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Mjolnir
The Viking gods have been banished from Asgard by Odin. Today they make the best of life on Earth. Thor is a professional athlete, Freya a prostitute, and Loki sells cheap products on QVC. Lurking in the background of their lives is a prophecy; one that declares that their time is at an end. Ragnarok is about to throw the gods into a state of civil war and the one who controls the hammer of Thor may be able to change the arc of destiny.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2012
7 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Brian James
2 books235 followersBrian James grew up just out of bullet range of Detroit. He was raised on the work of Douglas Adams and Snorri Sturluson. Eventually he went on to college where he majored in history. A degree which now hangs in his bathroom. While he never realized his dream to become a heavier version of Indiana Jones, he did wind up writing for a number of magazines, newspapers, websites, and Fortune 500 companies. When not writing Brian enjoys autumn sunsets, long walks on the beach, the eventual conquest of Ohio by the Kalamazoo Jaycees, and wearing a top hat while playing old school Guitar Hero!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 29, 2018
At first, when reading the opening pages, I thought Mjolnir might be similar to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, one of my favorite books, but it wasn't. I found the concept a good one. If you have ever wondered what happened to the ancient Norse gods, well, they are still here and living among us. And, one would think with such a long life span they would have accrued some wisdom along the way, but wisdom seemed to fall along the wayside with the gods along with Thor's hammer, an object that doesn't seem to be able to differentiate between Thor or a facsimile of Thor.
I liked the beginning and the end of the book. And while, I found the short quips and puns to be amusing at first, I grew tired of them. They made up a good portion of the book's belly. Because each god resorted to them as a way of speech, the gods all melded together as one character.
If these gods are in charge then no wonder our world seems to be in such chaos. Still, the end offered some hope.
I liked the beginning and the end of the book. And while, I found the short quips and puns to be amusing at first, I grew tired of them. They made up a good portion of the book's belly. Because each god resorted to them as a way of speech, the gods all melded together as one character.
If these gods are in charge then no wonder our world seems to be in such chaos. Still, the end offered some hope.
March 30, 2018
As fantasy books inspired by Norse mythology are still in short supply, I was happy to grab Mjolnir copy. I didn't know a lot about the book but I'm always open for a fun ride.
And it was fun.
Way too much, actually.
Mjolnir plays with Norse mythology, twists and rewrites it in, mostly, entertaining way. Because of a series of unfortunate events Norse Gods have to live on Earth and have real jobs. Their jobs reflect their personalities.
Thor is an NFL football player that wreaks havoc amongst other teams. He's feared by all and hated by most professional players. Let's look at him through the eyes of one of his football opponents:
Odin owns a company that could build him his own personal Death Star - Aesir Engineering is a primary USA defense contractor. The company has revolutionized the art of weapon making to a degree that companies like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics simply could not attain.
Freya is a premium escort. Prostituting herself is something that disgusts her tremendously but she had never learned to live within her means. In fact, the very concept of a budget is alien to her. Budgetary issues and her desires are often at odds because she wants the best of everything and "the best" usually has a fairly hefty price tag.
Loki owns a company that sells something but no one knows exactly what. It seems, though, he's managed to trick everyone and he has plenty of fun along the way.
Other gods from Norse Pantheon appear but the main personages of this drama are Freya, Loki, Odin, and Thor. In order not to spoil things I'll summarize the plot shortly. Odin, Loki, and Thor hate each other. Odin and Loki have nefarious plans involving Thor and Freya. Other forces are at play but, basically, the plot is quite simple. Odin gets Thor. Loki tries to kill Freya. He doesn't succeed. Freya tries to find Thor and then to free him up. They run. They get caught. Twists and other gods and goddesses appear. The plot is resolved. And then we can enjoy Epilogue.
The writing is clearly inspired by Douglas Adams. And this is the main problem. I appreciate a healthy dose of humor in the story, but I'm not convinced that every single paragraph needs to contain an anecdote or pop culture reference. The book is 375 pages long. I'm not sure if there would be enough material for a novella after cutting out all jokes, anecdotes, meaningless digressions and banter.
Some jokes and descriptions were funny, some cheesy, other simply bad. I'll just quote some examples:
These were rather bad but it would be a lie to say they were Legion. Some of the quotes made me laugh and some of the scenes were written well and in an imaginative way.
The writing is mostly clean, although there are some awkward sentences with missing or repeated words. Not many of them.
Characterization is rather weak. The book was supposed to be entertaining (I believe) and character development is almost nonexistent and the changes we get lack psychological depth.
Overall, the book is violent, action-packed and humorous, but also too long. It's cool to have plenty of jokes to tell but a quarter of what we got would be more than enough. In my opinion, constant anecdotes and long sentences are tiring and serve as a way to mask, unsuccessfully, a weak plot.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. It hasn't influenced my opinion in any way.
And it was fun.
Way too much, actually.
Mjolnir plays with Norse mythology, twists and rewrites it in, mostly, entertaining way. Because of a series of unfortunate events Norse Gods have to live on Earth and have real jobs. Their jobs reflect their personalities.
Thor is an NFL football player that wreaks havoc amongst other teams. He's feared by all and hated by most professional players. Let's look at him through the eyes of one of his football opponents:
Thor just stood outside the huddle and stared back at him. Trent could feel Thor's icy blue eyes piercing him. There was a dispassionate sort of hate and malice in the stare. It sent the clear message that Trent would soon have a greater understanding and appreciation for the whole "lamb to slaughter" cliche.
