The best books if you came to Norse mythology via Marvel comics

James Lovegrove Author Of The Age of Odin
By James Lovegrove

Who am I?

Like Neil Gaiman, I came to Norse mythology via the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby Marvel comics route. And when I explored the material further I was struck by the darkness and unsanitised oddity of many of the stories. They clearly reflected the Vikings’ view of the world as a cold, hostile, sometimes absurd place that must be met with a strong arm and a hearty laugh if one is to survive not only physically but mentally. There’s something refreshingly honest about such an approach, and when I came to write the third novel in my Pantheon series, The Age of Odin, which recast the myths as a modern military-SF thriller, I leaned heavily into the aspects I found the most appealing as well as the most dramatic, not least the snowy apocalypse that is Ragnarök, while injecting some appropriately ribald humour too.

I wrote...

The Age of Odin

By James Lovegrove,

Book cover of The Age of Odin

What is my book about?

The Norse gods fight alongside mankind in a battle to hold back Ragnarök. Gideon Coxall was a good soldier but bad at everything else until a roadside explosive device leaves him with one deaf ear and a British Army half-pension. So when he hears about the Valhalla Project, it's like a dream come true. They're recruiting former service personnel for excellent pay, no questions asked, to take part in unspecified combat operations. The last thing Gid expects is to find himself fighting alongside ancient Viking gods. The world is in the grip of one of the worst winters it has ever known, and Ragnarök - the fabled final conflict of the Sagas - is looming.

The books I picked & why

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D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths

By Ingri D'Aulaire, Edgar Parin D'Aulaire,

Book cover of D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths

Why this book?

Originally titled Norse Gods and Giants, for many people this book will have been their first exposure to Norse mythology. It may be aimed at children, from the plain, precise text by Norwegian-born Ingri D’Aulaire to the vivid, earthy pencil illustrations by her Swiss-born husband, but the telling of the tales is wonderfully rambunctious and has an all-ages appeal.

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths

By Ingri D'Aulaire, Edgar Parin D'Aulaire,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Caldecott medal-winning d'Aulaires once again captivate their young audience with this beautifully illustrated introduction to Norse legends, telling stories of Odin the All-father, Thor the Thunder-god and the theft of his hammer, Loki the mischievous god of the Jotun Race, and Ragnarokk, the destiny of the gods. Children meet Bragi, the god of poetry, and the famous Valkyrie maidens, among other gods, goddesses, heroes, and giants. Illustrations throughout depict the wondrous other world of Norse folklore and its fantastical Northern landscape.

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Thor: Tales Of Asgard

By Jack Kirby, Stan Lee,

Book cover of Thor: Tales Of Asgard

Why this book?

This series of short back-up strips in the 1960s Thor comic from Marvel retold and embellished on the myths in characteristically bombastic Lee/Kirby fashion. While Thor himself, in the main feature, battled costumed supervillains in contemporary New York, the supporting feature dealt with his youth, his allies and enemies in Asgard itself and the rest of the Nine Realms, and a whole host of sorcerers, witches, and grotesque monsters. Kirby in particular seemed enthused by the project and it shows in his artwork.

Thor: Tales Of Asgard

By Jack Kirby, Stan Lee,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Thor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Never has Thor been more sensational than during these early tales, crafted by Marvel's greatest, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Re-live Stan and Jack's stories of the Norse Gods and Thor before he came to Earth as Don Blake. Witness as these masters breathe life into the thunder god. Read these stories as never before with all-new, modern coloring and six interlocking covers by Olivier Coipel.

Collecting:

Thor: Tales of Asgard by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby #1-6

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Norse Mythology

By Neil Gaiman,

Book cover of Norse Mythology

Why this book?

Gaiman’s love of Norse mythology was sparked when he discovered the aforementioned Tales of Asgard as a boy. He has incorporated elements of the myths in his fiction, from Sandman to American Gods, and with this book took it upon himself to re-present the stories in his own laid-back, laconic style, relishing in their vivacity and sheer strangeness. An unusually perspicacious reviewer – one James Lovegrove, in the Financial Times – gave the following assessment: "In reinterpreting the tales so faithfully and with such abundant joy, Gaiman assumes the role of fireside bard, inviting us to sit close on a chilly winter’s night and chuckle and wonder along with him.”

Norse Mythology

By Neil Gaiman,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Norse Mythology as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin's son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki-son of a giant-blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the…

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The Prose Edda

By Snorri Sturluson, Jesse L. Byock (translator),

Book cover of The Prose Edda

Why this book?

This is the primary source for the myths, culled by 13th-century poet Sturluson, and it spans everything from the creation of the Nine Realms to their ultimate destruction during Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods. There is a sense of struggle and doom throughout the saga, interspersed with moments of light relief, and anyone whose exposure to characters such as Thor and Odin comes only from the Marvel movies may be surprised at how dumb and brutish the former is here, and how fierce and forbidding the latter.

The Prose Edda

By Snorri Sturluson, Jesse L. Byock (translator),

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Prose Edda as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The most renowned of all works of Scandinavian literature and our most extensive source of Norse mythology

Written in Iceland a century after the close of the Viking Age, The Prose Edda tells ancient stories of the Norse creation epic and recounts the battles that follow as gods, giants, dwarves and elves struggle for survival. In prose interspersed with powerful verse, the Edda shows the gods' tragic realization that the future holds one final cataclysmic battle, Ragnarok, when the world will be destroyed. These tales have proved to be among the most influential of all myths and legends, inspiring works…

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Gods and Myths of Northern Europe

By H.R. Ellis Davidson,

Book cover of Gods and Myths of Northern Europe

Why this book?

This is less about the myths themselves and more about the culture that spawned them. Ellis Davidson’s analysis of Nordic pre-Christian religion is sober but accessible, and comparisons are made with other contemporary belief systems such as the Celts’ and the ancient Britons’. The book nicely ties together the disparate tales much as the world tree, Yggdrasil, is said to have tied together the Nine Realms.

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe

By H.R. Ellis Davidson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gods and Myths of Northern Europe as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Surveys the pre-Christian beliefs of the Scandinavian and Germanic peoples. Provides an introduction to this subject, giving basic outlines to the sagas and stories, and helps identify the charachter traits of not only the well known but also the lesser gods of the age.

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5 book lists we think you will like!

The best books on Norse mythology and polytheism
The best books about Norse mythology (from an archaeologist)
The best books for people with a passion for Norse myths and legends
The best books based on Norse mythology for fans of Thor
The best books on Norse myths and the gods and heroes of their universe

Interested in Norse mythology, comics, and mythology?

7,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about Norse mythology, comics, and mythology.

Norse Mythology Explore 57 books about Norse mythology
Comics Explore 114 books about comics
Mythology Explore 24 books about mythology

And, 3 books we think you will enjoy!

We think you will like Beowulf, Norse Mythology, and Norse Mythology for Kids if you like this list.

Book cover of Beowulf Book cover of Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs Book cover of Norse Mythology for Kids: Tales of Gods, Creatures, and Quests