Listen free for 30 days
-
Beyond the North Wind
- The Fall and Rise of the Mystic North
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: History, Europe
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £16.69
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Druids
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Barry Cunliffe
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the leading authorities on British archaeology, Barry Cunliffe, takes the listener on a fast-paced look at the ever-fascinating story of the Druids, as seen in the context of the times and places in which they practiced. Sifting through the evidence, Cunliffe offers an expert's best guess as to what can be said and what can't be said about the Druids, discussing the origins of the Druids and the evidence for their beliefs and practices, why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have seen them in very different ways.
-
Norse Mythology
- By: Jackson Crawford, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Crawford
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thor, Odin, Loki, Freyja, the Valkyries, Valhalla, Ragnarok — many of the places we encounter these and other names, places, and events from Norse mythology in daily life and pop culture are connected to the medieval sources in name only.
-
-
Fantastic
- By MR A PATTERSON on 12-12-21
-
The Viking Spirit
- An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion
- By: Daniel McCoy
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Viking Spirit is an introduction to Norse mythology like no other. As you’d expect from Daniel McCoy, the creator of the endearingly popular website "Norse Mythology for Smart People", it’s written to scholarly standards, but in a simple, clear, and entertaining style that’s easy to understand and a pleasure to listen to. It includes gripping retellings of no less than 34 epic Norse myths - more than any other book in the field - while also providing an equally comprehensive overview of the fascinating viking religion of which Norse mythology was a part.
-
-
Hard to listen to
- By Anonymous User on 19-02-21
-
Odin: The Origins, History and Evolution of the Norse God
- By: Jesse Harasta, Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Anthony R. Schlotzhauer
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A one-eyed old man, with a gray cloak and a wide-brimmed hat leaning on a staff. A wanderer who appears when least expected, bringing triumph or doom. The god of prophecy, poetry and fate. A shape changer. A sorcerer. The god Odin cuts a dramatic figure in Norse mythology and is still a part of the popular imagination. He is the inspiration for figures like J.R.R. Tolkien's Gandalf the Grey, and he still appears in modern literature as varied as Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods.
-
-
Good Book,pity about the cyclist
- By L WILSON on 18-10-15
-
Quetzalcoatl
- The History and Legacy of the Feathered Serpent God in Mesoamerican Mythology
- By: Charles River Editors, Ernesto Novato
- Narrated by: Bill Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Worship of the Feathered Serpent can be traced back 2,000 years, and the Serpent’s cults appear all across Mesoamerica. The Olmec, the Aztec, and both the Yucatec and K’iche Mayans all had different names for this deity, including Kukulkan, Q’uq’umatz, and Tohil...Quetzalcoatl was and remains one of the most interesting and enlightening stories ever to have come out of any civilization, and his stories offer a better understanding of the Mesoamerican world.
-
The Prose Edda
- The Rasmus Björn Anderson Translation
- By: Snorri Sturluson
- Narrated by: Collin Moore
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eight hundred years ago, an heir to the Vikings collected their myths and wrote them down. Here are those original tales of Odin and Thor, magic and might, presented for your listening enjoyment. The Prose Edda (also known as Snorri's Edda or The Younger Edda) is a manual of poetics written by Snorri Sturluson around the year 1220. In it, Snorri compiled the old myths and legends of the Norsemen, in order that poets from his time might draw on these stories to keep the Icelandic-Viking heritage alive.
-
-
Mostly Missing
- By jason on 07-09-21
-
Druids
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Barry Cunliffe
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the leading authorities on British archaeology, Barry Cunliffe, takes the listener on a fast-paced look at the ever-fascinating story of the Druids, as seen in the context of the times and places in which they practiced. Sifting through the evidence, Cunliffe offers an expert's best guess as to what can be said and what can't be said about the Druids, discussing the origins of the Druids and the evidence for their beliefs and practices, why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have seen them in very different ways.
-
Norse Mythology
- By: Jackson Crawford, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Crawford
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thor, Odin, Loki, Freyja, the Valkyries, Valhalla, Ragnarok — many of the places we encounter these and other names, places, and events from Norse mythology in daily life and pop culture are connected to the medieval sources in name only.
-
-
Fantastic
- By MR A PATTERSON on 12-12-21
-
The Viking Spirit
- An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion
- By: Daniel McCoy
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Viking Spirit is an introduction to Norse mythology like no other. As you’d expect from Daniel McCoy, the creator of the endearingly popular website "Norse Mythology for Smart People", it’s written to scholarly standards, but in a simple, clear, and entertaining style that’s easy to understand and a pleasure to listen to. It includes gripping retellings of no less than 34 epic Norse myths - more than any other book in the field - while also providing an equally comprehensive overview of the fascinating viking religion of which Norse mythology was a part.