Odin owns a company that could build him his own personal Death Star - Aesir Engineering is a primary USA defense contractor. The company has revolutionized the art of weapon making to a degree that companies like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics simply could not attain.
Freya is a premium escort. Prostituting herself is something that disgusts her tremendously but she had never learned to live within her means. In fact, the very concept of a budget is alien to her. Budgetary issues and her desires are often at odds because she wants the best of everything and "the best" usually has a fairly hefty price tag.
Loki owns a company that sells something but no one knows exactly what. It seems, though, he's managed to trick everyone and he has plenty of fun along the way.
Other gods from Norse Pantheon appear but the main personages of this drama are Freya, Loki, Odin, and Thor. In order not to spoil things I'll summarize the plot shortly. Odin, Loki, and Thor hate each other. Odin and Loki have nefarious plans involving Thor and Freya. Other forces are at play but, basically, the plot is quite simple. Odin gets Thor. Loki tries to kill Freya. He doesn't succeed. Freya tries to find Thor and then to free him up. They run. They get caught. Twists and other gods and goddesses appear. The plot is resolved. And then we can enjoy Epilogue.
The writing is clearly inspired by Douglas Adams. And this is the main problem. I appreciate a healthy dose of humor in the story, but I'm not convinced that every single paragraph needs to contain an anecdote or pop culture reference. The book is 375 pages long. I'm not sure if there would be enough material for a novella after cutting out all jokes, anecdotes, meaningless digressions and banter.
Some jokes and descriptions were funny, some cheesy, other simply bad. I'll just quote some examples:
(...) is still looking a little rough, and as our resident hooker, she has one client left to service. And believe me, he won't be happy if she looks like she's been dating Mel Gibson.
"Got your nose!" Loki said with the sort of smile that could have charmed a couple of nuns into an enthusiastic threesome.
Thor was acquainted with at least half the cheerleaders in the NFL in ways that only their gynecologists should know without at least having to buy dinner first.
These were rather bad but it would be a lie to say they were Legion. Some of the quotes made me laugh and some of the scenes were written well and in an imaginative way.
The writing is mostly clean, although there are some awkward sentences with missing or repeated words. Not many of them.
Characterization is rather weak. The book was supposed to be entertaining (I believe) and character development is almost nonexistent and the changes we get lack psychological depth.
Overall, the book is violent, action-packed and humorous, but also too long. It's cool to have plenty of jokes to tell but a quarter of what we got would be more than enough. In my opinion, constant anecdotes and long sentences are tiring and serve as a way to mask, unsuccessfully, a weak plot.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. It hasn't influenced my opinion in any way.
October 24, 2013
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2013/10/24...
4.5/5.0
Review: This is an epic commentary on todays American pop culture. The author pokes fun at anything from Bill O’reilly, and Oprah to Area 51. It is a hilarious romp through pop culture coupled with an epic tale of Norse Mythology and their Gods.
There were some fall downs within the novel that were minor like pistols with 40 mm ammo, which is impossible. I think the author meant 40 caliber. Also, you will wonder why the God Freya with all her abilities, chooses to become a prostitute when she obviously hates it. Wouldn’t it have been easier to shack up with one rich dude? Would not have been as interesting but the Freya story-line was not real believable. The cover is really bad. It is like the publisher pulled a cover from an un-related novel and stuck it on. Looks like a bunch of birds at a lava feeder. None of what is depicted relates to the story.
The author takes a mythos-story and turns it on it’s ear. Odin is a dick whom trades his children like cattle. Thor is a whoring drunk whom hates Odin for trading his wife, Sif to a demon whom rapes her. Thor’s brother stabs him in the back as does Sif. Odin tries to kill Thor, repeatedly. Idun, the goddess of longevity is summarily killed without a second thought. The only true relationship in the whole novel is Freya and Thor, and even that is a pretty loose relationship throughout the whole novel up until the end.
Get this novel if you enjoy glib and witty commentary that pummels popular culture at every turn. The story-line is funny and interesting with solid character development that both enhances and sets up the commentary.
4.5/5.0
Review: This is an epic commentary on todays American pop culture. The author pokes fun at anything from Bill O’reilly, and Oprah to Area 51. It is a hilarious romp through pop culture coupled with an epic tale of Norse Mythology and their Gods.
There were some fall downs within the novel that were minor like pistols with 40 mm ammo, which is impossible. I think the author meant 40 caliber. Also, you will wonder why the God Freya with all her abilities, chooses to become a prostitute when she obviously hates it. Wouldn’t it have been easier to shack up with one rich dude? Would not have been as interesting but the Freya story-line was not real believable. The cover is really bad. It is like the publisher pulled a cover from an un-related novel and stuck it on. Looks like a bunch of birds at a lava feeder. None of what is depicted relates to the story.
The author takes a mythos-story and turns it on it’s ear. Odin is a dick whom trades his children like cattle. Thor is a whoring drunk whom hates Odin for trading his wife, Sif to a demon whom rapes her. Thor’s brother stabs him in the back as does Sif. Odin tries to kill Thor, repeatedly. Idun, the goddess of longevity is summarily killed without a second thought. The only true relationship in the whole novel is Freya and Thor, and even that is a pretty loose relationship throughout the whole novel up until the end.
Get this novel if you enjoy glib and witty commentary that pummels popular culture at every turn. The story-line is funny and interesting with solid character development that both enhances and sets up the commentary.
