Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: Book 2- The Hammer Of Thor

A Worthy Sequel to the First Book -The Sword Of Summer (This a is a link to the first Book's review).
This Book is especially quintessential to the mythological fanatics. It tingles the imagination of the readers further than they can even dream,to the extent of making them believe that Norse Gods roamed the Earth.

The book is suitable for kids above 12 years of age. The Book is a masterpiece, one of the most irresistible creations of Rick Riordan. 

The book throws light on the life of our hero Magnus Chase and his bunch of friends ,i.e., Samirah al Abbas, the reinstated Valkyrie , Blitzen , the Dwarf, and Hearthstone , the Elf. It commences six weeks after the First Book has ended.

Magnus is completely unaware of the happenings in the outside world (the Real Nine Worlds), outside Valhalla. Unexpectedly Sam ( Samirah) drops a message that she wanted to talk a matter of Life and Death with him. They are expecting an informant, who will explain the whole situation to Magnus. But Samirah receives a message to deliver a soul to the Hall of Heroes- Valhalla. 

This leaves Magnus realizes that the informant , Holy Goat , is Otis ,the goat, who with his Brother Marvin serves as Thor's Chariot Puller as well as his dinner. Otis delivers to him the disturbing information that Thor's Hammer Mjolnir, the mightiest Force in the Nine Worlds, is missing again and they want them to find it.

An ax goes thwack through Otis's neck as Magnus notices a masked person running away from the scene. Who is this person and what does he want? Why does he advise Magnus not to go to Provincetown as the Goat had suggested?

Magnus is further irritated by the fact that a person Alex Fierro arrives in Valhalla and not only punches Samirah but also Helgi,the formidable manager of Hotel Valhalla. 

When Magnus hears about the proposed marriage of Samirah to a Giant in exchange of Thor's Hammer , he is outraged by the sheer dumbness of the plan. But this is indeed the creation of Loki, the God of Evil. 

What will Magnus do to stop Loki from achieving his motive? Will Magnus succeed in saving Sam from this forced marriage? Who is this mysterious goat killer? What role Alex Fierro, the child of Loki play?
Read the book to know more.

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Hope you have a good time reading the Book.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard:Book 1- The Sword Of Summer

'An Intriguing tale of Thrill and Adventure', are the words which characterize this book. The book introduces us to Magnus Chase, the son of Frey and another mythological branch being touched by none other than Rick Riordan. The book helps us discover the Norse Gods in the present century and the struggle to delay Ragnarok, the fated day of Doom. This book is a fantastic read for the age group 12-19.

The Book describes the life of a homeless orphan in Boston. Its been two years since Magnus's Mom was devoured by wolves at their apartment. These wolves are not the usual kind though, these are supernatural wolves.
One of these days Magnus wakes up to his homeless friend Blitz telling him that some people are searching for him and he should go to his other homeless friend Hearth.

But this is not what Magnus desires, he finds for himself the people searching for him. They are his Uncle Frederick and his cousin Annabeth . He rushes off to break into his Uncle Randolph's house, a place, though near, was forbidden by his mother.

Magnus is about to leave when suddenly Uncle Randolph appears claiming, that Magnus is a son of a Norse God ,and he needs to come with him right away to claim a sword at the river that is his birthright and also the only way for him to stay alive against some people who have come to slay him.

Magnus realizes that they are headed to the Longfellow Bridge and he has to summon a sword buried under a thick sheet of ice and water. At this point, he considers that his Uncle was not in the right state of mind but after a lot of coaxing and a huge explosion he tries to summon it and succeeds.

But his triumph his short lived, suddenly a flaming Giant, Surt the King of Muspellheim , appears trying to snatch the Sword of Summer from him. Magnus sacrifices himself and saves the lives of all the people at the Bridge.

Well, seems like the end of the story but no it is the start. Magnus is destined for the Warrior heaven Valhalla here he encounters many new revelations the least strange of them being his death.

