Amazon Review: 5 stars
Epic Heroic Fantasy, December 5, 2008
I've never had an ear for poetry. I struggled with it in school, and still have no way of knowing
good poetry from bad. Unfortunately, this failing has kept me from reading what, by all
accounts, is one of the great heroic epics of all time - Beowulf. That's why I jumped at the chance
to try out R. Scot Johns' novelization of Beowulf, appropriately titled The Saga of Beowulf.
Almost immediately into this hefty tome (nearly 600 pages of small text) I started to hear a
wizened bard acting as my internal narrator, regaling me with tales of the (literally) larger than
life warrior, his seemingly impossible quest, and the love he left behind. Soon enough I came to
care about his companions as well, and the events that propelled and shaped them. Johns's
storytelling is poetic in its own way, and his focus on the cares and motivations of kings and
peasants alike brought to mind my all-time favorite heroic fantasy author, the late David
Gemmell.
From Beowulf's initial quest against the demon Grendel and the Troll-Hag that sired him, to his
battles against the Swedes, to the ill-fated raids in what would become France, to the battle that
cost him his life, The Saga of Beowulf unfolds like an epic Hollywood movie. I could almost see
these towering Norsemen battling for land and king amidst blood and flame.
Having never read the source material, I can't attest to how faithfully it was adapted, but given
the scope of this work and the author's obvious love for the original, I suspect it will please fans
of the Beowulf poem. I can however, recommend The Saga of Beowulf to anyone who enjoys
heroic fantasy. It's one of the finest heroic fantasy tales I've ever read, and I hope it reaches the
wide audience it certainly deserves.
As for me, I think I'm going to give the original Beowulf poem a shot. Hopefully it will be easier
to handle now that I know the story and love the characters.
- Justin Gaines, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer
Epic Heroic Fantasy, December 5, 2008
I've never had an ear for poetry. I struggled with it in school, and still have no way of knowing
good poetry from bad. Unfortunately, this failing has kept me from reading what, by all
accounts, is one of the great heroic epics of all time - Beowulf. That's why I jumped at the chance
to try out R. Scot Johns' novelization of Beowulf, appropriately titled The Saga of Beowulf.
Almost immediately into this hefty tome (nearly 600 pages of small text) I started to hear a
wizened bard acting as my internal narrator, regaling me with tales of the (literally) larger than
life warrior, his seemingly impossible quest, and the love he left behind. Soon enough I came to
care about his companions as well, and the events that propelled and shaped them. Johns's
storytelling is poetic in its own way, and his focus on the cares and motivations of kings and
peasants alike brought to mind my all-time favorite heroic fantasy author, the late David
Gemmell.
From Beowulf's initial quest against the demon Grendel and the Troll-Hag that sired him, to his
battles against the Swedes, to the ill-fated raids in what would become France, to the battle that
cost him his life, The Saga of Beowulf unfolds like an epic Hollywood movie. I could almost see
these towering Norsemen battling for land and king amidst blood and flame.
Having never read the source material, I can't attest to how faithfully it was adapted, but given
the scope of this work and the author's obvious love for the original, I suspect it will please fans
of the Beowulf poem. I can however, recommend The Saga of Beowulf to anyone who enjoys
heroic fantasy. It's one of the finest heroic fantasy tales I've ever read, and I hope it reaches the
wide audience it certainly deserves.
As for me, I think I'm going to give the original Beowulf poem a shot. Hopefully it will be easier
to handle now that I know the story and love the characters.
- Justin Gaines, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer
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"Great cover art!"
- Bridget, West of Mars, winabook.blogspot.com
- Bridget, West of Mars, winabook.blogspot.com
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
Amazon Review ***** Great Story!
"I love a good story, and this is a very good one. It's written in Bardic prose (poetic cadence) and
once you get the rhythm, it rolls right along. The characters are excellent, and the descriptions
are brilliant. This is almost like reading a movie. I very much enjoyed this book.
- Pamela Wheaton, "Rockin Cabby"
"I love a good story, and this is a very good one. It's written in Bardic prose (poetic cadence) and
once you get the rhythm, it rolls right along. The characters are excellent, and the descriptions
are brilliant. This is almost like reading a movie. I very much enjoyed this book.
