A gripping introduction to the vibrant, violent, and boisterous world of Norse myth and its legacy, from Tolkien to Game of Thrones.

Norse myth features the infamous Viking gods, from the mighty Æsir and Einn and the mysterious Vanir to Thor and the mythological cosmos they inhabit. Excerpts from the legends bring this world of myths to life, from the creation of the world to Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world by an army of monsters and Loki, and everything in between: the troubled relationships between gods and giants, the unfortunate adventures of human heroes and heroines, their family feuds, revenge, marriages and murders, the interactions between gods and mortals.

Photographs and drawings show a range of Norse places, objects and characters, from Viking ship burials to dragons on stones with hands.

Professor Carolyn Larrington discusses the origins of Norse myths in pre-Christian Scandinavia and Iceland and their survival in archaeological artifacts and written sources - From Old Norse sagas and poems to the less approving accounts of medieval Christian writers, she traces their influence through the works of Wagner, William Morris, and J.R.R. Tolkien, and even in Game of Thrones' resurrection of 'Fimbulvetr,' or 'The Mighty Winter.'