Norse Mythology

Neil Gaiman was responsible for first getting me interested in Norse mythology, so I was very excited when I heard about this book. I'd read Thor comics from Marvel before that, but their Thor always seemed Arthurian, if not Olympian. Gaiman helped me to better understand characters like Loki and Odin, and the culture that spawned them.

In this volume, Gaiman goes back to the original stories of the Norse gods, retelling them in a folksy, campfire-story style that suits the material perfectly. The stories themselves can be rather epic and terrifying (as stories literally dealing with the creation and destruction of the universe are wont to be), and Gaiman's grandfatherly way of delivering the stories helps stop them from descending in to melodrama. Between the beginning and the end, we're also treated to a greatest hits of the mythology – Thor battling the giants of Jotunheim, Loki becoming mother to an eight-legged horse, betrothal through ankle admiration, and the battle over the apples of immortality. The stories are funny, exciting, and through reading them we can see why they are stories that have appealed to so many for so long.

Long story short – if you're someone who loves Norse mythology, you'll likely appreciate the care, respect, and love with which Gaiman retells these stories. On the other hand, if you're someone that can't tell Gleipnir from the Gunningagap, Gaiman provides an approachable and fun version of these classic tales.