-
-
Hard to listen to
- By Anonymous User on 19-02-21
-
Odin: The Origins, History and Evolution of the Norse God
- By: Jesse Harasta, Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Anthony R. Schlotzhauer
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A one-eyed old man, with a gray cloak and a wide-brimmed hat leaning on a staff. A wanderer who appears when least expected, bringing triumph or doom. The god of prophecy, poetry and fate. A shape changer. A sorcerer. The god Odin cuts a dramatic figure in Norse mythology and is still a part of the popular imagination. He is the inspiration for figures like J.R.R. Tolkien's Gandalf the Grey, and he still appears in modern literature as varied as Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods.
-
-
Good Book,pity about the cyclist
- By L WILSON on 18-10-15
-
Quetzalcoatl
- The History and Legacy of the Feathered Serpent God in Mesoamerican Mythology
- By: Charles River Editors, Ernesto Novato
- Narrated by: Bill Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Worship of the Feathered Serpent can be traced back 2,000 years, and the Serpent’s cults appear all across Mesoamerica. The Olmec, the Aztec, and both the Yucatec and K’iche Mayans all had different names for this deity, including Kukulkan, Q’uq’umatz, and Tohil...Quetzalcoatl was and remains one of the most interesting and enlightening stories ever to have come out of any civilization, and his stories offer a better understanding of the Mesoamerican world.
-
The Prose Edda
- The Rasmus Björn Anderson Translation
- By: Snorri Sturluson
- Narrated by: Collin Moore
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eight hundred years ago, an heir to the Vikings collected their myths and wrote them down. Here are those original tales of Odin and Thor, magic and might, presented for your listening enjoyment. The Prose Edda (also known as Snorri's Edda or The Younger Edda) is a manual of poetics written by Snorri Sturluson around the year 1220. In it, Snorri compiled the old myths and legends of the Norsemen, in order that poets from his time might draw on these stories to keep the Icelandic-Viking heritage alive.
-
-
Mostly Missing
- By jason on 07-09-21
-
The Saga of the Volsungs
- With the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok
- By: Jackson Crawford - translator
- Narrated by: Jackson Crawford
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the translator of the best-selling Poetic Edda comes a gripping new rendering of two of the greatest sagas of Old Norse literature. Together the two sagas recount the story of seven generations of a single legendary heroic family and comprise our best source of traditional lore about its members - including, among others, the dragon slayer Sigurd, Brynhild the Valkyrie, and the Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok.
-
-
dull
- By Anonymous User on 31-01-21
-
The Poetic Edda
- Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes
- By: Jackson Crawford
- Narrated by: Jackson Crawford
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The poems of the Poetic Edda have waited a long time for a modern English translation that would do them justice. Here it is at last (Odin be praised!) and well worth the wait. These amazing texts from a 13th-century Icelandic manuscript are of huge historical, mythological, and literary importance, containing the lion's share of information that survives today about the gods and heroes of pre-Christian Scandinavians, their unique vision of the beginning and end of the world, etc.
-
-
as good as it gets
- By Kindle Customer on 25-01-19
-
Thor
- The Origins, History and Evolution of the Norse God
- By: Charles River Editors, Jesse Harasta
- Narrated by: Anthony R. Schlotzhauer
- Length: 1 hr and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A hammer no mortal can lift. A flame-haired, fiery storm god. A comic book alien-hero-god who defends humanity. The swastika. Even the name "Thursday" ("Thor's Day"). Despite the virtual disappearance of the indigenous Norse religion and mythology several centuries ago, modern society still regularly encounters the storm god Thor, who continues to be brought back to life in the form of literature and was recently the protagonist in a big-budget Hollywood movie.
-
Odin
- Ecstasy, Runes, & Norse Magic
- By: Diana L. Paxson
- Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Odin: Ecstasy, Runes, and Norse Magic is the first book on Odin that is both historically sourced and accessible to a general audience. It explores Odin's origins, his appearances in sagas, old magic spells, and the Poetic Edda, and his influence on modern media, such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Each chapter features suggestions for rituals, exercises, and music so that listeners can comprehend and become closer to this complicated god.
