eric_conrad's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this book over thirty years ago at a book fair. This book was my first encounter with the Norse gods and their stories. Reading about Odin, Loki and Thor made me happy then and it still makes me happy today.
Part two with Odin wandering in disguise is probably my favorite section of the book. Odin on his quest for knowledge feels timeless to me. It melds well with my appreciation of Joseph Campbell and his hero with a thousand faces.
Part four with its focus on the Volsungs feels very disconnected from the rest of the book. I understand that Sigurd is a descendant of Odin, but the overall tone of the chapters is different than the preceding chapters.
Part two with Odin wandering in disguise is probably my favorite section of the book. Odin on his quest for knowledge feels timeless to me. It melds well with my appreciation of Joseph Campbell and his hero with a thousand faces.
Part four with its focus on the Volsungs feels very disconnected from the rest of the book. I understand that Sigurd is a descendant of Odin, but the overall tone of the chapters is different than the preceding chapters.
chevalierene's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed learning about the Norse Mythology and this was a great book that was written in a way that was easy to understand, much in the style of fairy tales. Towards the end it seemed to drag up until The Twilight of the Gods.
yetilibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Easy-to-read book of Northern European mythology. I enjoyed it, and the more mythology I've read, the more I've come to appreciate how much this book covered!
thenorwegianprince's review against another edition
4.0
A fantastic retelling of Germanic and Nordic mythology. I highly recommend this for those who want to know more of the mythology but don't require a scholarly view.
kmc3050's review against another edition
4.0
Obviously simplified but still really entertaining. I wanted to get a feel for these stories and this did the trick. Colum did a great job keeping the meat of the myths without confusing readers who are unfamiliar with these characters and foreign words. I was expecting the stories to bogged down and difficult to follow, but the stories are light and very understandable. It would make a great family listen.
Elizabeth Klett did a nice job narrating. Her voice and tone are good, and I think she did a great job pronouncing everything!
Elizabeth Klett did a nice job narrating. Her voice and tone are good, and I think she did a great job pronouncing everything!
jcp1009's review against another edition
4.0
For whatever reason I never read myths as a kid. Now that I teach world history, I've gotten much more into it. Before this book I knew next to nothing about Norse mythology and this was a great introduction. Looking forward to seeking out more!
esumi's review against another edition
5.0
After listening a lot to metal bands (like Skálmöld) that heavily reference Norse mythology, I started getting interested in the topic and decided to buy this book. I wasn't disappointed.
The Children of Odin is perfect for people who want to know more about Norse Mythology without delving into dry material. Though this book is a collection of many different myths, it is told as one big story, which made it very easy for me to follow. Since the first day I started reading, I couldn't put it away. It's an easy and interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone who's even slightly interested.
The Children of Odin is perfect for people who want to know more about Norse Mythology without delving into dry material. Though this book is a collection of many different myths, it is told as one big story, which made it very easy for me to follow. Since the first day I started reading, I couldn't put it away. It's an easy and interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone who's even slightly interested.