Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Long Island City, NY : Osprey Publishing, 2013.
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: In the stories of the ancient Vikings, Thor is a warrior without equal, who wields his mighty hammer in battles against trolls, giants, and dragons. He is the god of storms and thunder, who rides to war in a chariot pulled by goats, and who is fated to fall in battle with the Midgard Serpent during Ragnarok, the end of all things. This book collects the greatest myths and legends of the thunder god, while also explaining their historical context and their place in the greater Norse mythology. It also covers the history of Thor as a legendary figure, how he was viewed by different cultures from the Romans to the Nazis, and how he endures today as a popular heroic figure..
User reviews
LibraryThing member LibStaff2
A great introduction to all things Thor. The book includes history, myths, pop culture, and a bit of religious history. Wonderful illustrations and a helpful glossary at the end. Recommended for any Thor enthusiast.
Net Galley Feedback
Net Galley Feedback
LibraryThing member dlynch
Thor: The Viking God of Thunder by Graeme Davis
Thor: The Viking God of Thunder is an excellent read for all mythology lovers. It is also an easy to understand resource for Norse Mythology.
Whether you are a lover of mythology or in need of a reference book, Thor: The Viking God of Thunder, is a
ARC provided publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thor: The Viking God of Thunder is an excellent read for all mythology lovers. It is also an easy to understand resource for Norse Mythology.
Whether you are a lover of mythology or in need of a reference book, Thor: The Viking God of Thunder, is a
Show More
great book. Not only does it cover all things Thor, but it gives an overview of Norse mythology and history that are easy to comprehend. ARC provided publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Strider66
Pros: thorough, entertaining, educational, lots of illustrations
Cons: mentions religious reconstruction using archaeology but doesn’t give much information about what’s been discovered, drawings of some Viking artefacts rather than photographs
This is a great introduction to Norse mythology on
The stories themselves are quite entertaining, though while Thor’s exploits against the giants are referred to, there’s little description of those battles.
There are a good number of newly commissioned and older artworks illustrating the stories. I would have liked to see some photographs of archaeological finds rather than drawings though.
The author mentions that the sources are light when it comes to how the Norse gods were worshiped but that archaeology has started shedding light on this issue, but doesn’t mention any of the finds or what we’ve learned about their religious practices from them. The author does, however, mention information about religious practices that have survived in written form (eg. Tacitus).
The final chapter deals with how myths of Thor have been used in modern times, like how they were co-opted by the Nazi party when trying to create a sense of nationalism for Germany after World War I. It also goes into Thor’s portrayal in comics and movies.
If you don’t know much about Norse mythology or Thor, this is an excellent book to get you up to speed.
Cons: mentions religious reconstruction using archaeology but doesn’t give much information about what’s been discovered, drawings of some Viking artefacts rather than photographs
This is a great introduction to Norse mythology on
Show More
the whole and an excellent one if you’re interested in Thor in particular. There’s a one page rundown of important characters and another with places. The source materials of the myths are briefly discussed, specifically the Poetic and Prose Edda, and during the retellings the author often pauses to explain cultural and situational material necessary for understanding what’s going on.The stories themselves are quite entertaining, though while Thor’s exploits against the giants are referred to, there’s little description of those battles.
There are a good number of newly commissioned and older artworks illustrating the stories. I would have liked to see some photographs of archaeological finds rather than drawings though.
The author mentions that the sources are light when it comes to how the Norse gods were worshiped but that archaeology has started shedding light on this issue, but doesn’t mention any of the finds or what we’ve learned about their religious practices from them. The author does, however, mention information about religious practices that have survived in written form (eg. Tacitus).
The final chapter deals with how myths of Thor have been used in modern times, like how they were co-opted by the Nazi party when trying to create a sense of nationalism for Germany after World War I. It also goes into Thor’s portrayal in comics and movies.
If you don’t know much about Norse mythology or Thor, this is an excellent book to get you up to speed.
Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2013-09-17
Physical description
25 cm
ISBN
9781782000754
Local notes
Adventures