The Sword of Summer

August 10, 2015
Ten years after The Lightning Thief, which chronicled modern-day Greek god shenanigans on Earth, Riordan enters a new pantheon with a similar setup: on his 16th birthday, Magnus Chase learns that he is a demigod, human son of a Norse god. Talk about an upgrade—Chase had been homeless in Boston since his mother’s death (by wolf attack) two years earlier. Chase’s story opens with his death on the day he comes of age, when he finds his father’s powerful sword and defends Boston against a fire giant. For dying a hero, he earns afterlife at the Hotel Valhalla (so large it has its own Ikea), but Chase has scores to settle and must prevent Ragnarok itself, a mission that involves perilous encounters, loads of gore, and snarky one-liners. Riordan plays much of the material for laughs (one battle weapon is a stolen sign that reads “Make Way for Ducklings”) and brings the Norse gods into the 21st century (Thor streams TV shows on his hammer). The sensibility is right in line with the Percy Jackson novels, and the audience will be just as large. Ages 10–14. Agent: Nancy Gallt, Nancy Gallt Literary Agency.

September 15, 2015
First there were the Greek gods, then the Egyptian gods, then the Roman gods-now Riordan takes on the Norse gods. On his 16th birthday, homeless Boston orphan Magnus Chase (daughter-of-Athena Annabeth's cousin) magically summon an ancient Norse sword, uses it against a fireball-throwing monster, drops the sword, and dies-but a girl in hijab on a flying horse grabs him and deposits him at the Hotel Valhalla for a new afterlife of perpetual preparation for Ragnarok. Turns out Ragnarok will come pretty soon unless he can retrieve the sword and somehow use it to rebind Fenris Wolf, who is about to slip the magical rope that's kept him bound for millennia. This will take some doing. Per established formula, narrator Magnus explores his fabulous new home, makes quirky new friends, acquires a bristly female companion, engages in a chain of adventures, and meets the Norse pantheon. Riordan consciously crafts a diverse cast, including a dark-skinned dwarf and a deaf elf. Muslim Valkyrie Samirah is a particularly interesting character. Though she does not come across as devout-she doesn't seem to take time out to pray, for example-Riordan's choice to make her happy with her future arranged marriage both honors her culture and allows her friendship with Magnus to develop blessedly free of romantic tension. A fast-paced, eventful, and largely successful pivot. (Fantasy. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2015

Gr 5 Up-Fans of Percy Jackson and "Kane Chronicles" (both, Disney-Hyperion) books will not be disappointed in Riordan's newest series, which is based on Norse mythology. Magnus Chase, 16, has been an orphan living on the streets of Boston for the past two years. Ever since the mysterious death of his mother, he has tried to stay ahead of anyone who might be looking for him. When his Uncle Randolph tracks him down and begins talking about his birthright-an ancient sword-Magnus's world changes forever. But Randolph is not the only one searching for the sword. A Fire Giant destined to wield it as part of doomsday is hot on their trail. Dying and winding up at the Hotel Valhalla is only the beginning of this teen's (after)life. With an epic plot, engaging (and diverse) characters, and tons of wisecracking humor, Riordan's latest is a page-turner. Those new to the author's past series can jump right in; fans of his previous works will be happy to see clever nods and references to the other in-universe books. VERDICT Ravenous Riordan fans are likely to begin lining up for this on the publication date; be prepared for long holds lists on this one.-Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School, Providence, RI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2015
Grades 6-9 Magnus Chase is dead. Literally. To be honest, it's kind of an improvement; he's been living on the streets since his mother was brutally killed, and now, after a brief confrontation with one seriously creepy dude, 16-year-old Magnus finds himself deceased, spirited away by a Valkyrie to Valhalla with a host of people who have died heroic deaths. But even though his father was apparently a Norse god, Magnus still may not really belong. Worse, the apocalypse, Viking-style, is looming, and Magnus must find a mysterious, magical sword. Though leaving Valhalla could spell trouble, he escapes into the Nine Worlds with a handful of weird friends to find that sword before the bad guys do. But trickster-god Loki is pulling strings, and it may not be clear who the bad guys really are. Riordan has once again created a reluctant hero who finds himself out of his depth. He stays fairly close to the spirit of the original myths, twisting them for extra comedic effectAvengers fans may hardly recognize this blustery, red-headed, TV-binge-watching Thor. There's appeal for new readers, but Percy Jackson fans will also undoubtedly snap this up, and there's even some overlap: Magnus' cousin is Annabeth Chase. Buy extra copies, and prepare for the siege. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Norse myths are in right now, and Riordan has the magic touch, a combination that makes the extensive marketing campaign seem almost redundant.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2016
Ever since his mom's murder two years ago, Magnus Chase has lived on the streets of Boston, watched over by Blitz and Hearth, a pair of quirky homeless guys. On the day he turns sixteen, however, his estranged uncle Randolph freaks him out with the news that his long-absent father was a Norse god. Then Magnus retrieves a magical sword from the bottom of the Charles River. And then he falls in deadly combat with Surt, the fire giant who shows up to claim the sword. Being a smart-alecky Riordan hero, at least Magnus gets to joke about his own death, especially once a part-time Valkyrie named Sam al-Abbas scoops him up and carries him off to Hotel Valhalla. Although the first third of the book is slow going, stuffed as it is with asides, flashbacks, dream encounters, and digressions (there are 72 chapters in all), once Riordan hits his stride it becomes a whirlwind of myth, action, and wry sarcasm, perfect for readers hungry for a new hit of that Percy Jacksontype magic. The fact that Magnus has a gray-eyed cousin named Annabeth? Just a little something for fans to mull over while waiting for the projected sequel. anita l. burkam

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)