May 31, 2018
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
I almost gave this two stars but ...it was just so bad. I mean I could see how other people might enjoy it, but I just absolutely hated it. The whole thing is entirely reference-humor based, which basically means it's like reading a really long episode of Family Guy with the Norse gods. I know some of you [who are possibly stuck in some kind of time warp] are saying 'I love Family Guy! That sounds amazing!', in which case I would totally recommend this book to you. But I think it's just the lowest most annoying form of comedy there is, and honestly it's exhausting and sometimes baffling to read. Also some of the references were just weird. Like Orlando Bloom was mentioned at one point. How long has it been since Orlando Bloom was relevant? 10 years? 12?
Other than that all the gods just seem wildly out of character to me but I guess a lot of liberties have to be taken in order for them to act stupid enough to actually propel the plot forward. Also I hate that Freya was basically reduced to 'the goddess of really good sex' and was [SPOILER] literally raped at the end by Surt in order to [I think, I was pretty out of it at this point] use his DNA to create some kind of weird fighter monster. The whole thing was just such a bizarre experience. Do not recommend.
I almost gave this two stars but ...it was just so bad. I mean I could see how other people might enjoy it, but I just absolutely hated it. The whole thing is entirely reference-humor based, which basically means it's like reading a really long episode of Family Guy with the Norse gods. I know some of you [who are possibly stuck in some kind of time warp] are saying 'I love Family Guy! That sounds amazing!', in which case I would totally recommend this book to you. But I think it's just the lowest most annoying form of comedy there is, and honestly it's exhausting and sometimes baffling to read. Also some of the references were just weird. Like Orlando Bloom was mentioned at one point. How long has it been since Orlando Bloom was relevant? 10 years? 12?
Other than that all the gods just seem wildly out of character to me but I guess a lot of liberties have to be taken in order for them to act stupid enough to actually propel the plot forward. Also I hate that Freya was basically reduced to 'the goddess of really good sex' and was [SPOILER] literally raped at the end by Surt in order to [I think, I was pretty out of it at this point] use his DNA to create some kind of weird fighter monster. The whole thing was just such a bizarre experience. Do not recommend.
August 1, 2017
This novel is a dark, violent story that is both familiar, and yet wholly its own—starting with mythology you may recognize, and then heading in some hilarious, and twisted directions. Mjolnir is a rollercoaster ride, and no punches are pulled. If you like the new American Gods television show, I think you'll dig this. Entertaining, and informative, this book works on several layers—with humor, a sense of authority, and a reimagining of classic mythological figures.
January 31, 2018
4 Cranky Stars
What would you think would happen if gods and goddesses roamed around as everyday people?
Would people even notice? In this book, the gods and goddesses of Asgard are stranded on earth and forced to find ways to survive in our world. With Thor playing for the NFL, Freya a prostitute, Loki a CEO, and Odin a billionaire, humor abounds.
Each God or goddess finds a way to thrive in our modern day world the best way they can. The author does well using each one's personality and placing them exactly where they would be in modern society. The fact that their supernatural personalities such as their extreme dislike for people, and huge egos do shine through but no one notices it as anything abnormal makes it even more enjoyable. The conflict in the story involves each God and goddess taking a side, and it's interesting to try to figure out which side everyone is actually on and, it seems, they don't always know...
The book is well written and after getting through the rather boring and overly descriptive beginning, it flows nicely. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me turning the page wanting to know what would happen next. There is a lot of fun humor but at times it's a tad repetitive although not so much as to take away from it at all. The characters are well developed based on their traditional mythological traits as well as traits given to them by the author. A lot of knowledge went into writing this book. There are some minor typos and words that seemed to have been left out so a little more proofreading would have been helpful. None of that affects the story and it's still very easy to follow. Overall there is a great combination of humor and action and it's definitely worth the read for both people who know and don't know Norse mythology. If you're looking for a book without all the seriousness of Norse mythology and all of the details this is it. But then again, when is true Norse mythology all humorless?
There is a part where a woman is raped and I feel the need to mention it in my review for people who may not want to be subjected to it. It doesn't take from the overall story, but it is rather brutal. It doesn't demean women in any way and I don't believe that was the author's intent.
What would you think would happen if gods and goddesses roamed around as everyday people?
Would people even notice? In this book, the gods and goddesses of Asgard are stranded on earth and forced to find ways to survive in our world. With Thor playing for the NFL, Freya a prostitute, Loki a CEO, and Odin a billionaire, humor abounds.
Each God or goddess finds a way to thrive in our modern day world the best way they can. The author does well using each one's personality and placing them exactly where they would be in modern society. The fact that their supernatural personalities such as their extreme dislike for people, and huge egos do shine through but no one notices it as anything abnormal makes it even more enjoyable. The conflict in the story involves each God and goddess taking a side, and it's interesting to try to figure out which side everyone is actually on and, it seems, they don't always know...
The book is well written and after getting through the rather boring and overly descriptive beginning, it flows nicely. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me turning the page wanting to know what would happen next. There is a lot of fun humor but at times it's a tad repetitive although not so much as to take away from it at all. The characters are well developed based on their traditional mythological traits as well as traits given to them by the author. A lot of knowledge went into writing this book. There are some minor typos and words that seemed to have been left out so a little more proofreading would have been helpful. None of that affects the story and it's still very easy to follow. Overall there is a great combination of humor and action and it's definitely worth the read for both people who know and don't know Norse mythology. If you're looking for a book without all the seriousness of Norse mythology and all of the details this is it. But then again, when is true Norse mythology all humorless?
There is a part where a woman is raped and I feel the need to mention it in my review for people who may not want to be subjected to it. It doesn't take from the overall story, but it is rather brutal. It doesn't demean women in any way and I don't believe that was the author's intent.
