Loki

by Mike Vasich, Pedro Román (Translator)

Dios de la Maldad, Padre de la Mentira, Heraldo de la Destrucción.
Exiliado y torturado por los dioses, Loki jura venganza.
Invocará al mítico lobo Fenrir y a la legendaria serpiente de Midgard, y junto a ellos dirigirá un ejército de gigantes y muertos de Niflheim contra Thor, Odín y el resto de los Aesir.

Con el poder del ser más destructivo de los Nueve Mundos bajo su mando, Loki no descansará hasta que Asgard caiga y los dioses mueran a sus pies.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Fiction, Retellings, Ebooks, Historical Fiction, Paranormal

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Mike Vasich teaches English to gifted and talented students in suburban Michigan. He continues to write novels in his spare time so that he can avoid any real work around the house.

He likes stories where bad guys win and good guys get stomped into the dust. His hobbies include taking naps, sowing disrespect for revered institutions, and making children cry (especially his own).

He can be reached at mrvasich@att.net and Facebook.

Reviews

[Kirstine · Rating 2 out of 5]

"God of Mischief.
Father of Lies.
Harbinger of Destruction.

IT LOOKED SO PROMISING.
(I say promising, I mean badass)

So let me start out saying this:
As an introduction into norse mythology, the characters and the universe, or if you just want a good story (and know nothing about the mythology) this book is probably good (even if it is still somewhat poorly written).

That said, I didn't like it a whole lot.
Because it is meant for readers looking for what I mentioned above. Perhaps some with knowledge about Norse Mythology will like it too, but I really didn't.
And I'm kind of sad and disappointed, because this book could have been AWESOME and so so cool, but it isn't.

Firstly, I feel a bit cheated. I went into this thinking it was gonna be a deeper look into the character of Loki. Because... You can't call it Loki, when it's not even about Loki half the time.
Loki is a prominent character, yes, and he plays an indispensable role in bringing about Ragnarok, but... we know this.
Or at least I know this, and many other people know this too.
I expected to be told more than that, to read something that went a bit beyond the already existing myths.

No dice.

What this is, is a mostly average re-telling, with slight modifications, of a story everyone with even the slightest interest in Norse Mythology is familiar with.
And I ask you, Mike Vasich; Why? Why did you write this book? What is its purpose?!

There are things I just don't get. Why would you start new chapters with the original myth, and then proceed to re-tell that myth in your own not-so-original way, when you've already told us how it ends? Fx. First we get the original myth about the death of Balder, and then we get Vasich's re-telling of that same thing, which is just... pointless.
You should have stuck with just your own story. Seriously. It would have been a lot better. Or at least then maybe your own version would have been more interesting.

What I expected was more Loki, a story focused on his character, that incorporated the original myths and characters, but also did its own thing. Mike Vasich is way too attached to the core material, had he just let go a little and created more of his own story (and attended a writing class), this could have been brilliant.
Instead what I got was a hot mess of a novel.

Okay, I am being harsh, there were things I liked and enjoyed, just not enough to make me like this book overall. Had it been better written, it might have gotten 3 stars, but alas.
At the end of the day it struck me as being nothing more than okay. You'd do better to just go read the original myths. Or watch Thor.

[Overhaul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dios de la Maldad, Padre de la Mentira, Heraldo de la Destrucción.

Exiliado y torturado por los dioses, Loki jura venganza..

Invocará al lobo Fenrir y a la legendaria serpiente de Midgard, y junto a ellos dirigirá un ejército de gigantes y muertos de Niflheim contra Thor, Odín y el resto de los Aesir.

Con el poder del ser más destructivo de los Nueve Mundos bajo su mando, Loki no descansará hasta que Asgard caiga y los dioses mueran a sus pies.

Loki es conocido como el dios de las mentiras y las trampas. Siempre está jugando y mantiene sus motivos ocultos a quienes lo rodean.

Vasich realmente dio vida a los personajes de Loki y Odín con su adecuada escritura. Me ha encantado.

Aún habiendo leído todos los mitos, Eddas y todo cuanto hay traducido, me ha parecido una historia amena, fresca con sus propios toques que funcionan.

No he parado de principio a fin y como esto es una parte importante de mi vida y de mis creencias le he dado las 5⭐️ ya que esta clase de libros no abundan.

El humor retorcido pero también humano y cargado de sentimientos e impotencia que le aporta Loki a toda la trama me gustó mucho.

Personajes trabajados en los que puedes ver o llegar a comprender mejor las decisiones de Loki. Sus ideales, pensamientos y consecuencias inevitables.

Odín me encantó. Muy bien representado cómo le afecta su conocimiento y vivir tanto en el pasado, presente y futuro constantemente o sus cambios.

Esperaba leer lo mismo que se ha repetido una y otra vez pero está bien hilado.

Una narrativa que es fiel a la narración original pulida y personalizada le puedes dar la vuelta y desde otros ángulos.

Eres testigo de los mitos e historias hasta la inevitable llegada del Ragnarök desde otro punto de vista con matices diferentes a los ya conocidos...✍️🎩

[Mike Vasich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it IS my book!

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated review and rating after a re-read in July 2021. And yes, I picked it back up because I've been watching the "Loki" show and I am now screaming internally with a mix of glee and heartbreak.

--

“Every sacrifice, every plan, every action I undertake is in service to Asgard. Before you pass judgment on me, consider what you have gained, and what you might have lost if not for my actions.”


I am clearly on a Viking-kick lately: Gaiman’s “Norse Mythology”, Harris’ silly “The Gospel of Loki” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), “Eaters of the Dead” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)… I read Vasich’s short-story collection earlier this year and I loved it: the man is witty and he clearly knows his subject inside and out. It also doesn’t hurt that he chose to write about my favorite Norse mythology character, the Trickster god Loki, and that he is generally sympathetic to the character. Don't get me wrong: he knows good and well that Loki was no saint, but he understands that characters like that don't behave the way they do for no reason... After devouring “Nine Naughty Tales of the Trickster” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), I was curious to see if he could be as riveting with a novel.

If you have read stories about Norse Mythology before, you won’t really find new material here, but what Vasich does is nevertheless brilliant: he took a few specific (and rather well known) stories from the Edda (namely the building of the wall of Asgard, the abduction of Idun, the capture of Fenris and the bonding of Loki) and wove them together in one continuous narrative leading to the inevitable Ragnarok. Let me just say that I love that he took stories usually told in a few pages and fleshed them out until they were several chapters long, making the tales I already know feel so much richer and more complicated than previous version. This is what I had actually hoped Gaiman would do in his “Norse Mythology" (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... use the traditional tales as inspiration and foundation for an even grander tale. Of course, the tone of this tome is very dark, brooding and violent; quite a contrast to Vasich’s humorous, salty short stories based on the same stories, which I admit I did not expect. He develops the characters, gives them dimension and takes them a little bit further than the usual simple archetypes they are often represented as.

