Grendel (Edition unknown) by Gardner - John [Paperback(1989£©]

Grendel is a really interesting book, which will captivate your heart for the antagonist. The author, John Gardener portrayed Grendel as an innocent creature who is force to become evil due to humans and a dragon who steers him wrong. This book is mainly about how Grendel reaches the state in which he becomes total destructive. In the first part of the book Grendel wanted to become friends with humans, but humans feared him due to his physical apperance in which we all notice at first and judge a person by it , instead of what is truly significant their inner being. Grendel's first defense against a brusque universe is solipsism: the belief that the self can know only itself and that it is only existent thing. The main flaw in solipsism is that it contradicts every aspect of human experience. Grendel is unsatisfied and nervous under it's tenuous cover. In the second half of the book, after Grendel visits the dragon he has a different belief in which nothing has meaning;that life is a long series of accidents and is in itself an accident. He becomes the monster everyone portrays him to be. He then kills with no pity and brings raids upon the thanes. In the last Chapters Grendel meets his match Beowulf, who is the only level mind in the entire novel. Beowulf completes the journey that provides Grendel the answer to his puzzle. The meaning of life is in its living. Though it is too late for Grendel to react, he rejects Beowulf and all that the hero represents , and so Grendel's death , like his life, is merely an accident.

I originally read "Beowulf" in high school and found it somewhat dry and very characteristic of the "epic poetry" label. (It is the only epic poem surviving in full, after all.) I was not much impressed with "Beowulf" but found that John Gardner absolutely breathed life into the original story with his own version: "Grendel."

"Grendel" is a novel that explores the psychosis of a creature who is not quite monster and not quite human and, therefore, has no social class at all. He has not one companion in the world and, because of it, questions his own existence; if put on the Earth completely alone, what for? He begins as an existentialist, telling the reader, "I create the whole universe, blink by blink," and mostly content with, if not a bit bored by, his solitude, but is drawn more and more to nihilism as his seclusion grows old. He becomes frustrated with his existence and decides that because the world continues to exist around him the same, no matter what he does, he must fulfill his stereotype as a monster to have any sort of existence at all. Because society treats him like a monster, he decides he has no choice but to be a monster. He gives in to what society thinks he is, rather than fulfill his own unique existence, and experiences a complete one-eighty in viewpoint, hence the line, "Poor Grendel's had an accident."

All the while, Beowulf is depicted as a very two-dimensional warrior, only interested in proving heroic, not unlike his character in the original epic poem (basically, he is the epic hero through-and-through). He never questions what he is told by his fellow thanes once he arrives to defeat Grendel. He is only interested in the kill, showing a complete lack of understanding and compassion. He terrorizes Grendel as he slays him (spoiler, but given, as it's based on Beowulf); that and the other scenes featuring the Anglo-Saxons in the novel poke fun in a dark-humor sort of way at the anthropocentric ways of man and illustrate how a monster like Grendel can, at times, prove more humane than the humans themselves.

This novel is closely related to an infamous Nietzsche quote (surprise, surprise; we have Nietzsche to thank for nihilism):

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

Who is the monster: Grendel or Beowulf?

This book will have you questioning your own existence, much akin to Grendel's own dilemma, for years after reading. It is immensely thought-provoking and a beautiful read. The reader can easily (if not painfully) experience Grendel's emotions throughout the novel with an evolving point of view that perfectly characterizes Grendel's sanity at every moment of the story. First person, third person, and stream of consciousness are all meshed in a masterful way that would make any writer envious. What's more, the chapters all feature symbols of zodiac signs that flow in order, giving each chapter a theme of its own, in addition to the novel's own general theme and motifs. If I had the ability, I would want nothing more than to relive the experience of reading this novel for the first time.

If you are at all interested in philosophy, the zodiac, or the lifelong struggle to force oneself to fit into society, I would vehemently recommend this book.

A brilliant story of pain and the cold reality, and eventuality, of life. Grendel is a sly, thought-provoking being who, at the end, is almost likeable. He is actually more human than he cares to admit. The prose, the first chapter especially, is beautiful, and the book takes on a sort of runic tale of old: a legend. What is life for; the ram is a ram, and the human is a human, and all other things will be themselves. That is the lesson. Even though we try to change we will be ourselves, for good or worse. A touching work by an underappreciated author, marvelous and full of wit.

John Gardner�s Grendel is a story in which the evil monster of the epic poem Beowulf, gets a chance to tell his side of the story. Throughout the story, Grendels tell the reader what Hrothgar�s people do and how they act. Grendel watches them carefully each day and tells of his mead hall raids. After reading the first few chapters you actually start to feel sorry for this human-eating monster. He tells of how lonely he feels and of how he tries to play with the humans yet he scares them off. This little monster doesn�t seem evil anymore, as he did in the epic poem Beowulf. Grendel seems like a furry, cute monster that just happens to eat humans.
This contemporary fiction novel is set during Medieval Times in the country of Denmark. There is basically one main character in the story, Grendel. He is a very odd little creature that you absolutely adore. There are also the people of Hrothgar�s Kingdom who try to kill Grendel but don�t succeed. Ever since Grendel was a little boy he has not like the king Hrothgar, so when he gets older (twelve years old) he decides that he should do something about it. At first he tries to talk with people, but does not prosper. Of course, people are terrified of this creature and try to hurt him. So Grendel ends up venturing off to the dragon. This is where the book gets confusing and boring. I had a little trouble trying to get back into the swing of reading the book at this part. Basically, the dragon explains to Grendel how he is superior to man. Even though this point is short, the dragon goes on and on about it. The dragon also casts a spell upon Grendel so no weapon can hurt him. Grendel realizes this while on his mead hall rampage. Since the people can�t hurt him, Grendel can kill the people whenever he pleases, and this is how it all starts. A few nights each week, Grendel will tear apart the mead hall and consume a few humans for his dinner. This is how the cute little monster at the beginning of the book turn into a terrifying beast.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book even though it did get boring at certain spots. The book does not have a very catchy introduction, and you have to read in about three chapter before you actually get into the book. The ending, well, I can�t give it away but it wasn�t very surprising to me. I think that my peers and older readers would enjoy this book, yet they must be able to think about the events. This story isn�t like the usual, it isn�t all laid out you must be able to think about what is going on to really enjoy the book. Anyone younger probably would get bored with these books, so it�s better if you wait awhile.
Overall this book was interesting, but I wouldn�t rate it as the best book that I have ever read. Only certain people can really enjoy books like this, and I am not one of them. If you enjoy reading books that really make you use your brain, and that don�t lay it our for you, you will enjoy reading Grendel.

Don't be misled by the fact that the main character is a monster, "Grendel" is not a book that is solely about some savage beast terrorizing innocent villagers (though it has that too), it is rather a look at a previously untold view of the famous Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, the viewpoint of the epic's main monster, Grendel. Rather than the mindless devourer of "Beowulf", the Grendel we are treated to here has thoughts, feelings, and emotions, many of them oneswe as human beings can identify with. Grendel is painted as a lonely monster struggling with his identity and his meaning in a meaningless world, his smallest and most insignificant thoughts painted with incredible detail, which is the book's biggest failing; the detail which seems so rich and thoughtful at one moment seems cumbersome and pointless the next, it can almost feels forced. Furthermore, one identifies and feels sorry for Grendel right up until the point when he decides to slit the throat of some innocent guard or kill a few people in their sleep. Furthermore, if one is looking at this book, remember two things; first of all, it is not a child's fairy tale, it contains graphic depictions of violence and abstract language. Second, the writing styles of this book and the original epic couldn't be more different, so it isn't a sequel or prequel of the older book, and one will fail to enjoy it if one considers it as such. Otherwise, "Grendel" is an interesting short book that takes a vastly different take on an old classic, but should be enjoyed and evaluated by itself.

I would recommend reading Beowulf before reading Grendel. It is a very insightful and well-written tale of Grendel and his growth as a part of the human world. As the book progresses you begin to see how Grendel really develops as a character and you get a good understanding of where he's coming from. He can't communicate with his mother, his first encounter with humans is not very pleasant and, the only role in society that he has ever and will ever have is the "monster". Along Grendel's physical and mental developmental path he encounters a Dragon and other characters who help him question what he believes and why. Grendel's need for acceptance by something or someone is obviously apparent throughout the novel. The most striking thing about the whole novel must be the many interpretations that can be taken from each of his encounters, whether it was with humans, other animals, or even his mother. I think one of the best things about a book is when you end it with so many different possible interpretations and more questions. This book is a great insight to a character whose story has aspects that are universal and can be understood and appreciated by all.