- Pamela Wheaton, "Rockin Cabby"
Amazon Review: 5 stars
December 14, 2008
This is an excellent novelization of the great epic poem that authors like Tolkien paid homage
to. The story line stays true to the poetry and to the hero, but also provides deeper insight into
the champion, his times, and his otherworldly opponents - for instance, the paternal side of
Grendel (nice twist). Mindful of the terrific Seamus Heaney translation, fans of epic fantasy,
especially of the original poem (and its modernization), and even those who skipped the reading
in high school for the Cliff Notes will relish R. Scot Johns’ superb novel rendition of THE SAGA
OF BEOWULF. Although last year’s movie version was fun, the SAGA OF BEOWULF would
make a fine adventure series of movies along the lines of its “offspring” The Lord of the Rings (is
Peter Jackson looking for his next fantasy adaptation?).
- Harriet Klausner, Amazon #1 Reviewer
December 14, 2008
This is an excellent novelization of the great epic poem that authors like Tolkien paid homage
to. The story line stays true to the poetry and to the hero, but also provides deeper insight into
the champion, his times, and his otherworldly opponents - for instance, the paternal side of
Grendel (nice twist). Mindful of the terrific Seamus Heaney translation, fans of epic fantasy,
especially of the original poem (and its modernization), and even those who skipped the reading
in high school for the Cliff Notes will relish R. Scot Johns’ superb novel rendition of THE SAGA
OF BEOWULF. Although last year’s movie version was fun, the SAGA OF BEOWULF would
make a fine adventure series of movies along the lines of its “offspring” The Lord of the Rings (is
Peter Jackson looking for his next fantasy adaptation?).
- Harriet Klausner, Amazon #1 Reviewer
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
Armchair Interviews Review: 5 stars
December 18, 2008
Beowulf has the distinction of being one of the earliest pieces of fiction in the English language.
Though Old English bears little resemblance to the English that is spoken today. The Saga of
Beowulf by R. Scot Johns is a novelization of the saga. This book is a satisfying way to get into
the story of Beowulf. Johns has taken the story and made it accessible for the average reader.
Beowulf is a hero in a time when clans and families of the north are constantly feuding, and even
the gods are worn out. He is a Geat, but sails to Daneland to avenge the death of his father at the
hands of the ogre Grendel. He is also sailing because he isn’t welcome at home since he failed to
protect his Queen, and the King’s present wife is still in love with him.
In Daneland, Beowulf finds a land ravaged by Grendel for the last twelve years. There are few
men left. In this hard time the weak don’t last and the wolves are circling. Yet facing Grendel is
only the beginning of Beowulf’s saga. There is bravery and cowardice, honesty and treachery, all
of it described with richness and power.
Johns has captured the feel of the saga in his work. The story is populated by characters who are
complex and tormented by their fate. There is some of the fatalism of the Norse tradition, but
the heroes at their best struggle against it to shine brightly, if briefly, against the dark. This book
is worth a read because it is one of the defining works of our language and culture, and because it
is a terrific story told with great skill.
Armchair Interviews agrees.
- Reviewed by Alex McGilvery, ArmchairInterviews.com
December 18, 2008
Beowulf has the distinction of being one of the earliest pieces of fiction in the English language.
Though Old English bears little resemblance to the English that is spoken today. The Saga of
Beowulf by R. Scot Johns is a novelization of the saga. This book is a satisfying way to get into
the story of Beowulf. Johns has taken the story and made it accessible for the average reader.
Beowulf is a hero in a time when clans and families of the north are constantly feuding, and even
the gods are worn out. He is a Geat, but sails to Daneland to avenge the death of his father at the
hands of the ogre Grendel. He is also sailing because he isn’t welcome at home since he failed to
protect his Queen, and the King’s present wife is still in love with him.
In Daneland, Beowulf finds a land ravaged by Grendel for the last twelve years. There are few
men left. In this hard time the weak don’t last and the wolves are circling. Yet facing Grendel is
only the beginning of Beowulf’s saga. There is bravery and cowardice, honesty and treachery, all
of it described with richness and power.
Johns has captured the feel of the saga in his work. The story is populated by characters who are
complex and tormented by their fate. There is some of the fatalism of the Norse tradition, but
the heroes at their best struggle against it to shine brightly, if briefly, against the dark. This book
is worth a read because it is one of the defining works of our language and culture, and because it
is a terrific story told with great skill.
Armchair Interviews agrees.
- Reviewed by Alex McGilvery, ArmchairInterviews.com
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
Popin's Lair Review - December 18, 2008
Great Read - 4 Stars out of 5
Beowulf is one of the oldest stories known to man, an epic that has captivated many generations.
Many of us had to read some of Beowulf in school. I think in one of my classes we had to take a
small section of the poem and translate the Old English into the English that we know today. It
was hard...and it took me away from the story. I did my job, handed it in, and promptly forgot
about it.
