The Baddies from Rick Riordan Presents

Rick Riordan Presents is one of the most famous imprints in the world of books that publishes mythologies and fantasies with the perfect blending of humor. These books also contain actions and deep mysteries.

In my last blog, I’ve presented you with a boring analyzing article about ‘The Last Fallen Star’ from RRP by Graci Kim. Today we’ll see the main villains or antagonists from the books published under this imprint.

I’ve also set a small chart with the baddies in one place so you can remember whom to hate when reading or re-reading the books. And guess what – I will try to bring more charts soon. So patience, bro… Patience!

We’ll go randomly and but those won’t be analyzing. Let’s see how much you can remember of the antagonists just seeing the titles of the book/series. And with this article the 0.2 version of 'The Baddies from Rick Riordan Presents' is attached.

WARNING: This article has some major spoilers. Please read the books before reading this.

1.      Pandava series by Roshani Chokshi

This book is cool and filled with humor. There are actions but I mostly admire the funny conversations and scenes in the book. Anyway, the dramatic or ‘twisty’ scenes are admirable too.

The main antagonist in the pentalogy is the Sleeper. Who is Sleeper? He is a close person to the main protagonist, Arundhati Shah or Aru Shah. Does he sleep? It’s not like he is always yawning and going to bed, instead he is actively active. Why does he’s name ‘Sleeper’? I won’t tell that as you can easily find the reason in the first part of the book.

The Sleeper is a one-of-a-kind character that would make you think if this person is truly the antagonist. According to some Aru-Shah-thoughts, it is clear that the Sleeper had fallen in this situation because of some miserable reasons. I somehow feel a secret sympathy for this character and wish this figure somehow becomes cured and all lives happily ever after…

 But I don’t think Roshani will make this easy in the 5^th and last book – Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality. Her recently released 4^th book – Aru Shah and the City of Gold was also awesome. You can also read her the first three books – Aru Shah and the End of Time, Aru Shah and the Song of Dead and Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes. Freaky huh?!

2.      The Storm Runner series by J. C. Cervantes

These books based on the mysterious Meso-American mythology can make your mind blow with the mysterious plot humming inside the trilogy. Don’t feel weird if you learn out that this son of Hurakan, Zane Obispo, has to use cane as his one leg is little crippled. Because this hero has awesome powers involving storm, fire and maybe shadow from the title of the books – The Storm Runner, The Fire Keeper and The Shadow Crosser. Mysterious, isn’t it?

Well, the antagonist is Ixkik with her two stupid sons? Who are those sons? They’re also heroes but they’re heroes who just wasn’t actually hero as they manipulate and gets whatever they want. I won’t reveal the names, as I only promised you the name of the main antagonist.

3.      Dragon Pearl series by Yoon Ha Lee

This book is based on the Korean mythology. Who ‘this’ not ‘these’? Why ‘book’ not books’? I have told you series, but the second book isn’t out yet as according to Yoon the writing is still in progress.

Anyway, our heroine, Min, a fox spirit whom are really told to be cunning and shape-shifter, goes to find out about her missing brother who she had been told was a deserter from the Thousand Worlds Space Forces. From this you’re clearly wondering something? Yeah, you’re right. This novel is based on mythology but mixed with Sci-Fi.

Here, our villain is Captain Hwan. There are some complex reasons that who’s the main villain, but I think it should be Capt. Hwan.

4.      Sal and Gabi series by Carlos Hernandez

I actually like these guys. I am not only talking about Sal and Gabi; I am also talking about Carlos. Carlos is a wonderful author who can make your belly twitch in the middle of the night after reading his books full of infinite humors.

I cannot really mention any particular figure as the antagonist. But I would like to say FixGabi who in the beginning of the second book was a villain but later turned good. Why? I am sure you’ll understand it better if you read the two books.

Make sure to help these guys to ‘break’ and then ‘fix’ the universe, as the titles goes – Sal and Gabi Break the Universe and Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe.

