I haven't read any of the other two, so I can't speak to them, and of course I haven't finished this one, but let me rec Runemarks.
Gospel of Loki is a prequel to Runemarks and it shows. I don't mean that it isn't understandable on its own, because so far it is, but it's very clearly set in the same universe. Some of the 'familiar problems' I mention are a consequence of the wordbuilding for that book (I'd be hard-pressed to say what bugs me exactly about shoving norse gods into an Order/Chaos dichotomy, but it does bug me, for example). The thing is, most of the problems I have with the series as a whole (Runemarks, Runelight and now Gospel of Loki) are either downplayed in or work to the advantage of Runemarks.
If what you like about Riordan's new series is 'random kid is actually a demi-god', Runemarks might very well scratch that itch too. It's about Maddy Smith, who can do magic and has a friend called One-Eye and even saying a little bit more would be spoilery. It has an excellent protagonist in the person of Maddy, I loved the twist(s), the Loki voice in it and the characterisation of Odin are excellent, Skadi plays an important role (Skadi!) and omg Hel/Baldr, yesssssssssss.
All that being said, while the book relies a lot (almost exclusively theologically, but not, hum, physically, if that makes sense?) on Norse mythology, I don't think an in-depth knowledge of it is necessary to enjoy the book. I do have in-depth knowledge of norse mythology, so I might be biased, but Maddy knows shit about it and we're mostly (maybe even only? it's been a while) in her head, so we get the revelations at the same time she does and since the revelations carry emotional weight whether you figured them out earlier or not, it doesn't feel pointless if you have. The reason for this is that the book is set post-Ragnarok and begins like this:
Seven o'clock, on a Monday morning, five hundred years after the end of the world, and goblins had been at the cellar again...
which is pretty fucking cool as far as opening sentences go. The book does start a little slow, but it is very worth it, in the end.
If you can find it and if that's your thing, I would most absolutely reccomend the audiobook, for it is brilliant. The reader does the voices! And gives related characters the same accent!
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I haven't read any of the other two, so I can't speak to them, and of course I haven't finished this one, but let me rec Runemarks.
Gospel of Loki is a prequel to Runemarks and it shows. I don't mean that it isn't understandable on its own, because so far it is, but it's very clearly set in the same universe. Some of the 'familiar problems' I mention are a consequence of the wordbuilding for that book (I'd be hard-pressed to say what bugs me exactly about shoving norse gods into an Order/Chaos dichotomy, but it does bug me, for example). The thing is, most of the problems I have with the series as a whole (Runemarks, Runelight and now Gospel of Loki) are either downplayed in or work to the advantage of Runemarks.
If what you like about Riordan's new series is 'random kid is actually a demi-god', Runemarks might very well scratch that itch too. It's about Maddy Smith, who can do magic and has a friend called One-Eye and even saying a little bit more would be spoilery. It has an excellent protagonist in the person of Maddy, I loved the twist(s), the Loki voice in it and the characterisation of Odin are excellent, Skadi plays an important role (Skadi!) and omg Hel/Baldr, yesssssssssss.
All that being said, while the book relies a lot (almost exclusively theologically, but not, hum, physically, if that makes sense?) on Norse mythology, I don't think an in-depth knowledge of it is necessary to enjoy the book. I do have in-depth knowledge of norse mythology, so I might be biased, but Maddy knows shit about it and we're mostly (maybe even only? it's been a while) in her head, so we get the revelations at the same time she does and since the revelations carry emotional weight whether you figured them out earlier or not, it doesn't feel pointless if you have. The reason for this is that the book is set post-Ragnarok and begins like this: which is pretty fucking cool as far as opening sentences go. The book does start a little slow, but it is very worth it, in the end.
If you can find it and if that's your thing, I would most absolutely reccomend the audiobook, for it is brilliant. The reader does the voices! And gives related characters the same accent!