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Rhinegold
Proudly dedicated to both J. R. R. Tolkien and Richard Wagner, Rhinegold is a tour de force that will enthrall devotees of either master of magic, casting a fascinating new light on the stories they have told.
What The Mists of Avalon did for Celtic culture, Rhinegold does magnificently for its Nordic counterpart. Sweeping the reader into the stark, sensuous, exuberant world of North European myth and saga, Rhinegold tells the story of two warrior lines whose destinies are interwoven throughout seven generations by the mighty god Wodan.
The Saxon clan of the Walsings and the Burgundian Gebicungs are bound together not only by the wyrd of the gods but by the hoard of gold shimmering beneath the waters of the Rhine. The treasure will become the spark of bloodshed and the destroyer of dynasties. And it will bring the great hero Sigifrith fame and power as he slays the dragon Fadhmir to become its rightful owner... and bring him to his doom. Stephan Grundy's bold strokes paint a vast canvas: the Europe that lay north of Imperial Rome in its decline. A continent caught in change, as war bands harried its coast and stormed across its plains, tracing the whorls of fate written in runes on the misty borders of the otherworld. Its landscape is one of howling snows and golden summertide loves; of trollcraft and blood-oaths; of proud ships, roistering mead-halls, enchanted sunrises, werewolves, and dazzling valkyries. An epic of heroism and betrayal, mysticism and witchery, incest and tragedy,
Rhinegold breathes life into an age of unequaled grandeur. A novel that brings intimacy and poignancy to the tumult of legend, it is a reading experience that will haunt one's imagination forever.
What The Mists of Avalon did for Celtic culture, Rhinegold does magnificently for its Nordic counterpart. Sweeping the reader into the stark, sensuous, exuberant world of North European myth and saga, Rhinegold tells the story of two warrior lines whose destinies are interwoven throughout seven generations by the mighty god Wodan.
The Saxon clan of the Walsings and the Burgundian Gebicungs are bound together not only by the wyrd of the gods but by the hoard of gold shimmering beneath the waters of the Rhine. The treasure will become the spark of bloodshed and the destroyer of dynasties. And it will bring the great hero Sigifrith fame and power as he slays the dragon Fadhmir to become its rightful owner... and bring him to his doom. Stephan Grundy's bold strokes paint a vast canvas: the Europe that lay north of Imperial Rome in its decline. A continent caught in change, as war bands harried its coast and stormed across its plains, tracing the whorls of fate written in runes on the misty borders of the otherworld. Its landscape is one of howling snows and golden summertide loves; of trollcraft and blood-oaths; of proud ships, roistering mead-halls, enchanted sunrises, werewolves, and dazzling valkyries. An epic of heroism and betrayal, mysticism and witchery, incest and tragedy,
Rhinegold breathes life into an age of unequaled grandeur. A novel that brings intimacy and poignancy to the tumult of legend, it is a reading experience that will haunt one's imagination forever.
830 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Stephan Grundy
18 books25 followersDr. Stephan Grundy (born 1967 in New York, U.S.) is an American author. Being versed in particularly the Germanic mythology and cultural history, Grundy is known best for his modern adaptations of legendary sagas. Some of his work is published under the pseudonym Kveldulf Gundarsson.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 42 reviews
March 25, 2010
I read this for the first time in the early ninties, I think, and I remember being very fond of it, so I gave it a reread. It's a very compelling story, lots of action, love, drama, seduction, betrayal and what not - it is epic, it really is. And Grundy tells the story in such a nice, flawless way that you can't help it but have to read on. Basically, this book has it all - and it's actually a 5-star-read.
However, I can give it 4 stars only because of the German translation. I never noticed it the first time I read it and now only found out while reading the translators' notes after I finished the novel. Apparently, they decided to simply omit certain scenes from the original english version because they thought they were too gruesome. Err, what? I don't need translators to censor the story for me, thanks, but no thanks. This is most annoying. So, if you want to read it - and I think you should - grab the original version. It's what I'm going to do should I ever indulge in this epic a third time.
