15 Best Norse Mythology Books

An illustrated introduction for children retells Norse legends of gods and giants. Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire include Odin, Thor's stolen hammer, Loki's mischief, and Ragnarok, combining their storytelling with depictions of the mythological world.

Norse tales follow Odin, Thor, Loki and their fellow gods through bargains, rivalry and dangerous adventures. From the creation of the worlds towards Ragnarok, the retellings show how courage, cunning and pride shape their fortunes.

Snorri Sturluson's medieval Icelandic work preserves Norse myths alongside explanations of poetic language. Stories of gods and their world provide context for traditional allusions, with Jesse L. Byock's translation, introduction, and notes guiding readers through this source of Scandinavian mythology.

This hefty anthology gathers many of the classic medieval Icelandic family sagas in modern translation, tracing settlers, feuds, voyages, and everyday life in the North Atlantic world that later inspired Smiley’s own fiction about Greenland and Iceland.

Jackson Crawford translates the Old Norse poems about gods and legendary heroes into modern English verse. An introduction and individual headnotes provide context for tales of creation, divine encounters, heroic struggles, and the world's fate in pre-Christian Scandinavian tradition.

Daniel McCoy combines retellings of thirty-four Norse myths with an introduction to Viking religious beliefs and practices. He explores the gods, fate, the afterlife, morality, cosmology, and magic, placing the stories within the religion of ancient Scandinavia.

H. R. Ellis Davidson introduces the pre-Christian beliefs of Scandinavian and Germanic peoples through their myths and sagas. Her survey outlines stories and examines the characteristics of familiar and lesser-known deities, connecting the narratives with the religious traditions they preserve.

Two Old Norse sagas follow seven generations of a legendary family through battles, betrayals, and magic. Jackson Crawford's translation brings together the stories of Sigurd the dragon-slayer, Brynhild, and Ragnar Lothbrok, supported by notes and introductory material.

Turville-Petre examines pre-Christian Scandinavian religion using Old Norse literature, missionary reports, and archaeological evidence. Discussions of Odin, Thor, Baldr, and other figures connect the surviving myths with questions about religious beliefs and the sources through which they are known.

Johan Egerkrans retells Scandinavian myths from the creation of the world through Ragnarök. His illustrations depict the gods, giants, dwarves, monsters, and heroes who inhabit these stories, combining a narrative introduction with visual interpretations of Norse mythology.

John Lindow places Norse mythology in historical context before examining the idea of mythic time. Detailed entries explain gods, heroes, rituals, and other terms, giving readers a reference for exploring the stories and beliefs of the Scandinavian world.

Stephen Pollington introduces the runes used by Germanic peoples, examining their origins and meanings. Texts and translations of rune poems and riddles from England, Norway, and Iceland accompany discussions of inscriptions including the Norfolk and Brandon runes.

Loki tells his own version of Norse myth, from Odin’s bargain with him to the betrayals that end in Ragnarok. Funny, bitter, and sly, it turns the trickster god into a brilliantly unreliable guide to Asgard’s rise and fall.

In A.D. 793, Jack and his sister Lucy are taken by Vikings and swept into a dangerous quest shaped by Norse myth. To save Lucy, Jack must face trolls, magic, and enemies far older than raiders.

Eric Wodening develops an account of Heathen ethics through the meanings of words in Old English, Old Norse, and related Germanic languages. His discussion uses etymology and historical vocabulary to consider the values and conduct associated with elder Heathenry.