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War of the Gods
The story of the great King Hadding is one of the darkest and most violent to come down to us from the old North. Hadding was raised by giants far from his rightful throng, as his father, a Danish King, was slain shortly after Hadding's birth. But the times comes when Hadding feels he must reclaim his legitimate place in the land of the old North. He must endure ferocious battles, the charms of voluptuous Valkyries, and a War of the Gods to rival Armageddon.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1997
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About the author
Poul Anderson
1,621 books1,108 followersPseudonym A. A. Craig, Michael Karageorge, Winston P. Sanders, P. A. Kingsley.
Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories. He received numerous awards for his writing, including seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards.
Anderson received a degree in physics from the University of Minnesota in 1948. He married Karen Kruse in 1953. They had one daughter, Astrid, who is married to science fiction author Greg Bear. Anderson was the sixth President of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, taking office in 1972. He was a member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America, a loose-knit group of Heroic Fantasy authors founded in the 1960s, some of whose works were anthologized in Lin Carter's Flashing Swords! anthologies. He was a founding member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his 1985 novel The Cat Who Walks Through Walls to Anderson and eight of the other members of the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy.[2][3]
Poul Anderson died of cancer on July 31, 2001, after a month in the hospital. Several of his novels were published posthumously.
Series:
* Time Patrol
* Psychotechnic League
* Trygve Yamamura
* Harvest of Stars
* King of Ys
* Last Viking
* Hoka
* Future history of the Polesotechnic League
* Flandry
Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories. He received numerous awards for his writing, including seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards.
Anderson received a degree in physics from the University of Minnesota in 1948. He married Karen Kruse in 1953. They had one daughter, Astrid, who is married to science fiction author Greg Bear. Anderson was the sixth President of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, taking office in 1972. He was a member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America, a loose-knit group of Heroic Fantasy authors founded in the 1960s, some of whose works were anthologized in Lin Carter's Flashing Swords! anthologies. He was a founding member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his 1985 novel The Cat Who Walks Through Walls to Anderson and eight of the other members of the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy.[2][3]
Poul Anderson died of cancer on July 31, 2001, after a month in the hospital. Several of his novels were published posthumously.
Series:
* Time Patrol
* Psychotechnic League
* Trygve Yamamura
* Harvest of Stars
* King of Ys
* Last Viking
* Hoka
* Future history of the Polesotechnic League
* Flandry
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 3, 2022
3 Stars
Full review: essentialreadingsandreviews.blogspot....
What's the story about: War of the Gods is about King Hadding relentlessly seeking to reclaim a throne he has lost. Through heartache and toil, he fights for what is rightfully his.
While starting off War of the Gods with initial excitement and zeal, the midway point dropped a level of vigor and the pace slowed to that of torpur. It seemed intentional that the second half would not have the same goals and energy that the first had, but all tension and illustrious words were wasted on fairly boring and unmoving storytelling.
Poul Anderson is a fantastic writer, and as a new fan of his fantasy stories, I can't say I regret reading this one. The first half was a treat and the ending was more satisfying than it appeared at face value, even if it seemed a little off.
Full review: essentialreadingsandreviews.blogspot....
What's the story about: War of the Gods is about King Hadding relentlessly seeking to reclaim a throne he has lost. Through heartache and toil, he fights for what is rightfully his.
While starting off War of the Gods with initial excitement and zeal, the midway point dropped a level of vigor and the pace slowed to that of torpur. It seemed intentional that the second half would not have the same goals and energy that the first had, but all tension and illustrious words were wasted on fairly boring and unmoving storytelling.
Poul Anderson is a fantastic writer, and as a new fan of his fantasy stories, I can't say I regret reading this one. The first half was a treat and the ending was more satisfying than it appeared at face value, even if it seemed a little off.
April 19, 2018
A monumental effort: to create the saga of a heroic king who may or may not have actually lived, drawn on one admittedly poor source. (But others have done more with less creating a historical Arthur from Gildas' sixth-century "Ruination of Britain.") Shades of The Silmarillion, and like it not as successful as one would hope/expect.