When the CGI movie of Beowulf came out, my interest in Beowulf peaked. The graphics were
nicely done and while the story strayed from the original poem, I liked it well enough. So when I
heard about The Saga of Beowulf, I knew I had to read it. That, and I wanted to see how
someone would fare translating the long, long, LONG poem into today's English. I got bored and
I only did a small paragraph, so I thought it would be interesting to read the book and find out.
I expected the book to be big, and at a massive 640 pages of small print, I wasn't disappointed. I
was a little nervous in reading the book, but found that once you got into it, the story flowed
very nicely. That doesn't mean that there weren't times when I was hit with a dry spot, because
that does happen. The beginning and ending of the novel were fast paced and had a lot of action,
but there were times in the middle portion, after Beowulf defeated Grendel and the story goes
into politics, is where I felt the story started to slow down. The politics between the nations,
while interesting, didn't have the same pace as the other parts of the novel, so it was a little hard
to read.
Another problem that I had was the ending. I know I just said I liked it and I did, it was an
awesome ending to the story of Beowulf, I just wish there was more of it. The events leading up
to Beowulf's last battle were interesting, but when the actual battle happened, I was left with a
feeling of, "That was it?" I wanted a little bit more description of what Beowulf was going
through and how it was affecting Hæreth, Beowulf's lover. I know how this sounds - I wanted the
book to be even longer. But for this particular scene, I felt like it was crucial to find out more.
There is one scene where it shows what Hæreth is going through, but I just wanted more.
One thing that I did love about this story was the character of Beowulf. I liked the CGI movie but
their Beowulf there, is completely different from the Beowulf here. In the movie, Beowulf is
shown to be an arrogant, brass, thickheaded, brute, if you will; but in the book, he's
compassionate, kind, strong. He's more human and doesn't let his achievements get to his head,
which is great, since he has a pretty crappy life. If he wasn't portrayed as such, I don't think I
would have felt as bad as I did for all the depressing things that happened to him.
If you are a Beowulf fan, I think you'd like The Saga of Beowulf, and if you are not a Beowulf
fan, then I think you might like this as well. I had a fun time reading this.
- Reviewed by Popin (Canada)
Great Read - 4 Stars out of 5
Beowulf is one of the oldest stories known to man, an epic that has captivated many generations.
Many of us had to read some of Beowulf in school. I think in one of my classes we had to take a
small section of the poem and translate the Old English into the English that we know today. It
was hard...and it took me away from the story. I did my job, handed it in, and promptly forgot
about it.
When the CGI movie of Beowulf came out, my interest in Beowulf peaked. The graphics were
nicely done and while the story strayed from the original poem, I liked it well enough. So when I
heard about The Saga of Beowulf, I knew I had to read it. That, and I wanted to see how
someone would fare translating the long, long, LONG poem into today's English. I got bored and
I only did a small paragraph, so I thought it would be interesting to read the book and find out.
I expected the book to be big, and at a massive 640 pages of small print, I wasn't disappointed. I
was a little nervous in reading the book, but found that once you got into it, the story flowed
very nicely. That doesn't mean that there weren't times when I was hit with a dry spot, because
that does happen. The beginning and ending of the novel were fast paced and had a lot of action,
but there were times in the middle portion, after Beowulf defeated Grendel and the story goes
into politics, is where I felt the story started to slow down. The politics between the nations,
while interesting, didn't have the same pace as the other parts of the novel, so it was a little hard
to read.
Another problem that I had was the ending. I know I just said I liked it and I did, it was an
awesome ending to the story of Beowulf, I just wish there was more of it. The events leading up
to Beowulf's last battle were interesting, but when the actual battle happened, I was left with a
feeling of, "That was it?" I wanted a little bit more description of what Beowulf was going
through and how it was affecting Hæreth, Beowulf's lover. I know how this sounds - I wanted the
book to be even longer. But for this particular scene, I felt like it was crucial to find out more.
There is one scene where it shows what Hæreth is going through, but I just wanted more.
One thing that I did love about this story was the character of Beowulf. I liked the CGI movie but
their Beowulf there, is completely different from the Beowulf here. In the movie, Beowulf is
shown to be an arrogant, brass, thickheaded, brute, if you will; but in the book, he's
compassionate, kind, strong. He's more human and doesn't let his achievements get to his head,
which is great, since he has a pretty crappy life. If he wasn't portrayed as such, I don't think I
would have felt as bad as I did for all the depressing things that happened to him.
If you are a Beowulf fan, I think you'd like The Saga of Beowulf, and if you are not a Beowulf
fan, then I think you might like this as well. I had a fun time reading this.
