Everyone's favorite Asgardians are finally coming to the middle grade space with Thor Quest!
In this super-charged, super-fun, fast-paced adventure, Thor, Loki, Sif, and Fandral find themselves on an epic quest across the stars. In heavy illustrated pages and even the occasional comics panel, our heroes learn the value of friendship, the power of purpose and destiny, and the importance of teamwork and humility.
Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly lend their incomparable talent to this heavily illustrated series, bringing the adventure to life in electric, vivid detail that harnesses the infinite possibility of the kid Asgardians' universe. Alongside elements that come from Norse mythology, this thrilling kids' story delves into Thor's world (or realm, if you will) in a fresh, new, exciting tale that'll readers won't be able to put down.
Perfect for fans of The Last Kids on Earth and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Thor Quest is illustrated middle grade storytelling at its finest, featuring some of the most well-loved Marvel characters of all time.
A really fun book full of mythology, new friendships, battle cats, a quest, and more!
Thank you to my hubby for gifting this one for my birthday! This book was HIGH on my MUST have list!
In this book we go on a quest with Thor, his friend Fandral, Sif, and Loki. Oh, and let’s not forget the battle cat Wygul! But before that we get a lot of fun chaos when a being escapes (or should I say is let loose) from the menagerie and Thor and Fandral are going to fix things. Their way. XD I really enjoyed this introduction, it really set the tone. And then we learn more about the characters, we learn of a missing item (very important), and so the quest begins. Reluctantly, but then with tons of fun and characters that, if you know your mythology, will be familiar!
And there is a ton of mythology to be found! From famous landmarks to names of places to gods and goddesses to how things started to a snake who is the son of a certain god… but that god is not yet at that age so yeah timmmmeeee is fun to dwarves to a hammer that glows, and more. I just loved how the authors wove all that mythology into this fun new quest for Thor.
Around page 200 I had a feeling that this book would end on a cliffhanger. I mean, we were still just at the dwarves, the quest was far from over. I kinda wish that this was a full story book, but I guess I will take it if it means more Thor Quests! Though I do hope that the next book will be out very soon, haha, I just need to know what is next!
I love how in every media I feel more of a pull towards Loki rather than Thor. In this one it is the same. I instantly liked our trickster god and his/her/their tricks. Yes, I was at points a bit worried that he/she/they may go to be evil/annoying, but Loki was just Loki and they made me smile many times. I loved seeing Loki transform in all matter of beasts, try to help out with the quests, become friends with Sif, watch TV (yes, the Tree can do all matter of things, including that), be brave, and more. We need a Loki Quest book!
Sif was headstrong, at times a bit much, but in overall a best girl! I loved how strong she was, how brave, and how despite everything she went along with the quest and tried to help out wherever she could. How she went head on in the fray. Swung her sword left and right. And I loved seeing her be human, when she and Loki watched television and she forgot all about time. Or how she was with her brother, Heimdall. I really was rooting for this girl and I hope that despite this summer not being what she hoped to be (aka the whole babysitting Thor was NOT on the list) she learns new things and gets even more kick-ass.
Wygul is my baby! Such a cute cat, well, for now, later on he becomes a BIG BIG kitty. I just loved that he was along with the journey and I love how he and Sif worked so well together. Oh, and I loved the bonus chapter at the end in which we get a recap of the story from Wygul’s POV. Which was just so sweet + 100% a cat. Here is to all the cheese for Wygul!
Thor, as expected, was mostly frustration for me. At times he wasn’t so bad and I could understand where he was coming from, but at times I just wanted to smack him on the head. His visions of grandeur were just a bit much for me. He brought his new (and old) friends in danger. He didn’t think. He just went. And yes, he is strong so things eventually went right, but DANG.
