Magnus Chase: The Complete Series #1-3

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1-3

by Rick Riordan

Now available for the first time: all three novels from the amazing Magnus Chase series, collected in one stunning digital edition.

My name is Magnus Chase. I'm orphaned and living rough on the streets of Boston. And things are about to get much worse.

My day started out normally enough. I was sleeping under a bridge when some guy kicked me awake and said, 'They're after you.' Next thing I know, I'm reunited with my obnoxious uncle, who casually informs me that my long-lost father is a Norse god.

And it turns out the gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Apparently, if I can't find the sword my father lost two thousand years ago, there will be doom. Doomsday, to be precise.

But first I'm going to die. This is the story of how my life goes downhill from there...

Magnus Chase: The Complete Series includes all three novels in the action-packed, electrifying series from Rick Riordan: The Sword of Summer, The Hammer of Thor and The Ship of the Dead

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Percy Jackson, Middle Grade, Childrens, Magic

1151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 13, 2018

About the author

Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.

Reviews

[Lee (the Book Butcher) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll keep this short my full review of the third book Ship of the dead will follow tomorrow. i like the Kane chronicles and Percy Jackson better. Not really into Norse mythology. was given this by a friend at work and really enjoyed it. i was right Magnus Chase was not really the star of the show his friends were the Dwarf Blitzen, the Elf Hearthstone, Thomas TJ Jefferson JR. Halfborn Gunderson, Mallory keen, Samirah Al-Abbas, and his sort of love interest Alex Fierro. Another great series from Rick Riordan!

[Patty ༻ · Rating 4 out of 5]

È inspiegabile il comfort che mi hanno trasmesso questa trilogia e i suoi personaggi 🥹❤️

Magnus è ufficialmente uno dei miei main character preferiti 🫶🏻

[Sydney Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want another one!!!

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Без значение дали сте дългогодишни фенове на Рик Риърдън или пък тепърва се престрашавате да нагазите в мащабната му, изпълнената му с митологични наследници вселена. Очаква ви шеметно приключение, в което митовете и легендите на северните народи се събуждат за нов живот и завладяват ново поколение читатели както никога преди.Прочетете ревютата за книгите от поредицата тук: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/tag...

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, funniest Riordan book I have read so far. It is absolutely hilarious and accurately reflects the inner narrative of a 16-year-old who has no clue what they are doing. Even his chapter titles are just laugh out loud. I thought that this book was fantastic. I loved that is was about Norse gods, a mythology that is often left out even though it is extremely interesting (and violent)! I loved how his characters included elf’s, dwarves, monsters and other fun creatures. Also, another main character had Arabic roots and wore a hijab which I thought was wonderful.

As for the reviews about Riordan using the ‘same old formula’, I have two remarks on that. First, the formula of having kids deal with estrange, missing or deceased parents (gods or not) is a pretty common formula. Also, this is a kids book therefore, having the main character(s) emerge as hero’s in their own ‘coming of age’ tale is what young readers want. It makes kids feel powerful to read about other kids that are facing huge odds and battling larger than life issues and monsters. Also, I give Riordan props for expanding his books to include other myth stories outside the European centered Roman/Greek tales. Who cares if he is repeating the mythology concept of kids being half human/half god. Kids are finally learning about African (Egypt) and Viking myth culture which is not taught in most social studies/English curriculums. I mean, this is why we tell kids to read...to expand their knowledge, minds and perspectives. I hope Riordan continues to explained his series and dives into more mythology such as Native Americans and Aztec so kids continue to learn that all cultures had their own fascinating mythology.

[Matthys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading books with humor and unexpected twists

[F.W.S.Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Fiero changed my life and made me into who I am today MAKE MORE BOOKS PLS I NEED MORE ALEX FIERO!!!!!!!!!!!

