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The Blackwell Pages #2
Odin's Ravens
Seven kids, Thor's hammer, and a whole lot of Valkyries are the only things standing against the end of the world.
When thirteen-year-old Matt Thorsen, a modern day descendant of the Norse god Thor, was chosen to represent Thor in an epic battle to prevent the apocalypse he thought he knew how things would play out. Gather the descendants standing in for gods like Loki and Odin, defeat a giant serpent, and save the world. No problem, right?
But the descendants' journey grinds to a halt when their friend and descendant Baldwin is poisoned and killed and Matt, Fen, and Laurie must travel to the Underworld in the hopes of saving him. But that's only their first stop on their journey to reunite the challengers, find Thor's hammer, and stop the apocalypse--a journey filled with enough tooth-and-nail battles and larger-than-life monsters to make Matt a legend in his own right.
Authors K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr return to Blackwell in the epic sequel to Loki's Wolves with more explosive action, adventure and larger-than-life Norse legends.
When thirteen-year-old Matt Thorsen, a modern day descendant of the Norse god Thor, was chosen to represent Thor in an epic battle to prevent the apocalypse he thought he knew how things would play out. Gather the descendants standing in for gods like Loki and Odin, defeat a giant serpent, and save the world. No problem, right?
But the descendants' journey grinds to a halt when their friend and descendant Baldwin is poisoned and killed and Matt, Fen, and Laurie must travel to the Underworld in the hopes of saving him. But that's only their first stop on their journey to reunite the challengers, find Thor's hammer, and stop the apocalypse--a journey filled with enough tooth-and-nail battles and larger-than-life monsters to make Matt a legend in his own right.
Authors K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr return to Blackwell in the epic sequel to Loki's Wolves with more explosive action, adventure and larger-than-life Norse legends.
342 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2014
205 people are currently reading
5312 people want to read
About the author
K.L. Armstrong
7 books479 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Pen name of author Kelley Armstrong.
Pen name of author Kelley Armstrong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
January 23, 2016
I really, really like this second installment! The writing definitely improved from the first one, and I didn't notice two different people telling the story. I still think it can teach young readers so many amazing things about being true to yourself and approaching problems from different angles. A couple of things I didn't like as much: I noticed that parents and adults in general are really villainized in this book which I thought was a little concerning. Trust your parents! They're good people I hope. And also Fen has a crazy (borderline incestuous?) obsession with his cousin, Laurie, and it was annoying/weird after a while.
August 6, 2014
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
’…they were about to ride into battle with Valkyries, Berserkers, and… goats. It was pretty epic.’
Odin’s Ravens, the next installment following Loki’s Wolves, picks up right where the last left off with Matt and the gang setting out to save their deceased friend Baldwin from an eternity in Hel. This is no easy feat as along the way they encounter fire giants, Viking zombies, a seemingly innocuous river that turns out to be made up of acid, a cave bear, a Hel chicken, and Laurie and Fen’s Aunt Helen who rules Hel. Baldwin is the descendant of Balder and according to mythos, his death was the start of Ragnarök. Saving him from Hel would change the myth and hopefully stop Ragnarök. But will that single act be enough to stop the end of the world?
The story of Odin’s Ravens is once again written as a shared point of view between the three main characters, Matt, Fen and Laurie but we’re also introduced to a new character: Owen; the descendant of Odin. Odin was the All-Father and was said to be all-knowing of future events to come. Owen is blessed with this gift of prophecy as well as long as he wasn’t an active part of the mission so he has stayed away from the descendants in order to glean as much information as he can. Unfortunately, staying away from the other descendants has resulted in his capture by the wulfenkind. His two ravens, Thought (Huginn) and Memory (Muninn) are his sole companions until he’s able to escape so he sends them out into the world acting as his eyes and ears. It was incredibly interesting reading about the mythology behind Odin and remains one of my favorite aspects of these stories. The details of Norse mythology is incorporated into the story in a manner that makes it vastly interesting and educational yet still immensely entertaining.
In addition to the action and adventure of the story itself, the book also contains amazing black and white illustrations that truly bring the story to life. The interior illustrations were all done by Vivenne To.
Odin’s Ravens is a pleasing follow-up that will certainly leave readers of the series anticipating the final book in the trilogy. The action and adventure is intense, the humor is plentiful and the character development is well-done, although I can’t say I’m completely invested emotionally in these characters but their story is still very much intriguing and I’m eager to find out the result of their journey.
’…they were about to ride into battle with Valkyries, Berserkers, and… goats. It was pretty epic.’
Odin’s Ravens, the next installment following Loki’s Wolves, picks up right where the last left off with Matt and the gang setting out to save their deceased friend Baldwin from an eternity in Hel. This is no easy feat as along the way they encounter fire giants, Viking zombies, a seemingly innocuous river that turns out to be made up of acid, a cave bear, a Hel chicken, and Laurie and Fen’s Aunt Helen who rules Hel. Baldwin is the descendant of Balder and according to mythos, his death was the start of Ragnarök. Saving him from Hel would change the myth and hopefully stop Ragnarök. But will that single act be enough to stop the end of the world?
The story of Odin’s Ravens is once again written as a shared point of view between the three main characters, Matt, Fen and Laurie but we’re also introduced to a new character: Owen; the descendant of Odin. Odin was the All-Father and was said to be all-knowing of future events to come. Owen is blessed with this gift of prophecy as well as long as he wasn’t an active part of the mission so he has stayed away from the descendants in order to glean as much information as he can. Unfortunately, staying away from the other descendants has resulted in his capture by the wulfenkind. His two ravens, Thought (Huginn) and Memory (Muninn) are his sole companions until he’s able to escape so he sends them out into the world acting as his eyes and ears. It was incredibly interesting reading about the mythology behind Odin and remains one of my favorite aspects of these stories. The details of Norse mythology is incorporated into the story in a manner that makes it vastly interesting and educational yet still immensely entertaining.
In addition to the action and adventure of the story itself, the book also contains amazing black and white illustrations that truly bring the story to life. The interior illustrations were all done by Vivenne To.
Odin’s Ravens is a pleasing follow-up that will certainly leave readers of the series anticipating the final book in the trilogy. The action and adventure is intense, the humor is plentiful and the character development is well-done, although I can’t say I’m completely invested emotionally in these characters but their story is still very much intriguing and I’m eager to find out the result of their journey.