An aspect that really struck me is the position in which Vasich puts Odin: the predetermination of the gods’ fates is a heavy burden to carry for the Allfather, who here exists in the past, present and future simultaneously. He is never quite sure if what he sees has already happened, is currently happening or is an image of something that will come to be. This emphasis reminded me strongly of those Greek myths about the fruitless efforts of mortals and gods to escape their fates: their attempts to avoid the outcome of various prophecies only ever seem to make the result happen faster, and with more devastating consequences. Vasich’s representation of Loki is also interesting: the misfit Trickster originally means well, but some things about him are held against him no matter what he does, turning his heart and intent more and more sour and he feels the constant slights of the Aesir and their arrogance. This leads him down the dark path of anger and revenge, that culminates into Ragnarok. I recently read a great graphic novel about Loki that embraced the idea that he's a kid who did everything he was told to do and got punished anyway, and Vasich's writing follows a similar logic - that I greatly appreciate.

The writing is clean and the descriptions simple but rich enough that I could visualize everything perfectly as I read. Vasich’s prose is not as enchanting as Gaiman’s, but he is a wonderful and talented story-teller nevertheless, and this book might be my favorite retelling of the Edda so far. Very highly recommended!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading American Gods and watching the movie Thor I wanted to read all I could about Norse mythology. I found a free book on my Kindle of all the classic stories and quickly read through them. I absolutely loved the character of Loki, feeling he was the most dynamic out of all of the Norse Gods. And look at that face ;)

But that is besides the point. From there I found this book and it blew my mind.

This book was beyond incredible as soon as I starting reading it I had a hard time putting it down which was difficult because I decided to read this during the time of exams... whoops. I would like to say this book was EPIC but it was much more than that. I have always had a thing for villians in books and Loki is no exception, actually I would go as far as to say he is one of my favorite villians of all time. That is what hooked me to this book because it was from the point of view of Loki. Villians always seem to be more dynamic characters to me which is why I find them so appealing.

Loki is known as the trickster god and he is always playing an angle and keeps his motives hidden from those around him. Mike Vasich really brought the characters of Loki and Odin to life with his brilliant writing. I enjoyed the dark humor in it and getting to understand Loki's desicions even better and his thought process throughout the book.

And his descriptions especially in the battle scenes were brilliant and you honestly feel like you are right in the battle. The writting style made the book intense and like I said before, very hard to put down. The last hundred pages or so I had to stay up into the night to finish. The details of Ragnarok had me white knuckled because I knew the end for pretty much ever character was near. Limbs are flying and blood is everywhere as pure adrenaline has your eyes eating up every word as the pages keep turning. Even if you are very familar with Norse mythology, which I can't claim to be but even so, I enjoyed the slight twists in the story that kept it fresh and original and the italicized sections that told the orignal tale.

Overall this book definitely gets 5 out of 5 stars and I am adding my new signed copy (Thanks again Mike!)to my favorites shelf. Even if you aren't totally familiar with Norse mythology or even have no idea I would still recommend reading this book. It is an epic ride!

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Note: This is rather an atypical review in that it's less of a study of the book and more a study of characters, so...you've been warned.)

It should be said that I'm a huge Loki fan. (No, not Hiddleston!Loki. Okay, not JUST Hiddleston!Loki.) My affection for this trickster god probably began years ago when I watched the anime Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok, which painted Loki in a softer light than he's usually portrayed. After the fact, I dabbled in reading Norse mythology, but there was always one thing that niggled in my mind as I read through various myths: why, among the capricious and sometimes immoral whims of these gods, was this giant-turned-Asgardian so reviled among them all? Was it simply because this outsider had no qualms about making these gods face themselves, their flaws, and sometimes even their fears? Even with the unfortunate events that lead to the Twilight of the Gods (also known as Ragnarok), Loki's character never struck me as outright "villainous": rather, he almost seemed a misguided, god-powered class-clown character who does anything and everything to try and gain the attention -- and respect -- of his peers. In the end, however, he strikes out against those who have never fully accepted him into their fold.

With all that in mind, I had a feeling I would love Mike Vasich's Loki because his Loki is in tune with my own head-canon take: though crafty and true to his moniker "the Sly One," Loki yearns for the approval of the Asgardians and has long pledged his loyalty to Odin and the well-being of Asgard. However, every action Loki takes for Asgard's sake -- often lampshaded as a betrayal of Asgard -- is seen with scorn by the other gods. Even as the Allfather who sees and knows all, Odin never corrects these assumptions even though they harm Loki's place within Asgard. Why? Because Odin does only what fate bids him to do.

"Fate" is a large crux in the plot of Loki. Many of the characters within this story paint it as a certain thing, something that is set in stone no matter which winding paths are taken, yet Loki rails against this mentality even as he irrevocably plays into its hands. The sequence where his fate is laid before him within the Well of Urd, the dwelling place of the three fate-seeing Norns, is tragic due to his bewilderment and incomprehension of the weight each word bears on his eventual future. Vasich's take on Loki almost has a Macbethian quality to it in that sense. (There are actually a few parallels that can be drawn between Loki and Shakespeare's Macbeth, and I found that fascinating because I had never really pondered those likenesses between Loki of myth and Macbeth.)

Of course, the theme of fate and its inevitability would bear little weight without Odin, the Allfather, the one who constantly reminds all the gods of how much he sees even as he explains to them very little beyond what they "need" to know. Vasich's Odin is a wanderer of the mind: he may sit in Gladsheim among the other gods, but his mind ever drifts among past, present, and future. His greatest power of seeing the future also proves to be a great flaw that detaches him from the gods and any responsibility he bears with them. Given how much faith they place in his wisdom even as he sees their ruin approaching, it's no wonder Odin sometimes has reminders of what role he's truly playing among the gods:

It was ironic that [the gods] found deceit and treachery in Loki's every word and deed, that they would condemn him for his actions, when he was merely a tool for the High One. In truth, Odin was their greatest enemy. (Pages 72-73, Kindle Edition)

The above quote is actually really telling of Loki and Odin's true roles and how they relate: they're foils to one another, both tools to fate's workings and possessors of great (and sometimes ill-used) power. The expression, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," quite honestly fits both Loki and Odin within this novel. Loki believes that he is acting in Asgard's best interests when he follows Odin's commands just as Odin himself believes he does "right" by not trying to fight the fates of himself or the other gods. All of this culminates in a tragic scenario which sees Loki eventually spurned from Asgard and his vengeance ploy against his once-home begun...and the tragedy extends much farther than Loki or his own flesh and blood.

Though not without some flaws, Loki is more than a simple retelling of Norse mythology: the story shows how blatant neglect and disregard can plant seeds of malice and mutiny; how the idea of fate is kind to no one -- not the powerful or the weak, the good or the bad; and how even those deemed "good" can be riddled with unlikable qualities while those labeled "bad" can bear quite a number of sympathies. It proves to be a journey filled with betrayal, chaos, bloodshed, and death.