However, I can give it 4 stars only because of the German translation. I never noticed it the first time I read it and now only found out while reading the translators' notes after I finished the novel. Apparently, they decided to simply omit certain scenes from the original english version because they thought they were too gruesome. Err, what? I don't need translators to censor the story for me, thanks, but no thanks. This is most annoying. So, if you want to read it - and I think you should - grab the original version. It's what I'm going to do should I ever indulge in this epic a third time.
October 4, 2013
Rhinegold is one of those epic books that you wait to tackle until you have the energy and the time for a major project. The book gets off to a very slow start, slowly building up background information for a couple hundred pages, until Grundy introduces the main characters and the book starts to feel more like a novel than a history book reciting a litany of Norse myths.
The book takes its material from the Norse Volsunga Saga, The Ring of the Nibelung and the Eddas. We've seen the same story in a number of other places, including Wagner's famous ring cycle and even The Lord of the Rings.
Though Rhinegold feels like a Ph.D. thesis that has evolved into something more entertaining, the end result is pretty satisfying. Though filled with incredible details, it's still a very engaging and readable story. It follows Sigimund, his twin sister Sigilind, and their descendant Sigifrith, who eventually kills the dragon Fadhmir, before showing up in the court of the Burgundians with his gold horde.
If you have the patience for it, this isn't a bad story at all. And if you have even a remote interest in the Norse/Germanic myths that Rhinegold was based on, you'll find much to enjoy in this engaging re-telling of the old stories.
The book takes its material from the Norse Volsunga Saga, The Ring of the Nibelung and the Eddas. We've seen the same story in a number of other places, including Wagner's famous ring cycle and even The Lord of the Rings.
Though Rhinegold feels like a Ph.D. thesis that has evolved into something more entertaining, the end result is pretty satisfying. Though filled with incredible details, it's still a very engaging and readable story. It follows Sigimund, his twin sister Sigilind, and their descendant Sigifrith, who eventually kills the dragon Fadhmir, before showing up in the court of the Burgundians with his gold horde.
If you have the patience for it, this isn't a bad story at all. And if you have even a remote interest in the Norse/Germanic myths that Rhinegold was based on, you'll find much to enjoy in this engaging re-telling of the old stories.
December 25, 2017
Long time since my last re-read of this book. Nice to see that it holds up quite well. I still feel that the first 2/3 are the best. There are some really strong female characters in this book . Grundy's use of the saga is beautiful and incorpates runes and lore.
June 10, 2008
This is a VERY long book. It's over 800 pages in about size 10 font for the paperback version. In fairness, it was originally meant to be three seperate novels that were all crammed into one. If you have any interest in Norse mythology, particularly the legend of Sigurd, I highly recommend this book. It covers the legend from beginning to end and really makes the characters come alive.
August 25, 2020
NOPE. I only got through pg 40-something, but that told me all I needed to know. I don't like this author's style, & slogging through another 800 pages of this massive doorstopping brick has all the appeal of a root canal. So...bye. I've got other chunky fantasy tomes awaiting their turn on my Currently Reading shelf.
It's probably not fair of me to rate this 1 star, given that I'm particularly difficult to please when it comes to retellings/derivative fiction, but whatever. I'm not in a nice mood today. YMMV; many others seem to have enjoyed the experience. *shrug*
It's probably not fair of me to rate this 1 star, given that I'm particularly difficult to please when it comes to retellings/derivative fiction, but whatever. I'm not in a nice mood today. YMMV; many others seem to have enjoyed the experience. *shrug*
December 12, 2008
Herausragendes Frühmittelalterepos
Stephan Grundy ist ein wunderbares Werk gelungen. Er hat es perfekt geschafft, die Gratwanderung zwischen Phantasyroman und Quellentreue zu bestehen. Aus einem sehr tiefen Verständnis der ursprünglichen Quellen beschreibt er die Geschichte rund um das Rheingold - also wie es zu dem Drachen kam, wie es zu Sigfrid kam und wie es den Burgundern Unglück brachte. Von einem historischen Roman unterscheidet er sich insofern, als er die nordische Götterwelt immer mitwirken lässt, wie es in den ursprünglichen Quellen ja auch der Fall ist. Von einem Phantasyroman unterscheidet er sich dadurch, dass er sehr stark an der Realität der Geschichte bleibt.
