The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Either my sense of fun and humour has wilted into nothingness or Rick Riordan has started to bore me with his repeating usage of storylines and familiar jokes.

I opt for the latter.

I like to think that I have a good sense of humour – I like to laugh at every single tiny jokes and it takes a lot to snuff out that side of me. Okay fine, to its credit

But instead I end up rolling my eyes to high heavens like where have I heard this joke before?

I suppose when you have read more than 10+ books with the same story arcs by THE SAME AUTHOR –  one way or another you’re going to outgrow them.

I turn out to be one of those people and it sucked BIG TIME because I ended up:

a) being poker-faced in the entire story. I had no reactions to the jokes (which consists of snarks, witty comebacks and lots of modern pop culture) or the big answer reveals – none. Everything just feel too goddamn repeated. Formulaic and methodical even.

b) feeling underwhelmed by the overused plotlines/story arcs.

In this book, a prophecy forewarned Ragnarok (end of days) and that a hero will walk into the picture and prevent/postpone that from happpening. So its a cycle, heroes must fight back wrathful gods/monsters who try to destroy them and take over the whole wide world.

Yada, yada, yada. You know the drill. Nothing is fucking new here.

Moving on.

c) feeling annoyed AND bored… by the overused ‘The Chosen Special Snowflake’ trope and 1000x other tropes.

Gods, Riordan, if only you’d stop with the repetitions! It’s getting real old.

d) feeling detached from MANY characters here. Something that’s never happened to me when it comes to Riordan’s books. So the fact that I’m ‘not feeling it’ really, really blows.

Don’t get me wrong, each one of the characters here are actually all wonderfully fleshed out well with their own quirks and personalities (I have a HUGE adoration for both elf and dwarf: Hearthstone & Blitz) but they don’t feel so fully developed.

I hate to compare this to Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles/The Heroes of Olympus but everything here reads to me like they’re all remolded from the previous series only half-heartedly.

e) Getting real pissy at the ‘question evading’ move.

QUESTIONS ARE EVADED A LOT HERE. Which is something I notice Riordan has a habit of doing in all his written works.

Look, if you want to ground my attention to a story, make sure you don’t try to keep frustrating me with the obvious lack of answers. That’s what this book does a lot. Whenever Magnus Chase questions something/someone, other people would be on the verge of answering him then suddenly, something else happens and the book will be all… “Sorry. Your question will have to wait! You’ll get your answers soon – just keep reading!”

Talk about getting exasperated, man.

f) feeling baffled and unimpressed with the depictions of the Norse gods and goddesses. All myths and legends are laced with grimness and bloodshed but it was never that way here. Everything that’s dark and grimy are watered down into a sillier, lighter version. A part of me liked that Thor is a farting, TV show addict but another part of me longed for that kickass, majestic hammer wielding Norse god he was portrayed to be.

I truly was expecting something more serious here. I wanted the portrayal of the gods & godesses to be legit. Can’t everything and everyone not be made into a laughingstock for once? This is Young Adult, the audiences can handle a bit of seriousness. Let there be more bloodshed!

I opt for the latter.I like to think that I have a good sense of temper -and it takes a lot to snuff out that side of me. Okay finely, to its credit Magnus Chase and The Sword of Summer is curious ( it surely does has its dazed, ri-donkey-lous moments ), but the liquid body substance instilled here did not succeed in impressing me – much less made me laugh. normally when I go into a book written by Rick Riordan, I ‘d be anticipating for the belly laughter and the blissful fun that comes with it.But rather I end up rolling my eyes to high gear heavens likeI think when you have read more than 10+ books with the lapp story bow by THE SAME AUTHOR – one way or another you ‘re going to outgrow them.I turn out to be one of those people and it sucked big TIME because I ended up : a ) beingin the integral report. I had no reactions to the jokes ( which consists of snarks, witty comebacks and lots of modern pop culture ) or the big answer reveals – none. Everything fair feel excessively blasted repeated. Formulaic and methodical even.b ) feelingby the overuse plotlines/story arcs.In this book, a prophecy forewarned Ragnarok ( conclusion of days ) and that a hero will walk into the movie and prevent/postpone that from happpening. So its a bicycle, heroes must fight back wrathful gods/monsters who try to destroy them and take over the whole wide world.Yada, yada, yada. You know the drill.Moving on.c ) feel … by the overuse ‘The Chosen Special Snowflake ‘ trope and 1000x other tropes.Gods, Riordan, if entirely you ‘d stop with the repetitions ! It ‘s gettingd ) feelingfrom many characters here. Something that ‘s never happened to me when it comes to Riordan ‘s books. So the fact that I ‘m ‘not feeling it ‘ in truth, very blows.Do n’t get me wrong, each one of the characters here are actually all wonderfully fleshed out well with their own quirks and personalities ( I have a HUGE adoration for both extremely low frequency and dwarf : Hearthstone & Blitz ) but they do n’t feel then fully developed.I hate to compare this to Percy Jackson/Kane Chronicles/The Heroes of Olympus bute ) Getting realat the ‘question evading ‘ move.QUESTIONS ARE EVADED A LOT HERE. Which is something I notice Riordan has a substance abuse of doing in all his written works.Look ,. That ‘s what this record does a lot. Whenever Magnus Chase questions something/someone, other people would be on the verge of answering him then suddenly, something else happens and the book will be all … speak about getting exasperated, man.f ) feelingwith the depictions of the Norse gods and goddesses. All myths and legends are laced with asperity and bloodshed but it was never that way here. Everything that ‘s dark and grimy are watered down into a cockamamie, lighter version.I rightfully was expecting something morehere. I wanted the depicting of the gods & godesses to be legit. Ca n’t everything and everyone not be made into a butt for once ? This is Young Adult, the audiences can handle a bit of earnestness. Let there be more bloodshed ! * * *