Grendel's Encounters A Million Little Pieces is a memoir about James Frey, which had been
on Opera's Book Club and a bestseller because Frey provided a new experience and an exclusive point of view about his life crisis. Frey provided insights to a life of a druggie and a serious alcoholic and also the hardship of becoming sober, which are entertaining and interesting to the readers. Although Grendel was not a druggie in Grendel, written by John Gardner, Grendel-like Frey- narrates the story through a new experience and point of view that the readers can appreciate. Grendel is a sophisticated intellectual monster who analyzes and questions human civilization. Therefore, the motif of Grendel's encounters with the humans' society mock that even a civilized society has faults.
Garner uses dark comedy to make the story entertaining, as well as to criticize humans. The shaper is one of Grendel's encounters and when Grendel assailed Heorot, the Shaper, regardless of his blindness, was the only human to have jumped out the back window of the mead hall. The shaper's reaction pokes fun at humans' inherent tendency to lose their mind and all their common sense during moments of extreme stress.
Another example of Grendel's human society encounter is when Grendel is drawn towards the shapers music and he has stepped on a murdered man. He carries the dead man and yells out, 'Mercy! Peace!' to mean no harm, but the humans reacted violently . The humans showed aggression towards Grendel because they couldn't understand what he was saying and they acted on their instincts. Thus, Gardner mocks the habit of humans to make rash judgments of others based on their appearance and also their fear of the unknown.
Another humorous moment of Grendel's human society encounter is when Unferth was introduced. Unferth constantly tried to kill Grendel to meet the expectations of a hero, but he had no success. In one of their fights, Grendel began throwing apples at him in order to humiliate him and strip off his pride in order to prove that heroes were only in poems and fairy tales. Concluding that he had no chance of defeating Grendel, Unferth decided to die "trying" instead of going home without killing Grendel, because he wanted to keep his cherished pride and dignity by being killed by him. Unfortunately Grendel knew that Unferth acted as if "heroism were a golden trinket, mere outward show and hollow", so Grendel carried him back to Heorot and set him in front of the mead hall to toy with Unferth's idea of heroism. Unferth, like many humans, had too much pride and was willing to risk his life in order to maintain it, which is absurd as Grendel compared the idea as if it would be in a fairy tale.
As Grendel watched the human society and their belief system, he mocked the hypocrisy and gullibility of men. As bored as usual, Grendel knocks down eight statues of gods that were placed in a circular shape and a year later, calls himself "The Destroyer". Grendel tricks Ork, the old priest, that "The Destroyer" is real, which shows the gullibility of men (even the high ranked priests) and human dependence on a higher power for protection (from Grendel).
Questioning the beliefs of human society, Grendel mocks once again at the reality of men's religion. Religion plays a large role in Grendel and the Priests are of high class. The Priests do not want to perform their services without the proper payment, which, in turn, allows the rich the most access to 'religion' and God. The citizens of the village are also confusingly polytheistic and monotheistic. When praying to their king, god does not decrease the frequency of Grendel's visits, which then later they retreat back to beg any god of which they have known for help. This reveals their faith to be not faithful at all but rather faith with doubts. When the other priests find Ork out at dark, they scold him for jeopardizing the image of the "holy" role. When Ork recounts what he has discovered, the other priests worry about the affects of Ork's senility to the group. One of the priest represented the hypocracy of their religion and role when he was angered that the old priest did not have the vision "in public, where it does [them] some good". The priests, except Ork, does not truly believe in their religion and Gods but only act as if they do to put a play for the Danes.
Grendel also encounters the primitive image of humans as he walks along the field disgusted. He was sickened by the dead cows, horses, and men that were "left to rot or burn". Although the humans would be thought to be more civilized than the monster Grendel, he has proven that humans do produce waste on the world they pronounce theirs.
Overall, Grendel has learned about the civilization and the ways of human society, but learned to mock them. The appearance is obviously for an image of reputation and Unferth, the priests and the shaper all represent the aesthetic appeal of their society. Grendel also mocks the truth of the primitive of human society and dependence on a belief of no evidence of truth. Therefore, the motif of Grendel's encounters with the humans' society mock that even a civilized society has faults.

'Grendel" by John Gardner is the ancient story of Beowulf as told by the monster Grendel. Three quarters of the book is about Grendel as he sinks further into insanity and terrorizes Hrothgar and his people. The remaining quarter is about the coming of Beowulf and his conflict with Grendel, as described in the actual book "Beowulf."

"Grendel" is an excellent book. It is absolutely fascinating seeing things from the monster's point of view. Where there is a lack of story involving Grendel in "Beowulf," "Grendel" fills in the blanks with monstrous insanity. The book covers a wide range of intellect, from mindless killer to profoundly deep and surreal beyond that of our human mind. The only problem is the end, which is inevitable since the book follows "Beowulf." Fortunately the ending is executed creatively, bringing a wonderful book to it's end.

I'm disturbed by the amount of people bashing _Grendel_. It's simply an amazing novel. Perhaps those offering sour reviews simply misunderstand the novel--Gardner, from my reading, isn't really attempting a retelling of the _Beowulf_ story. Instead, he's attempting to cast a philosophical statement *against* a philosophical school of thought that was, and still is, gaining ground when Gardner wrote _Grendel_: existentialism and nihilism, which is embraced by the dragon. Gardner just uses the Beowulf story to frame this social commentary. Consider Gardner's philosophical statement: in a time in history when so many were and are embracing the pointlessness of life, Gardner tells us that there is meaning and real in the world around us. Beowulf smashes Grendel into the wall when they finally meet and forces him to sing walls to prove to Grendel that there is meaning and that reality does exist. And what does Grendel do? He sings walls and sees a different kind of dragon. Grendel, throughout that whole novel, searches for something real, something that carries meaning, and Beowulf becomes that. People read this novel and think it's depressing--it's not. In the end there's hope. Yeah, we know Beowulf is going to die, but before he does, he's going to accomplish great things, and there will be other great rulers after him.

If you're looking for an action story, stick with _Beowulf_. But if you're looking for a philosophical novel to controvert the overwhelming onslaught of postmodernism and beliefs that we're in the world all by ourselves and should find gold and "sit on it" as the dragon tells Grendel, _Grendel_ is one of the finest craftings written to date.

Perhaps those who would denigrate _Grendel_ simply do not understand its intent; it's intent isn't to entertain you; it's intent is to teach you and force you to question. And on those grounds, it's really hard to argue that it's not a fantastic book.

This was not a high school assignment, like for so many others. Even as a literature major at University, this did not come across my required reading list. Instead, this book was picked up on the way to the airport. In a mad rush for something, anything, to pass 6 hours of cramped cabin and stale air, Grendel was bought with little thought for literary quality or achievement. Little did I know that this impulse buy would become a page turner with an excellent plot and deeply developed characters.

I never thought, standing in line to purchase this little slim book, that it would become my favorite book to read. It has held that position for well over 10 years now. I have gone through 2 copies in my voracity. I cannot imagine any other book taking its place. There are philosophical debates within the pages of this book. Characters so rich, that they practically jump off the page in their passion. Take the Dragon's speech, on page 64. The dragon does not merely lecture Grendel, rather we are treated to see how this creature thinks and feels. '"Games, games, games!" He snorted fire. "They only think they think..."' And this is just one little example (quoting the whole excerpt seems a bit excessive in length; although in short, it is rife with contempt, anger, and hopelessness amongst other things).

This whole book is filled with action and imagery. How does anyone write like this? It's practically brilliant.

John Gardner really does a nice job with Grendel considering Beowulf really limited what he could do with the character. Gardner was able to write a back-story for Grendel quite well. Beowulf portrayed Grendel as a bloodthirsty monster who only wanted to destroy humanity with every raid he orchestrated on Hrothgar's Mead Hall. Gardner does more than that.

Gardner provides the reader who is familiar with Beowulf the story of Grendel from the monster's view. He shows that even though Grendel does become a bloodthirsty monster, that there is more than that. Gardner shows Grendel as an objective viewer of humanity, taking the role of a shaper. Grendel is shown as he grows up from an innocent kid to a monster. At the same time, Grendel sees his opinion of humans change. At first, they amuse him, but eventually he becomes jealous of them, as they have cast him as an outsider. He knows that he will never be like them.

