Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version of the great legend of Northern antiquity, recounted here in "The Legend of Sigurd and "Gud...
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reviews
Dec 29, 2011
What a treat it is to find yet more from the pen of Tolkien. That there has continued to be a frequent publication of new works throughout the decades following his death is a testament to the Professor's vast literary output and imagination; that he wrote lengthy works such as this one, which could simply never have been published if not for the sucess of "The Lord of the Rings," is of course a testament to Tolkien as a poet and a storyteller. Something like this is only written becau
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Apr 10, 2011
Chris
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This posthumous publication ought to appeal to a wide range of readers, from Tolkien fans to Wagnerites, from poets to psychologists, and from medieval literature specialists to mythologists, but I suspect it will end up satisfying only those whose interests overlap a number of these categories. Many readers may well come with expectations of more Middle Earth or a tale compatible with the Ring cycle; or they may expect more than just a pastiche of medieval poetry, however erudite, or a deeper p
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Jul 28, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
In ‘Legend’ poems, Tolkien the storyteller
By Ethan Gilsdorf, Boston Globe Correspondent | September 4, 2009
J.R.R. Tolkien is best known as the author of fantasy tales like “The Hobbit’’ and “The Lord of the Rings.’’ But some may not know that he was an academic first and writer second. The reclusive British scholar, lexicographer, and Oxford don was, in a way, the original geek. He specialized in the rather arcane field of philology (the history of lang More...
In ‘Legend’ poems, Tolkien the storyteller
By Ethan Gilsdorf, Boston Globe Correspondent | September 4, 2009
J.R.R. Tolkien is best known as the author of fantasy tales like “The Hobbit’’ and “The Lord of the Rings.’’ But some may not know that he was an academic first and writer second. The reclusive British scholar, lexicographer, and Oxford don was, in a way, the original geek. He specialized in the rather arcane field of philology (the history of lang More...
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Jul 07, 2009
I didn't get the expensive version shown here (had no idea they'd made one like that-- kinda funny), but I did get a hardcover version. Only learned about this book recently-- can't remember if it was from a friend's facebook note or from Shippey's excellent review in the Times Literary Supplement, but the latter certainly got me interested. I was a bit frustrated with the last posthumous Tolkien publication, Children of Hurin-- I think I'd already read the story too many times, and then havin
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Sep 22, 2009
Chris
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When I was seven years old, I went with my mother to her eye appointment. While we were waiting for her to be called, she started reading The Fellowship of the Ring to me. We got two chapters in before the appointment. Afterwards, she couldn’t read because of the eye drops, so I got tired of waiting and started to read it myself. This explains my absolute love for Tolkien, among other things. It also explains my love for Norse mythology at a young age, even though I didn’t know the connect
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Nov 18, 2011
C_
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Hach, mal wieder ein Tolkien :) Abgesehen davon, dass ich seine Bücher eigentlich immer mag, war dieses Buch sehr interessant (soweit jedenfalls, wie ich das objektiv betrachten kann) :) Tolkien hat sich während seiner Tätigkeit als Professor mit nordischer Literatur auseinandergesetzt und auch selbst Heldenlieder verfasst. Man könnte also sagen, dass er Teile der Edda interpretiert und in englische Verse gepackt hat (auch wenn sich im Buch gegen die Bezeichnung Edda gewehrt wird, weiß ich nicht
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Jul 22, 2010
Yngvild
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What a disappointment. This is strictly a book about J R R Tolkien’s own verse and very little about Old Norse writings and legends. To be fair, the book promises no more, but the result is unsatisfactory even on its own terms.
Two lays that J R R Tokien wrote in Modern English, one based on Völsung and the other on Guðrún, consume about half the book. There are also three short pieces, two in Old English. All use the alliterative Norse verse format. They are mildly interesting if you More...
Two lays that J R R Tokien wrote in Modern English, one based on Völsung and the other on Guðrún, consume about half the book. There are also three short pieces, two in Old English. All use the alliterative Norse verse format. They are mildly interesting if you More...
