Loki's Wolves (Blackwell Pages)
Norse mythology intrudes on the modern world as Ragnarök (the apocalyptic battle between gods and monsters) approaches, but no gods are left alive to fight for the world’s survival. Now their descendants, including three middle-school kids from South Dakota, must challenge the monsters in the final battle. Chosen to represent Thor’s clan, 13-year-old Matt joins classmates Fen and Laurie, descendants of Loki. After consulting the Norns and the Valkyries, they search for the other young god counterparts as well as magical weapons. The third-person narrative looks at each main character’s strengths and insecurities as they attempt to work together. Comparisons with Rick Riordan’s novels based on Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology are inevitable, but this series aims at a somewhat younger audience and features characters who are, at least so far, considerably more human than godlike and more anxious than cocky. While setting up the series takes time, there’s plenty of action to quicken the pace. The first volume in the Blackwell Pages series will please many fans of mythology-based adventures. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan