News! Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

This isn't really a review because the book hasn't come out, but I wanted to say a few words on what I think of the future book series. I was in Barnes and Noble the other day and as I was looking at some books I saw little book samples for Rick Riordan's new book Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Summer Sword. I have previously read Rick Riordan's other mythological stories (as has much of the younger population) such as Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Kane Chronicles, and most of the Heroes of Olympus series. My favorite is no doubt the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, most likely due to the fact that I read them first and they introduced me to the wonderful, colorful writing of Rick Riordan.

After reading the three chapter preview provided at Barnes and Noble, I am feverishly excited for the series to be released. The main character, Magnus Chase, seems to have a lot of personality by which I mean it's very distinctive and not bland. It sort of reminds me of Percy Jackson in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series except it's a bit more mature (which makes sense since Percy was 12 in those books and Magnus is 16). This book promises to have Rick Riordan's trademark humor (Maguns likens Leif Erickson's battle armor to a short skirt with a metal bra) which is nothing short of delightful.

Another selling point of the book is Annabeth Chase (from Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the Heroes of Olympus) makes an appearance in the book as Magnus' cousin. It's still unclear if she is a defining character in the story or if she just makes the small appearance in the beginning, but it still tickles me that she makes an appearance at all. I love it when authors make the effort to connect all their stories, even just loosely. All of Rick Riordan's mythological stories happen in the same universe (meaning they all happen on present day Earth) and as a reader it's fun to see how your favorite (or maybe not so favorite) characters act outside of the context of their own chronicles.

A little (extra) information on the books:

• It's about Norse Mythology (but if you knew what Asgard was that was probably obvious)


• It will be released on October 6, 2015


• It looks awesome!


• It's 514-528 pages (according to multiple sources, including amazon.com)--pretty lengthy


• For ages 10+ (according to amazon.com)

Summary (from rickriordan.com):

Magnus Chase has always been a loner, a troubled kid. Since the death of his mother, he’s lived on the streets of Boston, watching out for himself and surviving by his wits.

One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he barely knows, who tells him an impossible secret: Magnus’ father was a Norse god.

After centuries apart, the Nine Worlds of Viking myth are growing closer together. The Lords of Asgard stir. Forces of evil muster for Ragnarok, and Magnus may be the only person who can prevent doomsday: by finding a weapon that has been lost since the dawn of time.

Before Magnus can even process this information, a fiery attack forces him to make a fatal choice.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die…

[caption id="attachment_230" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Author, Rick Riordan, with other books that he has written and published.[/caption]