February 4, 2018
A twisted tale of Norse mythology. All of the Norse Gods are on Earth in mundane professions; Thor is a NFL football player, Freya is a prostitute and Loki is the CEO of a company that sells something (but nobody seems to know what!).
The book is full of humor and pop culture references (so many that at times I was lost). In a few years, these references will make the book seem very dated.
Violent, humorous, and action-packed, this book is more like an action flick involving superheroes than a book about mythology.
The book is full of humor and pop culture references (so many that at times I was lost). In a few years, these references will make the book seem very dated.
Violent, humorous, and action-packed, this book is more like an action flick involving superheroes than a book about mythology.
October 31, 2013
Odin learned he was going to die in Ragnarok when the Norns announced it at his birthday party (with an impromptu performance of It’s a Dead Man’s Party. They never got on well); after dumping the Norns in a nursing home in Des Moines (the Norse gods being quite happy with “shoot the messenger”) he descended ever deeper into paranoia – finally locking all the gods out of Asgard to make their living on Midgard.
Odin himself set up a very powerful defence firm with the long term goal of surviving Ragnarok. Thor, not particularly a fan of his father, became an NFL player and left bodies of quarterbacks in his wake and Freya tried to get along as well as she could as a sex worker
Until Baldr escaped Hel, Jormungandr woke up and Loki escaped. Ragnarok is coming – and we now have multiple powerful gods, fire giants, Valkyries and who knows what else all scheming and plotting for the last battle – a large amount of which revolves around Thor and Freya who would much rather be left alone.
This book is funny. In fact, there are places where this book is hilarious. There are pop culture references galore, snipe one liners, gloriously irreverent depictions and summations of Norse mythology and so much really really really good snark. I spent a lot of time grinning like a fool at this book. I don’t think a smile ever left my face and there were several moments when I laughed out loud. There were even a couple of moments where I laughed so hard I fell out my chair and someone had to help me up because I was laughing too hard to get up on my own.
And I love that – how could I not love a book that can reduce me to helpless, breathless laughter?
Sadly, I don’t love that book because the humour is what stops me hating it and what kept me reading it. I loved the jokes, I loved the humour, I loved the hilarity – but that was kind of all I loved.
The writing is slow. It’s clunky. We have very long, rambling recaps of Norse mythology. Very long, rambling explanations of various things as well as very long, and yes, rambling internal monologues. The story drags along for a long time, we have a lot of really unnecessary information about characters that don’t mean a lot.
And it’s forced. When the humour hits its mark, this is one of the funniest books you’ll ever read. But at least a third of the humour didn’t – and there are vast tracts of the book that are there expressly to set up another joke. Or a scene is extended for more jokes or has more jokes inserted – or even a legitimately funny moment has 3 or 4 extra jokes clinging to it that don’t work. When it’s funny, it’s hilariously funny – but this book tries so very hard to be funny all the time and it doesn’t always hit the mark – which leads to further long, slow, clunkiness.
It doesn’t help at all that some of those jokes delve into the sadly typical fat jokes and a lot of gay jokes that range from tasteless to outright homophobic.
Read More
Odin himself set up a very powerful defence firm with the long term goal of surviving Ragnarok. Thor, not particularly a fan of his father, became an NFL player and left bodies of quarterbacks in his wake and Freya tried to get along as well as she could as a sex worker
Until Baldr escaped Hel, Jormungandr woke up and Loki escaped. Ragnarok is coming – and we now have multiple powerful gods, fire giants, Valkyries and who knows what else all scheming and plotting for the last battle – a large amount of which revolves around Thor and Freya who would much rather be left alone.
This book is funny. In fact, there are places where this book is hilarious. There are pop culture references galore, snipe one liners, gloriously irreverent depictions and summations of Norse mythology and so much really really really good snark. I spent a lot of time grinning like a fool at this book. I don’t think a smile ever left my face and there were several moments when I laughed out loud. There were even a couple of moments where I laughed so hard I fell out my chair and someone had to help me up because I was laughing too hard to get up on my own.
And I love that – how could I not love a book that can reduce me to helpless, breathless laughter?
Sadly, I don’t love that book because the humour is what stops me hating it and what kept me reading it. I loved the jokes, I loved the humour, I loved the hilarity – but that was kind of all I loved.
The writing is slow. It’s clunky. We have very long, rambling recaps of Norse mythology. Very long, rambling explanations of various things as well as very long, and yes, rambling internal monologues. The story drags along for a long time, we have a lot of really unnecessary information about characters that don’t mean a lot.
And it’s forced. When the humour hits its mark, this is one of the funniest books you’ll ever read. But at least a third of the humour didn’t – and there are vast tracts of the book that are there expressly to set up another joke. Or a scene is extended for more jokes or has more jokes inserted – or even a legitimately funny moment has 3 or 4 extra jokes clinging to it that don’t work. When it’s funny, it’s hilariously funny – but this book tries so very hard to be funny all the time and it doesn’t always hit the mark – which leads to further long, slow, clunkiness.
It doesn’t help at all that some of those jokes delve into the sadly typical fat jokes and a lot of gay jokes that range from tasteless to outright homophobic.
Read More
February 10, 2018
I'm sure if you love Douglas Adams and that style of writing you'll probably love this book. It's definitely not for me though. The concept sounds fantastic and I was so excited to read it but just like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy I wasn't able to read more than 15% before I had to add it to my "Did not finish" list. I can't read more than a chapter before I fall asleep. I can't connect to the voice of the story at all. There were some hilarious references and jokes but because I felt so disconnected and sleepy I wasn't able to fully enjoy it. I tried napping and starting it again, doing some chores and continuing, but I just couldn't do it. I started a different book just to make sure it's the book, not me and I had no trouble with it so I made the decision to not spend any more valuable reading time with something I just wasn't enjoying. I hope everyone else loves this book though because it really is an incredible concept. Definitely recommending it to a couple Douglas Adams fans I know!
