Product Details

• Published on: 1993-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 480 pages

Customer Reviews

Disjointed but Worthwhile
I suppose that a pagan trying to use this book as a catechism might find doctrinal errors, depending on their particular denomination. Whether or not the book provides a proper interpretation of the original sources, it is a good read, a trove of information, and a particularly interesting analysis of the similarities between greco-roman and norse mythology.

It is not an engaging read, in the sense that it is not presented as a saga itself, and thus the demarcations between subjects are dramatic. I suppose that this book falls somewhere between "encyclopedia of norse mythology" and "norse mythology for beginners."

Almost insulting
This book does not provide any sort of accurate depiction of the Northern European mythology and folklore that many of us enjoy reading about.

Not only does this book not provide an accurate translation of many of the tales and gods, but the author combines the stories with his own unfounded opinions of the religion.

He says numerous times in the book that the ancient Icelanders never actually believed in any of the tales they told, that everything was simply a story, and their pseudo-religion proves that.

In addition he refers to them as "Aryans." Considering this term didn't come about until the psychic Madam Blavatsky started using it in the late nineteenth century, and it wasn't even an accurate term, I found it a bit confusing and annoying.

I simply could not refer a worse and more inaccurate book to read on this beautiful subject.

Fairy Tales
Having basic knowledge of Norse mythology, I found this book to be an abysmal excercise in disinformation. Not only it provides an overly simplified view of a very complex religion, it also censores many myths, not providing the full picture of characteristics of the gods. It seems like this book is aimed at younger audiences which could not handle adult subject matter, and is used to the iconic perceprion of mythology in general.
If you are seriously interested in this subject, I would stay away from this book.