What Gardner is really doing is making a statement about the human race in general. Grendel continuously refers to the humans in Hrothgar's kingdom as arrogant, cocky, wasteful, and savage. But yet, at the same time, Grendel desperately wants to be a part of their world. It is not until the shaper says that the Grendel's of the world are cursed and bound for hell. Grendel at the same time is unsure of his role as he is being lead by the words of the shaper and of the dragon, which both have different philosophies.

Gardner also makes statements about government. In Chapter 8, when Hrothulf has come to live in Hrothgar's mead-hall, he is talking with Red Horse about government. He says that the role of government is to control the masses, and that the masses are blind to the tyranny of the oppressive government. All the government has to do is cater to the greed of the mass and the rest will follow

I believe what Gardner is saying about the human race as a whole is that while they are cocky, boorish, savage, and arrogant, at the same time everyone harbors the basic abilities to love, to feel compassion, and it is what makes us human, But at the core, humans have become content with their position, that they have become just part of the masses, blind to the oppressive governments, and that humans need to stand up for their individual rights and stand up against oppressive government.

Grendel. A "devil" from the hunan's point of view in the great epic Beowulf. But I found a human being from him. Once, he was a child who loved to wander around, then a teen who looked for his root, just like mankind does.
During his beginning of adult time, he found out he couldn't be part of the human's world only because of how he looks. Finally Grendel, " a powerful monster," finds way to be a part of the Herot -- to be " Ruiner of MeadHalls, Wrecker of Kings."
We, all human beings, have two sides of mind -- good and evil. Grendel was not an exception. It was human who emphasized his evil side and de-emphasized the good side. Our prejudice, selfishness, and too much of pride as human being made one sad death scene.
"Is it joy I feel? They watch on, evil, incredibly stupid, enjoying my destruction." Grendel made this comment, putting us, human, in evil's place. Then ending. Not the way I thought the book is going to be. But it made me think for a long time about a mankind. The Grendel was a great chance to look back my life.

Grendel, a god-cursed descendent of Cain, plods about through the night terrorizing towns and villages with his monstrous might and malice. He plundered Hrothgar's mead-hall regularly to satisfy his thirst for steaming meat and blood. Hrothgar's men, being no match for this demon, were snatched up effortlessly and devoured in an instant. But Grendel would soon discover his one worthy opponent-Beowulf.
Half of the time despising the monster, other times in love with him; you get a taste of Grendel's bipolar personality. Giving more depth to this personality, this book takes you into the mind of Grendel, and puts Beowulf into a whole new perspective. This exceptional book should be read by everyone, especially those who have read Beowulf.

_Grendel_ is the sort of book at you either love or hate. And I love it for the beauty, the accuracy, and the intesity of its themes. _Grendel_ is the epic of Beowulf told from the vantage of the grotesque monster Grendel. We are accordingly introduced to the ruthless nature of the beast. Yet there is a certain innocence and lofty understanding that renders Grendel into an unlikely protagonist, caught between a life of unfathomable (read: invincible) suffering and pitiless wrath. There is a chapter in this book, set in a dragon's cave, that is so utterly amazing, so philosophically prudent, it deserves to be read again and again (in fact, it is so dense at first that it most likely will need to be read again and again). A detailed and succulent study in psychology, _Grendel_ deserves to be taught alongside Beowulf in high school literature courses. And it fully deserves a read from anyone searching for something poetically substantial in the prose he/she reads.

When the book first starts off, it is a bit confusing and also in the middle of the things, Then the story goes back to when Grendal was a child and how began to hate humanity and what, Grendal constantly watches the people never really getting close to them until he decides to kill them.

Physically Grendal has people and animals around him but he still is lonely and says that tedium this the worst pain, Grendal knew that he was different from the humans and just to be a parts of the humans and that type of happiness Grendal was willing to take on the role of being the monster. Is Grendal really talking to the dragon or did he make it up it his own imaginary so that he would have some to talk to. Grendal was never able to communicate with others, which is probably the reasons that he allowed himself to be left out.

Although John Gardner gets his point across and as you get it to the story it flows really well. If I had to choose between Grendal and Beowulf I would have chosen Beowulf.

Before I knew who Grendel was, I had read Beowulf in english class. After seeing how Beowulf was written, I immediatley regretted my decision of picking Grendel. But, with high hopes I ventured on and kept reading. It turned out it was written nothing like Beowulf. Told through the eyes of Grendel, it showed a different side to the story; a more interesting one if you ask me. Even though there were some parts that confused me, Grendel, overall, was an easier read than Beowulf.

Since it was told in the first person point of view, it allowed me to really picture what was going on and pretend that I was Grendel. It made it more interactive and not as boring. I didn't give this book 5 stars, because there was one section of the book that was told like a play, which really confused me. But, overall Grendel was a good book.

John Gardner's novel Grendel is different from any other book I have ever read. It tells the story of Beowulf from the perspective of the monster Grendel. Grendel is a lonely one of a kind misfit. He is a being with no conscience and a constantly violent and evil nature. In spite of all this the author makes you feel some pity and understanding for him. Grendel tries to talk to the first humans that he has contact with, but they are so terrified and repulsed that they try to kill him. Grendel talks to a dragon who explains to him that he is different and in his own way superior to man. Grendel comes to believe that only his own existence is important. As he matures he realizes that even his bond with his mother only exists because he is her offspring. Grendel has no relationships in his life except between a murderer and his victims. His feelings of isolation are reinforced by the philosophy of his contact with the dragon. The dragon can predict the future and explains to Grendel that in the grand scheme of time his exsistance means nothing. Grendel gives in to his vicious bloodthirsty side and begins a twelve year war with Hrothgar, King of the Danes, and his thanes. During those years Grendel carried out bloody raids on Hrothgar's meadhall. He killed and ate his victims in these raids. He was careful to never kill off all the Danes although he had the power to do so because his war with them became his only reason for existence. In John Gardner's story of Grendel one can see through the eyes of an insane tortured non-human. The reader can see many of mankinds conflicts and characteristics. I would recomend this book for the serious reader who is willing to try and think about complex things.

Grendel... ah, where do I begin? Grendel is a lavish novel that will transcend the great echoing halls of classic literature for eons. John Gardner's piece puts you, the reader, in a front row seat to one of the finest orchestrations of the classic beast's, Grendel, mind and method to madness.

As the story progresses, we follow closely along with the maturation of the mind of that paradoxically enigmatic, yet so familiar mind that represents the nature of man. Grendel is forced to confront classic ideas in areas such as epistemology (the power of perception), government (the tyranny of despotism, the nature of revolution), theology (the purpose of religion as a metaphysical limit), and many others.

As great pieces of literature have transcended the wear of time into the glorious mead hall of classics, they have all shared something in common; they have all spent years and years of their pre-existence to their conception fermenting and nourishing themselves within the mind of the author in hopes to one day question and console man's great journey and epic tale of self-awareness. Grendel accomplishes this perfectly.

If you are in search of a novel that will question and push your mind and perception to new heights, I would most certainly recommend John Gardner's Grendel.

In the novel Grendel, the story of Beowulf is told in Grendel's point-of-view. In this novel, Grendel, the monster, goes and is trying to destroy Herot Hall. After many of Grendel's attacks, Beowulf comes to Hrothgar's kingdom to help fight Grendel. Beowulf does not realize what a challenge this would be in fighting many battles.
In Beowulf's first battle with Grendel, he does not use any weapons. This symbolizes the fact that Beowulf is trying to gain more fame and glory without the help of people. In the second battle, Beowulf fights Grendel's mother after she attacks Herot Hall to find Beowulf. This fight is symbolic because it is Grendel's mom heart that Beowulf is fighting against. In the third battle, Beowulf fights the dragon that had helped Grendel at one time.
The novel Grendel is a well-written novel and the author does a very good job of answering questions pertaining to the story.
It is a good idea to read this novel after you have read the epic Beowulf.
The background of the story is well set according to the novel.
The author makes the reader feel involved in the story, which makes it feel more fun to read. The reader feels the emotions of Beowulf and knows his struggles going into battle.
I enjoyed this novel very much and I think anyone who reads it will too.

It would not come too soon if this book would appear 500 or 5000 years ago to present the pesky humans with OUR view of their "world", their "kings" and "heroes". But finally the justice has been done to Grendel and through his memory to us all in this book by a human writer with unusually sharp eye and nose for all things beastly. A book no monster should be without.

