The Sword of Summer
Ratings228
Average rating4
I liked it! I think it's really interesting how all the different Pantheons are so different. Rick Riordan does a good job of making the different types of Demigods or mythical creatures very unique across the different series. I love that Annabeth is Magnus' Cousin even if she's barely in the book, it makes the series connect better. As for the Sword of Summer's actual story, it was really interesting, I don't know a lot about Norse Mythology so it was all new to me.
3.5 stars. Very happy i got to rereading it for the first time since i was a kid. Forgot how much i loved Rick Riordan and i will now be moving on to reread percy jackson lol
i think magnus has a good narrating voice, hes a funny dude (this goes for every riordan narrator but look im a sucker for it). i think its definitely the most casually inclusive of the riordan series' yet, but it never feels like it was only done for marketing, which i enjoy. all the characters have a good dynamic with each other and the adventure they undertake brings them together in a way thats real satisfying, i love to see some good pals on a life-threatening journey. i think riordan did a good job of trying to not make the main characters too over-powered (cough cough). I also noticed while reading that in this book (and the series as a whole), riordan does a really good job of separating the main cast into an assortment of different smaller groups to allow for more direct one-on-one developments between different characters. the writing all around is very enjoyable (plus theres a talking sword).
i like the gay elf and the gay dwarf an extreme amount which is why it is my favorite of the riordan series, full bias. i like to think theyre canon married and magnus just either never realizes or thinks its so obvious he doesnt even draw attention to it.
This was a reread for me and I definitely enjoyed it a lot more the second time around. Mainly because I've finally read the Prose Eda and other Norse mythology related texts. So I had a lot of fun recognizing the different inspirations and aspects that Riordan picked for his retelling. Plus there was a lot I had forgotten since my first read through so it was very entertaining and wonderful to follow Magnus and his adventures. As well as rediscover this world again. Very happy to continue with my reread of this trilogy.
More like a 2.5 barely rounded up. (Mostly because I still liked it more than Mark of Athena.)
While I am never as impressed with Riordan's books as I want to be, I always find something about the books to like and make me go ‘that was fun'. With this book it was the bond of friendship I could feel between our main four.
It's a good thing I actually cared about the friendship, because, for the most part, I couldn't shake the feeling that I read this book before, only then it was called The Lightning Thief.
So many plot points were, if not downright the same, suspiciously similar and the voice of the two respective leads is much the same.
Tiene una asombrosa historia pero algo en la narración no me permitía concentrarme, no me atrapaba
Aparte de eso, la trama no sigue los clichés y me ha tocado mucho cerca del final
Dippy, but kind of charmingly so. Sort of like leftover Halloween candy that you keep eating even though it isn't even that good, because there's a whole bowl of it RIGHT THERE and it's so easy to grab just one more piece.
I picked it (and the rest of the trilogy) up on Kindle sale because its sequel got mentioned on the Tiptree longlist in 2017. Cool that one of the main characters wears hijab.
Ultimately a younger kid might like this but I don't think I'm Y enough for this YA. (But I'll probably still read the sequels.)
“Even if we can't change the big picture, our choices can alter the details. That's how we rebel against destiny”
This book was thoroughly enjoyable. Going in, I didn't know if it was gonna turn out to be as hilarious as Percy Jackson and the Olympians, as it was a bit slow in the beginning. But I can now happily concur that I enjoyed it as much as PJO.
The characters were all a joy to read. Magnus was very perceptive of the people around him, whether he liked them or not. Every time he misheard a word or pronounced something incorrectly made me laugh a lot. The little pronunciation lessons were very helpful. Apparently, I'm not as good at pronouncing Norse words, as I am with Greek :D
Loki giving Magnus that pronunciation lesson in the beginning for ‘Hlidskjalf' made me split so bad because I was trying to pronounce it out loud as Loki was explaining it, but as the explanation got weirder, I had the same reaction as Magnus. Also, how come for Magnus, Loki only ever showed up whenever Magnus was dead, or dying. Also, I thought he was only projecting his illusions, didn't think they were tangible as it was shown in the end. Hmm, weird?!
The whole ASL thing was a joy to read. I didn't think I'd like Hearthstone's character as much as I did. Same with Blitz. I like how the author chose to explain the signs for some words to explain the double meanings. It was a joy to read. The constant banter between Blitz and Hearth, and how they supported/argued was really nice to read. One of my favorite parts of the book.
