Our Fathers' Godsaga

About the Book

An epic introduction to Norse mythology for students of all ages.

Based on the research of the 19th century Swedish poet and scholar, Viktor Rydberg, Our Fathers' Godsaga retells the mythology of Northern Europe in chronological order from Creation to Ragnarök.

These are tales told by Vikings, epic tales of gods and giants, elves and dwarves, and of how their interaction and wars affect the first generations of human beings in the North. Based on a comprehensive examination of the source material, including the Icelandic Eddas and Sagas, this is likely the way Germanic mythology looked at the end of the heathen era.

Many will recognize themes found here in J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarillion, particularly the tale of the elf-smith Völund and his quest for revenge against the Aesir, first detailed by Rydberg in his comprehensive Investigations into Germanic Mythology, 1886.

This is an original translation of Viktor Rydberg's Fädernas Gudasaga, his own retelling of the complete Norse mythic epic, first published in 1887, and many times since. The text includes a complete catalog of mythic names & the original artwork, from the 1911 German translation, by renowned children's artist John Bauer (1882-1918).

This classic Swedish text appears in English now for the first time.

About the Author

Viktor Rydberg (1828-1895). Universally recognized as Sweden's greatest Romantic poet, Rydberg was a journalist, novelist, and distinguished scholar who remained a significant influence on Swedish cultural life for many years. This book is based on his comprehensive Undersökningar i Germanisk Mythologi (Investigations into Germanic Mythology), the first volume of which was translated as Teutonic Mythology, 1889, by Rasmus Anderson, and is widely available on the internet and in print today.

William P. Reaves, who works and resides in Orlando, Florida, has had a life-long interest in Norse mythology. Several of his articles and essays on the subject can be found on the internet.