February 8, 2024
I usually end up disliking the second part in a trilogy but this one was so good! The story finally streamlined a bit and all the characters gained some depth. In general, I love how Armstrong focuses on the story without adding too many "fillers" or red herrings (not that I dislike red herrings but this one worked better in their absence). The end was really really good and cliffhanger left me asking for more. Once again, I request all the readers to realize that it is a MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL (for the younger readers). To properly appreciate this book/series please see it through that lens and I hope you all enjoy these books as much as I have.
Time for the final part!
PS: I didn't have any legitimate reason to deduct a star, it just.. felt like a 4/5 over a 5/5. I apologize for this superficiality/lack of reasoning.
Time for the final part!
PS: I didn't have any legitimate reason to deduct a star, it just.. felt like a 4/5 over a 5/5. I apologize for this superficiality/lack of reasoning.
July 18, 2017
Very fun second book in the trilogy, with some interesting twists. I like how this isn't a straight up retelling of Ragnarok, and that that the gods aren't directly involved. It sets it apart from Riordan and other writers taking on mythology.
December 29, 2019
A good book that teaches a lot about Odinism. A nice escape from mundane daily life - it was real in my mind, in my imagination. I just wish there was more focus on how Odin was Sigge Fridulfson from Turkey/Asia Minor, who conquered his way to central & northern Europe. That's a big deal, like what religion was there before that in Europe? From a Rainbowdinist ;0 (less)
April 7, 2015
3.5 stars
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
As a general rule, I’m not a huge fan of young adult books, so I was really surprised when I decided to pick up Loki’s Wolves back in 2013. I’m a huge Kelley Armstrong fan, so I decided to give it a try. I’ve never read Melissa Marr, who is the other author on this series. I also liked the idea of the Norse mythology. While it is written for younger children, I still found the story interesting. We have a group of thirteen year old kids from South Dakota who are standing in for the Norse gods, Thor, Loki, Balder, Odin, Frey and Freya. They are all working together to stop Ragnarok. They are even getting powers of the gods.
In Odin’s Ravens, we pick up basically where Loki’s Wolves left off. Baldwin, the descendant of Balder, has been poisoned and Matt Thorsen, descendant of Thor, along with Fen and Laurie, who are cousins and descendants of Loki all make a trip to Hel to bring Baldwin back from the dead. While there, they must face monsters and convenience Fen and Laurie’s “Aunt Helen” the guardian of Hel, to let them leave with Baldwin. After that, they meet with the Valkyries (I so wish these Valkyries were more like Kresley Cole’s, but then I guess this wouldn’t be a middle grade book anymore then would it?) and are put on a quest to find Mjölnir, Thor’s hammer.
The characters in this story are well written, as if with Kelley Armstrong there was ever any doubt. The kids make mistakes that kids their age would make. They get upset with themselves for making the mistakes when they figure out what happened. There is a lot on these kids shoulders, but overall they do handle things really well, while still being young teenagers.
This story is a typical quest type story. As soon as they complete one task, they are set up another. The mythology is great. I don’t know a lot about Norse mythology (outside of the comic books), but it seems to researched extremely well. It is also told in a way that explains the stories really well, especially for the age group for which it is written.
I think the storyline is really good, if you can get over the idea of thirteen-year-old kids as stand-ins for gods and are forced to fight to stop the apocalypse. It is a book written for middle school kids and they want to read about kids their age, so it makes sense. I believe that this is a trilogy and that the last book, Thor’s Serpents will wrap of the story. I can’t wait to see how it ends. I would highly recommend this book for kids, boys and girls alike. I do recommend that you start at the beginning of the series with Loki’s Wolves.
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
As a general rule, I’m not a huge fan of young adult books, so I was really surprised when I decided to pick up Loki’s Wolves back in 2013. I’m a huge Kelley Armstrong fan, so I decided to give it a try. I’ve never read Melissa Marr, who is the other author on this series. I also liked the idea of the Norse mythology. While it is written for younger children, I still found the story interesting. We have a group of thirteen year old kids from South Dakota who are standing in for the Norse gods, Thor, Loki, Balder, Odin, Frey and Freya. They are all working together to stop Ragnarok. They are even getting powers of the gods.
In Odin’s Ravens, we pick up basically where Loki’s Wolves left off. Baldwin, the descendant of Balder, has been poisoned and Matt Thorsen, descendant of Thor, along with Fen and Laurie, who are cousins and descendants of Loki all make a trip to Hel to bring Baldwin back from the dead. While there, they must face monsters and convenience Fen and Laurie’s “Aunt Helen” the guardian of Hel, to let them leave with Baldwin. After that, they meet with the Valkyries (I so wish these Valkyries were more like Kresley Cole’s, but then I guess this wouldn’t be a middle grade book anymore then would it?) and are put on a quest to find Mjölnir, Thor’s hammer.
The characters in this story are well written, as if with Kelley Armstrong there was ever any doubt. The kids make mistakes that kids their age would make. They get upset with themselves for making the mistakes when they figure out what happened. There is a lot on these kids shoulders, but overall they do handle things really well, while still being young teenagers.
This story is a typical quest type story. As soon as they complete one task, they are set up another. The mythology is great. I don’t know a lot about Norse mythology (outside of the comic books), but it seems to researched extremely well. It is also told in a way that explains the stories really well, especially for the age group for which it is written.
I think the storyline is really good, if you can get over the idea of thirteen-year-old kids as stand-ins for gods and are forced to fight to stop the apocalypse. It is a book written for middle school kids and they want to read about kids their age, so it makes sense. I believe that this is a trilogy and that the last book, Thor’s Serpents will wrap of the story. I can’t wait to see how it ends. I would highly recommend this book for kids, boys and girls alike. I do recommend that you start at the beginning of the series with Loki’s Wolves.
June 8, 2014
Last year I read and reviewed the first book, "Loki's Wolves" and I've been looking forward to this one ever since.
"Loki's Wolves" ended on a cliffhanger and this one ends in a semi-cliff hanger, one that I did not see coming until it happened. "Odin's Ravens" is fast paced, with the reader and the kids barely having a chance to catch their breath. In addition to all of the action, we get family drama, betrayal, Valkyries, Hel, Norse gods and mythological beings including zombies, and several twists to the story arc.