This book is a glance into the life of the monster Grendel in the epic poem of Beowulf. In this book however, he is sort of depicted as the "good guy". He is not a "monster" or a heartless killer but a creature that has feelings, emotions, and a purpose in life.

Having read the epic poem Beowulf, I thought the book did a good job of introducing the character, conveying its feelings, and explaining the "horrible" actions that he took in the epic (as well as connecting them to the moral dilemmas he's going through).

I thought it was striking that the book was written in such a way that even makes you feel sorry for Grendel at times. It is written in first person, from Grendel's point of view. Gardner goes into detail about what Grendel is going through, his values, his dilemmas, and his convictions. However, I also think parts of the book (particularly the poems) are a little confusing and don't quite connect with the rest of the story. While some parts had me engaged, other parts left me a little confused. That's why I gave this book 3 stars. Otherwise, this is a solid, well-written book.

What if you could see into the mind of Grendel, the terrifying creature of the night from Beowulf? Well, with this book by John Gardner, you can. Brutal at times, irreverent at others, and very cynical at others, Grendel wanders around for many years watching the development of the various human tribes and the emergence of Hrothgar as a sort of king among them. He spends twelve years in a unique relationship with the king, trying first to make friends with the Danes (he is attacked) and later making raids and killing the most drunken of Hrothgar�s thanes. The notorious coward Unferth (the one who later insults Beowulf) is also developed here--Grendel has such contempt and pity for Unferth that he will not kill him (thus giving him a hero�s death) despite Unferth�s repeated attempts to fight him.

In the poem Beowulf, Grendel is a very flat character. He is, in fact, the epitome of evil, unfeeling and cruel. He comes, he kills and eats people, he leaves. Then he comes back. This book gives Grendel a personality. He knows he is a member of the fallen (Cain�s) race, and accepts that fact. He is lonely, and cannot even get companionship from his mother, who has long ceased to communicate. In fact, his only real �friends� are the Danes he kills. Still, he knows he is dependent on Hrothgar�s survival. �If I murdered the last of the Scyldings,� he muses, �what would I live for?�

This book gives excellent insight into the character of Grendel, and will definitely change the way you look at the poem Beowulf. Gardner�s Grendel is a creature who determines to kill Beowulf for the honor of Hrothgar, so that his thanes will not have been outdone by a newcomer. I highly recommend this short work for anyone interested in the great old English epic.

I remember being impressed with this book when I read it in the 1970s but I'm not any more. Under the flashy prose, it seems like a lot of literary posturing-- making fun of a magnificent old epic without trying to connect in any positive way with its eerie atmosphere and mythic background. Portraying Grendel as a kind of loitering monster-crybaby and having pagan priests and dragons spout academic philosophy might be clever (if academic philosophy weren't so boring) but it seems a trivial response to one of English literature's deepest sources. Grendel WAS something-- we can't be sure what-- perhaps a demonized vestige of old totemic shamanism, but the kind of super-sophisticated dungeons and dragons games this author plays with him just trivialize the mythology. The author's rendition of Grendel's mother-- probably a more important figure in the mythology-- is also quite unimaginative. So the point seems to have been to make a publishing-academic splash using a sensationalized subject.

John Gardner's _Grendel_ is an amazing book and one of the most engaging, confusing, difficult and beautiful books of our time. It is a fantastic fusion of elements of nihilism and Taoism, faith and disillusionment. This story follows the original antagonist of the classic epic _Beowulf_ through his struggles to find meaning and to decide whether he is willing to live in a world where meaning must come from within. The literary style blends seamlessly with the content of the story; seemingly fragmented and convoluted but with a subtly powerful cohesiveness. When I finished this book I felt as if I had awoken from a gripping dream: exhausted but exhilarated and full of questions I could only make half-conscious. If Dostoevsky, Salinger and Lao Tzu wrote a book together, this would be it. I cannot recommend it too highly.

And

Through Grendel's eyes we see the good people of Hrothgar in new light. We see the young drunken king consolidate his lands through a brutalizing reign of terror on near-by peoples. We see him age and wizen--from blood thirsty rogue to political king. We (as Grendel) see them grow through the years. We see their souls and know their folly. It is ours also; no one escapes it.

None of this does any justice to the book. However, more than anything else, it shows that life is meaningless--lest you give it meaning. And even that does not matter in the end.

I bought this book thinking it was going to be kind of goofy and funny. When I started reading it, it suprised me with it's beauty. It's a lyrical, interesting story as near to poetry as a novel can get. Don't get me wrong, there are several hilarious parts to it that are just so engaging and clever. I loved it--and I highly recommend it.

John Gardner's "Grendel" is a fictional story based on fiction. The storyline in this book of what Grendel encounters and what his fate will be is based on the storyline of Beowulf but from Grendel's point of view and experience. Throughout this book you get a sense of man's search for meaning through Grendel's experiences, which is interesting because Grendel is no man, he is a monster.

In this book you find out about Grendel's childhood, his relationship with his mother, and his interactions with man and his thoughts to all of this and how he deals with it. His childhood experiences taught him that man was dangerous, his mother represented his innocence, and his interactions with man showed him heroism, love, search for meaning, politics and government, religion and faith, and death.

Grendel is a 'monster', who lives with his mute mother inside of a cave. As Grendel grows and becomes more curious he comes into contact with humans, and begins to watch them from afar. Grendel sees the humans as ignorant and wasteful and begins to torture their villages. Grendel knows that no matter what he will always be the 'monster' to the human race and his only existence in life is to scare the humans.

John Gardner does an excellent job trapping Grendel in the meta-fictional story. The story was interesting and kept me wanting to know what Grendel would do next because he was constantly changing his mind. The writing style that Gardner uses is very different from any of the books that I have read. The way he shows Grendel maturing by the way the grammar changes with each passing chapter. Another thing was the way Gardner combined Beowulf and the more in depth story of Grendel by adding a sort of modern touch to it. I found that that made the book a lot easier to read.

If you have not already read the great epic Beowulf, you are defeating the intentions of John Gardener. Grendel takes you on a philosophical journey through issues like the meaning of life and acceptance among the majority in the mind of a lonely "monster". Throughout Grendel's journey, he encounters many schools of philosophical thought trying to piece together his beliefs of the world around him. Gardener truly captivates the reader with Grendel's perspective on all sorts of issues while making the reader ask the question "Who is the real monster?" Gardener does a superb job of making Grendel seem so human and even gathers sympathy from the reader when it is obvious that Grendel just wants to be accepted by any means necessary. This piece of metafiction is very creative indeed, but at times hard to grasp because of the very contemporary style of writing, but this should not stop anyone from picking up a copy.

I read this book for the 1st time when I was 12 at the suggestion of my older brother, and just loved it. I knew the myth because I just read practically all the time.

I liked that this book took the story of this big huge bumbling monster and turned that monster into an intelligent creature who was, just like most humans, only trying to figure out who he was and why he was alive. I found the philosophies and the concepts fascinating. This is an excellent book, and was very well written. I liked how John Gardner(RIP) stayed so close to the storyline of the myth, and didn't try to change it and make it all his own. Just filled out the story from Grendel's point of view. That alone must have been difficult to do, and I admire that Mr. Gardner was so successful in this case. It's a great book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves to read.

The book Grendel, written by John Gardener, tells the story of when Grendel began his life pondering all of life's mysteries. Experiencing pain, sorrow, and happiness, Grendel develops a character all his own. Slowly, as Grendel grows older, he explores more and more of his surrounding area until he finally encounters humans. As Grendel watches the trials and tribulations of the humans, he becomes more and more disgusted with the pitiful creatures until he finally wages war on Hrothgar's hall.

"Grendel" is an amazing story written from the point of view of the villain in the classic novel, "Beowulf." Written in the same medieval style as "Beowulf," "Grendel" gives the reader insight into the mind of the monster. Written by John Gardner, who was a phenomenal professor of medieval literature and ancient languages, "Grendel" is a must read for all classic literature fans.

Gardner's story retells the traditional legend from a new point of view - Grendel's own. Don't dismiss this as just another fairy tale retold, like 'Wicked.' For one thing, the 1971 copyright predates more familiar titles in that vein by several decades.

For another, it makes literate reference to real people and places, as described the Icelandic sagas. Gardner is well aware of the uneasy times between Viking barbarism and Norse rule of law, just before Christianity invaded the North Sea. They form the backdrop against which Grendel plays out his story.