Aug 02, 2011
Kenny
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This re-reimagining and re-translation of the epic tragedy of Sigurd and Gudrun is a fantastic bit of literature, and is most definitely one of the inspirations behind many of the characters, relationships and even magical items found in Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. Written in "ye olde epic poem" format, the bulk of the text is a relatively quick read, but the commentary and analysis of the poem by Christopher Tolkien (and, on occasion, his father) really allow us to f
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Jan 05, 2011
Alberto
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Libro molto bello che presenta due "lai" (brevi poemi) che riprendono le storie di racconti e saghe nordiche facendone un nuovo unicum tolkeniano, e due altre composizioni poetiche. Lo stile con cui scrive Tolkien riprende la metrica e la "caratterizzazione" tipici della letteratura norrena: inevitabilmente, qualche passaggio si fa oscuro, e sinceramente senza le note del figlio non sarei riuscito a capire bene l'intreccio.
Una parte importante del libro è infatti stata stilat More...
Una parte importante del libro è infatti stata stilat More...
Jan 27, 2010
Doug
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I really enjoyed this book. It centers around two poems written by JRR Tolkien: the Lay of the Völsungs, and the Lay of Gudrún. Both poems are based on old-Norse heroic legends, and follow the meter and style of old-Norse poetry. The poems are not terribly long, and are very readable. There is a substantial amount of commentary after both poems, written some by JRR Tolkien but mostly by Christopher Tolkien, that summarizes the poems more clearly, as well as discussing their relation to the o
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Oct 11, 2009
Christopher
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As soon as I found this hardbound edition in the bookstore, I snapped it up. This 350-page book contains J.R.R. Tolkien's interpretation of the two ancient epic poems from the Poetic Edda of the Icelandic peoples. Tolkien's son, Christopher has compiled and edited his father's work on the "Lay of the Volsungs" and the "Lay of Gudrun." This is earthy and spare poetry; rich in story and tradition; and provides a tangible connection to our ancestors and their mythology more t
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Jan 31, 2011
Gabe
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With the publication of both this and _The Children of Hurin_ (which I'm currently reading for the second time), I thought, "Really, Christopher (son of J.R.R. Tolkien), haven't we had enough already? Certainly all of _real_ value from your father's estate has been made use of already." But once again Christopher, with his choices, has impressed the bejeezus out of me!
These are two "New Lays" concerning the material that is best presented in the _Saga of the Volsung More...
These are two "New Lays" concerning the material that is best presented in the _Saga of the Volsung More...
Nov 25, 2011
Jonathan
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3.5 to 4 star book
This was, as a volume, a curious mix of prose and poetry which covers the Norse legends which inspired Tolkien's Middle Earth. In short The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is Tolkien's version of those myths in poetic form.
I didn't personally find the story of this legend particularly gripping or exciting. However it was astounding to read this from the perspective of observing the sources that fueled Tolkien's own creativity. And having a personal fondness for More...
This was, as a volume, a curious mix of prose and poetry which covers the Norse legends which inspired Tolkien's Middle Earth. In short The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is Tolkien's version of those myths in poetic form.
I didn't personally find the story of this legend particularly gripping or exciting. However it was astounding to read this from the perspective of observing the sources that fueled Tolkien's own creativity. And having a personal fondness for More...
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Mar 29, 2011
Dan
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Tolkien was truly amazing and this effort only confirms that. This book contains his version of the great Norse epics in an English rendering using the old Icelandic meter. This is not only a translation but also an interpretation of the Norse mythos and one that gives the reader the feel and spirit of the tales possibly better than any prose rendering could do.
The book contains a lot of back ground on the Norse mythologies and the various forms we have (prose Edda, Elder Edda, etc More...
The book contains a lot of back ground on the Norse mythologies and the various forms we have (prose Edda, Elder Edda, etc More...
Aug 11, 2009
Ren the Unclean
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This is a fairly interesting collection of poems Tolkien wrote. The purpose of them is to give a rough estimation of what certain poems (that have now been all or mostly lost) would contain based on what we know of the eddic prose and verse that is still available to us.
