The Gospel of Loki – Book Review

The Gospel of Loki

(Loki #1)

by Joanne M. Harris

★★★★

Expectation

The Gospel of Loki was a book that caught my attention when it first came out now six years ago. I loved the theme and was intrigued by the main character Loki. Also I should mention that in the see of British editions of books this one was had of the most gorgeous covers I’ve seen. The more I looked at it the more I liked it! I got it right away but have not picked it up for reading until now. And the only reason it finally got to the top of my TBR was because I pulled it out for my TBR Jar Draw challenge – you can read more about that HERE.

Summary

By the time this book finally got my reading attention I already read Neil Gaiman’s Nordic Mythology and the whole Magnus Chase trilogy. Why is this important? Well most of the plot is quite the same as Nordic Mythology and the same plot twists are mentioned in Magnus Chase trilogy as well. It as a bit like reading something I already read in a way.

The narrator Loki and his perspective gave the book a new life though. Anyone who likes Tom Hiddlestone’s portrayal of Loki will like this book as well. The stories from the Norse mythology are told trough Loki’s perspective and he is an excellent commentator for fabulous and surreal nature of these stories. He starts off as humble and attention seeking creature and rolls off to bitter highs and entertaining lows.

Conclusion

As much as the stories in this book were mostly already known to me I liked that this book has a different approach to Ragnarok. I liked the witty and sarcastic wording and the dry humor. I truly believe that the author has captured the spirit of Loki in this book and has managed to make it more endearing to the readers despite some obvious character flaws that are morally wrong or at least questionable. My favorite thing about it that it has a sequel and that I already have ti on my shelf! The are both very beautiful books I love having on my shelf!

I can honestly recommend this book to all those who like to read more from Norse mythologies and like the character of Loki.

Reading Challenge update Monday

Last week I started and finished

The Ship of the Dead

(Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard book 3)

by Rick Riordan

★★★★

I know it is supposed to be a trilogy but it did not feel like the end of the story! I loved some of the scenes and ideas. As usual this was an entertaining read and I had so much fun. This series does good in pointing out some cultural and religious issues that might be problematic to some and unknown to others. I was not happy with the finale. But i did get a little nudge to continue the The Trials of Apollo series due to some little hints and crossover from Percy and Annabeth in this book. I left it at The Dark Prophecy ( The Trials of Apollo book 2). I read the first book The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo book 1) a little over year and a half ago! Even though this third book of the trilogy did not end on a high note as I expected I still feel that Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is my favorite of all the series and Magnus remains my favorite character. At times he played a dumb but well meaning blonde and he reminded me a bit of Usagi Tsukino from Sailor Moon!

Also there were some very memorable scenes that might inspire some fan fiction writers and might be even worth searching out on the darker recesses of the Internet.

SPOILER ALERT!

Magnus has played pull the rope in Hotel Valhalla war games, only, the losing side got dragged trough melted chocolate. Magnus was on the losing side and was covered in chocolate sauce when this happened!

Alex was in his guy form when it happened and I know many a reader that will squeal at this part of the book. It is a lovely scene though. With Magnus totally oblivious to his own appeal. I searched for some fan made artwork of this but none I’ve found were satisfying with the amount of chocolate that was involved!

SPOILER ALERT END!

The very same day I wrote my last Reading Challenge update Monday the awaited Serpentine ( Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #26) by Laurell K. Hamilton came in the mail!

I’ve already half way in the book and I’m actually prolonging it to enjoy myself more. I remembered why I love reading this series and it will be a long time until the next book is out and even longer until I get to read it since I’m buying mass market paperback editions only.

As the Summer reading challenge goes I’m on my tenth book with only five left. This week I read one and a half of another book. I’m left with three books and two graphic novels to finish! I’m actually reluctant to read any of the graphic novels since I know I will not stop at reading only one. I have the whole Vampire Academy series at the ready on the shelf and I’m wondering will I be tempted to read it through as well?

