Magnus Chase And The Sword Of Summer by Rick Riordan
Published by Disney Hyperion
I WAS introduced to this series through my love of the rest of Rick Riordan’s books, all of which, though with varying plots and characters, are focused around the central theme of mythology.
His books take the myths from various cultures and teach young readers about them through smart modernisation, gripping adventure plots and huge helpings of humour. This book is no different and I was, as always, wowed by the writing style and effort put into the accurate portrayal of classic Norse mythology.
The reader meets the main character Magnus Chase right away. He is a homeless teenager on the streets of Boston struggling with the mystery surrounding both the events leading up to his mother’s death two years prior and his father’s true identity.
Upon discovering his ties to Norse gods he is brought into battle with a fire giant. He loses the fight and is thrown off a bridge, but ends up in Hotel Valhalla, the training ground for deceased warriors who will have to fight for the gods.
Along with his new friends, Magnus embarks on a mission to retrieve the sword of his father Frey, who turns out to be the god of summer, before it gets into the wrong hands and triggers the beginning of the end of the world. My favourite thing about reading this book is how easy it was to understand and get into.
A lot of the complexities of the plot and Magnus’s life (and death) could have been confusing, but due to the way it is written it is both straightforward and fascinating to follow.
Every twist in the story, from a battle with a sun giant or the main character’s adoration of falafel, works to keep the reader hooked and laughing at every single turn.
The creation of characters who manage to drive the plot while at the same time being deeply relatable to children and teenagers was carried off brilliantly.
They all felt real enough to encourage readers to form attachments with them, and fantastical enough to be memorable. Characters like this perfectly reflected the Rick Riordan has a talent for creating characters that bring me – and many others – back to his books again and again.
Though reading it was entertaining and exciting from beginning to end, I also learned a lot along the way about different mythologies.
His several series based around Greek mythology were what really sparked an interest in the subject for me, and that knowledge even helped me out in my Latin coursework for school at the time.
The way in which different ideas and cultures are portrayed through well written storylines and characters creates a unique learning experience without the academic pressures of school.
The Sword Of Summer once again showed me a new world of intricate stories to get lost in which I’m always grateful for.
This book combines a vast number of important and complicated elements in a way that made them all simple and fun to read. I have a place in my heart for all that Rick Riordan’s books have taught me and I reckon everyone else who reads them and the Magnus Chase and The Gods Of Asgard trilogy will feel the same.
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