Rick Riordan Presents

The logo for the imprint.

Rick Riordan Presents is an imprint series within Disney Publishing Worldwide. The imprint features books that are connected to ancient myths in the modern day, much like Rick Riordan's books, with a few exceptions.

Riordan had confirmed that the books were set in a distinct universe from his and he merely edited the books and wrote the introduction, for which he was paid a nominal fee by Disney. The imprint allows other authors to explore their cultural myths in the modern day and aims to bring them to the attention of Riordan's audience by being associated with his name.

Development

Rick Riordan was initially approached by Disney to create his own imprint series, which would be an extension of his Percy Jackson universe. The author, who was writing on a deadline at the time, was too busy to consider the idea and did not respond.

After giving thought to the matter, he later reported that he agreed with the creation of an imprint series, however, it would not be an extension of his world, instead, the imprint's primary purpose would be to bring other aspiring writers to the attention of Riordan's audience by using his brand name.

Selection Criteria

All the books in the imprint series are children's books that focus on mythology in the modern age, with a few exceptions. All submissions to Rick Riordan Presents are made through literary agents and sent to the attention of Stephanie Lurie, Riordan's editor. The final decision will be taken by Riordan, who will review proposals and manuscripts and also serve as editor for the acquired projects. The books and the authors will also be promoted by Riordan through his social media accounts and appearances.

Books by different authors can focus on the same mythology, such as Yoon Ha Lee's Dragon Pearl and Graci Kim's The Last Fallen Star, which are both centered on Korean mythology.

The imprint hopes to publish four books per year. Two books were released in 2018, five were published in 2019, six in 2020 have been published, five are planned for 2021 with one being released already, and six are planned for 2022. Five books are planned for 2023, and one for 2024.

Series and Stand-Alone Novels

Pandava Quintet by Roshani Chokshi (Hindu Mythology)

• Aru Shah and the End of Time (March 27, 2018)
• Aru Shah and the Song of Death (April 16, 2019)
• Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes  (April 7, 2020)
• Aru Shah and the City of Gold (April 6, 2021)
• Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality (April 2022)

Storm Runner Trilogy by Jennifer C. Cervantes (Maya and Aztec Mythology)

• The Storm Runner (September 18, 2018)
• The Fire Keeper (September 3, 2019)
• The Shadow Crosser (September 1, 2020)

Throne of Sand Duology by Jennifer C. Cervantes (Aztec Mythology, spin-off of Storm Runner Trilogy)

• Throne of Sand (2022)
• Untitled sequel (2023)

Thousand Worlds series by Yoon ha Lee (Korean mythology)

• Dragon Pearl (January 15, 2019)
• Tiger Honor (2022)

Sal & Gabi Duology by Carlos Hernandez (sci-fi and Cuban culture)

• Sal & Gabi Break the Universe (March 5, 2019)
• Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe (May 5, 2020)

Tristan Strong Trilogy by Kwame Mbalia (West African/African American Mythology)

• Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (October 15, 2019)
• Tristan Strong Destroys the World (October 6, 2020)
• Tristan Strong Keeps Punching (Fall 2021)

Paola Santiago series by Tehlor Kay Mejia (Mexican Mythology) 

• Paola Santiago and the River of Tears (August 4th, 2020)
• Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares (August 3rd, 2021)
• Untitled sequel

The Gifted Clans series by Graci Kim (Korean Mythology)

• The Last Fallen Star (May 4, 2021)
• The Last Fallen Moon (Summer 2022)
• Untitled sequel (2023)

Serwa Boateng series by Roseanne A. Brown (Ghanaian Mythology)

• Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting (summer 2022)
• Untitled sequel (2023)

Outlaw Saints by Daniel José Older (Santeria Mythology)

• Ballad & Dagger (2022)
• Untitled sequel (2023)

Winston Chu Duology by Stacey Lee (Chinese Mythology)

• Winston Chu Versus the Whimsies (fall 2022)
• Untitled sequel (2023)

Moko Magic Duology by Tracey Baptiste (Caribbean Mythology)

• Moko Magic (2023)
• Untitled sequel (2024)