Am Besten beschreibt man diesen Roman vielleicht so: Wenn ein Schriftsteller mit den heutigen Techniken in der damaligen Zeit aufgewachsen wäre, dann würde er die Geschichte so berichten wie es der Autor in diesem Buch macht. Für Grundy werden die Götter der Germanen wieder lebendig - sie werden selbstverständlicher Teil der Geschichte; ebenso hält er es mit den Riten und der Lebensart dieser Zeit.
Wesentlich zu wissen ist vielleicht noch, dass sich der Autor an den nordischen (vor allem isländischen) Quellen orientiert und hier vor allem der Völsunga-Saga folgt. Dies ist eine deutlich umfassendere Schilderung der Sigfridsage, als sie im Nibelungenlied enthalten ist (und sie weicht auch teilweise bei den Namen ab, so heißt Kriemhild dort Gudrun). An jenen Stellen an denen der Mythos weiße Stellen hinterlässt erfindet Grundy herrliche Geschichten um die Story runder zu machen. Insofern kann man festhalten, dass jene die sich dafür interessieren, was die Originalquellen beschreiben besser zu Reiner Tetzners "Germanische Göttersagen" und "Germanische Heldensagen" greifen sollten. Wer jedoch ein phantastisches Epos des Frühmittelalters erleben will, der ist hier goldrichtig aufgehoben. Aufgrund seiner genauen Kenntnis der germanischen Mythologie gelingt es Grundy tatsächlich einen Standard in diesem Genre zu setzen.
Abschließend noch ein Tipp für all jene die sich eingehender mit dem Thema befassen wollen und nicht 'bloß' ein wunderbares Buch lesen wollen. Lesen Sie in diesem Fall zunächst die beiden Tetzner-Bücher, zuerst die Götter- und dann die Heldensagen und erst im Anschluss daran dieses Werk, der Lesegenuss wird dadurch nochmals gesteigert, weil das Gesamtbild schon zuvor bekannt ist und man sich nicht erst in die Zeit 'hineindenken' muss.
Stephan Grundy ist ein wunderbares Werk gelungen. Er hat es perfekt geschafft, die Gratwanderung zwischen Phantasyroman und Quellentreue zu bestehen. Aus einem sehr tiefen Verständnis der ursprünglichen Quellen beschreibt er die Geschichte rund um das Rheingold - also wie es zu dem Drachen kam, wie es zu Sigfrid kam und wie es den Burgundern Unglück brachte. Von einem historischen Roman unterscheidet er sich insofern, als er die nordische Götterwelt immer mitwirken lässt, wie es in den ursprünglichen Quellen ja auch der Fall ist. Von einem Phantasyroman unterscheidet er sich dadurch, dass er sehr stark an der Realität der Geschichte bleibt.
Am Besten beschreibt man diesen Roman vielleicht so: Wenn ein Schriftsteller mit den heutigen Techniken in der damaligen Zeit aufgewachsen wäre, dann würde er die Geschichte so berichten wie es der Autor in diesem Buch macht. Für Grundy werden die Götter der Germanen wieder lebendig - sie werden selbstverständlicher Teil der Geschichte; ebenso hält er es mit den Riten und der Lebensart dieser Zeit.
Wesentlich zu wissen ist vielleicht noch, dass sich der Autor an den nordischen (vor allem isländischen) Quellen orientiert und hier vor allem der Völsunga-Saga folgt. Dies ist eine deutlich umfassendere Schilderung der Sigfridsage, als sie im Nibelungenlied enthalten ist (und sie weicht auch teilweise bei den Namen ab, so heißt Kriemhild dort Gudrun). An jenen Stellen an denen der Mythos weiße Stellen hinterlässt erfindet Grundy herrliche Geschichten um die Story runder zu machen. Insofern kann man festhalten, dass jene die sich dafür interessieren, was die Originalquellen beschreiben besser zu Reiner Tetzners "Germanische Göttersagen" und "Germanische Heldensagen" greifen sollten. Wer jedoch ein phantastisches Epos des Frühmittelalters erleben will, der ist hier goldrichtig aufgehoben. Aufgrund seiner genauen Kenntnis der germanischen Mythologie gelingt es Grundy tatsächlich einen Standard in diesem Genre zu setzen.
