First Chapter First Paragraph - Norse Mythology

Today I am linking up with Vicki @ I’d Rather Be At The Beach who hosts a meme every Tuesday to share the First Chapter First Paragraph or two of the book you are currently reading or plan to read soon.

I have been away from this meme for a long time, probably before Vicki took it over from Diane.  I've missed it and since I won't be necessarily doing reviews of each and every book I read this year, I decided to join in again.

The book I'm sharing this week is one that is a book group selection for January.  This is a group that I wasn't able to attend much in 2018, but I'm hoping to join in more this year.  Their first book is Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology.  I've not yet read any books by Neil Gaiman and, actually, I'm amazed that I haven't.  The author does the narration of the audio.  I'll probably be trying a read/listen.  Here's the first couple of paragraphs to be followed by the blurb.

Norse Mythology

by Neil Gaiman

First Paragraph(s):

It's a hard to have a favorite sequence of myths as it is to have a favorite style of cooking (some nights you might want Thai food, some nights sushi, other nights you crave the plain home cooking you grew up on).  But if I had to declare a favorite, it would probably be for the Norse myths.

     My first encounter with Asgard and its inhabitants was as a small boy, no more than seven, reading the adventures of the Mighty Thor as depicted by American comics artist Jack Kirby, in stories plotted by Kirby and Stan Lee and dialogued by Stan Lee's brother, Larry Lieber.  Kirby's Thor was powerful and good-looking, his Asgard a towering science fictional city of imposing buildings and dangerous edifices, his Odin wise and noble, his Loki a sardonic horn-helmeted creature of pure mischief.  I loved Kirby's blond hammer-wielding Thor, and I wanted to learn more about him.

Blurb:

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki—son of a giant—blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose, these gods emerge with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

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Have you read this book or would you continue?  Have you read a Neil Gaiman book that I shouldn't miss?  Please tell!