That educated literacy may be the book's biggest weakness, though. The Grendel myth isn't widely read these days, and Gardner's story lacks much for a reader not already familiar with it. The Saga times aren't widely familiar, either. Many readers may get a feeling like the one that says it's a pretty good joke, but you've missed the punchline.

//wiredweird

The late John Gardner was a most talented writer, filled with contradictions. He railed against the likes of Pynchon and Barth for their "excesses", while praising the more conservative style of Fowles, and yet probably his own best stuff was his adventurous experiments, such as OCTOBER LIGHT. GRENDEL, the best book ever written about existentialism, is supposed to be a devestating critique of that philosophy. Instead, the compelling tenacity of the existential view guarantees that Gardner will not soon disappear from university bookstores. Certainly one of my favorites.

Have you every heard or read the legend about the Hero Beowulf, who fought the horrible troll Grendel and saved King Hrothgar's golden meed hall?
This brilliantly written story by John Gardner tells the story a tad bit different, from Grendel's point of view. It is a lovingly humorous and warm story that makes you both laugh and feel kinship with the outcast Grendel.
John Gardner has with this book shown a misunderstood lost character not unlike Mary Shelly's Frankenstein we glimpse the monsters thoughts and inner monologue and come to love this sad character from the legendary tale.
I Highly recommend this Book!

It's not simply the BEST novel of the 20th Century, it is the single work of art that most perfectly captures the spirit of the century in so many ways. The obsession with psychology, anti-heroism, cynicism, and proof that history is written by the winners. When Beowulf was written, clearly those were mythic times when great tales of heroism were important for society. Contrast that to the darkness, anger, nihilism and altogether opposite point of view. The greatest heroic tale told from the point of view of the beast himself, only this time you root for the beast to kill as many humans as possible....Truly a work of poetry.

The novel Grendel by John Gardner is an amazing tale. Impressing and intelligent, Melancholy and enchanting, this book is definitely worth 5+ stars. I am a big fantasy reader and this kept me at the edge of my seat at all times. A fast and spectacular read. It is incredibly interesting how Gardner underlined his novel using the signs of the zodiac, every chapter represented by the corresponding zodiac sign. The world and characters Gardner creates are very unique and the poetry contained in the book is incredible. I suggest the read of this book to anybody. It does take some thinking to go through some chapters, but anyone could do it. Buy this book!

Very effective and a great read whether it's for a class or for yourself. It lets you learn to sympathize with the monster, as Mary Shelly does in Frankenstein. Grendel is best read after Beowulf, but it is not necessary to have read Beowulf before this novel. It is also interesting to note as you read this book the many examples of brothers who kill each other--Gardner himself included. If you don't know what I mean, do a quick search on him and read some biographical info. Keep in mind too that Gardner writes this novel as a refutation of the writings of his existentialist peers at the time, and look for the motifs that these feelings evoke. Quite interesting.

I have read Grendel several times and each time follow it with a second reading og Beowulf. Grendel is the Beowulf legend written from a different persective and as such, imparts a better understanding of the original. A very enjoyable read.

Grendel is the story of Beowolf from Grendels point of view. I enjoyed the story from the first sentence to the last. The main theme of the story was communication and john gardner brings up some very interesting points. The novel is an easy read and almost anyone could get some sort of understanding from it but in order to truly understand it takes some well thought out analization and pondering. anyone who has ever felt alone and scared in a world filled with people will form an almost instant bond with "the monster". The novel does a great job conveying the emotions and pictures in the story. I would recomend this book to anyone who has ever had questions about life and it's meaning.

I read this book for the 1st time when I was 12 at the suggestion of my older brother, and just loved it. I knew the myth because I just read practically all the time.

I liked that this book took the story of this big huge bumbling monster and turned that monster into an intelligent creature who was, just like most humans, only trying to figure out who he was and why he was alive. I found the philosophies and the concepts fascinating. This is an excellent book, and was very well written. I liked how John Gardner(RIP) stayed so close to the storyline of the myth, and didn't try to change it and make it all his own. Just filled out the story from Grendel's point of view. That alone must have been difficult to do, and I admire that Mr. Gardner was so successful in this case. It's a great book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves to read.

The book Grendel, written by John Gardener, tells the story of when Grendel began his life pondering all of life's mysteries. Experiencing pain, sorrow, and happiness, Grendel develops a character all his own. Slowly, as Grendel grows older, he explores more and more of his surrounding area until he finally encounters humans. As Grendel watches the trials and tribulations of the humans, he becomes more and more disgusted with the pitiful creatures until he finally wages war on Hrothgar's hall.

"Grendel" is an amazing story written from the point of view of the villain in the classic novel, "Beowulf." Written in the same medieval style as "Beowulf," "Grendel" gives the reader insight into the mind of the monster. Written by John Gardner, who was a phenomenal professor of medieval literature and ancient languages, "Grendel" is a must read for all classic literature fans.

Gardner's story retells the traditional legend from a new point of view - Grendel's own. Don't dismiss this as just another fairy tale retold, like 'Wicked.' For one thing, the 1971 copyright predates more familiar titles in that vein by several decades.

For another, it makes literate reference to real people and places, as described the Icelandic sagas. Gardner is well aware of the uneasy times between Viking barbarism and Norse rule of law, just before Christianity invaded the North Sea. They form the backdrop against which Grendel plays out his story.

That educated literacy may be the book's biggest weakness, though. The Grendel myth isn't widely read these days, and Gardner's story lacks much for a reader not already familiar with it. The Saga times aren't widely familiar, either. Many readers may get a feeling like the one that says it's a pretty good joke, but you've missed the punchline.

//wiredweird

The late John Gardner was a most talented writer, filled with contradictions. He railed against the likes of Pynchon and Barth for their "excesses", while praising the more conservative style of Fowles, and yet probably his own best stuff was his adventurous experiments, such as OCTOBER LIGHT. GRENDEL, the best book ever written about existentialism, is supposed to be a devestating critique of that philosophy. Instead, the compelling tenacity of the existential view guarantees that Gardner will not soon disappear from university bookstores. Certainly one of my favorites.

Have you every heard or read the legend about the Hero Beowulf, who fought the horrible troll Grendel and saved King Hrothgar's golden meed hall?
This brilliantly written story by John Gardner tells the story a tad bit different, from Grendel's point of view. It is a lovingly humorous and warm story that makes you both laugh and feel kinship with the outcast Grendel.
John Gardner has with this book shown a misunderstood lost character not unlike Mary Shelly's Frankenstein we glimpse the monsters thoughts and inner monologue and come to love this sad character from the legendary tale.
I Highly recommend this Book!

It's not simply the BEST novel of the 20th Century, it is the single work of art that most perfectly captures the spirit of the century in so many ways. The obsession with psychology, anti-heroism, cynicism, and proof that history is written by the winners. When Beowulf was written, clearly those were mythic times when great tales of heroism were important for society. Contrast that to the darkness, anger, nihilism and altogether opposite point of view. The greatest heroic tale told from the point of view of the beast himself, only this time you root for the beast to kill as many humans as possible....Truly a work of poetry.

The novel Grendel by John Gardner is an amazing tale. Impressing and intelligent, Melancholy and enchanting, this book is definitely worth 5+ stars. I am a big fantasy reader and this kept me at the edge of my seat at all times. A fast and spectacular read. It is incredibly interesting how Gardner underlined his novel using the signs of the zodiac, every chapter represented by the corresponding zodiac sign. The world and characters Gardner creates are very unique and the poetry contained in the book is incredible. I suggest the read of this book to anybody. It does take some thinking to go through some chapters, but anyone could do it. Buy this book!

Very effective and a great read whether it's for a class or for yourself. It lets you learn to sympathize with the monster, as Mary Shelly does in Frankenstein. Grendel is best read after Beowulf, but it is not necessary to have read Beowulf before this novel. It is also interesting to note as you read this book the many examples of brothers who kill each other--Gardner himself included. If you don't know what I mean, do a quick search on him and read some biographical info. Keep in mind too that Gardner writes this novel as a refutation of the writings of his existentialist peers at the time, and look for the motifs that these feelings evoke. Quite interesting.

I have read Grendel several times and each time follow it with a second reading og Beowulf. Grendel is the Beowulf legend written from a different persective and as such, imparts a better understanding of the original. A very enjoyable read.