I think Loki would approve.

[Kat (Lost in Neverland)]

OH MY GOD.



A whole book told from the perspective of Loki, aka, the best freaking villain ever?!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up immersed in stories of Norse Mythology and over the years I've enjoyed every book I could find. I've been wanting to read Vasich's "Loki" for quite some time and I recently acquired an autographed copy. Read the tale in italics, as you remember hearing it as a child, and then Vasich picks it up and transforms it with his storytelling into something new and exquisite. You will wonder if you missed important details the first time you heard the tale. A retelling done by an author that truly loves his subject is something that you can feel while you read their book. Maybe, just maybe, the tales I was told as a child were not at all as I imagined. And that is the wondrous and fascinating theme in this book. A book that makes you feel exactly the way you felt when you heard the tale for the very first time. Vasich writes from the perspective of bystander. He describes with such beauty and heartfelt passion there is no doubt that he was standing beside Loki as he wrote these pages. He has traveled to Asgard and seen it firsthand.
If you go into this book expecting to read the same tale that's been repeated over and over, you won't find it here. This is a retelling that is true to the original telling but it's polished and as you turn it over and examine it from other angles, you see that things are not always as they seemed at first glance.
I highly recommend this book. I eagerly anticipate more books retelling the tales of Norse Mythology by Mike Vasich.

Thank you to Mike Vasich for breathing new life into Loki and for writing such a wonderful book. I purchased this book with my own hard earned $Cash$ and this is my honest review.

[Moses Siregar III · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant retelling of some of the major events in Norse mythology, and thus an ambitious and worthy--and ultimately significant--literary effort. Vasich brings to life things like the Norns, the gods, and ultimately Ragnarok. He brought to life the wolf Fenrir, the stonemason who offered to rebuild Asgard's wall, and Hel. Vasich has a special ability to imagine and write about mythic events, as you'll see in the final battles between Fenrir and Tyr, Thor and Jörmungandr, Heimdall and Loki.

Vasich successfully brought his major characters to life, mainly Loki and Odin. The secondary characters (such as Tyr, Balder, and Freya) weren't drawn as well, but the good news is that Loki and Odin always seem to carry the day whenever either of them were involved with a scene, and they seem to show up in at least half of the book. The book suffers a bit in the second half from Loki's relative absence, but I still enjoyed every new element introduced.

With Loki, we get to experience his ups and downs, his hopes and rejections, his realizations and transformations, and there is a pleasing element of sympathy for the devil here. With Odin, we experience his unique problem, knowing the future while possessing a profoundly passive acceptance of that future (or, at least, that's how he's presented here). This makes Odin a frustrating figure, but Odin's attitude is a perfect representation of the Norse outlook and what makes Norse mythology unique. I found myself wondering what would've happened if Odin hadn't believed so much in Ragnarok, and maybe the author wanted us to think about that, too. Because Odin's vision of the future became self-fulfilling in so many ways.

What didn't I like? The copyediting on a grammatical and sentence level was mostly very good, but also occasionally problematic. I think the author could benefit from a better copyeditor. The proofreading and formatting were great, though. I found very few typos, which is outstanding. The writing was excellent, although a bit distant with a somewhat omniscient style (the book is mostly written in a more current third person limited, though).

Having frequent point of view changes with no conventional protagonist made the reading a bit slow for me. I agree with what Hepius said in his review on this, as well as his comments about skipping the italicized parts (which function as spoilers for Vasich's rendition of the myths). However, I think Vasich still did the right thing here. To retell this mythology requires multiple points of view, and he wrote them well. It's just that this same technique distances the reader from the story a bit. Nonetheless, I'm glad he wrote it in the way that he did. I just read it in daily chunks rather than being swept through the entire story over a short period of time. Your mileage may vary. Even read in chunks, there's plenty to savor here.

My last complaint is that the reader often has to wait, to read about the same event multiple times through multiple points of views. At times this technique was used well; at other times I felt it slowed down the pace too much. The book is written in relatively short scenes, though, so you never have to wait for anything for too long, and it's nice to see things from different angles.

I came into this book knowing very little about Norse mythology, and I feel incredibly thankful to the author for writing these stories as he did. This book allowed me to explore the myths from a tight narrative perspective, to experience the major players and the events in a way that not only brought the tales to life, but which also feels like a modern continuation of the myth. Vasich takes some creative liberties with the mythology (and he favors Loki and Odin as he does so), but I feel this only keeps the stories fresh and alive. People who have read Norse mythology will enjoy his twists on the familiar, and people unfamiliar with Norse mythology will get to experience such a grand tale in a thrilling way. A brilliant effort, and one that deserves to be a classic resting on every bookshelf with space for works on Norse mythology.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not particularly fond of writing reviews, it makes me feel like I'm judging someone, and I hate doing that. But when the work is great and deserves praise, well then, I'm more than happy to raise my voice and say "READ THIS BOOK, ITS AMAZING!" And LOKI, by Mike Vasich deserves all the praise in the nine realms.

Its bloody fantastic. Literally, BLOODY and FANTASTIC.

Having never heard of Norse Mythology before, it should come as no surprise that I found this book after watching the film THOR. Like many who enjoyed the movie (and Tom Hiddleston's performance as Loki), I wanted to take in as much Norse Mythology information as humanly possible and immerse myself in the world of the Norse Gods.

LOKI does not disappoint.

From the very first page I was addicted to the Trickster's narrative. Hearing his side of the story was refreshing. Each passing chapter proved to be more engrossing than the last--with Vasich illustrating the world of the Norse Gods, their interactions and conflicts with his brilliant prose and character development.

Filled with gory (&incredibly detailed) battle scenes and raw emotions from the start, LOKI had me hooked.

And while my crush on Tom Hiddleston (Loki in THOR) may have brought me to this book, it was Mr. Vasich's writing that made me LOVE it.

Do yourself a favor and read LOKI. You won't regret it.

[Ardell Oeixo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*

Dios de la Maldad, Padre de la Mentira, Heraldo de la Destrucción.
Exiliado y torturado por los dioses, Loki jura venganza.
Invocará al mítico lobo Fenrir y a la legendaria serpiente de Midgard, y junto a ellos dirigirá un ejército de gigantes y muertos de Niflheim contra Thor, Odín y el resto de los Aesir.

Con el poder del ser más destructivo de los Nueve Mundos bajo su mando, Loki no descansará hasta que Asgard caiga y los dioses mueran a sus pies.

