Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Thor’s hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon–the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn’t just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can’t retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer’s return is the gods’ worst enemy, Loki–and the price he wants is very high.
Everyone needs to read Magnus Chase. It’s a classic Rick Riordan book chockfull of humour, great character development, an interesting and engraving plot, and, most importantly, non-white heterosexual characters!
Even though the series is called “Magnus Chase”, the other characters do not take a back seat in terms of development or presence. All of the characters are representative of different religions, cultures, sexual identities, etc. Riordan clearly understands the importance of representation and information that isn’t always readily available. There are a few moments that come off as preachy, but they contain important information that shouldn’t be cloaked for the sake of good story telling.
What I loved most about Magnus Chase as a character is his many weaknesses. He isn’t the best fighter nor is he the smartest person in the room. He relies heavily upon those around him, which allows for the other characters to shine.
As much as I love the Percy Jackson series, I think I’m starting to like The Gods of Asgard more simply because of the representation found within.
Overall, The Hammer of Thor is a fantastic addition to the Riordan cannon and I cannot wait to read the next book!
Also, that last line. I am dying for the next book now!
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