Abschließend noch ein Tipp für all jene die sich eingehender mit dem Thema befassen wollen und nicht 'bloß' ein wunderbares Buch lesen wollen. Lesen Sie in diesem Fall zunächst die beiden Tetzner-Bücher, zuerst die Götter- und dann die Heldensagen und erst im Anschluss daran dieses Werk, der Lesegenuss wird dadurch nochmals gesteigert, weil das Gesamtbild schon zuvor bekannt ist und man sich nicht erst in die Zeit 'hineindenken' muss.
Read
February 2, 2021Abgebrochen - Ohne Wertung - Das ist einfach nicht mehr mein Ding. Vor 20 hätte es mir vermutlich gefallen.
May 3, 2024
DNF
I managed to read 206 pages. Of some 700. I find it rather boring. There are some interesting things there, but all in all, I take Das Niebelungenlied any time.
And, as my husband reminded me, there is no shame in DNFing a book. There are tons of books in the world, and I can always come back and finish this in the future.
I managed to read 206 pages. Of some 700. I find it rather boring. There are some interesting things there, but all in all, I take Das Niebelungenlied any time.
And, as my husband reminded me, there is no shame in DNFing a book. There are tons of books in the world, and I can always come back and finish this in the future.
July 31, 2025
DNF 'd @ p. 30
Rhinegold by Stephan Grundy sounded like it was going to be right up my alley, but I barely made it past the prologue. I wasn't ready to drag myself through 800 more pages. His style isn't for me.
Rhinegold by Stephan Grundy sounded like it was going to be right up my alley, but I barely made it past the prologue. I wasn't ready to drag myself through 800 more pages. His style isn't for me.
February 28, 2022
Like a literary Richard Wagner (composer).
March 27, 2008
First, I need to be fair and state that I'm not a fan of Germanic/Norse mythology. Rhinegold hasn't changed that. I was hoping to find a compelling story that brought these myths to life, but that's not what I found here. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with Grundy's prose, the book was a fine read. It's just that the characters weren't brought to life, their motivations remained hazy and the justifications for their actions not real to me.
The Norse gods are cruel and capricious, creating heroes only to destroy them for no good reason - why'd they even bother creating a line of heroes then? The characters I enjoyed most were the evil/misunderstood Hagan, and the brief life of the unpronounceable minor hero Sinfjotli. Hero Sigifrith is also given a short shrift and not much book time considering he's the "greatest hero of all time". At least these characters were given some background, and a brief look at what they were thinking and feeling. The women fare little better: Brunichild's vengeance makes little sense, she seems like a spoiled brat - "If I can't have him, no one can" rather than acting like a strong and independent woman betrayed, which is what she is. Gundrun's vengeance on her husband is a bit more believable, although the "sorcery" used on her to direct her actions(and on Sigifrith's) is more of the hazy/make of it what you will storytelling.
I understand that Grundy was staying true to the ancient mythology so his story couldn't stray much from the plotline, but this book wasn't one to bring these stories to life for me. Give me Greek mythology over Nordic stories any day...
The Norse gods are cruel and capricious, creating heroes only to destroy them for no good reason - why'd they even bother creating a line of heroes then? The characters I enjoyed most were the evil/misunderstood Hagan, and the brief life of the unpronounceable minor hero Sinfjotli. Hero Sigifrith is also given a short shrift and not much book time considering he's the "greatest hero of all time". At least these characters were given some background, and a brief look at what they were thinking and feeling. The women fare little better: Brunichild's vengeance makes little sense, she seems like a spoiled brat - "If I can't have him, no one can" rather than acting like a strong and independent woman betrayed, which is what she is. Gundrun's vengeance on her husband is a bit more believable, although the "sorcery" used on her to direct her actions(and on Sigifrith's) is more of the hazy/make of it what you will storytelling.
I understand that Grundy was staying true to the ancient mythology so his story couldn't stray much from the plotline, but this book wasn't one to bring these stories to life for me. Give me Greek mythology over Nordic stories any day...