“La tormenta, no importa su violencia, siempre es portadora de lluvia benéfica para la tierra. Después de la destrucción, la vida siempre vuelve de algún modo”

Novela leída en un viaje de 5+5 horas en Alsa y que me ha resultado de lo más amena e interesante, aunque también tengo que decir que se me hizo muy corta, encontrando muchos de los acontecimientos muy precipitados y sin ahondar lo suficiente en la personalidad, el bagaje y la historia personal y vital de Loki. Es por ello que no le doy las 5 estrellas, estaba dudando pero con las pocas novelas que hay en español acerca de tantas leyendas de la Mitología Nórdica de dioses, semi-dioses, gigantes y humanos, el autor creo que ha perdido la oportunidad de publicar una obra que se convirtiese en un libro de cabecera para los estudiosos o los no iniciados en la Mitología Nórdica.

Mitos y leyendas como el Ragnarok, o el lobo Fenrir, o la serpiente Midgard son adaptados por Mike Vasich para conferirles mayor realismo y complejidad, por lo que veremos diferentes acontecimientos desde diversos puntos de vista de los personajes de la obra, entre ellos el propio Loki, pero también Odín (para mi el personaje más odioso de la novela), Thror (los momentos más graciosos los pasaremos con él), Freya, Balder, Try o Hella (esta última es la encargada en el inframundo de los muertos sin honor en la mitología nórdica, además de ser hija de Loki y de la gigante proveniente de Jötunheim, Angrboda, Hela reina sobre el Helheim, donde vive bajo una de las raíces de Yggdrasil, pero apenas aparece, algo que hubiese estado muy bien y sé que el autor prometió hacer un libro dedicado a ella pero por el momento creo que no se ha publicado).

En varios capítulos el propio autor añadirá en cursiva un extracto de las leyendas originales, para que las conozcamos y podamos compararlas con cómo al final él cuenta la historia.

En el libro conoceremos de primera mano las personalidades de los diferentes personajes y es de agradecer la imagen que el autor nos da de Loki, siempre denostado por mentiroso y manipulador, pero que aquí conocemos algo más en profundidad, aunque hay muchos episodios y aspectos de su vida que sólo describe muy por encima y que, para mi gusto, tendría que desarrollar mucho más. Vemos a un Dios mucho más humano que la imagen que nos hemos hecho de Loki, sobre todo tras verlo en la películas y series de Marvel, se trata de un personaje muy astuto, con un gran sufrimiento desde su infancia y en constante tormento (que aumentará al descubrir aspectos muy importantes de su nacimiento e infancia), por lo que es esa dualidad de comportamientos (bien-mal, bueno-vil) lo que más me gustó de todo el libro, pero que se me ha hecho corto en su desarrollo, como ya he indicado.

La narrativa es ágil y llena de ritmo, con continuas luchas de poder, intrigas, manipulaciones y batallas que nos meterán de lleno en el mundo de Asgard, y aunque el personaje principal es Loki, en cada capítulo veremos a otros personajes, con lo que también conoceremos al resto de dioses o gigantes nórdicos, sus personalidades, sus convicciones y sus motivaciones ante la vida, el poder y la llegada del Ragnarok, sobre todo me quedo con la forma tan vil de actuar de Odin, cuyos actos siempre estuvieron motivados para llegar a ese final tan destructuvo y es por su culpa por la que Loki actúa siempre de una forma tan visceral y lleno de locura.

En resumen, libro muy recomendable para los más estudiosos o los menos iniciados en la Mitología Nórdica, es sin duda una lectura muy sugerente y amena.

[Sabah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three Blazing Stars
The recent films about Norse mythology, Tom Hiddleston, and a need to read something different was what lead me to read this book.
Loki, the god of mischief now famously adored and loved by the Thor movie fandom, is given a book of his own to speak out his version. It's a tale of how his actions, amongst others', lead to the very destruction of the Nine Worlds.

“You alone are responsible for this. Your twisted schemes have caused the death of all that you knew. I only wish that at least one of the Aesir lived so that he might see how foul you truly are.”

I had great expectations for this book, I really did. Having gathered from the title of this book I believed that this novel would feature Loki as the main guy, it would give us more of an understanding of this complex, wicked god. The book started out well, I will say that, and boy, the part about the snake was really well done. But as the book moves on, we hardly see much of Loki but rather the consequences of his actions. The book is told in third person, which often made me feel distant, and is told from the point of view of several different characters.
If you haven't read anything about Norse mythology before, you can read this to get a general idea about the main events and the characters. I couldn't however read it one sitting, it took me a few days to finish it.
Let me get this straight, I didn't hate the book. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I didn't love it. I think it had great potential.
Loki's perspective has been shown here, how he was wronged continuously by Odin and others. I found his relationship with his wife and Frey very interesting, I wish it had been explored further. Odin played a main role, and the author did a great a job on him in making the reader conflicting in his own views. The supporting characters were hardly developed much, and I did not find them interesting.
Regardless, a short, interesting version of myths, read it if you like mythology.

[Doug Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the end of this book, in the "About the Author" section, it reads: "This book was inspired by the teachings of Norse mythology in his class, and is dedicated to all the students who have ever said. "Mr. V, you should write a book!"

I would like to add: Mr. V, please keep writing books.

Most of what I know about Norse mythology was deeply instilled by a childhood of engrossed in the Marvel Universe, so I was prepared for this book to pale by comparison to the comics (yes, I still read comics, shut up) or the movie (yes, I liked the movie, SHUT UP). The characters in this rendering were familiar, but Thor was never more threatening, and Loki never more... Loki. The nature of mainstream comics strips Asgardians of their status as battle gods, but that isn't the case here. Here, Odin, Thor, and Loki are the brutal, bloody, and vengeful immortals that you would expect.

Highly recommended, and if there is such a thing as a sequel to Ragnarok, I'm anxiously awaiting it.

[Angela]

3 January 2015: $0.00 FREE on Kindle

12 April 2014: $0.00 FREE on Kindle

[Carry-Atlinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to come across a version of Loki that I haven’t liked. Whether he be the giant, unstable God of Everworld, who trapped Odin in the same fate he had been trapped in; the original trickster God from mythology; or the hurt, heartthrob from the movie ‘Thor.’

Vasich’s Loki is no exception. He’s a combination of Vasich’s own interpretation, and the mythical Loki from legend. He’s powerful, manipulative, intelligent, with a twisted sense of humor. But he has a human side, and a painful past. He’s different enough to be intriguing, but relatable enough to understand where he’s coming from and what he’s doing.

Sigyn tends to get looked over when Loki comes around. She wasn’t even in Everworld (K.A. Applegate) at all, and she wasn’t brought up much (if at all) In Blood Brothers. But Vasich has her by Loki’s side throughout. She accepts Loki for who he is, mistakes and flaws in all, and never wavers in her feelings. She is easily the strongest character in this book.

The alternating POVs were something I enjoyed as well. As irksome as it sometimes was to hear about the same situation four or five times, it was pretty neat to see how everyone all viewed it. Every God had their own, unique perspective and it was just…neat to get in their heads and see what they saw. I especially like how strong each character was. There was no blurring the lines, or vague, weak viewpoints.

