Book Description
The parentage, powers, and deeds of fourteen. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Popular Tales from Norse Mythology
Just a warning to those fooled by the title: Don't expect to find any mention of Odin of Thor in this book.Rather than mythology, the stories in the book would be more appropriately described as folktales or perhaps even fairy tales.Most involve a fair maiden in distress who is rescued by a "once-was-a-peasant-found-a-magic-belt-or-met-a-troll-and-became-a-knight"type of hero.

Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed the book.As the author says, the folktales in _Popular Tales from Norse Mythology_ are overall good reading.They are full of excitement and adventure and a great deal of humour.These factors probably made it possible for the stories to survive as Scandinavian oral tradition until they were finally written down in the last century.

Although the book rarely mentions Norse gods directly, a number of characters can be identified as one of the old gods, particularly Odin, slipping into an overall Christianized story.I found that interesting. ... Read more

Book Description
From runic inscriptions to sagas, this book introduces readers to the colourful world of Old Norse-Icelandic literature.

• An introduction to the colourful world of Old Norse-Icelandic literature.
  
• Covers mythology and family sagas, as well as less well-known areas, such as oral story-telling, Eddaic verse and skaldic verse.
  
• An introduction helps readers to appreciate the language and culture of the first settlers in Iceland.
  
• Looks at the reception of Old-Norse-Icelandic literature over the ages, as views of the vikings have changed.
  
• Shows how a whole range of authors from Shakespeare to Seamus Heaney have been influenced by Old Norse-Icelandic literature.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great illustrations!! And great introduction to Norse Myth.
I bought this book only for the beautiful illustrations. Cotterell introduces the Norse deities in a strict to the point manner(which dissapointed me). I wouldn't recommend this book to any student of mythology for research. However, it would be great for beginners. Anyone of the Asatru faith (like myself)looking for great colorful illustrations of their gods and goddesses, I strongly advise you to buy this book. Cotterell also introduces many Slavic dieties such as: Baba Yaga, Veles, Svarazic, and Perun. ... Read more