I like Matt more and more and I'm warming up to Fen. Laurie is perhaps my favorite character after Matt, and Baldwin makes me smile, as he should considering which god he is. The twins leave me lukewarm, and so far, they don't seem like hero material but I'm hoping they'll step up when it counts in the next book. Owen, well I'd forgotten all about him. :( But he gets his moment in the sun in this book and I can see his growth into becoming Odin, All-Father. I really enjoyed his interactions with Laurie and Fen. I love how real the kids feel; they may have powers of the gods but they are still human teens, complete with mood swings, doubts, tantrums, and cravings for junk food. Hey, they're American teens. :D
The book also has a plethora of black and white illustrations which add to the text and the story is a fast read, I finished in one sitting. Once again, Armstrong and Marr did a wonderful job weaving in Norse mythology but they also kept a sense of humor. At one point, Matt tells one of the others, "No, you're thinking of the comic book Thor." (paraphrased cuz I forgot to mark the quote in my book) Oh, and there are goats! No swans, but goats. And bison. But the goats made me laugh. I had forgotten about the goats and Matt, poor Matt, takes quite a ribbing from his teammates about the goats. I'm trying not to spoil what happens but I think you'll laugh too.
"Odin's Ravens" is fast-paced, thrilling, humorous, and a wonderful update of Norse mythology. Get the first book, if you haven't already, and enjoy reading about the end of the world.
"Loki's Wolves" ended on a cliffhanger and this one ends in a semi-cliff hanger, one that I did not see coming until it happened. "Odin's Ravens" is fast paced, with the reader and the kids barely having a chance to catch their breath. In addition to all of the action, we get family drama, betrayal, Valkyries, Hel, Norse gods and mythological beings including zombies, and several twists to the story arc.
I like Matt more and more and I'm warming up to Fen. Laurie is perhaps my favorite character after Matt, and Baldwin makes me smile, as he should considering which god he is. The twins leave me lukewarm, and so far, they don't seem like hero material but I'm hoping they'll step up when it counts in the next book. Owen, well I'd forgotten all about him. :( But he gets his moment in the sun in this book and I can see his growth into becoming Odin, All-Father. I really enjoyed his interactions with Laurie and Fen. I love how real the kids feel; they may have powers of the gods but they are still human teens, complete with mood swings, doubts, tantrums, and cravings for junk food. Hey, they're American teens. :D
The book also has a plethora of black and white illustrations which add to the text and the story is a fast read, I finished in one sitting. Once again, Armstrong and Marr did a wonderful job weaving in Norse mythology but they also kept a sense of humor. At one point, Matt tells one of the others, "No, you're thinking of the comic book Thor." (paraphrased cuz I forgot to mark the quote in my book) Oh, and there are goats! No swans, but goats. And bison. But the goats made me laugh. I had forgotten about the goats and Matt, poor Matt, takes quite a ribbing from his teammates about the goats. I'm trying not to spoil what happens but I think you'll laugh too.
"Odin's Ravens" is fast-paced, thrilling, humorous, and a wonderful update of Norse mythology. Get the first book, if you haven't already, and enjoy reading about the end of the world.
March 8, 2015
3.5 stars?
I think I liked this one better than the first, mostly because everyone is fairly friendly with one another from the get-go and I like that kind of thing. Also, the writing is cleaner and more mature, and it didn't have the crappy annoying beginning like LW did. They take a few steps forward and some backward and then have to re-trace their steps to get to a point where they have Baldwin back (and alive), a herd of battle goats, MewlNeur (Yes, yes, Mjölnir) and, oh yeah, A TERRIBLE ENDING. But it was a fun ride.
The relationship between Fen and Laurie wasn't quite so odd this time around, though it still had its moments. Such as when Laurie announces that she's going to the bathroom and Fen announces that he's going with her. Laurie shoots him down, but still, wow. Or when Owen gets too close to Laurie for Fen's comfort and he starts growling. Dude. Calm yourself. Or when Owen asks to speak to Laurie privately and Fen immediately barks out a no, without letting Laurie make a decision or hearing Owen out. At the graveyard, Fen refuses to let Laurie out of his sight which, normally, would be fine, but with everything else, it becomes another controlling over-protective action to add to the list.
These sentences struck me as odd.
So you're comparing a blood-bath battle between goats, Berserkers, shapeshifting descendants of Loki, and long-dead Viking draugers to a football game? I don't know about you, but I hardly think football games are very bloody, though maybe they do it different in Blackwell.
Ah, yes, because one can't smell fire from hundreds of feet away. One absolutely must be closer than twenty feet in order to smell fire.
Typo!
"singeing holes in his shirt."
I think I liked this one better than the first, mostly because everyone is fairly friendly with one another from the get-go and I like that kind of thing. Also, the writing is cleaner and more mature, and it didn't have the crappy annoying beginning like LW did. They take a few steps forward and some backward and then have to re-trace their steps to get to a point where they have Baldwin back (and alive), a herd of battle goats, MewlNeur (Yes, yes, Mjölnir) and, oh yeah, A TERRIBLE ENDING. But it was a fun ride.
The relationship between Fen and Laurie wasn't quite so odd this time around, though it still had its moments. Such as when Laurie announces that she's going to the bathroom and Fen announces that he's going with her. Laurie shoots him down, but still, wow. Or when Owen gets too close to Laurie for Fen's comfort and he starts growling. Dude. Calm yourself. Or when Owen asks to speak to Laurie privately and Fen immediately barks out a no, without letting Laurie make a decision or hearing Owen out. At the graveyard, Fen refuses to let Laurie out of his sight which, normally, would be fine, but with everything else, it becomes another controlling over-protective action to add to the list.
These sentences struck me as odd.
"To them, it would be like a championship football game, just as chaotic and just as loud, just as smelly, and maybe just as bloody."
So you're comparing a blood-bath battle between goats, Berserkers, shapeshifting descendants of Loki, and long-dead Viking draugers to a football game? I don't know about you, but I hardly think football games are very bloody, though maybe they do it different in Blackwell.
"It was no more than twenty feet away, so near that Matt could smell fire."
Ah, yes, because one can't smell fire from hundreds of feet away. One absolutely must be closer than twenty feet in order to smell fire.