#Pink&Green_SweaterVest

[Layne Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review

The book is Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book #1 The Sword of summer, the author is Rick Riordan, and it has a total of 466 pages. The book is about a boy named Magnus was a homeless man and was 16 years old, he had been homeless for 2 years and his mother died by a reason that no one knew except for his uncle. This was but his uncle then on his 16 birthday came and tried to find Magnus and when he did told him he needs to go with him now, this is but he didn't want to go with him because his mom told him to never ask for help from her uncles. This is but he wanted answers so he broke into his uncles to get answers and that is where his uncle found him because his uncle since he was 14 tried to find him.
Then his uncle told him get in the car so he got dragged in there but the whole time was questioning if he should fight back and leave. This is but he didn't because his uncle told him he had answers about everything his dad and everything the kid ever even did have questions about in the world. So then his uncle ended up taking him to this pond because he said that a norse ship crashed in it and what he said next surprised him he said his dad was a norse god and what killed your mom had something to do with all this and that’s what's gonna kill you today if they find you. So then he had to stand over the bridge and hold his hand out trying to pull out a sword which he thought his uncle was crazy for making him do but he listened. Then a old sword that looked like a regular pole came out and he thought it was was garbage, but he still thought that pulling out garbage was pretty cool because he said “ it’s cool I have the power to pull garbage out of the river, the state’s gonna love me for cleaning there ponds.” Then he died but his goal was to go kill Ragnarok because he was a Norse god just like his father, and that’s why he was able to pull up the sword that looked like garbage.
This book was a great book that was a great story but still gives you tough words that you have to use context clues that you have to use to find the word out. I loved that it made your brain work and you learn but your still having fun reading the book and guessing what will happen next. My favorite character was a character that was on fire and asked for the sword. One thing I didn’t like about the authors writing is that some parts are confusing of what is happening in the story line at that point. This is but he did a good job getting the story line to start making sense again after a little bit.
I would recommend this book to someone else because I loved the story line that was in the book.

[ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes. the witty narrative and lovable characters are everything. i love the mythology, the "side quests", the everything. would definitely recommend, please read. you won't regret it. rick riordan will forever be peak.

[Shanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could only read so much more of Riordan's formula, unfortunately. Still a good story, but by the time I got to this book, I could see through it.

[Rosalina]

funny

[Jon Garibsingh · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favourite of uncle rick's

[Solomon Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan is just another Rick Riordan mythology novel. Or is it? Rick Riordan is well known for his connected universe of novels based around different ancient culture’s god’s and belief systems. Some you may have heard of are the Percy Jackson series, the Kane Chronicles, and the Heroes of Olympus series to name a few. When I used to read these series I always remember really taking a liking to these characters because they were relatable, yet they are just a bit older than the target audience (preteens) so that they can be looked up to as role models . This book starts off in Boston, Massachusetts with the protagonist Magnus, who follows a lot of tropes that Rick Riordan uses in his main characters. Magnus is a sarcastic, homeless teen that is thrust into his mythological destiny. In the beginning of the book, he gets into an altercation with a demon and dies. After his death, he is taken to Valhalla where he starts to learn more about his ancestors and familial past. It was really fun revisiting Rick Riordan’s work. It can be cheesy at times, but I thoroughly enjoy how the mythology is worked into Magnus Chase and how Magnus’ character is designed. The biggest flaw I’ve come across after reading Riordan’s other series is that he seems to copy paste his main characters, as they usually act extremely similar. His main characters are usually pretty snarky, which can be a good or bad thing depending who you ask. Overall, I think this book is definitely a good read if you are looking for something light that doesn’t make you think too much. It has some nice action, and Rick Riordan is good at painting pictures of very grand mythological monsters and heroes. If you like fantasy and action novels, you will love this book. I give it a strong 6.5/10.

[Anders]

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard By Rick Riordan
Reviewed by Anders Knopp
This is the 1st book in a 3-book series the main character is Magnus Chase, and he is a son of the Norse god Frey after his mom dies and he becomes an orphan for 2 years. During this time, he meets other homeless people who help him. Their names are Hearthstone and Blitzen. It turns out they were there to protect him. Then he dies and is sent to Valhalla the afterlife in Norse Mythology and on his journey to try and save the 9 worlds he encounters different threats and new allies to help him against the first giants.

This book is honestly pretty good to see how Magnus grows with these powers that he discovers he has through the book and the relationships he creates. There are parts in the book that seem like a drag but through every page you really get to learn about the main characters and what they are like and how intense the situation they’re in and what the stakes are. I enjoyed how we get multiple settings through the 9 realms and get to see how different beings/ creatures experience they’re daily lives between dwarfs, gods, giants.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magnus Chase series tells the story of Magnus discovering his heritage and the journeys that follow, and personally, I think the series does a good job at exploring this. More than that, I think it does a better job of meshing with the larger universe of Riordan's books by including Percy and Annabeth in a way that is important to Magnus.

