Parents' Guide to

The Ship of the Dead: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 3

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Doomsday-thwarting excitement in a banana-yellow ship.

Book Rick Riordan Fantasy 2017
The Ship of the Dead: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 3 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 7 parent reviews

StudiousStudent
StudiousStudent Adult
August 24, 2018
age 15+

Not Good

This was not a good book to me. I've loved pretty much every other Rick Riordan book, but this one was just so much worse than his other novels. The humor was dry and forced, it was much more violent than any book he's written, and it had a larger focus on relationships. Specifically, Alex and Magnus. Alex is gender fluid (as mentioned in the second book of this series) and he and Magnus become a couple in this book. Other characters flirt and kiss with one another. There is also significantly more language in this book than what CSM mentioned. There are multiple uses of b------d and d---n. This review is solely stating what is in the book, and my personal opinion of the book as a whole.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.
swampfoxsouth
swampfoxsouth Parent of 11-year-old
March 3, 2023
age 11+

OK book adaptation has peril, violence, some language

CSM guide by Turner Martin: Violence 3/5 Romance 2/5 DDS 1/5 Language 3/5. Language: Some uses of "s--t," "hell," "dammit," "ass," and "gods!" (as an exclamation).
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE SHIP OF THE DEAD, Ragnarak is coming and Loki is nearly ready with his doomsday ship. He's just waiting for all the giants and undead warriors to board and the ice to melt a path to Midgard, our world. Magnus and friends aren't so ready to face him. The ship that the god Frey gave Magnus is still in his pocket in the form of a handkerchief when he breaks into his deceased uncle's townhouse. His uncle may have left a clue behind about how to defeat Loki, and when Magnus spots a wolf clamoring to get in, he knows he's right. Magnus follows the wolf to a drinking horn before his friend Alex kills it. Inside the horn: a journal and a note about a whetstone that may stop guards -- but what guards? And how? There's little time to fathom its meaning before Magnus has to unfold the ship and board with his friends Halfborn Gunderson, a Norwegian berserker; Mallory, a fierce Irish warrior; Sam, a hijab-wearing Valkyrie; Thomas Jefferson Jr., a black Union soldier; and Alex, a shape-shifting, green-haired, gender-fluid fighter. On the first leg of their adventure, they find their other two friends and allies -- the dwarf Blitzen and elf Hearthstone -- but not where they expect them. Aegir, the giant lord of the waves, catches Magnus' ship in his cauldron and has them to dinner. Guess who's on the menu.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (21):

This exciting doomsday-thwarting adventure is just as much about defeating evil as it is about affirming that diversity is a strength to be celebrated. Readers who've gotten to know and love these very diverse characters in The Sword of Summer and The Hammer of Thor will relish how they come together in The Ship of the Dead and how Magnus shows off their combined powers in front of the gods. Besides Magnus, two characters stand out the most: Sam, who's observing Ramadan while fighting sea monsters, giants, and the undead; and Alex, who turns out to be a genius at the pottery wheel. Alex is appreciated for skills and friendship without the author screaming every second that this is a gender-fluid character. A romantic interest is also handled with sweetness and without fuss.

Even though this is doomsday, don't expect the beating of war drums every second. That ship on the cover is the titular Ship of the Dead, not the ride Magnus' dad Frey gave him. When Magnus unfolds his ship from handkerchief form it's an embarrassing bright yellow. What better way to battle the disgusting idea of a ship made all of human nail clippings than with a banana-colored boat? Frey, a peaceful god, definitely knows the power of humor.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what they learned in The Ship of the Dead about Norse mythology, black soldiers in the Union Army, Bloody Friday in Ireland, and even the holy month of Ramadan.

  • How is the diversity of Magnus' allies an asset to them on their journey?

  • For those who have read many of Rick Riordan's books, featuring Egyptology, Norse Mythology, and the Greek and Roman gods, which mythology have you enjoyed the most? Why?

Book Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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