Description

The gods of the Vikings come to life as never before in this extraordinary illustrated anthology by Carnegie Medal-winning author Kevin Crossley-Holland and astonishing artist Jeffrey Alan Love. These dramatic, enthralling and atmospheric tales are based on the Scandinavian myth cycle – one of the greatest and most culturally significant stories in the world – and tell of Odin with his one eye, Thor with his mighty hammer and Loki, the red-haired, shape-shifting trickster. In this stunning illustrated anthology of myths, the strange world of ancient magic, giants, dwarfs and monsters is unforgettably imagined.

Publisher Review

"Truly stunning." * WRD Magazine * "it is useful as a work of reference and should be in every school, library and hence in every home, where 'we are all someone'." * The School Librarian * "A master storyteller [...] Love's craggy black silhouettes stamp a graphic power, mystery and dynamism on every page" * Amanda Craig, Times Literary Supplement * "The combination of Kevin Crossley-Holland's text and Jeffrey Alan Love's art make this a real treasure of a book. It is an excellent rendering of the Norse myths, and one which will certainly draw in children's interest [...] truly an object for families to treasure." * Bookwitty blog * "What a page-turner!" * Families Vale of York, and Families Warwickshire * "Norse Myths [...] will delight both the newcomer and the Norse aficionado, instantly immersing its reader in the tragedy and treachery synonymous with the Scandinavian pantheon. Crossley-Holland's well-forged words, which feel as right in the mind as a swords hilt in the hand, are the perfect medium for these bloody, compelling tales, with their rich poetry [...]interleaved with Jeffrey Alan Love's iron-dark, silhouetted images." * The Guardian * "[...] magnificent anthology [...] a perfect Christmas present for little warriors everywhere [...] It's impossible not to be captivated by these extraordinary characters, aided by Jeffrey Alan Love's tremendous pictures of gods and goddesses, dwarfs and giants. Crossley-Holland, who has translated Beowulf and is an expert in Norse mythology, is a natural storyteller who wears his learning lightly. He writes beautifully, dramatically and accessibly [...] At the end of the book the three mysterious wise kings - High-One, Just-as-High and Third - speak: "Tell these stories yourself and for as long as our world last, people will retell them. Make what use of them you can." If they were still around to give dust-jacket quotes, they would effuse about these revived versions. Instead, the writer must make do with a modern literary deity, Neil Gaiman ("Kevin Crossley-Holland is the master"). He's not wrong." * The Times, Children's Book of the Week * "adored!" * Of Beauty and Nothingness blog * "Stunning artwork and vivid, gory storytelling combine in this collection" * Wall Street Journal * "His book with its dark, ominous monochromatic images by Jeffrey Alan Love, is a keeper - one for the coffee table, or pride of place on the book shelf A heroic creation." * The Herald * "It's very good" * Evening Standard * "Dramatically re-told by Norse expert Crossley-Holland and stunningly illustrated with dark, brooding figures on every page, this is a book to be treasured for generations" * Daily Mail * "A sumptuous hardback [...] bringing to life the nine Norse worlds" * Eastern Daily Press * "This beautifully illustrated anthology of dramatic, enthralling and atmospheric tales [...]" * Just Imagine Newsletter * "[...] this is an ideal book to share at bedtime or storytime, or to read very gradually. If your children loved the recent Marvel movies featuring Thor but haven't heard the original Norse legends before, this compendium of new retellings by Kevin Crossley-Holland would be an excellent place to start. Jeffrey Alan Love's lavish, atmospheric illustration is absolutely stunning and captures the darkness and magic of many of these stories, while remaining modern and full of impact. Fantastic." * BookTrust * This book is a masterpiece. Gorgeous dark illustrations. * Jackie Morris, illustrator of 'The Lost Words' * "Kevin Crossley Holland's and Jeffrey Alan Love's rendition of Norse Myths is the best of many recent versions for children aged nine and above. With fiery, lyrical prose and shadowy, sinewy illustrations, this is a wintry marvel of doom, hope, cruelty and imagination. A serious gift, which will be reread many times over." * New Statesman * "[...] a masterly version, which is also a splendid object [...] It is powerfully illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love [...] It is spectacular and enjoyable, as well as essential cultural bedrock." * The Sunday Times * "Complemented by Jeffrey Alan Love's powerful illustrations [...] they're thrilling and marvellously retold." * East Anglian Daily Times/Eastern Daily Press * "[...] beautifully illustrated doorstopper of an anthology" * Oldie * "The writing is crisp and lively, and the illustrations sublime: foreboding, cleverly scaled and incisively expressive. As well as providing exhilarating entertainment when curled up in a favourite armchair, this is also ideal for reading aloud. These tales, after all, were created to be told, and this collection is destined to become a classic." * Joanne Owen, LoveReading * "The gods of the Vikings come to life as never before in this extraordinary illustrated anthology by Carnegie Medal-winning author Kevin Crossley-Holland and astonishing artist Jeffrey Alan Love. [...]In this stunning illustrated anthology of myths, the strange world of ancient magic, giants, dwarfs and monsters is unforgettably imagined." * Bags of Books *