Product Description
In this important and original work Alice Karlsdottir, a leading expert on Norse religion, makes new and dramatic teachings available and applies these methods in a practical way in order that the ancient Norse goddesses can speak directly to those who seek their ageless wisdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Fresh Approach
Over the years, we Heathen have become increasingly fortunate for the steady growth of availability of those literary materials which remain essential to our learning, understanding, and furtherance of the greater pan-Germanic Heathen dynamic. Certainly, the number of scholarly dissertations, translations, and other texts have never been so readily available to the general reader -Heathen and non-Heathen alike. So too, we have seen a decent growth in the number of more `esoteric' treatments and explorations- the most popular of which lie in the realm where runic studies are concerned ( ranging from good to bad, and various shades in between).
In our objective studies, we can easily remain content in pouring over a hoard of noteworthy texts, such as Bauschatz's The Well and the Tree, Grimm's Teutonic Mythology, Turville-Petre's Myth and Religion of the North, along with many, many others. This is certainly fine enough for a clear (again, objective) comprehension of the historical fact(s) and findings. But it begs to question if this mere `objective' inspection is enough to foster a deeper, more spiritually rooted appreciation of that same material on the more subjective level that is religiosity and the more profound understanding of the religious expression as is contained within the texts that best preserve such holy manifestation, as embodied within mythology. Clearly, it takes more that brick and mortar to establish a home- and the same sentiment could be applied to religious study, in that it takes more than a read through objective sources to garner the gems of a real and inherently religious knowledge in any truly meaningful capacity.
Heathenry is more than a belief or the philosophical approach as we find in passive religions that hinge on such a concept. Rather, ours is a thoroughly dynamic approach- one expressly rooted in action and deed. So, our relationship(s) with the Gods and Goddesses of our Fathers and Mothers is likewise not of the realm of `passivity' but that of dynamism. Beyond mere `trust' or `faith', we enjoy -or seek to enjoy- an active connection and relationship to the High Ones in a very real sense through what personal bonds and intercourse we might nurture between ourselves and them, as well as that which is experienced through the communal exchanges of religious celebration and sacrifice.
Folk of the era in which we live, it is yet still the rare Heathen who was fortunate enough to have been born and raised in the troth of our Forebears, enjoying an unbroken Heathen heritage and connection to that which draws ultimately to the holiness of the Gods and Goddesses themselves. As such, most of our own lines have been severed from those ties through the course of Christianization at some point within our own family trees. While perhaps not so for the Heathen of old, it becomes necessary for us who seek to regain the legacy of our Ancestors to forge anew that which has been rent asunder in the true `dark age' of a Christian Europe. We must re-establish the deep links our Folk once enjoyed with the Gods and Goddesses they served -here, we have seen great strides and successes, particularly in the realm of Heathen community, but are often lacking for such in the individual sphere of the Folk-consciousness. Through my own experiences and interactions with folk across the spectrum of the greater Heathen community / communities, this become especially true when considering the relationships of individuals with the Goddesses of our peoples. Within this context, there is a need for a closer and more intimate searching, a deeper comprehension that is only had through an inherently dynamic exploration. Alice Karlsdóttir's Magic of the Norse Goddesses provides an effective key to achieving these ends.
Well beyond the fluffy, rootless and pointless so-called `goddess magic' of new age gurus, Magic of the Norse Goddesses presents a well-grounded and thorough scope of dynamic exploration through the application of trance and prayer. Unfamiliar with trance working? Have no fear- Karlsdóttir has carefully laid the groundwork for a practical and successful method in an easy-to-follow manner, without unnecessarily employing a dictionary's worth of complicated jargon and pseudo-scientific dissertation. So too, her work is equally void of the off-kilter flights of complete fancy we would undoubtedly find in similar titles from the larger, mass-market-oriented fluff factories that pass for poor excuses for Heathen / Pagan publishing houses (we'll leave them nameless here... I'm sure the inquisitive reader can figure it out easily enough on his or her own!).
Within Magic of the Norse Goddesses, the reader will find a wealth of well-researched information on Goddesses such as Eir, Gna, Saga, Gefjon, Frigg, Syn, Full, Var, and many others besides, as well as an appropriate, corresponding call to each -all providing for the most well-founded and enriching experience possible in one's working. So too, Karlsdóttir has included a fantastic, very intelligent and thought provoking discussion of myths and of their role and importance to our Folk and Folks' ways. Readers are provided with keen advice on the working(s) and methods (yes, as the presentation itself shows: there's more than just one way of going about things) outlined within the book -including an informative section on potential problems one may encounter along his or her journey. Admirably mentioned, we are wisely cautioned that ...tranceworking is not meant as a replacement for all the historical, literary, and archaeological evidence available to us... and likewise encouraged towards our exploration: ...Tranceworking, like ritual, allows you to build emotional links with your gods and goddesses and gives you access to the other worlds and beings in them. Trances can enable you to learn things about the universe and yourself. Most of all, they allow you to form bonds with your gods and your ancestors, links of love and loyalty that can bridge time in all directions. -true words, well spoken!
Magic of the Norse Goddesses includes a decent bibliography for further study, as well as extensive footnotes. Five appendixes conclude the text, with a good glossary, a breakdown of the Runes of the 24-Rune fuþark, and translations of three tales: Mother Holle, The Three Spinners, and Queen Olga. ... Read more

Book Description
Written in the same warm, practical style as Goddess Alive!, this book takes you further along on your spiritual path to the Goddess. With this guide, you'll discover how to use spell work and magic to make lasting changes in your life. You'll learn how to attune to a specific goddess for inspiration and empowerment, and connect with the energy of that goddess to manifest your dreams and desires.

