Odd's luck has been bad so far. He lost his father on a Viking expedition, his foot was crushed beneath a tree, and the winter seems to be going on for ever. But when Odd flees to the woods and releases a trapped bear, his luck begins to change. The eagle, bear and fox he encounters reveal they're actually Norse gods, trapped in animal form by the evil frost giants who have conquered Asgard, the city of the gods Can a twelve-year-old boy reclaim Thor's hammer, outwit the frost giants and release the gods?
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Praise for 'Coraline': 'One of the joys of reading Gaiman is how he subverts our expectations of magic, horror, fantasy and the mundane' The Times 'Gaiman's ear is acute ... There is much more. There is the tender and beautifully judged ending ... ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, rise to your feet and applaud: Coraline is the real thing' Guardian Praise for 'The Graveyard Book': 'An extraordinary novel by a very gifted storyteller. Adults find it terrifying; children lap it up. It's utterly original, and written with elegance and power' Observer, Books of the Year 'The best book Neil Gaiman has ever written' Diana Wynne Jones
--This text refers to the
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About the Author
Neil Gaiman is the bestselling, multi-prize-winning author of many books for adults and children, among them novels and graphic novels, including the Sandman comic series which has sold over a million copies in hardback and paperback. Neil is also a screenplay writer with Stardust and Beowulf both being released in the autumn of 2007. He is British and lives in America.
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57 of 60 people found the following review helpful
By Erinn
Format:Paperback
Neil Gaiman really, really likes writing about gods, and that's okay. If American Gods is the solid, upstanding one that works hard and takes its job seriously and Anansi Boys is its younger brother that pops by in the middle of the night with some beer and a couple of friends, Odd and the Frost Giants is the youngest brother of all, the third child who goes around climbing into magical wardrobes when the others aren't looking (it wouldn't shut the doors properly, mind, because Odd is the type to know that it's very foolish to shut oneself inside a wardrobe).
In a Viking settlement in Norway, long ago, winter seems to be stretching on forever. Odd, a boy with a crushed foot who doesn't fit in with his stepfamily, runs away from home when he can no longer stand to be in close quarters with them. He ends up following after an unusually insistent fox, starting on an adventure that will throw him in with the gods in a fight to defeat the frost giants (well, giant, anyway) and save his village from endless winter.
Odd and the Frost Giants is a novella written for World Book Day as part of a promotion to get kids reading (schoolchildren in the UK and Ireland are each given a token that can be redeemed for one of the novellas specially written for the occasion). If this book doesn't work, I don't know what will; it's everything a children's book should be - high adventure, mythology, magic, talking animals, a good sense of humor, and a sensible, sympathetic protagonist. I really enjoy Gaiman's work, but sometimes it feels like his way with words is a sort of glamour, and with some of his books I wonder whether I'd like the plot quite as much if I weren't constantly distracted by his lovely language - which is a bit of an odd complaint, certainly, but it does bother me once in a while. At any rate, Odd is blessedly free of this issue; the story is extremely engaging, and at roughly a hundred pages, it moves along at a smart clip without ever feeling rushed. It's utterly charming and satisfying in the way only the best fairy tales are. Highly recommended.
In a Viking settlement in Norway, long ago, winter seems to be stretching on forever. Odd, a boy with a crushed foot who doesn't fit in with his stepfamily, runs away from home when he can no longer stand to be in close quarters with them. He ends up following after an unusually insistent fox, starting on an adventure that will throw him in with the gods in a fight to defeat the frost giants (well, giant, anyway) and save his village from endless winter.
Odd and the Frost Giants is a novella written for World Book Day as part of a promotion to get kids reading (schoolchildren in the UK and Ireland are each given a token that can be redeemed for one of the novellas specially written for the occasion). If this book doesn't work, I don't know what will; it's everything a children's book should be - high adventure, mythology, magic, talking animals, a good sense of humor, and a sensible, sympathetic protagonist. I really enjoy Gaiman's work, but sometimes it feels like his way with words is a sort of glamour, and with some of his books I wonder whether I'd like the plot quite as much if I weren't constantly distracted by his lovely language - which is a bit of an odd complaint, certainly, but it does bother me once in a while. At any rate, Odd is blessedly free of this issue; the story is extremely engaging, and at roughly a hundred pages, it moves along at a smart clip without ever feeling rushed. It's utterly charming and satisfying in the way only the best fairy tales are. Highly recommended.
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A review by Hank Wagner, co-author (with Christopher Golden and Stephen R. Bissette) of the upcoming Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman, due out from St. Martins in October 2008:
Gaiman wrote Odd and the Frost Giants as his personal contribution to World Book Day in the United Kingdom, which exists purely to inspire children to read. It's an annual event where a group of authors write books for nothing and publishers publish them for nothing. These books are then sold for £1 each to children who have been given £1 Book Tokens. On its website, the World Book Day organization (www.worldbookday.com) describes it as "the biggest annual event promoting the enjoyment of books and reading."
Regrettably, at least for US residents (I count myself among that group), there are no current plans to publish this charming, 14,500 word novelette in America. Happily, the book is available through Amazon.uk and it's only 1 pound, a bargain even with current exchange rates. Be warned, however, the shipping charge will make the final cost seem relatively steep.