My chief quibble is that I never felt an emotional connection to the protagonist. It was all about as interesting as reading a history book, or one of the Middle Earth tomes written after Tolkien's death. I know Anderson can do better.
My chief quibble is that I never felt an emotional connection to the protagonist. It was all about as interesting as reading a history book, or one of the Middle Earth tomes written after Tolkien's death. I know Anderson can do better.
July 24, 2024
This is the saga of King Hadding of Denmark as told by Poul Anderson. Hadding may have been a real person or he may have been mythical, a human incarnation of the Norse sea god Njord. Whatever, this is a wonderful flight into the Viking past of sea raids and Valhalla, warriors and mighty gods. Just don't call Hadding Captain Haddock of he'll smite your head off with one thwack of his war axe. If you don't recognize Captain Haddock, he was a character in Hergé's Tintin; if you don't recognize Tintin - never mind, it's probably a generational thing.
Hadding, the son of King Gram, was brought up by a family of giants after his father was killed in battle. As he grew he longed to regain the crown and so began his saga of fighting, plotting, warfare and finally triumph as he defeated the Swedes and their Geat allies. Alas, as with so many monarchs, he found that having a crown was one thing, holding on to it another. His life became a series of wars and battles, even his own daughter became a threat, until he ended a tired old man ready to meet his end in a way of his own choosing.
The saga is so well written that it flies by when reading and it is impossible not to get drawn into Hadding's defeats and victories, happiness and tragedies. It is a shame poor old Haddock, er Headlock, no Hadding had to do what he did in the end. People getting his name wrong couldn't have helped the worn out man-god.
Hadding, the son of King Gram, was brought up by a family of giants after his father was killed in battle. As he grew he longed to regain the crown and so began his saga of fighting, plotting, warfare and finally triumph as he defeated the Swedes and their Geat allies. Alas, as with so many monarchs, he found that having a crown was one thing, holding on to it another. His life became a series of wars and battles, even his own daughter became a threat, until he ended a tired old man ready to meet his end in a way of his own choosing.
The saga is so well written that it flies by when reading and it is impossible not to get drawn into Hadding's defeats and victories, happiness and tragedies. It is a shame poor old Haddock, er Headlock, no Hadding had to do what he did in the end. People getting his name wrong couldn't have helped the worn out man-god.
October 8, 2019
The untold story of Hadding king of the Danes, is set on an age where gods were walking among men and women. Our main character is born to a fallen king and raised by giants on the wild. When he acknowledges this first fact, he embarks himself in a quest initially to get his revenge on the man who killed his father, but then to bring peace to his kingdom. On the way he will fight against odds and foes, make mighty allies and discover his place in this world and the other beyond.
The story is good: it has a lot of interesting situations and adventure is just right the corner, but i was normally wondering myself “how did Hadding get into this?” and lose track of what was the main reason that he had to be there. There was too many things that Anderson wanted us to know that in the end he was confusing us.
Main character begins very plain and typical, but with every page he starts to become more wise and reasonable. But aside of Hadding, with some excemptions, cast was very one dimensional and usual.
Bottom line, great book but it could be more than it was. The ending was a complete shocker!
The story is good: it has a lot of interesting situations and adventure is just right the corner, but i was normally wondering myself “how did Hadding get into this?” and lose track of what was the main reason that he had to be there. There was too many things that Anderson wanted us to know that in the end he was confusing us.
Main character begins very plain and typical, but with every page he starts to become more wise and reasonable. But aside of Hadding, with some excemptions, cast was very one dimensional and usual.
Bottom line, great book but it could be more than it was. The ending was a complete shocker!
