Author:A. Hatto

Written by an unknown author in the twelfth century, this powerful tale of murder and revenge reaches back to the earliest epochs of German antiquity, transforming centuries-old legend into a masterpiece of chivalric drama. Siegfried, a great prince of the Netherlands, wins the hand of the beautiful princess Kriemhild of Burgundy, by aiding her brother Gunther in his struggle to seduce a powerful Icelandic Queen. But the two women quarrel, and Siegfried is ultimately destroyed by those he trusts the most. Comparable in scope to the Iliad, this skilfully crafted work combines the fragments of half-forgotten myths to create one of the greatest epic poems - the principal version of the heroic legends used by Richard Wagner, in The Ring.
A strong and memorable novel
—— GuardianIt strikes deep inside the heart...The story is clean, clear, straight, the work of a mature imagination at full power...here is a book that will be celebrated for a long time
—— Mail on SundayThis is a trule astonishing novel... I finished Life & Times of Michael K in a state of elation, for all the misery and suffering it contains. I cannot recommend it highly enough
—— Evening StandardBeautifully written in a strong, plain, unpretentious style...distinguished by grim humour and powerful understatement
—— Sunday ExpressThe quality of Coetzee's writing lies in his inner vision: dark, passionately compassionate, concerned with the nature of man
—— Financial Times'Masterful...the sheer weight of events carries you on...a cheerful whodunnit'
—— The Times'An auspicious fiction début...engaging and enjoyable'
—— Observer'A delicious tale of crime'
—— Home & CountryFull of Chippendale-style hidden compartments...her narrative is absolutely enchanting'
—— Literary Review'An emotionally-wrought novel, in turn lyrical and violent, fable-like and gutsy, in which many of its characters are on a quest to find out who they really are'
—— SUNDAY HERALD'A claustrophobically tense novel, Wide Eyed combines Nicoll's profound love of the Scottish landscape and its people with a journalist's eye for topicality...a writer who intends to become as prominent a part of the literary landscape as the cliffs and mountains from which he draws his inspiration'
—— GLASGOW HERALD