August 3, 2015
An excellent retelling of the Sigurð mythos (perhaps better known as Wagner's "Ring Cycle") by a scholar in the field. This book is actually three full novels published as one: each covers different generations of the Wälsungs, descendants of Wotan; the Burgunds, their sometimes allies/ sometimes enemies; and the race of Nibelungs and their stolen hoard of gold. The 3rd book even includes the story of the families' later connections with Attila. Wonderful details about ancient cultures and customs, along with top-notch writing, make this a not-to-be-missed read for any enthusiast of Northern European history or culture.
June 14, 2015
Vielleicht mein Lieblingsroman basierend auf der Edda-Version der Nibelungensage.
May 30, 2026
Die Bewertung bezieht sich ausdrücklich auf die deutsche Version! Dem englischen Original würde ich vier Sterne geben (keine fünf, da sich Grundy leider aus irgendeinem Grund oft zu stark an Wagners "Ring der Nibelungen" orientiert, was dann teils eine etwas schräge Mischung aus den tatsächlichen alten Überlieferungen und der Handlung der Opern ergibt und nicht nur Germanisten verwirren kann.)
Die deutsche Version setzt dem noch "einen drauf", indem die Übersetzter meinten, das sie Grundys Roman an sehr vielen Stellen komplett überarbeiten müssten, da man Anfang der 1990er wohl dachte, erwachsene Leute (aber nur in Deutschland) wären völlig überfordert oder - noch viel schlimmer - würden gleich in einen Blutrausch verfallen, wenn sie lesen könnten/müssten, wie im frühen Mittelalter Schlachten aussahen. Sehr brutal, sehr blutig. Und Grundy hat dazu sehr genau recherchiert und wählt seine Worte im Original ohne jede Beschönigung: Da sind Besiegte nur noch "ein Haufen Knochen und Fleisch", da wird im Schlachtgetümmel auch mal zugebissen, Schädel werden zerborsten, Gliedmaßen abgehackt, auf Männer so lange eingedroschen, bis sie quasi Matsch sind. In der deutschen Version klingt das dann so: "Im Handumdrehen hatte Siegfried alle besiegt" (S. 466)
Später treten "Berserker" auf, dies wird im Deutschen zusammenfassend dargestellt: "Die Berserker brachten sich gegenseitig auf grausame Weise um." Okay.
Nach der Schlacht bestraft Siegfried den Mörder seines Vaters mit dem "Blutadler", was Grundy genau beschreibt (wobei man heutzutage nicht mehr sicher ist, ob der "Blutadler" wirklich in dieser Form ausgeführt wurde, aber im Bereich der Sagen wird er beschrieben, deshalb hat Grundy ihn eingebaut). In der deutschen Version wird noch gesagt, dass die Strafe der "Blutadler" sei, doch schließlich rammt Siegfried dem Verurteilten einen Speer durch den Rücken ins Herz, was bizarrerweise an seinen eigenen späteren Tod erinnert.
Dies ist aber noch nicht alles. Es fehlen in der deutschen Version ganze Textabschnitte. Inhalte wurden sprachlich so verändert, dass sie nicht der Vorlage entsprechen. Textstellen wurden beliebig umgestellt. An einer Stelle werden Runen erklärt, diese Stelle ist im Original fast dreimal so lang, zudem wurden im Deutschen teils andere Runen mit anderen Erklärungen gewählt. Die Überschriften der drei Teile des Romans und der einzelnen Kapitel wurden größtenteils ebenfalls verändert, die Abschnitte anders eingeteilt. (Das Gemetzel am Text war hier schlimmer als das abgeschwächte Gemetzel auf dem Schlachtfeld, was die deutsche Version betrifft.)
Im Nachwort rechtfertigen sich die Übersetzer, sie hätten Grundys Roman insgesamt realistischer halten wollen. WtF?
Grundy schreibt eine Fantasy-Story, basierend auf alten Sagen aus dem frühen MA und Wagners "Ring", keinen Historienroman. Realistisch hätte Siegfried die Sachsen nicht besiegt, denn tatsächlich haben die Truppen Karls den Großen und nicht die Burgunder gegen die Sachsen gekämpft. Später waren die Sachsen und Burgunder Verbündete, da Otto der Große eine Prinzessin aus Burgund als zweite Frau geheiratet hatte.
Siegfried selbst basiert vermutlich auf Hermann, den Cherusker, der die Germanen gegen die Römer, nicht gegen andere Stämme führte.