Each chapter starts with a goddess from the Norse or Celtic pantheons, and presents her myths, a pathworking, a guided meditation, an invocation, and three magical activities or crafts. Twelve powerful goddesses offer assistance in a variety of ways, from helping you attract abundance to becoming more psychic. You can gain balance in your life with Cymidei Cymeinfoll, the Welsh goddess of war and birth; learn to take risks with Cessair, the founding goddess of Ireland; and allow yourself to shine with Sunna, the Norse goddess of the Sun. ... Read more

Book Description
In this exciting volume, the stormy mythologies of the Nordic world are brought to life. Complete with 160 colour images, including superb fine art paintings of the classic stories, this evocative and detailed encyclopedia of the myths and legends of the Nordic peoples will provide the perfect introduction to this fascinating subject for students, school libraries and the general reader who loves passionate tales of romance and derring-do. ... Read more

Book Description

Product Description
Norse folklore is retold for children in this charming vintage volume. The most famous legends of the Norse gods are included, including "How Thor Found His Hammer," "Odin's Search for Wisdom," "The Death of Balder" and "How Loke Was Punished." Ten full-page illustrations are included. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Disappointing
I bought this book looking for inspiration for a Celtic or Viking tattoo design. Hearing what a revered artist Courtney Davis was, I thought I couldn't go wrong with this book. Unfortunately, all the drawings were incredibly unsophisticated and they remind me more of an amateur's work (perhaps at copying Courtney Davis). All of the designs were in black and white and many of them were just plain - and I *do* mean plain - knotwork patterns better suited to tablecloths than tattoos. There is none of the beautiful intricacy you find in real Celtic art - almost all of the patterns have huge unfilled or "blackened" spaces.

If you're looking for inspiration in Celtic design, buy a reproduction of the Book of Kells. I know that will put the shoddiness of this work to light. I suspect this was just a cheap attempt at making money and that Courtney himself does not prize this work.

The good news is - it's cheap, so it wasn't a total waste.

Excellent resource for artistic reference.
I purchased this book as an artistic tool. In the process of ultimately developing my own designs in this stylistic vein, I wanted to be able to refer to line art renderings of actual ancient Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Nordic designs. This book has proved to be an excellent resource. The representations featured here make up a top-notch selection, and I appreciate the basic geographic and chronological labels for each piece. The renderings are nicely detailed, but they're not so intricate as to prove impossible to mimic in a sketch book.

Christianized Celtic design
Most of the designs in CELTIC AND OLD NORSE DESIGNS by Courtney Davis appear to have been copied from items found in and around archelogical sites that date from around 1,000 B.C.E. to about 1,000 C.E., now housed in museums. Davis does not inform the reader of the specific aspects of these pieces. In fact, her text is almost non-existent.

Some of the items shown appear to match items that precede Roman times, others seem to coincide with Roman and early Christian times, and others are very similar to items discoved in Anglo-Saxon tombs like Sutton Hoo, or Viking sites in Scandanavia and are thus contemporary with the early Middle Ages. Some designs are found on spoons, horse collars, or weather vanes, while others are taken from church sculpture or graveyard crosses.

As the elements shown are not categoried by historical period, or referenced or sourced, this is not the scholarly work that I hoped it might be. However, if you don't care it does not matter. I will be using the book for children's artwork projects this summer (i.e. coloring books).

a good resource for charted scrollwork
This is a great resourse for those looking for charted scrollwork, knotwork and other Celtic or Norse motifs.

The Best in the Dover Group
STRONGLY recommend this book as THE best source for Norse type designs! Bold and true, this book is highly usable to impart the Nordic of Old flavor to your work! ... Read more

Book Description

Entertaining and sometimes horrifying legends of gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, monsters and giants survive from pagan Scandinavia, even though the Norsemen were unable to write them down.Odin and Thor, Freyja and Loki, Sigurd the Volsung, Gudrun and Brynhild are the most famous of these mythical characters, whose stories were eventually recorded.With authority and wit, Professor Page retells the Norse legends and shows how complex and sometimes contradictory their traditions are.Yet it is through these ancient myths that we know how the Norsemen visualized the creation of mankind and the final ending of the world.

Customer Reviews (2)

If you're looking for a textbook....
If you want a textbook largely focused on the sources of Norse mythology and obsessed with the origin of Norse mythological metaphors, then you've found it.

