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The Blackwell Pages #1
Loki's Wolves
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's (2013)In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.
The gods died a long time ago.
Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.
However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.
The gods died a long time ago.
Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.
However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.
358 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
About the author
K.L. Armstrong
7 books412 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Pen name of author Kelley Armstrong.
Pen name of author Kelley Armstrong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 972 reviews
June 10, 2013
OH MY GOD.
LOOK AT THAT TITLE.
LOOK AT THAT DESCRIPTION.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT.
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD!
*happy dance*
Wait a second...
*looks closer*
Release Date: May 30th 2013
O__o
After Finishing
Matt Thorson is a descendant of the Norse god, Thor, and is destined for greatness. At only 13 years old, he's chosen as Blackwell's Champion, the one to defeat the serpent and keep Ragnarok, the end of the world, from happening.
But to do that, he seeks the help of Fen and Laurie, descendants of the Trickster god Loki, Thor's worst enemy. Fen is arrogant and easily antagonized into a fight. But Laurie, his cousin, keeps his anger at bay and in turn, Fen is adamant that he must always protect her.
The three adolescent ancestors must team up and join their special abilities to find what they need to defeat Ragnarok.
This is such a cute story. It's middle-grade so it should be treated as such.
Is it realistic? Hel no. Is it a quick, sweet story about kid versions of the most beloved Norse gods? Hel yes!
I would highly recommend it for people who loved the Percy Jackson books. It's basically the Norse mythology equivalent of that series.
Nowadays, I normally loathe middle-grade novels, simply on the whole 'kids saving the world' and unrealistic factors. But this was a decent surprise that I truly enjoyed.
Anyone looking for a fast-paced, adorable middle-grade series, definitely pick this up. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series.
LOOK AT THAT TITLE.
LOOK AT THAT DESCRIPTION.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT.
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD!
*happy dance*
Wait a second...
*looks closer*
Release Date: May 30th 2013
O__o
After Finishing
Matt Thorson is a descendant of the Norse god, Thor, and is destined for greatness. At only 13 years old, he's chosen as Blackwell's Champion, the one to defeat the serpent and keep Ragnarok, the end of the world, from happening.
But to do that, he seeks the help of Fen and Laurie, descendants of the Trickster god Loki, Thor's worst enemy. Fen is arrogant and easily antagonized into a fight. But Laurie, his cousin, keeps his anger at bay and in turn, Fen is adamant that he must always protect her.
The three adolescent ancestors must team up and join their special abilities to find what they need to defeat Ragnarok.
This is such a cute story. It's middle-grade so it should be treated as such.
Is it realistic? Hel no. Is it a quick, sweet story about kid versions of the most beloved Norse gods? Hel yes!
I would highly recommend it for people who loved the Percy Jackson books. It's basically the Norse mythology equivalent of that series.
Nowadays, I normally loathe middle-grade novels, simply on the whole 'kids saving the world' and unrealistic factors. But this was a decent surprise that I truly enjoyed.
Anyone looking for a fast-paced, adorable middle-grade series, definitely pick this up. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series.
March 28, 2014
I tried really hard to like this, but I guess my bar is too high when it comes to mythology-based books. It's really awful of me but I can't help but compare it to Riordan's series. Ok, I compare most books to Riordan's series, but it's especially hard to not compare this book to Riordan's series when the main character is practically Jason and there's a character named Reyna.
Loki's Wolves is basically a poor man's Percy Jackson. It's full of all the same clichés and tropes. The plots are extremely similar and even the characters are similar. However, in Percy Jackson, the characters are all treated equally instead of having a bunch of misogynistic assholes for main characters.
Norse mythology and culture isn't something I know a whole lot on but I know enough to pass. Vikings, which I'm assuming the characters descended from, were incredibly ahead of their time when it came to respecting women. Don't mess with a Viking woman, people. It's not going to go well.
Except, it seems that along the way, the characters totally forgot that their ancestors treated women with respect.
No, no thank you. You'd never see something like this in a Rick Riordan book. Just try to mess with demigod girls. You'll lose a hand.
Yes, the girl in the book did tell them to knock the heck off but that doesn't really make much of a difference. This book is directed at kids and the main characters are supposed to be people that kids can look up too. I don't want anyone looking at the two guys and think, "Well, if they can do it, I should be able to do it too."
I really expected this book to refrain from using my gender as not only a punch line but as a negative adjective throughout the book. Not cool Armstrong. Not cool at all. I don't know if the author was trying to make the female character sound strong by telling the boys to shut up but it didn't work. She told them to shut up once and spent the rest of the book doing nothing. That's not the way to do it at all.
The characters weren't really very developed, yet they were cute all the same. The descendant of Thor, Matt, was the archetype just, heroic boy who saves the world. But hey, who doesn't love these characters every once in a while? Fen was a bit of a jerk, to be honest. He got on my nerves a lot but he was funny and his inner conflicts were interesting. Laurie was really great but her character wasn't really elaborated on as much as I would have liked.
I appreciated the character growth the main characters went through a lot. I thought it was pretty well done and rivaled a lot of other novels that I've read.
I have to say that while very Percy Jackson-y, the story was really endearing. I enjoyed the characters interact, for the most part, and grow up a bit (some more than others). The fact that one of the main setting in the book is Deadwood made it even better.
Overall, I wasn't too fond of Loki's Wolves but it wasn't a bad book by any stretch. I enjoyed reading it a lot and would recommend it to people who can easily overlook the character tropes and cliches (and sexism).
Loki's Wolves is basically a poor man's Percy Jackson. It's full of all the same clichés and tropes. The plots are extremely similar and even the characters are similar. However, in Percy Jackson, the characters are all treated equally instead of having a bunch of misogynistic assholes for main characters.
Norse mythology and culture isn't something I know a whole lot on but I know enough to pass. Vikings, which I'm assuming the characters descended from, were incredibly ahead of their time when it came to respecting women. Don't mess with a Viking woman, people. It's not going to go well.
Except, it seems that along the way, the characters totally forgot that their ancestors treated women with respect.
"You're just a girl."
He couldn't let her see he was scared. She was a girl. She had to be protected.
No, no thank you. You'd never see something like this in a Rick Riordan book. Just try to mess with demigod girls. You'll lose a hand.
Yes, the girl in the book did tell them to knock the heck off but that doesn't really make much of a difference. This book is directed at kids and the main characters are supposed to be people that kids can look up too. I don't want anyone looking at the two guys and think, "Well, if they can do it, I should be able to do it too."
I really expected this book to refrain from using my gender as not only a punch line but as a negative adjective throughout the book. Not cool Armstrong. Not cool at all. I don't know if the author was trying to make the female character sound strong by telling the boys to shut up but it didn't work. She told them to shut up once and spent the rest of the book doing nothing. That's not the way to do it at all.
The characters weren't really very developed, yet they were cute all the same. The descendant of Thor, Matt, was the archetype just, heroic boy who saves the world. But hey, who doesn't love these characters every once in a while? Fen was a bit of a jerk, to be honest. He got on my nerves a lot but he was funny and his inner conflicts were interesting. Laurie was really great but her character wasn't really elaborated on as much as I would have liked.
I appreciated the character growth the main characters went through a lot. I thought it was pretty well done and rivaled a lot of other novels that I've read.
I have to say that while very Percy Jackson-y, the story was really endearing. I enjoyed the characters interact, for the most part, and grow up a bit (some more than others). The fact that one of the main setting in the book is Deadwood made it even better.
Overall, I wasn't too fond of Loki's Wolves but it wasn't a bad book by any stretch. I enjoyed reading it a lot and would recommend it to people who can easily overlook the character tropes and cliches (and sexism).
August 28, 2019
Loki's Wolves is a truly fantastical, middle grade novel that focuses on Norse mythology.
I love Kelley Armstrong and I've been dying to get my hands on a novel by Marissa Marr for YEARS. So, when I heard that the two of them were writing a novel together I had to get my hands on it! On top of it all, I love a good, middle grade novel that I can sink my teeth into and not think *too* hard when reading.
Loki's Wolves has Percy Jackson vibes, but for a little younger base. Matt Thorsen is, you guessed it, a descendant of Thor, and of course he's the chosen one! He has been chosen to defeat a mythical serpent that will aid in the destruction of Ragnarok. Laurie and Fen are descendants of Loki, and they will join Matt on his epic quest. Along the way, they must find the children and descendants of the other Norse gods and try not to make their corresponding tales come true.
This book leaves itself on a WILD cliffhanger. I NEED to know what happens, and unfortunately for me I don't have the next novel in my hands yet. The story does not stand alone, which is a real shame. I totally get leaving a cliffhanger so your audience wants to keep reading, but MAN I AM FRUSTRATED. The story just stopped, it didn't end!
These 13 year old leads were shockingly like 13 year olds! Sometimes when you read a book like this, the leads act like adults. Lucky for us, Kelley and Marissa are amazing writers and were able to craft characters that felt like their age. They make silly mistakes, they trust people they shouldn't and sometimes they are down right goofy. What more can you expect from a pre-teen cast? Especially when said pre-teens are the chosen ones who need to save the planet.
The plot itself is fast paced, full of fun surprises, and has lots of literal fun. This is a fantasy novel, so it's not going to be some Oscar winning, realistic drama. It has monsters and amulets and silly tricks (I mean, you've got Loki in the title... what did you expect?). To me, I think it's the perfect way to introduce the middle grade audience into Norse mythology. It's a fun story with just enough mythology to make it interesting! Also, I totally binged it in a few hours. It was THAT good.
I'd highly recommend this book. Seriously, whether it's for your middle grade readers or adults who just want to sink into a good, fun book! I loved it and I'll definitely be continuing this series if I can ever find the sequels.
Five out of five stars!
I love Kelley Armstrong and I've been dying to get my hands on a novel by Marissa Marr for YEARS. So, when I heard that the two of them were writing a novel together I had to get my hands on it! On top of it all, I love a good, middle grade novel that I can sink my teeth into and not think *too* hard when reading.
Loki's Wolves has Percy Jackson vibes, but for a little younger base. Matt Thorsen is, you guessed it, a descendant of Thor, and of course he's the chosen one! He has been chosen to defeat a mythical serpent that will aid in the destruction of Ragnarok. Laurie and Fen are descendants of Loki, and they will join Matt on his epic quest. Along the way, they must find the children and descendants of the other Norse gods and try not to make their corresponding tales come true.
This book leaves itself on a WILD cliffhanger. I NEED to know what happens, and unfortunately for me I don't have the next novel in my hands yet. The story does not stand alone, which is a real shame. I totally get leaving a cliffhanger so your audience wants to keep reading, but MAN I AM FRUSTRATED. The story just stopped, it didn't end!
These 13 year old leads were shockingly like 13 year olds! Sometimes when you read a book like this, the leads act like adults. Lucky for us, Kelley and Marissa are amazing writers and were able to craft characters that felt like their age. They make silly mistakes, they trust people they shouldn't and sometimes they are down right goofy. What more can you expect from a pre-teen cast? Especially when said pre-teens are the chosen ones who need to save the planet.
The plot itself is fast paced, full of fun surprises, and has lots of literal fun. This is a fantasy novel, so it's not going to be some Oscar winning, realistic drama. It has monsters and amulets and silly tricks (I mean, you've got Loki in the title... what did you expect?). To me, I think it's the perfect way to introduce the middle grade audience into Norse mythology. It's a fun story with just enough mythology to make it interesting! Also, I totally binged it in a few hours. It was THAT good.
