordan now resides in Boston with his wife and two sons, dedicating himself to writing and overseeing adaptations of his works.