Magnus is part of a Prophecy by the Norns, three ladies that decide the fate of Humans and Gods alike.
Wrongly chosen, wrongly slain,
A hero Valhalla cannot contain.
Nine days hence the sun must go east,
Ere Sword of Summer unbinds the beast. Will Magnus stop the day of Ragnarok? Will he stand up to shoulder his responsibility? Read the Book to know more.
The Book combines action with comedy. The book contains a lot of touches of humor to lighten up the mind of the reader. The book contains a lot of information for a Norse Mythology geek and yes a far less glamorous Thor than the movies portray. The Book is a must read for all the myth geeks and yes evreyone with the slightest sense of humor.

The Alchemist- Paulo Coelho

The most inspiring thing in life is the present ;pay heed to it, you find omens, maybe good or maybe bad; pay heed to future,the greatest ambiguity of life , and stay in despair to never realize your destiny.
This amazing book encases the true wisdom of the world, the language, the universal language by which all elements of the cosmos communicate. 
This is about discovering the real you, knowing that you know nothing and embracing each opportunity to learn, be it art or love or alchemy(!!!).
The book encompasses the adventure of a little Andalusian shepherd.
The Shepherd roams the Andalusian hills in complete solitude. One night, he sleeps at a long forsaken Church. A dream about a Treasure in the vicinity of the Great Pyramids prompts him to undertake a journey to these pyramids. On the way, he discovers greater treasures than promised by his vision, he discovers language of the world,Alchemy, the connection to the Almighty and  the most beautiful of all,Love.
The book makes you travel through the Sahara, the dreariest place on Earth, the least likely place to find all the virtues I mentioned before. But the author compels us to explore the Desert Sands and marvel at its unmatched Beauty, one of a kind.
There is a lot to be learned always ,so I recommend this mind-shattering book for all ages(Note: the Child must know how to read, at least).
Discover the secrets of one of the highest selling books of the world. Immerse yourself in the world of this amazing Shepherd. Witness Alchemy at its Best.
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Shiva Trilogy: Book 1:-The Immortals Of Meluha

Sapt Sindhu (Land of Seven Rivers)

North India in 1900 BC

This Book is a fantastic histomythological fiction fit for ages above 11 yrs for some reasons.
Indian Sub-Continent is dominated by two vast empires one of which we are going to traverse through our journey. The land we are talking about is called Meluha, a land of pure life. The Book is a must read for all the Indian Mythology fanatics, a prospect to re-imagine the life of Lord Shiva as a Human Being-whose karma transformed into our beloved God.

Shiva is the chief of the Guna Tribe, a tribe fighting all odds to perpetuate in the vicinity of Mansarovar-The Holy Lake-in Tibet. The weather is intolerable and the warring tribe Pakrati still more intolerable.

The Pakratis are ruthless murderers, who spare not even women and children. The Gunas are offered a peaceful life in the land of Meluha by an envoy lead by Captain Nandi. Shiva is doubtful but when the Pakratis attack them and he observes the Meluhans risking their lives for his tribe's sake , he is convinced to leave. Even though the traditions dictate that the people have to follow their chief, Shiva asks for his best friend and a respected warrior Bhadra's and people's counsel on what is to be done. Their opinions concurred with Shiva's and the soon departed for this land beyond the Great Himalayan Mountains. Their journey is as uneventful as their life back on the lake was, they face an assault from the Pakratis whom they defeat and grant immunity.

They soon reach Srinagar,a Border town of Meluha. They are lodged outside the city and administered a drink called the Somras. Shiva's neck turns blue and he is recognized as the fabled Neelkanth, the savior of Sapt Sindhu , the Destroyer of Evil.

Can Lord Shiva turn the fortunes of Meluha?
Can he defeat the Evil Chandravanshis?
Is Shiva ready to shoulder such responsibility?

Read the Book to know further.