Typo!
"singeing holes in his shirt."
June 20, 2017
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
I really liked this book and it was easy to jump into but I absolutely hated how they kept using the terms "girly". I mean, really? You have a strong girl character and you are going to constantly say, oh, that was too girly. Anyway, I also felt as if plot twists weren't big enough and problems were easy to solve but I LOVED the ending because that was one plot twist I will never forget. The temptation to cry was unbearable because MY BABY FEN GAVE UP AND JUST FELT WEAK AND HURT. He was all alone and no one came to help him so he had no choice to but to help the enemy side which you most likely don't understand unless you've read the book.
SPOILERS
I really liked this book and it was easy to jump into but I absolutely hated how they kept using the terms "girly". I mean, really? You have a strong girl character and you are going to constantly say, oh, that was too girly. Anyway, I also felt as if plot twists weren't big enough and problems were easy to solve but I LOVED the ending because that was one plot twist I will never forget. The temptation to cry was unbearable because MY BABY FEN GAVE UP AND JUST FELT WEAK AND HURT. He was all alone and no one came to help him so he had no choice to but to help the enemy side which you most likely don't understand unless you've read the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2014
OMG! This book is fabulous. Amazing action, great characters and decisions that change the world. Fen is a favourite of mine and his journey is the most intriguing. If you haven't read the series RUN to the store and buy Loki's Wolves, book 1.
January 13, 2023
Nice continuation of series
March 11, 2018
2.5 stars
Definitely better than the last one, let's see how the final book fares...
Definitely better than the last one, let's see how the final book fares...
January 1, 2015
Baldwin is dead, avatar of the god Baldr in legend he stayed dead because Loki would not cry for him – but this time Loki’s descendants grieved for his loss. With the myth changed, Laurie, Fenn and Matt are willing to enter the underworld and bring Baldr home – even if it means facing the dead, giant dogs and the goddess of Hel.
Even then they’ve still got Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor to find and an apocalypse to stop… and Matt, a 13 year old boy, has to grow into the shoes of Thor.
Plot wise I think this book has a similar issue with the last book – it’s very linear. They have a step-by-step plan and are railroaded along it. They have to rescue Baldwin, they have to find Mjolnir and to do both they’re basically told how to do both. We then have all the necessary action scenes described (and they’re really good, don’t get me wrong) and they all flow very smoothly, there’s little in the way of down time or dead places in the book – but it’s still linear. They have a task, they know exactly where to go, they go there, they fight whatever gribbly thing they have to fight then either they succeed and fail and move on to the next step. There’s no real complexity there. And it isn’t written badly and it certainly doesn’t flow better and it’s generally fun to read – but it’s a classic quest story. A well written quest story, a nicely paced quest story with some great description – but still a linear quest story.
The research behind the book is excellent with a real nice inclusion of all kinds of Norse legends and not just the common ones (Thor, lord of goats doesn’t make its way into many stories). I do so love the legends
One thing that does set this book above the first book is the character development – there’s a lot more of it. It also had some nicely fun moments in between the action
I am torn over Fenn. On the one side he’s a pretty annoying character – he’s surly and moody and his cousin Laurie spends waaaaay too much time tip-toeing around his stompyness. I honestly spent most of the book a little tense waiting for him to do something unforgivably outrageous, turn to the dark side, or otherwise make me want to strangle him. In the end he was still a character I didn’t like – but he wasn’t unrealistic, excessive or aggravating – or any more aggravating that a bad tempered 13 year old with a chip on his shoulder should be. I think there’s a level of realism to him, he’s had a hard pretty neglected life, he’s always been second or overlooked and accused (which we also see from the general Thorsen way of treating him and the other Brekke’s) and the only person he has ever had he could rely on is Laurie – who now has other friends and is supporting them and not just following in his wake. His behaviour is understandable – annoying but understandable and realistic.
Laurie has stepped forward a lot in this book – both her changing role as champion and her getting a weapon and finally taking her place in combat rather than being the portal bus for the rest of the group. She is a more active participant, she still has to constantly navigate around Fenn’s ridiculously stifling “protectiveness” which I had hoped would have been dealt with in the last book, but she’s more involved than being the transport. I also like more of her Loki-ness coming through in cleverness – when she meets Helen (goddess of Hel) she is quick to call her “auntie Helen” and play into the relationship while Fen is more reluctant. She sees a potential advantage and she works it – to Helen’s amusement. Laurie is beginning to show signs of craftiness.
Owen also made more appearances in this book and he had some nice elements of character development – including the way his gift of all seeing forces him to be vague and not to intervene. He wasn’t around a lot but he had a lot of conflict in that time and managed to come across as a major power without stealing Matt’s thunder.
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Even then they’ve still got Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor to find and an apocalypse to stop… and Matt, a 13 year old boy, has to grow into the shoes of Thor.
Plot wise I think this book has a similar issue with the last book – it’s very linear. They have a step-by-step plan and are railroaded along it. They have to rescue Baldwin, they have to find Mjolnir and to do both they’re basically told how to do both. We then have all the necessary action scenes described (and they’re really good, don’t get me wrong) and they all flow very smoothly, there’s little in the way of down time or dead places in the book – but it’s still linear. They have a task, they know exactly where to go, they go there, they fight whatever gribbly thing they have to fight then either they succeed and fail and move on to the next step. There’s no real complexity there. And it isn’t written badly and it certainly doesn’t flow better and it’s generally fun to read – but it’s a classic quest story. A well written quest story, a nicely paced quest story with some great description – but still a linear quest story.
The research behind the book is excellent with a real nice inclusion of all kinds of Norse legends and not just the common ones (Thor, lord of goats doesn’t make its way into many stories). I do so love the legends
One thing that does set this book above the first book is the character development – there’s a lot more of it. It also had some nicely fun moments in between the action
I am torn over Fenn. On the one side he’s a pretty annoying character – he’s surly and moody and his cousin Laurie spends waaaaay too much time tip-toeing around his stompyness. I honestly spent most of the book a little tense waiting for him to do something unforgivably outrageous, turn to the dark side, or otherwise make me want to strangle him. In the end he was still a character I didn’t like – but he wasn’t unrealistic, excessive or aggravating – or any more aggravating that a bad tempered 13 year old with a chip on his shoulder should be. I think there’s a level of realism to him, he’s had a hard pretty neglected life, he’s always been second or overlooked and accused (which we also see from the general Thorsen way of treating him and the other Brekke’s) and the only person he has ever had he could rely on is Laurie – who now has other friends and is supporting them and not just following in his wake. His behaviour is understandable – annoying but understandable and realistic.