January 13, 2015
Huvitav raamat mitmes mõttes. Pealkiri lubaks justkui mingit suurt üleloomulikku jumaliku elemendiga sõda aga tegelikult on see hoopis ühe saaga ümberjutustus. Kohati on saaga isegi pisut veniv lugu Taani viikingkuninga elust ja pidudest. Jääb mulje kohati, et taanlane jõudis elus edasi peamiselt tänu kahele asjale a) ta oli pagana osav kaotatud lahingutest jalga laskma b) üleloomulikud sõbrad. Lõpp mulle samas meeldis ja andis kõvasti üldhinnangule juude samas. Spoiler! Tuli välja, et kogu lugu oli viikingi versioon Põrgupõhja uuest vanapaganast !spoileri lõpp. Käis kah ühesõnaga.
PS: Kaanepilt on küll üsna umbropsu valitud. Viikingit ei meenuta see mantli ja mõõgarihmaga prints seal ühestki otsast :)
PS: Kaanepilt on küll üsna umbropsu valitud. Viikingit ei meenuta see mantli ja mõõgarihmaga prints seal ühestki otsast :)
October 27, 2019
Bellissima versione moderna della saga di Hadding, re dei Danesi.
July 18, 2008
This was certainly decent, but not up to the quality of the Last Viking series or Hrolf Kraki's Saga.
April 14, 2009
If you've even a vague interest in Norse mythology, you must read this. It may very well help you understand the subject in a way you never have before.
October 3, 2023
DNF at page 54.
The first chapter was phenomenal. Most of the myths in Norse mythology are unconnected to each other, but Poul Anderson brings them (or, some of them, at least) together beautifully in the first chapter of this book within the context of the Aesir-Vanir war, which makes sense since there’s not much told about the war itself. He even includes the obscure Gullveig passage in the Völuspá and ties it in with his story masterfully.
Sadly, the rest of the book (or, at least what I’ve read of it), isn’t as great. The main character, Hadding, has a sexual relationship with his foster-sister, Hardgreip, who also helped nurse him when he was a baby, so it feels very uncomfortable… She is also very stubborn and cold in her resolve. This kind of attitude can absolutely be written well — but it’s not in this case. Hardgreip is simply mean. She interrupts a mourning family to bring their father back to life, which frightens them all, but she doesn’t care. And when the dead man is brought back to life, he foretells that “ill hap and woe be yours” on Hardgreip and that she will die.
So our only prominent female character’s only purpose within the story is to die. That is uncomfortable, to say the least.
I’ve looked at other reviews for this book to see if it gets better, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t worth it. I’m not giving up on Poul Anderson yet; I loved Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, and this one may just be a fluke. I’m excited to read The Broken Sword, but this definitely makes me a little more cautious.
The first chapter was phenomenal. Most of the myths in Norse mythology are unconnected to each other, but Poul Anderson brings them (or, some of them, at least) together beautifully in the first chapter of this book within the context of the Aesir-Vanir war, which makes sense since there’s not much told about the war itself. He even includes the obscure Gullveig passage in the Völuspá and ties it in with his story masterfully.
Sadly, the rest of the book (or, at least what I’ve read of it), isn’t as great. The main character, Hadding, has a sexual relationship with his foster-sister, Hardgreip, who also helped nurse him when he was a baby, so it feels very uncomfortable… She is also very stubborn and cold in her resolve. This kind of attitude can absolutely be written well — but it’s not in this case. Hardgreip is simply mean. She interrupts a mourning family to bring their father back to life, which frightens them all, but she doesn’t care. And when the dead man is brought back to life, he foretells that “ill hap and woe be yours” on Hardgreip and that she will die.
So our only prominent female character’s only purpose within the story is to die. That is uncomfortable, to say the least.
I’ve looked at other reviews for this book to see if it gets better, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t worth it. I’m not giving up on Poul Anderson yet; I loved Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, and this one may just be a fluke. I’m excited to read The Broken Sword, but this definitely makes me a little more cautious.