I'd highly recommend this book. Seriously, whether it's for your middle grade readers or adults who just want to sink into a good, fun book! I loved it and I'll definitely be continuing this series if I can ever find the sequels.
Five out of five stars!
January 2, 2024
Let me start by saying that Kelly Armstrong (or K. L. Armstrong), as she goes by this book, is one of my top 3 favorite female authors of ALL time! She is most known for her Women of the Otherworld series, which has sucked me in and is being made into a Canadian television show, which I am praying will also air in the US. When I saw a book coming out by K. L. Armstrong, I immediately knew it had to be her and did the research to make sure it wasn't someone else trying not to be associated. I guess in my total excitement about another world and the book series by Kelly, I read what the book was about. It focuses on Norse Mythology; I had just read Jacqueline Carey's Agent of Hel, which was also excellent. I thought it must be a Norse Mythology kick in my amazing women authors. Beyond the book description, I was just so excited to read it that some of the surrounding details seemed to escape me.
One day in an Amazon browsing sort of day where I make wishlists and add dreams to my cart, I went to check on my cart items (where I store all my pre-order books desperately awaiting their release so that I can finally read them). I discovered that Loki's Wolves was FINALLY released. I immediately got it to read and was so excited for it to come.
FINALLY, it arrived in the mail (ok, it wasn't that long, as I have Amazon Prime and next-day mail for free). I excitedly ripped open the box with assistance from Liam, and I pulled the book out of the box. Initially, I had my excitement bubble lose a bit of air. I thought, what the heck IS this book? It is tiny for a Kelly Armstrong book, and I opened it up. The writing is enormous, and I thumbed through it, and there were some drawings. My enthusiasm drains away, and I think NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I accidentally bought a young adult novel. I was utterly disappointed. Anyone who knows me knows I do not get into young adult series; I prefer the vocabulary and visualization (and the romanticism and sex, of course) of a more adult novel. Don't get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with the stories within young adult novels. I have all the Twilight movies (although I just recently got all the books for $10, so I can finally read them; I wanted the film to be over first).
Unfortunately, I didn't pay as close attention as possible to the book description. In conjunction with another typically adult author Melissa Marr (writing as M. A. Marr) goes on to explain that they wanted to work together to create a world for their teenage children, as their other novels were a bit too old for them at this point. I spent over a week angry at myself and feeling my heart drop as I thought about this as a young adult novel.
Finally, I decided that the heck I would take it to work, and it could be a quick read in my downtime. I figured that I was into Holly Black's young adult atmosphere, and I had to remind myself that this WAS the amazing Kelly Armstrong; she makes you forget that you are merely reading her stories and not living inside them.
There I was, giving it a try, admittedly a little embarrassed that the book I had at work had some picture drawings. I got over my pride and dove in. I read about 1/3 of the text in the first sitting. I thought, wow, this has a great setup, and I was looking forward to more.
By the time I started on the 2/3, I was immersed in the story. The lead-up was a little slow, but I felt it did a great job filling in the back story of the Norse Mythology and Blackwell, South Dakota town. How do the people there live like they are descendants of the gods Thor & Loki? Of course, the descendants of Loki can be werewolves or shapeshifters, whereas the descendants of Thor get insane strength. The three main characters are Matt Thorsen (yep, you guessed it, he's a descendant of Thor). He just turned 13 and is now considered a man, and he has found out that it will be his duty to fight against the serpent at Ragnarök (the end of the world). Then we have Laurie & Fen, cousins and 2 of Loki's descendants. Fen inherited the ability to take wolf form, but Laurie has her unique set of powers. Matt does not get along well with Fen. So, we have some conflict here, but they end up being thrown in together and have decided that they will not allow the end of the world to come to pass. They work with one another instead of against one another to try to prevent the myths from coming to the way that it has been historically written (which would ultimately result in Matt's death).
The rest of the book picks up speed, and the trio of 13-year-olds soon discovers that to stop Ragnarök from happening, they will need the help of others. They begin their journey as runaways and go in search of the rest of the descendants of associated gods to help them along the way. There is intrigue and deception, courage, and the hesitant learning of an early teen. I love that there is no sexual tension and that the story carries itself without that being necessary. There is slight flirtation, but this book was intended for the younger young adult reader, and any parent could feel comfortable allowing their teen or pre-teen to read this.
I also recommend this to anyone, not of the young adult persuasion. Armstrong and Marr do a fantastic job of telling this story; my chief complaint was that I wished the book was longer. I cannot wait for the next book to be released (Odin's Ravens). This book started slowly but quickly picked up the pace and stayed full steam through the end! It is one that I would suggest and pass along as an all-around great story! Especially if you are interested in Norse Mythology!
4 Stars
One day in an Amazon browsing sort of day where I make wishlists and add dreams to my cart, I went to check on my cart items (where I store all my pre-order books desperately awaiting their release so that I can finally read them). I discovered that Loki's Wolves was FINALLY released. I immediately got it to read and was so excited for it to come.
FINALLY, it arrived in the mail (ok, it wasn't that long, as I have Amazon Prime and next-day mail for free). I excitedly ripped open the box with assistance from Liam, and I pulled the book out of the box. Initially, I had my excitement bubble lose a bit of air. I thought, what the heck IS this book? It is tiny for a Kelly Armstrong book, and I opened it up. The writing is enormous, and I thumbed through it, and there were some drawings. My enthusiasm drains away, and I think NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I accidentally bought a young adult novel. I was utterly disappointed. Anyone who knows me knows I do not get into young adult series; I prefer the vocabulary and visualization (and the romanticism and sex, of course) of a more adult novel. Don't get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with the stories within young adult novels. I have all the Twilight movies (although I just recently got all the books for $10, so I can finally read them; I wanted the film to be over first).
Unfortunately, I didn't pay as close attention as possible to the book description. In conjunction with another typically adult author Melissa Marr (writing as M. A. Marr) goes on to explain that they wanted to work together to create a world for their teenage children, as their other novels were a bit too old for them at this point. I spent over a week angry at myself and feeling my heart drop as I thought about this as a young adult novel.
Finally, I decided that the heck I would take it to work, and it could be a quick read in my downtime. I figured that I was into Holly Black's young adult atmosphere, and I had to remind myself that this WAS the amazing Kelly Armstrong; she makes you forget that you are merely reading her stories and not living inside them.
There I was, giving it a try, admittedly a little embarrassed that the book I had at work had some picture drawings. I got over my pride and dove in. I read about 1/3 of the text in the first sitting. I thought, wow, this has a great setup, and I was looking forward to more.
By the time I started on the 2/3, I was immersed in the story. The lead-up was a little slow, but I felt it did a great job filling in the back story of the Norse Mythology and Blackwell, South Dakota town. How do the people there live like they are descendants of the gods Thor & Loki? Of course, the descendants of Loki can be werewolves or shapeshifters, whereas the descendants of Thor get insane strength. The three main characters are Matt Thorsen (yep, you guessed it, he's a descendant of Thor). He just turned 13 and is now considered a man, and he has found out that it will be his duty to fight against the serpent at Ragnarök (the end of the world). Then we have Laurie & Fen, cousins and 2 of Loki's descendants. Fen inherited the ability to take wolf form, but Laurie has her unique set of powers. Matt does not get along well with Fen. So, we have some conflict here, but they end up being thrown in together and have decided that they will not allow the end of the world to come to pass. They work with one another instead of against one another to try to prevent the myths from coming to the way that it has been historically written (which would ultimately result in Matt's death).
The rest of the book picks up speed, and the trio of 13-year-olds soon discovers that to stop Ragnarök from happening, they will need the help of others. They begin their journey as runaways and go in search of the rest of the descendants of associated gods to help them along the way. There is intrigue and deception, courage, and the hesitant learning of an early teen. I love that there is no sexual tension and that the story carries itself without that being necessary. There is slight flirtation, but this book was intended for the younger young adult reader, and any parent could feel comfortable allowing their teen or pre-teen to read this.
I also recommend this to anyone, not of the young adult persuasion. Armstrong and Marr do a fantastic job of telling this story; my chief complaint was that I wished the book was longer. I cannot wait for the next book to be released (Odin's Ravens). This book started slowly but quickly picked up the pace and stayed full steam through the end! It is one that I would suggest and pass along as an all-around great story! Especially if you are interested in Norse Mythology!
4 Stars
December 10, 2016
2.5/5
(There seriously should be a half star rating system on Goodreads)
That was a dreadful book. It was full of half-baked, sloppy ideas, plot lines and backstory. The story fell SPLAT! on its face. The integration of mythology, more specifically Norse mythology, into a modern-day setting was lazy and uninteresting. Which pretty much proves that Rick Riordan is ace at this stuff and if you’re looking (desperately) for a book to fill the hole in your chest his book(s) created, you’ll not find solace anywhere and would have no choice but to read his books. Again.
While Magnus Chase wasn’t the best of Uncle Rick’s work and the way I remember the reading experience is that I laughed and then I dozed and then I woke up, laughed some more then dozed again, I cannot deny how skillfully the mythology was weaved into the story. Most people would call this technique “info-dumping”, it’s probably what I would call it too but I learned so much about Norse myths and legends by reading it and is also why I recognized every (slapdash mention of a) Norse deity in Loki’s Wolves. This area is where this book just flat out sucks. The world building and plot developments are so incredibly careless, it’s like the writers were a tad over confident in their abilities.
Norse mythology is very intriguing and if dabbled in correctly, it can lead to endless possibilities plot-wise. I wasn’t expecting this book to have the humor or wit of RR’s books, really, I didn’t expect anything from it. I just wanted to have a good time and see how other writers dealt with myths so my dislike can’t be blamed on me being biased.
What it’s about:
It’s middle-grade so the characters are about 13. They live in a town called Blackwell where descendants of Thor called Thorsens and Loki called Brekkes reside. Most people know that the myths are real, some don’t. There is a typical Thor-Loki rift among the masses with the Brekkes hating the Thorsens. Out of nowhere, Matt Thorsen is told that Ragnarok is coming and that he will be the stand-in for Thor, similarly the other descendants will be the substitutes of their respective ancestors. So Matt has to find the other children and collect a bunch of things and then defeat the Midgard Serpent which Thor is destined to fight.
If I made it sound interesting that’s entirely because of my supreme skill I apologize ‘cause it’s not.
The book’s cover is magnificent and there were some really nice illustrations in there. Let this be a lesson to all the fangirls and fanboys who perk up whenever his name is mentioned; “Not everything with the word LOKI in it is good.”
Want to read
June 5, 2011My relationship with Melissa Marr is not very good. I haven't had a very good introduction to her work. But I love Kelley Armstrong. Hopefully, this series will lean more into her writing rather than Marr's. Sorry Marr.
The cover makes this book look like it's from the 1900s rather than the 21st century.
The cover makes this book look like it's from the 1900s rather than the 21st century.
October 30, 2015
Not really all that great (Bad writing and kinda slow) but hey, it had Loki mentioned in it so who's complaining?
February 9, 2017
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
A copy of Loki's Wolves was provided to me by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for review purposes.
