about the book
Growing up in small town South Dakota, Matt Thorsen feels like he can never live up to the expectations of his family. His police officer father and older brothers all overshadow him—and it really doesn’t help that he’s a descendent of the Norse god Thor.
When it’s time to choose Thor’s champion, the person who will be the leader during the final battle of Ragnarok, Matt can’t believe who the runes choose: him.
Now he’s supposed to fight trolls, monstrous wolves, and giant serpents. If he fails, the world ends. Too much pressure for a thirteen-year-old? Apparently fate doesn’t think so.
Before Ragnarok comes, Matt must enlist the help of his two troublemaking cousins, Laurie and Fen, who are descendents of the trickster god Loki. Who else will join the team, help find Thor’s hammer and shield, and… prevent the end of the world?
about the authors
K.L. Armstrong is the pen name of author Kelley Armstrong’s middle grade novels. She also writes for teens and adults. Kelley was born in Sudbury and grew up in the Canadian town of London, Ontario.
She’s been telling stories since before she could write and labels her first written efforts as “disastrous.” When teachers asked for stories about dolls or girls, she gave them stories about evil dolls and undead girls. Today, her novels still include paranormal elements: werewolves, ghosts, and demons.
Kelley co-wrote Loki’s Wolves, her first novel for middle grade readers, with her friend Melissa Marr. Both writers had sons who kept asking for a book they’d actually read (a book with werewolves, tons of action, and no kissing didn’t count because a girl was on the cover). Loki’s Wolves draws on the authors’ fascination with Norse mythology and desire to make something for their boys. Kelley wrote Matt’s point of view while Melissa wrote everyone else’s point of view.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Kelley earned studied both psychology and computer programming. She also loves tackling creatures in video games.
Kelley lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids, and pets.
Source:
Author website
Blackwell Pages series website
Author biography: Hachette Book Group
Author biography: Epic Reads
Author interview: Publishers Weekly Podcast
Author interview: Success Circuit
Also by K.L. Armstrong:
Thor’s Serpents (Blackwell Pages, Book 3) with M.A. Marr. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2015.
Odin’s Ravens (Blackwell Pages, Book 2) with M.A. Marr. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2014.
Melissa Marr publishes her middle grade novels under the pen name M.A. Marr. She writes fiction for adults, teens, and children.
She was born in Pennsylvania and grew up believing in faeries, ghosts, and other creatures. After studying literature for seven years, she earned enough degrees to teach literature to college students, which she did for twelve years. It was through her time studying and teaching literature that she learned to write.
Since Melissa reads a lot of folklore and history, that’s where she often gets her story ideas from. In fact, her novel Loki’s Wolves, which she co-wrote with her friend Kelley Armstrong, draws from Norse mythology. Loki’s Wolves was written for her son, who wanted her to write something he’d actually read. Kelley wrote Matt’s point of view while Melissa wrote everyone else’s point of view.
She enjoys art in all its guises: graffiti, surrealist paintings, classic sculptures, tattoos, buildings, Renoir, and photography.
Melissa lives in Virginia with her husband, three children, several dogs, and one cat.
Source:
Author website
Blackwell Pages series website
Author biography: Hachette Book Group
Author biography: Amazon
Author interview: Publishers Weekly Podcast
Also by M.A. Marr:
Thor’s Serpents (Blackwell Pages, Book 3) with K.L. Armstrong. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2015.
Odin’s Ravens (Blackwell Pages, Book 2) with K.L. Armstrong. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2014.
read more!
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
Odd, a young Viking with a shattered leg, is in the forest one day gathering wood when he meets three animals: a bear, an eagle, and a fox. The animals tell him a story, and before the story is finished Odd will find himself traveling to Asgard in order to save the Norse gods from the Frost Giants who have invaded it.
Odin’s Ravens (Blackwell Pages, Book 2) by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
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