Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Broken Sword  By  cover art

The Broken Sword

By: Poul Anderson
Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.22

Buy for $13.22

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Thor has broken the sword Tyrfing so that it cannot strike at the roots of Yggdrasil, the tree that binds together earth, heaven, and hell. But now the mighty sword is needed again to save the elves in their war against the trolls, and only Skafloc, a human child kidnapped and raised by the elves, can hope to persuade Bölverk the ice-giant to make Tyrfing whole again. But Skafloc must also confront his shadow self, Valgard the changeling, who has taken his place in the world of men.

©1954 Poul Anderson (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Broken Sword

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    515
  • 4 Stars
    279
  • 3 Stars
    139
  • 2 Stars
    51
  • 1 Stars
    30
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    636
  • 4 Stars
    184
  • 3 Stars
    71
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    14
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    453
  • 4 Stars
    234
  • 3 Stars
    150
  • 2 Stars
    42
  • 1 Stars
    33

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

If you like beowulf...

Old English style. If you like beowulf you'll probably like this story... pantheon melodramatic characters and weird story telling. The narrator really likes pronouncing the H in wh words, whipped, when ect. I would not have bought it personally since not a fan of the style of writing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book.

The story was beautiful and poetic, and the performance was brilliant. At times I enjoyed the syntax as much as the story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Shocked! Vikings meets Lotr meets Romeo and Juliet

I was skeptical at first. I thought this would be a lax plot. it was not. what a story. I'm loving the performance!!

you will not want to put this down. if you're a fan of mythology, Vikings, and other fantasy elements. this is the book for you!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely fantastic!

I came across this book by accident and I haven't had a happier accident! I absolutely adored it. The narration was superb of course. I love Bronson Pinchot. Fantastic story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully worded story. Well narrated.

Would highly recommend to anyone who loves a beautifully worded story. I enjoyed the narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fey & Vikings!

What more is there to say? This mixes Norse mythology with elves of the British Isles. It’s strange and beautiful and sad and I love it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The Broken Sword

Battle scenes were good.
I am not quite sure of why but I have yet to get to the end.
Sorry Poul.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hidden epic

Just finished audio book - The Broken Sword. Enjoyed it. Took a while to get used to the flowery prose but then it greatly enhanced the narration. Good mix of fantasy & mythologies. Narration by B Pinchot worked well with style of book. Definitely recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Masterful

Almost leaves me speechless. As I near the last few chapters of Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword a part of me feels the power of this tale, its magic and knowledge of the old ways. That it was published the same year as Tolkien's trilogy matters not, for in its pages sings the ancient Nordic spirit that Tolkien never reached. Even the tension between the Heathen themes and the Christian that play under the darkening layers of incest turn bitter in my mind. Poul understood the broken world of that ancient worldview like few others of fantasy-history. He'd go on to write a trilogy of Sagas based on the Nordic Sagas later on which only deepen his knowledge of and the depth of spirit of the ancient peoples of the North.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic fantasy

The Broken Sword is a very important classic work of fantasy often forgotten even as it was praised by writers like Moorcock. This audiobook is excellent the reader did a great job.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!