-
Norse Magic & Runes
- A Guide to the Magic, Rituals, Spells & Meanings of Norse Magick, Mythology & Reading the Elder Futhark Runes
- By: History Brought Alive
- Narrated by: David Piper
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A snowy wind moves through the mountains encircling Arne and his son. But the winds will not reach them here, under the watchful eyes of their Gods...Welcome to the world of norse magic annd runes. Let us take you back in time. When the Norse people lived in an enchanted and sacred world. A time famously shrouded in mystery, magic, sorcery, and witchcraft. It was Odin himself, the wisest God who unlocked the universe’s most powerful magic. He discovered the Runic alphabet as part of his trial, in which he hung from Yggdrasil, the World Tree, for nine days.
-
-
This is an amazing helpful audio book to all
- By Leo Henry on 18-03-22
-
Children of Ash and Elm
- A History of the Vikings
- By: Neil Price
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 17 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Viking Age - from 750 to 1050 saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples into the wider world. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. But for centuries, the Vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval clerics and Elizabethan playwrights, Victorian imperialists, Nazis, and more. None of these appropriations capture the real Vikings, or the richness and sophistication of their culture.
-
-
As a Child of Ash and Elm
- By Stuart Bailey on 02-10-20
-
The Magian Tarok
- The Origins of the Tarot in the Mithraic and Hermetic Traditions
- By: Stephen E. Flowers PhD
- Narrated by: Nick McDougal
- Length: 4 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Reveals the historical roots of the symbology of the Tarot in the Mithraic tradition of the Persian Magi and the Hermetic tradition.
-
-
Revealing the hidden origins of the Tarot
- By Alix on 29-08-21
-
Futhark
- A Handbook of Rune Magic
- By: Edred Thorsson
- Narrated by: Brian Arens
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Runes are the ancient Norse alphabet used for communication, divination, and magical work. In Futhark, American runologist Edred Thorsson introduces listeners to the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, their definitions, and mystic properties. The runic system of magic and mysticism is one of the most powerful forms of metaphysical thought available to the Western world. The audio edition of this bestselling classic book on Runes is required listening for those who seek true knowledge of the mystery of the Runes.
-
-
Getting used to this book and using it more
- By Reader of Books on 13-11-20
-
Area 51
- By: Annie Jacobsen
- Narrated by: Annie Jacobsen
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is the most famous military installation in the world. And no credible insider has ever divulged the truth about his time inside of it. Until now. This is the first book based on interviews with scientists, pilots, and engineers - 58 in total - who provide an unprecedented look into the mysterious activities of a top-secret base, from the Cold War to today. With a jaw-dropping ending, it proves that facts are often more fantastic than fiction, especially when the distinction is almost impossible to make.
-
-
fascinating listen - great narration
- By N. D. Lenehan on 30-01-12
-
The Flight of the Wild Gander
- Explorations in the Mythological Dimension - Selected Essays 1944-1968 (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)
- By: Joseph Campbell
- Narrated by: James Anderson Foster
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Flight of the Wild Gander, renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell - in his first collection of essays, written between 1944 and 1968 - explores the individual and geographical origins of myth, outlining the full range of mythology from Grimm's fairy tales to American Indian legends. Originally published in 1969, this collection describes the symbolic content of stories: how they are linked to human experience and how they - along with our experiences - have changed over time.
-
America Before
- The Key to Earth's Lost Civilisation
- By: Graham Hancock
- Narrated by: Graham Hancock
- Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've been taught that North and South America were empty of humans until around 13,000 years ago - amongst the last great landmasses on earth to have been settled by our ancestors. But new discoveries have radically reshaped this long-established picture and we know now that the Americas were first peopled more than 130,000 years ago - many tens of thousands of years before human settlements became established elsewhere.
-
-
No photos
- By Amazon Customer on 06-05-19
-
The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
-
-
obsessed with royalty
- By Jason M Eshelby on 28-12-14
Summary
"The North" is simultaneously a location, a direction, and a mystical concept. Although this concept has ancient roots in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, it continues to resonate today within modern culture. McIntosh leads listeners, chapter by chapter, through the magical and spiritual history of the North, as well as its modern manifestations, as documented through physical records, such as runestones and megaliths, but also through mythology and lore.
This mythic conception of a unique, powerful, and mysterious Northern civilization was known to the Greeks as "Hyberborea" - the "Land Beyond the North Wind" - which they considered to be the true origin place of their god, Apollo, bringer of civilization. Through the Greeks, this concept of the mythic North would spread throughout Western civilization.
In addition, McIntosh discusses Russian Hyperboreanism, which he describes as among "the most influential of the new religions and quasi-religious movements that have sprung up in Russia since the fall of Communism" and which is currently almost unknown in the West.
More from the same
Narrator
What listeners say about Beyond the North Wind
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- "lagerstrom78"
- 23-08-21
Esoteric nonsense.
