Monday, January 11, 2010

Weekend reading: Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants

My friend who's going back to Dubai a few days from now just gave me this book written by Neil Gaiman. She saw it in a thrift store there and thought I'd like it.

And, without any wonder, I did. Not only because it was Neil Gaiman who wrote it, but because it was engaging even if it was just short.

Odd and the Frost Giants is about a boy named Odd who lived in Midgard. During an extended winter, he ran away from home and lived in his father's cottage. Along the way, he met a bear, a fox, and an eagle, who seemed to be more than meets the eye (no, they're not any of the Transformers, mind you). Their meeting leads Odd to Asgard, where he comes face to face with the Frost Giant, who has issues with the Norse gods and who is causing the unusually long winter in Midgard.

The book is the usual Gaiman fantasy work mixed with Norse mythology. If you're familiar with Coraline, this book is even shorter than that. Even so, the story won't leave you hanging, as this short adventure is one charming trip.

Neil Gaiman wrote this for the 2008 World Book Day, which is a day of promoting reading for children. If you have a kid and would like him or her to start reading, this is one fantasy short story you could get for them.

And even if you're all grown up, you'll still love Odd and the Frost Giants. Dunno if it's available here in Manila, but I think Amazon sells this one.

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