Tag: Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology Neil Gaiman

norse-mythologyTitle: Norse Mythology

Author: Neil Gaiman

Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Published: 1 February 2017

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Price: $27.99

Synopsis: The great Norse myths are woven into the fabric of our storytelling – from Tolkien, Alan Garner and Rosemary Sutcliff to Game of Thrones and Marvel Comics. They are also an inspiration for Neil Gaiman’s own award-bedecked, bestselling fiction. Now he reaches back through time to the original source stories in a thrilling and vivid rendition of the great Norse tales. Gaiman’s gods are thoroughly alive on the page – irascible, visceral, playful, passionate – and the tales carry us from the beginning of everything to Ragnarok and the twilight of the gods. Galvanised by Gaiman’s prose, Thor, Loki, Odin and Freya are irresistible forces for modern readers and the crackling, brilliant writing demands to be read aloud around an open fire on a freezing, starlit night.

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Neil Gaiman has turned his terrific and inspiring talent with words to the realms of Norse Mythology –Odin, Loki, Thor, Freya, and all the others. He retells the major myth cycle of the Norse myths and pantheon for a modern audience, giving each god a voice, starting from their births, and the mischief they get up to, tricking humans and fellow gods alike – a characteristic that Loki, the trickster god, embodies without shame. Together with Thor and Freya, and Freya’s brother Frey, the story evolves naturally. Though written for a modern audience, the lyrical and oral nature of these original tales shines through.

Beginning with the creation story sparked by the death of Ymir, and concluding with the battle of Ragnorak, Norse Mythology takes myths that are not always as widely used or known as Greek and Roman myths, and repackages them for a modern audience, while still keeping the cadence and lyrical nature of the old stories, giving an image of ancient Norse people sitting around, telling stories of the Gods and myths, lessons learned through the oral tradition of their world.

Like many myth cycles throughout the world, it begins with creation, has the gods and goddesses and other beings causing mischief with each other and humans, causing havoc upon Earth through boredom or the need to do something, lives lived, anger, and finally, destruction and the end of the world.

Many of Neil Gaiman’s other works incorporate aspects of Norse Mythology. American Gods features Odin and Loki in a modern setting, so Norse Mythology is a natural progression, incorporating Gods, Goddesses, Dwarves and Frost Giants into the narrative that has existed for centuries. Norse Mythology reveals the romance and adventure of these tales, fairy tales retold for an audience who may have outgrown fairy tales. Like all his stories, Neil Gaiman’s lyrical style reminds adults of what reading a fairy tale is like – full of magic and whimsy, where bad things do happen but everything will be all right in the end – mostly.

A fine book that explores a lesser known myth cycle, wonderful for fans of mythology and Neil’s previous works.

Booktopia

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Reading in 2017: My Goals

With 2016 coming to an end, I have started thinking about my wrap up post of the books I have read, and the challenge I participated in – a post I will only write once I know my challenge results. This will be included in a 2016 wrap up post of what I have read, how many books I read, and hopefully, a list of the top five I read, though that might be a bit of a challenge, having read so many good books this year.

Next year, I am aiming to read as much as I did this year, or perhaps more, and hopefully, do more reviews, more blog posts and more about reading, authors, and other posts that come to mind. I missed out on a few significant literary anniversaries this year, so I plan to keep on top of that. I plan to try and review other books as well as what I am sent by publishers – the beauty there is I can review older books as well, and hopefully introduce these to new readers. This year my Goodreads goal was 45 books – so far I have surpassed that by at least 20, including re-reads of a few favourites, but more on that in my yearly wrap up post.

2017 is my first year without studies. I will be reading more as a result, probably, and writing more. More blog posts, definitely, in the categories mentioned above. I hope to read some more non-fiction, in particular a book I picked up about pre 1788 Australia, pre-colonialism. We need books like this to do away with common misconceptions taught within our history classes, to discover the history we never get to learn in school – or even university in my case.

I am eagerly awaiting the release of a few books, some of which I hope to receive review copies for, but will hopefully purchase them if I don’t:

Frogkisser! By Garth Nix, towards the end of February

Draekora by Lynette Noni on the first of April (I may be receiving a review copy of this book from Pantera Press)

A Dangerous Language by Sulari Gentill – The 8th Rowland Sinclair novel

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

I am sure there are others, however, those are my top four and I eagerly await their release, especially the Pantera Press ones to find out what happens to Rowly and his friends, but also to Alex, Jordan, Bear and D.C. after that heart stopping cliffhanger in Raelia! At some stage, I may need to re-read Arkanae and Raelia before reading Draekora!

Apart from that, I will be reading any review copies I am sent, and trying to read all my other books. There are so many I need to read.

Looking foward to the coming year of reading, and will hopefully be able to set my challenges if any, early in the New Year.

The Book Muse

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Monarch of the Glen by Neil Gaiman

monarch of the glen.jpg

Title: Monarch of the Glen
Author: Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus
Genre: Fiction/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Headline/Hachette
Published: 8th November 2016
Format: Hardback
Pages: 160
Price: $40.00
Synopsis: We first meet Baldur ‘Shadow’ Moon’s in AMERICAN GODS, where he gets caught up in a war between gods in the USA. In THE MONARCH OF THE GLEN, Shadow’s journey has brought him to the north coast of Scotland, where he finds himself a bouncer at a party.
Shadow Moon has been away from America for nearly two years. His nights are broken with dangerous dreams. Sometimes he almost believes he doesn’t care if he ever returns home. In the Highlands of Scotland, where the sky is pale white and it feels as remote as any place can possibly be, the beautiful and wealthy gather at a grand old house in the glen. And when the strange local doctor offers him work at a party, Shadow is intrigued. He knows there is no good reason for him to be there? So what do they want with him?

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Neil Gaiman revisits the world of American Gods in this short novella, revolving around Shadow and his ongoing journey, battling monsters and gods, and many other aspects of life beyond the confines of what the rest of the world knows. Shadow’s journey has taken him from America to Europe and now, to Scotland, where the job from the mysterious doctor at a strange, remote gathering for many wealthy people, organised by Mr. Alice, and taken to the place my a Mr. Smith. Shadow is unsure of what awaits him, thinking he is there for security or another job. But what awaits him, and the decision he must make, is more terrifying and stranger than he could ever have imagined, even after what he has been through.

The black and white, mostly line illustrations by Daniel Egnéus add to the atmosphere of the story – they represent the characters in a way that isn’t idealistic or perfect – to show that their imperfections on the outside. Whilst the words hint to their inner imperfections and flaws, the secrets they hide and their true intentions, and allow the reader to enjoy the story through the words and visual representations of the characters.

Neil Gaiman’s work covers a wide range of characters and stories, taking the reader into a world that they know but at the same time, is unfamiliar, and uncertain at times – speaking to the fairy tales and myths that have been told and retold for many generations – and reinventing them for a new audience. Having read a few of Neil’s previous novels, I am used to his style and characters. For those who enjoy urban fantasy, fantasy and in a way, magical realism, these books, and indeed Monarch of the Glen, are wonderful reads. Gaiman’s stories do not sugarcoat the reality of the worlds he creates – he shows the good, the bad and the grey, and his characters are complex and the kind that are not predictable, who face challenges and decisions they’re not sure what to do about. Shadow is one of these characters. Another great Neil Gaiman to add to the collection.