Laurie has stepped forward a lot in this book – both her changing role as champion and her getting a weapon and finally taking her place in combat rather than being the portal bus for the rest of the group. She is a more active participant, she still has to constantly navigate around Fenn’s ridiculously stifling “protectiveness” which I had hoped would have been dealt with in the last book, but she’s more involved than being the transport. I also like more of her Loki-ness coming through in cleverness – when she meets Helen (goddess of Hel) she is quick to call her “auntie Helen” and play into the relationship while Fen is more reluctant. She sees a potential advantage and she works it – to Helen’s amusement. Laurie is beginning to show signs of craftiness.
Owen also made more appearances in this book and he had some nice elements of character development – including the way his gift of all seeing forces him to be vague and not to intervene. He wasn’t around a lot but he had a lot of conflict in that time and managed to come across as a major power without stealing Matt’s thunder.
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May 16, 2014
I admit, the reason I picked up the first book, Loki's Wolves was because Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr were the authors. I don't often read MG, but sometimes it doesn't matter what audience it targets, since a good story is a good story no matter what age. :)
I can start with my biggest complaint... it took too long to get here! You were left with a big cliffie from the last book and this one picks right up where you were after the first one. It took me only a moment to remember what had happened even if it was a while ago... I'm just impatient and wanted that adventure. It starts off strong and doesn't let up. Like the last book, the spellings of the norse gods and objects have not changed for ease of reading for the age group it targets. I appreciated that in the last book and appreciate it here as well. I love books that don't talk down to kids (even if I couldn't for the life of me pronounce any of the words correctly).
As far as the ending with this book? Yes, there is a cliffie, but I was expecting it. Still, it wasn't as heart stopping as the last, but it does it's job and makes you want the book even more. I do like the way the book is heading and the adventure it provides. Therefore, I give it 3 1/2 stars and I am looking forward to the next adventure leading to Ragnarök.
I can start with my biggest complaint... it took too long to get here! You were left with a big cliffie from the last book and this one picks right up where you were after the first one. It took me only a moment to remember what had happened even if it was a while ago... I'm just impatient and wanted that adventure. It starts off strong and doesn't let up. Like the last book, the spellings of the norse gods and objects have not changed for ease of reading for the age group it targets. I appreciated that in the last book and appreciate it here as well. I love books that don't talk down to kids (even if I couldn't for the life of me pronounce any of the words correctly).
As far as the ending with this book? Yes, there is a cliffie, but I was expecting it. Still, it wasn't as heart stopping as the last, but it does it's job and makes you want the book even more. I do like the way the book is heading and the adventure it provides. Therefore, I give it 3 1/2 stars and I am looking forward to the next adventure leading to Ragnarök.
July 21, 2015
4 stars. This was a good sequel! The storyline was balanced well, not too much action, not too much talking. Though I wish the setting would be explained more often - it's hard for me to picture - overall the book was very well written and I enjoyed the story. And I DEFINITELY didn't see that ending coming. I hope the conclusion to this series is good!
March 9, 2019
My name is Fen, and I continue to defy my fate as a descendant of Loki. Matt, Laurie, and I traveled to Hel in order to rescue Baldwin from his premature death. I never would've thought I could work alongside a descendant of Thor, but Matt Thorson is the one who must lead us in stopping Ragnorak, the end of the world. We must locate Mjolnir, so Matt can use the hammer to battle and slay the Midgard Serpent. We've battled wolves, undead, and giants, and Astrid has reappeared. We'll never forgive her for killing Baldwin. I know Laurie thinks I'm overprotective, but I swore to defend her, even before I fully understood her true importance in the quest. It seems like someone is controlling the creatures we've faced, but I'm not sure Matt is ready to discover their identity.
You should read Loki's Wolves first to fully understand how things started, as this book picks up where the first one left off. The series has been told through the eyes of the three main characters, but the changes in viewpoint have been seamless. The main characters are usually together, so the setting doesn’t change as the viewpoints vary. The group dynamics are worth watching, as Matt, Laurie, and Fen learn to work together. Fen is especially quick-tempered, so his character is a wild card. He's usually supportive of the group's efforts, but his personality makes him hard to get along with. His motivations are clouded by his vow to protect his cousin. The plot includes a good amount of action, as the characters travel through Hel and close in on Thor's hammer. Matt steps up to fully embrace his heritage. He's an impressive warrior, but he may be too nice to succeed. He's averse to "unnecessarily" killing even though foes left alive can return to create more havoc. This book dabbles more in godly powers than the first one, and it's clearly building to a climax with the Midgard Serpent to conclude the trilogy. I'm enjoying the story so far and have already started reading Thor's Serpents. Give the series a shot if you're into mythology, especially Norse Vikings.
You should read Loki's Wolves first to fully understand how things started, as this book picks up where the first one left off. The series has been told through the eyes of the three main characters, but the changes in viewpoint have been seamless. The main characters are usually together, so the setting doesn’t change as the viewpoints vary. The group dynamics are worth watching, as Matt, Laurie, and Fen learn to work together. Fen is especially quick-tempered, so his character is a wild card. He's usually supportive of the group's efforts, but his personality makes him hard to get along with. His motivations are clouded by his vow to protect his cousin. The plot includes a good amount of action, as the characters travel through Hel and close in on Thor's hammer. Matt steps up to fully embrace his heritage. He's an impressive warrior, but he may be too nice to succeed. He's averse to "unnecessarily" killing even though foes left alive can return to create more havoc. This book dabbles more in godly powers than the first one, and it's clearly building to a climax with the Midgard Serpent to conclude the trilogy. I'm enjoying the story so far and have already started reading Thor's Serpents. Give the series a shot if you're into mythology, especially Norse Vikings.
May 31, 2019
4.5 Stars!
WHAT AN EPIC SEQUEL!!!
Holy GODS! I enjoyed book one, but this was just phenomenal! THAT ENDING!!!!
