The Saga of the Volsungs (Legends from the Ancient North)
Product ID: 52826708
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Part of a new series Legends from the Ancient North , The Saga of the Volsungs is one of the classic books that influenced JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings 'They summoned their friends, readied their horses, and prepared their helmets, shields, swords, coats of mail' J.R.R. Tolkien spent much of his life studying, translating and teaching the great epic stories of northern Europe, filled with heroes, dragons, trolls, dwarves and magic. He was hugely influential for his advocacy of Beowulf as a great work of literature and, even if he had never written The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings , would be recognised today as a significant figure in the rediscovery of these extraordinary tales. Legends from the Ancient North brings together from Penguin Classics five of the key works behind Tolkien's fiction.They are startling, brutal, strange pieces of writing, with an elemental power brilliantly preserved in these translations.They plunge the reader into a world of treachery, quests, chivalry, trials of strength.They are the most ancient narratives that exist from northern Europe and bring us as near as we will ever get to the origins of the magical landscape of Middle-earth (Midgard) which Tolkien remade in the 20th century. Review: Very pleased - Arrived exactly when I expected it. A good look into the story of the Volsungs for anyone interested in beginning to read the sagas. Review: Nice! - Nice but slight, read one of the public domain translations before you get a copy, it’s a tiny sketchy story… excellent edition though!
| Best Sellers Rank | 536,333 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 163 in Norse & Icelandic Sagas (Books) 3,133 in Fairy Tales (Books) 4,169 in Myths & Fairy Tales |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 90 Reviews |
L**R
Very pleased
Arrived exactly when I expected it. A good look into the story of the Volsungs for anyone interested in beginning to read the sagas.
K**S
Nice!
Nice but slight, read one of the public domain translations before you get a copy, it’s a tiny sketchy story… excellent edition though!
L**Y
Beautiful edition
The translation is fairly good but asthetically lovely
K**2
Hard to grasp
Only read a few pages so far. Its definitely a book to be read when your mind is clear. Complicated
E**E
Disappointingly undeveloped
A clear and no doubt accurate version, but the original is primarily a schedule of a large number of characters and events across a long timescale without the storytelling elements which would bring things to life.
E**O
The start of the Sagas
All of the great Viking Sagas start here, fantastic mythology and a superb translation.
A**S
Great
Very good quality !
J**D
An Inspiration For Wagner and Tolkien
The Saga of the Volsungs is a series of interconnected poems written in thirteenth century Iceland by an anonymous author, telling the tale of the hero Sigurd the Dragon Slayer and his magic ring of power. This handsome edition, part of Penguin's Tales of the Ancient North series, was translated by Jesse L. Byock, who has also provided an informative Introduction and extensive Notes. Most people will immediately recognize that The Saga of the Volsungs was an inspiration for some of the works of Richard Wagner and J.R.R. Tolkien. But there is more to savor in these poems than just the dragons and heroes, magic rings and fabulous swords, which the names Wagner and Tolkien will bring to mind. Sigurd's tale is a great adventure, and Byock's masterful translation and helpful Notes illuminate it and add even more power and drama. Most of all, Sigurd's adventure depicts the tumultuous and beautiful world of the ancient Norse in all its magnificence, exactly as did Wagner in his greatest operas and Tolkien in his Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion.
K**U
bien
Tout petit livre qui est super pour suivre les aventures des Sig. Un morceau de mythologie nordique.
O**V
Best version
Best modern English publication of the saga with notes and glossary. Always hard to know with publication of old texts/books, so many cheap/poor versions out there... also received it sooner than expected !
A**R
Four Stars
I like Norse mythology. This fits right in.
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