Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales.
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 legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman―difficult with his beard and huge appetite―to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir―the most …
Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales.
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 legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman―difficult with his beard and huge appetite―to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir―the most sagacious of gods―is turned into a mead that infuses drinkers with poetry. The work culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and rebirth of a new time and people.
Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.
Or course I knew Thor, Odin and Loki. But this book gave me a nice introduction into norse mythology! I enjoyed that read!
Lo compré por curiosidad en un mercadillo, por 1€. La verdad, me sorprendió lo ameno y bien escrito que está. Gaiman tiene un evidente don para narrar historias. De todos modos, los mitos originales son tan maravillosos que 3 de mis 4 estrellas son para ellos. Qué imaginación. Con este material es difícil no escribir algo bueno (que se lo digan a Wagner).
Neil Gaiman retells famous tales from Norse myth. The interpretations are accessible and straightforward, not archaic, but also not modernized to be anachronistic. Gaiman doesn't use an obscure word or complicated sentence structure when simple will do the trick. This simplicity and his laid-back reading voice evokes the atomsphere of stories told around a fire, from memory, like the originals would have been before Snorri Sturlasson and others wrote them down centuries down the line. The book is not long, 6½ hours for 15 stories. I wouldn't have minded a bit more details, depth, or unique interpretations, but this was good too. This is a great introduction, perhaps one of the best, for those not very familiar with the Nordic myths, and a good revisit for all already acquainted.
Neil Gaiman retells famous tales from Norse myth. The interpretations are accessible and straightforward, not archaic, but also not modernized to be anachronistic. Gaiman doesn't use an obscure word or complicated sentence structure when simple will do the trick. This simplicity and his laid-back reading voice evokes the atomsphere of stories told around a fire, from memory, like the originals would have been before Snorri Sturlasson and others wrote them down centuries down the line. The book is not long, 6½ hours for 15 stories. I wouldn't have minded a bit more details, depth, or unique interpretations, but this was good too. This is a great introduction, perhaps one of the best, for those not very familiar with the Nordic myths, and a good revisit for all already acquainted.
a very readable retelling of Norse myths, in a voice that is certainly Gaiman's.
a very readable retelling of Norse myths, in a voice that is certainly Gaiman's.
Very educational and informative.
Though a bit more humor would be appreciated :)
I enjoyed the listening experience of this audio book, even I was distracted in some of the stories. I liked to find references to the different myths in American Gods, Thor MCU movies, and other pop culture pieces.
Norse Mythology stories well told with a very distinct Neil Gaiman voice. Made me want to read up more about the mythology.
Neil Gaiman did an excellent job of retelling the everlasting stories of the Norse Gods and their world. Must read for mythology lovers.
Quick impressions: Neil Gaiman reads and performs the text. He is very good at it, at times like a shaman telling a tale to a tribe around a fire. The stories range from serious to humorous. Sure, the gods could be quite grim, but Gaiman also shows us their funny moments.
(Full review on my blog later)
Hab aufgehört, weil ich die Charakterisierung der Götter langweilig finde (und den Fokus auf Loki)
Mal no está, pero no es gran cosa. Me ha recordado a las versiones infantiles e ilustradas que leía yo de pequeño donde se narraban por ejemplo los mitos griegos, sin ir a la chicha ni al mensaje dramático que realmente contenían.
Esta obra de Gaiman es lo que hace, recuenta de forma bastante neutra los mitos nórdicos pero no se molesta en buscarle la vuelta, ni en hacerla propia, es una especie de versión young adult y poco más.
Si conoces un poco la mitología en su forma original y la mala leche que destila, pues se nota que esto es una versión a medio gas para contentar a todo el mundo ahora que la mitología nórdica está de moda.
Esto lo cuela alguien sin llamarse Neil Gaiman y no funciona.
I never cared about our mythology or really read anything about it. I remember a quick chat in school about Tor and Odin but that's it. Yet I felt like I knew a lot about these stories. Things came to me when I read them. Where did I learn this?
A never ending winter and an army of the dead? Someone else has read these stories... also, winter is coming.
I never cared about our mythology or really read anything about it. I remember a quick chat in school about Tor and Odin but that's it. Yet I felt like I knew a lot about these stories. Things came to me when I read them. Where did I learn this?
A never ending winter and an army of the dead? Someone else has read these stories... also, winter is coming.
Es perfecto. Si alguien está interesado en los mitos nórdicos o no los conoce, es un libro digno de comprárselo y releerselo tantas veces como sea necesario. El toque de Gaiman le aporta una visión fresca, que te atrapa y no te suelta.
My introduction to Norse mythology was thru the Marvel movies. So was curious to know more on this. This was a fun listen. Neil Gaiman is a fantastic raconteur.
Ha sido una maravilla descubrir tantas cosas sobre una mitología que vemos mucho menos que otras, la mitología nórdica. Si es que lo sabes hacer todo bien, Neil Gaiman.
AHORA QUIERO INYECTARME MÁS COSAS NÓRDICAS EN VENA