Grendel is the story of Beowolf from Grendels point of view. I enjoyed the story from the first sentence to the last. The main theme of the story was communication and john gardner brings up some very interesting points. The novel is an easy read and almost anyone could get some sort of understanding from it but in order to truly understand it takes some well thought out analization and pondering. anyone who has ever felt alone and scared in a world filled with people will form an almost instant bond with "the monster". The novel does a great job conveying the emotions and pictures in the story. I would recomend this book to anyone who has ever had questions about life and it's meaning.

Grendel, the most terrifying beast in English literature, now has the chance to tell what really happened when he terrorized the land, when really only trying to make some friends. John Gardner's Grendel is a very well written novel. He does an excellent of making the reader see what happens through Grendel's point of view. The novel portrays what makes the people/ animals in the ancient story Beowulf who they are. It also shows insight into why people do what they do and how they act. By telling the story from Grendel's perceptive, we the readers are allowed to see human nature in a different light from the one we are used to. I really enjoyed this novel and could relate to what Grendel was feeling even though he was not human. I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a book with action, fighting, scheming, and misunderstanding. The diction is not hard to read but it does deal with some universal topics.

I'm not going to give you some long explanation about this book, its plot and every little metaphor in it. We recently read an excerpt from it in my 12th grade English class (our school couldn't afford the actual book), and I really enjoyed it. If you hated the format of Beowulf, but maybe liked the story, then this is for you. It gets into the mind of the monster, Grendel, who sees and observes everything in human life. Instead of Beowulf's Old English format, this is written in actual book form, easy to read and understand. I like getting to know Grendel better, it leads to a sense of sadness for him when he meets his demise.

This book is a recognized modern classic based on what mortals have learned of in the past 30 years about manageable insanity or perhaps the criminally insane.

This presents an entertaining alternative perspective from Grendel the beast, his thoughtful enlightenment, enraged by the joy of man, driven forward by fate to the concluding encounter with the Geat's greatest warrior Beowulf. Grendel the loner, the faithful son, is an insane beast tamed by the lyrics of the storyteller poet, driven by lust or fate to unending torment of the viking king and his subjects.

Grendel plays with his food, and seems near immortal, always hungry for fresh meat and understanding of why he exists.

This book is a relentless page turner, and the reader is best prepared if he is familiar with the epic itself. It is a disturbing vista into the depths of places we hope to never venture. For mature readers only. Others may not understand why one would bother to spend the time.

Beowulf is a story of our cultural archetypes. The glory and heroism of Beowulf's triumph over Grendel is a classic tale of the supremacy of the virtuous man. Yet Gardner in "Grendel" gives us the view from the creature's perspective. Grendel finally tells his side of the story: of his misunderstood attempts at friendship; of his captivity in his mythical role; of his disdain for his roots. Gardner tells the story of Grendel's world, and we are made to feel the eyes of the Dragon upon us as we move toward our destiny.

I was so excited when I saw this book at the library. I thought the concept of the story seen from Grendel's eyes was a fascinating one. But, I was unable to get into the story after 2 chapters. I'm not sure why, but the author was unable to connect with me and make me care about this Grendel...well, how do you care for a troll you might ask...well, I didn't even dislike him enough to keep going...does that make it clearer? Again, not sure why it didn't grab me. I wish it had.

In Grendel, Gardner develops the monster from the Beowulf story, a monster that is wrecked and oedipal, an "I" seeing only "Its," an unredeemed scion of Cain as complex as Frankenstein or Dracula. Anyone with an interest in the origins of English literature will recognize the scenery, and philosophy lovers and science-fiction readers will appreciate the Dragon. There's also wicked humor and reflections on the nature of reality and mythmaking. This book is one of the great `new' classics.

This novel not only provides an alternative viewpoint for the Beowulf epic, but is a brilliant experiment in style and structure. Each of the twelve chapters represents a different school of Western philosophy, showing how each is applied and contributes to the Grendel character. The chapters also each represent a sign of the zodiac and the implications thereof. Gardner often changes styles within the book, effectively exhibiting the change of the Grendel character. Defenitely a worthwhile read.

Grendel of Beowulf fame observes man's practices
and conduct. Grendel's reflections convey a dishearting summation of man's character and his mental processes. Intellectually presented with philosophical insights,John Gardner weaves in the legend of Grendel"s exploits to add alacrity to the profundity. A thought provoking romp of pitting beast against "beast", and without bias, the reader wouldn't know who to cheer. If you prefer books with impact,then put on a helmet for this mind jostler.

Sit down, little children.

Let me tell you a story about a sad, sexy dragon. Named Grendel.

A long time ago, this dragon was searching for love and money in the usual ways. Reality shows. Casinoz. Bars. But then he found his true calling. Drag'n-o-sity.

Grendel decided to accentuate his drag'nized qualitais by picking a fight. With a hairy mushroom. Named Beowulff.

This is the high.middle.andlow point of the nov'l. It's scand'l in Scand'lnavia. Where the days are cold And the nights. Are steaming.

Have I convinced you dearies?

I sure hope. so.

Bye

this book is awesome! i have read it more than 4 times and each time it gets a little bit better and i understand more and more. Grendel is a violent, sadistic character who has occasional outbursts of insanity. i fell in love with Grendel at first read. this book is graphic, bloody, and funny. i recommend it to anyone, in fact im doing a book report on it. if anyone likes gory novels, this is for you.

Grendel is a wonderful novel written by John Gardner. It takes on a point of view of the monster Grendel from the Beowulf epic. It starts before Grendel meets man and tells the relationship between Grendel, men, and nature. There is a lot of symbolism of our flaws in our everyday lives, religion, and communication. This is a good novel for anyone who is ever having questions about life and what we represent in life.

I've read this now at the age of 41, first having read it at the age of 15 and once in the 80's. In between I read parts of it at University. It is one of the great books written by an American novelist, full stop. The prose is superbly crafted, sparkling, sparking life into an amazing epic and ancient tale.

This book is no mere book. This is thee bible of the chaote. A model of reality in it's finest and exsquisite interplay. No need to read Beowulf or what not. Grendel is thee monster ov all. Grendel is the demonic twin of thee angel and WE are the adoptive son of thee Dragon. Grendel is Awesome.

Grendel is a wonderful, novel that proves John Gardner is a genius of an author. The viewpoint is that of Grendel, the monster which was slain by Beowulf. But to cut to the chase Gardner uses this novel to show the stupidity of nihilism, soloptism, government . . haha . . just read it carefully and pick up on all that gardner manages to parody.

After reading Beowulf on of my professors talked about this book. After tracking it down and reading through it, many times. I have found that it way surpases the original. I knew what would happen. But I prayed that Gardner had changed the eventual decline of Grendel. A great read and a great time. Sad and beautiful.

I found this novel funny and enlightening. I loved the monster's humor and the role the Shaper has in setting him straight. This is a wonderfully told story that will keep you entertained and make you think a little.

Grendel is one of the best "monster" storybooks that I have ever read. The theme, all men possess evil, ties to the story very well.
Grendel starts right when Beowulf arrives and Grendel looks back on his past. He has been attacking Hrothgar's kingdom for 12 years when the story picks up.
Grendel puts the reader into the monster's shoes, not Beowulf's. We understand why Grendel acts the way he does and we see the world as he sees it. We think that it is the poor humans who are the ones that have suffered, but it is their fault that Grendel is always on a rampage. It is the humans who taught him to kill and to act violent.
Grendel's first encounter with the humans is disastrous. He gets his foot caught in a tree root and the humans mistreat him. At first they are friendly until he tries to speak, then they begin to shower him with swords and spears.
His second encounter was when he tried to bring a human body back, which had been slain by someone in Hrothgar's own kingdom. He wanted to give it to them so that they could bury it. He did not mean any harm but was attacked right away.
Grendel also learned all of his cuss words from the humans. He has listened to the humans and heard what they had said. Their speech influenced what he said.
Grendel, confused about humans and the world around him, goes and meets the dragon. He doesn't understand why humans make war and ravage. He says, "He can see mead halls on fire every night." The dragon fills him with propaganda, which influences him to start his 12-year killing streak. He also starts it because he is along in an indifferent universe in which he encounters humans and the Dragon.
A shaper, a singer, comes to Hrothgar's kingdom. Grendel is at first impressed with him, but he eventually grows tired of him. He does not kill him though. The Shaper sings of Kane and Able, which puts disgust into Grendel's heart, since Grendel is symbolic of evil (hatred, jealousy, treachery, etc.)
Grendel attacks the mead hall often. He loves the taste of blood and the feeling of being in control. He "snaps the door like a twig" every time he enters. Hrothgar's kingdom is falling apart until Beowulf arrives. Beowulf penetrates Grendel's invincible shield and kills him.
Grendel is a very good book. I recommend it to readers 10 and up (blood, violence). If you want to see that humans are not always the good guys and that we all possess evil, read Grendel.

