The Runes of Elfland

by Ari Berk, Brian Froud (Illustrator)

The Barnes & Noble Review
Award-winning illustrator Brian Froud (Faeries, The Faeries' Oracle, Good Faeries/Bad Faeries, etc.) has teamed up with folklore and mythology scholar Ari Berk to create The Runes of Elfland, an exploration of sorts into the narrative and artistic interpretations of mystical Celtic runes.

Featuring 24 new full-color, rune-inspired paintings and dozens of black-and-white sketches by Froud, as well as more than 100 pages of the folklore and mythology surrounding each rune, this book if packed with notable legends, such as the Birch Mother, the Woman of the Marsh, the Ever-Living, the Green Girl of the Birches, and the Day-Child.

* * *

The Runes of Elfland is a perfect gift book for anyone who enjoys Celtic folklore and mythology, as well as for those interested in faeries and fantasy. Froud fanatics will treasure this offering, which is both art book and folklore collection. "A single word can be a world and every letter a land. A rune drawn upon the ground can have curious consequences, might invite adventure, may open ancient doors. Here are the Runes of Elfland. Here are the songs of the shining lands. Here are signs of crossing and threshold. Here are stories of fate and illumination. Chant the charm, tell the tale, and step across " Paul Goat Allen

- From School Library Journal:
"If runes are the keys to Faery, this book is an Open Sesame."

Genres: Fantasy, Art, Mythology, Folklore, Fiction, Spirituality, Fae

112 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Ari Berk is a writer, artist, and scholar of literature, folklore, and myth. Former student of and assistant to Pulitzer Prize winning writer N. Scott Momaday, Ari has written everything from academic works on ancient cultures to popular books about myths and legends for children and adults and, most recently, a trilogy of novels. He works in a library filled to the ceiling with thousands of arcane books and more than a few wondrous artifacts. When not writing, he moonlights as professor of mythology and folklore at Central Michigan University. He lives in Michigan with his wife and son. Visit him at www.ariberk.com.

Reviews

[Jessica]

Who wants to learn the runic alphabet!? Oh, and look at amazing Brian Froud artwork and learn some genuine kick-tail folklore?

You too?

[Hannah Kelly]

This book was captivating for me. This book came into my possession in a period of transition when I was in the midst of moving after having travelled half-way around the world. I was sitting in the strange house that would become our new home, surrounded by boxes and paraphernalia with movers milling through the house. In such a highly stimulated environment I needed a retreat and this book was it. I spent much of that morning curled up on the bare mattress of my sister's bed devouring and being absorbed by this book. Its funny how some of the simplest things in life are some of the most beautiful and profound. Something as simple as going to the library and picking up this book really nourished my turbulent spirit. This book will always have fond memories for me. I would love to be able to give this to someone else so they can experience it too.

[Larissa]

There are many doors and pathways to Faerie, even a window will do if you can open it wide enough to fit through. However this guide takes you by the hand and leads you willingly to a place where faeries exist, a place where they play, dance and dream. Anywhere you find nature, the wind, the sky, a puddle of water, you will find a story and a gateway into Faerie.

The Runes Of Elfland are a set of twenty-four runes known collectively as the Elder Futhark. Each individual rune represents more then just its sound or letter, there is a meaning behind each symbol and a story behind each meaning. Between the pages of this book are charms, stories, gifts and symbols that will amuse, delight and enlighten all those who venture along pathways and through doors opened within these pages. A beautiful book for lovers of faeries, art, fairytales and magic.

[Elliot Schott]

A brilliant interpretation of the Norse Rune alphabet, with each individual rune revealing a hidden charm and portal to a specific aspect of what artist Brian Froud and writer Ari Berk call "Elfland." Froud's intensely varied senses of the mystical are displayed well here, and are given excellent and moving interpretations by Ari Berk, a well-spoken and masterful storyteller in this day and age.

