This is one we’ve been sitting on for a while and just could not wait to share. But now the time has finally come to present the cover for the recently announced The Sun and The Star: A Nico Di Angelo Adventure, courtesy of artist extraordinaire Khadijah Khatib.

Now all we have to do is deal with the anticipation of waiting to see what Rick and Mark have in store for Nico and Will. If this cover is any indication, these two demigods better pack their bags for Tartarus. . .

About the story:
As the son of Hades, Nico’s been through so much, from the premature deaths of his mother and sister, to being outed against his will, to losing his friend Jason during the trials of Apollo. But there is a ray of sunshine in his life–literally: his boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo. Together the two demigods can overcome any obstacle or foe. At least, that’s been the case so far . . .

Now Nico is being plagued by a voice calling out to him from Tartarus, the lowest part of the Underworld. He thinks he knows who it is: a reformed Titan named Bob whom Percy and Annabeth had to leave behind when they escaped Hades’s realm. Nico’s dreams and Rachel Dare’s latest prophecy leave little doubt in Nico’s mind that Bob is in some kind of trouble. Nico has to go on this quest, whether Mr. D and Chiron like it or not. And of course Will insists on coming with. But can a being made of light survive in the darkest part of the world? and what does the prophecy mean that Nico will have to “leave something of equal value behind?”

Nico will have to face demons both internal and external as his relationship with Will is tested to the core in this standalone adventure featuring two of the most popular characters in the Percy Jackson saga.

About the authors:
Rick Riordan (he/him), dubbed “storyteller of the gods” by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world, including Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a live-action series on Disney+. His latest novel is Daughter of the Deep, a modern take on Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Rick is also the publisher of an imprint at Disney-Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents, dedicated to finding other authors of highly entertaining fiction based on world cultures and mythologies. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @RickRiordan.

Mark Oshiro (they/them) is the author of the young adult books Anger Is a Gift, winner of the 2019 Schneider Family Book Award, and Each of Us A Desert, an NPR Best Book of 2020. Their middle grade books include The Insiders, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; and You Only Live Once, David Bravo. Mark also contributed a short story to the Star Wars anthology Empire Strikes Back: From a Certain Point of View. Mark is based in Atlanta, Georgia and can be found on Twitter @MarkDoesStuff.

Stay tuned for more exciting news about The Sun and The Star: A Nico Di Angelo Adventure coming your way soon. And be sure to mark your calendars for the May 2nd, 2023 release date!