December 8, 2024
"War of the Gods" is a retelling of the mythical Danish king Hadding, from his childhood being raised by giants (or jotuns) to his rise to prominence and fame as a Viking until he becomes a king in his own right. The author tells the story straightfowardly, like a myth, without delving too deeply into the character's emotional states, but I didn't mind it since I felt like it matched the timbre of the story. It worked for me, and it was an enjoyable enough read, even if it had a somewhat depressing ending. Still, it felt like it fight with the overall theme of fate: "No man escapes his weird."
Somewhat PG-13 rated, though, due to Hadding's early relationship with his jotun foster-sister. :P
Somewhat PG-13 rated, though, due to Hadding's early relationship with his jotun foster-sister. :P
May 23, 2021
It took me a while to get through it (not because it was slow or anything, but mostly because I kept it in the truck for those time when I have to wait in line for gas and whatnot). The story is a retelling of one of the Norse sagas, cleaned up in modern prose. I appreciated the author's historical Afterward, and I'm thankful for it, for I had a little trouble now and then maintaining sympathy for the main character. The end came out of nowhere, but it was suitably Norse, as was the piece as a whole. The fourth star is pretty much for all the work and research the author put into it.
March 20, 2024
This is a similar effort to Master Anderson's treatment of Hrolf Kraki's Saga - endeavoring to put flesh on a mythical/saga story. The prose is his usual good standard, but this honestly needed to be a longer book. There's not enough time put in to draw the larger cosmic-level plot to the life of King Hadding Gramsson, and I would agree with other reviewers that the first half of the book is stronger than the second.
Still good, but Master Anderson's other works like Hrolf Kraki's Saga or The Broken Sword should be visited first.
Still good, but Master Anderson's other works like Hrolf Kraki's Saga or The Broken Sword should be visited first.
January 30, 2025
Another fantastic serving of that Northern Thing that Anderson does so well. Maybe not up to the excellence of Hrolf Kraki’s Saga or the epic The Broken Sword, but still a thundering good read. Some readers found Anderson’s writing style too episodic, with no real beginning, middle or end, just a series of events spread over a lifetime. But that’s how the Sagas were told, and that’s what Anderson emulates, but with more color, drama and bloodshed injected for a modern reader. And make no mistake, it was a dark and violent age! And as far as I’m concerned the author makes it work. Recommended!
November 22, 2017
This should probably be at least 3* as the writing is ok. Fantasy / mythology with magic and swords just isn't my thing. But I've started to read Poul Anderson as I've hears so many great things. Never did really care about what the characters were trying to do or accomplish, so just abandoned after about 100 pages. Just felt like Tolkien wanna-be type of story that really didn't come close to pulling it off.
December 10, 2024
I really wanted to enjoy this, and overall it was fascinating, but the e-book I purchased from Barnes & Noble had so many typographical errors that I could barely get through it. I had to back track to make sense out of too many sentences. Would not recommend purchasing through B&N.
dnf
January 9, 2025Just not working for me. Epic fantasy isn't my usual thing, but I love Anderson's work in general, so I thought I'd give it a try.
No rating because I know Anderson's a good writer, this book simply isn't to my particular taste.
No rating because I know Anderson's a good writer, this book simply isn't to my particular taste.
January 16, 2020
I picked up a copy of this at a used bookstore and absolutely blew through it. Highly recommended for any fans of Norse mythology. Recommended for fantasy fans.
June 27, 2023
Poul Anderson does a great job of turning what are just fragmans of information from history and building a story that keeps the reader invested.
June 28, 2023
Northern myth comes alive in the capable hands of SFWA Grandmaster Poul Anderson.
July 24, 2018
War of Gods – Poul Anderson
Verlag: Mantikore
Taschenbuch: 14,95 €
Ebook: 9,99 €
ISBN: 978-3-96188-015-7
Erscheinungsdatum: 14. Juni 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Seiten: 428
Inhalt:
Der König des Nordens ist tot…
Des Thrones beraubt, in der Wildnis versteckt und von Riesen aufgezogen, wächst Hadding zu einem mächtigen Krieger heran. Vor ihm liegt ein schicksalhafter Pfad, den er entschlossen beschreitet, um seinen Platz in der Welt zu finden und um zurückzuerobern, was rechtmäßig sein ist: den Thron seines ermordeten Vaters Gram - den Thron der Dänen!