The good news is that it's worth the cost: the story, enhanced by several illustrations from frequent Gaiman collaborator Mark Buckingham, is delightful.
As you may have guessed from the title, the novelette deals with characters from Norse myth, a subject Gaiman became entranced with at a very young age. It tells the story of the crippled Viking boy Odd, who, running away from home, is befriended by a group of forest animals--a fox, a bear, and an eagle--who are far more than they seem. In truth, they are the Norse gods Loki, Thor, and Odin, respectively. Hoodwinked by a crafty and vengeful Frost Giant, they have been transformed into animals and exiled from Asgard. Odd offers his help, and travels with the gods from Midgard to their homeland of Asgard, where the plucky lad plans to bargain with the Frost Giant in attempt to save the day.
No more about the story, you'll have to discover its significant pleasures on your own. Be assured though that this is vintage Gaiman, a lively, memorable tale that, although modern in its sensibilities, treats its source material in a respectful, affectionate, and humorous manner, making that material more accessible for modern readers, many of whom are likely encountering these characters and settings for the first time.
Gaiman wrote Odd and the Frost Giants as his personal contribution to World Book Day in the United Kingdom, which exists purely to inspire children to read. It's an annual event where a group of authors write books for nothing and publishers publish them for nothing. These books are then sold for £1 each to children who have been given £1 Book Tokens. On its website, the World Book Day organization (www.worldbookday.com) describes it as "the biggest annual event promoting the enjoyment of books and reading."
Regrettably, at least for US residents (I count myself among that group), there are no current plans to publish this charming, 14,500 word novelette in America. Happily, the book is available through Amazon.uk and it's only 1 pound, a bargain even with current exchange rates. Be warned, however, the shipping charge will make the final cost seem relatively steep.
The good news is that it's worth the cost: the story, enhanced by several illustrations from frequent Gaiman collaborator Mark Buckingham, is delightful.
As you may have guessed from the title, the novelette deals with characters from Norse myth, a subject Gaiman became entranced with at a very young age. It tells the story of the crippled Viking boy Odd, who, running away from home, is befriended by a group of forest animals--a fox, a bear, and an eagle--who are far more than they seem. In truth, they are the Norse gods Loki, Thor, and Odin, respectively. Hoodwinked by a crafty and vengeful Frost Giant, they have been transformed into animals and exiled from Asgard. Odd offers his help, and travels with the gods from Midgard to their homeland of Asgard, where the plucky lad plans to bargain with the Frost Giant in attempt to save the day.
No more about the story, you'll have to discover its significant pleasures on your own. Be assured though that this is vintage Gaiman, a lively, memorable tale that, although modern in its sensibilities, treats its source material in a respectful, affectionate, and humorous manner, making that material more accessible for modern readers, many of whom are likely encountering these characters and settings for the first time.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By NODDY
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a delightful book to read even as a grown up. Odd runs away after his father dies and his mum remarries. He encounters a fox, bear and eagle. With his three new found friends he embarks on a journey that takes him on adventures that result in him meeting the frost giant. I don't what to say much more about the story as it will spoil it. I recommend it for adults as well as young children either to free read or as a bed time story. Great little book for all ages worth five stars.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
definitely odd
I think this was probably aimed at a younger audience, but it was amusing enough and has flashes of Gaiman's dark humour. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. J. M. Hewlett
4.0 out of 5 stars
Being Odd.
A delightful little read from Neil Gaiman. Based on Norse mythology and written with children in mind it was thoroughly enjoyed by this grown up.
Published 3 months ago by fenris
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Gaiman
If you like your books about Norse myths, gods and a kid who's smarter than the average bear, this is the book for you. Read more
Published 3 months ago by jazzy pom
5.0 out of 5 stars
A modern Norse classic
Odd and the Frost Giants was published for World Book Day in 2008, but it has the feel of the sort of classic, timeless fairy tale that's been around forever, whilst remaining... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Rowena
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic introduction to young readers about norse gods and vikings
This is a fantastic introduction for quite young readers into the world of Vikings and Norse mythology. It's only a little book so makes for easy and quick reading. Read more
Published 15 months ago by valkyrie1008
5.0 out of 5 stars
Odd and The Frost Giants
Excellent book I would recmmend it to anyone no matter what age.Once you start to read it its hard to put down and the illustrations are brilliant
Published 18 months ago by Janet Eagles
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cute story
A good children's book, a story of adventure with a norse theme. good story for reading to a child as a bedtime story of for an 8-10 year old to read.
Published 22 months ago by Mathew
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless story with a lot of charm
Life's been tough for twelve-year-old Odd ever since his father died during a sea voyage while trying to save a horse who'd fallen into the sea. Read more
Published 22 months ago by I Read, Therefore I Blog
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lovely little tale for the younger reader.
Neil Gaiman is not one for description and that works well in this entertaining little read for children. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Azure Aurora
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect night time book, with minor complications to follow...
I read this book to my 10 year old son and it was perfect. But what book to read afterward? I made the mistake to try the 'Letter to the king', which my son refused with the... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2011 by Meme42
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