*I volunteered to try to read and honestly review a free Kindle copy of this book*
*I volunteered to try to read and honestly review a free Kindle copy of this book*
February 15, 2018
Mjolnir by Brian James is a fantasy novel mixed with the present day. The Norse gods have given up their god-hood to be "regular" people on earth. Each one is living their lives how they so choose. However, Ragnorak is coming. Odin is trying to prepare for it because he knows that it will mean his end, but of course, things aren't going according to plan. Signs of the end are everywhere. The variety of characters that we are introduced to throughout the story is great. I enjoy that the story doesn't focus on just one or two characters but gives us a fine sprinkling of each type.
This book has quite a few laughs and giggles throughout it. I personally would have liked more action to keep the storyline engaging. I really like that we gets glimpses into other "realms" or parts of the worlds. It's interesting especially when the author gives us unexpected elements and moments. The author piques your interest and pulls you in. There are some moments of where I feel that the characters go a bit overboard with their actions, but seeing as they still view themselves as gods (depsite what they say) it makes sense.
This book could do with another round of editing because there are some spots of where words are missing. Plus, I would have liked it if the chapters had been broken up according to whoever was the current focus. I feel it would have helped the flow of the story since it jumped from one character to the next.
Overall, I'm rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good story, but needs a bit of work to make it great.
This book has quite a few laughs and giggles throughout it. I personally would have liked more action to keep the storyline engaging. I really like that we gets glimpses into other "realms" or parts of the worlds. It's interesting especially when the author gives us unexpected elements and moments. The author piques your interest and pulls you in. There are some moments of where I feel that the characters go a bit overboard with their actions, but seeing as they still view themselves as gods (depsite what they say) it makes sense.
This book could do with another round of editing because there are some spots of where words are missing. Plus, I would have liked it if the chapters had been broken up according to whoever was the current focus. I feel it would have helped the flow of the story since it jumped from one character to the next.
Overall, I'm rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good story, but needs a bit of work to make it great.
October 3, 2017
The gods have passed through memory and are surviving in professions based on their characters. Thor is a professional athlete with his strength and desire to be worshiped. Freya is a high paid escort and living on goodies from sex. Then you have Loki who is selling crap on QVC, enough said. Seeing these high beings reduced to the common man is quite funny. Oh how the mighty has fallen.
But there is a prophecy that will give them the chance to change their destinies, if they are willing to fight for it. And although Odin banished them from Asgard, it looks like they may be returning home.
I love the story being called Mjolnir, the name of Thor’s hammer which I’m sure everyone knows that name besides me. I love the humor, action, mythology, and unexpected twists. This is a great story that I think anyone that has a sense of humor and loves mythology will dig right into.
If you read American Gods or just saw the first season on television and want more, be sure to check out this book. It adds more depth to the gods you get a hint at in the book/television show.
I received Mjolnir from Silver Dagger Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
But there is a prophecy that will give them the chance to change their destinies, if they are willing to fight for it. And although Odin banished them from Asgard, it looks like they may be returning home.
I love the story being called Mjolnir, the name of Thor’s hammer which I’m sure everyone knows that name besides me. I love the humor, action, mythology, and unexpected twists. This is a great story that I think anyone that has a sense of humor and loves mythology will dig right into.
If you read American Gods or just saw the first season on television and want more, be sure to check out this book. It adds more depth to the gods you get a hint at in the book/television show.
I received Mjolnir from Silver Dagger Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
October 8, 2017
I've always been interested in mythology and the Norse with all their quirks are always good for an entertaining read, so I was excited for Mjolnir. It certainly delivered! We do get a bit of a lesson on the Norse in the beginning, which I didn't need, but it is quite entertaining in its own right and great for anyone not familiar with the pantheon.
The book is wonderfully written and the story is dark, witty, and entertaining. Banished to Earth, these larger than life characters are forced to acclimate and their chosen professions suit their personalities quite well. Professional athlete, businessman, stripper and prostitute, and stuck in a nursing home, reading fortunes from cereal bowls, the Viking gods are making the best they can of the situation until it's time to get down to business.
From the very first line (and it's a brilliant starter), I was hooked and stayed that way, page after page. If you enjoy Norse mythology, this is a must read.
The book is wonderfully written and the story is dark, witty, and entertaining. Banished to Earth, these larger than life characters are forced to acclimate and their chosen professions suit their personalities quite well. Professional athlete, businessman, stripper and prostitute, and stuck in a nursing home, reading fortunes from cereal bowls, the Viking gods are making the best they can of the situation until it's time to get down to business.
From the very first line (and it's a brilliant starter), I was hooked and stayed that way, page after page. If you enjoy Norse mythology, this is a must read.
June 23, 2021
Brilliant, masterful, pure genius!!!
If you have a penchant for the type of clever wit that brings Far Side like cartoons to life within a well-crafted story, this is a must read! I must admit I'm not a fan of sci-fi or fantasy genres under normal circumstances, but this is not a "normal" read. From the beginning through the very end, it was impossible to put this book down unless my Kindle Fire needed recharging.
I've always enjoyed intellectual humor and "Mjolnir" is packed full of relatable and timely quips that caused me to laugh out loud and to shake my head often, in awe of the author's ability to weave them throughout the twists and turns of the story. The tale was so well written and unpredictable I even loved the characters depicted as "the bad guys"!!!
