Reader Reviews for Myths of the Norsemen from the Eddas and sagas:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: So far so good
Comment: I have enjoyed this book thus far. The myths of the Norsemen are heavily coated in symbolism as are all myths. I would recommend anyone interested in this subject matter to check out Wagner's "Ring Cycle" opera as it deals entirerly with Norse and Germanic mythology.
Customer Rating:
Summary: norsemen
Comment: i have a book service that i do it is a outreach to odinist that are in prison and so i donate much needed books to them. they have been very excited about the books and they have been in great condition. i have been very pleased with the service. donna hefner.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, fairly well written and HIGHLY INACCURATE.
Comment: Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas
by H. A. Guerber
The errors in this work are fairly typical for the period that it was written. Romanticizing the Norse and Arthurian Myths seemed to be a very legitimate pastime for numerous Victorian era authors. While most of the book is in clearly and well written prose, at best it should be consider along the lines of a, "Historical Novel", or as a semi-serious children's text on Norse mythology. There are just too many errors and outright fabrications for serious study. Additionally, while there might be a small amount of justification for an academic and scholarly comparison between Norse Mythology and Greek Mythology, what is presented in the last chapter of this book is not one. Guerber's unsupported and exceptionally vague reference's to non-identifiable ethereal sources is very frustrating. Let's face it, there are not an infinite number of sources for this information, different translations are one thing but changing the myths and alluding to, "other", unspecified sources of wisdom is quite unacceptable. I am of the opinion that many of these sources were contemporaries of Guerber's and she was sighting them in this work. It would be like me using Harrison's, "The Hammer and The Cross", as a validation for what I thought the true meaning of the Edda's were and then publishing it as a fact.
O.K., now that I've slammed this work and author fairly hard let me lay out two or three reasons why I think anyone interested in the Norse and Germanic Myths should own a copy, or in my case two copies, (one paperback and one hardback). Firstly, the illustrations are very well done. Granted that they are seldom historically accurate and very Victorian or Wagner like, but well done none the less. Surprisingly, to me anyway, the illustrations in my 1992 paperback are sharper and clearer than those in my 1993 hard cover edition. Unfortunately, the illustrations in both copies are a bit on the dark side, I am attempting to obtain an early 1900's copy to compare the differences.
Secondly, if you are interested in other non-historical writings on the Norse Myths this book is a treasure trove of quotes and poetry . The vast majority of the authors listed may have been fairly well known a century ago, today however, many border on the obscure. It's an interesting and informative look into the past to see how these authors perceived the Norse Myths and makes me wonder how today's modern works will be viewed in another hundred years. Another thing I liked about the paperback edition was the larger type face used, it's probably about 14 pt., much easier to read than the hardback edition.
Because of these reasons I have rated this book with two stars, after all it was much better than, "Rites of Odin".
In Frith,
Spence The Elder
"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
M. Addams
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good if not a bit off
Comment: Exceltent book for the time it was published(1909). Though a well versed nortic reader would find the many cracks in its "Translation", it never the less is a excellent ground book for a student to get the general feel for the lore of the "norsemen". I would suggest though that you read the Edda's and sagas for yourself, this book will provide a decent starting point for intrested partys in the nortic myths.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable if inaccurate
Comment: The original publcation date of 1909 would explain why many of the tales are watered down and a Victorian morality imposed on them. The style is charming and readable, and there's a wealth of information to pursue. Guearber does some editorializing here and there, and the final chapter which attempts to draw parallels to Greco-Roman mythology was a waste of time. One clue that Guerber did not spend much time doing actual research is that she used Roman names for the "Greek" gods in that final chapter. I'm not familiar enough with Norse mythology to point out errors there, but several reviewers here on Amazon were outraged by Guerber's inaccuracy ... I consider this a good book to start a study of Norse mythology; it's an easy read, and if nothing else at least it tells you what to look for as you continue your reading elsewhere. This should NOT be your _only_ book about Norse myth. Definitely further research is needed since Guerber is not a completely reliable source herself.
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