We’re going back to Camp Half-Blood and there’s so much more to explore.
Percy Jackson fans at New York Comic Con got a treat this weekend when author Rick Riordan unveiled the cover and title of the next installment of his Camp Half-Blood series. At a panel moderated by USA TODAY, Riordan dove into his process and inspiration behind the four spin-off books, each of which has a different coauthor.
The series follows a new generation of demigods off to a rocky start at camp. In the first book, “The Wild Zone,” we met Katie Kim, a daughter of Ares who feels she has a lot to prove. The next installment, “The Rite of Aphrodite,” will publish March 30, 2027.
See the cover for ‘The Rite of Aphrodite’ by Rick Riordan and Kyle Lukoff
“The Rite of Aphrodite” will follow Harper Rush, an Aphrodite camper navigating his way through
secrets, missing campers and an unexpected visit from his goddess mother. Harper appeared in the first book as one of the newbies thrust into the forbidden area of camp. Now, readers will hear from his perspective.
Kyle Lukoff, the National Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor-winning author of "Too Bright to See," will lend his pen for Harper’s story.
"This book was so much fun to write! Like getting to run around in the best playground of all time," Lukoff said in a statement to USA TODAY. "But being entrusted with Camp Half-Blood is also a huge responsibility, and I took my role very seriously. I hope readers agree (or at least, mostly agree) that Harper and I were up to the task, and I’m so excited for them to spend time with him as he takes his place in the spotlight.”
Riordan is particularly excited for readers to get to know another member of the “Wild Omada.”
“It’s always a little nerve-wracking to say, OK, now I’m going to change point of views. How is this going to work? But it works beautifully. Kyle Lukoff takes over the story and it’s really interesting to see Katie ... as not the central character of the second book, but still a very integral part of the team,” Riordan tells USA TODAY. “Harper is not who Harper appeared completely when Katie was telling the story, so being able to shift the prism and see the story, the next piece of it, from a different perspective is really, really interesting."
Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, covering buzzy releases, chatting with authors and diving into the culture of reading. Find heron Instagram, subscribe to our weeklyBooks newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Riordan reveals cover of new Camp Half-Blood book | Exclusive