I don’t know why I like that the book starts before Loki has kids (sans the prologue). Maybe it’s because his children are, literally, monsters, so there’s a lot of word-play about that when Loki visits the Norn. Or maybe because it allows us to see the relationships develop more, instead of just going “Oh, here, here are his kids.”

However, I know it’s very hard to have a third person book with a shifting focus on so many characters, and still have the reader be surprised about certain information. Loki may be exceptionally intelligent, but that’s only because the other God’s are exceptionally dim-witted. Even Odin, whose supposed to be all-knowing (with his ability to see into the future, and all that), tends to miss very obvious clues. There weren’t very many times where something that was meant to be profound was actually profound. I do blame a part of that on the constant POV shifts. There’s only so many times you can see the same scene before you can start to pick up on little tidbits.

One other thing I didn't like was Odin. I think we’re supposed to like Odin. Every time Odin does something exceptionally fucked up, it’s always followed by “how hard” and “heavy” his burden was, and “it was meant to be, because I saw it happen”. Basically, Odin ripped out Loki’s heart, stomped on it, spit on, pushed and pulled and twisted, until Loki couldn’t take it anymore and en-massed an army to kill everyone and destroy everything. Which he does. But, oh, poor Odin. No one knows how hard it was to decide he wanted everyone dead. Seeing the future is a tricky business, and Vasich handles it as well as anyone. But it’s still very frustrating to watch babies get slaughtered, men be betrayed, and all these other horrible things, only to have this “all powerful” being refuse to do anything because, well.

Lastly, the epilogue just seemed very unneeded. The entire universe except for about three characters died. Unless there was supposed to be an implication that they were going to re-populated the universe, the point of “there is life!” really didn’t need to be driven home.

The only other purpose the epilogue served was to show that Balder had forgiven Loki, and that Odin had planned all this all along so that he could come to this point. And while that’s a great reason on the surface, when you actually think about it, this means that Odin killed everyone in the entire universe so that Balder could see that Loki actually really wasn’t a bad guy.

Overall, I liked it. The language and descriptions were stunning, and Vasich has a very, very good grasp of the characters. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in mythology, but isn’t bugged by creative licensing.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since childhood, I have been interested in Norse mythology and Thor has been a hero of mine. As a result, Loki has not been a character I've been particularly fond of. Last year I read Kelly McCullough's excellent "MythOS", which gave me an understanding and some sympathy for Loki.

Mike Vasich's "Loki" is a retelling of many of the Norse myths, ending shortly after Ragnarok. This book is mostly from Loki's point of view and it gives a good explanation for why Loki would turn against the gods in Asgard. It shows how Loki's loyalty to Asgard could change into the complete hatred that brought him to instigate Ragnarok.

I thought this book was very good and did some really interesting things. There were interesting, imaginative twists to the myths. Knowing the myths, I recognized the connection between the myths and the twists, and I really appreciated how well the twists fit into the story.

Vasich also framed the book's sections with the myths. This structure was a nice framing throughout the book.

There were some very good descriptions and two in particular stood out. The description of Loki changing into a bird was quite effective. Also, great imagery was used for Yggsdrasil, the world tree, with it giving a powerful feeling of it being much more than just a big tree.

As a fan of Thor, I was a bit disappointed that he didn't have a very big part in the book. However, this let the other gods have a much larger focus than I'm used to them having. Consequently, this isn't really a complaint as I think it worked well in the book.

Another non-complaint is the depiction of Odin. Odin was passive, ineffectual, complacent, and complicit in Ragnarok taking place and with the various deaths and problems that set the stage for it to happen. This passivity and fatalistic acceptance was rather annoying and frustrating for me. However, this made sense given the character concept of Odin in the book and it worked for the book.

Overall, I really liked "Loki" and will be looking for more books by Vasich.



(Minor complaint: Throughout the book, there were a number of word uses that didn't feel quite right and tripped up my reading. These were things like "into" being used instead of "in", and "shrunken" instead of "shrunk". The words used may have been the actually grammatically correct words, but they weren't correct for the common usage to my East Coast ears. Take this complaint with a grain of salt because Mike Vasich is an English teacher and I'm not.)

[Meret Magdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars❤
I have always wanted to learn more about the Norse Mythology..
This book tells you the story of how the Nine worlds came to an end, the story of what led to Ragnarok..
I enjoyed it very much❤..
I have to say, Loki is still my favourite..
I hate everyone else, that Odin the most..

[Arun Divakar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ever since my first book on Norse myths ( A.S. Byatt’s Ragnarok), the gods and heroes from the North were of interest to me as a reader. The fact that they are all powerful and yet there is a finiteness to them was not something common to lot of the world’s myths. Across a span of centuries, Odin and his family grew and prospered into the roles of the undisputed overlords of all the nine worlds. The accounts of what happened prior to Ragnarok differs with some narratives calling Loki the ultimate fiend while others being sympathetic to Loki and refer to the arrogance of the gods themselves as the reason for their downfall. Be that as it may, it is true that Loki brought about the death of the gods and all of the worlds built around them. The universe then begins afresh from the ashes or that is how the myth goes. With the wide popularity of the Marvel brand of movies and the good looks of Tom Hiddleston, a lot of focus has gone into making this character an anti-hero but then who exactly was he ? After having read Joanne Harris’s Gospel of Loki, I was looking for yet another interpretation of this character and yet this book wasn’t strong in that league.

What a reader anticipates on going through the book’s title and the back jacket blurb is a story where Loki takes the centre stage and narrates his version of the story. And yet what we get is yet another rendition of the story of the gods with Loki only playing a role in it. There wasn’t anything new or noteworthy in the tale – no fantastic shift of characters, no new perspectives, no revelations of any sort. What it has instead is a well written story albeit a much reused one. The parts where the author excels are the battle scenes – Balder and Tyr against Fenrir, Odin’s travels and also the final battle of Ragnarok are all splendidly written. It is a blow by blow account and the author has a firm grip on these parts.

From a narrative structure point, the storytelling lagged. How Vasnick writes is to have one brief chapter from the myth followed by his own retelling of it. This means that there is nothing new to look forward to for a reader. You already know what is going to happen, you know how it will happen and also who plays what role. This robs any amount of novelty from Vasnick’s own retelling. The storytelling suffers because of this.

Not one of the best Norse myth retellings out there and this is certainly not about Loki. At best this is a decent depiction of the life and times of the Norse myths.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not so much about the Norse god Loki, as it is a retelling of the various events leading up to the final moments of Ragnarok -- many of which happen to be initiated by or somehow related to the God of Lies. Loki is the title character and initial protagonist, but Balder, Freyja, Tyr, Heimdal, Thiazi, Fenrir, Hel and especially Odin all take their turns as P.O.V characters. Certain elements of the mythology have been "re-imagined", with the einherjar as walking corpses, the giants as sympathetic victims of Aesir predations, Sigyn & Loki's marriage as childless, Odin as the anhedonic orchestrator of Ragnarok, and Loki as the unwitting pawn in Odin/Fate's designs.

