vinisha's review against another edition
4.0
This was fun and all but ngl the best part of the book was the last sentence, “I think it’s time you met Percy” hahahahah sorry Magnus, Percy Jackson for life!
caszriel's review against another edition
4.0
*No review* this book is filled with laughs, fantasy and strange situations! A must read for all Rick Riordan fans, his Norse universe may be the weirdest one yet!
chelseas_reads's review against another edition
4.0
so i read this book while listening to the audiobook (as it's something i'm trying to get into). i read (/listened?) to this book in less than a day and thoroughly enjoyed it. although i liked it, i think having listened to it did impact my final thoughts on the book.
i finished the sword of summer the day before reading the hammer of thor and can confidently say that this book is way better. the sword of summer had so many pointless bits that felt so irrelevant to the actual plot and seemed to drag on forever. the hammer of thor, however, didn't go through every little thing. the events (those little quest points?) actually felt necessary to the story.
the plot was also a lot better in this book as a whole. the first one didn't seem that great and i didn't feel the urgency as with this one. in the hammer of thor, the ending actually felt real. anyway, even though i was listening to the audiobook whilst reading it, i definitely noticed how fast paced it was (whereas the sword of summer was rather slow).
one of the most important things in riordan's books is his increasing amount of diverse characters. rick riordan continues to amaze me with his inclusion and the research he's done to get the rep right. he doesn't hide away and pretend to not notice the calls for diversity, he embraces it head on.
i thought the sword of summer was great for including a muslim character and a deaf guy. the hammer of thor includes a new character, alex, who's transgender and genderfluid. honestly, i was so surprised. i think this is the first book i've read including a transgender and genderfluid character. and riordan used alternating she/he pronouns throughout the book, depending on how alex identified at that time.
i love how hearth wasn't pushed aside as some background character because he couldn't hear. i love how magnus and blitz learned sign language so they could communicate, and how the others eventually learned it too. i love how hearth isn't "magically cured" even when he's offered a chance to. he may be disabled, but that doesn't make him any less of a hero.
you can include a talking sword, why not diverse characters too?
i loved how there was no (hardly any) romance in this book. it's one thing i can always count on from rick riordan. i want to be able to read a book and not have an annoying romantic subplot get in the way. although, i won't be mad if magnus and alex become a thing. (it's kinda hinted at with all the stares and jaw drops).
i never actually mentioned this, but i love magnus and his humour. where the trials of apollo was so similar to percy in terms of humor, magnus is different. you can tell he's his own character.
anyway, i really enjoyed this book. admittedly, not as much as i'd have hoped to but it was still good.
i finished the sword of summer the day before reading the hammer of thor and can confidently say that this book is way better. the sword of summer had so many pointless bits that felt so irrelevant to the actual plot and seemed to drag on forever. the hammer of thor, however, didn't go through every little thing. the events (those little quest points?) actually felt necessary to the story.
the plot was also a lot better in this book as a whole. the first one didn't seem that great and i didn't feel the urgency as with this one. in the hammer of thor, the ending actually felt real. anyway, even though i was listening to the audiobook whilst reading it, i definitely noticed how fast paced it was (whereas the sword of summer was rather slow).
one of the most important things in riordan's books is his increasing amount of diverse characters. rick riordan continues to amaze me with his inclusion and the research he's done to get the rep right. he doesn't hide away and pretend to not notice the calls for diversity, he embraces it head on.
i thought the sword of summer was great for including a muslim character and a deaf guy. the hammer of thor includes a new character, alex, who's transgender and genderfluid. honestly, i was so surprised. i think this is the first book i've read including a transgender and genderfluid character. and riordan used alternating she/he pronouns throughout the book, depending on how alex identified at that time.
i love how hearth wasn't pushed aside as some background character because he couldn't hear. i love how magnus and blitz learned sign language so they could communicate, and how the others eventually learned it too. i love how hearth isn't "magically cured" even when he's offered a chance to. he may be disabled, but that doesn't make him any less of a hero.
you can include a talking sword, why not diverse characters too?
