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Loki Redeemed #1

Mischief Maker: Norse Mythology Reimagined

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An epic journey into Norse Mythology, immortals living today. What if Loki was never the bad guy? Loki, once a god, now nothing more than a stage magician in modern-day Chicago……his enemies from a thousand years ago have long memories.
Victors wrote the history, and Loki was blamed for the sins of the Norse gods. They can’t let him live in peace. He has to set aside his new life to settle old grudges while coming to terms with what it means to be a man. And a god. If Loki fails, the nine realms will fall.
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382 pages, Paperback

Published April 13, 2021

96 people are currently reading
211 people want to read

About the author

Bruce Nesmith

58 books16 followers

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5 stars
86 (57%)
4 stars
44 (29%)
3 stars
16 (10%)
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3 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Christine Hutton.
179 reviews32 followers
November 15, 2021
Mischief Maker by Bruce Nesmith
3.75/5
This was a really fun take on Loki, the God of Mischief.. Normally I am not a huge Loki fan but this book had me rooting for him by the end.

Mischief maker takes place much farther in the future. As the reader we see Loki pretend to be your everyday magician, but his enemies from thousands of years ago have not forgotten him.

Urban fantasy was blended with traditional mythology, however, it was done in a way that was unique and original. I have this book a 3.75 because it was slow at times and for a book of this type I expected fast paced the whole book.

If you are into mythology or Loki as a character this book is for you!
Profile Image for Siegfried.
349 reviews8 followers
September 30, 2024
I'll begin this by saying: it's not good.
The more you read, the more you understand a few things:
1 - the author put A LOT of effort in researching Norse mythology. Truly. Deeply.
2 - even with all that research, there are things that are EXTREMELY poor in this book. All the talk of "god of mischief"? Loki is a little whinnying bitch. Oh, and his "mischief" is the same crap your annoying 9 years old cousin does. Oh, and cry and whine. And that's it.
3 - there are SO MANY plot holes. And misspellings. And lots of Tchekhov's guns pointing at NOTHING. Ok. I get it. He planned to write more books in this universe.
But you can't simply put info, objects, people and information with NO PAYBACK.
I ALMOST say this is a shitshow.
Its not, simply by the HUGE effort in research.
And that's the best I can say about this.
Profile Image for Bibliophileverse.
712 reviews43 followers
November 11, 2021
Mischief Maker by Bruce Nesmith is a Norse Mythology book based on Gods and Wars. I have never read any Norse Mythology books before it. I was quite fascinated, how the author has penned down every detail about Gods and their rule. In all the stories which I have heard earlier about Loki were a different tale telling. But, in this one the author has written it from Loki's point. I really enjoyed the book. It was worth a read. The climax is also a bit on the different side.

I would award 4 stars to the book. Thanks to Book Review Crew for providing me an opportunity to read the book.

Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
2,537 reviews72 followers
September 10, 2021
You need a pretty good working knowledge of Norse mythology or you will get lost several times.

I know a descent amount t, and I got lost repeatedly what with the name changes at random intervals. The writing is very dry, so that does not help at all. The story unfolds at a snail's pace. Put it all together and this is a very hard book to read, let alone finish.
Profile Image for Liz (Quirky Cat).
4,986 reviews84 followers
November 21, 2021
Let's be real, who can resist a novel that takes a different spin on Loki? (I was going to say the one and only...but that's not quite accurate, now is it?). Written by Bruce Nesmith, Mischief Maker is a book that immediately caught my attention.

Loki may be a creature from Norse Mythology, but that has never stopped him from stepping into the modern world. Now he lives in modern-day Chicago, but there's a bit of a twist. He's not a god anymore. Just an odd magician trying to make a living.

He was cast down from godhood when he took the blame for the sins of all the Norse gods. Now, he's trying to make peace with what he is. Or rather, he was. Naturally, something came up that distracted the once-god.

Fans of Loki unite! No, seriously, can we get together for a meeting or something? Anyway, moving on! Mischief Maker is a true fan novel – this is a book that has a deep understanding of Norse Mythology and all of the foundations that make Loki who he is.

It makes for fantastic reading. However, I'll admit that readers should probably have a decent understanding of Loki's mythos to understand (and appreciate) everything that happens within Mischief Maker.

I love that there's a blend of the classic alongside a more modern take. It feels both familiar and new – which is the perfect balance for this character when you think about it. There were a few other delightful surprises as well, but I will not spoil them for other readers! They're worth finding on your own, promise.