The books do a great job of introducing the characters and the Norse mythology that they're related to. This is accomplished pretty well and goes into the worlds and their inhabitants in ways I wouldn't have expected. More than that, it fleshes out the main characters (Magnus, Sam, Blitz, Hearth, and Alex) especially well for understanding their motivations, desires, tramuas and growths.

My only wish is that there could've been more on the Norse deities, but this a minor issue mainly brought about by my limited understanding of the Aesir and Vanir.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! I loved them all and how they wound in Rick's already existing universe. I think he did a great job intertwining all of his series and using them to influence each other, while also making this series independent from PJO. My love to each characters' never-ending amounts of sass extends far beyond what anyone could understand.

[Karielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Magnus Chase And The Gods Of Asgard by Rick Riordan is part one of a trilogy. The book is based around fantasy and Norse mythology. I rated it 5 stars because it was a really good book to read. The book also had a really good important theme. The book for was amazing and I liked the characters and the personalities they portrayed.
The author is Rick Riordan and he is an American author. His real name is Richard Russell Riordan Jr. and is known for writing many books. Rick Riordan was born June 5 in the year 1964. Riordan was born in San Antonio Texas. Riordan is best known for his Percy Jackson series, The Kane Chronicles, Hero’s of Olympus, and many more. Riordan studied at the University of Texas at San Antonio and The university of Texas at Austin. Here Riordan majored in english and history. Riordan chose teaching for a career eventually leading up to his best selling books.
Magnus Chase and the Gods Of Asgard is about a boy who’s mother was murdered and ever since then he has been out living in the streets of Boston. It’s been a whole 2 years. One day he hears that people are out looking for him. This concerns him because when he finds out who’s been looking for him it’s a man his mother warned him about. He eventually gets found and that’s when things go way down hill. He eventually meets his friends Samirah, Blitzen who are there to help him. He then spends the rest of the book fighting for his “life” trying to save the world. He also ends up meeting more new people. He jumps on a road of discovery. he finds out why his life is the way it is. He gets leads on what happened to his mother and why people were after him in the first place. He learns about his destiny in Norse mythology. over all the book was amazing to read because of the questions it leaves you with.
The central idea of the book is to put your selfishness aside and protect the people you love and care for no matter what. The book also emphasized on doing what’s always right even if it’s hard. Through out the book this is emphasized because without Magnus friends he would have struggled and not be able to achieve the things he had achieved. I believe the book was meant to open the minds of the readers to appreciate what they have. These are some of the central idea the book held.
I rated the book 5 stars because it made me laugh and really enjoy many moments. The books also was full of so much adventure that I really enjoyed. The adventure part also made me be excited and ready for the next page. The characters in the book also had really good personalities that I related to. I enjoyed the book so much because of its main idea it really is important and need to be taught to younger kids which is another reason why I rated it five stars. I also liked how they ended the book because it made me want to read more and figure what’s happening next with Magnus and his friends. The fact that this is part of a trilogy also factored in me rating the book five stars. Overall I rated the book five stars because of how amazing it was and how amazingly written it was. Its also a really entertaining book which is why I rated it five stars. I recommend the book to everyone.

