I'm on a bit of a Norse mythology kick, and last November I was impressed by Rick Riordan's companion novel to the Magnus Chase series, though I hadn't read the actual series itself. The Sword of Summer is book one . . . so let's start there.
Magnus Chase is homeless in Boston, having lost his mother a few years prior. Though down on his luck, he makes the best of life and even enjoys the homeless community. Things change forever, though, when he dies . . . and ends up in Valhalla. As he learns his environment and heritage, he realizes that something is amiss. Ragnarok (the Norse equivalent of Armageddon) may come sooner than expected, but he may be able to stop it. On his journey, he meets memorable characters (like Thor, Loki, Odin, the World Serpent, and others) in fantastic realms. But he also meets great hardship . . . can he stop Fenris Wolf from escaping and starting the end times?
I enjoyed this. The adventure and humor are good, and Riordan finds interesting ways to incorporate elements of Norse mythology* into the story. He also gives the gods hilarious attributes (example: Odin is a motivational speaker) and places them in the context of a modern age (so things like smart phones are in the story), which also has a humorous tinge to it (in the Dave Barry style). It can be predictable in places, but for a young adult series, this is entertaining and (sort of) educational; I look forward to seeing how the trilogy progresses.
Rating: A
*some prior knowledge of Norse mythology will heighten your enjoyment, but isn't necessary.
No comments:
Post a Comment