Magnus Chase: The Sword of Summer

By Rick Riordan

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he barely knows—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. Uncle Randolph tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die…

I cannot say how excited I was when I learned that Rick Riordan would be doing another series based on Norse mythology. Admittedly, I only had a basic knowledge of the Norse god family tree, but I was on tenterhooks wondering just who Magnus’s godly parent would be. After all, that’s part of the fun right? I was not disappointed in Riordan’s choice, in fact I was downright ecstatic! Not what I was expecting, but I’m excited to see where Magnus will go with that pedigree. (No spoilers I promise!) I also enjoyed the fact that Riordan tied this series into the Percy Jackson series with Annabeth being Magnus’s cousin. Nice.

If you enjoyed Percy Jackson, definitely give Magnus a go. You get a new look at the more well-known gods like Thor, Loki, and Odin, made popular by the Avengers and Thor movies. Which also get a pop culture mention that made me laugh. This book stays more true to the mythology and not the comic-ology that most people know. It’s a fun rollick around the nine realms, meeting different species like dwarves and elves. It was pretty awesome people. Just read this and try not to like it. Although, it may help to do a Wikipedia search of the basics of Norse mythology before you start. It makes it more fun to read when you have a working idea of the story behind the story.

I give it a solid 4 out of 5