Review : The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Posted by on January 20, 2016 12:01 am in 3 stars reads | 1 comment

magnus chase sword of summerThe Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Pages : 528
Genre : YA, Fantasy
Series : Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, book 1
My Rating : 3/5

About the Book  :

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

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

My Thoughts :

In short : good book, wrong reader.

This is my second time reading Rick Riordan, and yet again I have to conclude these books aren’t for me. Clearly, you’ll think, since Riordan’s writing is aimed at a younger crowd! But I’d seen many readers my age (or older!) insisting that Riordan’s books are enjoyable for all-ages, and I’ve loved some middle grade books in the past, so I thought, why not?

It wasn’t bad, far from it in fact. I did have with it, and when I first started reading it, it was exactly what I needed at the time : something light, fun and action packed. Something where I didn’t have to think too much and could simply enjoy the ride. I have to give the author huge props : this book was fun. It read like a movie and offered a colorful story filled with humor. I have no problem seeing why his books are so popular, especially with the younger readers.

Sadly, I can’t say that the book grabbed me completely. It took me almost a month to get through it, and once I did, I didn’t find myself wishing for the sequel. Despite all the good I mentioned before, this clearly wasn’t my type of book. I love intricate plots and detailed worlds and complex characters, and because of its format, The Sword of Summer had none of that. Everything went by too fast for me. There was too much tell and too little show, and the characters felt like little more than colorful shells. And while I loved that the book never took itself seriously, 500 + pages of funny quips and jokes is a little much for this reader’s brain.

So, yes. I can recognize the author’s strengths, I can also see when a match isn’t meant to be. For me, The Sword of Summer was like that weird friend of a friend you meet at a party, have fun talking to for a night, but never wish to maintain contact with. I had a good time, and fans of Riordan will probably appreciate the book a lot, but in the end it just wasn’t for me. And so for now, I don’t know that I’ll be reading the sequel when it comes…

1 Comment

  1. I just finished a book that I felt the same way about. There was nothing wrong with the book but I didn’t love it. I don’t think this one is for me either.

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