Leider gibt es bis heute keine wirklich gelungene Prosa- bzw. Romanfassung des Nibelungenlieds, das man ohne irgendwelche Inhalte zu ändern, sehr gut in ein Fantasy-Epos umschreiben könnte. Auch Grundy ist dies nicht gelungen. Und die Übersetzung hat alles noch schlimmer gemacht.
Die deutsche Version setzt dem noch "einen drauf", indem die Übersetzter meinten, das sie Grundys Roman an sehr vielen Stellen komplett überarbeiten müssten, da man Anfang der 1990er wohl dachte, erwachsene Leute (aber nur in Deutschland) wären völlig überfordert oder - noch viel schlimmer - würden gleich in einen Blutrausch verfallen, wenn sie lesen könnten/müssten, wie im frühen Mittelalter Schlachten aussahen. Sehr brutal, sehr blutig. Und Grundy hat dazu sehr genau recherchiert und wählt seine Worte im Original ohne jede Beschönigung: Da sind Besiegte nur noch "ein Haufen Knochen und Fleisch", da wird im Schlachtgetümmel auch mal zugebissen, Schädel werden zerborsten, Gliedmaßen abgehackt, auf Männer so lange eingedroschen, bis sie quasi Matsch sind. In der deutschen Version klingt das dann so: "Im Handumdrehen hatte Siegfried alle besiegt" (S. 466)
Später treten "Berserker" auf, dies wird im Deutschen zusammenfassend dargestellt: "Die Berserker brachten sich gegenseitig auf grausame Weise um." Okay.
Nach der Schlacht bestraft Siegfried den Mörder seines Vaters mit dem "Blutadler", was Grundy genau beschreibt (wobei man heutzutage nicht mehr sicher ist, ob der "Blutadler" wirklich in dieser Form ausgeführt wurde, aber im Bereich der Sagen wird er beschrieben, deshalb hat Grundy ihn eingebaut). In der deutschen Version wird noch gesagt, dass die Strafe der "Blutadler" sei, doch schließlich rammt Siegfried dem Verurteilten einen Speer durch den Rücken ins Herz, was bizarrerweise an seinen eigenen späteren Tod erinnert.
Dies ist aber noch nicht alles. Es fehlen in der deutschen Version ganze Textabschnitte. Inhalte wurden sprachlich so verändert, dass sie nicht der Vorlage entsprechen. Textstellen wurden beliebig umgestellt. An einer Stelle werden Runen erklärt, diese Stelle ist im Original fast dreimal so lang, zudem wurden im Deutschen teils andere Runen mit anderen Erklärungen gewählt. Die Überschriften der drei Teile des Romans und der einzelnen Kapitel wurden größtenteils ebenfalls verändert, die Abschnitte anders eingeteilt. (Das Gemetzel am Text war hier schlimmer als das abgeschwächte Gemetzel auf dem Schlachtfeld, was die deutsche Version betrifft.)
Im Nachwort rechtfertigen sich die Übersetzer, sie hätten Grundys Roman insgesamt realistischer halten wollen. WtF?
Grundy schreibt eine Fantasy-Story, basierend auf alten Sagen aus dem frühen MA und Wagners "Ring", keinen Historienroman. Realistisch hätte Siegfried die Sachsen nicht besiegt, denn tatsächlich haben die Truppen Karls den Großen und nicht die Burgunder gegen die Sachsen gekämpft. Später waren die Sachsen und Burgunder Verbündete, da Otto der Große eine Prinzessin aus Burgund als zweite Frau geheiratet hatte.
Siegfried selbst basiert vermutlich auf Hermann, den Cherusker, der die Germanen gegen die Römer, nicht gegen andere Stämme führte.
Leider gibt es bis heute keine wirklich gelungene Prosa- bzw. Romanfassung des Nibelungenlieds, das man ohne irgendwelche Inhalte zu ändern, sehr gut in ein Fantasy-Epos umschreiben könnte. Auch Grundy ist dies nicht gelungen. Und die Übersetzung hat alles noch schlimmer gemacht.
May 22, 2026
A long story short. I saw this book the year it was published but hadn't the money to buy it on the day. Next month I had the cash, but it was gone and not to be found wherever I looked. In 2007 I was in the UK and found a secondhand copy.