Our bard, Fandral. I am still not sure if I want to yeet the little guy to Hel or if I like him. I guess that comes with the territory of him being a bard. Just like the bard in Asterix and Obelix, just like the bards in many stories, bards are just annoying. Plus, his over infatuation at times just got a bit much for me. Yes, Thor is your friend, not your lover, your king, your god (well, OK, I guess in a way, but you get it). He was just worshipping him. TOO. MUCH. But he also had some good points, I did like the stories. I did like that he tried even when he had the shittiest swords of all.
I liked that even though they were both headstrong and both not happy with the arrangements made by Odin and Freya that Thor and Sif had some moments of friendship. I hope more will follow.
Lastly, the illustrations! There are a ton! They are just so fun and I love the style, so playful and fun, plus, I love that we get some comics. Oh, and when our bard tells his tales or gives us information he does so in style.
All in all, I NEED more Thor Quest (or Wygul quest I am still not sure because both are perfect). I would highly recommend this one if you are a fan of mythology + fun quests.
Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and illustrator Billy Yong team up to create a fun, and fast paced adventure about friendship, responsibility, and teamwork. Fandral is just a normal Asgardian, who happens to be best friends with Thor the god of thunder. When their troublemaking gets out of hand, it leads to Freya assigning Sif to waylay Thor’s impulsiveness. When the Dark Star Artifact is stolen, Thor sees this as an opportunity to prove to his parents that he is a hero. Loki sees it as an opportunity to cause some mischief. Together they find out that friendship is complicated, and they have a lot to learn about themselves.
Part chapter book and part comic, this book engages readers with action and humor. Fandral the storyteller does a pretty good job of introducing Asgard, as well as the various people and creatures in a fun way. With plenty of hyperbole, puns, and tongue-in-cheek humor. Though, some of the Norse names are hard to pronounce such as Chimera, Muspelheim, or Svartalfheim, etc.
Thor is a bit childish at the beginning of this story. Doing things without considering the consequences, and throwing tantrums. All with the purpose of training to be a hero. Sif also struggles with her disappointment in the same way. Sif wanted to train with the queen of the gods, not to be made the “responsible” one. She is not afraid to stand up for herself, and share her opinion. Sif is also inclusive, by asking about Loki’s preferred pronouns. Loki has plenty of opportunity for clever tricks, and shapeshifting. They each have unique qualities that help them complete this mysterious quest, and teach them how to be a heroic team.
Together, they are off on a quest to find the Dark Star Artifact in Nidavellir. Full of hijinks, and “the very best kind of trouble”. Visiting far away worlds, challenging fierce creatures, and fighting valiantly. While learning how to get along with each other despite their differences. With some great surprises along the way. A great book series for middle grade readers who enjoy superhero origin stories, mythology, or humorous adventures.
This illustrated chapter book will appeal to avid Marvel fans who are already familiar with the Norse myths that feature Thor, Loki, Odin, and Freya. The book opens with narration by Fandral, Bard of Bards who is conveniently Thor’s best friend. Fandral and Thor get into mischief and find themselves facing the wrath of Thor’s father, Odin. The situation only worsens for Thor as the narration transitions to the perspective of Sif, Warrior of the Vanir. Sif has earned the honor of learning under Freya only to find out that Freya will be much too busy dealing with real conflicts to put Sif at risk and train her. Freya instead charges Sif with keeping the reckless Thor safe and honorable. It does not take long for Loki to befriend Sif and for Thor to choose his first out-of-Asgard quest after he overhears Odin worrying to Freya over the stolen Dark Star Artifact. Told through alternating perspectives, the tale concludes with a cliffhanger and a chapter that recounts the whole adventure from the perspective of Wygul, Sif’s warrior cat.
3 STARS - ADDITIONAL SELECTION: Lanzing and Kelly imagine a universe in which Thor and Loki are children. Yong uses illustrations to artfully create breaks in the narrative with comic-style dialog and images that reveal the emotions of the characters in mid-action. Overt references to Loki’s pronouns and direct conversations about the purpose of being a friend feel heavy-handed from an adult perspective but may be better received by a middle-grades audience. The cliffhanger is so extreme that it is difficult to recommend this book without number two in the series on hand.
