Book excerpt: One of the greatest heroes from Marvel—and myth—returns as Thor battles the mightiest of the giants in a fight to the death. The first book in an action-packed trilogy, Dueling with Giants is a story of epic combat from start to finish, sure to entertain fans of Marvel comics and adventure novels alike. During just another day for the God of Thunder, Thor is defending Asgard against invading trolls when the unthinkable happens—his hammer, Mjolnir, loses its enchantment, depleting Thor's strength. Thor is still more than a match for his enemies; after vanquishing them, he learns the secret to his sudden weakness: Mjolnir has been switched! And only one being is cunning enough to carry out such a trick: Thor's own adopted brother, Loki. As punishment, Odin imprisons Loki for a year, but the trickster soon takes on other forms and escapes his imprisonment. He provokes a dispute between Odin and the giant Hrungnir—one that soon brings a full-scale attack on Asgard and a one-on-one challenge to Thor himself. Dueling with Giants will be followed by two more riveting installments featuring Sif and the Warriors Three, all written by Marvel veteran and popular fantasy author Keith R.A. DeCandido. The Tales of Asgard Trilogy will be an adventure that Marvel readers won't soon forget.