Emerald Green

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier, 2010 Square Fish

     The final installment of Gwen's story follows directly on the heels of Sapphire Blue. Gwenyth and Gideon have spoken with Lucy and Paul leading the pair even further from trusting the Saint-Germain Society. 

     Gwenyth and Gideon discover the answer ot their riddle of teh chronograph--Gwen is immortal and the Count Saint-Germain craves her immortality enough to forcer to take her own life. 

     The two time-travelers are on the outs after Gwen misunderstands (with her cousin's vehement insinuation) the relationship between Gideon and Charlotte. With Gideon as her only quasi-reliable ally at the society Gwen grudginly allows him to help. Raphael (Gideon's brother), Leslie, and Xemerius try to piece everything together before Gwen has her meeting with the count. 

     The Saint-Germain Society insists that Gwen adn Gideon complete the circle of the chronograph at the count' behest. But their conversations with Lucy and Paul have set Gwen on a parallel path: they direct her to the stolen chronograph in present time. 

     Gweneth and Gideon close the original Chronograph's circle with Gideon's blood and find the Philosopher's Stone. The society force the meeting with the Count while Gwen's cousin Charlotte believes she is hiding something--which she is--and tries to bring the full weight of the society down. Her repeated attempts to discredit Gwen backfire when Charlotte spills secrets of the society and Gwenyth appears to follow all of the society's dictates. 

     It all comes to a head when secrets are revealed and the count isn't just some figure in history. Gwen and ideon have choices that will affect not just their futures and teh society, but all of humanity. 

     This conclusion to the Gemstone Trilogy ties up the loose ends and allows for the future. Emerald Green is aimed at teen readers with elements of romance and time travel. 

The Sword of Summer

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan, 2015 Disney-Hyperion Books

     On the streets of Boston, Magnus Chase and his two companions, Hearthstone and Blitzen, survive on their wits. After Magnus's mother mysteriously dies chased by otherworldly wolves, he fled from a questionable uncle, Randolph, and has survived two itinerant years. 

     On his sixteenth birthday, Magnus discovers his Uncle Randolph has set his cousin Annabeth and her father, Uncle Frederick, after him. Randolph catches his nephew and cryptically sends Magnus on a mission to find the Sword of Summer--a mythical and magical sword belonging to the Norse god Frey. A fire giant, Surt, arrives and demands the newly obtained sword from the young man. 

     Magnus awakens after his fight with Surt in Valhalla: the realm of heroes. Memories of wolves and fire seem to herald the end of days--the Norse Ragnarök. Magnus learns he is the son of the god Frey and the Sword of Summer is his birthright. The Valkyrie who brought Magnus to Valhalla, Sam, introduces him to his hall-mates: X, Thomas Jefferson Jr, and Halfborn. His friends Blitzen and Hearthstone reveal themselves to be a dwarf and elf, respectively. 

     While Magnus is happy to see his old friends his frustration rises as the various authorities threaten and cajole him, trying to get the Sword. Magnus, Blitz, and Hearth go searching for the sword--missing after the fight with Surt--and are joined by Sam whose participation hinges on obtaining the sword to regain her Valkyrie status, lost when she chose to bring Magnus into Valhalla. 

     The quartet travels through the realms as they gather item after item to trade in their quest for the Sword and to re-secure the Fenris Wolf. Loki and those who would encourage Ragnarök try to bargain with Magnus, but the young warrior has an over-developed sense of justice and will not back down from his plan to save the world. 

     Despite the ever-growing to-do list Magnus, Blitz, Hearth, and Sam continue to fight to prevent the end of the world. Readers who enjoyed Riordan's Percy Jackson series or the Blackwell Pages will enjoy this new look at the Norse myths. The story is written for middle-grade readers, with an eye toward modern social conventions and considerations.  The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy ties back to Percy's adventures through his cousin, Annabeth Chase.