Thanks to The Book Review Crew for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Profile Image for Jasmine.
999 reviews84 followers
November 12, 2021
Mischief Maker is an entertaining story about Loki. Yes, Loki, the God of Mischief from Norse mythology. This time, though, the story poses the question: What if Loki wasn't a bad guy?
Loki has fallen. He's living in Chicago and earning a living (aka just scraping by) as a stage magician. Yep, he's a regular David Copperfield. But all that is about to change when his past comes back to haunt him.
One night, after a show, Loki is attacked. This is the event that sets off the rest of the story.
I really enjoyed this one. I've been a fan of Norse mythology since middle school, and I *may* be a bit of a Loki (and Tom Hiddleston) fangirl (if my Tumblr page was anything to go by back in 2012-2013), so I was excited to read this story. It's a fun romp that takes a little bit of creative license with the mythology, and intertwines urban fantasy into the mix.
There's adventure, humor (although some people may not like how 'dry' it is), and lots of trouble for our beloved God of Mischief.
The story is relatively easy to get sucked into, although it was a little slow in a couple of spots. I found myself wanting to come back to the book again and again, even when I had other things to do. It's well-written, with likeable characters, witty dialogue, and some really great imagery.
If you're a fan of Norse mythology, Loki, and/or urban fantasy, check out Mischief Maker.
4.5 stars!
Profile Image for Enjay.
98 reviews
October 23, 2021
First a big thanks to @thebookreviewcrew for making me a part of this book tour.

I have to mention that I am a huge Marvel cinematic universe fan so this book was just a treat for me. In case the cover and tittle didn’t already give it away, this is the tale of Loki. I have to be honest I did not expect it to be so well written. The humour and sarcasm is great! The plot is excellent! Of course picturing Tom Hiddleston helped too 😂

If you are new to Norse Mythology I suggest to brush up on the basics before picking this one up. Or at least watch the Thor movies. While the author does a great job explaining the mythology without interfering with the story and also provides an appendix to help, it can still be a bit much for someone not familiar at all. Yes, Norse mythology is just as complex as Greek mythology.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot! I would totally recommend it to all Marvel nerds like me out there!
Profile Image for Rosy C.
25 reviews1 follower
November 15, 2021
Nesmith reeled me in from the beginning! The more I read about Lowell Keystone and his magic tricks the more I wanted to keep reading. There was no detail spared when it came to the world building and the characters. The magic system entwined with the myth and legends of Norse mythology was expertly written. Esme was one of my favorite characters. Her demeanor and loyalty to Keystone was unmatched. Even Manny the raven had an intricate part in the storyline. I found the book rather interesting and having a bit of a dark tone and mystery like that of what a Loki retelling should have. This book was basically Loki of the 21st Century and I’m here for it! Can’t wait to see what’s next for Keystone.

Thank you @thebookreviewcrew and @harkon59 for allowing me to read this book and participate in this awesome book tour!
Profile Image for Frank Bertino.
1,771 reviews19 followers
May 29, 2021
Entertaining Read

Loki, Norse God of Mischief, is living the life of a normal midgardian on earth. The trouble is that Loki is not even human, and after all he is Loki. Trouble ensures. Old enemies come for him and endanger his friend. All Hell breaks lose, and after all he is Hel's father. Conspiracies abound among the Aesir, Alfar, Jotnar and others. I like the action, humor, romance, and Norse mythology. More of the story would be interesting.
Profile Image for Dev.
2,462 reviews187 followers
July 27, 2021
Really loved this one! I think it has a great balance of reworking of the classic myths and also new more urban fantasy type stuff and I thought the author did really well with Loki's characterization. I especially liked how he just couldn't seem to help playing little pranks on people all the time. Also bonus for how he redid the whole Baldur thing so that . Definitely a good standalone Loki book.
Profile Image for David Laughlin.
279 reviews1 follower
September 8, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed the book

First I have to admit every time Loki speaks in the book I'm hearing Marvel's Loki voice..lol. the book was true enough to Norse mythology while the use of artistic license was done craftily well. And yes I read right through the author's notes at the end I always do I really did enjoy this book quite a bit it was a really cool angle on looking at Loki.
72 reviews
May 7, 2021
Awesome take on Loki’s story