Aside from these alterations, Vasich makes some interesting changes to the basic mythological narrative. We are presented throughout with excerpts from the Norse mythology, then shown how the myths were themselves distorted retellings of the events in this novel. Chief among these is the recasting of Loki: Vasich's Loki is less an amoral, comical trickster in this narrative and more a brash young man, eager to earn approval and recognition for the successes he achieves through unconventional means; his parents slaughtered by Odin, he is raised to believe that he is one of the Aesir but finds himself continually at odds with his fellow gods. Odin is a distant, secretive and inscrutable father-figure, and his dedication to the inevitability of Ragnarok results in him failing to give due credit to Loki, which then results in Loki being disliked and mistrusted by the majority of the Aesir, and finally in Loki being ejected from Asgard. This final rejection finally turns Loki from well-meaning-yet-rebellious Asgardian "patriot" to vengeful murderer and destroyer of all that he once loved. Whereas Gaiman has employed the mythological Loki (twice!) as a character, Vasich uses the mythological Loki as a jumping off point from which to build his own unique character.

The dynamic between Loki and Odin is also worth noting because it merges some of the most interesting elements of the Dumbledore/Snape and Dumbledore/Harry Potter relationships (minus the unspoken potential for pederasty). This was tremendously satisfying!

And now, because Mr. Vasich is one of my GoodReads friends, i'll address a few of my impressions to him:

1) Mike, you really know how to write an action sequence! The fights in this book, especially the Ragnarok scenes, may be the best I've ever read. They're visceral (complete with viscera!) and intense, and there's a sense that you as the author really understand martial combat in a way that too many fantasy writers fail to do nowadays.

2) Mike, you need a better editor. Every writer makes mistakes, it's inevitable, but the errors which slipped through here were glaringly obvious, and most of them occurred in the first and final thirds of the book! A writer can't be expected to police his own writing, simply because writers wind up being too familiar with what they've written and seeing what they MEANT to be there rather than what is actually there. The editor is invaluable because they are supposed to see only what is there, and you need a more thorough one.

3) Mike, the pacing felt a little off. I think this might be because so much time and so many events were being covered in so short a space. It took me several pages in some chapters to realize that they were set months or years or centuries after the chapters which preceded them. I actually wasn't sure if this was intentional or not, if it was intended to convey the passage of time as perceived by immortal beings or simply a result of the condensation process. It actually felt like you could have built two or three whole novels out of the material you had -- which isn't a bad problem to have!

4) Mike, have you considered writing about Mesopotamian mythology? There are all sorts of interesting dimensions I think you might like: the bird-demon Zu who steals the "Tablet of Destiny", thereby causing all natural laws to break; the flood narrative which results in the gods starving (because there are no humans offering sacrifices); the rivalry between war/sex goddess Ishtar and the underworld goddess Ereschkigal; the underworld in which the dead mourn, most of all, the lack of beer after death... Gilgamesh is actually a fascinating anti-hero (by modern Western standards), and his quest for immortality ends with the revelation that death is inevitable. And of course, there's plenty of blood and war! You might also like the Roman Empire or the Spartan/Athenian rivalry. Or Celtic mythology!

[Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a bad story and it's fairly well written for the most part. But I was bored most of the time. The initial scene with Loki under the acid was done very well, but I found that to be the highlight of the book.

There are a surprising number of typos. Even a few that are two words mushed together due to a missed space key. This could have been caught by spellcheck. Then there are the usual misplaced commas and such. This isn't terrible or detracting.

What made the story difficult for me to read was the repetition. I get that the author is retelling a familiar legend, so in that regard I can understand giving me a summary of the what happens, as legend would dictate, then narrating the scene. This does, however, ruin the suspense in some cases. If the narration diverged drastically from the legend, fine, I could read it while anticipating the moment we'll run off the rails, but that doesn't happen. Ever. The initial action scene is given in the form of a summary, then from one character's point of view, then from another characters point of view. That means that when I read from the first character's POV, I already know what happens. That means that the only conflict in the narration is how that characters sees the event or what thoughts/possible duplicity are running through his head. But the narration is shallow here and we don't get deeply into the character. The third time hearing the tale will come from Loki's POV. We get more of his thoughts, but by the end I'm still wondering why he and the other gods do what they do.

Like I said, I already know what will happen in the scene from the summary and the first POV (not to mention my passing knowledge of Norse mythology). What I'm hoping for in the third telling is motivation, internal conflict, wavering back and forth. That never seems to happen. Sure, Loki ends up going from for Asgard to against it, but I don't see him struggling. The rest of the gods are equally mysterious in their motivations and utterly stubborn in their prejudices. Okay, gods are jerks. We all know that. But the book reads like they all know Loki will end up being the villain in all of the legends. There's no transition. I already know a lot of the legends so when I read a novelization, I want either a divergence, or a deep exploration of the truth behind the legend.

The repetition is more grating with the characters. Every time (seemingly) the narration switches to Tyr, we are reminded that "Only Thor was a match for him on the battlefield, and that was only due to raw power and strength." I got that the first time. If the author was concerned I would forget, I would prefer an early scene showing Tyr besting the other gods, short of Thor. The other gods mostly have similar cues which suggest that the book was either not proofread as a whole to catch the repetitions, or that the author did not trust the reader to keep the characters straight.

The initial scene with Loki under the acid was gripping because it had built in questions. How did he get here? Why is he so angry? Why is his wife so devoted? The plot might offer the answers to these question, but they aren't actively explored. Yeah, I guess if these things happen, then the main character would end up like this. Maybe I'm the lazy one isn't reading between the lines, but a story whose plot is based on very old, known legends, needs to bring the characters to life and I just don't get that here.

[Kris43 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words are not enough to explain how absolutely and totally I loved this! Simply amazing!

This book does a good job on staying true to spirit of original Norse myths, while at the same time it breaths new life into them. Lets say i will newer again look at Odin and Loki in the same way. Each Asgardian God is given distinct personality that is not far from how they where portrayed in folklore, it also gives them a little extra and makes them believable. Its all deliciously dark and very tragic.

The main question that plagued me through the entire book was, is fate really so absolute? Did it really have to end up like that?

HUGE SPOILER ALERT

Odin goes to the all knowing ones, and sacrifices his eye for knowledge. There he stays hanged for nine days in unspeakable torment. In return he gets visions and premonitions of future. In his own head, he often confuses future, past and present. The only thing he knows for sure is that Ragnarok is Coming, that is the end of the Gods.
So what does he do? Nothing.... He lets it all happen. He even goes out of his way to 'help' make it happen knowing the consequences.

Is fate really set in stone? Or are the things that he sees only the shadows of possible outcomes? I could never hope to answer that...

