The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology

Keary, ElizaProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.9
Word count
323K words
Chapters
33

Tags

English Originals Folk Literature Forces of NatureAdventure JourneyHeroic LegendGood vs EvilMythNorse MythologyFolk LegendMythological GenealogyMyth RetellingYouth Reading

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology by Keary and KearyAuthor: Keary, Eliza,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Nov 3, 2012

Editor's review

Compiled and adapted by Eliza Keary and others, this book retells the legends of the Norse gods of Asgard as a story collection suited to young readers, belonging to public-domain children's literature and mythology. Its strength lies in weaving the adventures of Odin, Thor, and other deities into a narrative with setup, development, and resolution; the language is relatively plain, preserving the fantastical flavor of the myths while softening the rougher parts of the original texts. For readers seeking an initial understanding of the Norse mythological system, this is a friendly introductory book; for researchers of children's literature or mythological adaptation, it also shows how pagan myths were retold for young readers in the 19th century. Read it as a story collection rather than a scholarly work on mythology; for deeper study, consult more complete primary sources.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Read through in story order to first build a framework of the gods' relationships and worldview.
  2. Draw a character relationship chart as you read, distinguishing the major gods of Asgard from the giants.
  3. For parent-child reading, read one chapter first, then have the child retell the plot.
  4. After finishing, compare with other versions of Norse myths to see what was adapted or omitted.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33

FAQ

What age range is this book suitable for? It is a retelling of myths for young readers, with relatively plain language; upper primary school children and above can read it independently, while younger children are better off reading with a parent who can explain as needed.
How does it differ from the original Norse myths? This is a 19th-century retelling that simplified and sanitized plot and description for young readers. It preserves the main gods and adventure framework but is not a scholarly direct translation of the original texts.
Do I need prior knowledge of Norse mythology to read it? No. The stories unfold narratively and first-time readers can follow along; knowing basic names like Odin and Thor makes it smoother, but it is not required.

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About the author

Keary, Eliza Author · English

Eliza Keary was a British writer and poet. Public information about her life is limited, and neither her dates of birth and death nor her educational background are clearly recorded. Together with her sister Annie Keary, she co-authored The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology, a collection of Norse myths and the only work by her currently held in this catalogue. The book retells the tales of Norse gods and heroes in an accessible and literary style, reshaping ancient myths into stories suited to general readers and playing a part in spreading Scandinavian mythology in the English-speaking world. Keary's writing emphasizes narrative and character portrayal, with clear and fluent language that reflects the Victorian era's interest in folklore and mythological traditions.