Mein Fazit:
Zum Cover:
Hier haben wir wieder einmal ein sehr schönes Cover. Der Krieger im Vordergrund passt perfekt zum Buch und auch die Farben sind sehr schön gewählt.
Zum Buch:
Hadding wird als Baby bei den Riesen abgegeben und wächst dort auf. Er wird als einer von ihnen erzogen, aber irgendwann macht sich Hadding auf den Weg zu seinem Königreich und sich seinen Thron wieder zu holen. Er begibt sich auf eine Reise auf der viele Gefahren lauern, aber auch Freundschaften entstehen.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, aber manchmal etwas schwierig zu lesen. Ich tat mich an manchen Stellen etwas schwer damit, aber es ist spannend und macht Spaß. Poul Anderson kennt sich in der Nordischen Mythologie gut aus.
Wir haben hier eine Mischung aus Thriller, Drama, Action und auch ein klein wenig Romantik ist darin enthalten. Also sehr Emotionsreich.
Die Protagonisten sind schön erzählt und gut herausgearbeitet. Ob nun diejenigen auf der guten Seite oder aber auch die auf der bösen Seite, alles einfach toll geschrieben. Ich persönlich mag die Geschichten um Götter immer total gerne, könnte ich immer wieder lesen.
Die Länge der Kapitel ist sehr gut, weder zu kurz noch zu lang, genau die richtige Länge so macht lesen Spaß. Erzählt wird die Geschichte aus der dritten perspektive, was mich aber nicht stört. Ich mag jede Perspektive solange die Geschichte mich fesselt und das war hier definitiv gegeben.
So ihr Lieben, viel bleibt mir hier nicht mehr zu sagen, außer das ihr hier konzentriert lesen müsst, mal schnell nebenbei ist hier nicht. Aber von mir gibt es eine Lese- Empfehlung.
Ich gebe 4 von 5 Sternen und bedanke mich beim Mantikore Verlag für diese schöne Neuauflage.
Verlag: Mantikore
Taschenbuch: 14,95 €
Ebook: 9,99 €
ISBN: 978-3-96188-015-7
Erscheinungsdatum: 14. Juni 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Seiten: 428
Inhalt:
Der König des Nordens ist tot…
Des Thrones beraubt, in der Wildnis versteckt und von Riesen aufgezogen, wächst Hadding zu einem mächtigen Krieger heran. Vor ihm liegt ein schicksalhafter Pfad, den er entschlossen beschreitet, um seinen Platz in der Welt zu finden und um zurückzuerobern, was rechtmäßig sein ist: den Thron seines ermordeten Vaters Gram - den Thron der Dänen!
Mein Fazit:
Zum Cover:
Hier haben wir wieder einmal ein sehr schönes Cover. Der Krieger im Vordergrund passt perfekt zum Buch und auch die Farben sind sehr schön gewählt.
Zum Buch:
Hadding wird als Baby bei den Riesen abgegeben und wächst dort auf. Er wird als einer von ihnen erzogen, aber irgendwann macht sich Hadding auf den Weg zu seinem Königreich und sich seinen Thron wieder zu holen. Er begibt sich auf eine Reise auf der viele Gefahren lauern, aber auch Freundschaften entstehen.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, aber manchmal etwas schwierig zu lesen. Ich tat mich an manchen Stellen etwas schwer damit, aber es ist spannend und macht Spaß. Poul Anderson kennt sich in der Nordischen Mythologie gut aus.
Wir haben hier eine Mischung aus Thriller, Drama, Action und auch ein klein wenig Romantik ist darin enthalten. Also sehr Emotionsreich.
Die Protagonisten sind schön erzählt und gut herausgearbeitet. Ob nun diejenigen auf der guten Seite oder aber auch die auf der bösen Seite, alles einfach toll geschrieben. Ich persönlich mag die Geschichten um Götter immer total gerne, könnte ich immer wieder lesen.