[Ikbal Fakula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setelah sekian lama tidak menyentuh bacaan fantasi, akhirnya di penghujung 2020 ini saya kembali menyelaminya. Kali ini saya mencomot dari salah satu koleksi yang saya punya, sebuah novel fantasy ringan nan jenaka karya Rick Riordan, serial Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard:)
Magnus Chase, si mc di buku ini, sebenarnya agak gak asing jika kalian mengikuti karya Rick Riordan lainnya. Terutama karya tentang dewa Dewi Yunani. Yup! Sebuah petualangan lagi bersama Percy Jackson^^
Magnus ini sendiri merupakan sepupu jauh dari Annabeth Chase, salah satu mc dan merupakan pacar dari Percy Jackson di seri yang berbeda.
Untuk beberapa bab awal, saya sendiri terkesan sangat bosan membacanya, intensitas dari ketegangannya nyaris gak ada perubahan hingga menjelang pertengahan buku, yang berarti hampir mendekati 300 halaman lebih.
Entah mungkin karena bacaan saya agak berat akhir-akhir ini. Di tambah tuntutan dunia nyata juga semakin bertambah. Selain itu juga, kesan saya sendiri, mungkin karena agak ada perbedaan umur antara saya dan buku ini.
Sudah terlalu tua untuk menikmati fantasi ringan ini:(
Pertengahan cerita, akhirnya mood saya membaik, wkwk. Saya mulai bisa menikmati petualangan-petualangan menyenangkan yang dialami oleh Magnus dkk. Mulai dari memanjat Pohon Dunia, memancing monster laut, mencuri palu Thor hingga yang paling klimaks, menghadapi Surt si raksasa api dan mengikat Fenris si Serigala.
Pembawaannya lumayan. Namun entah mengapa, saya beberapa kali mengalami kejenuhan ketika membaca ini. Barulah menjelang 100 halaman terakhir, saya benar-benar bisa fokus untuk menyelesaikan buku ini. Selain itu, celetukan asal yang disampaikan mampu memberikan humor yang sedikit menyegarkan.
Oh ya:) salah satu faktor utama saya membaca seri ini adalah adanya tokoh Samirah al-Abbas. Her name is uniq, mist writters rarely using the name like this. Apalagi dalam cerita-cerita bertajuk fantasy. (Nb : pronounsku masih anjlok, wkwk)
Samirah ini agamanya Islam, sesuai dugaan saya di awal cerita. Ia kemana-mana selalu membawa kain yang ia sebut hijab. Dan well, ini agak gimana ya. Bayangin aja deh, ada muslim (yang non maaf ya, ini cuma review:)), yang kecantol dalam mitologi Nordik. Agak kurang ngeh gitu di otak aku, awokwow.
Akhir cerita, semoga teman-teman menikmati cerita ini. Ragnarok memang berhasil tertunda. Namun, ancaman yang lebih besar justru malah mendekat. Ingin lanjut ke buku ke-2?

"Ya, tapi dewa-dewilah yang demikian, bukan aku. Yang perlu kita camkan mengenai takdir manusia, Magnus, adalah sebagai berikut : Kalaupun kita tidak bisa mengubah gambaran besarnya, pilihan kita dapat mengubah detail-detailnya. Begitulah cara kita memberontak untuk melawan takdir. Begitulah cara kita meninggalkan jejak. Tindakan apa yang akan kau ambil?" -p. 164

"Iya ... tapi tetap saja. Pernahkah kamu membuat pilihan yang tepat dan tahu bahwa pilihanmu itu tepat, tapi tetap saja perasaanmu itu tidak enak?" -p. 158

[Maryam R · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. SPOILERS AHEAD.

One of the things I truly love about Rick Riordan's books is the diversity that is portrayed throughout his books. Most children's books don't include multiple characters that are diverse in religion, sexuality, disabilities, etc. When authors take time and effort to create different characters with different backgrounds, it causes kids to be aware and more informed of the real world around them.

This book was an enjoyable read. The journey of Magnus was interesting, and along with that I learned much about mythologies. The hints of danger, excitement, and somber lured me deeper into the series.

Personally, The Heroes of Olympus series is assuredly my favorite. It was briefly more on the serious topic (less humor) and sparked more interest in me compared to his other series. I liked the nostalgic feeling of Percy Jackson and how the characters all balanced each other.

Relationship-wise in the Magnus Chase series, Magnus's and Alex's bond is adoring. When they started settling in a serious relationship, it made my stomach churn (undoubtedly in a good way). I just loved it so much, they fitted perfectly together. They worked together flawlessly and influenced the story greatly.

Although I did like the humor in Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, I think there was too much. Such as, Jack, (Magnus's famous sword) was a great ball of energy. It was interesting how a sword could talk, but honestly, he nearly ruined the experience of reading the series. You're probably thinking, "it's sword, what's the big deal" but he appeared numerous of times and made an impact on the book. And not necessarily a good impact. Jack was simply too over-enthusiastic. The Magnus Chase Series can thrive without Jack's input.