Matt Thorsen has always had big shoes to fill considering his family are the descendants of the Norse god, Thor. When he has a dream of Ragnarok, the battle leading up to the end of the world, he doesn't consider it being anything but a dream. Soon after, a town meeting is called and everyone is told that signs point to Ragnarok happening, and soon. When Matt is named champion he realizes he must seek out other descendant's of the Gods if he has any hope of saving the world from destruction.
Regardless of the fact that this story closely resembles a Percy Jackson storyline and even Harry Potter at times, there are sufficient enough differences to make Loki's Wolves stand apart.
First of all, I loved that the story wasn't told solely through the POV of the 'main character', Matt the descendant of Thor. The POV was shared between the three main members of their team including Fen and Laurie, descendant's of Loki. Each character was distinctive and well-written and it was enjoyable seeing the story from a set of different eyes.
Then there was also, of course, the difference that this book deals with Norse mythology. This was an exceptionally fun aspect for me considering I haven't read too much relating to Norse mythology before so it was a bit of an educational experience for me.
This was an extremely fun and exciting thrill-ride of a novel; I enjoyed every minute of it. The ending was slightly abrupt, however, this is a trilogy and I do realize it had to end somewhere. There was a bit of a cliffhanger and no real resolution as their adventure is far from over. Highly recommended for adventurous Middle-Graders and Adults alike!
A copy of Loki's Wolves was provided to me by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for review purposes.
Matt Thorsen has always had big shoes to fill considering his family are the descendants of the Norse god, Thor. When he has a dream of Ragnarok, the battle leading up to the end of the world, he doesn't consider it being anything but a dream. Soon after, a town meeting is called and everyone is told that signs point to Ragnarok happening, and soon. When Matt is named champion he realizes he must seek out other descendant's of the Gods if he has any hope of saving the world from destruction.
Regardless of the fact that this story closely resembles a Percy Jackson storyline and even Harry Potter at times, there are sufficient enough differences to make Loki's Wolves stand apart.
First of all, I loved that the story wasn't told solely through the POV of the 'main character', Matt the descendant of Thor. The POV was shared between the three main members of their team including Fen and Laurie, descendant's of Loki. Each character was distinctive and well-written and it was enjoyable seeing the story from a set of different eyes.
Then there was also, of course, the difference that this book deals with Norse mythology. This was an exceptionally fun aspect for me considering I haven't read too much relating to Norse mythology before so it was a bit of an educational experience for me.
This was an extremely fun and exciting thrill-ride of a novel; I enjoyed every minute of it. The ending was slightly abrupt, however, this is a trilogy and I do realize it had to end somewhere. There was a bit of a cliffhanger and no real resolution as their adventure is far from over. Highly recommended for adventurous Middle-Graders and Adults alike!
May 11, 2013
I've read quite a lot of popular, juvenile fantasy over the years. Anything my younger sister likes, I pick up and read along. Some of these collaborations have been great (she gets credit for Harry Potter, to be sure). Some have been disappointments... either too juvenile or too derivative to hold my attention. I approached LOKI'S WOLVES holding my breath, hoping not to find a Norse Percy Jackson, and within one chapter, all my fears were allayed. Wonderfully written, this book has a whole host of great characters sharing the spot light. It's rare for me not to have a favorite (ok, ok, and I do kind of love Laurie a little bit extra), but Matt and Fen totally won me over as well. LOKI'S WOLVES is that rare book that was interesting as an adult while remaining completely appropriate for kids. Outside the villains and some bad parenting (though at least Armstrong and Marr didn't kill off all the moms, Disney style), LOKI'S WOLVES is filled with relatable, admirable characters. In keeping with a younger audience, LOKI'S WOLVES focuses on friendships, not romance. It talks about insecurities and longing, disappointments and finding a place where you belong. Though a but younger than my usual urban fantasy fare, I'll definitely be back for book two. And you can bet that I'll be giving a copy to my little sister to read along.
August 21, 2013
A good start to a series that has mega potential. It's Percy Jackson, but with the Norse gods! So you know I was instantly in love. There were a few drawbacks, though. The target audience (this is middle grade) will not notice these things, but I could tell that these were authors who were used to writing for teens or adults, trying really hard to write younger. I think in future books this will be smoothed out. I also was a little O.o about the relationship between Laurie and Fen. They're cousins who are as close as siblings. So of course he goes into a jealous rage every time she looks at another boy. And sleeps with his head in her lap. And they're always touching . . . Um, what? I love my cousins, and my brothers, but . . . um, what? Yeah, some of that needs to go. But the action and adventure was great. The premise is awesome. I loved the look of the book, the cover and interior illustrations were perfect, and I loved, loved, loved the ending. So this is sort of 3.5 stars, and I will DEFINITELY read the next book. Also, I'm excited to give this to my son, I think he'll really love it.
November 29, 2015
[4.5 Stars]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vadqV...
I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but after reading Magnus Chase, I knew I wanted more Norse Myth in my life. This was a really cool take on the old myths! I think this series is just going to keep getting better, and I love the pictures in the book. Definitely glad I decided to give this one a go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vadqV...
I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but after reading Magnus Chase, I knew I wanted more Norse Myth in my life. This was a really cool take on the old myths! I think this series is just going to keep getting better, and I love the pictures in the book. Definitely glad I decided to give this one a go.
May 2, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: This is the story of three children who have been chosen to save the world. The book is full of Norse mythology including gods and horrible monsters. This book is a must read.
Opening Sentence: Matt walked through the center of Blackwell, gym bag in hand, jacket thrown over his shoulder.
The Review:
This story is mostly about three children named Matt, Fen, and Laurie who are from a small town in South Dakota, called Blackwell. The story is told in all three of the characters’ voices. These children are special because they are descendants and champions of the long-dead gods Thor and Loki. Matt, Laurie and Fen must work together to find the other children who are champions of other gods, find objects with magical properties and save the world from Ragnarok. Ragnarok is what the Norse called the apocalypse. During their travels they meet many creatures, good and bad from the old myths including trolls and valkyries.
Matt Thorsen is the main character of our story. He is a descendant and champion of the god Thor. The Thorsen’s all have the power of Thor’s hammer but Matt’s is much more powerful. Matt has the power to sense when something bad is close by, such as trolls. He is thirteen years old and the youngest child in his family. As such, his parents think that he should be just like his older brothers, but he is nothing like them, so he feels like a disappointment to his parents. While most of the members of the Thorsen family play football, Matt would rather be wrestling or boxing, which comes in very handy when he is chosen as Thor’s champion. I liked Matt, he was not like most kids his age but maybe that was because he was the son of a sheriff. Matt made a good leader for himself and the other descendants. Even in the beginning when they did not all get along they still followed him without too many questions. I also liked how he grew as the story progressed. In the beginning he was scared and unsure about how he was going to lead the other kids, but by the end of the book he was a very strong leader who knew how to get everyone to work together and how to succeed.
Fen and Laurie Brekke are the other main characters in the story. They are cousins and descendants of Loki. Fen is Loki’s champion. Many of the Brekke’s can turn into wolves and Fen is one of them. In the beginning Fen is hard to like because he has an attitude problem and likes to get into trouble. Then you learn that his life has not been easy in the least and you start to feel bad for him. As the story advances, I actually started to really like Fen. He was very protective of Laurie and would do anything to keep her safe. Also, once he became a friend he was super loyal. You learn that a lot of his attitude is because he is scared and just using his attitude to keep people at bay.
I think Laurie was my favorite character. Laurie has her own powers such as being able to find other descendants. She has other amazing powers but you will have to read the story to find out her coolest powers. Laurie was a nice girl who wanted to take care of her cousin and make sure he stayed out of trouble. She is not your typical girl though. Even though she had no idea about the ancestry of the Thorsen’s and Brekke’s, she did not freak out when she found out. Laurie had no trouble jumping in and helping during a fight. At the same time, she was the person who was best at breaking up fights and getting everyone to get along.
There are other children who join their group and play important parts. The first ones we meet are Ray and his twin sister Reyna. They are descendants and champions of the twin gods, Frey and Freya. They have a hard time with the group and don’t want to help at first. The twins have a secret that they are not telling the group. The next important character we meet is Baldwin. He is the descendant and champion of Balder and because of this he cannot be hurt or feel pain. Only one thing can hurt him. Balder is the nicest guy anyone could meet and is always so happy. Everyone, even Fen, who has a hard time trusting and liking people, likes Balder instantly. The last person who is important that we meet is Astrid. She is a witch who is dating the descendant of Odin. She is sent by Odin to help them retrieve Thor’s hammer and shield. Astrid is hiding something from them and they may figure it out too late.
The description of this book may say that is for ages eight and up, but I am an adult and I really enjoyed this story. I am now going to purchase a copy of this book for the library I work for, and I am eagerly anticipating the second book. This book is full of Norse mythology, which is fascinating. The characters are endearing and the action is fast paced. I recommend this book to everyone, child and adult alike. You will not be able to put it down.
Notable Scene:
“Our champion is Matthew Thorsen, son of Paul and Patricia Thorsen.” Matt froze.
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then whispers slid past. Did he really say the Thorsen boy? He’s just a kid. No, that can’t be right. We heard wrong. We must have.
Granddad’s voice came back on the speakers. “I know this may come as a surprise to some of you. Matt is, after all, only thirteen. But in Viking times, he would have been on the brink of manhood. The runes have chosen Matt as our champion, as the closest embodiment of Thor.
FTC Advisory: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Loki’s Wolves. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This is the story of three children who have been chosen to save the world. The book is full of Norse mythology including gods and horrible monsters. This book is a must read.
Opening Sentence: Matt walked through the center of Blackwell, gym bag in hand, jacket thrown over his shoulder.
The Review:
This story is mostly about three children named Matt, Fen, and Laurie who are from a small town in South Dakota, called Blackwell. The story is told in all three of the characters’ voices. These children are special because they are descendants and champions of the long-dead gods Thor and Loki. Matt, Laurie and Fen must work together to find the other children who are champions of other gods, find objects with magical properties and save the world from Ragnarok. Ragnarok is what the Norse called the apocalypse. During their travels they meet many creatures, good and bad from the old myths including trolls and valkyries.
Matt Thorsen is the main character of our story. He is a descendant and champion of the god Thor. The Thorsen’s all have the power of Thor’s hammer but Matt’s is much more powerful. Matt has the power to sense when something bad is close by, such as trolls. He is thirteen years old and the youngest child in his family. As such, his parents think that he should be just like his older brothers, but he is nothing like them, so he feels like a disappointment to his parents. While most of the members of the Thorsen family play football, Matt would rather be wrestling or boxing, which comes in very handy when he is chosen as Thor’s champion. I liked Matt, he was not like most kids his age but maybe that was because he was the son of a sheriff. Matt made a good leader for himself and the other descendants. Even in the beginning when they did not all get along they still followed him without too many questions. I also liked how he grew as the story progressed. In the beginning he was scared and unsure about how he was going to lead the other kids, but by the end of the book he was a very strong leader who knew how to get everyone to work together and how to succeed.