When I received this book I was immediately disappointed. It's only 80 pages long and many of those pages are taken up by drawings or pictures of Norse sculptures.If it weren't so short, it could easily pass for a high school textbook.

The actual stories seem almost an afterthought to Page. He uses them more to illustrate the origin of various Norse metaphors. You're almost guaranteed to find something like "and that is why we call rowan 'Thor's deliverance'" at the end of any story.The stories themselves are told in a very dry and unintersting way and aren't put into any logical order.Rather than putting each topic in a separate chapter, Page includes two or three topics in each chapter.With all the unusual names, it's very difficult to remember who is who and almost impossible to go back find where they were first introduced.

If you're a scholar about to study the actual Norse verses, then I highly recommend this book. Page obviously knows a lot about the sources of Norse Mythology and you should find his focus on explaining metaphors very helpful.

If, however, you've got a casual interest in learning about the stories of Norse mythology, then I suggest you look elsewhere.

First class (and highly affordable) Norse Mythology book!
Professor R.I. Page is one of the foremost runologists and Norse scholars today.Anything he writes is a "must buy!" for me.His Norse Mythology book, for its size, is spot-on accurate (from extant sources, etc.) and is not New Age or of indeterminate scholarship.Prof. Page does it right.I have recommended this book many times to folks, and would rate it as one of the best books on Norse myth to come out in recent years.It is certainly reasonably priced, which makes it all the more appealing to those with small budgets. If you're seriously interested in Norse mythology, go buy this book!It is certainly worth it! ... Read more

Book Description
This in-depth primer of the magic of the Northern Way introduces the major concepts and practices of Gothic or Germanic magic. From Pennsylvania Dutch hex-magic to Scandinavian runes, Northern Magic explores the folk traditions, ancient lore, Germanic Mysteries, magic, and wisdom of this ancient Germanic culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Excellent Book on the Revivification of Norsk Viking Magick
A few people gave trashy reviews of this fine book.The bottom line is that no one can say for sure, what the original runesters did.Edred 'Stephen Flowers' Thorsson presents an interesting modern interpretation of the ways of the scandinavian pagans of yesteryear.Many of the old building structures of northern europe,have those 'Hex-signs' highly displayed still.The christian romanisation of Scandianavia incorporated the symbols into the catholic church.And later the protestants left the symbols there,because it was so apart of their social identity.If Sweden and Norway had embraced Russian communism,the physical Hex-signs would have been removed and destroyed.I think most literate pagans would agree,this is a valuable book on the revival of the Norsk Shamanisic beliefs and traditions.

Operant Hexology
I give this book 5 stars not for its information on runes or norse mythology, but for the small chapter on the Pennsylvania Dutch Hexsigns. I am very interested in Hexology and Powwow, and read anything I can get my hands on about it. Mr. Thorsson has given the reader a basic introduction to Hexology, examples of Hexsigns, and pretty good history too. I cannot speak about the rest of the book, but buy it for the hex information if for nothing else.

Great source for younger futhark runes
Edred Thorrson is perhaps the most trusted modern authority when it comes to the Runes and Northern occult tradition.

This book is a great introduction to many practices rooted in the Northern way, including a fascinating section on the only system of unique colonial American magic that I have come into acquaintance with, Pennsylvania "Dutch" Hex-signs.

Very informative and suitable for beginners as well.

Learning from this book
This is my principle book that I am learning from. For one it is far more accurate on runic magick and magick in general than any Wiccanized book that I can find. People say this guy is a Satanist so they freak out and run but frankly I could care less what one's personal religion. The fact that this guy knows his stuff is beyond doubt. Yes he makes some errors but everyone does this...As for him belonging to the Temple of Set. Sounds like a pretty closed minded way of thinking not to mention very christian in mindset to think that you shouldn't read a book from someones religion that is very different than your own.

Recommended to all Pagans interested in the Northern Way!!
Another of Thorsson's masterpieces! I strongly recommend this book to all pagans who follow the Northern Way. I don't quite understand the bad reviews about Edred Thorsson being a satanist, he is quite far from it!

