Why did you write this book in particular?
This is the book I wanted to read 25 years ago, but it didn’t exist. I imagined a world in which Norse mythology was more than just the basis for epic stories. I wanted to see what a future might look like if the world had been formed as described in the old stories, and one tale in particular: Voluspa, which is part of the Poetic Edda, highlights the mythic beginnings of the world. I fantasized about what the world would look like with those beginnings, and projected that into the future.
How did you become interested in the topic?
Like any kid, I was fascinated by adventure. That included hard-boiled survival stories by the likes of Farley Mowat. Fantasy was also a big influence, starting with the Arthurian myths and continuing with the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, which is where I discovered the Runes. That lead me to Norse Mythology, which Tolkien borrowed from heavily. I’ve since written several non-fiction books on Norse Mythology and Norse culture. Then, because I was also fascinated by science and technology, I began reading science fiction. Vern, Heinlein and Asimov were some of my early influences. So, I wanted to write stories that had a sweeping epic feel, had Norse DNA, and were set in a future world.
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