I almost rated this 5 stars because of THAT ENDING, but I gave it 4.5 because while the rest of the book was great too, it wasn't as epic.
Once again I love the characters! We got to learn even more about Matt, Laurie, and Fen, and I loved what we learned! They're all so intricate and I really feel for these kids. My heart broke for Matt when he learned the truth about his Grandfather. This kid has such a good heart and it kills me that everyone else isn't as sweet as him. The truth about Laurie didn't surprise me, I saw it coming from right away. But I love how Fen reacted and that it didn't change anything for him. Baldwin is as always amazing and I'm so happy that we got him back! It would not be the same without him. We also got to see a bit more of Reyna and I loved it! She's such an awesome character and I hope we get to learn more about her and her brother.
The real shock for me was Owen. We only saw two chapters from his perspective, but wow how I grew to love him. THIS POOR POOR KID! Crying as a kid from being lonely and learning to talk to himself so he could feel connected. MY HEART BLEEDS FOR THIS KID! But I'm so happy he's now more involved and I hope he makes some friends!
Overall the plot was fun and kept me invested. And once again.... THAT ENDING! LIKE HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS THAT ENDING!
I'm freaking out and can't wait to start the next book immediately! And I hope everyone is okay considering Odin seemed to not see a future where they all are. I need them to all be okay! And I need them to all be on the same side!
WHAT AN EPIC SEQUEL!!!
Holy GODS! I enjoyed book one, but this was just phenomenal! THAT ENDING!!!!
I almost rated this 5 stars because of THAT ENDING, but I gave it 4.5 because while the rest of the book was great too, it wasn't as epic.
Once again I love the characters! We got to learn even more about Matt, Laurie, and Fen, and I loved what we learned! They're all so intricate and I really feel for these kids. My heart broke for Matt when he learned the truth about his Grandfather. This kid has such a good heart and it kills me that everyone else isn't as sweet as him. The truth about Laurie didn't surprise me, I saw it coming from right away. But I love how Fen reacted and that it didn't change anything for him. Baldwin is as always amazing and I'm so happy that we got him back! It would not be the same without him. We also got to see a bit more of Reyna and I loved it! She's such an awesome character and I hope we get to learn more about her and her brother.
The real shock for me was Owen. We only saw two chapters from his perspective, but wow how I grew to love him. THIS POOR POOR KID! Crying as a kid from being lonely and learning to talk to himself so he could feel connected. MY HEART BLEEDS FOR THIS KID! But I'm so happy he's now more involved and I hope he makes some friends!
Overall the plot was fun and kept me invested. And once again.... THAT ENDING! LIKE HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS THAT ENDING!
I'm freaking out and can't wait to start the next book immediately! And I hope everyone is okay considering Odin seemed to not see a future where they all are. I need them to all be okay! And I need them to all be on the same side!
May 23, 2020
Reading this book really helped shed some light on how I felt about the first book. These books just have a very certain style to them, and I wasn't used to it in the first book. In this one, I finally got used to it, and that let me enjoy the story a lot more.
Reading this really brought back memories. This is the sort of stuff that I always used to read: fantasy, adventure, magic, good versus evil, kids saving the world. It was nice to come back to it.
I liked this book a lot better than the first one. First off, bigger stuff started happening. The first book was like the springboard for the rest of the trilogy. This one brought bigger parts into play. There were some nice plot twists (that I remembered, of course, but still nice)
Also, I really liked the pictures. I think the artist improved from the first book.
And can I say, I weirdly ship some of these characters?? I think that's mostly cause younger me did, and now, reading these books again, I just kind of instinctively am going back to those feelings for the characters.
Either way, looking forward to reading the next book! I'm glad that I'm enjoying them more now.
Reading this really brought back memories. This is the sort of stuff that I always used to read: fantasy, adventure, magic, good versus evil, kids saving the world. It was nice to come back to it.
I liked this book a lot better than the first one. First off, bigger stuff started happening. The first book was like the springboard for the rest of the trilogy. This one brought bigger parts into play. There were some nice plot twists (that I remembered, of course, but still nice)
Also, I really liked the pictures. I think the artist improved from the first book.
And can I say, I weirdly ship some of these characters?? I think that's mostly cause younger me did, and now, reading these books again, I just kind of instinctively am going back to those feelings for the characters.
Either way, looking forward to reading the next book! I'm glad that I'm enjoying them more now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 9, 2022This is a great book if you like Norse mythology it has many amazing and fun aspects of the mythology. It is about four kids who are descendants of Norse gods and they have a battle that happened once and is happening again but they need to change the outcome. This is the second book in the series, the first one is called lokis wolves. So if you wanted to get into Norse mythology this is a great book to get you started.
September 5, 2021
Read- September 2021 for Bookopolathon (Roll 4, Myth Lore Legend)
- I can't believe that this finally happened! I read the first book two, maybe three years ago and never got around to carrying on. I didn't really enjoy the first book at all which I think might be the reason that I've put this book on almost ever TBR I have ever set and never picked it up. I still didn't love this but I enjoyed it more than the first one.
- I can't believe that this finally happened! I read the first book two, maybe three years ago and never got around to carrying on. I didn't really enjoy the first book at all which I think might be the reason that I've put this book on almost ever TBR I have ever set and never picked it up. I still didn't love this but I enjoyed it more than the first one.
August 14, 2018
3.5 Stars
August 18, 2019
Happy with this book series. I like that it's similar to Rick Riordan's books in how it feels, but it's still unique and separate from his series. Good series!
October 18, 2020
This was okay, interesting ending
July 14, 2021
It's so weird. I remember not liking the first book that much. That was 6 years ago, I barely remember anything from it but I liked this second book a lot more.
April 25, 2022
The beginning was so slow and boring! Okay, so technically there's lots of action scenes, because they're in the underworld, but that doesn't mean it wasn't boring. And it lasted for a hundred pages! The only good part was how when Fen was a wolf he could communicate with Garm, the guard dog of Hel.
It got so much better after they left Hel. It was actiony but not boring. The pace was much better than in Loki's Wolves. My only complaint was that there's no down time. It's just one adventure after another.
Quests are tricky to write, because they can often seem tedious, but that wasn't the case this time. There was enough unpredictability to keep it interesting. (Except for the big "twists") I saw both coming since the beginning of the last book.