- Reviewed by Popin (Canada)
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
Reviewed by Dr. Al Past for podbram.blogspot.com
Great Entertainment at a Great Price
January 19, 2009 *****
It would be hard to find anyone in the English speaking world who has never heard of Beowulf.
Most could tell you he was the hero of "some old poem" who killed "that monster, Grendel."
Some younger people might have seen the comic book-like movie flaunting its digitalized special
effects, but most of the population will have had to have read parts of it in school, in translation.
Not many will remember why they had to read it in school, but there's a good reason: it's the
first identifiable work of literature written in English. The problem is it must be read in
translation (unless one is a graduate student in English, perhaps) because it was the language
spoken when part of the Germanic languages split off and became modern English. We call that
founding language Anglo-Saxon, or Old English. Supposedly, the verses in which the Beowulf
story is told constitute very powerful poetry, but very few are able to appreciate it today. It
takes work to pick out a single understandable word in two or three lines of verse, and a
semester or two of college-level study to get comfortable with it.
The story itself, of the hero Beowulf saving a neighboring tribe of Danes from the horrible
Grendel, and later from his equally horrible mother, ultimately becoming king of his own tribe,
the Geats, and dying while saving them from a ferocious fire dragon, is a dramatic one. But in
addition to the language problem, the tale is made even harder to appreciate by virtue of
apparently being written down by two different people hundreds of years after Beowulf lived, by
the fragments of the manuscript which have disappeared, and by its being compressed possibly
for purposes of recitation.
All this is by way of saying that there is a terrific story here, but how to make it accessible to
today's typical readers? Author R. Scot Johns has the answer: spend ten years researching the
poem and the historical documents of the era, and weave it all into a novel, a novel of 630 pages.
The result of this impressive scholarship is a labor of love: an astoundingly readable,
satisfyingly meaty historical tale of fierce battles, of intricate clan ties and loyalty, of Norse
folklore, and of characters who develop over time to stand as distinct personalities that were
only dimly glimpsed in the ancient version.
As to how Mr. Johns managed all this, he has a website (fantasycastlebooks.com) with extensive
and interesting author's notes laying out the documents and the manner of stitching them into
one continuous narrative. The book itself has glossaries of names and places, and a map of
ancient Scandinavia, but these are helpful only when needed and do not intrude on the
continuity of the story. There are no footnotes, for example.
One might reasonably ask, "What possible prose style would suit ancient poetry rendered into a
modern novel?" Mr. Johns' solution seems to be rather a hybrid: in places he uses what feels like
Old Norse hyperbole, and in others a more sensitively observed, human-scaled style. Since the
original story featured heroic deeds of strong, brave men with large swords, chain mail, and
horns on their helmets fighting monsters with mythic abilities, exaggeration is only fitting, and
faithful to the original. In other places, when warranted, the style eases into a more comfortable,
conventional narrative, with few flights of bellicose elaboration. It retains the feel of an ancient
story, yet can be enjoyed comfortably and without rescanning the lines.
As a reviewer of books, I'm inclined to want to march right through a text. At the same time, I
found myself enjoying the story and wishing to slow down and immerse myself in it. Torn
between these two desires, I noted that Grendel and his mother had been dealt with by the
halfway point. What, I asked myself, could possibly fill the rest of the pages?
To my surprise, I found I enjoyed the second half even more than the first, with accounts of
battles with normal humans (well, ancient Swedes, anyway), an ill-advised raid into Frankish
territory, sea voyages, Frankish politics and military maneuvers, the puzzle of Roman ruins,
struggles over kingly succession and tribal politics, courtship, and more small doses of
mythology: stone-eating trolls, fearsome dwarfs, and, overseeing all, the three Fates of Norse
mythology, spinning out the threads of lives, measuring and cutting them when the time comes.
It's all cleanly written and edited, a few errant apostrophes notwithstanding.
Mr. Johns' version of Beowulf is a terrific bargain at its current selling price. It should appeal to,
and delight, those who like the original poem, those who enjoy the sword and
sorcerer/dungeons and dragons type of yarn, lovers of historical fiction, and the many readers
who are tired of the same old formulas and wish for something completely different. It would be
an excellent choice to read the summer before signing up for an Old English course. If only I had
had it back then!
Great Entertainment at a Great Price
January 19, 2009 *****
It would be hard to find anyone in the English speaking world who has never heard of Beowulf.
Most could tell you he was the hero of "some old poem" who killed "that monster, Grendel."
Some younger people might have seen the comic book-like movie flaunting its digitalized special
effects, but most of the population will have had to have read parts of it in school, in translation.