Odin often says that nobody can understand the burden he carries. So very true. But i know i would try to do everything to preserve my way and the way of those who look in my for guidance and protection. I don't know if that would really help. The Greek myths are full of heroes who fight fate and with their own actions help bring along the outcome they where trying to avoid.

I cannot recommend this book enough, it really made me think. I hated the ending, because I don't agree with Odin's presumption that fate cant be helped. But then again, I cant really understand things the way a God can.

In the end we are told that there are no more Gods now, that this is the age of men. I say thank you very much for the flowers, but no thank you! I would much rather be able to cross the Bifröst rainbow bridge the way men could then. Our age is overrated!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it's true that the author plays merry havoc with a few of the classic Norse myths, this novel ties together the rise and fall of the Aesir like no other book before it. Odin is not simple a wiseman. He is a tormented manipulator actively setting up the events of the impending Ragnarok. The other gods, such as Tyr, Frey and Frejya, get equal treatment with dynamic personalities that make the progression of the story refreshing, believable and, at times, surprising. For instance, Baldar, beautiful god of love and beauty, can be a real jerk.

Supporting characters aside, what makes this book a particularly enticing read is the clever unfurling of the protagonist/antagonist, Loki. The Trickster god's transformation from devoted and loyal servant of Odin to the dark, terrible force of destruction he inevitable becomes, is the focus of this novel and, as you might expect, he makes a fascinating tragic hero.

I wouldn't recommend this as a read for people new to the Norse myths as several stories are tweaked to flow with the plot. As with most ancient myths, the original stories weren't created with a clear timeline in mind. Other adventures are mentioned briefly in the book, but never elaborated.

Wade into Norse mythology first, read about some of Loki's more famous adventures, such as "The Wedding of Thrym" or "The Seduction of Idun". Maybe read the Poetic Edda or the Prose Edda. Once you become familiar with the stories, you'll really appreciate the magic of this book. The author took an otherwise odd mythological character and gave him motivation and meaning.

Also, for the savvy reader, you will immediately see that, while this is an intriguing book with many strengths, the author has a habit of frequently repeating words and metaphors. The book reads as though it wasn't carefully edited before publication. If you can get over that, you'll find 'Loki' a refreshing and thoughtful read.

[Pablo Bueno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Vasich utiliza en "Loki" algunas de las eddas clásicas para orquestar una novela que, tomando como principal personaje (creo que no exactamente como protagonista) al dios nórdico del engaño y el caos, nos llevará por algunos de los momentos más importantes de dichos mitos, siempre con el temido Ragnarok en el horizonte.

Me ha resultado curioso y gratificante comprobar cómo el autor sostiene algunos de los hitos famosos para revestirlos de literatura, inventando descripciones, diálogos y, en definitiva, "novelizando" los hechos más o menos austeros que conocemos.

Y digo esto último con ciertas reservas, porque el mimo, el respeto y el conocimiento con el que el autor trata la tradición nórdica hacen que no solo resulte una lectura sumamente agradable, sino que además es mucho más enriquecedora de lo que me habría podido plantear cuando lo comencé.

Mención especial para su traductor, que ha logrado un discurso natural, fluido y que no da en ningún momento la sensación de estar leyendo algo solo aproximado al original.

Una lectura recomendada para todo aquel que tenga un mínimo interés en los mitos o las principales figuras de la tradición nórdica.

[Kristine Kruppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first unforgettable scene straight out of Norse mythology, this fantastic book just keeps getting better. It follows the story of the trickster god Loki, including many of the favorite Norse myths while following an engaging plot that fills in many of the holes the original mythology had left. The pantheon of gods, each with their own distinct personality, inhabit a rich and colorful world that is easy to become completely absorbed in. Mike Vasich brings new light to the hammer-toting Thor, the wise and mysterious Odin, the ravenous wolf Fenrir, and every classic Norse character in between. Excellent dialogue, rip-roaring battle scenes, and a fascinating main character make this an absolute must-read that will not be easily forgotten. An amazing book!

[Juan Gallardo Ivanovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

El verdadero gestor del Ragnarok

Loki narra la historia del Embaucador desde la perspectiva del Dios y espíritu del fuego, el cual con sus incontables tretas y genialidad, es capaz de resolver los embrollos y salir ganando para bien de todos los Aesir. Usando estos ingenios, será capaz de conseguir un córcel y una muralla defensora con un riesgo mínimo (y de paso borrar a un terrible gigante de en medio) y destruir a un poderoso caudillo de los Jotnar, entre otros, los cuales si bien no están en los capítulos que leeremos, serán parte de anécdotas que forman parte de la trama.

Ahora bien, los poderosos dioses y diosas Aesir, serán incapaces de apreciar lo aportado por Loki y constantemente lo estarán despreciando y ofendiendo, siendo incapaces de expulsarlo debido a que Odín lo considera parte de ellos. Pero todo tiene su límite y tras el rapto de las manzanas de Idun, y con el Padre de Todo desentiéndose de Loki, éste será expulsado y planeará su venganza

Pasado un tiempo, el astuto Loki tendrá descendencia con una giganta, la cual le dará al turbulento mundo 3 hijos: una serpiente que un futuro será gigantesca, un lobo que se tragará al Sol y estará destinado para los crímenes más brutales y una niña mitad sana, mitad muerta que será la gobernante del Reino de los Muertos. Tras enterarse de tamañas abominaciones y por mandato del Alto, Balder, Freyr y Tyr irán a raptar a los bebés, siendo entregados cada uno de ellos a destinos ingratos y que darán el pie a futuras tragedias, entre las cuales podemos destacar como la pérdida de la mano de Tyr y la muerte de Balder.

Esto llevará al complejo escenario donde los Aesir y sus aliados serán invadidos por las numerosas huestes de gigantes e incontables legiones de muertos lideradas por Loki y sus hijos, dónde (como ya es sabido), irán pereciendo uno a uno hasta que Loki, siendo asesinado ya no controle el poder de Surtr en su interior y precipite el fin de los nueve mundos en una conflagración final. Poco sobrevivirá al estallido, pero una vez pasado algún tiempo la vida resurgirá y se abrirá paso una vez más.

Tras unos 4 años de haber disfrutado de esta excelente historia, decidí leerla de nuevo gracias a que en paralelo estuve jugando God of War (PS4). De cualquier forma, esta novela sigue siendo muy buena para entender las motivaciones de un Loki incómodo entre los Aesir, quienes no lo respetan y lo tratan de lo peor. Como guinda de la torta, existe un Odín muy difuminado en el tiempo y que tiene una gran carga preparando todos los eventos para que se origine el Ragnarok. Sí lectores, en esta novela el Padre de Todo, Señor de los Colgados, El Ato, Sabio, Errante, El Terrible, entre otros, es quien juega a poner todas las piezas para propiciar el Ragnarok. Es así como el Tuerto, usará todos los recursos para que todo esté listo para la caída final y sin tener asco sobre los sacrificios y deslealtades que realizará en el camino. Pese a sus actos de dudosa moralidad y un resultado que no podría ser considerado como aceptable, será capaz de allanar el camino a una nueva era, al salvar a uno cuantos para que sean testigos del renacer. En este aspecto, estamos ante el Odín más manipulador que haya leído, sin dejar de lado que es también el que más parece pesarle el tema de saber su destino y no hacerle frente.

