Norse Mythology

I'd heard a lot about Norse myths on social media recently, but I was unfamiliar with them. 

The idea of Gaiman weaving his narrative magic through the tapestry of these ancient tales intrigued me, and it surely made for an exciting read.

Even if you're unfamiliar with Norse mythology (as I was), this retelling will awe you with the strangeness and wonder of these ancient tales. Norse Mythology is more than a book; it's an invitation to a hypnotic world inhabited by gods, giants, undead goats, betrayals, a mischievous squirrel, elves, dwarves, and Valkyries.

This collection is an enthralling journey… show more.

I love Neil Gaiman; he’s a true storyteller, one who doesn’t shy away from the dark.

He takes old, well-known stories of Norse gods and presents them in a refreshing and quite clever manner. At the end of the book, I felt like I knew how Thor and Odin, and other petty gods would react to any given situation.

The icing on the cake is the tongue-in-cheek, witty narrative voice which really brings this book to life. Reading this book feels like having a gifted storyteller narrate the events to you and your friends as you lounge around the fire.… show more.

I’ve always been enthralled by the myths and legends of the north. In this collection we get a deep and richly woven retelling of the famous and infamous heroes and gods of Norse mythology. Told in the narrative of a storyteller, Neil Gaiman brings these ancient legends into glorious life with his flowing and dynamic prose.

This has to be the best modern adaptation of the original Norse myths. Neil Gaiman has adapted them into something fun, easy to read, and super entertaining. The Thor and Loki tales were easy to get into, and at times hilarious! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the original Norse myths. This is more entertaining than reading the source material, and I think Neil Gaiman did a great job captivating the original spirit.

Gaiman is an exceptional and popular modern storyteller, his work in comics (Sandman), his own novels (such as the superb American Gods) and in various movie adaptations (Beowulf, 2007) demonstrates a deft and agile touch. This is an excellent introduction to the Prose Eddas, with a lively re-telling of the core tales of Norse mythology, from Odin to Loki, the frost giants to the Valkyrie. It’s a quick read which will pique your interest to research further.

Neil Gaiman relates the classic tales of Norse Mythology in an easy-to-read, modern-day voice. The best thing about this book is that he describes the Hall of Valhalla and the Realm of Asgard as clearly as your own town, and the personalities of the gods as familiar as members of your own family—that is, if you had an uncle who could command thunder with a mighty hammer, or a father who was a king who travelled in disguise, assisted by two whispering ravens!

Haters will say I’m recommending this because I’m a sucker for Norse mythology (not that they’re wrong – just look at the books I’ve written) and Neil Gaiman, so of course I’m going to recommend this. Well, they’re right, but to them I say, how can you not be a sucker for those wonderful things?

The gods and tales of Norse mythology are, I feel, so much more interesting and approachable than those of their more popular Grecian kin, and this book perfectly illustrates why. Its desire is to educate and entertain, to make the motivations of its fascinating cast… show more.

I’ve loved Neil Gaiman’s way with words since his groundbreaking Sandman comic series, so when I heard he was writing his version of the Norse myths, I jumped on the audiobook. Gaiman is an incredible storyteller who weaves complex, visceral stories that dig at your soul. Not only did this book refresh my education on the old myths, but Gaiman made them come to life in a way no one else can. Norse Mythology was the perfect starting place for me as I prepared to write my own story centered around the gods of the Vikings. I highly recommend the… show more.

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… show more.

Many storytellers have tried to make sense of Norse mythology, starting with the 13th-century Icelandic chieftain Snorri Sturluson, whose Edda contains almost all the myths we know.

Like Snorri, Neil Gaiman deals with the myths’ contradictions and logical leaps to retell these timeless tales of gods and giants so they’ll speak to the readers of his time. In his inimitable style, Gaiman turns Norse mythology into a journey, “from the ice and the fire that the universe begins into the fire and the ice that ends the world,” freely “blending,” as he puts it, the different versions of the tales… show more.