Esoteric nonsense. Avoid this bogus made up stuff and read some real Nordic literature instead.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Tom83UK
- 21-09-21
Esoteric/New Age nonsense
A bunch of pseudo-scientific theories built on other pseudo-scientific theories. Some of the ideas presented here defy basic common sense.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 21-09-21
what is this?
it seems to be a justification of a north sea Atlantis with eye wateringly bad logic. though to be honest I didn't make it all the way through.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- A
- 10-10-21
An absolute mess
If you want to listen to a collage of "theories" about a poorly-defined "mystic north", this is the book for you. If you enjoy learning about facts, literature, mythology, or anthropology, you will find reading the back of a cereal box more informative than this mess of a thing.
The narrator does a valiant effort, but the content is so poor that nothing can fix it.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 28-09-21
History thought the lens of Confirmation Bias
I don't know why I put myself thorough this.
Firstly I must commend the narrator Simon Vance on managing to make some seriously dubious material sound believable. The material itself is a hodgepodge of sources, many that should not be included in a serious book, and fundamentally this is the problem with books of this ilk.
The author(s) begin by boasting of their reading pedigree which includes Alistair Crowley. This sets the tone for much of the book: lists of authors and works cherry picked to support the authors claims.
Where the book is strongest is in its historic overview of the evolution the various cult/religious societies. Where it is weakest is in its drinking the Kool Aid of what they preach.
As with other books of this type, you know you are on rocky grounds when they start using comic books, internet blogs, and the existence of video games to support their over reaching theory. Claims that doing an internet search in some way supports your theory is pure folly. The internet is full of nonsense and lies. The existence of a web page in no way proves anything beyond the fact that someone wrote something and published it on a web page. And fundamentally that is the problem here. Just because someone wrote something and published it, does not make it true.
Citing lists of sources and saying 'if we disregard some of the authors more outlandish claims, can we not argue that X is true?'is like saying 'if we disregard the fact that Harry Potter is a work of fiction, can we not use him to support the existence of wizards?'. And throughout this book the author(s) do just that. The same fuzzy logic that Intelligent Design uses to support their creationist theories are used here. At one point the author even suggests that a Proto Indo European people MAY have been founded by alien visitors to this planet. This is pure fantasy land, of the L. Ron Hubbard variety.
A further problem is that many of the authors views (and those cited) use etymology to support their claims, and it becomes abundantly clear from the outset that the authors really do not understand what they are taking about. Proto Indo European is not a language or people. It is a reconstruction of a theorised prehistoric language by the process of cross analysis of existing language sources. The end result is an 'imagined' language (there are no existing documents in PIE) and the people who spoke it are a mystery to us (there is no PIE civilization to speak of). The authors of this book continually refer to this prehistoric culture as if it is one homogeneous group, which we know it was not. And claims that ancient cultures were in some amazing way more advanced than we are now because they were good at maths and star gazing (keep in mind that these supposed mathematically advanced civilzations had no number zero, no way to calculate fractions, and often used outlandishly huge base systems for calculating because they could handle anything but a whole number), we see a rosy tinted view of the ancients as Atlantans from the pages of a comic book. It's this type of lazy armchair sleuthing that makes it impossible to take any other claims seriously.
Finally, an entire chapter is dedicated to talking about Vikings in popular fiction and music, as if this in some way supports the premise of the book. Marvel's depiction of Thor or the music of Sigur Ros as much supports the author's claims as the Muppets support the work of Attenborough. I kept wanting to shout 'just grow up' every time a pop reference such as the Matrix reared its head.
So, to conclude, I don't know why I put myself through this, but if you want to meander through the Wonderland of fuzzy logic and Viking cults, this is the book for you.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kirsty R.
- 24-01-21
Simply amazing!
Well researched, well written and well narrated. So fascinating and intriguing. I’m listening to it all over again! A real gem.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bibliophilia Barry
- 23-05-19
overview
the book provides a general and fairly detailed overview of the Nordic heritage. Good source material for anyone interested in comparative mythology.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rob and Cheryl
- 26-01-22
Fascinating book
I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in North European culture, mythology etc. A very thought provoking book, brilliantly narrated.
I found the concept of Hyperborea to be particularly interesting.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mark Dana Floden
- 06-01-22
Surprisingly thought provoking and resonating.
Tying in eclectic and deeply interesting facts, some obvious on their face some more obscure, the author weaves an interesting hypothesis that is at once satisfying and somewhat astonishing.
I enjoyed this immensely and will probably listen to it again.
As the author stated in his conclusion, if Hyperborea didn't exist it should have been invented.
