Here we go again …. Seems like Magnus Chase’s afterlife is going to be spent chasing (yes, I went there) down magical weapons that the Norse gods have somehow misplaced. First, it was his father’s sword; now it is Thor’s great hammer, which, in this universe, can be picked up by the (very) unworthy. Fortunately, Magnus has friends throughout the Nine Worlds who can help him on this quest, and we are treated yet again to Samira, Heath, Blitz, and new friends as the intrepid band of heroes do their best to twart Loki’s attempts to bring on Ragnarok.
The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)
Published by Disney Hyperion on October 4, 2016
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Page Length: 480 pages
How I got my copy: Purchased
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Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon--the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki--and the price he wants is very high.
Strengths:
- Magnus Chase is beginning to grow on me as he embraces his role as Frey’s son and a veteran einherji. He still has the perspective of a recently-deceased mortal who is still acclimating to the new reality of multiple worlds, Norse gods, and his role in preventing the end of the world, and his “you are not going to believe THIS …” observations continue to be funny.
- This book continues to explore the importance of friendship among a group of very different …. um ….. people. An elf, a dwarf, an enherji, and a Valkyrie walk into a coffee shop …. it sounds like the beginning of a shaggy dog story, but the chemistry between these friends works. They each bring different strengths to the challenges before them …. both in terms of magical superpowers and personality.
- I love the magic system. Everyone has limits and weaknesses. Magic certainly comes with a price, and the group of friends are beginning to work effectively within those limitations. In this second book, everyone is also beginning to grow and master these abilities.
Weaknesses:
- In the other related series, the gods have their foibles but also they are shown to be worthy of respect, if not worship, by their children. The Magnus Chase Norse gods are rather protrayed as complete doofuses, completely incompetent of acting even like adults, let alone adults who were honored as commanding elements, enforcing human traditions, and maintaining order in the universes. This protrayal is off-putting, and it sounds at times as if Riordan is saying, as one of his characters does in the book, that these really are/were not gods …. not like the gods of modern religions practiced by anxious parents.
Summary:
On the whole, this is a fun book that will have readers turning pages to see what comes up next.
Have you read this one? What did you think? Are you excited for it if you haven’t gotten to it yet?
– Barbara
THE HAMMER OF THOR by RICK RIORDAN
© 2016, Barbara. All rights reserved.