Grendel is a short book that is a rapid, tension filled read with a great plot and superb mystery. It is about a large bearlike monster, has spent the last twelve years locked in a war against a band of humans. The main action of Grendel takes place in the last year of that war but it keeps jumping back and forth to illuminate Grendel's personal history to the conflict. Grendel lives with his mother in a cave on the outskirts of human civilization. He becomes fascinated with the world of men, watching from a safe distance as mankind evolves from a nomadic, tribal culture into a medieval system with roads, governments, and militaries. In the winter of the final year of the war, fifteen strangers arrive from over the sea and their leader is Beowulf, who has come to rid the Scyldings of Grendel. When the fall asleep that night, Grendel attacks! Beowulf manages to surprise Grendel and creatively rips off Grendel's arm off at the shoulder. Grendel runs off into the night and is last seen at a top of a cliff staring down into its dark, murky depths.

In my opinion, Grendel is unlike any other novel I have ever read. I was drawn to it largely because of its controversy and found a justly famous novel that was, nonetheless, deeply disturbing. The novel works because it thrusts the reader into a completely outlandish mind. John Gardner's Grendel is a self-absorbed devil but he has psychological depth, which is the book's greatest strength. I found myself really unnerved when I began to understand what Grendel was thinking. And after the feeling of shock wore off, I felt amazed at the author's ability. Gardner gives us an utter monster and made us understand him, and that is what makes this a great book and I would highly suggest this to everyone.

This book, like others before it (such as Ishmael) has attempted to use modern literature as a guise to pass on its author's nihilistic and/or otherwise incoherent religious beliefs. I cannot stand that. It does earn points, however, for its completely original style of writing. It also has some pretty gory scenes (such as people's arms getting ripped off) which, in my book, gets a star or two. Other than these two things, the book is completely worthless. Not even the plot is original. It is a twist on a medieval folk tale.

This is a strange little book--not at all what I expected. Once I accepted the definitely non-epic style, it was sometimes entertaining. To teachers, I would say that you couldn't put this book into classroom libraries in more conservative schools. Not that most kids would want to read it anyway.

Because I took this girl out last week on like a friend-of-a-friend sort of blind-date set-up thing. I tried pretty hard, put on a button up and went to a nice sit down place. But all the way through dinner all this girl can talk about how much she loves John Gardner's grundle.

Now, Dear Abby I ain't, but this isn't exactly my idea of appropriate first date chit chat. So thanks, I told her, but no thanks and I got right out of there. I'm sure you'll be very happy with whatever you got cooking, but count me out.

Imagine my surprise when I googled the guy and it turned out she was talking about this groundbreaking and highly influential book! You could even say that the real monster was me. Ironic.

I read this book for my 12th grade English class and all I have to say about the book is it made as much sence as a 3 dollar hooker charging 2 dollars. It's all about different ways of thinking such as idealism and reaalism ect. I just don't think it was a good book because it just wasn't holding my attention; I guess because I didn't understand it. I would recomend this book for a rocket scientist or poet, but not for a regular, average guy like myself.

Like OMG Grendel takes my breath away! I was forced to read it by my english teacher but WOW it changed my life. I realize that life now has meaning. I was so inspired by the book that I have decided to devote the rest of my life to making an accurate depiction of the book by film. I have just decided that the starring role of Grendel is going to be played by up and coming actress,Brianna Grinnell. Please see the movie when it comes out and LONG LIVE GRENDEL!

Well written, depressing, and ultimately boring story of postmodern nihilism. The theme is that life is meaningless and achievement of values is impossible. Those who attempt to gain value in life or to act virtuously are fools or liars, and are to be despised more than the ordinary wretched people who recognize that depravity and misery is all they can achieve.

Conveys the Existentialist view that men have choices, but that they are ineffective and arbitrary. Along the way the reader is given some insights into human behavior and some aspects of the role of art works, but this is not balanced by human benevolence and the influence of reason.

I read this book for class after reading Beowulf, which I surprisingly enjoyed. This book focuses on the monster from the original poem, Grendel. While I liked the fact that the character was developed more and made sympathetic, the structure of the book was a little strange. I also felt like sometimes I was missing was the author was trying to say. I think this is quite problematic since the book is marketed to a young adult audience and I'm out of that age group. I would only recommend reading this if you read Beowulf and want a different perspective, otherwise, leave it.

Reading this was like swimming upstream with snow pants, boots, and a very bulky coat on. Nonflowing and utterly boring. Basically felt like the writer was totally burnt out and this was their final for their creative writing class at the community college. Could never be considered a work of art unless the authors name was actually 'Art', which its not. Read something else.

I tried and tried to get into this to no avail. Maybe if I read it years ago, immediately after reading 'Beowulf', it would have captured me. But reading it years after that, I just found it unimpressive.

Blech. I REALLY didn't liked this book. I've had it since my junior year of high school, from when we read Beowulf (Signet Classics) and I think I bought it to read for extra credit, or because I had genuinely liked Beowulf (Signet Classics)... but I never got around to reading this book. We rented the movie Beowulf and afterward, I decided to pull this book off the shelf. I found it to be very boring... so boring, in fact that I almost didn't finish it. Maybe if I had read Beowulf (Signet Classics) more recently... well, I don't know, but really, it was boring! It was hard to get involved in the story and mostly all it made me want to do was to pull Beowulf (Signet Classics) off the shelf and read that instead!

This book is a recognized modern classic based on what mortals have learned of in the past 30 years about manageable insanity or perhaps the criminally insane.

This presents an entertaining alternative perspective from Grendel the beast, his thoughtful enlightenment, enraged by the joy of man, driven forward by fate to the concluding encounter with the Geat's greatest warrior Beowulf. Grendel the loner, the faithful son, is an insane beast tamed by the lyrics of the storyteller poet, driven by lust or fate to unending torment of the viking king and his subjects.

Grendel plays with his food, and seems near immortal, always hungry for fresh meat and understanding of why he exists.

This book is a relentless page turner, and the reader is best prepared if he is familiar with the epic itself. It is a disturbing vista into the depths of places we hope to never venture. For mature readers only. Others may not understand why one would bother to spend the time.

Maybe this made more sense in the 70s. That's the only excuse I can think of for this pitiful mess of a book. Its best feature is that it's short and it ends soon. Gardner takes the ur-monster story known as Beowulf and...well, he doesn't really do much with it, does he? The book is hawked as Beowulf told from the monster's point of view, but that's tremendously misleading. This self-pitying existentialistic rant could come from just about anyone in any period. The depth, the majesty, the tone, the art of Beowulf is reduced to mere set dressing. Anyone looking to understand Grendel's motivation, his origins or why he acts like a monster will find no answers here. Instead, we have a long and stylistically warped stream-of-consciousness rant that can be summed up as a single, tired cliché: "The world is a big, lonely and scary place and I don't understand where I fit in it. That's why I'm evil." This is the epitome of teen (or perhaps 1970's English major student) angst and it's bulls**t whether it comes from a sullen teen or a savage beast.

We learn nothing about WHY Grendel does what he does. He's angst ridden for no good reason that we are shown. He has suffered no horrific trauma as a child that we can see. He hasn't even been attacked by the humans who share his environment. So why does he go back to the longhouse night after night to kill men and torment Hrothgar? Well, because, like, he can. And he's bored, and stuff. Or something. Grendel, the ferocious horror who has been the engine behind every other monster in English literary history is here reduced to a whiny teenager sullenly breaking windows "'cause he ain't got nothin' better to do, man." It's a relief when Beowulf finally rips his arm off while he whines pathetically for his mommy.

Looking back at this, I may have actually given you the impression that this is somehow interesting. And you know, it could have been. Portraying Grendel as a whiny, misunderstood teenager might have been intriguing, but that's not what Gardner does. We don't get an image of Grendel as a misunderstood and tormented creature - we get him as a whiny psychopath. And not a particularly scary one, either. Wading through the pages and pages of his pathetic whining is not in any way enlightening. Maybe it was supposed be 'edgy' and 'radical' back in the 70s, but now it just comes across as tired and pathetic.