Likewise, our, or at least my understanding of the North could never he complete until this book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rianca
- 03-01-22
Incredibly fantastical and too disappointing
Pseudo-science, if you're interested in the history of the North, avoid this book. Hardly anything in this book can be taken serious, it's main purpose is a good laugh. No-one with a serious interest in history and archaeology would quote G. Hancock with any seriousness.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- The Masked Reviewer
- 26-04-20
Textual Scholarship on Aryan Legend & Religion
Important, fascinating, useful. Pagan rituals and deities, masked holidays, Atlantis, Shambala, Hyperborea. What's left? Not much.
The authors do a wonderful job of leaving no stone unturned as they rifle through the existing scholarship, including both hot and lukewarm trails, spinoff cultures, and the connections that make a book like this tantalizing. Moreover, Odin's characteristics are not neglected, which turns out to be the rug that ties the room together.
Siman Vance does an outstanding job as narrator for this book, having somehow the perfect voice, tone and accent to pull it off without ever seeming to be mechanical or dry.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Meg
- 28-11-20
Mostly fringe
I was expecting a more scientific and edifying exploration of concepts of “the north” in culture, literature, and music. Instead, this was a slog through fringe theories of lost civilizations, mysterious structures and neopagan beliefs. (Though I appreciated the fairly even handed review of how these threads link up to creepy neonazi, nationalist, and white supremacist groups in many nations today). Not recommended for the serious scholar or serious hobbyist of Norse and boreal cultures.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jason
- 13-11-20
Here there be some serious crackpot ideas
In the first few chapters "collective" human memory and Atlantian myths are front and center. of you're a fan of Bigfoot, Area 51 stories, and legends of the Lochness Monster, this is probably right up your ally. If you're more into actual history, avoid this book.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- ShadowMoon
- 17-09-20
Will be listening again
This book was an overview that wandered far and near. As a condensation of, and introduction to, Nordic mysticism and Nordic mythology (not a run down of the gods that we all pretty much know, but how they have ebbed and flowed in followers) a lot of ground was covered.
I found myself wishing I had taken notes of all of the various sources mentioned so that I could review them, thus my need to relisten to this book. Some sources seemed credible, others seemed to come out of fringe history. That said there wasn't a lot of value judgement placed on the sources, leaving it up to the listener to do their own research and form their own opinion.
What I really loved was the last chapter that covered the Nordic and "neoNordic" music and their influences starting with Led Zeppelin. Happily my very favorite band, Sigur Rós was mentioned. Other bands from the Faroe Islands, Germany, Scandinavia, and elsewhere have given me some new music to checkout.
Simon Vance is an excellent narrator. I pretty much always enjoy his reading.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- 5804
- 04-11-20
The research he’s presenting doesn’t seem that great
Especially in terms of Greek myths, it seems like he needs more sources. It doesn’t seem very credible to me.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 26-11-20
Weak theories of the north
Flimsy theories for north being the origin place of many advanced cultures. Evidence for these theories are presented with similar sounding names in mythologies or with names of places, that sound similar to some mythology. Even a north star was used as reasoning for multiple cultures to be originating from one place. I could not finish the book, there was too much of these types of theories in it. I could not trust which were actual proven facts and which were just fantasy. I got only the feeling that some right-wing people might get excited about the ideas in the book. I do not recommend this if you are looking for proven history of the north.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Soon Parted
- 13-11-19
exciting
first i was unsure if I would like the subject matter. but this author commanded organization and put something ethereal into perspective. We covered geographic, ethnic, time sequences, and science. chapters were defined in ecopy and title (unlike other books 'title 1, chapter 2')
it's like a professor or instructor...they can make or break the student in presentation. ive got a new realm of interest in folklore and origin stories.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ana Nelson
- 14-05-19
Intricate, beautifully written, scholarly
Not at all what I was expecting from the cover, but fascinating and thoroughly researched. Beautifully read by Simon Vance. Would recommend for those who like deep dives. Can't wait to listen again as soon as I finish. And glad to have the whole Easter bunny/Easter egg thing cleared up.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- BottomLine
- 27-08-21
Uh oh
Isn’t it time humans learned to …? I have no idea now; so confused. Mr. Vance is an amazing listen.
Purchased the written version as well; had to see the words that I could not pronounce. Thank you.
(Now, to push replay)
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- C.Carter
- 12-12-20
heathens, history, occult, and...pop culture?
McIntosh does a killer job exploring "The Mystic North!"
Folklore, myths, legends, facts, geography, culture, spiritualilty, from past to present day- he does a really great job summing up the birth, death and revival of all things "viking"
1 person found this helpful