And, how many references did this book make to MCU o.O? Did they describe Frey as Chris Hemsworth?! Dear God.
Things I liked:- Magnus's mom, just like Percy's mom.- Hearth and Blitz protecting each other.- Hearth and Blitz arguing with each other :D- Did you make Hearth a bed, Blitz? I need one of those.- Hearth being a plant! (There's too much Hearth on this list)- Rune magic.- Samirah, with her camouflage hijab.- Loki, being an ass and charming all together.- Magnus's description of Hearth's sign language.- ASL communication- The talking sword (Jack)- Hearth saying he doesn't read sword lips, and Jack saying he can't read Elf hands (!!!)- The pronunciation guide to Norse words, what is up with that?! PJO did that a lot too.- Thor being into TV shows and mentioning that he was annoyed because he was a season behind on Sherlock. Appropriate reaction. I would be too if I was in your situation.- The last fight with Fenris where Hearth grew flowers to protect everyone, and Jack flew around.- Odin's PowerPoint presentation in the end.- Also, have to mention Blitz clothes line.- And lastly, Annabeth :) Can't say how happy I am to see you here! Where's Percy? Which book does he jump in?
This was a very well written book. I read Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief a few years ago and wasn't impressed. But Magnus Chase was very good, it had good characters and was just a fun read!
After I read Percy Jackson, I wasn't anxious to read another book by Rick Riordan, but I am glad that I did read Magnus Chase.
I enjoyed the Norse mythology side, and the way it is being tied to the other mythologies. The story is fun, the characters entertaining. However, at this point it really feels like the Rick Riordan formula is pretty drilled in. No surprises here, just a fun, easy read.
Me encantó, un inicio prometedor para esta nueva serie. Más que justificado el porqué Rick Riordan es un excelente escritor.
~Full review on The Bent Bookworm!~“People have destructive impulses. Some of us want to see the world in ruins just for the fun of it...even if we're ruined along with it.”FeelsI've only read one of [a:Rick Riordan 15872 Rick Riordan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1383677264p2/15872.jpg]'s other series, the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I actually read them back in 2014, at an extremely low point while I was away from home doing some rather strenuous training. Reading has always been my escape and those books – even though from a genre very different from what I was mostly reading at the time – were the absolute perfect thing for me. I think a re-read is in order soon.Anyway, THIS book, brought back all the “falling into another world” feeling of those. Perfect slump-defeating read! I don't remember laughing this hard during my Percy Jackson reads. From chapter titles like “I Do Mighty Combat with Eggs” and “Though Shalt Not Poop on the Head of Art,” to some of the most zany characters of Riordan's creation I've met yet, it was a great mood lifter. It's the dialogue in this story that really zings. It's absolutely amazing and genius, even the minor characters. Like this little gem between Magnus and Valhalla Hotel's manager.“Then why don't you just say A.D.?”“Because Anno Domini, in the Year of Our Lord, is fine for Christians, but Thor gets a little upset. He still holds a grudge that Jesus never showed up for that duel he challenged to.”“Say what now?”I love Riordan's blasphemy. LOVE IT. I love that he just takes shots at every religion and mythology out there, nothing is sacred – and yet he stops short of disrespecting the people who hold actual beliefs.CharactersMagnus Chase is hilariously snarky, with the balls to talk back to both bad guys and gods – who are sometimes one and the same. His initial circumstances are horrifying, yet he never completely lets it snuff his desire for life. I loved Samirah al-Abbas (Sam), the Valkyrie – she has attitude for miles, spunk, and drive. And a sharp wit, which results in more hilarity.“You named your tree.”“Most important things have names.” She frowned at me. “Who are you again?”Blitz and Hearth, Magnus' best friends on the streets, are such unique characters in their own right too. While they were frequent comic relief they also put SO MUCH heart into the story. There's quite a slew of other minor characters, and I hope some of them show up in future books! I do have to say...the story doesn't end happily for all of them. I was inordinately pleased with that (yes, I'm a horrible person), because I strongly believe even middle-grade YA books need to be somewhat realistic. Which yes, I also realize somewhat ironic to say about a fantasy book, but...it's a GOOD ending.PlotMagnus is a clueless teenager in the beginning, propelled into events way above his pay grade by a series of crazy happenings including the death of his mother. After two years of hiding he is found and given a strange destiny that he can't understand. Everything happens EXTREMELY fast in the beginning and in the whirlwind Magnus is suddenly thrown into the crazy world of the gods of Asgard. He isn't the person he always thought he was, and he might just be the only person capable of coordinating all the necessary elements. Basically the world is about to end when the Fenris Wolf's rope breaks. It starts off sounding fairly simple but gets convoluted rather quickly.Magnus, Sam, Blitz, and Hearth go odd on several side quests that, while entertaining, seem to detract from the progress of the general story. I personally still enjoyed them, but I think the general age group that this book is aimed at might lose interest or get a little lost. Still, there were more awesome quotes, especially from the dwarves (because dwarves are always awesome).