Not many will remember why they had to read it in school, but there's a good reason: it's the
first identifiable work of literature written in English. The problem is it must be read in
translation (unless one is a graduate student in English, perhaps) because it was the language
spoken when part of the Germanic languages split off and became modern English. We call that
founding language Anglo-Saxon, or Old English. Supposedly, the verses in which the Beowulf
story is told constitute very powerful poetry, but very few are able to appreciate it today. It
takes work to pick out a single understandable word in two or three lines of verse, and a
semester or two of college-level study to get comfortable with it.
The story itself, of the hero Beowulf saving a neighboring tribe of Danes from the horrible
Grendel, and later from his equally horrible mother, ultimately becoming king of his own tribe,
the Geats, and dying while saving them from a ferocious fire dragon, is a dramatic one. But in
addition to the language problem, the tale is made even harder to appreciate by virtue of
apparently being written down by two different people hundreds of years after Beowulf lived, by
the fragments of the manuscript which have disappeared, and by its being compressed possibly
for purposes of recitation.
All this is by way of saying that there is a terrific story here, but how to make it accessible to
today's typical readers? Author R. Scot Johns has the answer: spend ten years researching the
poem and the historical documents of the era, and weave it all into a novel, a novel of 630 pages.
The result of this impressive scholarship is a labor of love: an astoundingly readable,
satisfyingly meaty historical tale of fierce battles, of intricate clan ties and loyalty, of Norse
folklore, and of characters who develop over time to stand as distinct personalities that were
only dimly glimpsed in the ancient version.
As to how Mr. Johns managed all this, he has a website (fantasycastlebooks.com) with extensive
and interesting author's notes laying out the documents and the manner of stitching them into
one continuous narrative. The book itself has glossaries of names and places, and a map of
ancient Scandinavia, but these are helpful only when needed and do not intrude on the
continuity of the story. There are no footnotes, for example.
One might reasonably ask, "What possible prose style would suit ancient poetry rendered into a
modern novel?" Mr. Johns' solution seems to be rather a hybrid: in places he uses what feels like
Old Norse hyperbole, and in others a more sensitively observed, human-scaled style. Since the
original story featured heroic deeds of strong, brave men with large swords, chain mail, and
horns on their helmets fighting monsters with mythic abilities, exaggeration is only fitting, and
faithful to the original. In other places, when warranted, the style eases into a more comfortable,
conventional narrative, with few flights of bellicose elaboration. It retains the feel of an ancient
story, yet can be enjoyed comfortably and without rescanning the lines.
As a reviewer of books, I'm inclined to want to march right through a text. At the same time, I
found myself enjoying the story and wishing to slow down and immerse myself in it. Torn
between these two desires, I noted that Grendel and his mother had been dealt with by the
halfway point. What, I asked myself, could possibly fill the rest of the pages?
To my surprise, I found I enjoyed the second half even more than the first, with accounts of
battles with normal humans (well, ancient Swedes, anyway), an ill-advised raid into Frankish
territory, sea voyages, Frankish politics and military maneuvers, the puzzle of Roman ruins,
struggles over kingly succession and tribal politics, courtship, and more small doses of
mythology: stone-eating trolls, fearsome dwarfs, and, overseeing all, the three Fates of Norse
mythology, spinning out the threads of lives, measuring and cutting them when the time comes.
It's all cleanly written and edited, a few errant apostrophes notwithstanding.
Mr. Johns' version of Beowulf is a terrific bargain at its current selling price. It should appeal to,
and delight, those who like the original poem, those who enjoy the sword and
sorcerer/dungeons and dragons type of yarn, lovers of historical fiction, and the many readers
who are tired of the same old formulas and wish for something completely different. It would be
an excellent choice to read the summer before signing up for an Old English course. If only I had
had it back then!
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
A 'Massively' Good Read!
By Cassiopia Jan 24 2009
**** 4 Stars out of 5
What an incredible epic story. I received this book sometime in November and it rested in my
TBR pile throughout the Christmas break. I have spoken of my difficulty in reading and
reviewing over the break due to my state of mind and frankly this book is a tome...not exactly
conducive to light reading. A daunting 600 page novelization of the story of the Norse hero
Beowulf. It is absolutely accurate to the Old English poem written in the tenth century and R.
Scot Johns has completely adapted this tale from the Old English to a modern retelling as a piece
of fiction.
I have really enjoyed it but it took forever to read. The size of the font is small and my eyes are
getting quite bad so I could only concentrate on the pages for about 50 at a time. This is NOT
the way that I prefer to read. I love to completely submerge myself in a story and inhale it as if
enjoying the most delicious spaghetti supper. This is not a book for the fainthearted
either...once you begin the story it is hard to put down. Beowulf becomes this flesh and blood
man who seeks out challenges that will befit his role as a hero for his people the Geats and ensure
his place in Valhalla for all eternity.