Fen and Laurie Brekke are the other main characters in the story. They are cousins and descendants of Loki. Fen is Loki’s champion. Many of the Brekke’s can turn into wolves and Fen is one of them. In the beginning Fen is hard to like because he has an attitude problem and likes to get into trouble. Then you learn that his life has not been easy in the least and you start to feel bad for him. As the story advances, I actually started to really like Fen. He was very protective of Laurie and would do anything to keep her safe. Also, once he became a friend he was super loyal. You learn that a lot of his attitude is because he is scared and just using his attitude to keep people at bay.
I think Laurie was my favorite character. Laurie has her own powers such as being able to find other descendants. She has other amazing powers but you will have to read the story to find out her coolest powers. Laurie was a nice girl who wanted to take care of her cousin and make sure he stayed out of trouble. She is not your typical girl though. Even though she had no idea about the ancestry of the Thorsen’s and Brekke’s, she did not freak out when she found out. Laurie had no trouble jumping in and helping during a fight. At the same time, she was the person who was best at breaking up fights and getting everyone to get along.
There are other children who join their group and play important parts. The first ones we meet are Ray and his twin sister Reyna. They are descendants and champions of the twin gods, Frey and Freya. They have a hard time with the group and don’t want to help at first. The twins have a secret that they are not telling the group. The next important character we meet is Baldwin. He is the descendant and champion of Balder and because of this he cannot be hurt or feel pain. Only one thing can hurt him. Balder is the nicest guy anyone could meet and is always so happy. Everyone, even Fen, who has a hard time trusting and liking people, likes Balder instantly. The last person who is important that we meet is Astrid. She is a witch who is dating the descendant of Odin. She is sent by Odin to help them retrieve Thor’s hammer and shield. Astrid is hiding something from them and they may figure it out too late.
The description of this book may say that is for ages eight and up, but I am an adult and I really enjoyed this story. I am now going to purchase a copy of this book for the library I work for, and I am eagerly anticipating the second book. This book is full of Norse mythology, which is fascinating. The characters are endearing and the action is fast paced. I recommend this book to everyone, child and adult alike. You will not be able to put it down.
Notable Scene:
“Our champion is Matthew Thorsen, son of Paul and Patricia Thorsen.” Matt froze.
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then whispers slid past. Did he really say the Thorsen boy? He’s just a kid. No, that can’t be right. We heard wrong. We must have.
Granddad’s voice came back on the speakers. “I know this may come as a surprise to some of you. Matt is, after all, only thirteen. But in Viking times, he would have been on the brink of manhood. The runes have chosen Matt as our champion, as the closest embodiment of Thor.
FTC Advisory: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Loki’s Wolves. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
June 17, 2013
Original review posted on The Book Smugglers
Loki’s Wolves, the first Middle Grade novel of YA heavy-hitters Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong, transfers the Gods and the ideas of Norse mythology to a modern-day setting.
Most people in the small town of Blackwell, South Dakota, are direct descendants of the Norse Gods Thor and Loki. Matt is a Thorsen, and to him, family history and tradition are the most important things in the world. But being descendant of Thor is a not only a matter of pride but as it turns out, a matter of responsibility too. After all, it is Thor who is supposed to lead the Gods in their final battle when Ragnarok – the end of the world – comes. But Thor is dead. All the Norse Gods are dead. So when there are signs that Ragnarok is coming, the leading families of Blackwell come together to find the ones that will stand in for the gods in the final battle.
To his utter dismay, Matt is chosen and now has to stand in for Thor, and to put together a team of new gods to prevent the end of the world (with no help whatsoever from his family). And the first step is to find the other descendants, starting with Loki’s: because if Matt manages to get that god on his side, things might not end up as badly as they have been predicted.
Loki’s Wolves’s main conceit and thematic core are actually pretty awesome and had tons of potential: get a bunch of kids together to fight a big Serpent thingy that will bring the end of the world but also have them question the fact that they must follow old legends and to try to change the outcome of their DESTINY by making their own choices. The most obvious one is to have Thor and Loki fight side by side as friends. The narrative is split between Matt and two of Loki’s descendants, cousins Fen and Laurie, which gives a more diverse tone to the story. Another positive aspect is how both Matt and Fen are constantly trying to protect Laurie because she is a girl and this is presented as an internalised idea that has been passed by their family and Laurie herself is constantly questioning that and acting to prove them wrong. In fairness though, this is not faultless: Laurie also had a tendency to protect and forgive Fen’s constant sexist comments because “that’s how he is”. But I suspect this might be addressed in further instalments.
All that said, it’s amazing how a good idea can be derailed when execution fails. My main problems with Loki’s Wolves were twofold: the sheer amount of suspension of disbelief required to buy into the premise and how underdeveloped the progression of the story was.
With regards to the former, I was obviously prepared to suspend disbelief (Kids! Standing in for Gods! To fight the end of the world!) but WHY exactly are the descendants of NORSE Gods living in small-town America? This is never addressed. WHY exactly must KIDS be standing in for the Gods? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have fully developed adults to take on this fight? There is an attempt at explaining this choice but I thought it was a flimsy explanation at best and a contrived one at worst. My biggest problem though is how the Ragnarok is taken at its most literal. The population of Blackwell knows the end of the world is coming because Volcanoes are erupting and Tsunamis are happening. Therefore: the Midgard Serpent must have broken free of its bonds and is causing all of these natural disasters.
When transplanting these ideas – the Ragnarok, the Serpent that causes Tsunamis – to a contemporary setting it makes little sense to take them at face value as this implies that nature disasters are caused by mythological figures turned real. My point is: this is a Contemporary setting and for all intents and purposes is our world. So what happened to Science? To Geology?
With regards to the progression of the story: things progressed very fast, with little care given to developing storylines or characters. There is a moment in the story when Matt says:
‘After facing a few monsters at his side, they were becoming friends.’
And this basically sums up the story – from facing monsters to becoming friends without a lot of development in between.
I enjoyed reading about the heartfelt connection between cousins Fen and Laurie and how Matt took upon himself to become a leader but there was a redundant presence of those aspects of the novel, with the characters always rehashing these same topics. Not to mention the fact that as Matt met the descendants of the other gods, even those kids who had NO IDEA who they were and why, still accepted the premise that they had to fight a giant Serpent at the end of the world without even questioning it (going back to suspension of disbelief).
All of these combined to make Loki’s Wolves so flat to the point of when something really tremendous happens I felt cold and uninterested.
But the illustrations are kind of amazing.
Loki’s Wolves, the first Middle Grade novel of YA heavy-hitters Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong, transfers the Gods and the ideas of Norse mythology to a modern-day setting.
Most people in the small town of Blackwell, South Dakota, are direct descendants of the Norse Gods Thor and Loki. Matt is a Thorsen, and to him, family history and tradition are the most important things in the world. But being descendant of Thor is a not only a matter of pride but as it turns out, a matter of responsibility too. After all, it is Thor who is supposed to lead the Gods in their final battle when Ragnarok – the end of the world – comes. But Thor is dead. All the Norse Gods are dead. So when there are signs that Ragnarok is coming, the leading families of Blackwell come together to find the ones that will stand in for the gods in the final battle.
To his utter dismay, Matt is chosen and now has to stand in for Thor, and to put together a team of new gods to prevent the end of the world (with no help whatsoever from his family). And the first step is to find the other descendants, starting with Loki’s: because if Matt manages to get that god on his side, things might not end up as badly as they have been predicted.
Loki’s Wolves’s main conceit and thematic core are actually pretty awesome and had tons of potential: get a bunch of kids together to fight a big Serpent thingy that will bring the end of the world but also have them question the fact that they must follow old legends and to try to change the outcome of their DESTINY by making their own choices. The most obvious one is to have Thor and Loki fight side by side as friends. The narrative is split between Matt and two of Loki’s descendants, cousins Fen and Laurie, which gives a more diverse tone to the story. Another positive aspect is how both Matt and Fen are constantly trying to protect Laurie because she is a girl and this is presented as an internalised idea that has been passed by their family and Laurie herself is constantly questioning that and acting to prove them wrong. In fairness though, this is not faultless: Laurie also had a tendency to protect and forgive Fen’s constant sexist comments because “that’s how he is”. But I suspect this might be addressed in further instalments.
All that said, it’s amazing how a good idea can be derailed when execution fails. My main problems with Loki’s Wolves were twofold: the sheer amount of suspension of disbelief required to buy into the premise and how underdeveloped the progression of the story was.
With regards to the former, I was obviously prepared to suspend disbelief (Kids! Standing in for Gods! To fight the end of the world!) but WHY exactly are the descendants of NORSE Gods living in small-town America? This is never addressed. WHY exactly must KIDS be standing in for the Gods? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have fully developed adults to take on this fight? There is an attempt at explaining this choice but I thought it was a flimsy explanation at best and a contrived one at worst. My biggest problem though is how the Ragnarok is taken at its most literal. The population of Blackwell knows the end of the world is coming because Volcanoes are erupting and Tsunamis are happening. Therefore: the Midgard Serpent must have broken free of its bonds and is causing all of these natural disasters.
When transplanting these ideas – the Ragnarok, the Serpent that causes Tsunamis – to a contemporary setting it makes little sense to take them at face value as this implies that nature disasters are caused by mythological figures turned real. My point is: this is a Contemporary setting and for all intents and purposes is our world. So what happened to Science? To Geology?
With regards to the progression of the story: things progressed very fast, with little care given to developing storylines or characters. There is a moment in the story when Matt says:
‘After facing a few monsters at his side, they were becoming friends.’
And this basically sums up the story – from facing monsters to becoming friends without a lot of development in between.
I enjoyed reading about the heartfelt connection between cousins Fen and Laurie and how Matt took upon himself to become a leader but there was a redundant presence of those aspects of the novel, with the characters always rehashing these same topics. Not to mention the fact that as Matt met the descendants of the other gods, even those kids who had NO IDEA who they were and why, still accepted the premise that they had to fight a giant Serpent at the end of the world without even questioning it (going back to suspension of disbelief).
All of these combined to make Loki’s Wolves so flat to the point of when something really tremendous happens I felt cold and uninterested.
But the illustrations are kind of amazing.
January 31, 2013
The moment I read The Lightning Thief I had several students in mind as ones who would love that book - I had the same reaction here. Plus, Viking mythology. Far too few students know about Odin and Loki, Freya, Thor, et al., because Greek and Roman mythology is what's taught in schools (and whatever happened to the books I read when I was younger, beautifully illustrated mythologies from all over the world? Today you have D'Aulaire and Hamilton, with nothing in between!).
Matthew Thorsen (get it? THOR's son) is the son of a police chief. Fen Brekke (Fen as in FENris) is one of those "lost" kids, passed from family member to family member. The two don't get along. Turns out they're both keys to the upcoming Ragnarök, this time with kids descended from the gods, not the gods themselves. So off they trot, looking for the other descendents, and on the way find Norns, Valkyrie, Odin, Baldir, Frey, Freya and more (or, if not them exactly, their modern day descendants).
As with the Percy Jackson series, this is a great blend of the mythology and modern day stuff. There's definitely a need for a little more explication of what and who, because few readers in the target group will know the names and adventures (that's why this should really be four and a half stars).
ARC provided by publisher.
Matthew Thorsen (get it? THOR's son) is the son of a police chief. Fen Brekke (Fen as in FENris) is one of those "lost" kids, passed from family member to family member. The two don't get along. Turns out they're both keys to the upcoming Ragnarök, this time with kids descended from the gods, not the gods themselves. So off they trot, looking for the other descendents, and on the way find Norns, Valkyrie, Odin, Baldir, Frey, Freya and more (or, if not them exactly, their modern day descendants).