A small minority of this book was Annabeth and Percy's appearance and how Annabeth is related to Magnus. I just think they were so unnecessary. Percy and Annabeth have been included in almost all of Rick Riordan's books. I was really anticipating to finally read one of his books without the characters of Percy Jackson. Don't get me wrong though, the whole crew is so iconic, I just think that for at least one series they should be excluded from the plot.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this series and I highly recommend it to people who want to be enlightened by Rick Riordan's humor and creativity. Despite the few concerns I had, it's equally as remarkable as any other book by this Author.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is maybe a little biased since this is one of my favorite books ever, still in adulthood (and that's remarable because it's said that books you LOVE being a teen tend to age badly)
Since I first read it at 13 years old, it is my feel-good book. It's a delight for me to read it, I love the funny narration that Magnus gives us, how easy going mythology is introduced, the "absurdity" of it all, which makes it even more charming.
Magnus, who is an amazing main character, super fun, relatable, kind, normal guy, and also absolutely exceptional. I love mythology and this book manages to introduce it to the reader in the most fun way. The chapters titles and many of of Magnus' observations and comments had me cracking up laughing. The characters, the way they make up a team...It's so holesome. Even if you are not so much into mythology, you will have fun reading it. Just a big thank you to mr Riordan for creating this! and to make me feel like a Beantown. I read the book looking up for the places in Boston that were mentioned, and I feel like i could take a stroll trough the city and don't get (too) lost! If i am lucky enough to ever visit, I'll go to grab some falafel or any lunch available at the transportation building, and definitely will check the ducks at public garden and try to activate them :)
English is not my first language so apologies in advance for any mistakes!

[Christian Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rate Magnus Chase and the guards of Asgard a 5 because it is a very good book and it takes you through a lot of adventures and has a great storyline. I also rate this book a 5 because there are multiple books in this series so if you like this book there are more to read.

At the beginning of Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Magnus Chase/ Main Character goes to talk to Sam and Otis. Sam and Otis are two goats who are owed by the Norse god Thor. Sam and Otis inform The heroes and Manus Chase that Thor's hammer is still missing. The Jotnar are Frost, Fire, Storm, Earth, and mountain Giants are beginning to suspect that Thore does not have his weapon to defend Midgard, and the Jotnar plan to Invade his city. Along in the middle of the story, Magnus Chase begins to change and starts making more decisions for himself and doesn´t listen to everybody all the time anymore because he is learning to be more independent in his decisions. By the end of the book, Magnus Chase dies because he is confronted by a fire giant named Surt, who wishes to claim a sword called the Sumarbrander. in the fight over the sword Magnus dies and is carried to a modernized interpretation of the Norse afterlife by a Valkyrie named Samirah al-abbas

[Francis Zeledón · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nunca había leído nada igual a este libro. La mitología nórdica me gusta y siempre había querido leer algo sobre ella, pero casi no encuentro libros. La primera vez que me incursione a leer algo nórdico, leí la serie de Bernard Cornwell: Sajones, Vikingos y Normandos, que a pesar de no centrarse en nada divino y es más cuestión de relatos historicos y guerra, me gustó y mucho y entonces me encuentro este libro y me encantó, cómo era de esperar.

Es muy cómico, muy ligero de leer, no te llenan de detalles y te aburren con tanta cosa. Por ejemplo, yo, una persona que jamás había conocido a otros dioses nórdicos más allá de Loki, Thor, Odin y Freya, la presentación con cada uno de los dioses, de los nueve mundos y de cada cosa y criatura, fue fácil de absorber, no te marea tanta información, ni te avasalla con tantos dioses.

El libro nunca aburre, siempre hay un suceso tras otro, siempre hay misiones que cumplir, dioses a los cuales recurrir y cosas que descubrir. Se Lee de manera rápida y siempre te quedas con ganas de avanzar al otro capítulo. Y es que lo que más me gusta, es que es cómico, siempre hay un chiste aligerando la situación para que no sea tediosa y no siempre el ambiente este lleno de tensión.

[SciFiOne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2017 Grade C-

500 pages of fantasy centered on the Norse gods with preventing Ragnarok as the McGuffin. It is a good story if you like that kind of thing and the way it was written, but it's not something I enjoy. I don't like just jumping from battle to battle even if they are part of the story. Another problem for me was that everyone except the half dozen protagonists was an enemy - very annoying. But this is the way many modern stories are told and the kind of thing many readers like. If that is your thing, go for it.

At about page 250 I realized the author was just using the quest to visit different Norse worlds and gods to have more discussions, arguments, fights, and escapes. At about page 290 I got bored, gave up, and skipped ahead 100 pages picking up right in the middle of another fight. From there I managed to finish the story although I did speed read the conclusion. To top it off the Epilogue was a downer. It basically said the villains are still alive and the battle is not over. There's nothing I dislike more than never ending villains and battles. When a book is done, I want it done.

