Odin's Ravens

March 15, 2014
In the second installment of Blackwell Pages, 13-year-old Matt Thorsen and his friends Laurie and Fen, descendants of Norse gods, race to prevent the apocalypse. If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, the way to the Norse version--Hel--is paved with fire giants, killer guard dogs, Viking zombies, a river of acid, cave bears and even a Hel Chicken. Picking up where the first volume concluded, this tale has Matt and company going to Hel to save their dead friend, Baldwin, but then they must figure out how to get out alive in time to defeat the Midgard Serpent and stop the Norse end of days. If they fail, the world will be plunged into an endless winter. This sequel stands by itself, as essential details of the first are neatly woven throughout. Intense action, well-crafted scenes and humor-laced dialogue add up to a sure winner. Just enough black-and-white illustrations add a visual dimension to the vivid text. What Riordan has done for Greek and Egyptian mythology, Armstrong and Marr are doing for Norse myths, and readers will come away knowing much about Valkyries, Berserkers, wulfenkind and draugr. A Hel of a good read. (Fantasy. 8-14)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2014

Gr 4-7-In Loki's Wolves (Little, Brown, 2013), 13-year-olds Matt, Laurie, and Fen all learn that they are the descendants of Norse gods. Upon making this discovery, they set out on a journey to locate the rest of the descendants in an effort to pool their strengths and defeat a giant serpent hell-bent on bringing about the apocalypse. They hit a roadblock, however, when a fellow descendant is killed and sent to the Underworld. This installment in the series begins where the first book left off, with the three teens trapped in the Underworld on a mission to reclaim their friend Baldwin. The chapters alternate among the three main characters. The story is a perfect fit for reluctant readers as the action begins on page one and never lets up. This is not a standalone title, however. Reading Loki's Wolves first is a must. Recommend "The Blackwell Pages" to kids looking for a companion series to Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" books (Hyperion).-Jennifer Furuyama, Pendleton Public Library, OR

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 This sequel to Loki's Wolves (2013) delivers plenty of action as well as reflective moments for its five main characters, teens descended from the Norse gods Thor, Loki, Baldur, and Odin. Former middle-school classmates Matt, Laurie, and Fen rescue their friend Baldwin from the underworld, defeat a cave bear, and fight many zombie-like draugrs, while their ally Owen faces his own challenges, rejoining his pals when he can. All the young descendants of the gods struggle to come to terms with their roles in the coming epic battle foretold in Norse mythology. The second volume in the fast-paced Blackwell Pages series, this flows well, developing the main characters and offering moments of humor even as it delivers exciting scenes of quest, combat, and adventure. Narrative shifts from one teen hero to another add further dimension to the story as the characters confront personal insecurities, suspicions of each other, and their terrifying enemies. Keep this series in mind for Percy Jackson fans in search of fresh reading material. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The Blackwell Pages looks poised to join Armstrong and Marr's previous series on the bestseller lists, and the extra push from a multi-platform marketing campaign should help.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)