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The Broken Sword Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,278 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
This classic fantasy takes listeners to a world similar to that of J. R. R. Tolkien'sLord of the Rings.
Thor has broken the sword Tyrfing so that it cannot strike at the roots of Yggdrasil, the tree that binds together earth, heaven, and hell. But now the mighty sword is needed again to save the elves in their war against the trolls, and only Skafloc, a human child kidnapped and raised by the elves, can hope to persuade Bölverk the ice-giant to make Tyrfing whole again. But things are never easy, and along the way Skafloc must also confront his shadow self, Valgard the changeling, who has taken his place in the world of men.
A superb dark fantasy of the highest, and most Norse, order The Broken Sword is a fantasy masterpiece.
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"Classic awesome Scandinavian-based blood-soaked fantasy. Contemporary grimdark's got nothing on this: (view spoiler)[the plot kicks off with an elf raping a troll (hide spoiler)]. This book is wonderfully written and stays true in tone to the source mythology."
— Violetta (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Poul Anderson’s classic fantasy, The Broken Sword, knocks The Fellowship of the Ring into a cocked hat.”
— Guardian (Manchester) -
“This book is a stunner, and a must for every fantasy lover.”
— Asimov’s -
“One of the most influential fantasy novels I’ve ever read.”
— Michael Moorcock -
“Anderson taps the authentic vein of Norse myth, but, like Tolkien, recreates it in his own unique style.”
— Michael Scott Rohan
The Broken Sword Listener Reviews
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" A bit dissapointing probably caused by age. "
— Jeroen, 1/12/2014 -
" I was but a young boy when I read this (in the sixth or seventh grade). I remember enjoying it quite a bit. I have not read a fantasy book in a long, long time, but I have very fond memories of escaping to fantasy worlds in my youth and this book stands out as a favorite. Curiously, I recall listening to David Bowie's Diamond Dogs album while reading this book-- so whenever I hear a cut from that album I think of this story. "
— Nathan, 12/4/2013 -
" Superb, fast, and quick moving tale. Moves like lightning. Brilliant economy of language. Extremely harsh - perhaps a bit too harsh for my liking, but overall a marvellous piece of poetic story telling. "
— Sean, 11/25/2013 -
" Wow. This was wonderfully dark. "
— Jared, 11/23/2013 -
" Brutal, romantic, and tragic. No cute hobbits. "
— Steve, 9/10/2013 -
" An okay fantasy classic with a slightly different mythos but predictable and dull by today's standards. "
— Nathan, 5/22/2013 -
" My favorite Poul Anderson book. A wonderful, wonderful fantasy read. "
— Charles, 5/6/2013 -
" Awesome, dark, and wondrous, with a good use of mythology and some emotional prose. Definitely one of the highlights of Anderson's career. "
— Robert, 2/26/2013 -
" Great, great, great.... I loved this! High adventure, magic, all the good stuff. The old legends that Tolkien and so many authors have drawn from. told again. "
— Jaya, 12/22/2012 -
" Being based off of Norse tales, keep in mind its anti-Christian. Poul's concept of the elves is interesting though, not as perfect as Tolkien's and frankly, a relief. "
— Rachel, 8/18/2012 -
" A dark, stark representation of some classic Northern European mythology; like a bleaker Tolkien making a Norse edda more accessible to a modern audience. "
— James, 11/24/2011 -
" Too much blood. But if you like violence, and Norseman tales, very well written "
— Thannasset, 3/17/2011 -
" Well written of course being Anderson but not as good as Three Hearts "
— Peter, 1/8/2011 -
" Darker, bleaker than Tolkien. Outstanding reworking of saga(s) into a fantasy story. "
— Paul, 11/6/2010 -
" A classic of the genre. "
— Chip, 1/16/2010 -
" Being based off of Norse tales, keep in mind its anti-Christian. Poul's concept of the elves is interesting though, not as perfect as Tolkien's and frankly, a relief. "
— Rachel, 11/27/2009 -
" A neglected fantasy classic. Anderson borrows elements from the tales of Sigmund and Siegfried and retells them in a fast-paced adventure fantasy. "
— Keith, 11/25/2009 -
" Brutal, romantic, and tragic. No cute hobbits. "
— Steve, 7/11/2009 -
" Dark, brooding, tragic yet romantic. A classic of the highest calibre. Reminds me why I like fantasy. "
— Simon, 3/11/2009 -
" My favorite Poul Anderson book. A wonderful, wonderful fantasy read. "
— Charles, 7/17/2008
About Poul Anderson
Poul Anderson (1926–2001) was one of the most prolific and popular writers in science fiction. He won the Hugo Award seven times and the Nebula Award three times, as well as many other awards, including the Grand Master Award of the Science Fiction Writers of America for a lifetime of distinguished achievement. With a degree in physics and a wide knowledge of other fields of science, he was noted for building stories on a solid foundation of real science, as well as for being one of the most skilled creators of fast-paced adventure stories. He was author of over one hundred novels and story collections, several hundred short stories, and several mysteries and nonfiction books.
About Bronson Pinchot
Bronson Pinchot, Audible’s Narrator of the Year for 2010, has won Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Awards, AudioFile Earphones Awards, Audible’s Book of the Year Award, and Audie Awards for several audiobooks, including Matterhorn, Wise Blood, Occupied City, and The Learners. A magna cum laude graduate of Yale, he is an Emmy- and People’s Choice-nominated veteran of movies, television, and Broadway and West End shows. His performance of Malvolio in Twelfth Night was named the highlight of the entire two-year Kennedy Center Shakespeare Festival by the Washington Post. He attended the acting programs at Shakespeare & Company and Circle-in-the-Square, logged in well over 200 episodes of television, starred or costarred in a bouquet of films, plays, musicals, and Shakespeare on Broadway and in London, and developed a passion for Greek revival architecture.