Myths of the Norsemen [Turtleback]

Roger Lancelyn Green (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1994

Retells the surviving myths of the Norsemen in one continuous narrative. The great stories of the yawning void, Ymir, father of the terrible Frost Giants and Buri, the first of the gods, are tales that have been told since time immemorial.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Turtleback: 262 pages
• Publisher: Demco Media (November 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606036261
• ISBN-13: 978-0606036269
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,956,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Roger Lancelyn Green was born in 1918 and lived in Oxford and at his family home in Cheshire, which the Greens had owned for more than 900 years. He loved storytelling and was fascinated by traditional fairy tales, myths and legends from around the world. He was a professional actor, a librarian and a teacher. His retellings include Egyptian, Greek and Norse legends, plus a retelling of Robin Hood. He also wrote many books for adults, including a biography of his friend C. S. Lewis, creator of the The Chronicles of Narnia. Roger Lancelyn Green died in 1987.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Intro to Norse Mythology, September 8, 2001

By 

Philip Sokolov (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Myths of the Norsemen: Retold from the Old Norse Poems and Tales (Puffin Classics) (Paperback)

Green is a great teller of tales, and here he definitely succeeds in bringing the ancient Norse Myths to life with vivid prose that is very faithful to his sources. This is one of those reads that is good for children (from about 4th Grade) and adults alike. The author's tone is not patronizing, but treats the reader and the subject matter seriously, and yet lightly and humorously when appropriate.
Green's novel--and it does read like a novel in its own right--is really good at introducing the reader to the world of Norse Myth, starting with the character of the Norse Men and going on to give an overview of the mythology, an introduction to all the gods, their foes, and their worlds, and straight retellings of all the famous tales... all in a narrative context.
I now prefer to read the "originals," but no doubt they would have been far too cryptic for me to read if I didn't have Green to hold my hand at first. I refer to the collection known as the Elder or Poetic Edda (0292764995), as well as the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson (0520012321). For me, those two collections plus the Volsungasaga (0140447385) round out the "genuine" Norse mythology.
But as I said, I would definitely begin with Green. I have read other modern retellings, but if you can find this one, it is the best.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good collection of stories., May 16, 2001

By 

R. E. P. Esq. (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Myths of the Norsemen: Retold from the Old Norse Poems and Tales (Puffin Classics) (Paperback)

This book had been sitting unread in my library for many years. Recently, I decided to pick it up after getting more interested in the Norse myths after reading the Icelandic Sagas and listening to Wagner's 'Der Ring Des Nibelungen,' which was inspired by Norse mythology. This book supplies a collection of Norse myths, beginning with how the world was created, and ending with 'Ragnarok,' the popular myth about the last battle between the Gods and the Giants. I found myself enthralled throughout the book - that is until I reached the chapter regarding Sigurd. I have had some previous knowledge of this myth, but sought to learn more about it to learn more about Wagner's sources and inspirations when composing his mythological-based 'Ring' operas. Instead, I had found that the author used Wagner's Ring as a source for his chapter on Sigurd rather than the original sagas and myths. This made me question the authenticity of the other stories presented in the book. However, I think they all convey the general idea of what the Nordic people believed in, and think it a good synthesized collection of Norse mythology for those beginning to delve into the subject. It's also an ideal mythic book for younger audiences, as it has no explicit violence and has a simplistic and blunt writing style.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read, August 22, 2005

By 

Myra Schjelderup "Ignolopi" (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Myths of the Norsemen: Retold from the Old Norse Poems and Tales (Puffin Classics) (Paperback)

This is a fun book to read, and is perfect for introducing anyone to Norse mythology. It has all the basics, where you learn about the more important gods and their stories.
There isn't much violence in the book, because this is to tell the stories, not the epic battle sequences, but that doesn't mean only younger audiences can enjoy it. Norse mythology is very interesting, and Green hasn't lost that in his book.