This was my second reading of this book. I orginally purchased it new, for a steeply discounted $6, at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon in 2015. I first read it over the next year or so after purchasing, which sets this latest reading almost a decade later. I remembered enjoying this book the first time, but it had been so long that I forgot most of the contents, which gave me the pleasant experience of reading something new.

There are so many aspects to enjoy about The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún. The core subject, J.R.R. Tolkien's poetic versions of some well-known ancient Norse stories is gripping. It takes a bit to get into the Eddaic rhythm, but once it clicks, it's hard to stop reading. The story itself is very dark and gruesome. Virtually every character engages in vile behavior, and the very few innocents face horrific ends. And yet it remains a gripping page-turner.

The academic writing of J.R.R. Tolkien and the well-researched annotations (and thoughtful editorial decisions) of Christopher Tolkien make for a whole other reason to read this. Not only do we get a glimpse into J.R.R. Tolkien's academic work and some origins for elements of his Middle-earth stories, we learn about Old English, Old Norse, and other languages, as well as the history, writing, and folklore of the regions, and even the history of the study of those subjects! Wow!

If you're interested in reading some non-Middle-earth and yet clearly related writing by J.R.R. Tolkien, if you're interested in learning more about the author in general, if you want to learn more about ancient Norse and English stories, or you just want to read a cool poem full of treasure, dragons, dwarves, magic, war, and revenge in an ancient European setting, I recommend this book!