This is a fun but often brutal continuation of Loki’s story after the end of Odin’s rule. It has everything you’d want in a fantasy, love, adventure, gods, giants, Valkyries, all happening in worlds connected in a different way. It’s hard to put down, so be get comfy and prepared for a good long read. I can’t wait to read the next installment.
3 reviews
July 2, 2021
Surprised me

I’d have preferred the 4 1/2 star option, but went ahead and gave it the bump.
Modern fantasy with a Norse mythology twist that splits focus between gradually revealing truths behind the myths and present-day Loki forced to step back into that very same combination of myth and history.
The book did leave room a sequel as well.
Profile Image for Allison.
385 reviews4 followers
August 4, 2021
This book gripped me from page 1. Told from Loki’s point of view 900 years after Ragnarok, this is an epic tale with all the depth, twists, turns and complex personality of the Norse Mythology it rises from. If you like retellings of known stories from the point of view of the “bad guy”, I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Batwoman.
534 reviews6 followers
November 14, 2021
This was a refreshing new take on Norse mythology! It was actually a very good tale where things are backwards from what is usually happening in Norse mythology. Definitely recommend for fans of Norse mythology. I loved getting to know this Loki and he made me laugh quite a few times. Can’t wait to read the next book. Would definitely recommend reading this.
4 reviews
December 25, 2021
An interesting take on Loki and Norse Mythology.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it well written and flows well. Sometimes they get bogged down with minutiae but I didn't find that to be the case. Of course with the new Marvel series Loki you can't help but root for him. I look forward to reading more of Bruce Nesmith's books.
88 reviews
November 6, 2022
Whoa

Great story and an ending that will make your eyes pop open. Loki, Hel, Odin, Munin, Dvergar, Alfar, and more plus one one very stubborn woman. I started reading in the morning, neglected everything I was supposed to do. Now it’s dark. I’ll get up to turn on a light and start the next book.
714 reviews14 followers
January 23, 2023
I totally enjoy stories where Loki is not the villain but just a mischief maker. This was an interesting take on what Asgard and the rest of the Norse gods ended up after Ragnarök. Loki spent his years on Earth living like a normal person. I cannot say a lot more without spoilers but it is a very good read and ends with a hint of what could come next.
Profile Image for Kris.
109 reviews17 followers
July 18, 2021
What a delightful surprise! I'm not sure how it ended up in my Library, but I'm so glad it did. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish and am delighted at how the main character was envisioned and how he developed.

I highly recommend this book to all "Mischief" fans.
Profile Image for Sabrina Spruitenburg.
36 reviews
November 27, 2021
Kept me guessing until the very end!

This book had so many twists! I love a good modern mythology store, and this was one of the best I’ve read. Looking forward to reading more of this author.
Profile Image for Autumn Stever.
9 reviews
July 18, 2023
Best modern adaptation

I loved the voice of Loki, the sarcasm and the bluntness. Each part of the story kept pushing me to read it and honestly it was mostly a binge read. I can't wait to start on the second one.
Profile Image for John E.
696 reviews2 followers
December 20, 2023
Loki re-imagined

Interesting take on the Norse mythos starting with Loki living in the Chicago suburbs and working as a stage magician. I have read a number of Norse mythology books and this falls between the Marvel rendition and the old stories.
23 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2024
Loki as he should be

Great story - eagerly on to the next two.
I Read it on KU, but this trilogy deserves a place in my physical Norse bookshelves so I will be ordering the paperbacks
861 reviews5 followers
November 9, 2025
Good book and a fun version of Loki

This was a good book filled with the adventures of an interesting version of Loki. Really good mix of mythology and reality. Lots of action, adventure, and magic mixed with fun characters. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Profile Image for Merana.
51 reviews
May 14, 2021
An interesting twist

Who doesn't like Look after all the Avenger movies!?! This book takes him even further down the road of wronged aesir. Nice read.
88 reviews2 followers
August 5, 2021
Loved it

I love all the little pieces of mischief throughout. A beautiful story with so much action and so many threads to the plot
3 reviews
October 10, 2021
A good read

Really enjoyed reading this book and the different perspective. I am a sucker for books that bring a little history and mythology into play. Highly recommend
Profile Image for Tim Cahoon.
40 reviews
January 10, 2022
excellent Norse story

I love when an author takes something familiar and changes it to be more modern while keeping the old. What a great remaking of Loki.
792 reviews10 followers
May 22, 2022
Very good book

This is a fine high fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. The ravens are a hoot. I anxiously await the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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