The Sword of Summer

O...M...G...
The chapter titles alone make this book worth it. My cats probably think I'm insane given the amount of times I burst out in maniacal giggles.

I got in a fight with someone a few weeks ago about Game of Thrones and how it feels like everyone GRR Martin kills is simply death fodder. The person I was arguing with said I must be soulless to not feel something for character fleshed out over the course of thousands of pages. Sword of Summer kind of helps proves my point - Just because you know a character for thousands of pages doesn't make them meaningful. It doesn't mean the writer is particularly good at creating characters. Riordan makes character I can care for instantly. Hell, he even made me mourn for a character I didn't show more particularly like. I fell in love with so many character we only see for a few pages (or a paragraph or two in the case of Ratatosk).

The only complaint I really have is the fact that they kept referring to Fenrir as Fenrir Wolf. After the first twelve times I think the audience gets the picture - he's a wolf. I've never elsewhere seen him referred to as Fenrir Wolf as though Wolf were his surname - and I grew up on Norse mythology (a picture of a nude Thor fighting Jormundgand was my first porn...*sigh* memories...). show less

I'll be honest, after the Heroes of Olympus series, I wondered whether Rick was losing his touch a little. I enjoyed the adventures of the Seven, but I didn't feel personally connected to any of them or their stories the same way I did with Carter, Sadie, or Percy.

And then I read the Sword of Summer. Rick hasn't lost any of his touch. Magnus feels distinct from any of Rick's other protagonists, while also having the same kind of charm and interest than his other books. The connections to Norse mythology felt real and grounded, and the other side characters were interesting and fleshed-out. I especially liked Samirah al-Abbas, Hearthstone, and Blitz. The conversations between Magnus and Samirah were really nice to see as well; show more friendship that's just friendship between men and women are often hard to find.

I do have some critiques: the other einherjar on Floor 29 felt left out of the adventure, Samirah's character could have be utilized slightly better, and Magnus breaking the fourth wall felt more obvious than it was in the other books. However, I still would count the Magnus Chase books as among my favourite series Rick has written. show less

Rating: 4.75/5 Stars
Title: Magnus Chase
Author: Rick Riordan

Synopsis:
Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and 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 show more 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 . . .

Initial thoughts:
I have grown up reading Rick Riordan’s books and with the Magnus Chase books I was very impressed with the amount of Norse Mythology from both the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda that was utilized throughout these three books. Having read these original tales, I found it very interesting to get a more modern take on these myths.

Plot:
What I liked:
For the story itself, I found myself inherently drawn to the characters. They were all very dynamic and very diverse in so many different ways. It made me so happy to see such diversity well plotted and entwined with the story. He certainly did a much better job with this in Magnus Chase than with the Heroes of Olympus (If you disagree please don’t kill me). I loved meeting everyone on floor 19 of the Hotel Valhalla and getting to watch them explore the 9 worlds. The quests that the characters went on were very fun to read and watch them conquer in almost unconventional ways.
The twist on these quests from the Prose and Poetic Edda were well planned and utilized as an introduction for a younger audience who may not have been exposed to the original myths.

What I didn't like:
My one complaint with the series is in regards to the Sword of Summer, A.K.A Sumarbrander, A.K.A Jack. Now, the main reason I have a bit of a qualm with Jack is the fact that he actually talks and has a name. In Norse Mythology, Frey’s sword does not have a name and is simply known as a magical sword that can fight on its own if the user is wise. This is a very minor complaint as I easily got past it.
The Norse deities were also a little goofy at times as things were modernized. I almost felt that they didn’t carry enough weight as they would have in the original stories.

Characters:
Magnus: This boy is a sass master. I swear, if I had this kid in one of my classes when I was substituting he would have gotten under my skin a bit. But Magnus was ultimately one of my favorite characters. He was kind, and though he wasn’t the brightest character in the book, he was a great in a pinch.
Hearthstone and Blitzen: I swear there dynamic with each other is so sweet. I had a ship for them since book one and it was never made cannon, but I loved them both anyway. These two watch out for each other and will do anything to make sure the other is safe.
Samirah al-Abbas: She was kick butt and I loved her. Sam was such a strong female character and she always took on so much and was able to work efficiently even under stressful conditions.
Alex Fierro: This kid is my favorite! A genderfluid character being in a kids series really had me excited. Being genderfluid myself, I found that Rick did a very good job at explaining exactly what that means for someone who may still be trying to figure it out for themselves.
Jack (The Sword of Summer): If you have read the Percy Jackson Series, I would say that this character reminded me a lot of Blackjack. Mainly there to help the main character, but also playing as comic relief in some situations.

Overall:
I really really enjoyed this book series and will definitely be reading it again. I have had multiple discussions with friends and I almost felt bad saying that I actually enjoyed this series more than I did the Percy Jackson one and I am sad that it is only three books long (It will be getting a 4th short story book though, which I am looking forward to). Also, my friend and I as well as cosplaying as Alex and Magnus again for this year’s Book Con in New York. show less

Magnus Chase is a 16-year-old boy who's lived on the streets of Boston for 2 years since his mother was killed in a supernatural attack. He's avoided his estranged Uncle Randolph, who lives in a Back Bay mansion opposite the Leif Erikson statue and is obsessed with Viking artifacts, but as the book begins Magnus is forced into contact with his uncle. This unleashes a series of events where Boston is attacked by fire giants and Magnus dies in battle. And that's just the beginning.

