Tag: chaos

The Testament of Loki (Loki, #2) by Joanne M. Harris

The Testament of Loki (Loki, #2) by Joanne M. Harris

“Once more the Wolf at Hel’s gate greets Asgard’s heroes, one by one. Battle rages, Worlds collide. Stars fall. Once more, Death has won.” pg 5

Ragnarok has come and gone. It didn’t end well for any of the gods, goddesses or, everyone’s favorite Chaos demon, Loki. He begins this story in the same place we left him in the last one — a dungeon in the world of Chaos, wishing and dreaming for light.

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What happens next is surprising and told in only the way that Joanne Harris can do it.

“Stories can do so many things. Build empires, topple kings. They can even raise the dead. I should know; they raised me.” pg 10

This wholly unique tale is more along the lines of what I had expected from The Gospel of Loki, but didn’t get. In the previous book, Harris rewrites Norse mythology in much the same way as it has always been told. I get it, she was giving us context. But, it wasn’t very much fun to read… just rehashing old stories.

In this entry, we see Loki in a whole new light with modern characters and his typical problems. It makes for a more cohesive and, in my opinion, entertaining story.

“You know, ‘crazy’ is such a negative word. I prefer ‘disordered.’ Order’s so dull. Chaos is where the party is.” pg 25

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What has an immortal trickster god learned over his long lifetime? In The Gospel of Loki, he learned the only person he could trust in the world is himself. He learned what it was to be hated for what you were, rather than any actions that one may take. (Though, perhaps, he didn’t always behave in a way to endear himself to others. Not that Loki would ever admit that, of course.)

He learned that prophecies are tricky things and can be bent to be of use to those who deliver them.

“The Prophecy promised us new runes, new gods, a new beginning. And I mean to find those new runes with whatever resources this World can provide.” pg 68

Is it too late for Loki to learn new tricks?

It’s been awhile since I read Harris’ other fantasy series Runemarks, but from what little I can remember of it, I think this book leads perfectly into that one. Which is a curious thing, because Runemarks was published years before this.

Oh, that Joanne Harris. She’s so sneaky. I wonder if she planned that or was embracing a bit of chaos in her writing career. If there’s anything I’ve learned from this book and the last one, it’s that a little chaos can be a good thing.

Thanks for reading!