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aliciaking3's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most readable books that is of scholarly value on the Norse religion and mythos that I've read. I enjoyed the author's attempt to apply some imagination to what it would have been like to live in the ancient stretches of northern Europe. It's well-done and well-reasoned. The endnotes are a bit strange, he doesn't always include the excerpts of poems and sagas that he references - requiring a bit more work for the reader than most endnotes do. I do feel like it's a "beginner's" book for studying the Norse -- but a solid foundation nonetheless.
starlitbooknerd's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome
This is a great resource for Viking culture and Norse mythology! I can’t wait to learn more about this culture and it’s myths.
This is a great resource for Viking culture and Norse mythology! I can’t wait to learn more about this culture and it’s myths.
drifter_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely one of the better books on Norse culture as a whole.
gilroi's review against another edition
3.0
A weird book. Self-published by an author with-- to my knowledge-- no official academic work in the field, it serves as much as an introduction to Norse mythology and its intersection with Norse culture as it does one man's perspective on Norse mythology and its intersection with Norse culture.
If you're already familiar with the subject and don't need an easy introduction, you're much better off reading Gods and Myths of Northern Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson. Not least because The Viking Spirit is hugely influenced by this book.
If you're already familiar with the subject and don't need an easy introduction, you're much better off reading Gods and Myths of Northern Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson. Not least because The Viking Spirit is hugely influenced by this book.
claudia_is_reading's review against another edition
3.75
I enjoyed this, it's a highly readable rendition of Nordic Mythology, although I still prefer Neil Gaiman's (which, now that I think about it, I should re-read :P)
If your knowledge of the theme comes from the popular rendering of the main protagonists, well, this is a nice point to begin to understand that they aren't who you think they are :P
I liked the first chapters the most. This first part, which is about Viking culture and the different aspects of their religion is, to me at least, the most interesting.
And I like that there is a big bibliography offered, in case you are willing the delve deeper into the theme.
All in all, informative and interesting enough. And the narration was really good, which made it even more accessible to those who are accessing these myths for the first time.
If your knowledge of the theme comes from the popular rendering of the main protagonists, well, this is a nice point to begin to understand that they aren't who you think they are :P
I liked the first chapters the most. This first part, which is about Viking culture and the different aspects of their religion is, to me at least, the most interesting.
And I like that there is a big bibliography offered, in case you are willing the delve deeper into the theme.
All in all, informative and interesting enough. And the narration was really good, which made it even more accessible to those who are accessing these myths for the first time.
brianharrison's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
grasss's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
A scholarly paper, but written to be entertaining and simplified. Hands down the best mythology book I've read.
gooutside's review against another edition
4.0
Comprehensive. However, I thought that McCoy's retellings of the myths were lacking in life and detail.
I did appreciate the epilogue though. He asserts that myths and storytelling evolve over time, and while finding and following old sources are important, embellishing and crafting the old tales into new myths is also extremely valuable. Perhaps this is why his retellings are so sparse- to encourage his readers to fill in the details with our own stories.
I did appreciate the epilogue though. He asserts that myths and storytelling evolve over time, and while finding and following old sources are important, embellishing and crafting the old tales into new myths is also extremely valuable. Perhaps this is why his retellings are so sparse- to encourage his readers to fill in the details with our own stories.