“It is woven with the most powerful paradoxes in the Nine Worlds – Wi-Fi with no lag, a politician's sincerity, a printer that prints, healthy deep-fried food, and an interesting grammar lecture!”Worldbuilding/SettingThe world building is good, but it's not the best part of this book. Like I said already, where Riordan really shines is in the snappy dialogue. The description and setting is exactly what this book needs but it's not the standout here.Final RatingOverall I'm giving 4/5 stars. While I loved it, it definitely dragged a bit in all the world-hopping that they ended up doing and I think that it could possibly turn off a lot of its prospective audience. Not so much adults, but kids. When I was of that age I was already a voracious reader so it might not have bothered me but I think I might not have picked it up in the first place. Still, definitely worth reading and if you have an indefatigable young reader tell them to give it a try!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram
Not as good as Percy Jackson, but still fast paced with good characters
I had never read a book by Rick Riordan before, so I thought I would give his books a try when I saw this Norse mythology themed one.
This book was full of humour. From fart jokes to witty sarcasm, it has it all. The book also has action, unique characters, and a hilarious modern take on Norse mythology.
I suppose the only reason why this book didn't get full ratings from me is that it seemed to be missing a needed moment of pause for more character building. I understand this was a race against time, but I wish that there was just a tiny bit more character-to-character dialogue that didn't include talking about backstory. This is likely just a personal thing, but I would have liked to have seen a little more friendship building through dialogue.
I also wish Magnus showed a little bit more weakness since he was a little on the perfect side.
spoiler below
Since at the start of the book he cringed every time he even saw a fake wolf, I would have liked to have felt that fear more in the final fight. Perhaps him frozen with fear for a few moments.
All in all, though, it was still a very fun read and I am glad I picked it up.
Pros:
-Funny
-Interesting characters
-Norse Mythology
-Interesting plot
-It was a fun read
Cons:
-Too perfect of a MC
-Slightly too little character building
Just because it's Rick Riordan, this book gets an automatic 5 stars. To be honest, it wasn't my favorite book by him that I've read, but it was still classic Rick Riordan. The entire thing was hilarious, especially the chapter titles, and full of action and learning. I also thoroughly enjoyed the few moments in which we got to see Annabeth and hope future books have more of her in it. Also, the few nudges that we get to Riordan's other book series made me smile.
Book Review – Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan - best Riordian since original Percy Jackson. Riordian uses Norse mythology as the basis of the books this time. Magnus is a homeless 16 year old. His mother died 2 years ago trying to protect him and Magnus has been on the run since. Unsurprisingly, he discovers that he is the son of a god and lots of people are trying to find him (or kill him).
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/magnus-chase/
This was a lot of fun! I listened to it on audiobook and it made my drive tolerable. (I listened to it at 1.5 speed to cram it all into a 10-hour roundtrip.) The narrator was good (even at higher speed, which for some reason made him sound more Canadian).
I've only read the first few Percy Jackson books, and the first Kane Chronicles book–I enjoyed them but just never got around to finishing either series? I think I liked this the best of all those... it helps that Norse mythology is just SO WEIRD. Not that Greek and Egyptian mythology isn't weird, but Norse mythology is just truly next-level bonkers. I really like Magnus, and pretty much all the other characters, especially Hearth and Blitzen, his misfit adopted parental figures <3
I've read concerns about Sam the hijabi Valkyrie and Hearth the Deaf elf character and I don't know enough to say how sensitively they were handled, but overall I loved them both as characters! Hopefully we will see them develop in further books.