Welcome to The Real World According To Sam! Today is Magic Monday, so I'm back with another Disney book. Let's talk about a book published by Disney-Hyperion Books (now Disney Books):
The Sword of Summer
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: YA Fantasy
Year: 2015
Synopsis:
Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down -- his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus's birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.
The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus's memory. But he doesn't have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents....
Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.
Review:
Move over Percy Jackson, a new demigod is in town!! Kind of. Except twe're not in New York anymore...Magnus Chase lives in Boston. This is the first book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy by Rick Riordan. This is one of two series by him that I haven't finished reading yet. I have been wanting to read this for a long time, but only just now got around to it.
The basic idea is that the Norse gods of mythology are actually real. Valhalla is a real place and Magnus is learning about it all at an insane pace. Before he knows it, he is a resident of Valhalla and expected to be a warrior in training for Ragnarok. That's right! This teenager has to prepare himself for Norse doomsday! In reality, Magnus has to try and prevent that from coming too quickly. Helping him along is a great cast of diverse characters. First up is Samirah "Sam" al-Abbas, a Muslim Valkyrie whose lineage roundaboutly traces back to the Vikings. Valkyries are female warriors who decide which slain warriors get to go to Valhalla. In other words, Sam kicks major butt and we love her. Next up are Hearthstone and Blitzen, who have been watching out for Magnus while he was on the streets. Hearth and Blitz have secrets of their own, which I'll leave you to find out on your own should you choose to read it. Hearth is a deaf-mute character who communicates using ASL -- Alf Sign Language. Blitz has unexpected dreams. Both are Magnus's best friends and the three of them make up an awesome unit that sticks together, no matter the challenge.
In addition to these main characters, we also get to meet other warriors in Valhalla, Valkyries, and many familiar mythological figures. We get mentions of Odin, we see Loki, and there's even Thor thrown into the mix! My knowledge of Norse mythology is made up predominantly of Marvel related characters, a little fiction reading, and some very quick internet reading, so it was very fun to learn about new aspects of mythology. This book definitely makes me want to read more Norse mythology and see what else I've been missing. There is a whole new world to learn about, new realms to explore, and lots of new names. There is also a new weapon, who happens to be very special. Along his new journey, Magnus picks up a sword, who goes by the name of Jack....who talks. A talking sword? Yeah, I'm definitely in for the long haul. I thought the arrow of Dodona was cool (Trials of Apollo series), but Jack has snatched my attention.
As usual with Riordan's mythology books, we have a prophecy, a great lead character, and lots of adventure. Did you expect anything less? Magnus is a very fun lead. Is he Percy Jackson? No. He's not sassy. He's sarcastic, which makes for lots of laughs. I am fond of sarcasm and have been known to use it...frequently. Magnus is someone I think I could be friends with. Trash talking enemies and turning to sarcasm when confusion reigns supreme? I'm completely on board for that. I am excited to continue reading this series to see what further adventures are in store. In this one we get trickster gods, wolves, competitions, and giants. What are the next two books going to throw at us? I can't wait to find out!
Overall, this is a fantastic book. It is funny, full of adventure, and it has a great cast of characters. Riordan hits another homerun, but at this point, are we really surprised? I'll be reading the second book real soon because The Sword of Summer gets a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯✯. I highly recommend this book. I think readers of many ages will love this book and what it brings to the table. This is adventure at its finest.
This concludes another review here at The Real World According To Sam. I'll see you at the next review!
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