Por su parte, en este libro tenemos a un Loki que ni siquiera en un principio es malo, ni tan embustero. Sus recursos, si bien menospreciados por los demás, son moralmente incorrectos pero para cumplir con los planes de Odín se puede hacer todo. Además, sus principales motivaciones iniciales son servir al Alto y de paso ayudar a defender Asgard. Se sabe diferente, pero en esta ocasión no descubre sus orígenes hasta más tarde y aún así sigue con su cometido con la misma determinación, pero con menos seguridad pues ya es consciente de que si se entera algún Aesir tiene los días contados. Recién después de ser traicionado por el mismo Odín (como parte del plan de éste), se vuelve una amenaza pero en ningún caso en ese momento se vuelve un ser maligno. Se va a vivir tranquilo con una giganta, que al asesinarla y raptar a sus hijos se enfurece (algo entendible), planeando y ejecutando la muerte de Balder como venganza. Después es apresado con una tortura que termina por acabar toda bondad en él. Al final del relato, se convierte en un recipiente de Surtr, borrando todo rastro de su personalidad.

Los ejes secundarios tienen algunos capítulos dedicados a Tyr y Balder, de los cuales el primero es un personaje muy equilibrado y tiene buena participación y pese a ser algo testarudo y cabezotas, normalmente es un personaje bueno y objetivo. Por su parte, Balder se la tiene jurada a Loki y en cada palabra que cruza con el Astuto se ve el odio y rencor que el Dios de La Luz tiene el tramposo. También hay capítulos con eje en Odín, cuyo principal motivo va siendo develar las tramas que tiene para llegar al Ragnarok. Por último, Freyja y Heimdall tienen partes donde sabemos que hacen, pero en general siguen la estela de las fuentes originales.

Pese a que se toma unas cuantas libertades con respecto a las fuentes, Mike Vasich se sirve de un puñado de mitos e increíblemente los convierte en una narración consecuente y muy bien hilada, aprovechando cada palmo de información para enriquecer la novela de manera más amplia que la Edda original.

Un libro redondo que no sólo nos explica cómo suceden los eventos de cara al Crepúsculo de los Dioses, sino que nos acerca a éstos para que entendamos el por qué suceden, teniendo como principal mensaje que el Destino no se puede cambiar.

[Audrey Hacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK GAVE ME ALL THE FEELINGS.

[Why · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5
A-bu-rri-do

[B.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give the author some serious recognition for what he was working to do. Retelling mythologies is very difficult and tedious work (I would assume). There are parts of this book that I loved and parts that were not my favorite. So here it goes:

Wins:

-Knowledge: The author actually inserted sections or excerpts of the real myth. This added a knowledge base to help me understand the story better. If he had not provided that background information, I would have been lost on some things. This also allowed the reader to tell how his retelling differed from the real myth. I felt like I had a better understanding of Norse mythology after reading this.

-Imagery: There are times, especially when Thor is in the story, that the imagery is beautiful. I copied a section out of the book and made it a quote on GR because it was so good.


Loses:

-Pacing: The story is flat for all but one small part. There is a peak when Thor kills a giant, but before and after that it is flat (I actually fell asleep a few times). The down side to retelling a myth (especially since he provides synopsizes) the reader know what is going to happen. The author needed to do something special to build tension and turn pages.

-Language: I feel like in his attempt to retell a myth, he was sucked into the trap of writing like an old bard. The over use of simile and metaphor may have caused much of his pacing issues. There is also a redundancy of facts. The problem is that bards were orators and the dynamism of their style lies in the telling of the story. They would repeat facts because they had new people who had not heard the story and others who needed to remember those facts for future generations or religious purposes. Redundancy was built in so oral traditions would carry on. It makes for a boring book though.


Over all, it was an okay book. I do not really have much to say. I almost wish the author would have been a bit freer in the retelling. I wish he would have executed Odin’s plan for Ragnarok like he was a master mind heist story. Mythologies are better for inspiration rather than actual rewrites (unless you are studying mythology). I gave it 3 stars because of the knowledge I felt I gained. If I had been familiar with the myths already, it probably would be a 2 star book.



***DISCLAIMER: I do not actually know the real myths that well; so when I say “real myth,” I am assuming that he wrote those as synopsizes from a credible source.

[I.S. Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an author who writes stories based on mythology, I felt obligated to read this. I am always curious to get another take on a subject so dear to my heart. When you do that though, you always take the risk of being disappointed because somebody else’s spin on your favorite stories could be too far from your own interpretation to enjoy it.

I can tell you right now; this author does know his stuff. At no point in the story did I feel like tearing my hair out thinking: “where did this guy get his facts?” After I read the story, I saw on my kindle that the author is a schoolteacher that teaches Norse Mythology to his students, so it does make sense.

I was also a bit worried at first that the story would completely take Loki’s side in this story and turn him into a victim that was betrayed by his people and was coerced into taking revenge on them. To an extent, that is the way the story went, but it did show his villainous side.
The story tells a few keys myths that are central to Loki’s story and events that lead to Ragnarök. I thought that Ragnarök was going to be predominant in this story but it is only the last 20% of the story.

One thing I found odd about this story was the inclusion of the actual myths with the author’s rewrite. He would tell the brief synopsis of a myth that you would find in the actual Prose Eda in italics. Then he would continue with his own story that would rehash what you just read, but with different facts. I personally have no problems with authors taking some creative liberties with mythology. If you read enough source material, you find a few different versions of the same story anyway.

What I find peculiar is the thought process behind this. Was the author afraid people were going to think he was not credible if he did not include the actual myths with his own interpretation? Did he think the audience needed more background? I prefer it when authors do not feel a need to justify their stories.

Would I recommend this? If you are into mythology and you want a story based on it, yes. If you were new to Norse mythology, would this be a good starting point? Well, if you are the kind of person that does not like tragedy and is squeamish about characters you like being killed, then maybe not. You have to keep in mind that there is much more to Norse mythology than Ragnarök.

If you are just curious, download it to you e-reader. This one is a good read.

[Rial · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The author does an excellent job stitching a narrative together out of the somewhat fragmentary stories of Norse mythology, and pulls together an engrossing and entertaining read.

I'd wrestled a bit with some of the portrayals of Loki, but the book makes it all flow in a way that's easily understood.

Neil Gaiman's book on Norse mythology is more bombastic and comic book-like, but this is written more... dramatically.