Book Review: Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell

Odd and the Frost Giants
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
by Neil Gaiman

In 2018 I bought a number of Neil Gaiman's books.  I had read Stardust a number of years before and really enjoyed it, but in the meantime hadn't picked up more of his works.  One of those that I found was Odd and the Frost Giants.  There are a couple of different editions of the book, but I was drawn to this one because of the illustrator Chris Riddell.  He has illustrated a number of Gaiman's books and in my opinion if you have the choice pick up one that he has illustrated.

Odd, a young Viking boy, is left fatherless following a raid. In his icy, ancient world there is no mercy for an unlucky soul with a crushed foot and no one to protect him. Fleeing to the woods, Odd stumbles upon and releases a trapped bear…and then Odd's destiny begins to change.

The eagle, bear, and fox Odd encounters are Norse gods, trapped in animal form by the evil frost giant who has conquered Asgard, the city of the gods. Now our hero must reclaim Thor's hammer, outwit the frost giants and release the gods…

First published in 2009, Odd and the Frost Giants has been reimagined by acclaimed artist Chris Riddell in the style of his epic black-and-white artwork from New York Times bestselling The Sleeper and the Spindle, enhanced here with metallic silver ink.
--from Harper Collins website

You get a taste for the humor in this book before you even start into the story proper, unless you skip over the author's biography, which would definitely be a mistake.

The story is good, following an ostracized Viking boy Odd (the name means the tip of a blade) who wanders away from his settlement in the middle of a long winter and runs into three animals: a bear, a fox, and an eagle.  These creatures turn out to be the Norse gods Thor, Loki, and Odin, who have all been exiled from their homeland of Asgard.  Odd has to figure out how to get them home and how to free the land of the gods from the control of the Frost Giants.

The book is filled with gorgeous illustrations in black and white with metallic silver ink highlights.  There are quite a number of two-page spreads like this one that, if you're like me, you'll find yourself lingering over as you read.  You may also think you can feel the cold winter winds blowing down upon you as you explore the pages.

While this isn't a graphic novel there are also a number of smaller illustrations that top each chapter, or are interspersed in the text such as this chapter header.

The tale is a heartwarming one and well told.  It feels like a modern version of something out of the ancient Norse sagas.  It is also full of humor and is a story you'll definitely want to read more than once.

Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary: A tale of a young Viking who encounters three exiled gods from Norse mythology and helps them to get back to Asgard.
Technical: Hardcover, 121 pages, fully illustrated, ISBN 9780062567956

~Matt

Book Review: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology
by Neil Gaiman

I've been reading Neil Gaiman's stories for a few years and discovered a while ago that he is an amazing storyteller.  I own a number of his fiction books and I probably should get around to reviewing several of them here on my blog.

When I discovered that he had written a new version of ancient Norse myths I was determined to find the book.  I actually listened to the audiobook first (narrated by Neil Gaiman himself) and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I then determined to also read through the book and enjoyed that as well.

Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman fashions primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds; delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants; and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people.
--from Neil Gaiman's website

You'll find fifteen different tales included in this volume.  One of the sad things about Norse mythology is that we're pretty sure that many other tales existed, but not all of them were written down so that we could read them later.  The book starts with the Norse creation myth, continues through a series of adventures, and ends in the cosmos-ending tale of Ragnarok.  One of my favorites is The Treasures of the Gods.  The interaction between Thor and Loki is hilarious to read.  In this section Thor's wife Sif woke up without her beautiful hair and Thor immediately suspects that Loki is at the bottom of it, so he goes to confront Loki and the following hilarious exchange results.

You'll also read tales of giants, other worlds, and even times when the gods themselves can be bested.  You've never heard mythology told with such skill and humour.  The book isn't illustrated, but the chapter headers include a bit of artwork.

Here you can hear Neil himself talk about some of the inspiration for the book.



In summary unless you don't like mythology or the Norse then check out this book.  Actually, give it a try even if you're not sure if you'll like it, so long as you enjoy a good story.  While Neil's other books may not be everyone's cup of tea, I'd suggest many people check out this volume.

Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary: A new retelling of ancient Norse mythology with witty turn of phrase and sly humour.
Technical: Trade paperback, 301 pages, includes introduction, description of character, notes on setting, and a glossary.

~Matt