Die Länge der Kapitel ist sehr gut, weder zu kurz noch zu lang, genau die richtige Länge so macht lesen Spaß. Erzählt wird die Geschichte aus der dritten perspektive, was mich aber nicht stört. Ich mag jede Perspektive solange die Geschichte mich fesselt und das war hier definitiv gegeben.
So ihr Lieben, viel bleibt mir hier nicht mehr zu sagen, außer das ihr hier konzentriert lesen müsst, mal schnell nebenbei ist hier nicht. Aber von mir gibt es eine Lese- Empfehlung.
Ich gebe 4 von 5 Sternen und bedanke mich beim Mantikore Verlag für diese schöne Neuauflage.
April 24, 2016
Quite few years ago now, I read Anderson's Broken Sword and immediately fell in love with his handling of Norse, Germanic and early British mythology and lore (using much of the same material Tolkien used, at just about the same time, but simultaneously ever so differently). As a result, I've picked up a few other books by him in the years between then and now, though they have, for one reason or another, been standing on the shelf unread.
Finally deciding to take War of the Gods off the shelf recently was indeed a good idea. While Anderson's retelling of the story of King Hadding's life clearly ties in with mythology and has some fantastical elements in it and around it, there is less of those elements permeating the story on the whole than say in Broken Sword. This, however, is certainly no flaw in the story, which is a well told saga about a Norse king, who after having been fostered by giants, living on the rim of human existence as it were, has a few more supernatural or mythical encounters in his long life, but more than that leads an adventurous and prosperous life as king of the Danes.
Anderson's vocabulary and literary style bring the old texts of the Vikings to mind and creates a marvellous sort of verisimilitude that draws you right into the story.
Anderson is clearly a must read for any true fan of fantasy, especially of the kind relying on Norse mythology.
Finally deciding to take War of the Gods off the shelf recently was indeed a good idea. While Anderson's retelling of the story of King Hadding's life clearly ties in with mythology and has some fantastical elements in it and around it, there is less of those elements permeating the story on the whole than say in Broken Sword. This, however, is certainly no flaw in the story, which is a well told saga about a Norse king, who after having been fostered by giants, living on the rim of human existence as it were, has a few more supernatural or mythical encounters in his long life, but more than that leads an adventurous and prosperous life as king of the Danes.
Anderson's vocabulary and literary style bring the old texts of the Vikings to mind and creates a marvellous sort of verisimilitude that draws you right into the story.
Anderson is clearly a must read for any true fan of fantasy, especially of the kind relying on Norse mythology.
June 19, 2010
I wasn't sure whether to rate this lower or higher. It's not a perfect book, there are some strange mistakes for a veteran writer such as going back and forth in the timeline of a plot when one could have just as easily done everything for a certain time at once and perhaps accomplished things better, but for the most part I enjoyed this book.
Much fantasy is influenced by Norse mythology, but Poul Anderson is one of the very very few to actually use it in his fiction. Somehow, he's able to write stories that feel more original, closer to the source if you will, then some fiction that had come before. There's a lot to get from a book like this, where early viking culture and daily life is displayed.
Sometimes the plot could get dull. I felt like it was too episodic in nature. There wasn't really any single point of climax which is strange, but Anderson was after all basing this off of an older, independent myth so I would shy from blaming it all on the author. The book did, however, tend to meander in it's self a lot, but I for the most part enjoyed Hadding's adventures and loved seeing the combination of viking Europe connected to viking mythology.
It's a good change and yet comfortably familiar, for all interested in classic fantasy.
Much fantasy is influenced by Norse mythology, but Poul Anderson is one of the very very few to actually use it in his fiction. Somehow, he's able to write stories that feel more original, closer to the source if you will, then some fiction that had come before. There's a lot to get from a book like this, where early viking culture and daily life is displayed.
