The following version of this novel was used in the creation of this study guide: Riordan, Rick. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: Book Two: The Hammer of Thor. Hyperion, 2016. Print.

Magnus meets Samirah (Sam) who tells him to wait for her informant, a goat named Otis. He tells Magnus that Thor’s hammer is in a wight’s barrow, but is killed by a mysterious goat-assassin. Magnus chases the attacker, but loses them after being told not to rely on Otis' information.

Magnus returns to Valhalla, a massive hotel disguised as a mansion where Odin’s warriors - called einherjar - go after they are slain in glorious combat. Magnus meets with the members of his floor and is run over by the newest arrival, a shapeshifter named Alex. She demands that Magnus refer to her as a woman before the group is called off for their Thursday fight. There, they are attacked by a lindworm named Grimwolf and Loki uses Magnus’ Uncle Randolph to tell Magnus that he needs to bring the bride and the bride-price to a wedding in a few days. Alex saves Magnus from Loki’s power by killing him. He dreams of Randolph losing his family in a freak storm, his best friends Hearthstone and Blitz, and the giants, Thrym and Thrynga, that stole Thor’s hammer.

Once he wakes up and sees how Alex died and was brought to Valhalla, he talks to Sam and learns that she is to be married off to Thrym as an alliance between Thrym and her father, Loki. The two decide to go to Cape Cod where they meet Hearth and Blitz at the wight’s barrow. Once there, they awaken an undead named Gellir who owns the Skofnung Sword. After defeating him and his men, Loki appears and knocks out Sam before telling Randolph to take the sword. Randolph does so and stabs Blitz before retreating. Magnus uses sunlight to petrify his dwaven friend and the group is forced to fly to Alfheim to meet with Hearth’s abusive father, Mr. Alderman, to retrieve the Skofnung Stone.

After the police take Magnus, Hearth, and Blitz to Mr. Alderman, it is revealed that he blames Hearth for the death of Mr. Alderman’s wife and son. Hearth owes a blood price where he must cover a rug of the beast that killed his brother with coins until no hair is left. Without much time, Hearth and Magnus confront the dwarf Andvari whose massive wealth can cover the rug if they give Mr. Alderman a cursed ring. They do so and Mr. Alderman begins going crazy with greed. They unpetrify Blitz and flee the mansion.

Blitz takes Hearth to the dwarf world while Magnus finds Sam, Alex, and Sam’s betrothed Amir whose mind is struggling to adapt to the fact that Norse gods and magic exist. Magnus helps heal his mind as they all step onto the Bifrost and meet Heimdall. He tells them that Thrym is planning a wedding where no gods will be allowed. He also shows them an inflatable godzilla telling Magnus to come to Jotunheim to meet a sorcerer named Utgard-Loki.

After Magnus and Alex learn that the wedding will likely be at Bridal Veil Falls, the group reunites with Blitz and Hearth and head off, but Sam and Hearth are separated from the others. Blitz is forced to use magic on a mountain-sized bowling ball bag to carry it and earn the respect of a giant named Tiny. They arrive at Utgard-Loki’s palace - Utgard Lanes- and are challenged to a series of arcade games and a bowling tournament to prove their worth. Everyone passes their trials and Utgard-Loki tells them that Loki’s plan is to use the Skofnung Sword and Stone to break himself free. He says they can outsmart Loki, but the group is forced to run from the other giants.

They are saved by Sif, Thor’s wife, who sends them to talk to Thor. They come up with a plan to have Alex pretend to be Sam for the wedding until Thor and the other gods can arrive and retrieve the hammer. After Sif dresses them up for the wedding, Magnus, Sam, and Alex head to Thrym’s fortress near Bridal Veil Falls but are surprised when they are instead taken to Loki’s cavern. After they arrive, Randolph is summoned and asked to take the Skofnung Sword from Magnus. He does so and a fight breaks out as Alex reveals herself. Magnus kills Thrynga and nearly dies as Randolph frees Loki. However, the gods arrive and kill Thrym as Loki escapes and Randolph falls into Helheim.

Thor praises their accomplishments in Valhalla, but Magnus feels they have lost. They are told that Odin wants Sam and the others to recapture Loki. Blitz says that Hearth will one day have to face his father and that they will both be there for Magnus when he needs them. He talks to Alex before meeting Sam who tells him she wants to leave Valhalla once Loki has been caught. Magnus then sends a raven to Annabeth who tells him that it is time for him to meet her boyfriend Percy.