As with the Percy Jackson series, this is a great blend of the mythology and modern day stuff. There's definitely a need for a little more explication of what and who, because few readers in the target group will know the names and adventures (that's why this should really be four and a half stars).
ARC provided by publisher.
March 14, 2013
I was a bit skeptical when I received this book in a giveaway. I love Rick Riordan's books and believe that he is a tough act to follow in bringing mythology to modern life. Loki's Wolves surprised me in many ways. The premise is a recreation of Norse mythology in a contemporary world, where children play out the unfinished business of their ancestor Gods. The main characters, Matt, Fen, and Laurie face real life issues in their quest to save the world: They must choose whether to repeat history or make their own choices; while fighting is what they do best, they realize not all goals are achieved that way; they find that you don't always have to do things alone; and they learn to listen to that small, still inner voice of intuition. What is especially interesting is that while Matt comes from a background of privilege, and Fen from abandonment, each brings a unique strength to the equation -- a strength forged from their own particular struggles. With only a few pages left at the end of the book, and much more story still needing to be told, I knew there was going to be a cliffhanger ending. However, the ending came with a strong relationship resolution and a complete change in direction and focus that I certainly didn't see coming. Loki's Wolves will appeal to the most reluctant of readers.
November 28, 2014
পার্সি জ্যাকসন এর শেষ বই পড়া হয়ে গেসে বলে মন খারাপ করে বসে আছেন? কিংবা গ্রীক, রোমান, ইজিপশিয়ান মিথ এর উপর ফ্যান্টাসী বেজড বই পড়া হলেও নর্স মিথ নিয়ে কোন ইয়াং এডাল্ট সিরিজ পড়া হয় নি?? তাহলে নি:সন্দেহে এই বইটা আপনার জন্যে । যদি মিথ ভালোবাসেন, ফ্যান্টাসী রিটেলিং ভালোবাসেন আর সেই সাথে একশন আর এডভেঞ্চার তাহলে বইটি আপনার ভালো লাগবেই।
রিক রিওর্ডান আমার অন্যতম পছন্দের লেখক। তার পার্সি, কেন ক্রনিকলস, হিরোস অফ অলিম্পাস সিরিজ শেষ করে অধীর আগ্রহে অপেক্ষা করছিলাম তার আগামী নর্স মিথ এর উপর লেখা নতুন সিরিজ ম্যাগনাস চেজ এর জন্যে। কিন্তু সে তো মেলা দেরী আছে বের হতে , তার আগেই এক বন্ধুর মাধ্যমে হাতে আসল এই বইটা । বই এর প্রিভিউ পড়েই ইন্টেরেস্টিং মনে হওয়াতে সাথে সাথে শুরু করে দেই বইটা। আর থর এবং লকি আমার অন্যতম পছন্দের মিথ ক্যারেক্টার হওয়াতে এই বইটা শুরু থেকেই ভালো লাগতে শুরু করে।
মিথ রিলেটেড ফ্যান্টাসী বইগুলোতে সাধারণত আমরা দেখি গল্পের মূল চরিত্র গুলো সাধারণত কোন না কোন ভাবে গডদের সাথে রিলেটেড থাকে। এই বই টাও তার ব্যাতিক্রম না। কাহিনী ঘিরে উঠেছে আমেরিকার ব্ল্যাকওয়েল শহর এর তিন জন ছেলে মেয়েকে ঘিরে। ব্ল্যাকওয়েল শহরের একটা বিশেষত্ব হচ্ছে এখানকার অর্ধেক মানুষ নর্স দেবতা থর এর বংশদ্ভূত আর বাকি অর্ধেক দেবতা লকির । গল্পের তিনজন প্রোটাগোনিস্ট । ম্যাট - যে থরকে রিপ্রেজেন্ট করে, আর দুই কাজিন ফেন এবং লরি - লকি কে। নর্স মিথে Ragnarok নামে একটা শব্দ আছে যার মানে হচ্ছে দুনিয়ার ধ্বংস যেখানে দেবতা থর তার হাতুড়ির সাহায্যে এক সাপ কে হত্যা করে পৃথিবীকে বাচায় কিন্তু তার জন্যে চড়া মূল্য দিতে হয়। বই এর কাহিনীতে দেখা যায় যে ব্ল্যাকওয়েল শহরের লোক রা জানতে পারে সামনে Ragnarok আসন্ন। কিন্তু সব দেবতারা তো আগেই মারা গিয়েছে তাহলে এবার এর Ragnarok এ তাদের রক্ষা করবে কে?? তাই তারা থর এর বংশদ্ভূত কাউকে তাদের চ্যাম্পিওন হিসেবে মনোনীত করে। আর সে হয় ম্যাট। তো এরপর ম্যাট বের হয়ে পড়ে তার এডভেঞ্চার এ। ঘটনাক্রমে জড়িয়ে পড়ে ফেন আর লরি। তিনজন মিলে নেমে পড়ে দুনিয়া উদ্ধারে।
রিক রিওর্ডান আমার অন্যতম পছন্দের লেখক। তার পার্সি, কেন ক্রনিকলস, হিরোস অফ অলিম্পাস সিরিজ শেষ করে অধীর আগ্রহে অপেক্ষা করছিলাম তার আগামী নর্স মিথ এর উপর লেখা নতুন সিরিজ ম্যাগনাস চেজ এর জন্যে। কিন্তু সে তো মেলা দেরী আছে বের হতে , তার আগেই এক বন্ধুর মাধ্যমে হাতে আসল এই বইটা । বই এর প্রিভিউ পড়েই ইন্টেরেস্টিং মনে হওয়াতে সাথে সাথে শুরু করে দেই বইটা। আর থর এবং লকি আমার অন্যতম পছন্দের মিথ ক্যারেক্টার হওয়াতে এই বইটা শুরু থেকেই ভালো লাগতে শুরু করে।
মিথ রিলেটেড ফ্যান্টাসী বইগুলোতে সাধারণত আমরা দেখি গল্পের মূল চরিত্র গুলো সাধারণত কোন না কোন ভাবে গডদের সাথে রিলেটেড থাকে। এই বই টাও তার ব্যাতিক্রম না। কাহিনী ঘিরে উঠেছে আমেরিকার ব্ল্যাকওয়েল শহর এর তিন জন ছেলে মেয়েকে ঘিরে। ব্ল্যাকওয়েল শহরের একটা বিশেষত্ব হচ্ছে এখানকার অর্ধেক মানুষ নর্স দেবতা থর এর বংশদ্ভূত আর বাকি অর্ধেক দেবতা লকির । গল্পের তিনজন প্রোটাগোনিস্ট । ম্যাট - যে থরকে রিপ্রেজেন্ট করে, আর দুই কাজিন ফেন এবং লরি - লকি কে। নর্স মিথে Ragnarok নামে একটা শব্দ আছে যার মানে হচ্ছে দুনিয়ার ধ্বংস যেখানে দেবতা থর তার হাতুড়ির সাহায্যে এক সাপ কে হত্যা করে পৃথিবীকে বাচায় কিন্তু তার জন্যে চড়া মূল্য দিতে হয়। বই এর কাহিনীতে দেখা যায় যে ব্ল্যাকওয়েল শহরের লোক রা জানতে পারে সামনে Ragnarok আসন্ন। কিন্তু সব দেবতারা তো আগেই মারা গিয়েছে তাহলে এবার এর Ragnarok এ তাদের রক্ষা করবে কে?? তাই তারা থর এর বংশদ্ভূত কাউকে তাদের চ্যাম্পিওন হিসেবে মনোনীত করে। আর সে হয় ম্যাট। তো এরপর ম্যাট বের হয়ে পড়ে তার এডভেঞ্চার এ। ঘটনাক্রমে জড়িয়ে পড়ে ফেন আর লরি। তিনজন মিলে নেমে পড়ে দুনিয়া উদ্ধারে।
April 30, 2020
I really like this book BUT the constant mentioning of the boys having to protect Laurie cause she’s a girl was mind numbing seeing as she is the smartest person in this book! I understand this is being done to show the character development of the boys in the later books when they stop acting like Laurie can’t do shit but it was still annoying seeing as the girls in this book do the most and the guys are all stupid. Like even subconsciously these characters think that a guy will be more useful in a fight at one point even though they don’t know the personality or skills of the guy they are talking about.
November 26, 2014
Matt Thorsen is a descendent of the Norse god Thor – and that’s a hard legacy to live with. His overachieving older brothers and exacting parents made life difficult – and that was before he became a champion ordained to fight Jormugandr at the upcoming Ragnorak.
Now Matt, and the descendants of the other gods, must make a hasty alliance in the hope of being ready for the coming conflict – and maybe telling the old stories differently this time.
Norse gods – that’s me signed up. Yes we’re always easy to please with a little mythology. And the concept of this book is an excellent one – the descendants of the Norse gods facing a Ragnorak almost by proxy. We have these kids, especially Matt Thorsen, both following prophecy and being guided by prophecy by also not letting it bind them and dictate to them. Sure they’re the stand in for their many-time ancestors, but that doesn’t mean they are them
Concept-wise, I am sold. Sign me up for the whole series!
Execution-wise… not so much. I did find the book just a bit… simple. It’s not that it’s badly written or the characters are poor or that the plot is bad – it’s just it’s all so very… simple. Everything just feels kind of easy and kind of linear.
Personal conflicts and histories are touched upon – like Matt’s betrayal by his family or the conflict of their impossibly high expectations or the whole conflict of going against authority when he’s the sheriff’s son – but they’re not developed. They’re just kind of there, like some back story has been splashed onto the characters to fill in the gaps but it’s not gone into any great depth or detail. And I can kind of see how it’s shaped the characters but not to any great depths. Ongoing conflicts with the characters – like the twins suspicion or Matt and Fen’s rivalry seem to just… resolve. Fen’s conflict with the wulfenkind packs causes some short term angst and then – resolve. Again, nothing stands out as badly written or handled it’s just the conflict isn’t all that conflicty. The closest we get is a little twist at the end, but even then it’s not that twisty nor does it last a great deal of time.
The plot is really linear. Matt learns about his legendary destiny/fate/quest then happily stumbles over some norns who give him cryptic clues leading to the next step, where he meets Valkyries that happily point them the next way. Each step of the way is very clearly laid out (albeit somewhat convolutedly at times to create extra steps in the chain), usually with pretty clear instructions over what to do next – so they go do it. Even after convenient Norse beings stop dropping in to give step by step instructions, Laurie develops a power that removes the whole searching element from the quest. The twins, when they meet them, are somewhat suspicious and that looked like it would be a more involved element of the story but even then the suspicion was pretty much put aside in favour of a fight scene and the twins just kind of attach themselves to the party without any real development of them, their concerns or anything else.
This book isn’t badly written, I want to stress that. The action flows, it’s not over descriptive.