The book is a re-telling of many Germanic legends based mainly around the same collection of stories that Wagner turned into his Der Ring des Nibelungen. It is very clever in bringing various strands into a single narrative and in the process blending the actions of the Germanic gods into normal life. Well I say "normal life" but harsh warrior lead heathen life with its blood feuds and kin slaying etc..
If I had done a review back in 2007, when I first read it, I would have given it five stars. This time I've given it four. Why? Well I must be getting old and all the bloodshed was a mite much for me this time.
I haven't given a start and end time as I lost track. Life has been complicated of late, in particular with my wife's health, so there have been bursts of reading whilst in waiting rooms and long periods of being head nurse with little or no reading.
The book is a re-telling of many Germanic legends based mainly around the same collection of stories that Wagner turned into his Der Ring des Nibelungen. It is very clever in bringing various strands into a single narrative and in the process blending the actions of the Germanic gods into normal life. Well I say "normal life" but harsh warrior lead heathen life with its blood feuds and kin slaying etc..
If I had done a review back in 2007, when I first read it, I would have given it five stars. This time I've given it four. Why? Well I must be getting old and all the bloodshed was a mite much for me this time.
I haven't given a start and end time as I lost track. Life has been complicated of late, in particular with my wife's health, so there have been bursts of reading whilst in waiting rooms and long periods of being head nurse with little or no reading.
July 31, 2023
A novelization of the Norse Saga of the Volsungs and the German Nibelungenlied, Rhinegold is a gripping, multigenerational story of a family caught in a plan woven by gods. It’s is beautifully written, and ingeniously plotted. It is also a violent tragedy that will whisk you along unable to look away from the terrible fate of the Walsings and the Gebicungs. If you love epic fantasy and/or mythology you’ll like this. It is also for fans of historical novels, and family sagas.
Parents: This is not for kids.
Parents: This is not for kids.
March 18, 2025
Das Rheingold ist ein umfangreiches Werk. Mich hat es 2 Monate, inklusive einiger Pausen, gebraucht, um das Rheingold zu Ende zu lesen.
Es dauert etwas den Fluss der Handlung zu verstehen, gerade wenn man kein großes Vorwissen in der nordisch/germanischen Sagen- und Mythenwelt hat. Mich hat das ganze doch nach ca. 200 Seiten sehr angesprochen, da ich großer Fan der Opern von Richard Wagner bin.
Es dauert etwas den Fluss der Handlung zu verstehen, gerade wenn man kein großes Vorwissen in der nordisch/germanischen Sagen- und Mythenwelt hat. Mich hat das ganze doch nach ca. 200 Seiten sehr angesprochen, da ich großer Fan der Opern von Richard Wagner bin.
December 24, 2020
Damn. This may be the longest time it's taken me to read a book, but it was worth it in the end. It definitely had some "man writing women" moments so I couldn't give it 5 stars, but it was also just a beautiful, immersive story to savor. If you have the patience and enjoy Norse Mythology, this is worth a try.
June 12, 2026
Mirkwood...
Really?
Why not Mordor if you are at it?
Knowing actual History won't help you.
Knowing actual Mythology won't help you.
Knowing even a little about Linguistics will only make you cry.
The only way to get any entertainment out of this tale is to treat it as Fantasy. Alternate Universe Fantasy.
Really?
Why not Mordor if you are at it?
Knowing actual History won't help you.
Knowing actual Mythology won't help you.
Knowing even a little about Linguistics will only make you cry.
The only way to get any entertainment out of this tale is to treat it as Fantasy. Alternate Universe Fantasy.
October 10, 2020
If you're in the market for an 800+ page novelisation of the Volsunga Saga, with all the misfortunes and counter-productive betrayals that entails, then this is probably a good fit for you. It was not for me.
July 4, 2022
Out of print. I bought a used copy to reread. In depth if a little lengthy retelling of the Ring Cycle. I could have used a family tree graphic but otherwise engaging. Biggest complaint: teeny font in the paperback. I wish the author had written more books.
January 27, 2018
One of my all time favorites
May 23, 2019
One of the best books I've ever read. Absolutely captivating and engrossing.