R. Scot Johns writes with great detail and describes the settings and characters as if he was
setting the stage for a movie. He originally visualized and wrote the tale as a screenplay but
rethought his decision to tell the story as a novel when two other movie screenplays were sold
for production at the same time. I would liked to have read the screenplay. I loved the story and
it is an easy read but it is too darn long. Sometimes there is just too much story to contain it
within one volume so it might be more appealing if it was divided logically into a multi-volume
tale.
This is a 'massively' good read!
By Cassiopia Jan 24 2009
**** 4 Stars out of 5
What an incredible epic story. I received this book sometime in November and it rested in my
TBR pile throughout the Christmas break. I have spoken of my difficulty in reading and
reviewing over the break due to my state of mind and frankly this book is a tome...not exactly
conducive to light reading. A daunting 600 page novelization of the story of the Norse hero
Beowulf. It is absolutely accurate to the Old English poem written in the tenth century and R.
Scot Johns has completely adapted this tale from the Old English to a modern retelling as a piece
of fiction.
I have really enjoyed it but it took forever to read. The size of the font is small and my eyes are
getting quite bad so I could only concentrate on the pages for about 50 at a time. This is NOT
the way that I prefer to read. I love to completely submerge myself in a story and inhale it as if
enjoying the most delicious spaghetti supper. This is not a book for the fainthearted
either...once you begin the story it is hard to put down. Beowulf becomes this flesh and blood
man who seeks out challenges that will befit his role as a hero for his people the Geats and ensure
his place in Valhalla for all eternity.
R. Scot Johns writes with great detail and describes the settings and characters as if he was
setting the stage for a movie. He originally visualized and wrote the tale as a screenplay but
rethought his decision to tell the story as a novel when two other movie screenplays were sold
for production at the same time. I would liked to have read the screenplay. I loved the story and
it is an easy read but it is too darn long. Sometimes there is just too much story to contain it
within one volume so it might be more appealing if it was divided logically into a multi-volume
tale.
This is a 'massively' good read!
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
| _________________________________________________________________________ |
Pagan Book Reviews *****
by Lupa of Green Wolf Books
January 26, 2009
I enjoy creative retellings of older tales–and Beowulf is one of my favorites. Having enjoyed
Wealtheow by Ashley Crownover, I was curious as to what angle R. Scot Johns would take with
his Saga of Beowulf. It’s a very different retelling, yet one that I still enjoyed a great deal. The
original tale of Beowulf serves as a basic outline for this richly developed story; all the elements
are there, woven into a thick tapestry of prose. I’ve read some retellings of myths and legends
that took entirely too many liberties with the material–this isn’t one of those.
Johns has done a remarkable job of essentially writing a good piece of historical fiction. He’s
done research on the cultures contemporary to the original Beowulf–Danes, Geats, and others,
exploring the interrelationships among these peoples to a great degree. This gives the story a lot
more context, and fleshes it out nicely. Similarly, his characterization remains true to the
original legend, but gives the characters a lot more dimension. I enjoyed how realistically they
interacted with each other while dealing not only with Grendel, but with intercultural politics
and disputes, and all-too-human interpersonal relationships and concerns. The troubles with
Grendel, his mother, and the dragon are just one of several threads of story throughout this read.
Johns is a very detail-oriented writer; he takes four paragraphs what other writers might
describe in a quarter of that space. This sometimes works to his advantage in giving a solid
foundation to his story. Unfortunately, there are also places where the descriptions are too
wordy, and the story drags to the point where I started skimming just to get to the next
conversation or event. This is pretty much my only complaint with the book overall–for the
most part I found myself immersed in the book enough that I managed to finish it a lot faster
than I expected (which gave me a nice break from schoolwork!).
This is an awesome book if you want a good, solid read that will last longer than a single plane
flight, but will keep your attention even through 600+ pages. Whether you take it as a retelling
of Beowulf and are interested in how true it remains to that tale, or whether you approach it as
its own unique work, there’s a lot to like here.
Five pawprints out of five.
by Lupa of Green Wolf Books
January 26, 2009
I enjoy creative retellings of older tales–and Beowulf is one of my favorites. Having enjoyed
Wealtheow by Ashley Crownover, I was curious as to what angle R. Scot Johns would take with
his Saga of Beowulf. It’s a very different retelling, yet one that I still enjoyed a great deal. The
original tale of Beowulf serves as a basic outline for this richly developed story; all the elements
are there, woven into a thick tapestry of prose. I’ve read some retellings of myths and legends
that took entirely too many liberties with the material–this isn’t one of those.