But it is so linear – Matt has a quest to find the other god-descendents. But because of the plot he doesn’t have to look for them, he doesn’t have to track them down or go through any real steps to identify them and he doesn’t even have to convince them to join him. So all he has to do is… travel? And even then not so much because of another plot element. This leaves us with “Matt looks for kids. Matt finds them. Matt has kids” with little in the way of inter-character drama to fill much of the gaps. We have musing from Matt and Finn, but it’s not exactly rich and conflict laden, given the revelations. What does fill the gaps are action scenes – fighting numerous mythological monsters takes up a fair amount of page space.
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Now Matt, and the descendants of the other gods, must make a hasty alliance in the hope of being ready for the coming conflict – and maybe telling the old stories differently this time.
Norse gods – that’s me signed up. Yes we’re always easy to please with a little mythology. And the concept of this book is an excellent one – the descendants of the Norse gods facing a Ragnorak almost by proxy. We have these kids, especially Matt Thorsen, both following prophecy and being guided by prophecy by also not letting it bind them and dictate to them. Sure they’re the stand in for their many-time ancestors, but that doesn’t mean they are them
Concept-wise, I am sold. Sign me up for the whole series!
Execution-wise… not so much. I did find the book just a bit… simple. It’s not that it’s badly written or the characters are poor or that the plot is bad – it’s just it’s all so very… simple. Everything just feels kind of easy and kind of linear.
Personal conflicts and histories are touched upon – like Matt’s betrayal by his family or the conflict of their impossibly high expectations or the whole conflict of going against authority when he’s the sheriff’s son – but they’re not developed. They’re just kind of there, like some back story has been splashed onto the characters to fill in the gaps but it’s not gone into any great depth or detail. And I can kind of see how it’s shaped the characters but not to any great depths. Ongoing conflicts with the characters – like the twins suspicion or Matt and Fen’s rivalry seem to just… resolve. Fen’s conflict with the wulfenkind packs causes some short term angst and then – resolve. Again, nothing stands out as badly written or handled it’s just the conflict isn’t all that conflicty. The closest we get is a little twist at the end, but even then it’s not that twisty nor does it last a great deal of time.
The plot is really linear. Matt learns about his legendary destiny/fate/quest then happily stumbles over some norns who give him cryptic clues leading to the next step, where he meets Valkyries that happily point them the next way. Each step of the way is very clearly laid out (albeit somewhat convolutedly at times to create extra steps in the chain), usually with pretty clear instructions over what to do next – so they go do it. Even after convenient Norse beings stop dropping in to give step by step instructions, Laurie develops a power that removes the whole searching element from the quest. The twins, when they meet them, are somewhat suspicious and that looked like it would be a more involved element of the story but even then the suspicion was pretty much put aside in favour of a fight scene and the twins just kind of attach themselves to the party without any real development of them, their concerns or anything else.
This book isn’t badly written, I want to stress that. The action flows, it’s not over descriptive.
But it is so linear – Matt has a quest to find the other god-descendents. But because of the plot he doesn’t have to look for them, he doesn’t have to track them down or go through any real steps to identify them and he doesn’t even have to convince them to join him. So all he has to do is… travel? And even then not so much because of another plot element. This leaves us with “Matt looks for kids. Matt finds them. Matt has kids” with little in the way of inter-character drama to fill much of the gaps. We have musing from Matt and Finn, but it’s not exactly rich and conflict laden, given the revelations. What does fill the gaps are action scenes – fighting numerous mythological monsters takes up a fair amount of page space.
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February 8, 2021
I actually like this book a lot as it is about Norse Mythology and I really enjoy reading fantasy. K.L Armstrong has this style of writing where he swaps perspectives of the characters. First its Laurie then it swaps to Fen in the next chapter. I enjoy this style as it shows everyone's view on the situation and you get to see what they're thinking and what they're plotting next. Then you know what's coming next. Another author who does this as well is Rick Riordan. I'm pretty sure everyone knows who Rick Riordan is so if you like (ancient) mythology then this book would be good as it has similar traits to which Rick Riordan's books have. This book has a villain sort of and a hero. They decide to team up and the hero is well a hero. He's got all the traits of one. He's caring. He's responsible. He's powerful. (Actually not the powerful part.) I also like (or mostly get annoyed) how the author builds up the tension till its at its peak and then swaps perspective to someone that's not related to that situation.
This book brings you on a butt-clenching journey to the end. (Subsitute butt-clenching for something more mature.)
This book brings you on a butt-clenching journey to the end. (Subsitute butt-clenching for something more mature.)
July 28, 2014
I was really quite disappointed by this book. I love Loki, Thor, and the whole topic of Norse mythology in general, so I was SUPER excited to read a book revolving around this idea! However, it simply didn't live up to my expectations.
Plot
I think this was my biggest problem with the book. I'm not entirely sure if it was the book or me, but it took me ages to get into this book! It took me a solid two days to read the first 15% when I normally can finish an entire book in that amount of time. And the only reason I finished the entire thing in 4 days was simply because I forced myself to read the entire thing in about two sittings. I felt like the entire book's plot simply should have been the first few chapters in a book. They were very oriented to setting up the rest of the series, but for some reason this led to not much actually happening. Even when things didn't happen, they weren't all that important to the overall plot and were mainly included to get readers interested in the action. If this whole book had been the first 25% or so of just one book, I probably would've loved it, or at least been extremely interested.The premise is definitely an interesting one that still intrigues me, but the execution was quite poor.
Characters
Quite frankly, the characters weren't developed enough. The entire book was told through 3 different perspectives, but this led to none of them actually having depth beyond what you learn about them in the first few chapters. The book really led to only a couple bits of character growth, but most were simply static, basic people. There were also lots of characters introduced over a short period of time. The main problem with this however, was the fact that each character had pretty much one defining characteristic. Once you remembered this one thing about them, you never really needed to pay much attention since they never changed, and all their decisions/opinion revolved around this one characteristic. I simply felt like the characters were lacking more substance. Just because this is the first book in a series, doesn't mean that the characters can't already be extremely dynamic and developed.
If the plot had been more to the point with actually interesting twists, and if the characters had been more developed, this book could've been quite great. All in all, this book had amazing potential that it simply didn't live up to.
Plot
I think this was my biggest problem with the book. I'm not entirely sure if it was the book or me, but it took me ages to get into this book! It took me a solid two days to read the first 15% when I normally can finish an entire book in that amount of time. And the only reason I finished the entire thing in 4 days was simply because I forced myself to read the entire thing in about two sittings. I felt like the entire book's plot simply should have been the first few chapters in a book. They were very oriented to setting up the rest of the series, but for some reason this led to not much actually happening. Even when things didn't happen, they weren't all that important to the overall plot and were mainly included to get readers interested in the action. If this whole book had been the first 25% or so of just one book, I probably would've loved it, or at least been extremely interested.The premise is definitely an interesting one that still intrigues me, but the execution was quite poor.
Characters
Quite frankly, the characters weren't developed enough. The entire book was told through 3 different perspectives, but this led to none of them actually having depth beyond what you learn about them in the first few chapters. The book really led to only a couple bits of character growth, but most were simply static, basic people. There were also lots of characters introduced over a short period of time. The main problem with this however, was the fact that each character had pretty much one defining characteristic. Once you remembered this one thing about them, you never really needed to pay much attention since they never changed, and all their decisions/opinion revolved around this one characteristic. I simply felt like the characters were lacking more substance. Just because this is the first book in a series, doesn't mean that the characters can't already be extremely dynamic and developed.
If the plot had been more to the point with actually interesting twists, and if the characters had been more developed, this book could've been quite great. All in all, this book had amazing potential that it simply didn't live up to.
September 27, 2014
I do not like mythological stories set in the present day. I do not like them, not one bit.
But I liked this. I liked this a lot.
Part of it might be the setting. I've been to Mount Rushmore (multiple times...). I've been to Deadwood. The midwest is sadly overlooked in literature and it made me happy to see it represented. We're awesome here. More people should write books about us.
Part of it was certainly the mythology--even though I'm a self-proclaimed modern retelling hater. In the beginning, it was annoying and I very nearly quit. They were throwing around names and myths like nobody's business and the protagonist had a little Thor's hammer, and it was just weird. But it grew on me.
Part of it was the characters--I really liked them. (Except for that one. She was very obviously evil.) I wasn't sure about Laurie in the beginning, but she grew on me pretty quickly. Matt and Fen I liked right away--though I'm curious about why Fen is missing from the cover.
The ending felt a little bit rushed, like the authors suddenly realized how few pages they had left and had to tidy things up quickly.
But otherwise, I liked this a lot. Now I'm off to order the next one.
But I liked this. I liked this a lot.
Part of it might be the setting. I've been to Mount Rushmore (multiple times...). I've been to Deadwood. The midwest is sadly overlooked in literature and it made me happy to see it represented. We're awesome here. More people should write books about us.
Part of it was certainly the mythology--even though I'm a self-proclaimed modern retelling hater. In the beginning, it was annoying and I very nearly quit. They were throwing around names and myths like nobody's business and the protagonist had a little Thor's hammer, and it was just weird. But it grew on me.
Part of it was the characters--I really liked them. (Except for that one. She was very obviously evil.) I wasn't sure about Laurie in the beginning, but she grew on me pretty quickly. Matt and Fen I liked right away--though I'm curious about why Fen is missing from the cover.
The ending felt a little bit rushed, like the authors suddenly realized how few pages they had left and had to tidy things up quickly.
But otherwise, I liked this a lot. Now I'm off to order the next one.
April 30, 2021
There were too many lines like "She's a girl, so she needs to be protected.", "It's so like a boy to jump into danger." I don't remember my childhood being that stereotypically sexist, and I grew up on the Indian Subcontinent.
March 3, 2022
4.5
Was this story a little predictable? Were some things rather convenient? Yes it was, but it is still such a cute story about the descendants of the long-dead Norse gods. I loved the characters, especially Fen (he's so protective of his cousin Laurie, it's so sweet and was probably my favourite aspect of the book XD), Laurie and Baldwin. Btw Erika...I called knew that would happen to him. 🥺
If you like Percy Jackson, this book is right up your alley. (Although I haven't read the Magnus Chase by Rick Riordan so I can't say how they compare in that respect). Overall super sweet and quick read!
**
OVERVIEW
"In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.
The gods died a long time ago.
Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.
However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world."
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Matt, Laurie, Fen and the others watch out for one another and form very strong friendships.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Norse gods, magic, witches, spirits and magical creatures.
VIOLENCE
Several battles and fistfights (semi to no detail). The Raiders are a group of Loki's descendants that are very violent. Matt and the others are attacked by monsters. A betrayal. A boy dies by choking (some detail). Descriptions of pain and injury. Talk of the end of the world and dying.
SEXUAL CONTENT
Some blushing, touching and noticing pretty girls (not inappropriate at all). Mentions of dating.
LANGUAGE
Clean. Some name calling.
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Nothing.
OTHER NOTES
Great book! Recommended ages 8+ for reading level and little violence.
**
~Happy Reading~
Was this story a little predictable? Were some things rather convenient? Yes it was, but it is still such a cute story about the descendants of the long-dead Norse gods. I loved the characters, especially Fen (he's so protective of his cousin Laurie, it's so sweet and was probably my favourite aspect of the book XD), Laurie and Baldwin. Btw Erika...I called knew that would happen to him. 🥺
If you like Percy Jackson, this book is right up your alley. (Although I haven't read the Magnus Chase by Rick Riordan so I can't say how they compare in that respect). Overall super sweet and quick read!
