The information in this book is top notch. Much of what is "known" about this culture is pieced together from scraps of archaeology and various interpretations of the little still-present written word, much of what was documented long past the time when the societies actually thrived (and even there, mostly by those not of the same religious practice.) That said, this is one of the most interesting re-telling of the stories from the people paired with intelligent and intriguing theories of their potential deeper meanings. The book itself deserves an easy 5 stars, however, the physical book itself does not do the content justice. The binding was not strong, some pages immediately threatening to loose themselves from their glue and escape the bind and many pages were printed so faintly as to make the words themselves a struggle to read in weak light. But still, for those interested in Old Norse myths and their potential relevance to the people of the time (and even deeper lessons we can still utilize today!) this is a must read! I highly recommend it, only wish the price of the book itself matched the quality of the print-job. Still, you are supporting a pioneering jaunt into Old Norse history and not simply some large publisher so there may be some small solace in that fact. :) ( )