Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting Norse mythology adventure with Percy-like hero.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 41 kid reviews
Kids say this book is a hilarious and engaging journey through Norse mythology, featuring diverse characters and plenty of humor. Many readers appreciated its representation of various backgrounds, although some expressed concerns about its mature themes and violent content compared to previous works by the author.
- humor
- diversity
- engaging story
- mature themes
- character representation
- mythology
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Living on the streets of Boston for two years after his mother died, Magnus has seen some crazy things. But when an estranged uncle comes looking for him, telling him he has to follow him to a bridge and summon a sword from Boston Harbor, that's a bit weirder. But it gets more bizarre: The father Magnus never met? The Norse god Frey, who used to own the powerful sword? The dapper-looking man wielding fire who shows up to steal the sword? And the god Surt, lord of Muspellheim, a nasty place? In a struggle where the sword does most of the work for him, Magnus tumbles off the bridge with Surt. And he dies, jokingly telling the reader "the end!" But luckily for Magnus, he's scooped up by one of the Valkyries and taken to Valhalla, a paradise for fallen warriors. Unluckily for Magnus, his arrival is not welcomed by all. The Norns (like the Fates) interrupt the welcome banquet with a prophecy that involves THE SWORD OF SUMMER Magnus has lost, a sinister wolf, and Ragnarok, aka the end of the world.
Is It Any Good?
Great characters and exciting action mark this series start based on Norse mythology. As in Rick Riordan's Egyptology series, The Kane Chronicles, it's a little hard to follow at times (most Americans don't know Egyptian and Norse gods the way they do the Greek ones), but it looks promising. The setup feels a bit hasty because readers are thrown into Boston, then the afterlife of Valhalla with the world tree and Valkyries and Norns throwing a prophecy about nine days before Ragnarok … It's a lot.
But great characters emerge in the process. Yay for Sam, a hijab-wearing American Muslim girl! And for a dwarf, Blitzen, with exquisite fashion sense and a deaf elf named Hearthstone who gives up everything to study magic. And then there's Magnus. He's heroic from the get-go, so it's hard to say what his growth will be during the series, but he's sardonic and funny and incredibly loyal to his friends like the famous Percy Jackson. Together Magnus, Sam, Hearthstone, and Blitzen are the kinds of heroes readers will follow anywhere -- and with nine Norse worlds, they'll have plenty of intriguing places to visit.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they learned about Norse mythology. Which characters are totally new to you? Do you enjoy it as much as Greek mythology?
What do Hearthstone, Blitzen, Sam, and Magnus all have in common with the ruin Perthro (the empty cup)? How does it bring them together?
Which afterlife would you like to join: Valhalla (hotel for warriors with mock battles daily) or Folkvanger (laid-back realm of Freya)?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes , Adventures , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date : October 6, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 512
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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