Our trio have certainly grown since this journey began. (As they keep reminding us.) I liked them all a little better. Fen was less confrontational, Laurie was more confident, and Matt was... Still stupid. I can't stand Rayna but it was great when she told Matt how dumb he's been. (She said what we've all been thinking.)
Owen/Odin got a POV. He's a strange but interesting character. I've often thought seeing the future would suck. It definitely does for him. His berserkers were awesome!
The goats were the best! (Yes, you read that right. Matt gets battle goats!) And the magical Mary Poppins backpacks were a cool touch.
The worst part was when Fen was falsely accused. At least it didn't for long.
And that there was another cliffhanger ending.
Warning: gross zombies
It got so much better after they left Hel. It was actiony but not boring. The pace was much better than in Loki's Wolves. My only complaint was that there's no down time. It's just one adventure after another.
Quests are tricky to write, because they can often seem tedious, but that wasn't the case this time. There was enough unpredictability to keep it interesting. (Except for the big "twists") I saw both coming since the beginning of the last book.
Our trio have certainly grown since this journey began. (As they keep reminding us.) I liked them all a little better. Fen was less confrontational, Laurie was more confident, and Matt was... Still stupid. I can't stand Rayna but it was great when she told Matt how dumb he's been. (She said what we've all been thinking.)
Owen/Odin got a POV. He's a strange but interesting character. I've often thought seeing the future would suck. It definitely does for him. His berserkers were awesome!
The goats were the best! (Yes, you read that right. Matt gets battle goats!) And the magical Mary Poppins backpacks were a cool touch.
The worst part was when Fen was falsely accused. At least it didn't for long.
And that there was another cliffhanger ending.
Warning: gross zombies
December 15, 2019
This one starts with a bang (road trip to Hel, anyone?) and delivers the non-stop action and adventure I had wanted from book one. And ends on another cliffhanger, so onward to book 3!
November 6, 2023
A fun read. I love books with mythology
June 4, 2020
Brilliant continuation, very enjoyable, fun and exciting. The characters grow on you while proving their worth. Loving some girl power finally. If you like Magnus Chase, you'll love this story.
December 25, 2014
Odin's Ravens was exactly the kind of book I needed to read at this moment, filled with action, adventure and a compelling story with likeable characters. They face the end of the world and have to do difficult things, but there isn't as much drama as in a YA book and it was all still manageable. This book managed to surprise me on more then one occasion and had some great twists that I didn't see coming. The story kept a nice pace and there was always something happening and something that needed to happen next. Add in the nice pictures every few chapters and I was hooked. I easily read this book in a few sitting and finished the book with a satisfied, happy feeling and surprised at the last plot twist.
This book just made me happy and delivered on everything that it promised. I liked the direction of the story and the new discoveries the characters made. There's some nice character growth in there too, all the main character go through some significant change in this book and it felt like this book really added something, lots of things happen and at the end of the book the characters are all in a different place then were we started. Certainly no middle book syndrome here!
Let me talk a bit more about the characters. Matt is one of the main characters, he a nice guy, a good guy, but he's also very important. He;s the descendant to Thor and he's really living up to that title, there are a few scenes involving him that were really done well, especially the battle scene towards the end. Then there's Laurie, she's a great character as well and I really liked seeing her grow and learn more about her self in this book. I also liked her connection with Owen. I can't say much more about her, but I really liked the changes and she's just such a nice and likeable character. I also have a soft spot for Fen, he's grumpy and seems the outsider sometimes, but he really cares about the others. I liked seeing his soft side underneath his cold and grumpy exterior and ofcourse there's the whole changing into a wolf aspect which I like. He is really protective of Laurie and while sometimes it feels a bit too much, but I also liked his protective side. He's a bit more of a complex character and I might even like him the most out of all the three, life hasn't been easy and there are some difficult changes from him in this book and I am curious to see where he ends up. The other side characters are nice as well, Owen sounded a bit older then the rest and I liked how he tried to do what was best even though it might not seem that way sometimes. He was an interesting character. And then there is Baldwin who is always there to provide soem comic relieve.
Another thing I like about this book is that it doesn't feel too young. Sure there are kids stopping the end of the world and they make mistakes, but it's glaring in your face the whole time and actually the age fits them. It's one of those Middle Grade books that I am just able to enjoy because of the fabulous story and makes me consider picking up more MG books because they can be so much fun. Less drama and more story and adventure, which is exactly what I want sometimes.
I never really was into mythology that much, but this book proves me wrong on that account. I liked learning more about all the Norse mythology and it was great to see how much world building and thought there was behind everything. I also liked those scenes were Matt spoke up with another bot of myth knowledge that he knew. The focus is mostly on the story, but through it all you still notice there's world building behind it and I liked that. Everything made sense.
To conclude: this book has everything I look for in a good book, a nice story, good pace, fabulous writing style and a great cast of characters with some plot twists that managed to surprise me. All in all this book left me feeling happy and satisfied after finishing it. It just was a great book and I am curious were the last book will take the characters.
This book just made me happy and delivered on everything that it promised. I liked the direction of the story and the new discoveries the characters made. There's some nice character growth in there too, all the main character go through some significant change in this book and it felt like this book really added something, lots of things happen and at the end of the book the characters are all in a different place then were we started. Certainly no middle book syndrome here!
Let me talk a bit more about the characters. Matt is one of the main characters, he a nice guy, a good guy, but he's also very important. He;s the descendant to Thor and he's really living up to that title, there are a few scenes involving him that were really done well, especially the battle scene towards the end. Then there's Laurie, she's a great character as well and I really liked seeing her grow and learn more about her self in this book. I also liked her connection with Owen. I can't say much more about her, but I really liked the changes and she's just such a nice and likeable character. I also have a soft spot for Fen, he's grumpy and seems the outsider sometimes, but he really cares about the others. I liked seeing his soft side underneath his cold and grumpy exterior and ofcourse there's the whole changing into a wolf aspect which I like. He is really protective of Laurie and while sometimes it feels a bit too much, but I also liked his protective side. He's a bit more of a complex character and I might even like him the most out of all the three, life hasn't been easy and there are some difficult changes from him in this book and I am curious to see where he ends up. The other side characters are nice as well, Owen sounded a bit older then the rest and I liked how he tried to do what was best even though it might not seem that way sometimes. He was an interesting character. And then there is Baldwin who is always there to provide soem comic relieve.
