The Ritual (2017)
7.4
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Reuniting after the tragic death of their friend, four college pals set out to hike through the...
Merissa (12051 KP) created a post
Mar 27, 2024
Baculum (Angelbound Lincoln #4)
Book
As King of the Thrax, Lincoln leads the most powerful demon fighting force in the after-realms…...
Young Adult Fantasy
The Valkyrie
10.0
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Book
From SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Kate Heartfield comes a glorious, lyrical retelling of one of...
Norse mythology Retellings Historical fiction
Vikings - Season 1
8.9
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The world of the Vikings is brought to life through the journey of Ragnar Lothbrok, the first Viking...
Rob P (30 KP) rated Norse Mythology in Books
Apr 22, 2019 (Updated Apr 23, 2019)
I love mythology, and this book is a great starting point if you wish to know about the more "Hollywood" stars of Norse myth (Odin, Thor, Loki, the dwarves and frost giants, Hel (or Hela, as marvel would have it) Frey and Freya and Mimir and Heimdall and a host of others whose names you may have heard).
One of the acclaims on the front of the book sums this up quite well. "Gaiman takes on the role of the fireside Bard" - it's an easy metaphor to use, as this really is a collection of stories simplified to tales of adventure and deceit.
The vikings (or Scandinavians in general) were clearly looking to explain certain phenomena using these characters (much like Greek and Roman mythology) and I love reading about that. Trying to put myself in the position of an awed villager hearing thunder and the seeing the flash of lighting, reasoning that it must be the indomitable Thor, wielding the mighty Mjollnir, ending the life of a wicked Frost Giant with a gigantic blow. Or feeling an earthquake, and believing it must be Loki, trapped in his mountain prison, the burn of the snake's venom corroding his face as his screams of agony set the very mountains to trembling. Waiting for Ragnarok to break his bonds and have his revenge on the gods. Wonderful stuff.
If you have any interest in mythology and (like me) you don't want to dive into more reference or poetry-based offerings right away, this is a great place to start.
I guarantee that once you do, you may very well want to carry on into the more heavy hitting titles out there pertaining to Norse myth.
Definitely recommended.
Rob
World Mythology in Bite-Sized Chunks
Book
A masterful introduction to world mythology, shedding light on the impact it has had on cultures...