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Rick Riordan has done more than just the Percy Jackson with the Greek gods of Olympus (reviewed here in 2024). There are Kane Chronicles with the Egyptian gods (reviewed here in 2025), Magnus Chase and the Norse gods (reviewed here today in 2026), and The Heroes series featuring the Roman legion and their gods (something for 2027 maybe?). Plus a ton of support material.
Now onto the Norse, and Anabelle’s dead cousin, Magnus.
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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for The Sword of Summer
Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he barely knows—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. Uncle Randolph tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.
The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.
When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.
Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .
MY REVIEW for The Sword of Summer
Magnus Chase is cousin to Annabeth Chase (yes, that Annabeth, daughter of Athena and mental powerhouse to Percy’s hurricane of loyalty). Seems like Greek gods aren’t the only ones to play the field on Midgard and the Chases have a much stronger link to the Norse pantheon than the Greek. The plus for Magnus is unlike the Greek clean-up squad for demigods, which usually start hunting the kids between 11 and 13, Magnus got a normal life until he turned 16. If by normal, the definition is your mother is killed by wolves with glowing eyes leaving you homeless at age 13 – sure.
Magnus is 16 and then he dies. A fire giant kills him in Boston; dying in battle gets him taken to Valhalla. Then things get interesting.
Magnus’ upbringing is very different from Percy (with a loving parent) or the Kanes (again, raised by loving parents or grandparents). He is a street rat; life has been hard, and then he died. Yes, he had a loving parent for his formative years, but three years on the street means he values things differently, sees interactions between people differently. He knows everyone has an angle.
The story isn’t as funny as Percy, but has strong action and forward movement which the dual narrative of the Kane Chronicles struggled with. Middlegrade silliness still exists in some of the twists on the gods, but the great one-liners and flat-out laughs of Percy are less prevalent. Still, strong action, great interpretation of mythology into something new without ignoring the old, and amazing characters. From Sam, Samirah al-Abbas, of mid-Eastern descent, a Valkyrie; to Jack the talking sword; to Hearthstone, homeless elf and rune mage – each character is unique, has a solid backstory, and have goals that work together and against the other characters.
Not the best of the Rick Riordan series but then Percy Jackson is a very high bar to hurdle. Magnus Chase book 1 is still very good.
Read through the local library.
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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for The Hammer of Thor
MY REVIEW for The Hammer of Thor
I enjoyed this second Magnus Chase book much more than the first. Establishing a main character where dying was a step up, dragged some of the fun feels down in The Sword of Summer. The Hammer of Thor brings the connection of friendship, the snark of teenagers, and the complications of questing back to the high levels I expect of a Rick Riordan book.
Thor’s hammer is still missing, and Sam – our friendly Muslim Valkyrie – has finally tracked down a lead. From a wright’s cursed barrow to Heimdall’s bright rainbow bridge, our hero Magnus with his close friends Hearth and Bliz trace clues and quests. In the previous book we visited the dwarf underground homeworld where everything is handcrafted. This time we meet Hearthstone’s homeworld of Alfheim, a land of perpetual sunshine and even the poorest person (at least how elves define personhood) is rich. More Asgardian gods show their faces and more giants gather near Midgard borders.
New companions join them on this journey when Sam brings another child of Loki to Valhalla. Alex is crafty and killing it from the very first field exercise. Alex is also as gender bending as his/her parent.
Seeing the sibling similarities and differences between Sam and Alex is fascinating; you don’t doubt they are both Loki’s children, but also completely different people. They are as different as Hearth and Bliz’s homeworlds held in the singular worldtree.
The lore deepens. I adore how Mr. Riordan takes existing mythology and crafts a story around it. A wonderful adventurous story.
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BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for The Ship of the Dead
Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is a resident of the Hotel Valhalla and one of Odin’s chosen warriors. As the son of Frey, the god of summer, fertility, and health, Magnus isn’t naturally inclined to fighting. But he has strong and steadfast friends, including Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, and Samirah the Valkyrie, and together they have achieved brave deeds, such as defeating Fenris Wolf and battling giants for Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Now Magnus faces his most dangerous trial yet. His cousin, Annabeth, recruits her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, to give Magnus some pointers, but will his training be enough? Loki is free from his chains. He’s readying Naglfar, the Ship of the Dead, complete with a host of giants and zombies, to sail against the Asgardian gods and begin the final battle of Ragnarok. It’s up to Magnus and his friends to stop him, but to do so they will have to sail across the oceans of Midgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim in a desperate race to reach Naglfar before it’s ready to sail. Along the way, they will face angry sea gods, hostile giants, and an evil fire-breathing dragon. Magnus’s biggest challenge will be facing his own inner demons. Does he have what it takes to outwit the wily trickster god?
MY REVIEW for The Ship of the Dead