It reads like many mythological entries of this sort, and it is cool that Tolkien was able to emulate this style so precisely. If nothing else this book is very interesting for the in depth look at the source for More...
It reads like many mythological entries of this sort, and it is cool that Tolkien was able to emulate this style so precisely. If nothing else this book is very interesting for the in depth look at the source for More...
Mar 11, 2011
Nikki
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Tolkien's scholarship is always pretty impressive, even if it's out of date, now. Reading the bits of his lectures pieced together by his son is very interesting, and I rather wish I could attend them. (If I could be a member of Connie Willis' time travelling department of historians, I'd go visit Tolkien if I could.)
It's also amazing how much work he did on keeping the metre and language of Old Norse in a modern English version of the stories. The verse itself is probably the main a More...
It's also amazing how much work he did on keeping the metre and language of Old Norse in a modern English version of the stories. The verse itself is probably the main a More...
Feb 13, 2011
Jason
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J.R.R. Tolkien put together a coherent account of the legends of Sigurd & Gudrun from several surviving (and fragmented and differing) Norse texts, primarily the Poetic Edda and Volsung Saga. It is broken down into an account of Sigurd and then the continuing story of Gudrun. Each account is written in poetic rhythmic structure, then followed by an extensive commentary explaining what the prose was saying and notes and details from Tolkien.
The poetry took some time getting used to bein More...
The poetry took some time getting used to bein More...
Oct 23, 2010
Reetta
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It's great to see something by Tolkien-the-scholar, as well as Tolkien-the-writer - this is of course both, as he has re-told and re-interpreted old texts in his own poetry.
The book may be more for those who are interested in Norse and Germanic mythology, sagas and poetry; while the story itself is full of exciting adventures and high drama, the poetry is extremely dense (while beautiful) so if you don't know the story beforehand, it can be hard to follow without resorting to the notes More...
The book may be more for those who are interested in Norse and Germanic mythology, sagas and poetry; while the story itself is full of exciting adventures and high drama, the poetry is extremely dense (while beautiful) so if you don't know the story beforehand, it can be hard to follow without resorting to the notes More...
May 29, 2009
J.A.
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The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is an eminent addition to J.R.R. Tolkien’s preeminent body of work. Here we have two marvelous tales from Norse mythology, the Lay of the Völsungs and the Lay of Gudrún, retold by a renowned philologist. These are no mere translations; indeed translation is not possible when the extant sources are piecemeal variants and prose summaries. Tolkien painstakingly recreated these tremendous poems much like Regin reforged Gram, the sword Sigurd used to slay the dragon Fá
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May 16, 2009
Noah
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Very impressive. After having read a good portion of Christopher Tolkien's other "History of My Father's Work," this book felt like home. Tolkien's poetry was different than I expected, and though I understand that he was going for a particular form, I wish he had gotten into the story a bit more deeply. It was interesting to see him almost holding himself back. The appendices are fun, if a little unorganized.
In the end, I think I liked this because I study the Sigurd More...
In the end, I think I liked this because I study the Sigurd More...
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Jun 22, 2009
Richard
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I learned how ignorant I am about Old Norse/Icelandic legends; poetry, history and a host of other scholarly areas.
This is edited by J.R.R.'s son, Christopher (b. Nov. 21, 1924 - ), his father's literary executor since J.R.R.'s death in 1073. The foreword and introduction are an education in themselves.
This was a difficult read for me, and I really need a tutor to understand it. Tolkien's commentaries and notes help a lot, but there are not enough of them for me.
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This is edited by J.R.R.'s son, Christopher (b. Nov. 21, 1924 - ), his father's literary executor since J.R.R.'s death in 1073. The foreword and introduction are an education in themselves.
This was a difficult read for me, and I really need a tutor to understand it. Tolkien's commentaries and notes help a lot, but there are not enough of them for me.
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Jan 13, 2012
Karen
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Not "just" a translation, but a beautiful retelling in the verse form of the originals. The Tolkiens attempt to make sense of the different versions that were left to us, and attempt to decipher the different legends and actual snippets of history that were combined into this story. Christopher Tolkien relied heavily on his father's old lecture notes from Oxford to aid in our understanding of this literature and this world.
