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Rating: 
Summary: Good but should have been longer
Review: H.R. Ellis Davidson has done a fabulous job in this book, where she illustrates a number of critial simularities and differences between what we currently understand of pre-Christian Celtic religion and pre-Christian Scandinavian religion.I was constantly surprised and challenged as I worked my way through this book and experienced a number of my preconcieved notions of both Celtic mythology and Norse mythology being deconstructed and reassembled. And, I felt, for a book mostly intended for a University Library, that it was a pleasant and entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: Good but should have been longer
Review: I found this book quite interesting but it should have been longer and given more details about myths and symbols. I was brought up being required to read old Icelandic literature at school and I found it astounding that this scholar didn't treat Iceland essentially as a Norwegian sub-colony. Refreshing. Also, if you are interested in old religions and don't want to float in the sea of new age and fancyful imagination this book is a "not romanticizing, not cynical" introduction into scandinavian and celtic symbolism. I don't have the diploma to comment on its accuracy.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book by a great writer.
Review: She is the best non-Odinist writer on Odinism. All her books are worth the price. She has respect for the Asatru religion, which many non-Odinsts do not have. New ideas on a well studied subject. She makes things fresh. Wyatt Kaldenberg
Rating: 
Summary: Good only for reference
Review: This book held a lot of good information as a reference volume, but it made for VERY dry reading. It is overloaded with archealogical references, and sice it is written in order of topic and not region, it is very disjointed. It is hard to follow the history, myths, and beliefs when they are spread out over several chapters. I find that by the time I get to a second mention of a myth or regional story, I've forgotten what I read about it in a previous chapter! It is especially not a good book for a beginner just trying to get an overview of older pagan traditions.
Rating:
Summary: Good only for reference
Review: This book held a lot of good information as a reference volume, but it made for VERY dry reading. It is overloaded with archealogical references, and sice it is written in order of topic and not region, it is very disjointed. It is hard to follow the history, myths, and beliefs when they are spread out over several chapters. I find that by the time I get to a second mention of a myth or regional story, I've forgotten what I read about it in a previous chapter! It is especially not a good book for a beginner just trying to get an overview of older pagan traditions.
Rating: 
Summary: refreshing, no-nonsense view of paganism
Review: This is an objective analysis of pagan beliefs and practices, mostly in Viking and Celtic times. Davidson gives well -documented explanations of such things as holy places, feasting and sacrifice, rites of battle, land-spirits and ancestors, foreknowledge and destiny. As a historical fiction writer, writing about Viking times, this book is a valuable resource for me. I especially appreciate the careful referencing, and inclusion of evidence from archaeology as well as literature and folklore. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Viking and Celtic religion from a more historical rather than a "cultist" perspective.
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