[Magnus McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually think the Magnus Chase books are better than the Percy Jackson books. Let me explain:
See, my introduction to Percy Jackson were the Percy Jackson movies. Long after I watched them, I decided to give Rick Riordan a try... but I didn't wanna start with the Percy Jackson books a go first because I thought the movies would've told me most of what happened in the first 2 books. So, I decided to start with the Magnus Chase books... and I thought they were great.
They had great world building, humour, characters and good enough emotional bits while also being truer to Norse Mythology than the Thor movies-even though I do like those as well. Plus, it was more diverse than the Percy Jackson books. Plus, this book had a great ending!
So then, I got to reading the Percy Jackson books-starting with book 3 since I'd watched the movies, but I did later read the graphic novel adaptations of the first 2 books-and... they sucked. The worldbuilding was unoriginal, the characters were boring and the plot was forgettable.
So yeah, I know I'm alone on this... but I stand by my opinion was that the Magnus Chase books are better than the Percy Jackson books.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Magnus Chase and The Sword of Summer has a window perspective as well as a doorway to another dimension perspective because it shows you what Magnus’ life is like, but it is also a doorway perspective in the sense that it is mythology so it is not real.
In the book Magnus Chase, he and his friends need to find the sword of summer but along the way they need to kill surt and fenris. They need to find the sword of summer because they need to kill Fenris, but Magnus also needs to adapt to valhalla and learn how to use his enerji powers.
I rate this book very very high, because it is funny and just overall a good book. If you like books that are mythology, violent, adventurous, funny, sarcastic, and dark then this is the book for you because it is all of those things. The characters are also pretty funny because they talk like people in real life. They do not sound cheesy when they talk, they also do not say cheesy things.

[Ams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magnus Chase series is my all-time favourite of Rick Riordan’s books, and I can’t recommend it enough. The story is full of humor, adventure, and heart, with a perfect balance of action, mythology, and character development.

Magnus is a relatable and clever main character, and I loved watching him grow throughout the series. The supporting cast is just as memorable, each with unique personalities that make the group dynamic fun, exciting, and often hilarious. The way Riordan weaves Norse mythology into the modern world is clever and immersive, making the story both educational and entertaining.

What I love most about this series is how it combines high-stakes adventure with emotional moments, humor, and clever twists. It kept me completely hooked from start to finish.

Overall, the Magnus Chase series is a brilliant, fun, and heartfelt ride, and it’s easily my favorite among Riordan’s books. If you love mythology, humor, and epic adventures, this series is a must-read. :)

[Arlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm torn about this series. I loved books 2 & 3, which had excellent discussion of Islamophobia, ableism, and homelessness while also telling a fun adventure story based loosely on Norse mythology. The first book has all these elements too. However, there are also problematic moments. The author claims Columbus and the Norse discovered Boston and gives no discussion of indigenous people who were living there for thousands of years prior. He also uses the term spirit animal as a joke, and describes facial differences (scars) as imperfections. It's a great series to read as an adult, and I would want to read it with my kid so we could talk about the problematic parts (like we do with Harry Potter and many other stories).

[Patrick Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure I am a balanced reviewer of this book because norse myth and fantasy don't hold my interest. A gift from my godson and a willingness to try a read beyond limits prompted me to take this story to the end.

The writing is punchy and often humorous.

The story seems to lead from one travail to yet another. Yet for one who isn't much into fantasy magic, this seemed like pulling another rabbit out of the hat.

The principal characters form intriguing personalities during their adventures and especially on their reflections on what has befallen them. There is a theme of the members of the group dedicated to the good of the whole. Truly a healthy message in an individualistic era. Hopefully this message is well received. Certainly it is well written.

[Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnus Chase escaped from his home when his mother was attacked and killed by wolves sent by evil forces. While he lives out on the street in Boston he is being hunted by officers and his uncle Randolph a man his mother had warned him not to trust. He is also receiving help from two friends Mallory and T.J. that he met while travelling on his own. Magnus starts learning about some of the Norse myths that his uncle Randolph told him about. I would recommend this book if youre interested in greek mythology. If you have never read one of Rick Riordans books you need to at least read one there very good books to read.

[Jan Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can tell Riordan is through in his mythology research and uses that knowledge to build stories that draw readers in and teach them a little mythology while entertaining them.

The heroes in this book have a few common themes -personal tragedy (i.e. The death of a parent or some thing in that line), no knowledge of their true parentage, and a quest of some sort that awakens their potential strength. Riordan fills his stories with humor and sarcasm.


For pre-teens and children interested in mythology, this is a good read. Not everyone lives, but it's not as violent as some of the others. He shows character development in both the hero, his friends, and those around him.