Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Aug 16, 2025 2:39 AM

Author:Petra Borner,Bernard O'Donoghue

'Tomorrow I must set off to receive that blow, to seek out that creature in green, God help me!'

J.R.R. Tolkien spent much of his life studying, translating and teaching the great epic stories of northern Europe, filled with heroes, dragons, trolls, dwarves and magic. He was hugely influential for his advocacy of Beowulf as a great work of literature and, even if he had never written The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, would be recognised today as a significant figure in the rediscovery of these extraordinary tales.

Legends from the Ancient North brings together from Penguin Classics five of the key works behind Tolkien's fiction.They are startling, brutal, strange pieces of writing, with an elemental power brilliantly preserved in these translations.They plunge the reader into a world of treachery, quests, chivalry, trials of strength.They are the most ancient narratives that exist from northern Europe and bring us as near as we will ever get to the origins of the magical landscape of Middle-earth (Midgard) which Tolkien remade in the 20th century.

Reviews

Robinson Crusoe has a universal appeal, a story that goes right to the core of existence

—— Simon Armitage

Funny, bloody and always original. But then we should expect nothing less from the creator of Fight Club.

—— The Sun

Instantly engaging (and excellently gory)… it makes Tyler Durden's psychological problems look positively pedestrian.

—— Shortlist

A fantastic exploration of modern fame, unfolding in typically opaque sci-fi style as we follow child-of-the-stars Madison after she overdoses on Oscar night and is driven to hell in a limo.

—— Grazia

Hellishly good reading... Filled with Palahniuk's sublimely detailed grossness and blacker-than-black giggles.

—— Bizarre

[Doomed] has plenty of darkness, body fluids and body parts. It's also very funny... but what's often passed over in Palahniuk's work is the genuine emotion: sadness, tenderness, pain, vulnerability.

—— Sunday Herald

[Chuck Palahniuk is] an uncompromising storyteller…a sort of knowing nihilism that can be pungent, funny and transgressive…. He has a pop star’s knack for existentialism and kitsch.

—— The Times

Satirical mayhem.

—— The Lady

Convoluted, imperfect, this is nonetheless a grand, funny, troubling and rewarding read, and personally, I can't wait for the third of the trilogy.

—— Observer

An inventive pillorying of modern America

—— Independent

A fascinating journey into what might have been, this novel of alternate history will keep you turning the pages and leave you hoping for a sequel

—— Kate Emerson, author of , A Royal Inheritance

Fans of both Stephenie Meyer and Philippa Gregory will find much to love in this evocative and well-written debut

—— Francine Mathews, author of , Jack 1939

Immensely addictive and twisty—kudos to Laura Andersen for her crafty plotting and rich characterizations. Deliciously scandalous and seductive, The Boleyn King delivers history and romance with equal passion

—— Becca Fitzpatrick , New York Times bestselling author of Hush, Hush

From the intrigue of the Tudor court to the battlefields of France, you will be entranced by the power, emotion, and sweeping romance of this spellbinding novel. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book in the series!

—— Syrie James, bestselling author of , The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen

... a riveting page-turner ... For historical fiction fans and Tudor aficionados, The Boleyn King is a must-read

—— Sherry Jones, author of , Four Sisters, All Queens

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