This is an excellent book for beginners of Asatru, due to the book wide variations of Norse paganism. This book covers many subjects and customs such as: The Troth, Runes, Hex-signs, Seith Magic, and much more. This book, however, is not in depth in these subjects, but a great introduction to them. If you are looking for information on Runes of the Elder Futhark, I wouldn't count on this book, however Thorsson introduces the Younger Futhark and covers them pretty well (one page on each rune, front and back!) I also recommend this book for the advanced, because it introduces new customs as well. Be sure to check out other books by Thorsson. ... Read more

Book Description
1874. Murray, a Scottish archaeologist, was assistant keeper and keeper of Greek and Roman antiquities at the British Museum. From 1894 to 1896 he was in charge of excavations in Cyprus. Among his writings are Manual of Mythology, Handbook of Greek Archaeology, Terra-Cotta Sarcophagi, and Excavations in Cyprus. ... Read more

Book Description
A trove of traditional lore, this Icelandic prose epic tells of love, jealousy, vengeance, war, and the mythic deeds of the dragonslayer, Sigurd the Volsung. The saga is of special interest to admirers of Richard Wagner, who drew heavily upon this Norse source in writing his Ring Cycle. With its magical ring acquired by the hero, and the sword to be reforged, the saga has also been a primary source for writers of fantasy such as J.R.R. Tolkien and romantics such as William Morris. Byock's comprehensive introduction explores the history, legends, and myths contained in the saga and traces the development of a narrative that reaches back to the period of the great folk migrations in Europe when the Roman Empire collapsed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

A Norse Dynasty
"The Saga of the Volsungs" concern the epic tale of the Volsung family, from its patriarch Norse god Odin, through his decedents: Volsung himself, Sigmund and his sister Signy, their son Sigurd, and the tragic tale of his wife and children.If some of this saga seems familiar, it is because Sigurd is Siegfried in the German epic "Nibelungenlied".This is a really quick read, and I was surprised at how easy it is to understand.Don't get me wrong, it is still a challenge to read, you really have to concentrate on what is going on; but it is nowhere near as dense as Homer (no offence, I like "Iliad"; it was just a very tough read).The saga deals with the darker parts of human existence.The Volsungs have left behind a legacy of greed, murder, incest, and witchcraft.This saga was obviously composed in the pre-Christian era.The introduction at the beginning was very helpful.It provides background on the history of Europe at the time, and gives some possibilities about what real life families may have inspired the legends, as well as some information on previous translations.The notes and glossary in the back of the book are also helpful, and much appreciated.It is still a great read for anyone who likes fantasy and horror.It is also a great family soap opera.

Greatest Saga
Epic, bloody and depressing. It's GREAT!!! Great fun for peoplewell versed and for the beginner. The classic root of the entire ring cycle myth. The Start of the Siegfried legend and inspiration for Wagner and Tolkien. Essential source material.

A Great Translation
Jesse Byock's translation of the Völsungasaga manages to be both faithful and readable (not as common a combination as you might think), and it strikes a nice balance in its use of only the most important footnotes (a little more than 100 over the course of the saga). These are usually etymological / onomastic in nature, which was very much to my liking. I would have preferred them to be actual footnotes rather than end notes, actually, but that's just a quibble about having to flip back and forth while reading. Not a big problem, really. The slim volume also packs a great deal of essential historical context into a small but excellent introduction. There's also a nice glossary of most of the proper nouns, and this connects the Anglicized spelling with the original Old Norse forms, which can be helpful for those readers unfamiliar with the orthography. A great edition of an Old Norse classic!

Readable rendering of seminal saga
This 13th century Icelandic saga of Sigurd the dragon slayer was rediscovered in 19th century Europe and was a prime source for Wagner's Ring cycle, especially the Siegfried part.Elements will also be found in Tolkien.Personally, I came to Norse mythology through the BBC's Adventures of Noggin the Nog (Did he ever put an end to Nogbad the Bad?).

