Loki Thor Ragnars – A Book Review

In this dark comedy/adventure novel, Lord of the Rings expert author Edith Nesbit takes readers deep into Middle Earth and the realm of Morgoth in search of the legendary hammer of Thrond, known as the hammer of Loki. After a brief introduction of the background of the story, we learn that Thor is a prince living in the land of Lindow on the western coast of Middle Earth when his kingdom is invaded by the evil Balrog King that has made home for himself there. Thor must defeat his sworn enemy and return to Lindow before his kingdom is conquered by the evil king. We also learn that Thor has inherited the magical strength of the dwarf whom he had earlier saved from the clutches of the troll Grishnagor. Grishnagor possesses a Ring of Valiance, which has magical powers and abilities like those of Thor. But while Thor is on his quest for the hammer, he also has to contend with other powerful characters such as Fairies, giants, elves, gnomes and the Mouthful of Man.

This book has some nice twists that kept me reading through to the end, despite the length. I especially loved when one character said that he (Thor) was the cause of his foster-father’s death. And then in the last third of the book, after the seemingly inevitable fight against the Balrog King and his army of Orcs and trolls, Thor meets the beloved Catelyn whom he names as his queen. The introduction of Catelyn and her relation to Thor, along with her role in helping him overcome his greatest enemy and return home makes this book an interesting read although the subject of her love for Thor is only revealed towards the end of the book.

I enjoyed this book, although some of the elements such as fairies and gnomes may not be for everybody. However, the story itself is very entertaining and fun to read, especially because of the set-up of the whole adventure. I would recommend this book to people who have an avid interest in the Lord of the Rings trilogies or in ancient mythology. For those who are not huge fans of the literary genre, this book will not affect you negatively.