Mythology

For Magnus Chase: Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds

Posted on by The Novel Girl

Author: Rick Riordan 

Series: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Pages: 156

 This was a fun little companion book to Uncle Rick’s Magnus Chase series! It was a really quick & easy read, to kind of ease my way back in while recovering from the never ending migraine, since I didn’t really have to think too much about it. It’s also good to have if you’re reading this series & have no foundation at all in Norse mythology. It gives you a little glimpse, so you have some idea while reading the series. 

The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo, Book 1)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

The Hidden Oracle cover

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: The Trials of Apollo

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/YA

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Pages: 385

 

This story begins a little bit after the events in The Blood of Olympus (PJO/HOO series), and Zeus is pissed! He blames the events that occurred in HOO and the Oracles not working on Apollo. As punishment, Zeus sends Apollo to Earth…as a sixteen-year-old mortal boy (with a whack name and acne, much to Apollo’s chagrin). This has happened to Apollo when he angered his father before, so he has a good idea of what is to happen. He will be claimed by a demi-god, and bound to serve them and endure the unknown trials before him, until his father is satisfied that he has repented for his wrongdoing. Unfortunately for him, he is claimed by a demi-god that we haven’t met yet…Meg. As he has many enemies (of all types…monsters, Gods, etc.) he knows he must go to Camp Halfbood where he will be safe and can get some help. That’s where things get really interesting. There is no oracle to give a quest that desperately needs to be give, and campers are disappearing. They must figure out what is going on, before they are all killed.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to see some of the same characters from PJO/HOO in this book! It was like seeing old friends after a long time. The new characters, and characters that we didn’t see very much in the preceding series’, are greatly developed in this first book. Although this is the start to a new series, and can certainly be read alone, I strongly recommend read PJO/HOO first, so that you get the backstory and understand the references being made in this book (also, I just recommend that you read them because they are a lot of fun!) There is a small reference to The Sword of Summer, when Percy says that Annabeth is in Boston for a family emergency, so we know that this is taking place at the same time as that book. Overall, this is another fun read from Uncle Rick! I always enjoy his writing style and humor, and I hope that you do, as well!

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 1)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

Sword of Summer cover

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/YA

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 512

 

Since his mother’s untimely death, two years ago, Magnus Chase has been a homeless kid surviving on the streets of Boston. When his sixteenth birthday comes around, Magnus is tracked down by the uncle that his mother warned was dangerous to him. When his uncle finally catches up with him, he tells Magnus a secret that he can scarcely believe: he is the son of a Norse god. He finds it hard to believe, until he is attacked by a fire giant while trying to call the Sword of Summer and ends up in Valhalla. Now it is time for Magnus to do his part (with a little help from his friends) to prevent Ragnarok, but to do so he must face his greatest fear.

Confession: I adore Rick Riordan! (I am actually re-reading the entire Percy Jackson series this year) His stories are always well written and entertaining. His world building is always spot on and easy to imagine, and the characters are always well developed. This first novel in the Magnus Chase series is no exception! I didn’t get in to it and begin is quickly as I did the PJO-HOO series, but after a few chapters I sped through the rest of it. I fell in love with these characters and their stories, and I loved that Annabeth made a couple of appearances (note the last name, you PJ fans!). I’m hoping that this will allow for a little cross-over now and then! All in all- if you are a Riordan fan, you will love this series, too!

The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus, Book 5)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

Blood of Olympus cover

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Heroes of Olympus

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/YA

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 528

 

The final installment of the Heroes of Olympus series finds our Demigod Heroes still in the midst of their battle to stop Gaea from waking. The crew, still aboard the Argo II, are trying to make it in time to stop the Feast of Spes. Meanwhile, Reyna and Nico are attempting to get the Athena Parthenos to Camp Halfblood in time to keep Octavian from attacking and destroying the camp. Will our Heroes succeed in their quest?

I want to start this by saying that I am a HUGE fan of Rick Riordan, this series, and the Olympians series that preceded it. That being said, I was a little bit disappointed in this last book. It was almost as if Percy and Annabeth were moved in to minor character roles, after we have spent so many books becoming incredible invested in them. The final battle was also a little bit disappointing, in that it just didn’t seem like… enough. The final battle in The Last Olympian was much more what one expects from a final battle scene, in my opinion. I did enjoy the book, in that it was definitely a Riordan book, and was well written and incredibly descriptive. His wit and humor was definitely present, and I enjoyed the characters that were in the forefront. I just wish that there had been more Percy and Annabeth present in this one, as it was the last book. I am sad to see the series end, but I am excited to start the Magnus Chase series, since anyone that has followed Rick Riordan knows that Norse mythology is his favorite!

House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus, Book 4)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

house of hades cover

 

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Heroes of Olympus

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/YA

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 608

 

The end of Mark of Athena found Percy and Annabeth falling in to Tartarus, and the rest of the Demigod heroes promising to find the Doors of Death on the living side and meet them there to close them, so that they can stop Gaea from being raised. Percy and Annabeth must survive traveling through Tartarus, which is worse than traveling through Hades itself, in order to reach the doors on their side. The rest of the Seven have their own battles to fight before they can even reach the House of Hades, which they must fight their way through in order to reach the doors on their side. If either one fails, there will be no stopping the Giants from raising Gaea. Percy and Annabeth are facing sure death in Tartarus, until they get some unexpected help that just might get them through…

I have put off finishing the last couple of books in this series for a while now, obviously, but I am glad that I finally got back to them. I forgot just how much I love these books and these heroes! Riordan is a master of world building. I can picture everything that he is describing, and the visual of Tartarus is, just, wow… The writing is excellent in this novel, as it is in all of the ones before. I think he just gets better as he goes. I am anxious to finish up the next one, and see what happens with these Demigods. If you are looking for a fun series, and like Greek and Roman mythology and YA Lit, I recommend this series.