‘Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of…Thor.’ Did you just have chills run down your spine with anticipation? So did we! This is Mjölnir’slegacy.
Mjölnir, Thor’s hammer, has been one of the most debated and beloved items in Norse mythology. It is so strong that it can level mountains with just one hit. One fine morning it goes missing. Yes, we are as shocked as you are.
Rick Riordan is an author who has made a name for himself in therealmsof Greek and Egyptian mythologies. So, it is no surprise that when he ventured into the Norse world, he was, unsurprisingly, marvellous. The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series deal with the life of Magnus Chase, the son of Norse god Vanir. He is the cousin of Annabeth Chase, an important character in Percy Jackson series, Riordan’smagnum opus.
The first book from the series Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer came out on October 6, 2015 and was a runaway success. Just like Percy, Magnus is related to gods, has loyal friends and a bunch of missions. At the beginning of the book Magnus is 16 and has been homeless for the past two years. He has an extended family, but his mother had given him strict instructions never to trust his uncles. Any questions that the reader might have, as to why, will just have to wait a while. Soon, Magnus is chased down by some villains. Well, being the son of a god does come with both pros and cons. If you thought that he escapes, you are sorely mistaken! He dies. It is quite a surprise when the author kills off the protagonist within the first few chapters of the book. Fret not, as he is taken to the Norse underworld, he isfit as a fiddle.After that he escapes to Midgard, which is just a fancy name for Earth in Norse, and finds the missing sword.
Naturally, Magnus would want to take some rest after this. But, no. Riordan is not done with him as yet. The next book in the seriesMagnus Chase and The Hammer of Thorhas the protagonist embark on a journey to find the mighty Mjölnir. If Magnus and his friends do not retrieve the hammer and present it to Thor, all the nine worlds would fall prey to themalevolentgiants. The plot Riordan used might be adone and dustedone but the characters and their struggles are new. There is a very thin line between right and wrong and the grey area in between is explored intensively. Magnus, who was told never to trust his uncles, manages to find some compassion for his uncle Randolph who in spite of knowing what is wrong does it anyway. If you are a Norse mythology junkie, you will definitely enjoy this book as it presents both beloved and infamous characters like Thor and Loki. If you are not, here is a chance to kick-start your interest as the series is pure gold! The latest novel was published on October 4, 2016.
There is a very thin line between right and wrong and the grey area in between is explored intensively.