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The Hunger Games Series: Part 2:- Catching Fire

The book requires some amount of maturity to read, with the alarming amount of Violence depicted. Consequently I would like to rate it for 14+yrs.
Nonetheless it is an exciting tale full of detailed analysis of Katniss' character. This edition is a major change of stance of Katniss because here she is seen as weak on the opposite of the first book's stance depicting her as Diamond strong.

Click here to read about the first book. Please scroll down a bit when you reach the page.

This a fiery throwback to the life of our protagonist Katniss Everdeen. The games have sucked out the joy of the peaceful little life of hers. Buckets of money at her reach have made her idle and hunting only a past time.
She is not the only survivor of the Capitol's preposterous design, her district's male tribute, Peeta Mellark has also survived. This instead of providing Katniss solace for doing an act of Defiance against Capitol is becoming a nightmare for her. President Snow is at her doorstep with the threat of an imminent death if she does not convince the world of her love for Peeta.

She is assigned to the task of convincing the people of Panem to believe in her love during the Victory Tour:a tour of all the districts of Panem done by Victors of the Hunger Games.With this heavy task weighing her shoulders down, she is in a frantic state.The Lives of all her family members, the Hawthorne Family and Peeta's Family is at stake.

It is the 75th Hunger Games this year, the Quarter Quell, a special occasion every quarter century to renew the horrors of the Dark Days (The time when the districts had revolted against the Capitol's Rule).What surprise does it pack this time?
The revolution is still living even better it is brewing.The best way to describe it is that the Capitol's despotic system is increasingly under fire.

Kan Katniss,the girl on fire survive this inferno?
Will she live to call it day? What has fate in store for this seventeen year old?

Read to know further.Also read the review of the first Book.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Book 2- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Indeed, another adventure in Narnia. 

The White Witch aka Jadis has taken control of Narnia and imposed an endless Winter without a Christmas.

Only when two sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve sit on the four thrones at Cair Paravel can the land  be freed of this winter and the rule of the Tyrant Queen.
It has been a thousand years since Digory and Polly witnessed Narnia's Creation. Aslan is not known to be seen since a lot of time. Will he come back to save the World he created?

For more information about Narnia Click this link.

In Our World, the World War II is raging and four children(Londoners) have been sent to the country away from the bombings in the house of a Professor ,named Digory Kirke. This is the same Digory as in the Magician's Nephew. Lucy Pevensie the youngest is fascinated by the Castle like Old House of Professor Kirke as all the others Edmund, Susan And Peter (In Ascending Order of their Age). 

They go room to room in search of things that may interest them. They come upon a room with the only Furniture adorning it being a Large Wooden Wardrobe, except it all Bare. Edmund , Susan ans Peter all a bit grown-up were not a bit interested by this particular room. But Lucy found something queerly attractive about it. She went inside the wardrobe taking care not to close it. She went on going inside but didn't find its wooden wall nor feel its wooden floor. She has landed into the mysterious country of Narnia. She meets a Faun Mr. Tumnus, who tells her about the Witch's treachery. She stays hours there but when she comes back the others have only just gone out of that room.

Lucy's Tale is not believed by anyone and she is teased about it by Edmund. When Lucy goes inside the wardrobe with the others they only find the wardrobe's end not Narnia's Entrance. But then in a game of Hide and Seek Edmund follows Lucy into the wardrobe and both end up in Narnia. Here Ed meets Jadis and agrees to help her capture his brother and sisters in lieu of making him the Crown Prince of Narnia, to rule after her death. Edmund meets Lucy there but doesn't accept the truth in front of the others.

Edmund betrays them all when they accidentally enter Narnia and makes the White Witch follow the others. With the help of the Beavers they meet Aslan. But due to Aslan's presence the Winter is already vanishing. What will happen to Edmund? Will Aslan be able to Save Narnia and crown the four, Kings and Queens of Narnia as prophesied?

This book is a worthier successor of Magician's Nephew and as it originally was, an excellent first view into the Narnian World. This Book creates in the mind of readers warmth that they can defeat any and every evil that arises. This book goes far beyond our wildest Imaginations into this beautiful country ,inhabited by talking animals, Centaurs and Dwarfs as free people. This defines that they have freedom be they of any kind. I would rate this book a must read for anyone interested in the fantasy world,especially children.