Stand-alone Novels

• Race to the Sun (January 14, 2020) by Rebecca Roanhorse (Navajo Mythology)
• City of the Plague God (January 5, 2021) by Sarwat Chadda (Mesopotamian Mythology)
• Pahua and the Soul Stealer (September 7, 2021) by Lori M. Lee (Hmong Mythology)

Others

• The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories About Mythic Heroes (September 28th, 2021) by Roshani Chokshi, J.C. Cervantes, Yoon ha Lee, Carlos Hernandez, Kwame Mbalia, Rebecca Roanhorse, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Sarwat Chadda, Graci Kim, and Rick Riordan (Hindu, Maya, Aztec, Korean, Cuban, African-American, West African, Navajo, Mexican, Mesopotamian, and Celtic Mythology)

References and Similarities to Rick Riordan's Work

Pandava Quintet

Aru Shah and the End of Time

• When first going into the Night Bazaar, Aru Shah said "Dude, these are my feet. It's not like I'm hiding cloven hooves." This is a nod to Grover Underwood who hides his Satyr hooves with fake feet.
• When entering Karma & Sins in the Kingdom of Death, Mini mentioned Egyptian Mythology when Aru mentions a hippo that chomps on people.

Aru Shah and the Song of Death

• Agni told the Pandavas that good things happen to bad people. An example of this is Minos who became a judge of the dead despite all the bad things he had done.
• The plot of the book is similar to the plot of The Lightning Thief.

Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

• The electric daggers of the Maruts are similar to the Electric Spears used by Clarisse La Rue in the Camp Half-Blood series.

Aru Shah and the City of Gold

• Aru Shah mentions seeing a copy of a book she doesn't recognize called Sal & Gabi Break the Universe on a shelf. This is a reference to a real-world book by Carlos Hernandez, which also happens to be a Rick Riordan Presents book. (Interestingly, there is also a reference to the Aru Shah books in Sal & Gabi.)

Storm Runner Trilogy

The Storm Runner

• The Sacred Oath of the Mayan Gods is similar to the Oath of the Big Three.
• When Zane Obispo, Brooks and Hondo Obispo talk to Jazz in his shop, Hondo mentioned they are looking for gods "who ride motorcycles." This alludes to Ares.
  • Later on in the book, Nakon, the Mayan war god, is shown dressed as a biker which Zane called cliché.
• At the end of the book, Zane Obispo was shown writing the actual book. This is similar to what Carter and Sadie Kane did in The Kane Chronicles.

The Fire Keeper

• When Hondo Obispo mentioned Midas, Quinn said that the Greeks had nothing on the Maya. The latter were the first engineers, architects, and astronomers and they developed one of the most accurate calendar systems in human history. Zane awkwardly decided not to mention the Greeks anymore.
• Ixtab explained that the Mexica Gods went extinct after Hernán Cortés conquered the Mexica Empire. This is similar to what Apollo said about Emperor Theodosius evicting the Olympian gods by closing all the temples. Coincidentally, both Cortés and Theodosius converted the people to Christianity.

The Shadow Crosser

• Zane mentions that he can find other godborns with what he calls his “GPS”, or Godborn Positioning System, similar to Apollo’s remark about his Godly Positioning System.
  • In the same passing, he mentions how Iktan can track godborns, similar to how satyrs and monsters can track demigods in the main literary universe.

• When Zane reveals to the godborns that their parents are trapped in 1987, one of them suggests they overthrow the remaining gods and rule the universe in their place, this is similar to the ideology of Luke Castellan and the other demigods in the Titan Army.
• Though not a reference to Rick Riordan's work, Zane compared Quinn's crow shriek to La Llorona's.

Thousand Worlds series

Dragon Pearl

• Sujin had an invisibility cap just like Annabeth Chase.

Sal & Gabi Duology

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe

• During Adam Hoag's wedgie documentary, Sal Vidón described one types of Wedgie as "the Perseus wedgie", a wedgie mimicking the son of Zeus' decapitation of Medusa. This could refer to both Perseus and Percy Jackson, who both decapitated Medusa.
• When Sal and Principal Torres were playing around the cafeteria with bauta masks, they refer to each other as demigods.

Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe

• Although not a reference to Rick Riordan's work, Sal mentions having read Aru Shah and the End of Time.

Tristan Strong Trilogy

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

• The Thicket's ability to adapt to fit a growing number of occupations is similar to the way the Waystation works.
• The way the African American Gods became gods is similar to how Nero, Commodus, and Caligula became gods.
• High John's axe has the ability to fight on its own, similar to Sumarbrander.

Tristan Strong Destroys the World

• It's shown that gods like John Henry can slowly fade from the world when their Symbols of Power are stolen, much like how older gods and monsters in the PJO universe do when they're forgotten.
• Jollof Rice smelling different to everyone who smells it is similar to the different taste of who ever is eating or drinking Ambrosia and Nectar.

Paola Santiago series

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears

• Bruto is a friendly Chupacabra, a species known to kill livestock and drain them of blood, is similar to the tamed Hellhound Mrs. O'Leary.
• The Niños de la Luz not aging within the boundaries of their camp is similar to the the agelessness of the guests at the Lotus Hotel and Casino.

Stand-alone novels

Race to the Sun

• Mac Begay using his power over water to defend himself against Adrien Cuttlebush is similar to what Percy Jackson did with Clarisse La Rue in The Lightning Thief.
• When he, Nizhoni, and Davery set out to undertake their trials as they get to the House of the Sun, Mac wonders if they will have to face a Sphinx.
• When at the third trial, the prom of thorns, the prom attendants try to get Nizhoni and Davery to stay at the prom, similar to the Lotus Eaters at the Lotus Hotel and Casino.

City of the Plague God

• When Ishtar is showing Sikander Aziz her past, Achilles, Hector, and Helen of Troy are seen.

• When Belet Amari and Sikander go and look for Nergal, Sikander suggests that Belet disguise Kasusu as a pen since Kasusu can shape-shift. This is a reference to Percy Jackson's Riptide.
  • Kasusu is also capable of verbal communication, much like Sumarbrander.
• The Mesopotamian Gods, much like the Greco-Roman gods, can fade if they are starved at attention to prayer.

Gallery

Pandava Quintet

Aru Shah and the End of Time

Aru Shah and the Song of Death

Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

Aru Shah and the City of Gold

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Storm Runner Trilogy

The Storm Runner

“The Storm Runner” Alternative Cover

The Fire Keeper

The Shadow Crosser

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Sal & Gabi Duology

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe (Original Cover)

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe (Second Cover)

Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe

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Tristan Strong Trilogy

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Tristan Strong Destroys the World

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Paola Santiago series

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares

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The Gifted Clans series

The Last Fallen Star

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Stand-alone novels

Dragon Pearl

Race to the Sun

City of the Plague God

Pahua and the Soul Stealer

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Trivia

• Rick Riordan Presents titles cover genres outside the Urban Fantasy of the Rick Riordan's main series: Dragon Pearl is a Space Opera and the Sal & Gabi Duology is Sci-Fi.
• Riordan had once joked that he chose the first three authors of the series for three different reasons: Roshani Chokshi for his fans, who always asked him about stories based on Hindu mythology; Jennifer Cervantes, because her children loved his books; and Yoon Ha Lee because Riordan found a kindred spirit in him.
• For each release of a book under the imprint, ReadRiordan usually releases artwork for three or four of the main and/or major characters, but it can sometimes be more.
• Despite saying that Rick Riordan Presents will focus on other mythologies, some titles use the myths, folklore and culture more as backgrounds for the main story.
  • Dragon Pearl is set in a world where there is presumably no Earth, and never mentions any specific Korean myths. Instead, it transplants traditional Korean creatures and concepts into space, taking into consideration how that would affect them.
  • The Sal & Gabi Duology doesn't talk much about Cuban folklore besides the giant Sal mentions seeing when he relaxes, who granted him his wish. Instead, the duology mainly focuses on Cuban culture.
  • While the Tristan Strong Trilogy has characters from African and African-American folklore, it also has creatures and places made in an allegorical manner. For example, the bone ships represent slave ships and Uncle C represents how cotton led to a rise of importation of African slaves.
• Rick Riordan writes an introduction at the start of every stand-alone book and the first book in a new series.