Sometimes the plot could get dull. I felt like it was too episodic in nature. There wasn't really any single point of climax which is strange, but Anderson was after all basing this off of an older, independent myth so I would shy from blaming it all on the author. The book did, however, tend to meander in it's self a lot, but I for the most part enjoyed Hadding's adventures and loved seeing the combination of viking Europe connected to viking mythology.
It's a good change and yet comfortably familiar, for all interested in classic fantasy.
January 25, 2008
Anderson does his best to take a legendary character (the protagonist is known only through the summary of his legends in Saxo Grammaticus...) and provide an authentic-feeling saga about him. Actually, the story seems to take place before the age of the viking expansion, perhaps the 3rd or 4th century AD. The story naturally includes a lot of mythic/supernatural elements, but then so do many of the real sagas. As in everything else I've read by Poul Anderson, the characters are all given realistic motivations, rather than the black&white cardboard characters you find in a lot of fantasy and science fiction, although a couple of characters' motivations are kept mysterious until the end. Another nice touch is the inclusion of a lot of old Germanic words which are comprehensible in context but add the alien-ness the Scandinavia in the dark ages.
February 6, 2011
Poul Anderson takes some norse myths and tries to fashion them into a novel, with only luke warm results.
Despite the change in format, this doesn't read like a novel. It still reads like a myth and it doesn't quite work at this length.
It gets very dry and even with all the fantastic elements the characters stay fairly flat.
Interesting, as it was covering myths I wasn't familiar with, but there was no extra spark here. I could have gotten the same feeling story if I'd just bought a book of norse myths.
I was really hoping for more then I got here.
Especially disappointing, as Anderson is usually quite good at putting personality into some short books or some very standard characters.
Despite the change in format, this doesn't read like a novel. It still reads like a myth and it doesn't quite work at this length.
It gets very dry and even with all the fantastic elements the characters stay fairly flat.
Interesting, as it was covering myths I wasn't familiar with, but there was no extra spark here. I could have gotten the same feeling story if I'd just bought a book of norse myths.
I was really hoping for more then I got here.
Especially disappointing, as Anderson is usually quite good at putting personality into some short books or some very standard characters.
January 30, 2015
When you know little about a subject it's always nice to find something which excites your curiosity to know more about it.
This happened to me with this book, though all I found out about this king (since yesterday) is greatly involved in myth which makes it harder to create a clear image of the man behind it.
However with or without the myth it seems to me like he was a great leader, and this work of fiction, despite its obvious fantasy, shows you that.
This happened to me with this book, though all I found out about this king (since yesterday) is greatly involved in myth which makes it harder to create a clear image of the man behind it.
However with or without the myth it seems to me like he was a great leader, and this work of fiction, despite its obvious fantasy, shows you that.
June 15, 2008
I think this is a brilliant reinvention of the Norse myths. It was a great way to bring it to life and maybe understand how myths might have actually been told when the Viking culture passed these tales down through a verbal tradition. I am also a huge fan of Smiley's "The Greenlanders", so that might help you understand my interpretation.
April 23, 2010
This is probably not for everyone. The story is a ancient tale that the author fleshes out to make a memorable story. As always, Poul Anderson's writing is impeccable. The characters in Anderson's fanatasy that I have read tend to be brutal, not all of them, but the ones that are do so with zeal so read with caution.
August 11, 2010
I probably should have read this book several years ago as Anderson uses archaic language in the book which makes it rather difficult reading as I'm now used to the more "modern" language that all authors use. Still, it was an interesting book that deals with a relatively obscure historic individual - King Hadding the Dane.
April 24, 2016
I remember really liking this book when I read it in high school, but when I went to add it, the book description didn't match the things I remembered so I had to actually track down another copy to confirm it was the same book that I had read.
That is probably as telling as the fact I liked it originally. If you're interested in Norse mythology, I would probably recommend it.
That is probably as telling as the fact I liked it originally. If you're interested in Norse mythology, I would probably recommend it.
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