The Satr Edda: Sacred Lore of the North [Paperback]

I finally finished 'The Ásatrú Edda' and felt compelled to offer a review and to express my thanks. I know this was a work of love that required countless hours of research, head-scratching, soul-searching, drafting and rewriting. The glossary alone is like a gold mine for anyone interested in Nordic/Germanic lore. The rest of the book, finally placing these tales into a proper chronological narrative, is priceless. I only wish I came across something like this five years ago when I first started exploring the Old Ways. 'The Nature of Ásatrú' (by the same author) was a tremendous help to me then but when gathering copies of the Eddas and Sagas I quickly became overwhelmed. I'm sad to say some of those books are still sitting on my bookshelf barely opened. 'The Ásatrú Edda' was exactly what I needed. I can admit to not being the strongest reader in the world. Reading a good modern fiction like 'The Lord of the Rings' is a challenge with all the interruptions I have to meet on a daily basis. Reading several old tales in Old Norse and Old English is nearly impossible for me at this point in time. Knowing someone, who obviously loves the subject matter, has taken the time to place these stories into a sensible order that is not only spiritually nourishing but also a good read from an entertainment stand point, is truly a gift for all of us who wish to explore the Old Ways in greater depth.

I've read some criticisms online by some in The Ásatrú community who do not approve. I find their criticisms somewhat ironic. It's interesting how glued they can become to certain "approved" source material while dismissing other sources that haven't received a university stamp of approval. The chronological method of storytelling employed by the Norroena Society in this work is more palatable to today's reader accustomed to story arcs with a beginning, middle and end, and it is difficult to credibly claim otherwise. It baffles me then that some would claim to have the authority to insist that new explorers to the Old Ways interpret and package the tales as THEY see fit? This is a faith that has been trying to reconstruct itself since the 1970's in fits and starts. "I was here first" or "I have a college degree from an institute and culture that has long-standing hostility to this faith" is not really a claim to authority to my way of reckoning. Ásatrú/Odinism/Forn Sed has a long road to travel before emerging as a spiritual path for mainstream Europeans no longer satisfied with Christianity. 'The Ásatrú Edda' is a useful tool in guiding those who seek it, toward a deeper exploration of this spiritually and historically rich path.

Today's critics of this work take me back to ancient Rome when Christianity was establishing itself and rival bishops argued over the holiness of various texts, which bishopric was supreme over the other, and so on. This bickering becomes stranger still when we stop to consider that we are lucky to have any source material at all, and ALL OF IT is tainted. No one claims that these tales were brought into the world by a fiery finger carving text into stone; we all know they came from skalds who shared these tales with their clans. Who knows how many twists in narrative occurred before the old Christian monks finally put these tales to ink? Lost in their criticism is the appreciation for the inspiration behind these works. I realize this is anecdotal, but for me I feel almost carried away - as if I'm being taken on a brief voyage through time and space - to a place where truer values, like honor and courage, meant something. I feel like I'm being shown a reference that illustrates to me how spiritually deprived all of us are who are living in the Modern West today.

I imagine the author(s) knew there would be harsh critics and yet presented us with their inspired version anyway because he (they) knew it had to be done for the many like myself. I am grateful for that rare display of courage. In my discussions with a variety of people over the topic of this ancient lore I have come across those who view these tales as metaphors, as historical facts and as simple stories designed only to entertain. I suppose there are aspects of all three in the tales. 'The Ásatrú Edda' never claims to be THE authoritative source; it claims to be A source in a NEW format that hopefully captures the hearts of a new audience. I can say, without reservation, that in my case they have succeeded and I am confident other readers will come away feeling the same.

"The Asatru Edda" is the very first attempt ever at creating a sacred text for our faith. After 11 years of collecting thousands of notes, reading volumes of material, translating several foreign works, and piecing together every sacred text and epic that is connected to our faith in chronological order, we finally have a body of lore that we can call our own. The Asatru Edda connects our ancient fragments in their original forms like a giant puzzle, while using comparative investigations and logical, methodical research to gill in the gaps whenever necessary.

This is a work written by and for the men and women of our faith, as a RELIGIOUS text, unlike anything any of us have ever seen. This is not simply a new translation of the Eddas, it is a complete reconfiguration of them, combining all of our sources into a new, coherent epic. From Ginnungagap to Ragnarök, the stories are here presented in chronological order using translations of the sources in their original form. Like pieces of a giant puzzle, our sacred lore is now presented in a way that will allow us to use it in a religious context.

All of the favorites are here: Völuspá, Hávamál, Sigrdrifumál, etc. they are simply presented in a new light, in a way that strives to mimic the lore as our Odinist/Asatruar ancestors saw it. We have removed Christian misconceptions and mainstream academic biases, we have reached as far back as we could go, and now we present the results of our research that is decades in the making. You will find works that span the ages here, not just the Elder and Younger Edda, but also sources from the Indo-European era, the Sagas, the histories, and even works of today. You'll see new reconstructions such as a new rune poem and the Runelaw (Rúnlög), as well as the most ancient traditions and ideas on morality, wisdom and faith. Every piece has been dissected, scrutinized, and carefully places into the epic structure using the strict methodology originally created (though here vastly improved upon) by Dr. Viktor Rydberg.