Of course, this is only one of Gardner's crimes against Beowulf. There are many others. One is the horrific attempts at stylistic diversity. Sometimes Grendel talks to himself, sometimes he lapses into flashbacks and sometimes the book segues wildly into a very bad attempt to emulate the heroic sagas in verse. Why is this done? Damned if I know - it doesn't do a single thing to advance the story or the characters in any meaningful way. Gardner also adds the character of the Dragon for no particular reason. What value is added by the nihilistic, semi-coherent 1st-year-philosophy-student ramblings of this creature are a complete mystery to me. His sole purpose in this story appears to be his magical gift of making Grendel immune to weapons. It is never explained why he does this, how he does this, when he does this or why we should care. Was this just a convenient deus ex machina Gardner threw in to make Grendel's weapons immunity somehow more believable? By the time it comes up, the reader neither knows nor cares.

Finally, Gardner simply ruins Grendel's mother. This creature was the true horror in Beowulf, the vastly more powerful, vicious and evil monster the hero needed to overcome. She paved the way for millions of tales in which our heroes thought they had defeated the monster only to find out that the challenge was just beginning. In Beowulf Grendel loomed large as the evil presence known to most men, but Grendel's mother was the true horror that only the greatest hero dared to confront, let alone acknowledge. But in this book? Gardner reduces her to a blubbering, senile and ineffectual creature sleeping her way into decrepitude. Grendel scorns her and regards her with contempt. Of course, the story is told from his point of view, so we never see her in action - Grendel dies before she exacts her revenge. Again, another point that could have been interesting, but Gardner drops the ball once more.

So, what can be said about this mishmash of philosophical blather, whiny deranged protagonists and stylistic mistakes? Well, I always try to start my reviews positively, so I'll repeat what I said above: maybe it all made more sense in the 70s. But I doubt it. This is a hackneyed attempt to tell Grendel's story that comes off as revoltingly pretentious. It's been done better by better writers many times - go read one of those stories and avoid this dreck.

I bought this book after reading Beowulf. I must say I like that one better than Grendel. This is an interesting point of view from Grendel. I now have a better understanding on what his life was like and really what any other beast or wild animal's life is like. It was just hard for me to sit and read through the whole thing. It got a little boring at times.

After reading BEOWULF! for my Old English class, my prof. recommended that I look into reading "Grendel." Grendel was after all my favorite of the three principle monsters within BEOWULF!and really of the entire epic. I loved the idea of some cruel monster driven to anger by the sound of music. To give you an idea of how much love I had for the big guy, when my friends and I were naming our cars (after various norse legends natch) guess what my car was named. Grendel the Pilot, baby. Fast forward two years later where I actually read the John Gardner's Grendel.

Ugh. UGH!

With every page I turned, my soul died a little. I watched as the great cruel behemoth was stripped of all dignity and replaced with a mewling kitten thrust into a world of feet grabbing trees, descriptions of ram balls, and disturbing Freudian imagery. God did he love to go on about "his mother's cave" and how he wanted to explore every inch of it. Thank you for that Gardner. So yeah, I hated it. Hated it as much as a man can hate a book. I think it may be the biggest disapointment of my literary career. And I've read parts of "Left Behind." ZING!

The worst part though is that I understood what Gardner was going for. He wanted to show the whole dichotomy between man and monster, by making humans the more monstrous and "don't chase monsters lest you become one schtick." Why I couldn't understand though was, why Grendel? Grendel was awesome on his own. He didn't need an angsty reason to be a jerk. He was already an awesome concept. He was the antithesis to the joy found in music. He represented a cruel and old-world-like evil. You didn't need to make him a Nietzsche fanboy. This thing didn't have to exist.

So due to this piece, I disregarded John Gardner as a complete idiot. A moron. An inept hack. The worst kind of author. One who has gained notoriety through some kind of fluke. John Gardner became a swear word within my group of friends, something only to be braught up so one could watch me rage against, "That idiot who probably didn't even read the source material!"

It wasn't until later that I learned that the man was actually a scholor when it came to BEOWULF! It was one of his most intense studies and the work itself was sort of an obsession. So why? Why did he destroy the name of Grendel if he loved the work so much?

It was then that I realized what John Gardner's "Grendel" actually was. An experiment. A little literary adventure from a supposedly skilled author, who decided to combine his favorite story with his favorite soapbox, and came out with...this. Oh people ate it up of course. Just look at the rating system on this very site no doubt those are all of his fans, here to establish that yes, they're boy Gardner was a genius.

As for me though?

This destroyed Gardner for me. Utterly destroyed any ounce of credibility the man might have had. I fully admit that this is a faulty reason to hate him. I do not care though. This was his first impression for me, and it was a terrible performance. I'm not going to give him any more chances. He violated something sacred to me and so I have decided to pretend the idiot doesn't exist and hope he disapears into the sands of time never to be seen again. If you have any interest in John Gardner, you should probably start on something else. I hear his critiques are good. Then once you've built up a respect for the man, then read this. You may enjoy it. Speaking as someone who had no respect for him before reading him, I can honestly say that I have never felt this great amount of hate for a fellow author. Ever. In my life.

And this wretched book is the sole reason.

I thought this book would be kinda cool to read since I'm a big fan of Beowulf and have read it several times. Man was I wrong. The writing is terrible. Grendel isn't a monster, he's a cry baby. A story from the "other perspective" has so much potential, but this author didn't use any of it. After reading this book, I wondered if John Gardner read Beowulf at all.

While the idea of reading Beowulf from the point of view of the monster, Grendel, is intriguing, this book is a phenomenal disappointment. Both childishly written (yes, I've heard the theory that the author intended this)and grossly modernized, "Grendel" is worthy only of a toss in the nearest garbage can.

Grendel, the most terrifying beast in English literature, now has the chance to tell what really happened when he terrorized the land, when really only trying to make some friends. John Gardner's Grendel is a very well written novel. He does an excellent of making the reader see what happens through Grendel's point of view. The novel portrays what makes the people/ animals in the ancient story Beowulf who they are. It also shows insight into why people do what they do and how they act. By telling the story from Grendel's perceptive, we the readers are allowed to see human nature in a different light from the one we are used to. I really enjoyed this novel and could relate to what Grendel was feeling even though he was not human. I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a book with action, fighting, scheming, and misunderstanding. The diction is not hard to read but it does deal with some universal topics.

ok this book is just too weird for me too read. i never knew it would be so gruesome. i can't believe i pick this book for summer readin book for skool. well, let just say that i hope i pass this test.

Utterly disappointing I wasted 5 hours of my life reading this book. It is just repeated stuff. Grendel's feelings and other things stated in the book are so inconsistent to the original Beowulf legend. It was so dragged on. You can read the first chapter and skip to the last and not have missed anything at all, you would get the same effect.

Marvelous. Written almost 30 years ago, Grendel by John Gardner has lost none of its nihilistic punch. Exposed to the novel half of those 30 years ago I had to experience it again after reading the critically lauded Seamus Heaney version of Beowulf. Greeting me once more were meditations on the dark existential void, religion, politics, and science by a creature, not too unlike us in our fears and hopes, who continued to strive to make sense of the universe and his place in it. Alternating between the sublime Orwellian double-talk of the minstrel Shaper and the cold, condescendingly bleak philosophy of the Dragon, Grendel struggles for meaning. Told that his life and energies exist only for man to define himself against, he finds small consolation. Still, Grendel throws himself on the mercy of the men in a Frankenstein's monster effort to be accepted... to no avail, deciding after that `why should I not' destroy them . At times darkly humourous, and touching, the creature muses on the beauty of Hrothgar's placid, sacrificing wife before attempting to kill her, and plays with the fallen hero Unferth before Beowulf's arrival. As those familiar with the epic know, Beowulf in the original poem arrives from across the sea to save Hrothgar's hall by doing battle with Grendel, his mother, and eventually the Dragon. Grendel senses Beowulf's arrival and marvels at the concept of fear. Familiarity with the story makes the inevitability of the conflict all the more delicious when Grendel finally realizes his purpose and observes `I cannot believe such monstrous energy of grief would lead to nothing' the reader is left to answer that it did not lead to nothing, it was a necessary component in an incredible story, told from the historical antagonist's point of view. Highly recommended to be read along with Beowulf.