Essential Asatru vs Rhinegold: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Germanic Mythology, Norse Mythology
Essential Asatru
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In Essential Asatru, renowned author and priestess Diana Paxson demystifies an ancient, rich, and often misunderstood religion, and offers a practical guide for its modern followers.  A Journey to Fulfillment and…
Rhinegold
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Attila’s Treasures continues the story of Hagen from Grundy’s earlier novel Rhinegold, as he is taken as a prisoner by a group of nomadic Huns.
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Essential Asatru is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 16 for Rhinegold.
- Essential Asatru has the widest readership — 823 ratings behind its score.
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Scores by source
| Essential Asatru | Rhinegold | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (823) | — |
| Hardcover | 3.0 (3) | 4.0 (3) |
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Reception
| Essential Asatru | Rhinegold | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 823 | 3 |
| Editions | 2 | 5 |
| Film adaptations | — | 1 |
| Want to read | 1397 | — |
| Reading it now | 137 | — |
| Written reviews | 68 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | — | 184 |
| Pages | 214 | 875 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Essential Asatru or Rhinegold?
Essential Asatru has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Essential Asatru 3.9/5, Rhinegold 3.8/5).
Which is shorter to read: Essential Asatru or Rhinegold?
Essential Asatru is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Essential Asatru (214 pages, ≈ 3 h 58 m); Rhinegold (875 pages, ≈ 16 h 12 m).
Which is harder to read: Essential Asatru or Rhinegold?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Essential Asatru: Moderate; Rhinegold: Moderate.