A✔ Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna book 1) by Kendare Blake
N    Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
A    Angel & Faith: Live Through This (Season 9, Volume 1) by by Christos Gage, Rebekah Isaacs (Artist)
S ✔ The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard book 3) by Rick Riordan
T   Wayward, Vol. 4: Threads and Portents (Wayward volume 4) by Jim Zub
A ✔ The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 1 by Aya Shouoto
S ✔ Sigvald (Warhammer Heroes #4) by Darius Hinks
I ✔ I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire (Ravenloft #7) by P.N. Elrod
A *    Serpentine (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #26) by Laurell K. Hamilton

A     All These Things I’ve Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin
D ✔ Dune (Dune #1) by Frank Herbert
A  ✔ Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
M ✔ 9 From the Nine Worlds (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) by Rick Riordan
O ✔ Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 1by Bisco Hatori
V    Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

Reading guide to worlds of Rick Riordan

I’m a big fan of Rick Riordan’s books. His heroes are lovable and inclusive and his books are filled with light intelligent humor. Before becoming a writer, Rick Riordan was a  English and history teacher in private schools in the United States. After successfully publishing some books for adults, he gained inspiration for his first book for young adults by making up a bedtime story for his son. He has written over twenty books for teenagers and young adults and filled them with stories inspired by world mythologies. To help you navigate this small sea of ​​books, I present to you a reading guide.

The books are arranged chronologically and even though they can be read out of the order given here since there are several interwoven literary series, you will surely achieve the greatest pleasure in reading if you know the correct order.

What is common to all the books in all the series I am about to talk about here are the main characters who learn that one of their parents is a deity from various mythologies of the world. The author skillfully approaches young audiences and uses teenage issues in a stimulating and imaginative way, presenting possible learning difficulties such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorder as symptoms of young demigods and their gifted abilities. Young readers will be able to find many opportunities to identify themselves through many of the characters who take turns as the action-bearers. In addition to the problems of young adults through the prism of fiction, the books deal with a multitude of topics covering various religious attitudes, racial issues, understanding of good and evil, and issues of sexuality. The author often uses intelligent humor to tell his stories. The age of the characters ranges from twelve in the first novels to eighteen and over in some cases.

As I’ve mentioned before, there are several book series, let’s start with the first one –

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

1. The Lightning Thief
2. The Sea of Monsters
3. The Titan’s Curse
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
5. The Last Olympian

Named after the main character Percy Jackson, this book series has a total of five books. The theme of this series is based on Greek mythology. First book – The Lightning Thief first appeared on shelves in the spring of 2006. The movie version followed in 2010. The second book – Sea of ​​Monsters, came out just one month after the first book, while the movie version took a full three years after the first movie. The third book, and also the last translated into Croatian, is The Titan’s Curse. The other two books in this series are: The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian. The main character at the beginning of the series is 12 years old.

A little guide came out for this book series in 2009 called The Demigod Files (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Companion). It holds an interview with the author and various interesting tidbits. There are also three short stories in this issue.

The Demigod Files (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Companion)

• Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot
• Percy Jackson and the Bronze Dragon
• Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades

According to the release chronology, the second series is The Kane Chronicles trilogy.
The main characters in this trilogy are brother and sister: Carter and Sadie Kane. The first book of this series was released in May 2010, and by May 2012, all three books were published and available in complete sets. The Kane Chronicles is based on Egyptian mythology and can be read completely separately from the Percy Jackson series. Carter Kane is 15 at the beginning of the series, while his sister is 12.

The Kane Chronicles

1. The Red Pyramid
2. The Throne of Fire
3. The Serpent’s Shadow

Before the last installment of the trilogy – The Serpent’s Shadow, a little guide came out for this series with interesting facts and details from the world of Carter and Sadie Kane.

The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide

The author linked the two series by writing several short stories in which the characters meet, thereby letting the audience know that all the characters are in the same world and opened up opportunities for common adventures and encounters. Three stories where characters from the Percy Jackson series meet characters from the Kane Chronicles trilogy are published in

Demigods & Magicians: Percy and Annabeth Meet the Kanes

At the same time with the aforementioned Kane Chronicles trilogy, a new series of five books, The Heroes of Olympus, was also published. The first book was released in late 2010 and continues where the last book of Percy Jackson and Olympians series ended. The books slowly introduces the motifs of Roman mythology, and the number of leading characters doubles. In addition to the fantastic elements of the book, the books convey in an educational manner the assimilation of elements of Greek culture into Roman. The characters in this series are about 15 years old.