5.      Tristan Strong series by Kwame Mbalia

Tristan Strong is really strong and had been in a professional boxing match. But did he win that match? No, he didn’t. That’s when a little sticky sappy and annoying figure whose name ends with ‘Baby’ breaks in his house making him wonder how could a mythical creature be inside his room stealing away the diary of his best friend.

The villain of this series is King Cotton, a haint who was released by Tristan accidentally making him tear a hole in the sky of Alke, a mythical world. Can Tristan fix it? I think you’ll know when you read the two books that’s released till now – Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and Tristan Strong Destroys the World. Another book will come to fulfill the trilogy of these books whose covers were highly praised.

6.      Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

This book is based on the Navajo mythology starring Nizhoni Begay and Mac Begay as the descendants of the Hero Twins with the power of a Monster Hunter and a Born-from-water respectively. Okay now, let me ask you a question?

What do you think if your father’s soon-to-be boss visits your home crafting a breathtaking offer for him? Of course, you’ll be a very good boy and join in handshakes and hugs. But what if you find out that this man feels like a monster and you’ve seen him before? What if you can sense monsters and feel this man plus his bodyguards as one? Wouldn’t it be a cool power?

Unfortunately, Nizhoni faces much worse than a cool power thing. She was attacked by that man or more particularly our antagonist Mr. Charles.

Okay, somehow you got to overcome the boss; but what if one of your closest relatives are kidnapped? Yep, poor Nizhoni also faces that and she has to get a powerful weapon from the Palace of the Sun. Have you guessed it from the cover? Then, okay. But have you found out the large bird? Well, you’ll find in the book.

5.   Paola Santiago series by Tehlor Kay Mejia

This book is based on a horror story or folklore. The story starts with Algae and its good features mentioned by our protagonist Paola. She is a very scientific girl and tries to reason with every weird works her mother does mostly with candles. Soon, Paola’s best friend Emma disappears which they could understand when they didn’t get her in the rendezvous point.

Things starts to get much worse when Paola gets glimpses of Emma’s hand disappearing under the river and she sees a weird pale girl with black dress. Soon, Paola decides to find out what happens to her friend and goes to her friend, Dante to accompany her. But Dante goes whimpering saying about the elders prohibiting them for not going near the river. But something weird happens and someone they know makes them startled by ordering them to go and giving them some gifts: a slipper to Dante and a bag to Paola, which were weird, of course. And suddenly later on they find themselves diving in the world of La Llorona and various other ghostly figures. I think the horror-story lovers will have a fun time reading this!

The next book comes soon which was titled – Paola Santiago and the River of Nightmares after the first book – Paola Santiago and the River of Tears.

6.    The City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda

This book is the first book in RRP with a Muslim a protagonist in the world of Mesopotamian mythology. We have Ishtar, Nergal, Gilgamesh and more other mythical figures in the book including some mythical lands, and very cute-but-savage cats and A TALKING SWORD!

Our hero, Sikandar Aziz talks about himself after the death of his bother. He works in a deli with their family in New York City and goes to a school. But before that, one night something very strange and frightening thing happens. A man in various insects and bad smell attacks the deli and corners Sikandar for something about which he doesn’t know, yet. And suddenly a girl comes in the scene from nowhere and gets in offense against the smelly dude and two of his monsters. To make it more confusing, Sikandar hears the girl is said to be the smelly dude’s cousin which he tries to ask in the school to this similar girl who seems to completely disagree about visiting the deli at night. And there is a rather striking mother of this girl named Bellet, who causes quite a hassle in the road making an appearance in her jaguar.

Don’t you want to read it and find how the epic Gilgamesh is related to Sikandar? Then, read soon.

7.      Gifted Clans series by Graci Kim

Well, we don’t know much about this book as it will be released in the future, next month. Meanwhile, I’ve done a book-analyzing article from the official latest sneak-peek, book cover and other descriptions plus synopsis. I don’t want to repeat the whole thing again. But… here’re some things to read quickly if you haven’t read the article yet.

