Author: Rick Riordan

I waited until completing the trilogy before writing this review as the first book was a helluva adventure that was wonderfully executed and I didn’t want the experience tainted by sloppy sequels.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. At all.

While I dipped my toes in the world of Riordan back with Percy Jackson, it didn’t compel me enough to need to finish the series. It got shelved in the, “I’ll get to it eventually,” pile and moved on. Magnus Chase on the other hand?

Rick, whatever you’re doing to make your stories this much fun, keep doing it!

Halfway through book one, I fell in love with Magnus. He has just enough sass and connection to the reader that you feel like he’s a real person telling a story – not a character as a smokescreen for the author to info-dump. The best part? His character is consistent through all three books.

Sure, he grows, learns and all that other jazz you expect a character to do, but he’s still Magnus in the end. Then there are the other ‘supporting’ characters. Each one has a rich background that gives them depth which is done so painstakingly well, you better believe I’m going to study how he did it.

What really sets this book apart is the treatment of the auxiliary characters (the gods, the giants, etc.). Instead of a typical cliche where each one is a serious combatant who broods in a faceless manner for no reason, they’re enjoyable in their own right. Think what Marvel Studios does to its characters when the movies aren’t set on Earth.

Fun and enjoyable.

Those would be the two best words to sum-up my experience with this trilogy. I hope there isn’t a fourth because the third one ended on a perfect note.