Get it! Read it! You'll agree with me!
If you have a penchant for the type of clever wit that brings Far Side like cartoons to life within a well-crafted story, this is a must read! I must admit I'm not a fan of sci-fi or fantasy genres under normal circumstances, but this is not a "normal" read. From the beginning through the very end, it was impossible to put this book down unless my Kindle Fire needed recharging.
I've always enjoyed intellectual humor and "Mjolnir" is packed full of relatable and timely quips that caused me to laugh out loud and to shake my head often, in awe of the author's ability to weave them throughout the twists and turns of the story. The tale was so well written and unpredictable I even loved the characters depicted as "the bad guys"!!!
Get it! Read it! You'll agree with me!
February 5, 2018
I do love reading stories about Norse mythology and Mjolnir was an interesting and fun one for sure.
The fact that I LOVE Marvel and Thor, I knew that this was a book that "I wanted to read and glad that I did!
Norse mythology in the modern world and living just like us?
I enjoyed how Author Brian James made the Gods and Goddess as mortals and entertaining!!
February 12, 2018
Not your average tale with a mythological twist, Mjolnir is funny, irreverent, dark, and bloody. from a freak incident to all out war, only one can hold Mjolnir and shape the destiny of the gods and in the end the world itself. But who has the best intentions and who will come out on top?
May 11, 2018
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Mjolnir by Brian James is a fictional book telling about the old Norse gods, now living on Earth trying to make ends meet. Mr. James is a seasoned writer, Mjolnir is his second novel.
Odin has kicked out the Viking gods from Asgard, now they are trying to survive on Earth as mere mortals. Thor found a place in the NFL, Freya is a high end prostitute, Loki is successful salesperson on TV and Odin is the richest defense contractor in the world.
They all live in fear that a prophecy which declared the end of time, known as Ragnarok, is about to come true. The key to survival is control of Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer.
I liked the concept of Mjolnir by Brian James, telling of the Norse deities to living as us mortals, although keeping their god like powers. I would have assumed that with old age comes wisdom, but it doesn’t seem like the Norse gods have learned much over their long life span. Thor, Loki and Frey are still acting as if they just graduated college, trying to figure things out.
This book straddled the funny – cheesy borderline, but this is on purpose as the author clearly set out to write a fun story with tongue firmly held in cheek. I enjoyed reading the book and loved the pop-culture references, but it almost seems as if the author tried too hard. Not every paragraph needed a joke or an off the cuff reference to work, I enjoy those things work a lot better if they are sprinkled in the narrative and not force in.
The plot is weak, the perspective reader will know what’s going to happen pages in advance, but the jokes and dialog keep you reading regardless. The story-line turns dark and violent here and there, nothing that you wouldn’t read, or worst, in the actually mythology stories though.
This is an imaginative and funny book, much of it is well written in a crisp narrative. The characters are the way they are in Norse mythology, there isn’t much development or introspection but to be honest, I didn’t really expect it or missed it.
Mjolnir by Brian James is a fictional book telling about the old Norse gods, now living on Earth trying to make ends meet. Mr. James is a seasoned writer, Mjolnir is his second novel.
Odin has kicked out the Viking gods from Asgard, now they are trying to survive on Earth as mere mortals. Thor found a place in the NFL, Freya is a high end prostitute, Loki is successful salesperson on TV and Odin is the richest defense contractor in the world.
They all live in fear that a prophecy which declared the end of time, known as Ragnarok, is about to come true. The key to survival is control of Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer.
I liked the concept of Mjolnir by Brian James, telling of the Norse deities to living as us mortals, although keeping their god like powers. I would have assumed that with old age comes wisdom, but it doesn’t seem like the Norse gods have learned much over their long life span. Thor, Loki and Frey are still acting as if they just graduated college, trying to figure things out.
This book straddled the funny – cheesy borderline, but this is on purpose as the author clearly set out to write a fun story with tongue firmly held in cheek. I enjoyed reading the book and loved the pop-culture references, but it almost seems as if the author tried too hard. Not every paragraph needed a joke or an off the cuff reference to work, I enjoy those things work a lot better if they are sprinkled in the narrative and not force in.
The plot is weak, the perspective reader will know what’s going to happen pages in advance, but the jokes and dialog keep you reading regardless. The story-line turns dark and violent here and there, nothing that you wouldn’t read, or worst, in the actually mythology stories though.
This is an imaginative and funny book, much of it is well written in a crisp narrative. The characters are the way they are in Norse mythology, there isn’t much development or introspection but to be honest, I didn’t really expect it or missed it.
June 18, 2018
This one was interesting and exciting but also occasionally felt a bit gratuitous with the sex and violence. And the pop culture references. Eek, the pop culture references! I am a fan of the well-placed snarky comparison or social commentary bit that picks up on pop culture (contemporary or historical). But there is definitely such a thing as overkill in this type of drop-in, particularly when the references are so wide-ranging in their fields and timeframes that they require regular Google searches to comprehend their relevance... To be fair, each time the reference was appropriately made - but they were sprinkled into every other paragraph at times, and it just felt like the author was trying to prove he was clever and well-versed, rather than that he was trying to highlight something important in the story itself.
