On the Verge of Lunacy

In a time when the bonds between gods and humans are weakening, one of the most powerful beings devises a plan to teach young gods the meaning of love and restore that connection. Kusanagi Yui was born and raised near a Shinto shrine. By all standards she's a normal girl with a normal life. One day on her way home from school, she discovers a sword which transports her to a sanctuary created by Zeus. She is given the task to act as the human representative in Zeus' school to teach young gods from different countries the meaning of love. If they succeed, it will prevent the destruction of the school and release the gods trapped in the realm. But every time there is a complication, the force holding the place together will weaken. Kusanagi Yui (center) with the gods Yui is hardworking and persuasive and manages to befriend the young gods with the help of her new friend Melissa, a doll sent to look after her. She meets the Greek gods Apollon, Hades and Diony...

This collection of the majority of European mythology will make the lover of myths cry out for joy. Bulfinch's Mythology includes Greek and Roman myths; Norse; Celtic; Arthurian and British legends (Beowulf, Hereward and Robin Hood); tales of Charlemagne's Paladins; and a few Egyptian and Eastern (Zoroastrian/Persian, Hindu, Buddhist) myths and legends. The stories are limited however and only the more popular tales are included. It is a general overview of most myths but the focus, as expected, is still on Classical Mythology. The pages dedicated to the Greek and Roman gods take up most of the book, followed by Charlemagne's Peers. Despite my disappointed to find that I'd be reading stories I'm already familiar with, the book does have its surprises. There is a chapter dedicated to monsters and how myths are formed. Some of the epics are summarized, much to my dismay, but it might be a good introduction for readers who find the longer versions too te...

This is a collection of 17 epics each of which is condensed into its simplest form making them accessible to readers who do not have enough time or resources (or have difficulty reading some of the translations)reading or finding the epics. Each epic is introduced by providing the background of the author and the story and why it is included in this volume. The following is the list of the epics included: THE RAMÂYÂNA THE MAHÂ-BHÂRATA of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa THE ILIAD of Homer THE ODYSSEY of Homer THE KALEVALA, collected by Zacharias Topelius and Elias Lonnrot THE AENEID by Vergil BEOWULF THE NIBELUNGEN LIED THE SONG OF ROLAND THE SHAH-NAMEH of Firdusi THE POEM OF THE CID THE DIVINE COMEDY of Dante Alighieri THE ORLANDO FURIOSO of Ludovico Ariosto THE LUSIAD of Luis de Camoens THE JERUSALEM DELIVERED of Torquato Tasso PARADISE LOST of John Milton PARADISE REGAINED of John Milton The epics are contracted and the author left only the narration...

Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine is a collection of myths and legends about the Rhine and the communities it fosters. Some of these are myths fused with real stories. Lewis Spence  first provides an introduction of the topography of the Rhine. To better understand the pervading beliefs and temperament of the people living near the famous river, the author provides a background and brief history of Germany. There is also a section about the folklore and literature of Rhine in general. The author cited examples of the type of stories that are usually produced or become popular. Readers do not have to immerse themselves in the stories right away but are given a proper introduction. Although Spence did not write an exhaustive comparative study of the folktales, he was able to provide some background of and explanation for most of the stories. The section on Nibelungenlied in particular was very informative and clear-cut. Spence's writing is easy to understand an...

This book can be treated partly as a biography of Olaf Tryggvason (or Olaf Triggvison in the book). His life however has the elements of the hero myth. A hero isn't just a representation of the changes in the season or life and death. They also symbolize their people or the changes in their society. Olaf was such a man. He forcibly imposed a change by converting his people to Christianity. If sources were to be believed, he had a very complicated life. He was chased out of his country and denied his right to the throne, became a slave in Esthonia, was later reunited with a family member and had a fairly comfortable life at the court of King Valdemar, had many adventures as a Viking, and became a persistent and often harsh advocate of Christianity during his rule as the king of Norway. He was also a brilliant boy. He learned things much easier than his peers and he excelled in almost everything, like the heroes of various myths. Like every great hero however, he also had ...

Edited and translated by Charles John Tibbits This book is a collection of 29 stories, some of which are from the Edda. Readers will also find stories about the Norse gods although this book does not include the tales leading to Ragnarok. Included are a few stories about Thor and Loki. The following are the myths and legends included in this volume: The Wonderful Plough (Isle of Rugen) How a Lad stole the Giant's Treasure (Sweden) Tales of Cats (Denmark) The Magician's Daughter (Sweden) The Hill-man invited to the Christening (Denmark) The Meal of Frothi (Norway) The Lost Bell (Isle of Rugen) Maiden Swanwhite and Maiden Foxtail (Sweden) Tales of Treasure (Denmark) Holger Danske (Denmark) Tales from the Prose Edda      The Gods and the Wolf      The Strange Builder      Thor's Journey to the Land of Giants     ...

Padraic Colum retells the story of the struggle of the gods and goddesses to preserve beauty, freedom and wisdom against those who would wish to destroy everything. The book begins with the aftermath of the Ragnarok where the surviving gods picked up a tablet recording the events of the past. Colum then proceeds to narrate the exploits of Odin, Thor, Loki and the other Norse gods and goddesses. The creation myth was retold through Heimdall's point of view in the middle of the book. The Volsung saga was also included in the last section just before the Twilight of the Gods. Colum did a great job of trying to link together the events. The transition from one story to the next to create a one, flowing narrative is flawless, making it look like all the events are interconnected. It reads more like a novel than a compilation of stories. This can be a great introduction to Norse mythology. I recommend this to anyone who's not yet familiar with the myths. I enjoyed this boo...

These books contain studies about the Eddas. It includes the explanation of the possible sources and history of the Eddas and the myths contained in those books. A few selected stories were analyzed. Readers who are already familiar with those stories will find this helpful in understanding the myths. I do not recommend them as an introduction to Norse mythology but rather as supplementary reading materials only. The second volume contains the story and includes the different versions of the Volsung saga. If the reader wishes to know more about the exploits of Siegfried and the people he encountered, I recommend reading the second book. I also do not recommend this to readers who are not familiar with any Western myths. Some names and events will be cited that beginners will find hard to understand.

This books which is composed of 29 chapters is a great introduction to Norse Mythology. Each major deity has a chapter dedicated to him or her. The first chapter introduces the reader to the creation myths and the battle of Bor and Bestla's sons against the giants. There are also separate chapters about the fairies, dwarves and giants. The reader will be disappointed however if he is expecting a sort of chronological retelling of the tales leading to Ragnarok. The stories where each god is involved is included in the chapter about him. There is however a comprehensive chapter of the Sigurd Saga. It is an advantage to the reader that the details come from various sources. There is also a short introduction and analysis of what the myths symbolized. The only thing that is missing is an introduction of the cultures which made up these myths. It is important for readers who are new to Norse mythology to understand the kind of people who made up these stories, although the au...