Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Title: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard- The Sword of Summer
Author: Rick Riordan
Page Count: 491
Rating: A
Keywords: Norse Mythology, Wolves, Asgard, Valkyrie, Adventure, Quest
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Younger Readers: As with most of Riordan's book this one is fine for kids. No cursing or sex scenes. Some mention of alcohol but not a main point.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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 a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man 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 . . .

My Review:

I have been sick in bed for about two weeks now. That combined with a massive amount of school work due to midterms and approaching finals made me want something a little lighter than what I had been reading. Rick Riordan seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

This was everything I had hoped for and more. Taking a peek into the world of Norse mythology was a fun adventure and Riordan's writing introduced the convoluted stories in an easy to follow way that I think children and adults alike will enjoy.

Magnus is a strong character, but not in the traditional sense of muscles and brute strength. His other skills are what make him powerful. Slowly discovering this, that a hero does not have to be a traditional warrior, was a fun twist on the normal male led adventure story. Those looking for alternatives to this traditional trope will enjoy his companions, Blitz and Hearth, as well.

Sam is an amazing character! She certainly breaks norms. As a Muslim Iraqi girl who possesses a magical hijab and is facing an arranged marriage (that she actually wants), she was fascinating and serves as a good lesson in diversity to younger readers. Her strength and dedication with dashes of humor added in make her a fun and extremely likable character.

Of his various middle grade books this may very well be my favorite cover. The colors work nicely and the design is gorgeous. Adding this to my ever-growing book collection was a great delight.

As always with Rick Riordan's works, I recommend this one wholeheartedly. Working with students previously, especially reluctant readers, I can say his various mythology based series are a great choice for younger readers. Students are able to gain a fairly thorough understanding of myths without a lot of the dense words that accompany such tomes as Edith Hamilton's classic Mythology. Diverse characters also give a wider range of readers aspects to connect with.

Parents reading with their children or just adults looking for a fun read will not be disappointed with Riordan's witty writing and fun tales either. I especially enjoyed that Magnus, at 16, is a bit older than some of his previous characters.