Beowulf

Widely regarded as the first true masterpiece of English literature, Beowulf describes the thrilling adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century. Its lyric intensity and imaginative vitality are unparalleled, and the poem has greatly influenced many important modern novelists and poets, most notably J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings.

Part history and part mythology, Beowulf opens in the court of the Danish king where a horrible demon named Grendel devours men in their sleep every night. The hero Beowulf arrives and kills the monster, but joy turns to horror when Grendel s mother attacks the hall to avenge the death of her son. Ultimately triumphant, Beowulf becomes king himself and rules peacefully for fifty years until, one dark day, a foe more powerful than any he has yet faced is aroused an ancient dragon guarding a horde of treasure. Once again, Beowulf must summon all his strength and courage to face the beast, but this time victory exacts a terrible price.

VOYA

These two Beowulf retellings allow the Old English poem to be accessible and enjoyable to younger readers as well as some older ones. Both versions contain the essential elements of the original, with main differences being style, length, and illustrations. Hicks's version is from the Kingfisher Epics series, which also includes The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Story of Robin Hood among others. Here third-person narrative is used to retell Beowulf's story, unlike Katz's, which contains only elements found in the original poem. It is also more descriptive, dramatic, and action packed (it begins with "Listen!"), but the writing is less sophisticated and repeats some statements, such as Beowulf's strength equaling thirty men, too many times. These pages are filled (some overfilled, lessening legibility) with fierce and gory black-and-white illustrations that vividly represent the poem and, as with the text, would especially appeal to younger or reluctant readers, immersing them in the poem. Katz veers from the original poem by using Aelfere, grandfather of Wiglaf, Beowulf's youngest kinsman, as narrator. The text is compelling, as Aelfere recounts events using interesting details and suspenseful descriptions. Because the poem is retold as a conversation, Wiglaf's questions and Aelfere's responses appear throughout, aiding understanding and connecting ancient events to contemporary ones. Katz's Aelfere, Wiglaf, and Beowulf possess magical gifts (mind-reading, seeing visions, and strength, respectively) that are both blessings and curses as the poem unfolds. Full-page, color illustrations resembling Viking art appear after every three or four pages, and although portraying gruesome subjectmatter, they are low-key with Grendel appearing more cute than ferocious. Each version's afterword contains similar information about the original poem, and although Katz's features a genealogy, its names and lack of a key make its interpretation difficult. Overall Katz's version is the literary superior by its absorbing retelling that would suit middle level male and female readers, whereas Hicks's exciting page-turner is a fit for upper elementary or reluctant readers, with its format and illustrations probably attracting males over females. Reviewer: Liza A. Hazlett