[Lenno Vranken]

Dit is een trieste review, want na het lezen van dit boek beschik ik jammer genoeg over nog maar 1 Brian Froud boek in mijn bibliotheek dat ik nog niet van cover tot cover heb uitgelezen.
Zeer spijtig dat Brian Froud geen nieuw werk meer publiceert. 'The Runes of Elfland' was namelijk een prachtig boek, net zoals alle andere boeken die ik van deze schilder en schrijver heb gelezen.
Het boek gaat in feite over de magie van taal en hoe deze magie ondanks de vele eeuwen nog steeds sterk aanwezig is bij de Noorse runen. Iedere rune heeft een betekenis en heeft naast een fonetische letterwaarde ook nog een link naar een verhaal. In dit boek koppelen Brian Froud en Ari Berk deze verhalen aan oude elfenwijsheid en mythologie.
Ik ben bekend met Noorse runen en hun betekenissen. Met deze kennis heb ik opgemerkt dat de werkelijkheid niet altijd op één lijn ligt met de creatieve invulling van de twee schrijvers. Dit is ze echter vergeven. Het boek voelt nog steeds erg spiritueel aan en ik werd emotioneel tijdens het lezen.
Binnenkort neem ik dit boek zeker nog eens van mijn boekenplank!

[Mir]

Maybe my expectations were too high due to Froud being a favorite illustrator and his Faeries being a favorite book, but this was a bit disappointing. It was *nice* but didn't feel special to me. The text didn't have enough actual mythology and the stories felt like they were trying to hard to be literary while having a vague oral-telling quality.

[Amy]

I guess I would buy anything that involved Froud and fairies. I was a little disconcerted by the intro from Professor Ari Berk, however (it's almost like he believes this stuff!). But his vignettes of each rune were really cool. I think I prefer Froud's earth-tone sketches of fairies and goblins more than some of his 80's paintings in this book, but overall, I enjoyed them.

[Brooke Gilley]

My favorite artist, Brian Froud does the artwork, need I say more.

[Vicky]

I want to buy this book and keep it. The illustrations are unique and the text is magical. There is wisdom and mystery in each story.

[Jupiter]

As beautiful and enchanting as you'd expect from an artist who designed much of the cult film Labyrinth.

[Carrie Viscome-Skinner]

I love working with Runes and this book brought their meaning more alive with Brian's lovely artwork.

[Krk]

This is a hard one to rate. Art and creativity wise, this is a five-star book. Honestly, I bought the book simply for the artworks. I just wish that, as a text, "the Runes of Elfleland" were categorized as fantasy rather than occult. Occult, as a designation, is often shelved next the religion section of bookstores, and implies some level of reality. For the most part, this book seems like an attempt to flesh out a fantasy book's magic system, rather than really explain extant runic history and lore. Now to be fair, and after crosschecking each rune and description in this work with R.I Page's "Reading the Past: Runes," the runic names and meanings line up with scholarly interpretation, my problem comes when these runes and actual, historical locations and artifacts, are then connected with Froud and Berk's ideas of Elfland. They turn real runes with real meanings, into fantasy things, while placing them in their version of the real, fantastical, world. If this book had started with a proper discussion of Scandinavian myth and how runes were used, even a mention of the FUTHARK, I'd be less critical, and it would help readers understand that what the artist and author are doing is personal to them and not "Occult." If such were the case, I'd say this work was an impressive synthesis of history, linguistics, myth, and personal creativity and belief. As it stands it's nothing more than a fantasy book, grounded in reality, but masquerading as truth. For that the text gets 2 stars. I sound harsh, but runes, their usages and the lore surrounding them, are magical enough on their own without fictitious works being produced.

[The Elves]

how could we not love this book?
dear lovers of Elfland,

... We've been reading tarot cards since we were eight years old and love everything having to do with Divination: cards, runes, pendulums, the whole works. And Brian Froud ... how can one not love his faery art? And Elfland, we love everything about elves and faeries that isn't totally corny. So how could we not love a book involving all three of our favorite things? If you love Froud's art, you'll love this book. If you are fascinated by the Norse Runes, here's another interesting interpretation. And if you love all things Elfin, as we do, then here is fine addition to modern Elven Culture. How can you go wrong?

kyela,
the silver elves
authors of The Book of Elven Runes: A Passage Into Faerie

[Melanti]

This is a wonderful presentation of the runes. Each rune is given one full page illustration, two to three smaller illustrations, a one to two page fairy tale about the rune, and a half page or so of explanation of the rune's interpretation.

