Beowulf: a Modern Prose Translation

A hero. A monster. A battle that will echo through the ages.For twelve years, the monster Grendel has haunted the great mead-hall of Heorot, slaughtering Danish warriors as they sleep. No weapon can pierce his hide. No hero has been able to stop him. King Hrothgar’s magnificent palace stands empty, cursed by terror and bloodshed.Then Beowulf arrives from across the sea: a warrior seeking glory, armed with nothing but his bare hands and unshakable courage. What follows is an epic confrontation between man and monster, a battle so fierce it threatens to tear Heorot apart.But Grendel’s death is only the beginning. Vengeance stirs in the dark waters where his mother dwells, and her fury will demand an even deadlier reckoning. Decades later, when Beowulf has become a legendary king, he will face his final test: a fire-breathing dragon guarding a cursed treasure, and a choice between the safety of his people and the glory that has defined his life.The oldest epic in English literature, retold for modern readers.This prose translation transforms Beowulf from archaic verse into vivid, accessible prose while preserving every character, event, and detail from the original Old English poem. The story flows like a contemporary novel, yet retains the distinctive poetic compounds (called “kennings”) that make the epic unforgettable: treasure-givers and sword-hatred, ring-princes and fire-serpents, battle-clear voices and blood-soaked halls.Experience the legend as never before: immediate, powerful, and impossible to put down. Perfect for readers discovering Beowulf for the first time and those returning to rediscover why this tale of heroism, monsters, and mortality has captivated audiences for over a thousand years.