New Edda Paperback – December 10, 2003

Modeling the collection of tales after Snorri's Prose Edda (the storehouse for much of our knowledge of the Norse/Germanic mythology) works well in this book. The book falls into about three sections besides the introduction, although there is no demarcation between the sections.The tales in the first section are mostly from folklore that we can reasonably assume to represent survival of heathen belief and practice into Christian times in northern Europe. The author has drawn them from Grimm and other folklorists.The second section is a rehash of familiar stories from Norse mythology concerning Loki. The author includes this material in order to make a case for Loki being -- while never a "nice" person/deity -- an important and useful part of the world of the elder gods. I think the author goes too far in his interpretation, when he sees Loki's actions as part of Odin's plan. For the most part, however, he makes a viable case against vilifying the trickster Loki.The third section has some stories from the sagas about humans -- heathen martyrs and heroes -- in the time shortly after the conversion.The author's introduction gives an overview of Asatru and its gods, and some historical background. Some of the assumptions I find questionable, but in most points it agrees with current scholarly and/or heathen thinking. This is not a book for scholars, and the author does not delve into sources, points of argument among scholars, etc., but simply presents his (in the main quite reasonable) views as fact.The book is quite readable and entertaining.

This is the first book that I've heard of in this vein, as Wayland has followed the style and ideas of the Elder Eddas, and created a new chapter in our history with the New Eddas. Hes gathered stories about the Norse Gods, Goddesses, Spirits and Heros which occured after the conversion, and placed them in one book. This is absolutely essential to anyone with a passing interest in Norse Mythology, or for practicing Ásatrúar.