Review summary
Tolkien retells the Völsung and Nibelung legends in alliterative verse, following Sigurd, the dragon Fáfnir, Brynhild, Gudrún, betrayal, treasure, and heroic doom.
Full review
Tolkien retells the Völsung and Nibelung legends in two long poems shaped by Old Norse alliterative verse. Sigurd's dragon-slaying, Brynhild, Gudrún, cursed treasure, betrayal, and vengeance drive the cycle.
Christopher Tolkien's introduction and notes explain sources and reconstruction, making the book both poetry and a window into the legends behind his father's imagination.
Old stories in a newly made verse
The compressed alliterative style favors rhythm and heroic image over novelistic explanation.
Audience and difficulty
It suits readers of Norse myth and Tolkien's scholarship more than readers seeking Middle-earth fiction.
Key ideas
- Heroic fame cannot master cursed inheritance.
- Memory preserves incompatible versions.
- Alliterative form shapes narrative force.
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FAQ
- Is it Middle-earth?
- No. It retells Norse and Germanic legendary material.
- Is prior mythology knowledge required?
- No, though the editorial commentary makes the relationships easier to follow.
Reading guide
- Read passages aloud.
- Use the notes after each poem.
- Keep a character list.
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