**
OVERVIEW
"In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.
The gods died a long time ago.
Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.
However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world."
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Matt, Laurie, Fen and the others watch out for one another and form very strong friendships.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Norse gods, magic, witches, spirits and magical creatures.
VIOLENCE
Several battles and fistfights (semi to no detail). The Raiders are a group of Loki's descendants that are very violent. Matt and the others are attacked by monsters. A betrayal. A boy dies by choking (some detail). Descriptions of pain and injury. Talk of the end of the world and dying.
SEXUAL CONTENT
Some blushing, touching and noticing pretty girls (not inappropriate at all). Mentions of dating.
LANGUAGE
Clean. Some name calling.
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Nothing.
OTHER NOTES
Great book! Recommended ages 8+ for reading level and little violence.
**
~Happy Reading~
July 9, 2013
Loki is one of my favorite characters in Norwegian mythology with his ambivalent ways that constantly disrupt the order of the gods. He is neither Aesir nor Vanir, but the son of giants; the gods archrivals since the start of the world. The giants represent chaos and the gods represent order. Loki's flawed character is the catalyst for bringing about Ragnarok or the end of the world. He plays tricks that are sometimes funny or deadly, he sires monsters, is unpredictable, good, bad, and the closest reflection to human nature in Norsk myths. The gods are usually prejudiced toward him because of his heritage and oftentimes use him for their own selfish purposes. Scandinavian folklore shows Loki becoming darker as time passes. He is complex and fascinating and an author can portray him in multiple ways. Kelly Armstrong and Marissa Marr create Fen Brekke, a descendant of Loki with similar characteristics: he gets in trouble, can shape-shift, is a trickster, and has trust issues (to name a few). Fen spends a chunk of his time protecting his cousin, Laurie Brekke, from his violent relatives who want to incorporate her into the wolf pack. Fen has other ideas for Laurie's future and good reasons to not trust the pack.
Fen shares the narration with thirteen-year-old Matt, a descendent of Thor, who lives with his burly brothers who eat platefuls of rakfisk. I can imagine their mother's accent as she drops the smelly food in front of each stocky youth saying, "Vær så god." My Norwegian grandmother liked to challenge me to eat lutefisk (similar to rakfisk) much like the Asians like to challenge others to eat "stinky tofu." Matt discovers the end of the world is coming and is chosen by the adults of the city of Blackwell, South Dakota to save the world because his "Thor" powers are manifesting moreso than anyone else in Thorville, I mean Blackwell. His task is to gather descendants of the gods to fight monsters trying to take over the world. Matt seeks the help of Fen and Laurie even though they have been enemies throughout school. Fen is reluctant at first until circumstances force the trio together and send them on the run searching for others with superpowers needed for the quest. Only a fraction of the heroes are found so don't expect much of a resolution.
The somewhat abrupt ending leaves more questions than answers, but this pattern is found in many middle grade books and does not seem to bother young readers as much as me. The action and pacing are fast with the threesome going on their quest and being attacked by trolls, shape-shifting wolves, valkyries, and mares. Good monsters are a must in fantasy and you won't be disappointed by the creatures in this one. Did I mention the tornado that is tossed in the mix to heighten the tension? Uff dah! Good stuff! The tornado is supposed to show the violent climate changes which is how the adults know that the end of the world is coming. This plot point is a bit sketchy, but I didn't really care because there's so much action that I created a wind storm flipping through the pages as fast as possible. My ADHD side craves this kind of book.
While the superpowers of each teen is explained well, other parts such as the tornado had me scratching my head. It was weird that the adults weren't home and the kids were leaving notes. People are usually in their basements with a tornado. It also seemed odd that the teenagers weren't using their cell phones to talk to their parents. Later when the adults seem to think Matt and Laurie ran away, it didn't make sense because Matt never had a chance to leave his parents a note. Wouldn't they think he may have been hurt in the tornado? I found that if I just let myself get swept in the story and not think to much about the logic then it was good fun.
Matt's emotional arc travels the path of learning to be a leader. His empathy allows him to get over his differences with Fen and he realizes that the strength of the group is if they work as a team. Fen, on the other hand, is rude and temperamental. His parents are missing and he lives with various relatives. He doesn't trust anyone and considers Laurie his only family. He's so dang overprotective of her it's not normal. Laurie gets frustrated but understands where Fen is coming from given his heritage. I would have liked more depth from Laurie's character but at least she stands up to the overprotective guys and insists that she can help them in their quest. She doesn't get as much page time as Fen and Matt, so perhaps her character will develop more in book 2.
Previous Armstrong books that I have read tip the scale toward action versus substance. Many of my students like her books for that reason along with their uncomplicated plots. I think this book will satisfy those same readers because the pace is not cumbered by oodles of mythological facts that can be confusing at times. I wondered if my familiarity with Scandinavian mythology made me unknowingly fill in the blanks that might have occurred in the backdrop had I come with no knowledge. I did like how the authors sometimes followed the myth and sometimes didn't making certain parts of the plot unpredictable. When the myth was followed, I didn't see it coming and was happily surprised. If you liked, "The Lightning Thief," then give this entertaining read a go. Skål!
Fen shares the narration with thirteen-year-old Matt, a descendent of Thor, who lives with his burly brothers who eat platefuls of rakfisk. I can imagine their mother's accent as she drops the smelly food in front of each stocky youth saying, "Vær så god." My Norwegian grandmother liked to challenge me to eat lutefisk (similar to rakfisk) much like the Asians like to challenge others to eat "stinky tofu." Matt discovers the end of the world is coming and is chosen by the adults of the city of Blackwell, South Dakota to save the world because his "Thor" powers are manifesting moreso than anyone else in Thorville, I mean Blackwell. His task is to gather descendants of the gods to fight monsters trying to take over the world. Matt seeks the help of Fen and Laurie even though they have been enemies throughout school. Fen is reluctant at first until circumstances force the trio together and send them on the run searching for others with superpowers needed for the quest. Only a fraction of the heroes are found so don't expect much of a resolution.
The somewhat abrupt ending leaves more questions than answers, but this pattern is found in many middle grade books and does not seem to bother young readers as much as me. The action and pacing are fast with the threesome going on their quest and being attacked by trolls, shape-shifting wolves, valkyries, and mares. Good monsters are a must in fantasy and you won't be disappointed by the creatures in this one. Did I mention the tornado that is tossed in the mix to heighten the tension? Uff dah! Good stuff! The tornado is supposed to show the violent climate changes which is how the adults know that the end of the world is coming. This plot point is a bit sketchy, but I didn't really care because there's so much action that I created a wind storm flipping through the pages as fast as possible. My ADHD side craves this kind of book.
While the superpowers of each teen is explained well, other parts such as the tornado had me scratching my head. It was weird that the adults weren't home and the kids were leaving notes. People are usually in their basements with a tornado. It also seemed odd that the teenagers weren't using their cell phones to talk to their parents. Later when the adults seem to think Matt and Laurie ran away, it didn't make sense because Matt never had a chance to leave his parents a note. Wouldn't they think he may have been hurt in the tornado? I found that if I just let myself get swept in the story and not think to much about the logic then it was good fun.
Matt's emotional arc travels the path of learning to be a leader. His empathy allows him to get over his differences with Fen and he realizes that the strength of the group is if they work as a team. Fen, on the other hand, is rude and temperamental. His parents are missing and he lives with various relatives. He doesn't trust anyone and considers Laurie his only family. He's so dang overprotective of her it's not normal. Laurie gets frustrated but understands where Fen is coming from given his heritage. I would have liked more depth from Laurie's character but at least she stands up to the overprotective guys and insists that she can help them in their quest. She doesn't get as much page time as Fen and Matt, so perhaps her character will develop more in book 2.
Previous Armstrong books that I have read tip the scale toward action versus substance. Many of my students like her books for that reason along with their uncomplicated plots. I think this book will satisfy those same readers because the pace is not cumbered by oodles of mythological facts that can be confusing at times. I wondered if my familiarity with Scandinavian mythology made me unknowingly fill in the blanks that might have occurred in the backdrop had I come with no knowledge. I did like how the authors sometimes followed the myth and sometimes didn't making certain parts of the plot unpredictable. When the myth was followed, I didn't see it coming and was happily surprised. If you liked, "The Lightning Thief," then give this entertaining read a go. Skål!
April 25, 2022
Loki's wolves was just what I needed, a quick, fun read.
Yay for multiple POVs! And I actually liked all three characters. They actually sounded like different people too. Matt was probably my least favorite. I'm not usually a fan of Captain America types though. Laurie was the clueless one that introduces the readers to the world. And Fen was the problem child, who is really a decent guy.
We met several other descendants. Baldwin definitely inherited his godly ancestors' talent for being liked, because he was my favorite.
I was afraid that this would be too much of a Percy Jackson copy, but it's good in its own right. The only similarities are kids and myths.
I don't know as much about Norse mythology as Greek but the world was still well done. Whether it followed the myths or not I don't know or care. I particularly liked the troll's hiding as the mount Rushmore president's facial hair.
The Bad:
Why are all of the other Gods' descendants named so close to their godly ancestors? (It's not like their parents knew.) I mean Owen=Odin, Baldwin=Baldur, Ray & Reyna=Frey & Freya…
I can't say exactly why, but although this book would fit in in Riordan's world it felt like it was lacking something. It didn't possess Riordan's humor and great characterization. Though there was nothing really wrong with this book.
The only thing that really could've been done better was the action scenes. I should've been scared, not bored.
Warning: Cliffhanger ending!
Yay for multiple POVs! And I actually liked all three characters. They actually sounded like different people too. Matt was probably my least favorite. I'm not usually a fan of Captain America types though. Laurie was the clueless one that introduces the readers to the world. And Fen was the problem child, who is really a decent guy.
We met several other descendants. Baldwin definitely inherited his godly ancestors' talent for being liked, because he was my favorite.
I was afraid that this would be too much of a Percy Jackson copy, but it's good in its own right. The only similarities are kids and myths.
I don't know as much about Norse mythology as Greek but the world was still well done. Whether it followed the myths or not I don't know or care. I particularly liked the troll's hiding as the mount Rushmore president's facial hair.
The Bad:
Why are all of the other Gods' descendants named so close to their godly ancestors? (It's not like their parents knew.) I mean Owen=Odin, Baldwin=Baldur, Ray & Reyna=Frey & Freya…
I can't say exactly why, but although this book would fit in in Riordan's world it felt like it was lacking something. It didn't possess Riordan's humor and great characterization. Though there was nothing really wrong with this book.
The only thing that really could've been done better was the action scenes. I should've been scared, not bored.
Warning: Cliffhanger ending!
July 26, 2015
"Comparison is the thief of joy."
So said Teddy Roosevelt. And it couldn't be truer for this book.
Pitching Loki's Wolves as the perfect fare for Percy Jackson fans was a misnomer. I should know. I have been a fan of ol'Seaweed Brain from the days when he wasn't even that big a deal in the middle-grade world of fantasy literature.
Expecting a recreation of Riordan's fast-paced writing style, his droll humour, splendid character (and relationship) developments and his trademark irreverence when dealing with ticked off Gods had me reaching for this replay of Norse Mythology.
On that level, I was disappointed.