My only real complaint is that some of the interpretations don't entirely match with my favored Futhark handbook. But, there is room for debate when it comes to the meaning, so it's a question of artistic license, not accuracy.

I wish I'd found this a few years ago when I was interested in this sort of thing. Now, I'm liking it mainly for the short fairy tales and lovely artwork - which is great, but I feel like I'm skipping the main point of the book.

[Elliot Schott]

A brilliant interpretation of the Norse Rune alphabet, with each individual rune revealing a hidden charm and portal to a specific aspect of what artist Brian Froud and writer Ari Berk call "Elfland." Froud's intensely varied senses of the mystical are displayed well here, and are given excellent and moving interpretations by Ari Berk, a well-spoken and masterful storyteller in this day and age.

[Elliot Schott]

A brilliant interpretation of the Norse Rune alphabet, with each individual rune revealing a hidden charm and portal to a specific aspect of what artist Brian Froud and writer Ari Berk call "Elfland." Froud's intensely varied senses of the mystical are displayed well here, and are given excellent and moving interpretations by Ari Berk, a well-spoken and masterful storyteller in this day and age.

[Nomad]

Froud's artwork is always second to none, but it's usually accompanied with more text than the paintings in this book. Or maybe it's because the whole thing is set up like a tarot card like thing and tarot is not something I take seriously at all.

So buy it for the art, don't buy it for the text, because the text isn't that great, but the paintings are.

[T.L. Wood]

This is a Rune book with information about each symbol told in a little detailed Faery stories and poetry told by Ari Berk with beautiful illustrations from Brian Froud. It made for some really enjoyable reading.

[Bladestryke]

I picked this up because I knew of the artist and figured it was a fairy tale something like labyrinth. Boy was I surprised and delighted when this book was an explanation on the meaning of the Norse runes and to,d in such a wonderful way! A must have for anyone interested in runes!

[Maggie Secara]

This is one of the most magical books ever. My full, glowing review is posted on amazon.com (US and UK), Barnes & Noble, and a couple of other online booksellers.

[Georgesear]

Liked the art in it.

[Kecia]

Magical.

[Ali]

Absolutely beautiful, here's hoping for some magical dreams tonight...

[Jaclyn]

Fun before bed read. Nice trip into the realm of faery. Enjoyed translating the rune riddles and phrases throughout the book when I was done reading.

[Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon }]

Amazing imagery, both colour and B&W.
Small bits of mythology and history.

But for me, it's all about the art. Unexpected, imaginative, beautiful, and inspiring.

I own this! 😎

[Shailee]

Be polite. Don't take anything without asking. Laugh at their jokes. Remember, humor is sacred: so is hospitality. Beware of dark woods at night. Do not trust the wolf in winter. Take notes. Sing for your supper. Pack extra sandwiches. Bring fine gifts. Always tell a story when asked. Listen as if your life depended on it. Start early. Walk the land. Keep your eyes open. Travel wisely and well. Come back safe and sound.

i thought this was the most magical book on earth when i was gifted it as a kid & every revisit since at different ages has solidified that feeling 🫶

[K.S. Thompson]

After owning this book for years, this is the first time I sat down and read it cover to cover. Beautiful imagery, combined with insightful storytelling and messages from Elfland. What an enjoyable experience!

[Robert]

A book of tales and pictures, I found the book slightly amusing but plagued by an apparent belief in the 'realness' of fairies. I appreciate fairies as folklore, not reality and certainly not as a source of 'magic.'

[Lilia]

I Don't think! I Just want this really bad! *massive drool*

[Monica]

Good coffee table reading...