1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (I will be including the Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Trials of Apollo, and The Heroes of Olympus in this as well), also referred to as simply Percy Jackson, is a series of books set in modern America that follow a diverse cast of characters as they learn about the world of the ancient gods and goddesses of the past. Not only do they learn about the gods themselves, but they learn that the gods are still in existence today. They must battle just about every mythical beast under Apollo (See what I did there?) in order the save the world and the gods alike. Included in the books are the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse pantheons.
The Percy Jackson books are at the top of this list for a reason. The author, Rick Riordan (lovingly referred to as Uncle Rick by his fan base), is a very forward thinking person. He has managed to write a series of books with an all-inclusive and diverse range of characters and creatures including, but not limited to: multiple gay demigods, transgender characters, a gender-fluid god AND demigod, a Muslim Valkyrie, an atheist half-god, and a bisexual sun god. Riordan saw every line that society could throw in front of him and he crossed them all, and he did it in the best way possible.
2. The Odyssey
The Odyssey is an oldie, but a goodie. Written near the end of the 8th Century BCE by the Greek poet Homer, The Odyssey follows the title character Odysseus on his 20 year journey from the Battle of Troy to his home on the island of Ithaca. Odysseus brought upon himself the wrath of Poseidon, and that was not his only mistake. A series of misfortunes befall Odysseus and his crew on their way, separating his ships and killing everyone aboard other than Odysseus himself. Odysseus ends up spending 20 years traversing the sea in search of a way home. He is held captive by sorceresses, attacked by monsters, and hated by gods and men alike. Does he find his way home, or does he end up succumbing to the cruelty of the fates? Read it and find out.
3. Harry Potter
When J.K. Rowling conceived the idea of a story of a magical 11-year-old boy living in the cupboard of his abusive aunt and uncle's house, I don't think she realized just how much she was going to change people's lives. Harry Potter is the tale of an extraordinary young boy who discovers that he is a wizard. Not just a normal wizard, however; he is the Chosen One, The Boy Who Lived, and he was going to be SO much more. Follow the adventure of Harry and his best friends, Ron and Hermione (Her-MY-OH-Knee), as they take on the Dark Lord Voldemort and his band of Death Eaters. Will Harry and his friends save the wizarding world, or will He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named carry out his evil plots and rule the world? Read this fantastic series and find out.
