REVIEW: Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan

Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead is the third and final book of the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. We follow Magnus Chase, a 16-year-old demigod, fathered by Frey, who has died and become an Einherjar and is now living in the Hotel Valhalla. We begin our story with an ocean survival lesson from none other than Percy Jackson. This scene was so fun to see. To see our favourite characters interact with each other was so wonderful. They laughed and joked for a while and talked about how they faced the end of the world. Completely what normal 16 year olds do right? They have a fun catch up and go their separate ways. Alex and Magnus go to the Chase Mansion and find notes from the late Randolph at different points in time. Alex feels that these notes might be the key to defeat Loki.

They go back to Valhalla and Magnus summons his fathers boat. Which happens to be bright Yellow. His hall mates, Mallory, Half born, Thomas join him, Sam, Blitz and Hearth to capture Loki and defeat him. Blitz and Hearth accidentally get captured so the rest of the team have to go rescue them from the Nine Billow Maidens and Aegir. Loki humiliated Aegir in a flyting so let’s them escape whilst he is not looking but his daughters try and stop them by attacking them. They escape with the help of Njord, Magnus’ grandfather. He tells the gang that the only way they will defeat Loki is by drinking Kvasir’s mead.

As explained in the other books, Sam is a Muslim, so majority of this book takes place during Ramadan, a time of fasting. She finds this exhausting at times considering the amount of action that she is going through but she also finds it completely calming and connects herself to the world around her. This plays a part in majority of the book going forward.

They eventually get the information where the Kvasir’s mead is. It’s in Norway. They retrieve the mead and meet up with Loki for a flyting, which simply put, is a word battle. Loki is winning at first by belittling Magnus, but Magnus turns it around by making his teamwork evident thus, Loki shrinks because he failed to stop them stop him. Magnus makes it clear that Loki will always be alone. Magnus wins by imprisoning Loki in a walnut given to him earlier by Frigg, Mallory’s mother and Queen of Asgard. The gang head back to Valhalla where their godly parents praise them for defeating Loki and delaying Ragnarok.

This last book was truly astonishing. I was glad I read this book but now I’m going to miss these characters from the bottom of my heart.

4 out of 5 stars.