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Grendel (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The old ram stands looking down over rockslides, stupidly triumphant..." (more)
Key Phrases: The King of the Gods, King Hrothgar
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Grendel is a beautiful and heartbreaking modern retelling of the Beowulf epic from the point of view of the monster, Grendel, the villain of the 8th-century Anglo-Saxon epic. This book benefits from both of Gardner's careers: in addition to his work as a novelist, Gardner was a noted professor of medieval literature and a scholar of ancient languages.


From Library Journal

George Guidall's crusty but spirited narration is perfectly suited for the monster Grendel. Gardner's 1971 classic takes the Anglo Saxon Beowulf epic and uses varying translations of the poem and other writings from the period to tell the story from the poor monster's viewpoint. Most first-person narratives translate well to the audio format, and Grendel especially enchants, casting a spell not unlike a grown-up "Lord of the Rings." The monster observes humans from a revealing and telling vantage. Just like a child in the schoolyard, Grendel picks up certain curse words and takes joy in repeating them. This has resulted in Gardner's book being challenged at the many schools where it is rightfully part of the curriculum. Guidall's voice is familiar enough for a still-fresh tale. This is storytelling at its best.?Gerald A. Notaro, Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage (May 14, 1989)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0679723110
  • ISBN-13: 978-0679723110
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,636 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #1 in  Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( G ) > Gardner, John
    #8 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Historical
    #40 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Epic

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The old ram stands looking down over rockslides, stupidly triumphant. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The King of the Gods, King Hrothgar
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Customer Reviews

174 Reviews
5 star:
 (93)
4 star:
 (42)
3 star:
 (21)
2 star:
 (8)
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 (10)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (174 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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76 of 85 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars View the old epic from the monster's point of view, April 22, 2003
What if you could see into the mind of Grendel, the terrifying creature of the night from Beowulf? Well, with this book by John Gardner, you can. Brutal at times, irreverent at others, and very cynical at others, Grendel wanders around for many years watching the development of the various human tribes and the emergence of Hrothgar as a sort of king among them. He spends twelve years in a unique relationship with the king, trying first to make friends with the Danes (he is attacked) and later making raids and killing the most drunken of Hrothgars thanes. The notorious coward Unferth (the one who later insults Beowulf) is also developed here--Grendel has such contempt and pity for Unferth that he will not kill him (thus giving him a heros death) despite Unferths repeated attempts to fight him.

In the poem Beowulf, Grendel is a very flat character. He is, in fact, the epitome of evil, unfeeling and cruel. He comes, he kills and eats people, he leaves. Then he comes back. This book gives Grendel a personality. He knows he is a member of the fallen (Cains) race, and accepts that fact. He is lonely, and cannot even get companionship from his mother, who has long ceased to communicate. In fact, his only real friends are the Danes he kills. Still, he knows he is dependent on Hrothgars survival. If I murdered the last of the Scyldings, he muses, what would I live for?

This book gives excellent insight into the character of Grendel, and will definitely change the way you look at the poem Beowulf. Gardners Grendel is a creature who determines to kill Beowulf for the honor of Hrothgar, so that his thanes will not have been outdone by a newcomer. I highly recommend this short work for anyone interested in the great old English epic.
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Read it Now!, March 11, 2000
By A Customer
Of all the novels on my bookshelf, John Gardner's Grendel is the most dog-eared, highlighted, and thorougly enjoyed book of the lot. After reading Beowulf for a high school british literature class, we read Grendel and I fell in love. Haunting, beautiful, captivating and at all times mysterious, Grendel is able to capture the essence of our collective struggle to understand - to understand our reason, purpose, and meaning (if we indeed have any). Life is Grendel's great burden and he draws the reader into his world of confusion and hypocracy. At times utterly heartbreaking, at others sublimely beautiful, Grendel should be read over and over and over again.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading, October 1, 2001
By A Customer
I recently read Grendel for a high school course and found myself shocked from the beginning at the quality. The normally distasteful nature of reading assignments aside, Grendel was a stunning book. Though Grendel is always physically described as a monster, I know people whose mental state is very nearly the same as his. Reading the pain of such a despicable creature that hits so close to home was stomach-wrenching and breathtaking-- unlike the epic poem, Beowulf, Grendel made it difficult not to see the characters as real. Despite Grendel's purportedly evil and inhuman nature, I couldn't help but see him as someone I knew, feeling what he went through. By the end of the book I loved and hated him, and was given a good bit to think about with the Danes and Geats, and especially the dragon. A definite must-read for would-be philosophers (no, not that annoying high talk you may have been forced to read while "studying philosophy") and anyone intrigued by the darker side of human nature.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars I hate those restaurants where the music is so loud you can't really have a conversation
Because I took this girl out last week on like a friend-of-a-friend sort of blind-date set-up thing. I tried pretty hard, put on a button up and went to a nice sit down place. Read more
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3.0 out of 5 stars (no title)
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5.0 out of 5 stars Fast delivery
This book came quickly and it was what i expected. The book matched the descriptions that the seller gave. 100% satisfied!
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I think it's important to mention up front that 'Grendel' is not so much a re-telling of the Beowulf saga from the monster's point of view as it is a philosophical exploration... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Bryan Byrd

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a ... Furry Arm Nailed to the Wall!
I originally read "Beowulf" in high school and found it somewhat dry and very characteristic of the "epic poetry" label. (It is the only epic poem surviving in full, after all. Read more
Published 5 months ago by J. Sellers

4.0 out of 5 stars Existentialism in Grendel
The tale of Grendel is much more than just a story about a monster. Through Grendel's interactions with the humans, the wise dragon, and his mother, Grendel's understanding of the... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Katherine Park

4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for Beowulf/Philosophy Fans
Grendel is a retelling of Beowulf from the monster's point of view. The monster is an outsider who spies on men from trees and cliffs, able to understand them and even speak a... Read more
Published 7 months ago by S. Turlington

4.0 out of 5 stars See the Other side of the story...
Have you every heard or read the legend about the Hero Beowulf, who fought the horrible troll Grendel and saved King Hrothgar's golden meed hall? Read more
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3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
John Gardner's Grendel takes the antagonist, Grendel, from the epic poem Beowulf and gives his side of the story. Grendel gets an actual personality in this novel. Read more
Published 8 months ago by K. Jeffries

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