This is a very readable (as in smooth-flowing and fun to read) story (as in adventure, with lots of drama and excitement).

A warning: as stated above, this is a young adult version - still good for grown-ups, but not a translation of the original. I notice that 2 of the comments below are not based on this book, but on other versions of the Iliad.

My mother gave me this book when I was younger, it was her's as a child. I've read these stories over and over, loving them even more as I read. Unfortuneatly, I've lost my copy, but I can recall all of the stories in my head. I love this book and would defenitly reccommend it.

These charming stories are suitable for all ages from one to one hundred and one. They never lose their appeal. Many are sad, some are joyous, most are gently humorous; all are beautiful, with a deeply human touch woven in. I recommend this lovely book for any lover of beauty and enchantment.

In this book, Barbara Picard retells the stories of three ancient kings. The first is Gilgamesh, king of Erech (Uruk), an ancient city of Mesopotamia; he gained the friendship of Enkidu, fought terrible monsters, and strove for immortality. The second is Hrolf Kraki, king of Denmark; he collected Viking heroes around him and avenged the death of his father. The third is Conary (Conaire), high king of Ireland; rising to kingship he was brought down by a fairy curse laid on his family in the days of his grandfather.

On the surface, these stories do not seem to have any connection, but each is the story of a man who wins the hearts of other warriors, runs afoul of the gods, and is brought to ruin by them. I didn't take this book seriously when I first saw it, but was very pleasantly surprised. The stories are well written, and interesting.

I am very intimate with the story of Gilgamesh, but liked reading it again. The story of Conary I found somewhat depressing. However, the jewel of the book is also the longest, Hrolf Kraki. This story is worth the price of the book. If you like Viking or adventure stories, then you *must* buy this book!

An excellent little book and quick read. The book is broken into two parts. The first part, Hero-Sagas, is, except for the first story, an abridgement of the Nibelungenlied. It tells the story of Siegfried and Kriemhild and their terrible ending. The second part, Folk-Tales, is filled with short stories where the main message seems to be that the cunning and quick witted will always win, especially against the proud. Not exactly the best morality message, but it is fun to see wits in action.

Some would say that a prose abridgement of an epic poem defeats the purpose. For such people, Alexander Pope's translation would be the best option. However, for those who want to learn about the Iliad and Odyssey epics, but find the full works daunting, this is one of the better abridgements. Too many abridgements, especially those for children, use gimmicks, such as an excessive use of illustrations, to cover up the poor quality of the text. This work does not fit in that category. It employs limited illustrations and is suitable for teens and adults.