"Lecture notes?" thought I, excitedly. " More...
"Lecture notes?" thought I, excitedly. " More...
Sep 02, 2009
Christian
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As someone who typically is underwhelmed by Tolkien's more mythological fictional works (i.e. Children of Hurin, Silmarillon), I found myself overwhelmed with how much I enjoyed this. I can't say if it was because it was poetry instead of prose, or because it was grounded in history rather than Tolkien's fancy. But the Lays themselves were entertaining (although admittedly a little confusing in some parts due to the style Tolkien was emulating), and the historical/textual background in the app
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Sep 10, 2010
Andrew
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I was a little confused when I first saw The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún on the shelf of a book store. It’s written by J.R.R. Tolkien so naturally I thought it might have something to do with The Lord of the Rings or its associated mythology. It wasn’t immediately clear from the inside of the dust jacket what this book was about either. Something about dragons and Norway and treasure. I really didn’t know what I was getting into, but I like Tolkien, I’m mildly interested in Norse mythology, and
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Jan 06, 2012
Solyndra
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Oh, this book. The rating for this book is relatively high, due to a personal interest in the story of the Nibelungs, in any other case I would have given this book 2 stars at most.
Why? There are two important reasons for this.
1) I feel very clearly that J. R. R. Tolkien was *not* the writer of this book: his son Christopher was. (I shall refer to J. R. R. Tolkien as Tolkien and to his son as Christopher, to prevent confusion.) Tolkien obviously knew a lot about the Odini More...
Why? There are two important reasons for this.
1) I feel very clearly that J. R. R. Tolkien was *not* the writer of this book: his son Christopher was. (I shall refer to J. R. R. Tolkien as Tolkien and to his son as Christopher, to prevent confusion.) Tolkien obviously knew a lot about the Odini More...
Dec 17, 2010
John
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As someone with no prior exposure to old Norse poetry or the Eddas, I found this fascinating. Tolkien was for many years Professor of Old Norse at Oxford, and he wrote versions of two related poems — the Lay of the Völsungs and the Lay of Gudrún — in English using the Old Norse meter.
And boy, is it different. He once characterized old Norse poetry as "seizing a situation, striking a blow that will be remembered, illuminating a moment with a flash of lightning." A line is More...
And boy, is it different. He once characterized old Norse poetry as "seizing a situation, striking a blow that will be remembered, illuminating a moment with a flash of lightning." A line is More...
Jun 15, 2009
Ratiocination
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Enjoyable, but kind of a weird endeavor. I get the feeling that this was Tolkien noodling around rather than anything he really intended for publication. It's not a translation of any one work-- it's an adaptation from several sources, written in a modern English style meant to evoke the feel of the original Norse works. In places it translates line by line; in others it's mostly Tolkien's own writing.
However, taking all that into account, I think what this book does has its place. T More...
However, taking all that into account, I think what this book does has its place. T More...
Sep 28, 2010
Dave
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This book is interesting as an example of reconstructing an ancient, and mostly lost form of literature, but as a read it tends more toward being a textbook. I can tell that Christopher Tolkien has really come into his own with his sections of writing compared to similar sections which were included in The Lost Tales, but his approach is still very scholarly.
Dryness aside, I found this book to be very interesting in terms of the connections between the mythology and stories and hist More...
Dryness aside, I found this book to be very interesting in terms of the connections between the mythology and stories and hist More...
Feb 11, 2011
Rob
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To be honest I probably wouldn't have liked this if it hadn't have been based on Norse legends (an area I really like). The actual poems themselves I enjoyed but the analysis of them was something I could have left (although it would have been a very short book without them). For me the saving grace of the analysis was how much it went in to the Norse legends rather than just solely discussing the poems themselves.
Jan 25, 2010
Jon
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I really liked The Children of Hurin, so looked forward to this as a similar delight. This book just didn't work for me. There were times when I got caught up in the underlying story that was being told, but not enough to feel like it was worth investing the energy it would take to tease out the meanings from the other passages in this exceedingly terse poetry style.