The Heroes of Olympus

1. The Lost Hero
2. The Son of Neptune
3. The Mark of Athena
4. The House of Hades
5. The Blood of Olympus

In 2012 for the series was published a small guide The Demigod Diaries (The Heroes of Olympus Companion) with four short stories and curiosities related to characters and mythology, as well as a cute informational book about heroes from Greek mythology told from Percy Jackson’s perspective – Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes

The Demigod Diaries (The Heroes of Olympus Companion)

• The Diary of Luke Castellan
• Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes
• Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford
• Son of Magic

Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes

The next  book series is the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy. The trilogy, which bears the name of Magnus Chase, started coming out from the end of 2015 to the end of 2017. This trilogy is based on elements from the Nordic mythology. The title character is related to the character Annabeth Chase, who is one of the main characters in the previous book series. Magnus Chase begins his story as a sixteen-year-old and the plot of this trilogy is a little darker and heavier than the previous book series.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

1. The Sword of Summer
2. The Hammer of Thor
3. The Ship of the Dead

As with all other series in the world of Rick Riordan, a guide has been released for this trilogy, which brings some interesting facts from Nordic mythology and culture. After the trilogy, a short story collection called 9 From the Nine Worlds came out.

• For Magnus Chase: Hotel Valhalla, Guide to the Norse Worlds

• 9 From the Nine Worlds

Rick Riordan’s latest and still up-to-date series started coming out in 2016 alongside the Magnus Chase trilogy and is titled The Trials of Apollo. Various characters and heroes from all previous books appear in the series, and unlike all the previous ones, in this one, the god Apollo himself, who is imprisoned in the body of a teenager, is the main character. This series will have five books, and so far the first three are out while the fourth – The Tryants’ Tomb, is announced for Fall 2019.

The Trials of Apollo

1. The Hidden Oracle
2. The Dark Prophecy
3. The Burning Maze
4. The Tryants’ Tomb
5. ?

The guide to the Trials of Apollo series came out after the second book The Dark Prophecy in 2017 and is titled Camp Half-Blood Confidential. This is a guide to the camp for the demigods and continues with the interesting facts of Greek mythology from the perspective of Apollo trapped in the body of a mortal teenager.

Camp Half-Blood Confidential

In addition for film adaptations for the first two books, there were also graphic novellas for all five books in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Graphic novellas were relatively well received, while for the movie versions the author himself said that it was best to skip them because they did not reflect all the educational elements with which he filled the books.

The themes of myths, legends and heroes is timeless and through popular culture it constantly experiences new versions and approaches in literature for children, young adults and adults. I warmly recommend this author and his fantastic world of extraordinary heroes.
Try it, you might also like it 😊

The Blood of Olympus – Book Review

Finished reading:

The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus book 5) by Rick Riordan ★★★★

Expectation:

This was the last book in Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. For those who are not familiar with these stories here is a small guide:

First there was a Percy Jackson series of books.

It had five books and the first two have been made into movies. Compared to the books first movie was so bad that even recasting and filling in the plot gaps with second movie did not help much. But I must say that cast for the second movie was so much better that I felt even worse thinking how; if they only did that for the first movie; all the books could have been turned into movies. Instead they ended up like Eragon book series.

After the five Percy Jackson books comes the next five books called Heroes of Olympus series.

The Heroes of Olympus expands the Percy Jackson’s world and continues to follow Percy and few other demigods POV.  This last book promised epic battles and lots of action!

Summary

Blood of Olympus sure delivered! It was fun fast paced 450+ pages filled with deadly adventures and battle action. This book series is one of the rare books I’ve read that are so “politically correct” that covers every possible territory.  Rich, poor, white, black and all American minority in between, Hispanic, Native American, Asian,…

But what really impressed me is how the gay character was introduced trough the books. From early teens to almost grown up, we see battles with gods, monsters and humans. These characters grow and take the readers along for the ride.

Reading these books I met some really amazing characters who stole my heart and brought on “FAN GIRL MODE”. And yes it was embarrassing at times but I regret nothing!

Conclusion

I am glad I read these books. The more I read the more convinced I was that these books need a TV series of some kind, even if Disney has to make a cartoon series for it! I will continue to follow next books in the Percy Jackson universe.  Can’t wait for the next one! This one is about Norse mythology!