The Hammer of Thor facts for kids
U.S. cover of first edition.
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| Author | Rick Riordan |
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| Cover artist | John Rocco |
| Country | United States |
| Series | Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (book 2) |
| Genre | Fantasy, Norse mythology, Young adult |
| Publisher | Disney Hyperion |
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Publication date
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October 4, 2016 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback), audiobook, e-book |
| Pages | 528 |
| ISBN | 9781423160922 |
| Preceded by | The Sword of Summer |
| Followed by | The Ship of the Dead |
The Hammer of Thor is an exciting fantasy novel for young adults. It was written by Rick Riordan and is based on amazing Norse mythology stories. The book came out on October 4, 2016.
You could get it as a hardcover book, an audiobook, or an ebook. This novel is the second book in the popular Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series.
The story happens six weeks after the first book, The Sword of Summer. It follows Magnus Chase on a big adventure. He needs to find Thor's missing hammer. He also has to stop Loki from gaining too much power.
The Hammer of Thor has been translated into 15 languages. It has also been released in a boxed set and as a paperback book. Critics liked the book a lot. They praised its diverse characters. These include Alex Fierro, who is genderfluid, and Samirah al-Abbas, who is Muslim. They also liked Hearthstone, who is deaf.
The book won the 2017 Stonewall Book Award for Children's literature. This was for how it showed Alex's character. It was also nominated for a Goodreads Choice Awards in 2016. The next book, The Ship of the Dead, came out on October 3, 2017.
Contents
The Missing Hammer: A Summary of the Story
The story begins six weeks after the first book ended. Magnus Chase meets with Samirah "Sam" al-Abbas. He also meets Otis, one of Thor's two goats. They tell Magnus that Thor's hammer is still lost.
The giants are starting to notice Thor doesn't have his weapon. They plan to attack Midgard, which is Earth. Magnus goes back to Hotel Valhalla to rest. There, he meets Alex Fierro. Alex is Sam's newest recruit and a child of Loki. Alex is also genderfluid, meaning they can be male or female.
While at Valhalla, Magnus has strange dreams. He sees Loki trying to trick his uncle, Randolph. Loki tells Magnus about a wedding. Samirah is supposed to marry the giant Thrym in five days. Loki says Magnus needs to bring the bride-price.
Magnus, Sam, and their friends Blitzen and Hearthstone travel to a burial mound. They find the Skofnung Sword instead of Thor's hammer. Loki appears and tells them the sword and its special whetstone will be Sam's bride-price. They don't want to help Loki. Loki then makes Randolph wound Blitzen with the sword.
Finding the Whetstone and Tricking the Giants
Wounds from the Skofnung Sword can only be healed by its whetstone. So, the four friends must find this stone. Hearth, Magnus, and a wounded Blitzen travel to Alfheim. There, Magnus learns that Hearth's father, Alderman, has the stone.
Alderman says Hearth must pay a wergild (a payment for a wrong). This is because Alderman blames Hearth for not protecting his younger brother, Andiron, who died. Magnus and Hearthstone find a dwarf named Andvari. They make him give them his treasure. They use this treasure to pay Hearth's debt.
With the stone, they heal Blitzen. They escape Alderman, who has gone mad from Andvari's cursed ring. The three friends return to Midgard. With Alex and Sam, Magnus visits the god Heimdall. Heimdall helps them find Utgard-Loki.
Magnus's group then travels to Utgard-Loki. After they complete some tasks to prove their worth, the giant king tells them something important. Thrym has Thor's hammer. It will be given to the bride as part of the wedding. Utgard-Loki also tells them that Loki will get the Skofnung Sword. This sword can free Loki from his cave. To get the hammer and stop the giants, the group must go through with the wedding.
The Wedding Plan and Loki's Escape
The goddess Sif arrives and takes the heroes to Asgard. They explain everything to Thor. Thor agrees to help them trick Thrym and get his hammer back. Samirah is already engaged to someone else. So, Alex volunteers to pretend to be the bride. This works because Alex is a child of Loki.
The group travels to the cave where Loki is trapped. They find the hammer! But Loki tricks Randolph into using the Skofnung Sword to cut his chains. Magnus's hallmates and other gods arrive. They defeat the giants. But Loki escapes, and Randolph is killed by the sword's spirits.
The heroes return to Hotel Valhalla. Helgi tells them their next mission. They must find and try to capture Loki. Loki has gone to find the boat Naglfar. Magnus contacts his cousin Annabeth. He asks for help from her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, who is a son of Poseidon.
Main Characters in the Story
- Magnus Chase – He is a hero and the son of the Norse god Frey. Magnus can heal people and is good with extreme temperatures. He works with the talking sword Sumarbrander.
- Samirah "Sam" al-Abbas – She is a Valkyrie and the daughter of Loki. Sam is Muslim and dreams of becoming an aircraft pilot. She also does special missions for the god Odin.
- Alex Fierro – Alex is a genderfluid hero, meaning they can switch between male and female. Alex is a child of Loki. They enjoy pottery and use a pottery wire as a weapon. Alex can also shapeshift, like their mother.
- Blitzen "Blitz" – He is a dwarf and Magnus's cousin. Blitz owns a fashion store called "Blitzen's Best" in Boston.
- Hearthstone "Hearth" – He is an elf and the son of a powerful elf named Alderman. Hearth is deaf, which his parents were not happy about, especially after his younger brother Andiron died. He uses Alf Sign Language and magic with runestones.
- Jack (Sumarbrander) – This is a magical sword that used to belong to the god Frey. Now it belongs to Magnus. Jack can fight, talk, and fly by itself.
- Randolph Chase – He is Magnus's uncle. Loki tricks Randolph into helping him. Loki promises to bring back Randolph's dead wife and daughters.
What Happens Next: The Sequel
The next book in the series is The Ship of the Dead. It was released on October 3, 2017. This book was very popular. It reached number 2 on USA Today's bestseller list. Barnes & Noble also called it one of the best books of the year.
The Ship of the Dead won the 2017 Goodreads Choice Award for Middle Grade & Children's books. On October 17, 2017, all three books in the series were released together in a boxed set.
See also
In Spanish: El martillo de Thor para niños
