Loki’s Wolves (The Blackwell Pages #1) by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr Summary: 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.
Genre: MG Fantasy/Mythology Where to Buy: Amazon . Barnes and Noble Add to Goodreads Source: I purchased a hardcover. Review: I was so excited to read this book. I love MG books that deal with fantasy and mythology and the Viking mythology is one that I don’t see enough of. I am typically a huge fan of MG books of this kind, like the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan or Chase Tinker and the House Of Magic by Malia Haberman. Loki’s Wolves had a beautiful cover, a synopsis that drew me in, and a fun premise full of Norse mythology. Loki’s Wolves was an okay book. It was fun, adventurous, and I learned a lot about Norse mythology while enjoying myself on Matt, Fen, and Laurie’s adventure. The actual plot was wonderful and I even liked the characters, especially Fen because was complicated and protective. The illustrations in various spots were really great and added to overall enjoyment of the story. I could see some of the cooler scenes and they were very well done. However, Loki’s Wolves wasn’t as well executed as I’d hoped. I don’t ever expect my MG books to be extremely complicated or descriptive, but I expect the writing to draw me into the story. I don’t expect the same level of prose as I do with adult books and I expect a little more plainness and even areas of more explanation because I do realize it’s meant for kids. Still, I have had no problems falling into the world of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. In comparison, Loki’s Wolves wasn’t very well written. It was flat and felt dumbed down to some degree. The characters were one dimensional, except for Fen, though his complicated personality was very obviously explained. There was nothing captivating about them and their experiences felt very cut and dry. I don’t like to compare books to other famous ones, but I couldn’t help myself with Loki’s Wolves. It should have easily fallen into the famous MG series category. It had the makings of a great series that should stand up next to the likes of Percy Jackson and The Hobbit and other similar novels with no problem. I was disappointed by the flat writing. While I enjoyed myself reading, I was disappointed overall. And if that wasn’t enough, I was even more disappointed by the way it ended because it wasn’t a full story. It ended right in the middle (or beginning third) of their quest and that really bothered me. If the writing wasn’t going to draw me in, I was hoping for at least a fun adventure that would give me some level of satisfaction at the end. Instead, I got one third of a book. Again, perhaps I am comparing this book to other popular MG series because the ones I’ve read have always had some level of closure on the first adventure. Overall, Loki’s Wolves was fun and adventurous. The Norse mythology was intriguing and the story itself was interesting. However, it fell flat. I would recommend reading it if you are in the mood for something light that deals with Norse mythology, but I think it might be best to wait until all the novels are out so you don’t just get pieces of the story. Once it’s all done, I think I’d enjoy reading from start to finish. I’m semi invested in the characters and curious about how the events of Ragnarok will go.