i loved how there was no (hardly any) romance in this book. it's one thing i can always count on from rick riordan. i want to be able to read a book and not have an annoying romantic subplot get in the way. although, i won't be mad if magnus and alex become a thing. (it's kinda hinted at with all the stares and jaw drops).
i never actually mentioned this, but i love magnus and his humour. where the trials of apollo was so similar to percy in terms of humor, magnus is different. you can tell he's his own character.
anyway, i really enjoyed this book. admittedly, not as much as i'd have hoped to but it was still good.
samidhak's review against another edition
3.0
It was a fairly good read, not like the other Riordan books, but when a guy is writing or has written 5-6 series, he usually starts to sound the same.
Magnus seems tremendously immature for someone who is almost seventeen. His humour is very similar to Percy's, but Percy was twelve - you're seventeen.
Also, even though I am all for Percy, I don't get it why he needs to be mentioned in every series, or atleast hinted at.
The overall book was pretty bold. The climax seemed pretty anticlimactic in comparison to Fenris Wolf plot. But he was making some great socio-political statements and I admire him for that.
Even though I get it that Rick Riordan is making a point, and children's literature is a great way to make hard hitting points but at times he is overriding it. The Alex plot line though is a bold and a great move on his part, but the part about Islam and Samirah's religion is so overdone that it seems like he's being humorous. He could've distributed the information in equal bits throughout the serious, so people are able to keep up with it.
The first book had next to nothing about her religion and the second book was basically a guide to explaining her behaviour through her religion and it seemed forced to me.
But even after all its faults and stupidity, it made me laugh.
I love the next addition to the Valhalla family- and like Alec and Magnus ( Mortal Instruments) , Alex and Magnus are the new ship in town.
Can't wait for the last book.
Also Blitz and Hearth are my absolute favorites.
Magnus seems tremendously immature for someone who is almost seventeen. His humour is very similar to Percy's, but Percy was twelve - you're seventeen.
Also, even though I am all for Percy, I don't get it why he needs to be mentioned in every series, or atleast hinted at.
The overall book was pretty bold. The climax seemed pretty anticlimactic in comparison to Fenris Wolf plot. But he was making some great socio-political statements and I admire him for that.
Even though I get it that Rick Riordan is making a point, and children's literature is a great way to make hard hitting points but at times he is overriding it. The Alex plot line though is a bold and a great move on his part, but the part about Islam and Samirah's religion is so overdone that it seems like he's being humorous. He could've distributed the information in equal bits throughout the serious, so people are able to keep up with it.
The first book had next to nothing about her religion and the second book was basically a guide to explaining her behaviour through her religion and it seemed forced to me.
But even after all its faults and stupidity, it made me laugh.
I love the next addition to the Valhalla family- and like Alec and Magnus ( Mortal Instruments) , Alex and Magnus are the new ship in town.
Can't wait for the last book.
Also Blitz and Hearth are my absolute favorites.
smiletall_'s review against another edition
3.0
3.25/5
This was pretty standard fare. Magnus is back fighting Loki's schemes with his group of friends. Still solid, but nothing really new for the majority of the book. Until the end. The end was pretty good. That, and my continued adoration for Hearthstone were probably the strongest takeaways.
This was pretty standard fare. Magnus is back fighting Loki's schemes with his group of friends. Still solid, but nothing really new for the majority of the book. Until the end. The end was pretty good. That, and my continued adoration for Hearthstone were probably the strongest takeaways.
gueniver's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
anastasiaadamov's review against another edition
4.0
I love how all demigod books share the same world and how each book influences another.
These are the adventures I would have liked reading when I was in school and I enjoy them now as well.
At first I was a bit worried about adding the trendy problematic into these books but somehow it all fits nicely.
I love learning strange and quirky things about mythology and different cultures from these books!
These are the adventures I would have liked reading when I was in school and I enjoy them now as well.
At first I was a bit worried about adding the trendy problematic into these books but somehow it all fits nicely.
I love learning strange and quirky things about mythology and different cultures from these books!
kem_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0