Johns has done a remarkable job of essentially writing a good piece of historical fiction. He’s
done research on the cultures contemporary to the original Beowulf–Danes, Geats, and others,
exploring the interrelationships among these peoples to a great degree. This gives the story a lot
more context, and fleshes it out nicely. Similarly, his characterization remains true to the
original legend, but gives the characters a lot more dimension. I enjoyed how realistically they
interacted with each other while dealing not only with Grendel, but with intercultural politics
and disputes, and all-too-human interpersonal relationships and concerns. The troubles with
Grendel, his mother, and the dragon are just one of several threads of story throughout this read.
Johns is a very detail-oriented writer; he takes four paragraphs what other writers might
describe in a quarter of that space. This sometimes works to his advantage in giving a solid
foundation to his story. Unfortunately, there are also places where the descriptions are too
wordy, and the story drags to the point where I started skimming just to get to the next
conversation or event. This is pretty much my only complaint with the book overall–for the
most part I found myself immersed in the book enough that I managed to finish it a lot faster
than I expected (which gave me a nice break from schoolwork!).
This is an awesome book if you want a good, solid read that will last longer than a single plane
flight, but will keep your attention even through 600+ pages. Whether you take it as a retelling
of Beowulf and are interested in how true it remains to that tale, or whether you approach it as
its own unique work, there’s a lot to like here.
Five pawprints out of five.
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A classic, full of guaranteed enjoyment
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
***** 5 stars out of 5
The oldest fantasy action hero is now presented in a modernized novel format. "The Saga of
Beowulf" is a novelization of the epic Old English poem and its most celebrated and possibly
oldest example of literature with Beowulf. The very thing most fantasy and adventure novels
are founded on, it is a entertaining work, that educates readers where the roots of the genre
found its niche in society. "The Saga of Beowulf" is a classic, full of guaranteed enjoyment.
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
***** 5 stars out of 5
The oldest fantasy action hero is now presented in a modernized novel format. "The Saga of
Beowulf" is a novelization of the epic Old English poem and its most celebrated and possibly
oldest example of literature with Beowulf. The very thing most fantasy and adventure novels
are founded on, it is a entertaining work, that educates readers where the roots of the genre
found its niche in society. "The Saga of Beowulf" is a classic, full of guaranteed enjoyment.
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February 24, 2009 *****
LibraryThing Review by Bluewriter2006
Beowulf has always been on my list to read, but after hearing time and again how daunting it was
I kept moving it further and further down the list. When I saw this book I decided it was time to
give it a try. I am glad I did. The story’s flow and action kept me turning the pages late into the
nights. I love the description of and insight into the characters. Like many others I have seen the
recent movie adaptation and very much enjoyed how this book made Beowulf into a likeable
person, through showing all his aspects, instead of the arrogant fool of the movie. The
descriptions also made the entire scene come to life for me. From the entrance into the Golden
Hall through the popular battles with Grendel and his mother to the battle with the Swedes the
descriptions and action kept coming. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read Beowulf
and hindered by the reputation of the original and to anyone looking for a good action epic.
LibraryThing Review by Bluewriter2006
Beowulf has always been on my list to read, but after hearing time and again how daunting it was
I kept moving it further and further down the list. When I saw this book I decided it was time to
give it a try. I am glad I did. The story’s flow and action kept me turning the pages late into the
nights. I love the description of and insight into the characters. Like many others I have seen the
recent movie adaptation and very much enjoyed how this book made Beowulf into a likeable
person, through showing all his aspects, instead of the arrogant fool of the movie. The
descriptions also made the entire scene come to life for me. From the entrance into the Golden
Hall through the popular battles with Grendel and his mother to the battle with the Swedes the
descriptions and action kept coming. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read Beowulf
and hindered by the reputation of the original and to anyone looking for a good action epic.
Front Street Review
by Araminta Matthews
March 2, 2009
As a lover of all things lingual, I have been a fan of Beowulf since I first encountered it in my
eighth grade AP English class. Credited as the first thing written in the English language that has
survived the centuries into the modern era – though, anyone familiar with this tenth century
document can tell you it barely resembles our contemporary, text-speak-addled version of the
language – Beowulf is not only our finest example of the imagination of our ancestors, but it
represents either our first brush with science fiction over 1,000 years ago, or one hell of a
Darwinian tale. It is our Anglish version of the “hero’s journey” popularized by Ovid and Homer,
and before that, who knows? One thing I can say for sure, R. Scot Johns recognized in this poem
the stuff that weaves prose, and he set the strings in place for an epic novel riddled with
adventure, real history, and violence of the oldest kinds.