Another thing I like about this book is that it doesn't feel too young. Sure there are kids stopping the end of the world and they make mistakes, but it's glaring in your face the whole time and actually the age fits them. It's one of those Middle Grade books that I am just able to enjoy because of the fabulous story and makes me consider picking up more MG books because they can be so much fun. Less drama and more story and adventure, which is exactly what I want sometimes.
I never really was into mythology that much, but this book proves me wrong on that account. I liked learning more about all the Norse mythology and it was great to see how much world building and thought there was behind everything. I also liked those scenes were Matt spoke up with another bot of myth knowledge that he knew. The focus is mostly on the story, but through it all you still notice there's world building behind it and I liked that. Everything made sense.
To conclude: this book has everything I look for in a good book, a nice story, good pace, fabulous writing style and a great cast of characters with some plot twists that managed to surprise me. All in all this book left me feeling happy and satisfied after finishing it. It just was a great book and I am curious were the last book will take the characters.
January 12, 2015
Review:
Protagonists: Once again this story follows the adventures of Matt, Fen, and Laurie as they go to rescue their friend Baldwin from Hel and prepare for Ragnarok. However, unlike the previous installment, we get a couple chapters from the third-person POV of Owen, the descendant and champion of the king of the Norse gods Odin, and he, out of all the currently known descendants, is the most mysterious. The character development for our three main protagonists, as well as the "side" characters such as Baldwin, is incredible. First off, there's no backslide from the previous book, which is always a plus, and how they manage and, at the very least, attempt to overcome their obstacles in their journey is astounding. I loved how easy it was to see how these characters grow over the course of this, albeit short, novel.
Romance: So, unlike the previous installment, this book did have the slightest bit of romance and a bit of romantic tension. Of course I'm not even sure it's enough to warrant including this section, but I figured that it was something that needed to be addressed. Since there's barely any romance it of course takes in no way overshadows the main plot, but the romances that are formed, and even hinted at, just added another layer to this world and these characters that left me interested to see how everything ends up by the end of the series.
World-Building: So it's no secret that I love all things mythology, especially when it comes in the from of one of, what I like to call, the Big Three; Greek, Egyptian, and Norse. This series of course focuses on the Nordic myths and just like the previous installment expertly weaves Norse mythology into the adventure that these characters are going on. I'm not just referring to the fact that these kids have to take the place of the Norse gods during Ragnarok, but also the myths and legends surrounding the gods and Nordic culture. Add to that a richly described settings and it's hard to be disappointed.
Predictability: Like the previous installment, this book was also fairly predictable. Though there were moments when I was genuinely surprised at how things went. In the previous book there was a lot that was established that changed a lot of my predictions and well, let's just say that things change in this one. There were a few theories that I had that I had given up on, only to have them come true in this book instead. However I don't think anything could have prepared me for the twist that came at the very end.
Ending: So like I said, the ending had a crazy twist and left things off on a cliffhanger, however before I delve into that just a bit more I wanted to touch upon the final climax of the novel. In it there's action, fighting, magic and one of our heroes finally and fully accepting his or her own role in the upcoming battle. It was fantastic and led into one of the most intense endings I've ever read. Let's just say that I'm chomping at the bit to find out how our heroes are going to work their way through the repercussions of that ending.
Rating:
So it's easy to see that I loved this installment more than the previous one. Not that the first book in this series was bad, on the contrary I really liked it, but this book just felt a lot more sturdy that the previous one, if that makes any sense. Something about the first book, either how it was written or something about the plot, just seemed off to me, but this one was definitely 100% on.
Protagonists: Once again this story follows the adventures of Matt, Fen, and Laurie as they go to rescue their friend Baldwin from Hel and prepare for Ragnarok. However, unlike the previous installment, we get a couple chapters from the third-person POV of Owen, the descendant and champion of the king of the Norse gods Odin, and he, out of all the currently known descendants, is the most mysterious. The character development for our three main protagonists, as well as the "side" characters such as Baldwin, is incredible. First off, there's no backslide from the previous book, which is always a plus, and how they manage and, at the very least, attempt to overcome their obstacles in their journey is astounding. I loved how easy it was to see how these characters grow over the course of this, albeit short, novel.
Romance: So, unlike the previous installment, this book did have the slightest bit of romance and a bit of romantic tension. Of course I'm not even sure it's enough to warrant including this section, but I figured that it was something that needed to be addressed. Since there's barely any romance it of course takes in no way overshadows the main plot, but the romances that are formed, and even hinted at, just added another layer to this world and these characters that left me interested to see how everything ends up by the end of the series.
World-Building: So it's no secret that I love all things mythology, especially when it comes in the from of one of, what I like to call, the Big Three; Greek, Egyptian, and Norse. This series of course focuses on the Nordic myths and just like the previous installment expertly weaves Norse mythology into the adventure that these characters are going on. I'm not just referring to the fact that these kids have to take the place of the Norse gods during Ragnarok, but also the myths and legends surrounding the gods and Nordic culture. Add to that a richly described settings and it's hard to be disappointed.
Predictability: Like the previous installment, this book was also fairly predictable. Though there were moments when I was genuinely surprised at how things went. In the previous book there was a lot that was established that changed a lot of my predictions and well, let's just say that things change in this one. There were a few theories that I had that I had given up on, only to have them come true in this book instead. However I don't think anything could have prepared me for the twist that came at the very end.
Ending: So like I said, the ending had a crazy twist and left things off on a cliffhanger, however before I delve into that just a bit more I wanted to touch upon the final climax of the novel. In it there's action, fighting, magic and one of our heroes finally and fully accepting his or her own role in the upcoming battle. It was fantastic and led into one of the most intense endings I've ever read. Let's just say that I'm chomping at the bit to find out how our heroes are going to work their way through the repercussions of that ending.
Rating:
So it's easy to see that I loved this installment more than the previous one. Not that the first book in this series was bad, on the contrary I really liked it, but this book just felt a lot more sturdy that the previous one, if that makes any sense. Something about the first book, either how it was written or something about the plot, just seemed off to me, but this one was definitely 100% on.
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