Speaking of the story itself - I enjoyed it. I think there aren't enough fictionalized tales that take on the Norse pantheon, and have never understood why. There are myriad characters and tales that would lend themselves brilliantly to spin-offs, and when I find one I usually try to pick it up. I liked the concept here - the gods have come to Earth to make their way while Odin attempts to wait out Ragnarok. It felt fresh and interesting and lent itself to lots of intriguing geopolitical and sociopolitical commentary and drama-humor-comedy. I do think the book could have used a slightly more aggressive editing though... The story would click along beautifully, then hit a plot point where it felt like pages and pages were spent in imagery or redundant explanations of how far the mighty had fallen. The occasionally over-gratuitous feeling sex and violence played into this as well. I understand the appetites of the gods, and that there was rather a lot of sex and violence in the original mythology. It just felt like the story occasionally got overly graphic for the sake of shock value rather than to promote the story line. This may just be my personal taste, but it was one of the few issues I had with the story.
All in all I enjoyed it quite a lot, and given the way it ended, I'm thinking there may be a sequel in the works. If so, I'm definitely interested in taking a look. I liked the personalities of the gods and the level of action was engaging on the whole. A slightly crisper edit and this would be a killer series...
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
Speaking of the story itself - I enjoyed it. I think there aren't enough fictionalized tales that take on the Norse pantheon, and have never understood why. There are myriad characters and tales that would lend themselves brilliantly to spin-offs, and when I find one I usually try to pick it up. I liked the concept here - the gods have come to Earth to make their way while Odin attempts to wait out Ragnarok. It felt fresh and interesting and lent itself to lots of intriguing geopolitical and sociopolitical commentary and drama-humor-comedy. I do think the book could have used a slightly more aggressive editing though... The story would click along beautifully, then hit a plot point where it felt like pages and pages were spent in imagery or redundant explanations of how far the mighty had fallen. The occasionally over-gratuitous feeling sex and violence played into this as well. I understand the appetites of the gods, and that there was rather a lot of sex and violence in the original mythology. It just felt like the story occasionally got overly graphic for the sake of shock value rather than to promote the story line. This may just be my personal taste, but it was one of the few issues I had with the story.
All in all I enjoyed it quite a lot, and given the way it ended, I'm thinking there may be a sequel in the works. If so, I'm definitely interested in taking a look. I liked the personalities of the gods and the level of action was engaging on the whole. A slightly crisper edit and this would be a killer series...
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
February 11, 2018
I must state up front that I did something I very rarely do when I’m reading a book: I went and read the reviews after reading the first chapter or so. As I started to read this book, I was bogged down with all the details the author throws at us at the beginning and I was wondering if that was how the whole book was going to go. I saw that other reviews talked about this and I was encouraged to continue. Boy, am I glad I did! The book and characters became so much fun, and I enjoyed myself so much more than what I thought I was going to after reading the first bit. The effort and research the author must have put into this book was readily apparent as he gives the readers so much information, and the human aspects of the gods he writes about are spot on, or as spot on as you can be about a fictionalized account of fiction gods. Reading was so fun seeing gods as people and the trouble they get into, with lots of excellent action. Yes, this book was well-written, and the characters were interesting and fun, so don’t be discouraged at the beginning. If you are a big fan of this type of mythology, you really need to read this book! And, please, give this a chance; it’s well-worth it! Highly recommend! Thanks to the author for the e-book which I reviewed voluntarily.
November 2, 2017
Norse Mythology At It's Finest!
What would you do if you found out you were destined to die and the world was going to end? You'd run and hide.
It made me think of Percy Jackson and Once Upon a Time, with the Norse gods living on Earth. I found this book to be very fun, and found myself laughing a lot at the adult sarcastic-like humor. It also felt like a movie, or it could be one. I love mythology of every kind; I even took a course in high school, so it was really enjoyable to re-read it in a fun and humorous way. Also being a fan of Marvel's Thor helped. The beginning felt like too long of a history lesson and felt like it was taking a while to get to the story itself. It was a fun and interesting read; I will most likely be reading it again in the future. I definitely recommend this to anyone who's a fan of Norse mythology, Once Upon a Time, and fun action-packed stories and movies with a slightly darker twist.
What would you do if you found out you were destined to die and the world was going to end? You'd run and hide.
It made me think of Percy Jackson and Once Upon a Time, with the Norse gods living on Earth. I found this book to be very fun, and found myself laughing a lot at the adult sarcastic-like humor. It also felt like a movie, or it could be one. I love mythology of every kind; I even took a course in high school, so it was really enjoyable to re-read it in a fun and humorous way. Also being a fan of Marvel's Thor helped. The beginning felt like too long of a history lesson and felt like it was taking a while to get to the story itself. It was a fun and interesting read; I will most likely be reading it again in the future. I definitely recommend this to anyone who's a fan of Norse mythology, Once Upon a Time, and fun action-packed stories and movies with a slightly darker twist.
June 13, 2018
The Gods of Asgard walk among us! Well, that's the premise of this novel. The Gods have left Asgard and have taken up residence on Earth as businessmen, sports superstars, exotic dancers, etc. But, when Odin hatches a plan to bring His children together, He gets a bit more than He may have expected. Alliances between Gods are made, broken, remade....but who can trust whom?
I was sitting in the Dr's office when I started reading this and I was laughing out loud while reading. People were looking at me like I was strange. I didn't care! This book was humorous, full of worldly references, realistically unrealistic, and a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to others who enjoy Norse mythology.
I was sitting in the Dr's office when I started reading this and I was laughing out loud while reading. People were looking at me like I was strange. I didn't care! This book was humorous, full of worldly references, realistically unrealistic, and a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to others who enjoy Norse mythology.
September 6, 2021
Yee Gods, there are a lot of them and all wanted to be the top God. Thor had his hammer but gave it up when he thought his wife was killed but everyone else wanted it too. The scene gets muddy at times and you don't know what's going on other then most of the Gods don't like their brothers or sisters and would like to make them scream for their life.