Much like Rick Riordan's books about Camp Half Blood where Greco-Roman myths are real and demigods are trained on Long Island, The Sword of Summer incorporates Norse myth. In fact, the two series are in the same universe as Magnus is cousins with Annabeth Chase show more of the Camp Half Blood books! We follow Magnus as he is brought to Valhalla, learns of his godly parentage, and goes rogue on a quest to prevent Ragnarok, or the apocalypse. I think Riordan is even more clever in how he winds Norse myth into a young adult fantasy adventure, and most of all this book is funny as Helheim.

Magnus travels with a great team including the Muslim Valkyrie Samirah "Sam" al-Abbas from Dorchester, Blitzen, a dwarf with a great sense of fashion, and the deaf and magical elf Hearthstone. I'm definitely biased, but I love how Boston is set as the "hub" of the Norse worlds and that many scenes are set in Boston, or in an alternate version of the city. Although it should be noted that Eben Norton Horsford's discredited theory of Norse navigators sailing up the Charles River were rooted in the white supremacist belief that an Italian like Christopher Columbus was unworthy to be the person who "discovered" the Americas.

I think this is my favorite Riordan book yet, and I look forward to continuing the trilogy of Magnus' adventures. show less

Rick Riordan’s The Sword of Summer marks the start of his Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, a perfect blend of mythology, humor, and adventure. If you’re a fan of mythology (especially Norse), this book will hit all the right notes. Riordan breathes new life into old gods and legends, giving them a fresh twist while staying true to their mythological roots.

The main character, Magnus Chase, is a refreshing protagonist with a witty and sarcastic tone that’s classic Riordan. He’s a teenager who finds himself in a world of gods, monsters, and ancient prophecies—and though it seems like a heavy load, Magnus brings a sense of humor and relatability that makes the fantasy world feel grounded.

What I loved most, though, were show more Riordan’s takes on the gods and mythological characters. Not only does he stay faithful to their original stories, but he also adds a unique spin that makes them feel modern and accessible. For instance, Thor is portrayed as a big, somewhat clumsy guy with an affinity for selfies, while Loki has his usual trickster charm with a bit of a twist.

The chapter titles? Pure genius. Riordan’s sense of humor shines through them, with each chapter title teasing what’s to come, often with a snarky or ironic edge. It’s the kind of small detail that makes the book even more enjoyable.

For anyone who loves mythology but is looking for something that doesn’t take itself too seriously, The Sword of Summer is a must-read. Whether you’re familiar with Norse myths or not, Riordan’s storytelling makes the ancient tales feel like a fun, action-packed ride. show less

This definitely the best Rick Riordan I've read to date. This is probably as good as Rick Riordan gets, in fact; this is the first book I've read by him that felt like he entirely knew what he was doing.

Riordan's always had a compelling imagination and believable, engaging characters. He's always had an interesting (if, uh, not always 100% successful) way of meshing the modern and the mythological. But in this book, it feels like he did the worldbuilding first, not on the fly, and like he's put serious thought into what our modern world is actually like. (That was always one of his weakest points -- the Percy Jackson series, especially, has a lot of bizarre, unexamined assumptions, and a lot of glaring omissions in terms of show more representing an actual variety of actual humans.) This book reads like Riordan paid attention to criticisms of his earlier works and tried to do better. That's pretty impressive.

Riordan has a deft hand with narrative voice and humor, and that *really* shows here. This book is a funny, lighthearted book about gods and monsters and the end of the world, and that's a hard road to walk. He does it without bobbling, without hesitating, and so this book is a fun, compelling read.

And that's good, because this book still has a Riordan-style plot. Basically, think If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but with mythology and a road trip. So if you're looking for an intricate, deep plot that will continually surprise you, this maybe isn't the book for you. But otherwise -- would recommend, will read the sequels. show less

Magnus Chase has been on his own since his mom died, living on the streets of Boston. When his homeless buddies tell him that his uncle is looking for him, Magnus knows he's in trouble. Soon, he finds himself in an action-packed chase-and-fight sequence that results in his death. Now, usually it's not a good thing when a book's hero dies less than 50 pages into the story -- but Magnus has previously unsuspected ties to Norse mythology, so when he dies heroically, a Valkyrie whisks him away to Valhalla, where he joins the hordes of heroes awaiting Ragnarok. There's just one problem: Magnus has some unfinished business on Earth. Could it be that he's one hero that Valhalla just can't hold?

To me, this book feels like a return to Riordan's show more strengths. While I enjoyed the Heroes of Olympus series, it did have some weaknesses -- particularly when it came to the sheer number of point-of-view characters. This book zeros back in on a single first-person perspective (a friend who also read the book refers to Magnus as "an older, rougher Percy Jackson," and I think that sums him up pretty well, though there's still nothing content-wise to discomfit upper-elementary and middle-school readers). Riordan also brings back the witty chapter titles that will have some readers (or at least this one) snorting with laughter at times. The pace is a breakneck as ever, with the usual assortment of monsters and villains, just from further north this time. Riordan works his usual magic with the mythology, seamlessly blending it into the modern world with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor to hold everything together. There are also a few sly references to Riordan's earlier works, not to mention a cameo appearance by a certain other Chase -- readers who haven't encountered those earlier books won't feel lost, but Riordan's fans will love those little inside jokes. Bottom line: if you like Riordan's style, you'll definitely like this book -- and if you've never picked up the others, you can start here without worrying about what you've missed in earlier books. show less