Rheingold

by Stephan Grundy

Rheingold erzählt von den Wälsungen, von Sigmund, Siglind und Sigfrid, dem Drachentöter, erzählt über den Schatz im Rhein, den Ring des Nibelungen, das Schicksal der Walküren, die Götterdämmerung.
Rheingold ist eine Geschichte über die Gier nach Macht, die Hoffnung auf Liebe und die Sehnsucht, mit den göttlichen Gesetzen in Einklang zu leben.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mythology, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Adventure

845 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Dr. 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.

Reviews

[Anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Sean Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 1 out of 5]

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*

[Reinhold · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Cindy]

Abgebrochen - Ohne Wertung - Das ist einfach nicht mehr mein Ding. Vor 20 hätte es mir vermutlich gefallen.

[Ketutar Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[shapeofaflyingdeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a literary Richard Wagner (composer).

[Sianeka · Rating 2 out of 5]

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...

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Lorelei Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vielleicht mein Lieblingsroman basierend auf der Edda-Version der Nibelungensage.

[Jason Keel · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Dominik Hoffmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Janessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorites

[Robert Hinds · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. Absolutely captivating and engrossing.

[reva · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favorite of all times! What a find!

[Juan Gallardo Ivanovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Bettie]

Golden 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

[Miquela · Rating 2 out of 5]

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."

[Katrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've started it countless times...at least 5 that I can think of. Never finished it. It seems like it should be a really good book. I think that I will really love it if I can ever get past the first hundred pages or so. Alas, it will continue to sit on my shelves with last try's bookmark still in it.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining retelling of the Norse Volsung Saga as historical fiction (if historical fiction can be stretched to include Wodan and Loki as actual characters). Clearly the author, who earned a PhD in Norse Studies at Cambridge, knows and loves his subject. Good solid writing, if a little earthy at times for my taste. I especially liked the Norse verse woven throughout.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bryon lovvvvves this book, and he got me to read it too. There's a deep story to it and it is mostly based on Wagner's Ring Cycle. I did enjoy it although I think I prefer my books a little lighter in tone.