I can never ever come close to hate anything Riordan writes but I can be underwhelmed and let down. Maybe even bored. Bummer.

However, despite its many not-so-redeeming qualities, there are still a ton of stuffs that I can praise.

• This book deals with DIVERSITY & EQUALITY (in the most unique way possible). Here, we have a muslim female sidekick, Samirah Al-Abbas, who wears a magical(!) hijab and wields some serious axe-slashing skill. Oh, and she’s also in an arranged marriage with her twice-removed cousin.

Surprise, surprise! Seriously, that don’t happen often in many YA books.

Eventhough Riordan glossed over the subject, I find it a pleasant thing that he brought it up for his readers. God knows how most of us are almost completely ignorant on that subject.

When someone mentions human equality in races – that’s seriously great. But here, it’s like the author himself has decided to humanize elves, giants and dwarves and that as much as us normal human beings, they deserve not to be excluded out or be stereotyped too. (You’ll get what I mean when you read the book)

• The adventures never seem to s-t-o-p. They won’t even let you have the liberty to pause and catch your breath because in every chapters, there will always, always be some quest going on despite the fact that Ragnarok is looming around the corner.

What makes it most interesting is that these quests are often enlightening. You’ll learn a LOT of Norse myths along the way.

• The awesome and ACCURATE imitation of a teenager’s lifestyle and voice. We all know Mr Riordan isn’t a teenager but I swear, I think he may still be one because he realistically captured how a teenager would sound, behave and act like. The narration that comes from Magnus, a 16 year old, never felt so forced and it was easy for me to be able to just click with him.

Also, brace yourself for MANY mentions of modern pop cultures. (Featuring… Taylor Swift) Oh… and TV shows, too.

• The HILARIOUS titles are back in the picture and they’re most probably going to make you bend over chortling.To the readers who have loyally followed Riordan’s trails for years now will know what I’m talking about. This author is the MAN when it comes to chapter titles.

To wrap it up, this book was just fun and silly to read. I’d say educational, too. But other than that, a part of me has decided that it’s probably time I outgrow Riordan’s books (Hello, maturity!) and move on to a more serious myth-related stories. I will still read Magnus Chase’s further adventures but something tells me that the magic and the fun I’d be feeling will not be so much anymore. I’m totally not emotional right now.

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I can never always come close to hate anything Riordan writes but I can be underwhelmed and let down. possibly even bored. Bummer.However, despite its many not-so-redeeming qualities, there are still a long ton of stuffs that I can praise.Here, we have a muslim female buddy, Samirah Al-Abbas, who wears a charming ( ! ) hijab and wields some serious axe-slashing skill. Oh, and she ‘s besides in an format marriage with her twice-removed cousin.Surprise, surprise ! seriously, that do n’t happen often in many YA books.Eventhough Riordan glossed over the subject, I find it a pleasant thing that he brought it up for his readers. God knows how most of us are about wholly ignorant on that subject.When person mentions homo equality in races – that ‘s seriously great. But hera, ( You ‘ll get what I mean when you read the book ) because in every chapters, there will constantly, always be some quest going on despite the fact that Ragnarok is looming around the corner.What makes it most concern is that these quests are much enlightening.We all know Mr Riordan is n’t a adolescent but I swear, I think he may still be one because he realistically captured how a adolescent would sound, behave and act like. The narration that comes from Magnus, a 16 year old, never felt so forced and it was easy for me to be able to just click with him.Also, brace yourself for MANY mentions of modern dad cultures. ( Featuring … Taylor Swift ) Oh … and television receiver shows, too..To the readers who have loyally followed Riordan ‘s trails for years now will know what I ‘m talking about. This generator is the serviceman when it comes to chapter titles.To wrap it up, this book was precisely fun and silly to read. I ‘d say educational, besides. But early than that, a depart of me has decided that it ‘s probably time I outgrow Riordan ‘s books ( Hello, maturity ! ) and move on to a more unplayful myth-related stories. I will still read Magnus Chase ‘s far adventures but something tells me that the magic and the playfulness I ‘d be feeling will not be so much anymore.