Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

There is much more to Norse myths than Wagnerian sopranos, and Orchard provides a reasonably priced survey of both the tales themselves and the characters who inhabited and created them. After an explanatory preface, a brief discussion on the nature of the sources, a short explanation of spelling and pronunciation conventions employed, and a list of illustrations come 187 pages of alphabetical entries ranging from one to several paragraphs. Topics covered include various sagas and other poetic and literary works, gods and heroes, real and mythical places, social and religious customs, literary practices and practitioners, and non-Norse historians of the Norse. Many entries have liberal quotations from the sagas or other literary or historical works. Entries are liberally cross-referenced. The writing is clear and accessible. Illustrations, which are black and white, include photographs and line drawings.

There is an extensive bibliography, with titles grouped into reference books and general sources, primary sources, translations of primary sources, and secondary sources. Each title in the bibliography has been assigned a unique number, which is referenced in the dictionary entries. Appendixes include lists of the names and titles of Odin, the ruler of the gods; the names of the principal dwarfs; the names of the giants; and the names of the troll wives, giantesses, and Valkyries. There is a separate index of authors and passages cited in the text.

This volume should work equally well for a reference librarian looking for a quick answer, or someone doing a report who needs more information. It is suitable for high-school and medium-to-large public libraries and most academic libraries with mythology collections. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

This is an A-Z guide to the mythology of the Vikings, with over 400 articles covering myths, gods and goddesses, giants, dwarves, elves and other supernatural creatures. It aims to provide an insight into a folklore tradition which has inspired talents as diverse as Wagner and Tolkien. A general historical introduction provides an overall perspective, and background material on the archaeology and social framework of the Norse world is provided.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Cassell; 2nd edition (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304351342
• ISBN-13: 978-0304351343
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,863,588 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very nice dictionary with great content, April 9, 1999

By A Customer

I would rather have given this book 4.5 stars. The only drawback to me is that I wish there were more illustrations/pictures in here. The ones that are in here are fascinating but I would have loved seeing more. There are more Norse terms in here than I could have imagined and the definitions are well written.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Small entries, but unique focus on Anglo-Saxon sources and heroic poems, February 11, 2009

By	Byggvir - See all my reviews

Focused primarily on Norse sources, Andy Orchard's handbook provides additional information that the other two dictionaries (see links below) lack in areas of Anglo-Saxon sources and the heroic poems and sagas. For example, Barnstokkr only receives an entry in Orchard's dictionary. Orchard also seems to provide the best etymologies (and more of them) than the other two dictionaries, and even includes some very handy name lists towards the end of the work.

On the down side, the entries can be a little short and a little too brief in comparison to the other two dictionaries, and as a result this work is the thinnest of the three.

As I've pointed out above, this is (as of the time of writing this) one of three English language dictionaries covering Germanic mythology and paganism. All are of independent value to those with a serious interest in the subject matter, and I recommend getting a hold of all three. The other two are:

John Lindow's "Dictionary of Norse mythology"
Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs

Rudolf Simek's "Dictionary of Northern Mythology":
Dictionary of Northern Mythology

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ian Myles Slater on: Other Formats, Alternate Title, December 24, 2003

By	Ian M. Slater "aylchanan" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cassell Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend (Hardcover)

This first-rate compiliation is now (2003) available, under the slightly different title of "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend," as a mass-market paperback (which I have reviewed at length), in addition to the trade paperback and hardcover editions listed under the titles of "Dictionary..." and "Cassell Dictionary...". If all of these are available through Amazon, purchasers will probably want to compare prices, and consider the durability of the various formats. Another factor some will want to consider is that the original hardcover edition (and I believe the trade edition) contained about forty illustrations, which were omitted from the mass-market edition.

Since the mass-market paperback is the edition in print, however, I strongly suggest checking that page before ordering. And if you are already familiar with the volume, and definitely want the larger format, you probably don't need my advice.