It is a neglected tradition, as evidenced by the paucity of translations in print.We commonly talk of the Classical (Greek and Roman) and Judeo-Christian roots of our culture, but greatly underestimate the Norse and Celtic influences.The Volsung saga and the Niebelungenlied are among the best known and influential of the medieval epics and if you enjoy one you will probably enjoy the other.You might start with the Volsungs because theirs is the shorter and more coherent story, even though the more mythical and fantastic.

Byock's translation is very readable, reflecting the sparse, unadorned style of the original.His introduction is excellent, especially the notes on Wagner, in which he traces the influence of this work in the Ring.

The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and The Lay of the Raven follow the Volsung saga in the original manuscripts and form a continuous narrative.So why, as the Volsung saga is quite short, are they not all three published together in one volume?I felt rather short changed.Even so, I heartily recommend this book.

Neither difficult nor boring, but not what I expected either.
The saga of the Volsungs is a compound of old Norse lays. The first part tells the story of Sigurd's ancestry and of his quest to slay the dragon Fafnir. The second is very similar to the Nibelungenlied, with characters such as King Gunnar, Hogni and Brynhild.

Once again, even though Odin, the Valkyries and other supernatural beings appear here and there in the first part, I was expecting this book to comprise much more Norse mythology, such as tales of Yggdrasil, Bifrost and Ragnarok. Maybe I should give a try to the Prose Edda?

Anyway, it wasn't too difficult or boring, and of course it was nice to spots some of Tolkien's sources of inspiration. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hammer of the Gods
Two of the four music composers used on this CD are out of place. The actor reading the stories makes a good go of it. The stories are great, however this is not a reading from the ancient sagas, simply a retelling of the stories. None the less a good audio book overall. Suitable for all ages.

Dark brooding tales that hold your interest
My family (me, 3 boys ages 8,7,6 and my 75 year old mother) listened to these Norse tales on a long car trip. They are dark and pessimistic but also fascinating as a glimpse at another world view and creation mythology. My six year old doesn't like really scary tales but listened to this with interest. Most of it was probably over the younger kids heads but the booming kettle drums and the stories, for example, of giant wolves tied in unbreakable chains until the ending of the world kept their attention.The recording does suffer from some variability in the sound level, at one point being too soft to hear over the road noise. Good for kids who like fantasy and myths. ... Read more

Book Description
A satisfying insight into both Tarot and the Vikings which will delight both Tarot enthusiasts and amateur historians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The drawings weave the story.
After owning over 30 different tarot decks this is my favorite everyday deck because I find the cards so easy to read. The Norse deck has soft colors and clear, graceful drawings but the perspective and action of thepictures of these cards are compelling and have really added life to theTarot for me.Study the minor arcana and it filmic-ly tells a storywithout already knowing the traditional meaning of the cards.The courtcards don't describe physical attributes of a person as much as theydescribe a more accurate description of their emotional maturity andpersonality traits. * The bonus is that the book and major arcanaintroduced me to Norse mythology and thus served as an introduction forlearning the Runes.

Ok, but nothing special.
This was the first tarot pack that I receieved as a present from a friend. The artwork is not as good when viewed close-up as it is from further away. The drawings for the Major Arcana are better than those for the Minor Arcana, but neither groups havebeen (in my opinion) meticulously drawn. The accompanying book is quitegood. There is some background to the Norse myths, gods and goddesses, butthe explanations given for a reading of each card is very undetailed,basically just one like and not very helpful. You would need to buy anotherbook on tarot if you were a beginner in order to give a concise anddetailed reading. The book also gives an overview of the different spreadsused which is quite well done, although once again, not as detailed as Iwould have liked. Overall, an average tarot pack.

The perfect Tarot for the intermediate (Norse) user.
The Book is strong in linking the major arcana to the stories of the Noremen, but does a disservice to the reader not familiar with Norse Mythology.I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is already familiar with one or two versions of the standard tarot deck AND already has some familiarity with Norse mythology.The instruction is insightful, well articulated and comprehensive (I only wish it had been longer with an expanded section for runes... but you can't have it all).The cards are well drawn and detailed.Best of all, one does not have to memorize the meanings of the cards; the meaning is easily deducible from the pictures.Right on and about time! ... Read more