Think about yourself being a part of a community where ventures many witches with powers like healing, illusions, super-strength. Wouldn’t it be cool? But not much for Riley Oh as she is non-gifted means Saram without any magic. That sucks, right? But what if you find a way to share someone’s magic and someone volunteers to do it too? That’d be better…

Except the someone is Riley Oh’s half-sister but affectionate, Hattie Oh. Except it has severe risk and danger. Except the elders prohibits to even trying to know the magic. Except you need to do it secretly so that none finds out. Except… well, our protagonist won’t go down as her sister and she tries to find a way to open the safe that holds the book with the instructions. And then, everything goes HAYWIRE! Then what happens? I won’t tell as I can’t tell because I haven’t yet read it. But The Last Fallen Star will be out in 4^th May, 2021.

Who’s the bad guy? I am not sure actually, maybe the outcast Horangi clan or the fiery figure behind Riley and a boy (maybe that’s a mask). But don’t think that’d be the unicorn (or Unicorn of Apocalypse)!

8.      Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee

This book isn’t out yet and will be available from September 7, 2021 with the mythical world of Hmong mythology before you. It’s about Pahua Moua, an eleven-year-old girl who have the ability to see spirits. Get that? You can see boogeyman, ghosts… er… sorry, I am not sure if they’re there, but spirits are cool!

So, there is a soul stealer too which Pahua accidentally untethers from the haunted bridge in her neighborhood. Yeah, remember some troublemakers like that: Aru (freeing the Sleeper), Tristan (freeing a haint), Zane (freeing Ah-Pooch) and so on… But this one will be different from each one as Pahua decides to confront the spirit with her aunt’s old shaman tools. Is she satisfied with only releasing an angry spirit? No, apparently not – SHE RELEASED A DEMON!

Okay, just read it when it comes and you’ll see how she extends to become one of the best troublemakers in the whole RRP classroom!

 

 

IMPORTANT LINKS: Rick Riordan Presents ║ Read Riordan ║ Rick Riordan ║ Roshani Chokshi ║ J. C. Cervantes ║ Yoon Ha Lee ║ Carlos Hernandez ║ Kwame Mbalia ║ Rebecca Roanhorse ║ Tehlor Kay Mejia ║ Sarwat Chadda ║ Graci Kim ║ Lori M. Lee

[*These links are directed to the official sites, if not found then send to the official social sites]

 

FIND ME: Instagram ║ LinkedIn ║ Blogger

[*I post most of my updates in Instagram]

SPECIAL UPDATE: Another article now including predictions for the The Last Fallen Star will be posted with some exceptional predictions mostly featuring the cover. 

 

SUGGESTED SITES: The Half-Blood Report ║ Riordan Wiki [Note that major spoilers (more major than this!) are available in the fandom site]

 

NOTE: I've tried my best to put the whole thing in one article which is obviously impossible. When you try to put one book in an article you can't finish it, but here I had to put a lot of books. Anyway, if you enjoy it please comment or any queries are accepted. And of course, for knowing every weeks special Riordan news and get fun I'd like to recommend: The Half-Blood Report.

DISCLAIMER 1: Aru Shah copyright © Roshani Chokshi; The Storm Runner copyright © J. C. Cervantes; Dragon Pearl copyright © Yoon Ha Lee; Sal and Gabi copyright © Carlos Hernandez; Tristan Strong copyright © Kwame Mbalia; Race to the Sun copyright © Rebecca Roanhorse; Paola Santiago copyright © Tehlor Kay Mejia; The City of the Plague God copyright © Sarwat Chadda; Gifted Clans copyright © Graci Kim; Pahua and the Soul Stealer copyright © Lori M. Lee.

 

DISCLAIMER 2: The chart was illustrated by Md. Iman Anwar. Characters and books are copyright owned by the authors mentioned in the Disclaimer 1. Unicorn of Apocalypse text copyright © Rick Riordan. No copyright infringement intended.

 

IMAN NOTES
by IMAN AWAKENS