Spenser's The Faerie Queene is one of the masterpieces of English poetry, and certainly part of the literary pedigree that culminated in Tolkien. However, the original text is very difficult to follow for modern readers because of the archaic language and spelling. To the rescue comes Mary Macleod. Her late Victorian retelling in straightforward modern English allows one to plow through Spenser's intricate and allegorical plot. If you are planning to read the Faerie Queene, or want to understand the narrative but don't have the time or patience to tangle with an epic poem in early modern...