You will also find an extensive section of notes, detailing the research and its progression, and how these theories resulted in the work at hand. The avid investigator will find all the sources cited, then listed in the bibliography, as well as discussions on how conclusions were reached. After that, a complete glossary is given, offering pronunciations, etymologies, and definitions for every single term found in the text. Soon The Norroena Society will be releasing a Study Guide to help people research and understand the text better for themselves.

The purpose here is not to create an Asatru "Bible" in the sense of a dogmatic doctrine, but rather to revive our holy storytelling traditions without Christian taint or academic bias. Indeed, it was not the monotheists that were looked to in considering the formulation of this hierology, it was our Indo-European, Hindu cousins, who have remained true to their ways and untouched by the 'One God' religions even to this day. We can learn from their example and see that if we had not faced the Inquisitions, we would certainly have our own versions of the Vedas, or Bundahesh, or Bhagavad Gita. Now we can begin the journey, now we can pick up where our ancestors left off. Even if a thousand more Eddas are written, each different from the last, now we can begin re-establishing our sacred tales as our own. Hail the Gods!

Works presented in `The Asatru Edda' include:

Adam of Bremen
Aethelwed's Chronicle
Alvíssmál
Ammianus Paulus
The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Annales Ryenses
Ásmundar Saga Kappabana
Atharvaveda
Atlakviša
Atlamál in Groenlenzkv
Avesta
Baldrs Draumar (Vegtamskviša)
Beowulf
Bósa Saga
Bundehesh
Chronicon Lethrense
Darašarljóš
Deor's Lament
Drap Niflunga
Ecken Ausforth
Egills Saga
Eiríkr Višforlis Saga
Eiríksmál
Fädernas Gudasaga
Faereyeyingasaga
Fáfnismal
Fjölsvinnsmál
Gautrek's Saga
Germania
Gesta Danorum
Gísla Saga Sursonnar
Göngu-Hrólfs Saga
The Gotland Law
The Great Lacuna
Grímnismál
Gróttasöngr
Gróugaldr
Gušrúnarhvöt
Gušrunarkviša
Gunnars Slagr
Gunthari
Gylfaginning
Hadokht Nask
Hakonarmál
Háleygjatál
Hamšismál
Haralds Saga Siguršssonar
Harbaršsljód
Hattatál
Haustlaung
Hávamál
Helgakviša Hjörvaržssonar
Helgakviša Hundingsbana I & II
Helga žáttur žórssonar
Helreiš Brynhildar
Hermod the Young
Hervarar Saga ok Heišreks
Homa Yasht
Hrafnagaldr Odins (Forspjallsljóš)
Hugrúnar
Hversu Nóregr Bygšis
Hymiskviša
Hyndluljóš
Ibn Fadlan
Islandingasaga
Jordane's De Goth Origine
Kormákrs Saga
Laurin
Lokasenna
The Longobard Saga
The Merseberg Charms
Nibelungenlied
Nibelunge Noth
Njals Saga
Oddrúnargratr
Oera Linda Bók
The Old Icelandic Rune Poem
The Old Norse Rune Rhyme
Orvar-Odds Saga
Origo Gentis Langabardorum
Paulus Diaconus
Prose Edda Prologue
Reginsmál
Rigsžula
Rigveda
Sagan om Svärdet
Sigrdrifumál
Siguršarkviša III
Siguršr and Brynhildr Fragments I & II
Simeon's Church History of Durham
Skáldskaparmál
Skírnismál
Sögubrot af Fornkonungum
Sólarljóš
Sonatorrek
Sörla žattur
Sveidal's Ballad
Žišreks Saga af Bern
Žórsdrapa
Žrymskviša
Urkon
VafŽrúšnismál
Valtarius Manufortis
Vellekla
Vendidad
Vilkinasaga
Vita Ansgarii
Völsungasaga
Völundarkviša
Völuspá
Völuspá in Skamma
Vilkinasaga
Wessobrun Prayer
Widsith
William of Malmesbury
Wolfdieterich
Ynglingasaga
Ynglingatál

It's not often one can call the gathering, translation, and arranging of the Norse Sagas a labor of love. Often in relation to the gods of the North , love is not a word often used. Devotion is also a word often tainted with the cultural odor of subservience, which is the base of all Abrahamic religions. Within the teachings of the gods of the North, Odinism, Wotanism, Asatru, etc one does not kneel but stands with the gods to honor them, to face life and death and destiny together. The authors of this volume understand that. They have endeavored to create, not a bible for their faith, but a text which tells the tales of the gods of the North, their gods: a text folks can draw on and learn from with a new courage and perspective in confronting both their lives and their deaths.
I have recently purchased a copy of The Asatru Eddas. It is a scholarly and detailed presentation of the core texts of the sacred writings of the Northern gods. It is not an easy read though I think worth both the price and the effort. Many words are in the original language with referrals to both footnotes and appendices. There will be a follow-up book of notes and explanatory texts that were not included in this edition to make the volume more affordable and less expensive to print (and purchase).
In my studies I have found myself with several translations and editions of the Eddas, reading them in relation to each other and am finding this methodology actually enhances all the translations. I very much value the effort and intent as well as the scholarship involved in the years of effort to produce this book. I think it is a valuable edition to any Odinist's personal library. But don't think you're going to hunker down for a quick read on a rainy night. You'll take awhile to read and study this text.

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