Customer Reviews

Beowulf

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The main purpose of this review is to compare the four free versions of Beowulf available for kindle.

This version is a translation by Lesslie Hall. It's a very good re-telling of the poem--but the formatting is...a challenge. It's not formatted properly for a poem; line breaks were removed so it looks like prose. This makes it hard to find the rhythm--and what's an epic poem without rhythm? Then the side-notes and end-notes were left in the text, so you get a paragraph of text with line-numbers interrupting it, and when you reach the end of the paragraph you get a bunch of parentheses and notes and non-poem bits. I found this very distracting and was very disappointed because the parts of this translation that I bothered picking out were actually really good, and I enjoyed the glossary and discussions that came before the poem...I just couldn't handle the wonky formatting. EDIT: I went back and read this version anyway, so it's not entirely unreadable, you just have to either love the notes or read around them...

So I went and found another free version to read! The next one actually comes in two nearly-identical forms: Beowulf andBeowulf. It's the Gummere translation, which isn't nearly as good, but it IS formatted properly (looks like a poem; notes properly linked and end-noted).

The last version, which I found today in preparing for this comparison review-a-thon is a translation by William Morris and A.J. Wyatt: The Tale of Beowulf Sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats. It has slightly less extensive informative bits at the beginning and end (glossary, discussion of translations, ect), is formatted properly as a poem (though it seems to lack any in-text notes) and um... I haven't really tried to read it yet, so I can't say how good or bad the translation is.

Anyway, I hope this has all been helpful and informative and that you find the version of Beowulf that is right for you.

My 6 1/2 year old liked this from start to finish. The book is easy for a young kid to read, though there are some harder vocabulary words, such as "forfeit," "burnished," and "precipice." Her favorite part was the section where Grendel takes a victim:
"Grendel . . . lurched towards the nearest man, a brave Geat called Leofric, scooped him up and, with one ghastly claw, choked the scream in his throat. Then the monster ripped him apart, bit into his body, drank the blood from his veins, devoured huge pieces . . . swallowed the whole man, even his feet and hands." There is a nice Glossary at the end, telling the reader how to pronounce the English and Danish names (and names of swords!). If you are a parent, why teach your kid about King Arthur and Robin Hood, and stop there? There are other fine tales about knights, et al., i.e., Beowulf. The illustrations are stylized pen and ink, that is, they tend not to be literal representations of monsters and dragons. If you are teaching your kid about early English history, e.g., about William the Conqueror or about King Henry II, then this version of Beowulf makes a good accompaniment. Another excellent book, which narrates relationships more subtle than monster-hunting, is Canterbury Tales, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean (this is not a typo) with delightful illustrations by Victor G. Ambrus. None of Chaucer's baudy tales are in this kids' version. Instead, you'll find tales of faith, devotion, and trickery, all suitable for the age of five and up.

Beowulf is an amazing story, no doubt. But this Kindle edition wasn't good. It's hard to read and is formatted in a strange way.

I've been a huge fan of Beowulf since we were required to read it in high school. I think I was the only person happy about reading it when we finally got done with it. I saw this on my Kindle app and had to download it immediately. The translation was not that easy to follow. The format was difficult to get through and embrace. Reading this version was not like reading the past versions I have read before. It definitely needs some improvements.

This quick (50 page, less many, many illustrations) book makes for an exciting introduction to Beowulf. It's not an easy read, but it is well worth making the effort. I think that the tale will work best as a read-aloud to kids younger than ten. Children ten and up should be strong readers with good stamina, who can push through the difficult words. AND, the book can be read by adults only! I read this book without my 6 year old, and really enjoyed it.

The vocabulary is quite challenging for young ones. Consider on just one page: pyre, faggot, brooches, salvers, barrow, bequeathed. The book is laden with such vocabulary. And the old English names are difficult as well. Hrothgar, Aeschere, Wealhtheow, Heorot, Unferth,Ecgtheow, Hygelac, Healfdene, Scyld, and more. The art is on the abstract side: better for adults. The art does help to explain the story, but that is not its driving purpose. I liked it fine, but I think more straightforward art would have been beneficial, particularly to the young reader.

Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien would do well to buy this book. Clearly, Beowulf's battle with the dragon was inspiration for The Hobbit. Adults should not shy away from this read. It does not condescend. Thus it offers a fast and truncated, but still worthy, version of the old English tale.

Too much like high school - saw the flick on BBC America and wondered how the movie went with the book but Olde English got pretty old pretty fast

First of all, the linked Kindle "Look inside.." pdf version has nothing to do with the downloaded version, which is as others have described it. (Imbedded text notes, no illustrations and not the "storybook" form of the pdf.) The other FREE versions are also disappointments, in my opinion.

I enjoyed Beowulf in high school too, which was on our optional reading list in junior lit. I read it - think I was the only one in the room of 30+ who did. (Our instructor advised against it, thought it was too challenging for HS students - but that of course meant that it was a "must read.") Has been on my bookshelf ever since, have read it several times. I wanted an electronic version of it for my new Kindle Fire, but it looks like the FREEbies are out. If I find a good inexpensive version of this epic, I'll get back with a reference...

I read this in high school and loved it then. The epic story of a hero in three parts, first in youth, then in the prime of his life, and finally in old age--it's wonderful and I whole-heartedly recommend it to lovers of classic literature.

[note: this is a review of the poem generally, not this particular translation]

Beowulf is one of those Medieval works of literature that many have heard about but few have read. However, it's worth reading, if only to experience a story so different from modern sensibilities. The poem extols Beowulf's physical courage and bravery against monsters and dragons. It's an odd mix of early Christian and warrior ethos. Beowulf is not a modern hero. There's not much to recommend him to modern readers - he's boastful, relies on brawn not brains, and his search for glory ends up putting his kingdom at risk. Still, it's fascinating to read this type of story and realize how far away it is from our own times.

Because this is a translation of an Anglo-Saxon poem, it's worth saying a word about the text itself. It's readable, but isn't smooth reading for the uninitiated. I'd say this - if you don't like reading English-language poetry, you probably won't enjoy reading this poem. If you do make the effort, I'd recommend really making the effort. Go slow and make sure you understand the story. Don't skip over a few lines thinking they're not as relevant.

Never would have read this, though we all English speakers are supposed to. Read it, though because it was there, it was free, and it is easy on my iPad.
Pretty soon I may actually know something about literature if this keeps up!

In this version, the editor/translator interjects scholarly ruminations about the language. I kinda find that interesting. Occasionally it crops up to disrupt the narrative. But, mostly, the work reads well, a snapshot into a dark world of language roots and iconic fears and heroic acts of valor.