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The Hunger Games Series:Part-1:-The Hunger Games

This Book Transports us into the future, a world destroyed by a nuclear war and what that is left at the end of it,the nation of Panem. Panem lies in the ruins of a place once called North America . Ruled by a city of extravagance, the Capitol. It is surrounded by twelve districts, each supporting the capitol's economy and resource requirements.
We move to District Twelve, a starved district with a population of around 8,000. This district was the coal miner's district. The district was protected by an electrified fence from the woods, indeed protected to starve.

The protagonist Katniss Everdeen lives here,with her sister Primrose aka Prim Everdeen and her mother. Her father had died in a Coal Mine Explosion five years ago. Katniss was 11 then. She is the bread earner of the family now as her mother, broken down from inside after her father's death, does not work.
Katniss,though, has no sympathy for her. She feels that her mother left them when she and her sister needed her most. Now, she goes to the prohibited woods where she hunts and snares and forages for 
anything that translates into money and food.
She has a hunting partner with her,Gale Hawthorne. He is just a partner not a boyfriend. Today is Sunday but it is more special(and frightful) than you might imagine. Today is the reaping, a sort of lottery in which the names of all the boys and girls between 12 and 18 of the district is present. From each Gender Pool is selected a kid to participate in the annual, all-district Hunger Games. This was a televised fight until death between children, The Capitol through this competition or even a vulgarity expressed its control over the districts and the Districts' helplessness.
Katniss's  name has been entered 13 times ,as she also signs up for free grain every month called tesserae, entering her name again and again. She does not allow Prim to do so. She is thus not worried about her one chit but about Gale's 18. Each child from 12 has to get their name entered once then twice for 13 and so on. 

Disaster strikes as host from Capitol Effie Trinket announces Prim's name, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place. This system was available if another child wanted to compete in the Games in someone else's place. 
The Boy tribute selected was Peeta Mellark , the son of the baker. He had once saved her life when she was nearing starvation by burning a part of a Bread and throwing the rest to Katniss. He was the Boy with the Bread. How Could she possibly kill him? Will she survive to come back home? If she comes back, at what costs ?

This book gives a lot of thrill to the reader. The reader may not be able to separate himself from such an engaging book. The book though should not spread a kind of terror in the minds of the people that the world as we know it can end. Due to its gory scenes and various other reasons I would recommend it for only children above 13 years of age.

"Let the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games Begin."
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The Chronicles of Narnia: Book 1- The Magician's Nephew

• This book is ideal for the ages 7 yrs to 11 yrs old ,though it will enchant you even if you are older.
• Written in 1955 by none other than the legendary wordsmith C S Lewis and the beautiful illustrations that illustrate a image in your mind are from none other than Pauline Baynes.

This Book is indeed a treasure trove of amazement and imagination.This book describes the Garden between the Worlds and the Creation of Narnia itself. This is the story of Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer and their unwilling but all the more exciting exploits to other universes.

Digory has moved to London to live with his aunt Letty and Uncle Andrew with his mother,leaving behind his father in India,due to her ill health. He feels London is a hole, a very crowded and non-enjoyable place.This is till one day he finds a friend in Polly Plummer, who lives next door. She had previously discovered a passage between all the houses in their row.They decide to explore an unoccupied house. But they land in his wicked Uncle Andrew's study forbidden to him. Polly is sent to the other world by the magic of the magic rings and Digory follow to rescue her.

He lands in the other world ,the world between the worlds, the Garden between the Worlds, He finds Polly and despite Polly's protests he jumps into a dead and evil world, Charn ,there he rings a seemingly harmless bell awakening the most evil sorceress that ever existed. She is also the person who has destroyed the civilization in Charn.

Can they stop her ruling our World? How does she get into the sacred land of Narnia?
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