While the story traces the path of our earliest knight-versus-dragon tale, the novel takes the
story of Beowulf and Grendel to a new level, layering the action sequence of the poem with the
relationship of strong characterization, detailed setting, and a plot that carries the story beyond
just Beowulf’s ultimate victory over Grendel and into the history of early England. The story is
paced well in that, at least at the beginning, it moves briskly through the action with detailed
language and description throughout. The historical backdrop against which this novel is based
is clearly researched and fairly accurate-- though it fails to reach the height of detail as Marion
Zimmer Bradley’s intensely-researched ancient England historical fictions, it still manages to
hold its own. The character of Beowulf, at once our archetype of masculine hero and chivalrous
knight, is humanized in Johns’ work in a believable way. And the writing shows insight into craft,
audience, and sequence – all points which punctuate a good genre tale.
At the same time, I do have a few gripes with this book, beginning with the tendency of the
writer to wax modernist description throughout – a fault to which I find most science fiction and
fantasy authors succumb, including myself. Rather than detail the moment, Johns often takes
pages to describe every fine detail of the moment, which often slows the story down to a slither
in the middle of the book. While Johns is no Joyce and The Saga of Beowulf no Finnegan’s
Wake, the tale does grow stale in a few places, especially as we draw deeper into the politics of
the Anglo-Saxons and further away from the adventure and vengeance of Griselda.
Apart from Johns’ occasional wordiness, the story is strong. Johns shows depth as a writer and
skill at synthesizing the details of a real history and the pressures of genre-based fiction with the
literature of Beowulf, replete with all its original mystery. I could totally see this novel
reinventing itself into a series of graphic novels or an extended visual ebook, as the detail here
could really lend itself to fantasy art. I would, however, encourage Johns to seek a secondary
artist. While the cover art is decent, it’s a bit hokey for my tastes.
by Araminta Matthews
March 2, 2009
As a lover of all things lingual, I have been a fan of Beowulf since I first encountered it in my
eighth grade AP English class. Credited as the first thing written in the English language that has
survived the centuries into the modern era – though, anyone familiar with this tenth century
document can tell you it barely resembles our contemporary, text-speak-addled version of the
language – Beowulf is not only our finest example of the imagination of our ancestors, but it
represents either our first brush with science fiction over 1,000 years ago, or one hell of a
Darwinian tale. It is our Anglish version of the “hero’s journey” popularized by Ovid and Homer,
and before that, who knows? One thing I can say for sure, R. Scot Johns recognized in this poem
the stuff that weaves prose, and he set the strings in place for an epic novel riddled with
adventure, real history, and violence of the oldest kinds.
While the story traces the path of our earliest knight-versus-dragon tale, the novel takes the
story of Beowulf and Grendel to a new level, layering the action sequence of the poem with the
relationship of strong characterization, detailed setting, and a plot that carries the story beyond
just Beowulf’s ultimate victory over Grendel and into the history of early England. The story is
paced well in that, at least at the beginning, it moves briskly through the action with detailed
language and description throughout. The historical backdrop against which this novel is based
is clearly researched and fairly accurate-- though it fails to reach the height of detail as Marion
Zimmer Bradley’s intensely-researched ancient England historical fictions, it still manages to
hold its own. The character of Beowulf, at once our archetype of masculine hero and chivalrous
knight, is humanized in Johns’ work in a believable way. And the writing shows insight into craft,
audience, and sequence – all points which punctuate a good genre tale.
At the same time, I do have a few gripes with this book, beginning with the tendency of the
writer to wax modernist description throughout – a fault to which I find most science fiction and
fantasy authors succumb, including myself. Rather than detail the moment, Johns often takes
pages to describe every fine detail of the moment, which often slows the story down to a slither
in the middle of the book. While Johns is no Joyce and The Saga of Beowulf no Finnegan’s
Wake, the tale does grow stale in a few places, especially as we draw deeper into the politics of
the Anglo-Saxons and further away from the adventure and vengeance of Griselda.
Apart from Johns’ occasional wordiness, the story is strong. Johns shows depth as a writer and
skill at synthesizing the details of a real history and the pressures of genre-based fiction with the
literature of Beowulf, replete with all its original mystery. I could totally see this novel
reinventing itself into a series of graphic novels or an extended visual ebook, as the detail here
could really lend itself to fantasy art. I would, however, encourage Johns to seek a secondary
artist. While the cover art is decent, it’s a bit hokey for my tastes.
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