Thank you to the publisher who provided a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Young Thor and his sidekick Fandral go about Asgard making trouble and practicing for when Thor is a hero. Sif, a warrior assigned to learn from the Queen, is assigned to protect and keep Thor out of trouble. As the three set off with Loki (who switches from male to female to animals throughout the story) to recover a lost treasure and gain Odin's favor, action packed adventures ensue.
The story is told in alternating chapters by Fandral and Sif, who have very distinctive voices (especially at the beginning of the book) and who see Thor in a very different light. At one point, this leads to Sif asking Fandral what exactly he gets out of his friendship with Thor. It's an interesting question for anyone who tends to have a one-sided friendship.
Overall, this is a fun adventure in the superhero world. It definitely is unfinished, and any readers who really like it will immediately want the second book in the series to (hopefully) finish the story (which is set to be released in July 2024).
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
This was a really fun read and offers younger readers who are familiar with Thor a chance to find out what he was their age. The events, writing style, and illustrations make this a perfect middle grade read. I like the use of the illustrations because I think it will help this age-group picture what is going on in the text. It's an action filled story which should keep readers engaged. The use of two different POV characters balances things well - one takes risks with little thought to the consequences while the other is the more serious "let's stop to think about this" type. Hammer of the Gods is the first in the series and hopefully will leave young readers excited for book 2 so they can learn what happens next. This book would make a great addition to classroom and school libraries.
Wordy and tedious. I kept thinking "this doesn't need to be here" or "this could have been more interesting". And then we get to the climax and it ends on a cliffhanger? Jesus, Grandpa, what did you read me this thing for?
Some of Marvel's Asgardian characters as preteens. Alternating chapters are told for Fandral and Sif's perspectives. Fandral is Thor's best friend and an aspiring Bard. Thor wants to be a noble hero, but he ends up a bit of a trouble maker. Sif, along with her pet cat, comes to Asgard to serve Frigga, but gets assigned to keep Thor in line. Loki befriends her. Almost halfway through the book, Thor decides to go on a quest, and the others join him.
I had a lot of fun reading through this adventure that is told alternately from the perspectives of Sif and Fandral as they follow Thor and Loki on a quest down to the Dwarves. Sif is as skeptical as Fandral is worshipful, and together they work to rein on some of Thor’s endearing (or irritating) qualities.
Loved how the characters were written in this, very much enjoyed Loki throughout the story, and the quest itself was fun. There are fun illustrations throughout, offering a fun visual component for younger readers. I’ll definitely be watching for future Thor Quest books!
The way that Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly tell the story of Fandral is captivating and thoroughly entertaining. The illustrations are fun and expected of a marvel story. Young fans of Marvel will especially love this story. Fans of the Last Kids on Earth series will love the similarities between the two series. And anyone who is looking for an entertaining quick read should check out this book!
Thor Quest: Hammers of the Gods is a fun, illustrated tale about Thor and Loki — through the eyes of not just the young gods themselves, but two of their friends, Fandral and Sif (of the Vanir).
With his art, Billy brings to us a wildly-imaginative quest in this first novel written by a pair of NYT bestselling comic writers, Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly.
Recommended especially for fans of the Marvel movie franchise.
This was a cute intro into the stories of Loki, Thor, Sif and Fandral. I really liked getting to know the characters from this perspective however where did the cliffhanger come from? Also is there going to be a sequel??
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!
A fun look into Norse mythology and the stories of Thor. Great introduction for younger readers. My only pause is if the humor will take away from the story and confuse what is the real background of the mythology.
Hybrid (some prose, some graphic novel) for ages 8-12. I didn't finish this because it wasn't a book from my own library : ). I just wanted to see what it was like. This is funny, exciting, and teaches a lot about Norse mythology along the way. Great for all genders.
What a brilliant idea--to tell the stories of the gods of Asgard as children in order to tell the mythology. I thought the story was well paced and enjoyed hearing the story from different viewpoints, even the cat's!