February 12, 2018
Ok, yes, the story is interesting and there´s a lot of humor but… does every single paragraph need to have an anecdote, a description, an explanation, a funny story? The book is 5 times longer than it should be. If you take the unnecessary parts, it’s a great story! Totally.
December 18, 2021
An entertaining view of Gods living on earth and acting like humans, mostly badly. A good crash, bang, wallop story. Good, light fantasy reading.
December 10, 2013
The gods have been thrown out of Asgard and have made lives for themselves on Earth in Brian James' Ragnarok. There is a fight to control Thor’s hammer with nearly a dozen characters appearing throughout the first book.
The story is enticing with a great deal of knowledge thrown in about Norse mythology. If nothing else, James knows what he is talking. He has found an interesting way to start the story of Ragnarok, which in the mythology is a great battle that results in the death of many major figures including Odin, Thor and Loki, according to lore.
In James’ book, Odin is a conniving ruler who seems to hate his sons, Loki is a shrewd home-shopping network owner and Thor is a bumbling oaf who plays football ruthlessly. As the signs that point to Ragnarok appear, the three of them end up in the desert to get Thor’s hammer. Only none of it goes exactly as anyone had planned with double agents and people turning their back on their brethren.
James’ book needed heavier editing. Tighter sentences and condensing some of the unnecessary scenes would have pushed the action better. The pace of the beginning of the book is much slower, but when it picks up, the story gets interesting.
There were also too many pop culture references in the book citing from the Kardashians to Oprah. It seemed like overkill and cutting out half of them would have helped.
The characters are written in a way that even if you are not aware of Norse mythology, you can get a sense of who they are. There are layers to them and enough background stories to understand the gods and what drives them.
Review: 2 1/2
The story is enticing with a great deal of knowledge thrown in about Norse mythology. If nothing else, James knows what he is talking. He has found an interesting way to start the story of Ragnarok, which in the mythology is a great battle that results in the death of many major figures including Odin, Thor and Loki, according to lore.
In James’ book, Odin is a conniving ruler who seems to hate his sons, Loki is a shrewd home-shopping network owner and Thor is a bumbling oaf who plays football ruthlessly. As the signs that point to Ragnarok appear, the three of them end up in the desert to get Thor’s hammer. Only none of it goes exactly as anyone had planned with double agents and people turning their back on their brethren.
James’ book needed heavier editing. Tighter sentences and condensing some of the unnecessary scenes would have pushed the action better. The pace of the beginning of the book is much slower, but when it picks up, the story gets interesting.
There were also too many pop culture references in the book citing from the Kardashians to Oprah. It seemed like overkill and cutting out half of them would have helped.
The characters are written in a way that even if you are not aware of Norse mythology, you can get a sense of who they are. There are layers to them and enough background stories to understand the gods and what drives them.
Review: 2 1/2
November 17, 2013
I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
I honestly had a difficult time reading this and I had to force myself to finish it. The story was slow and tedious, and the writing style was not easy to get into. All that would have been ok and I would have at least come away from reading the book feeling indifferent about it and maybe rated it two stars if I was in a good mood. But what made me absolutely livid was the 'humor'. It was forced and about 90% of the jokes were in very, very poor taste. I lost count of all the fat jokes, gay jokes, homeless jokes. It was like being in high school all over again and watching the school bully pick on all of your classmates. It left me feeling very uncomfortable.
0/5 (because I don't actually have to give it a star)
I honestly had a difficult time reading this and I had to force myself to finish it. The story was slow and tedious, and the writing style was not easy to get into. All that would have been ok and I would have at least come away from reading the book feeling indifferent about it and maybe rated it two stars if I was in a good mood. But what made me absolutely livid was the 'humor'. It was forced and about 90% of the jokes were in very, very poor taste. I lost count of all the fat jokes, gay jokes, homeless jokes. It was like being in high school all over again and watching the school bully pick on all of your classmates. It left me feeling very uncomfortable.
0/5 (because I don't actually have to give it a star)
October 31, 2013
It's clear that the book needs an editor and a lot more attention to detail on the part of the author. The story seemed solid at 75% of the way through, but the constant grammatical errors - a little black dress is chic, a middle eastern ruler is a Sheik - detracted from the overall enjoyment. By the end of the book, the story was much more cliched and suffered from poor story telling. I cannot recommend reading unless the book is properly revised, the constant grammatical and spelling errors just cannot be tolerated in a published book. Also, the kindle conversion was poor at best. Many random letters were dropped at the end of words making it appear there were more spelling errors than may have actually existed.
November 1, 2013
Great and really enjoyable read. Lots of backstabbing, nice twists, and apparently there is not a Norse god (alive or dead) that can be trusted. The end was great a spin on the original myth. I bought this for Kindle, but it is seriously over priced for the physical version. If you don't have a kindle, don't bother.
November 17, 2013
I bought this based on Koeurs review and was not disappointed. Its a witty (and occasionally bitter) spin on the viking myths. I loved the modern world presentation of the gods and what their lives on earth (especially Loki as the head of Amway). The story is great social commentary and a great continuation to the original myth.
November 1, 2013
Funny, innovative, with unexpected twists to the myths that somehow make a "Prophecy" unpredictable.
Read
May 20, 2018Brian James has created a world full of mystical lore that strings together cohesively. The characters came alive right away and I was immediately taken with them. James' humor is prevalent throughout, which played well with the rest of the book's characteristics.
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