Read Online Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Book 1 The Sword of Summer Rick Riordan 9781423163374 Books

Product details Age Range 8 - 12 years Grade Level 3 - 7 Series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (Book 1) Paperback 544 pages Publisher Disney-Hyperion; Reprint edition (April 4, 2017) Language English ISBN-10 1423163370

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Book 1 The Sword of Summer Rick Riordan 9781423163374 Books Reviews

• You can tell Riordan is through in his mythology research and uses that knowledge to build stories that draw readers in and teach them a little mythology while entertaining them. In the line of Percy Jackson series (Greek and Roman mythology) and the Kane's series (Egyptian mythology), he has done the same with Norse mythology with a little spin to it.
  
  His heroes seem to have a few common themes -personal tragedy (i.e. The death of a parent or some thing in that line), no knowledge of their true parentage, and a quest of some sort that awakens their potential strength. Also humour/sarcastic nature.
  
  This book doesn't disappoint. I found myself reading this book in the voice of my 18 year old son, who still loves reading these books. It's a quick read after reading books at Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Game of Thrones.
  
  For pre-teens and children interested in mythology, this is a good read. Not everyone lives, but it's not as violent as GoT nor as gory. It shows character development in both the hero and his friends and those around him. The villains are not 2D, but have plenty of depth and sometimes make you wonder what their angle are. Even those who seem to be on their side makes you wonder about their true intentions.
  
  I would recommend Roirdan's books; even to the most reluctant readers!
• I am a reader. I love books. As a child I would read anything and everything, including the packaging on the toilet paper if i ended up in the bathroom for more than a couple of minutes. I never imagined I would have a child that didn't enjoy reading.
  
  My two oldest children love books and I constantly balance my desire to let them read as much as they want with other more prosaic things like eating regular meals and somewhat sane bedtimes. My third child, not so much.
  
  We have tried everything to entice my 10 year old son to read for pleasure. We have filled the house with age appropriate books. I read to him. I make him read to me. I let him stay up past his bedtime if he uses that time to read. I offered him money...
  
  Even if I got my son started reading a book and even if he enjoyed it, he never read for very long and he would never go back and pick up the book again. He says he "forgets" that he had been enjoying the book he was reading.
  
  Everything changed when I handed my son Rick Riordan's "Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard." With chapter names like "Good Morning, You Are Going to Die" and "I've Always Wanted to Destroy a Bridge," my son found himself intrigued from the start. The story's action started immediately and continued to the end of the book. My 10 year old nonreader didn't want to put the book down. I even caught him under his covers reading with a flashlight a couple of times. He finished the book without any prompting. Then he did the unthinkable he read it again.
  
  Needless to say we are eagerly awaiting book 2 of this series. In the meantime we are looking at other books by this author.
• I’m a huge Rick Riordan fan and I’ve been waiting for this book for a while, those who have been waiting as well won’t be disappointed. I’m personally impressed; I know that the structure of the story is going to be similar to others of Riordan, but even with the structure similar, it’s still a page turner, but this time in the context of Norse mythology. It initially appears to be a long book, but, it is an easy read that goes fast; I didn’t want to put it down and read it in one night.
  
  For those who are not familiar with Rick Riordan’s writings, this is a perfectly fine book to jump into Riordan’s fantasy world, there is no benefit gained in having read his other books that deal with heroes from Greek, Roman, or Egyptian mythology. The characters stand alone in their identities and are all affiliated with Norse mythology. The protagonist, Magnus, is quickly discovered in the story to have a background not quite like others, more so in his parenting and lineage; his father is a Norse god. As a result of this lineage, there are obligations that Magnus is thrust with, and the story is a modern day interaction of Magnus through components of Norse mythology, ranging from characters to weaponry of the ancient belief system. The story is told with humor, but also does a great job in outlining and establishing some of the belief systems of Norse mythology, such as the pantheon of the gods and goddesses.
  
  The characters have a different personality, much like those we meet out of Camp Jupiter vs. Camp Half Blood. The story takes place in Norse mythology, which I personally do not have as strong of a familiarity with, and allowed for a new sense of novelty in the story that has the format of hero discovered, hero goes to “camp,” and hero goes on quest. The introduction of the new characters was nice and it created a sense of anticipation about who maybe a bit more friendly than others. Overall, the relationship with the gods themselves is a bit more casual, even if the society itself is more regimented.
  
  A discussion board commenter alluded to the possibility of a relationship between these books and that with Camp Half-Blood, from the start of the book there is a pleasant surprise in that Magnus does have a cousin who attends Camp Half-Blood, but rather than long-term interaction with him/her, there is just a brief reference too at both the beginning and the end of the story.
  
  It’s a hard story to talk about because of the potential to give so much away about who is related to who, and familiarity with some of the Norse gods would reveal some of the plot elements. However, a unique aspect of the Norse mythology is that the fates of the gods are much clearer, with a level of clarity and absolutism in the roles that each one knows that he/she plays, even in the final battle (Ragnok  which isn’t the final battle in this book).
  
  Know that the structure is similar to the books in the past, the characters who are introduced throughout this book are unique in their own ways, especially Magnus’s new companions and, I especially enjoyed the history and sense of honor associated with the Valkyrie corps, especially Samirah al-Abbas, who identifies from a Muslim family.
  
  Anyway, enjoy a way! I have some Norse mythology to learn about now that I’m curious.
• My first response on beginning this book was lots of chuckles and outright laughing. Mr. Riordan's writing style, especially from the point of a teenage boy, Magnus Chase, was often amusing and downright funny. This story takes place in the present time with vivid trips into the realm of "the gods" where he must fight and die many times for the delaying of Armegedon. Yes, I said die many times. And even that is found humorous! My title/teaser reflects that fact, not the part about fighting and dying-we all know that there's nothing funny about that. But this action-packed, multi-world, magical story that is written primarily for teens/young adults is a good read even for someone in his 60's-like me!