January 10, 2026
Terribly overhyped. If, as an author, you can make yourself sound this arrogant in a *fictional* story, basically inadvertently (?) hijacking it, that's a pretty sad verdict. It truly was impossible for me to focus on the actual plot and characters. Although at the very least, this is a novum, because I'd never before learned to despise an author based on what they give away about their personality in their writing.
The myths, while morally reprehensible, are interesting enough in their origin, but I shy away from how he spun these stories, twisted and fleshed them out with metaphorically rotten meat. (Grundy is very much active in the Norse Pagan cult scene where he demonstrates that I read his personality via his writing style correctly. His cruelly gleeful condescension is reflected in his prose—it oozes off of each pompous sentence and chapter.
The myths, while morally reprehensible, are interesting enough in their origin, but I shy away from how he spun these stories, twisted and fleshed them out with metaphorically rotten meat. (Grundy is very much active in the Norse Pagan cult scene where he demonstrates that I read his personality via his writing style correctly. His cruelly gleeful condescension is reflected in his prose—it oozes off of each pompous sentence and chapter.
October 20, 2022
New favorite of all times! What a find!
October 4, 2016
Major pros:
- The plot. You can find vengeance, treachery, mischief, love, honor and fate, among others.
- A solid protagonist who is fated for glory and tragedy.
- A god who wants to change the fate itself, embarks on a journey to create world's greatest hero.
- Family's story that will become a legend.
- Fuses both history and fantasy in an amazing blend.
- Book design. The hardback version has frame-decorated chapters and parts.
Cons:
- Length can be a problem (700+ pages)
- By the way that is written, this novel is hard to read. I am speaking as advanced/expert english speaker. Because of this, it took me like 3 months to complete this book (well i have to be honest, i was reading it on my spare time).
- Too many characters in the beginning can confuse.
As summary, it is a solid book retelling the legend about a well-known character. Deep and fabulous story beginning with Sigifrith´s origins including the fight with the dragon and our hero´s fall.
The only let downs is the pages amount and language (english) is very complicated even if you are an expert on it. I am happy that I read this book, even that I struggled to end it.
Definitely worth a read if you are into Germanic Legends, if not this might be not the best book to give you a warm welcome.
Want to Read
March 6, 2014Golden sunlight glittered from the Rhine's depths like a fire in the flood, brightening the dark waters into the torchlit grandeur of a river-king's hall.
In complete contrast to my other current reads - a palate cleanser. The picture is right but mine is in English (Rhinegold) and a hardcover.
This is a biggy so I had better keep track of characters as they come along...
Sigifrith - blacksmith and apprentice
Ragin - dwarf teacher and foster-father to Sigifrith
King Alapercht - instructs Ragin to teach bravery and wisdom to Sigifrith
In complete contrast to my other current reads - a palate cleanser. The picture is right but mine is in English (Rhinegold) and a hardcover.
This is a biggy so I had better keep track of characters as they come along...
Sigifrith - blacksmith and apprentice
Ragin - dwarf teacher and foster-father to Sigifrith
King Alapercht - instructs Ragin to teach bravery and wisdom to Sigifrith
February 3, 2015
I can't quite give this three stars. There were parts that I really liked and others that I had to skim, so it fell into "OK" territory for me. Something I look for (read enjoy) in mythology-based novels is character motivations I can get behind or at least sympathize with. However, I wasn't able to care or root for any of the characters who had a viewpoint in this saga. I know Grundy had to stick as closely as possible to his source material, but since I've never been a fan (not opposed to it; just not into it) of that, I guess I needed more winning over than other readers in terms of character-"relatability."
April 24, 2015
Ich habe dieses Buch sehr genossen. Ich liebe die germanischen heldensagen welche sich mit Göttern, mythologie und sogar Geschichte vermischt haben. Es sind Einflüsse aus dem Norden aber auch aus den Süden und deckt daher die gesamte germanische welt ab. Ein grandioser Epos. Man muss sich ein wenig einlesen und darf die geduld nicht verlieren. Dann wird es zu einem tollen leseerlebnis. Ein stern weniger für den mühsamen start der doch etwas zäh war. Danach sind die nibelungen einfach nur atemberaubend. Das sollte in der schule gelesen werden!
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