With Percy Jackson's world swirling inside my head, this book seems too flat and one-dimensional in comparison. I couldn't begin to care enough for the characters to see where their fates would take them. Everything seemed too pat and the main leads who seemingly loathed each other developed a kinship that was too quick to be acceptable.
Add to that the teeth-grinding:
This was a sentiment expressed by the male protagonists at regular intervals. And I mean, very very regular intervals.
If you are going to compare a book and it's inhabitants to Percy Jackson's world, you must remember Annabeth Chase, Hazel Levesque, Thalia Grace and Reyna. If any of these formidable ladies heard you referring to a main female lead (who will undoubtedly play a key role in future world-saving shenanigans) as a "mere helpless girl", you, my misguided friend, would be staring at the pointy end of a javelin/bow/ small but very sharp knife.
No sirree, that is just not done.
Okay, rant-on-behalf-of-all-womankind over.
NOW, if you have never read about the green-eyed son of Poseidon and come to the world of Loki's Wolves as a blank slate, you will be mildly enchanted.
Taking the Norse myth of Ragnarok (Thor battling great big serpent, massive wolves swallowing the sun and moon, world ending) and pitching the descendants of Thor and Loki in a battle of mythically epic proportions makes for exciting fare.
The first in the trilogy, Loki's Wolves , lays the scene for some *THOR SMASH, LOKI SMIRK action.
I will definitely read the the next two books because I am a lover of mythology, I believe in not judging a book by it's predecessors and mostly because I have a great a deep and abiding appreciation for young ones saving the world when all adults look on disbelievingly.
So said Teddy Roosevelt. And it couldn't be truer for this book.
Pitching Loki's Wolves as the perfect fare for Percy Jackson fans was a misnomer. I should know. I have been a fan of ol'Seaweed Brain from the days when he wasn't even that big a deal in the middle-grade world of fantasy literature.
Expecting a recreation of Riordan's fast-paced writing style, his droll humour, splendid character (and relationship) developments and his trademark irreverence when dealing with ticked off Gods had me reaching for this replay of Norse Mythology.
On that level, I was disappointed.
With Percy Jackson's world swirling inside my head, this book seems too flat and one-dimensional in comparison. I couldn't begin to care enough for the characters to see where their fates would take them. Everything seemed too pat and the main leads who seemingly loathed each other developed a kinship that was too quick to be acceptable.
Add to that the teeth-grinding:
"But she was a girl. She had to be protected."line.
This was a sentiment expressed by the male protagonists at regular intervals. And I mean, very very regular intervals.
If you are going to compare a book and it's inhabitants to Percy Jackson's world, you must remember Annabeth Chase, Hazel Levesque, Thalia Grace and Reyna. If any of these formidable ladies heard you referring to a main female lead (who will undoubtedly play a key role in future world-saving shenanigans) as a "mere helpless girl", you, my misguided friend, would be staring at the pointy end of a javelin/bow/ small but very sharp knife.
No sirree, that is just not done.
Okay, rant-on-behalf-of-all-womankind over.
NOW, if you have never read about the green-eyed son of Poseidon and come to the world of Loki's Wolves as a blank slate, you will be mildly enchanted.
Taking the Norse myth of Ragnarok (Thor battling great big serpent, massive wolves swallowing the sun and moon, world ending) and pitching the descendants of Thor and Loki in a battle of mythically epic proportions makes for exciting fare.
The first in the trilogy, Loki's Wolves , lays the scene for some *THOR SMASH, LOKI SMIRK action.
I will definitely read the the next two books because I am a lover of mythology, I believe in not judging a book by it's predecessors and mostly because I have a great a deep and abiding appreciation for young ones saving the world when all adults look on disbelievingly.
March 8, 2015
This MG series tries (and only sorta fails) to be for Norse mythology what the Percy Jackson series is for Greek mythology. That being said, it has a pretty great story that I had no trouble getting behind, some likable characters, and is overall quite enjoyable.
I loved the setting, because...South Dakota. You can't really beat it. Mostly Deadwood and Mount Rushmore, completely ignoring the best place EVER, but still, it was a lot of fun. But it didn't fit in with the story, as South Dakota is just about as UN-Scandivian as you can get in the States. I get that it is fantasy, so you can do whatever you feel like, but really. It left me with a bit of a disconnect from the story, because I was thinking about how much it doesn't fit the whole time.
It had a really rough start for me. The writing was childish, the characters were annoying, and I couldn't get into it. As the book progressed, most of these issues faded away, thank goodness. As for the characters, I like Matt and Fen, and especially Laurie and Baldwin, but Fen and Laurie's relationship is ever so slightly disturbing. At first I was excited to see a cousin duo who were best friends and the boy was protective of the girl and everything would be great, right? Wrong. Fen is far too overprotective of Laurie, to the point where if she wasn't so strong willed, she wouldn't do anything because he would never let her do anything. He needs to be around her constantly and gets upset if she gets too chummy with anyone else, especially if it is a boy, usually Matt. They touch a lot, holding hands or whatnot, and it's just all very weird. Laurie is not as clingy as Fen is and generally regards a lot of his weird behavior towards her with an eye-roll and continues on with her life, but I sincerely hope there's less of that in the forthcoming books or whatever it is gets resolved.
Side note: I went from one Norse mythology series (Starling by Lesley Livingston) to another in the space of a few days and it was actually kinda fun to compare which direction each went with regards to the gods and Ragnarok. If anyone cares, I liked how this one deals with Ragnarok a bit better.
I loved the setting, because...South Dakota. You can't really beat it. Mostly Deadwood and Mount Rushmore, completely ignoring the best place EVER, but still, it was a lot of fun. But it didn't fit in with the story, as South Dakota is just about as UN-Scandivian as you can get in the States. I get that it is fantasy, so you can do whatever you feel like, but really. It left me with a bit of a disconnect from the story, because I was thinking about how much it doesn't fit the whole time.
It had a really rough start for me. The writing was childish, the characters were annoying, and I couldn't get into it. As the book progressed, most of these issues faded away, thank goodness. As for the characters, I like Matt and Fen, and especially Laurie and Baldwin, but Fen and Laurie's relationship is ever so slightly disturbing. At first I was excited to see a cousin duo who were best friends and the boy was protective of the girl and everything would be great, right? Wrong. Fen is far too overprotective of Laurie, to the point where if she wasn't so strong willed, she wouldn't do anything because he would never let her do anything. He needs to be around her constantly and gets upset if she gets too chummy with anyone else, especially if it is a boy, usually Matt. They touch a lot, holding hands or whatnot, and it's just all very weird. Laurie is not as clingy as Fen is and generally regards a lot of his weird behavior towards her with an eye-roll and continues on with her life, but I sincerely hope there's less of that in the forthcoming books or whatever it is gets resolved.
Side note: I went from one Norse mythology series (Starling by Lesley Livingston) to another in the space of a few days and it was actually kinda fun to compare which direction each went with regards to the gods and Ragnarok. If anyone cares, I liked how this one deals with Ragnarok a bit better.
May 30, 2013
I’ve read quite a lot of popular, YA fantasy over the years. Anything my younger sister likes, I pick up and read along. Some of these collaborations have been great (she gets credit for Harry Potter, to be sure). Some have been disappointments… either too juvenile or too derivative to hold my attention. I approached LOKI’S WOLVES holding my breath, hoping not to find a Norse Percy Jackson, and within one chapter, all my fears were allayed.
Wonderfully written, this book has a whole host of great characters sharing the spot light. It’s rare for me not to have a favorite (ok, ok, and I do kind of love Laurie a little bit extra), but Matt and Fen totally won me over as well. LOKI’S WOLVES is that rare book that was interesting as an adult while remaining completely appropriate for kids. Outside the villains and some bad parenting (though at least Armstrong and Marr didn’t kill off all the moms, Disney style), LOKI’S WOLVES is filled with relatable, admirable characters. In keeping with a younger audience, LOKI’S WOLVES focuses on friendships, not romance. It talks about insecurities and longing, disappointments and finding a place where you belong.
The morals of this book are a little heavy handed and repetitions, but I liked these characters so much I tended to cheer their growth towards security and teamwork rather than get tired of it. LOKI’S WOLVES is bit younger than my usual urban fantasy fare, but I’ll definitely be back for book two. In the meantime, the review copy of LOKI’S WOLVES I received had tantalizing blanks where full page artwork will be inserted, which means I can’t wait to order my own copy to enjoy the full effect. And you can bet that I’ll be passing it on to my little sister to read along.
Sexual Content: None.
Wonderfully written, this book has a whole host of great characters sharing the spot light. It’s rare for me not to have a favorite (ok, ok, and I do kind of love Laurie a little bit extra), but Matt and Fen totally won me over as well. LOKI’S WOLVES is that rare book that was interesting as an adult while remaining completely appropriate for kids. Outside the villains and some bad parenting (though at least Armstrong and Marr didn’t kill off all the moms, Disney style), LOKI’S WOLVES is filled with relatable, admirable characters. In keeping with a younger audience, LOKI’S WOLVES focuses on friendships, not romance. It talks about insecurities and longing, disappointments and finding a place where you belong.
The morals of this book are a little heavy handed and repetitions, but I liked these characters so much I tended to cheer their growth towards security and teamwork rather than get tired of it. LOKI’S WOLVES is bit younger than my usual urban fantasy fare, but I’ll definitely be back for book two. In the meantime, the review copy of LOKI’S WOLVES I received had tantalizing blanks where full page artwork will be inserted, which means I can’t wait to order my own copy to enjoy the full effect. And you can bet that I’ll be passing it on to my little sister to read along.
Sexual Content: None.
May 2, 2013
Oh my goodness this book was WONDERFUL! I read it today and couldnt put it down! I honestly was leary about reading it since I love all of Riordan's books so much and no one has come CLOSE to writing good middle grade mythology but I was engaged the entire time! The only down side is that it does end on a cliffhanger, and I feel how I imagine non-readers felt after seeing the movie Fellowship of the Ring, but its okay because it left me needing more! Armstrong and Marr did a wonderful job writing from three different POV's and still keeping a clean, flowing story. Matt, Fen, and Laurie are all well defined characters and the authors mostly steered clear of pigeonholing them. What I mean by that is although its two girls and a boy, their roles are as precisely divised as say Harry Potter, or Percy Jackson. Basically, Laurie is able to be a "smart girl" without being the bookworm, and Matt is able to be hero Thor while also being a history buff. Fen then is just a bad bay with a protective streak, which lets face it, Im a sucker for! This will be my new go to book for middle grade recommendations! LOVE IT!
January 30, 2019
Story begins with interesting plots and twists,although in the middle of the story it gets real slow.Matt,Fen and Laurie make a team together and try to figure out other members of the team to stop ragnarok .They walk around to find others and it seems like forever.In the beginning of the story Laurie turns into a fish ,but there is no mentioning of that part afterwards.Even after finishing the entire story ,we get only a vague idea of Norse mythology.
Even though it is not so thrilling at the middle,first and last part are really interesting.I loved the whole idea of raiders and Laurie's portal opening superpower.That's really cool ...........and I am thrilled to find what will happen to Baldwin after all.
Even though it is not so thrilling at the middle,first and last part are really interesting.I loved the whole idea of raiders and Laurie's portal opening superpower.That's really cool ...........and I am thrilled to find what will happen to Baldwin after all.
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