So Rick Riordan came out with a new book. It looked pretty similar to the others. Quirky teenager finds out they have to save the world, they go on an epic quest, they will probably die (but def won’t) and there’s always some mythology thrown in. I was thinking in my head that Rick was kinda like a one trick pony. And I’m totally Ok with that. If it aint broke don’t fix it.
But that’s not exactly what I got from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer (obnoxiously long title, I know). While the bones were similar, the character Magnus himself changed the whole style of the book. I have never read a story filled with such wry, snarky humor. Seriously, there are enough quips in this bookto make a Marvel movie seem humorless.
Here’s a list of reasons you should read this book:
Magnus is a snarky little shit head
One of the characters is deaf and communicates with ASL
Loki is in it
There is no fourth wall whatsoever
There’s a bad ass hajib wearing warrior woman
Doctor Who, Sherlock, Arrow, and other fandom references
Throwbacks to the Percy Jackson books
Every character is a huggable little cinnamon roll.
The chapter titles are hilarious
The plot chugged along rapidly with Magnus going on a quest to secure Fenris Wolf in his bonds to delay the end of the world with danger and enemies constantly snipping at their heels. Pretty standard stuff with a nice little twist at the end that made me excited for the next installment. The book made me laugh, and tear up, and face palm myself from Magnus’s stupidity, so I loved it. But Im easy to please when it comes to stoires. All I need are well rounded characters and emotional resonance, and Magnus Chase did not dissapoint.
Reading: Immortal Instruments: City of Bones
Watching: Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online II
Jamming: Guren No Yumiya
The Redneck Otaku 