The Norse Myths presents the infamous Viking gods, from the mighty
Asyr, led by Ó?inn, and the mysterious Vanir, to Thor and the
mythological cosmos they inhabit. Passages translated from Old Norse
bring this legendary world to life, from the myths of creation to
ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world at the hands of Loki's army
of monsters and giants, and everything that comes in between: the long
and problematic relationship between the gods and the giants, the
(mis)adventures of human heroes and heroines, with their family feuds,
revenges, marriages, and murders; and the interaction between the gods
and mortals.
Photographs and drawings show a range of Norse sites, objects, and
characters, from Viking ship burials to dragons on runestones. Dr.
Carolyne Larrington describes the Norse myths' origins in pre-Christian
Scandinavia and Iceland, and their survival in archaeological artifacts
and written sources, from Old Norse sagas and poems to the
less-approving accounts of medieval Christian writers. She traces their
influences into the work of Wagner, William Morris, and J. R. R.
Tolkien, and even Game of Thrones in the resurrection of the
Fimbulvetr, or "Mighty Winter."