Loki: An Illustrated Guide to the Trickster God

by L. Dean Lee, The Saxon Storyteller (illustrator)

mischief-maker, shapeshifter, and father to monsters. Explore the enigmatic god of Norse mythology in this richly illustrated guide.
 
This authentic introduction to the Norse god Loki Laufeyjarson delves into his history, enduring legacy, and impact on the Norse pantheon. Revered in Norse paganism as the god of chaos, Loki is audacious, conniving, and wildly cunning, constantly causing all kinds of mischief and using his various magical powers to manipulate situations to his advantage.
 
An Illustrated Guide to the Trickster God provides an overview of Loki’s origins, personality, significance, powers, and associations in a comprehensive, accessible, and beautifully designed hardcover. Included are the most important folklore and mythological tales involving Loki, such as the birth of Sleipnir, the stealing of Thor’s hammer, the death of Balder, and Ragnarök. This book not only covers Loki in ancient times, but also through the ages, sharing how Loki became an icon throughout the world.
 
With An Illustrated Guide to the Trickster God, you will delve into the depths of Norse mythology and understand the true nature of Loki. Expert practicing Norse heathen L. Dean Lee shares how to properly venerate and incorporate Loki into your spiritual practice.

Genres: Nonfiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2025

Reviews

[Kyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The accounts of the myths involving Loki aren't terribly in-depth in this one, but I think all the major Loki stories are here, and the author even gives Loki a motivation for killing Balder beyond just "he felt like being an asshole," which is nice. I particularly liked that this book spends a lot of time examining Loki's cultural significance and how we know what we do about Norse mythology--that's an excellent background to have for any study of the myths. The paragraph or two about Marvel Loki is...not entirely accurate, but the author does at least grasp that MCU Loki got a redemption arc, so I guess I can forgive the rest.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the most adorable book about the Norse god Loki. It includes historical and modern context about him as a fictional being and as a deity as well as lots of tales written with the tone of stories being told around a fire. I'm not sure of the accuracy of all the stories, but they were fun and informative. The artwork is so cute and everything is explained clearly enough that it makes me want to pick up the other books in this series to learn more. I subtracted one star for some spelling issues and contradictory information within the text.

Thank you to Goodreads for the free copy for my honest review.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loki: An Illustrated Guide to the Trickster God by L. Dean Lee was a beautiful book! I got it in a Goodreads Giveaway, though I may purchase the books about the other gods myself!

It’s a nice mix of general info about Norse mythology, introduction to Loki, summary of some of his main myths, and how Loki is venerated as a God in past/present. All in about 120 pages - nice and short.

Each of the pages are full color and beautifully illustrated as well.

I can’t speak to the accuracy of the content, but the writing was easy to read and follow. It introduced you to a lot of new concepts in Norse mythology without feeling overwhelming. I really liked how some of the myths were written.