If you’ve been a fan of mine for some time, I’d wager you probably know I take quite a bit from myths and legends. It’s not surprising to see werewolves and vampires in an urban fantasy. But what about the gods and the creatures, such as the Jotun? Well, in the next several posts, I’m going to give you insight into my crazy world and what I’ve borrowed and from where.
Norse Legends
Not surprisingly, I take from the Norse and Viking legends. The Norse had some pretty cool ideas when it came to their pantheon and the landvaettr (land spirits) that inhabited their world. The Norse had their own version of zombies, vampires, and yes, even werewolves, so I tried to blend that into my writings to provide richness in that particular world. If you’re a fan of the Marvel comics, you know that Jotun are giants. In the myths, Jotun could be frost giants, fire giants, or something else. I tried very hard with Winter of Our Discontent and Oathbreaker to add these creatures to the story and make them believable. You’ve already seen Eir, Loki, Odin, Thor, and Tyr, not to mention Fenrir and Jormungandr, so I figure that’s pretty well covered.
What About the Christian Side?
I’ve decided to add the archangels and demons (not to be confused with Tuzren, the daemon) to the mix because Christianity has its own rich lore. I decided that dealing with the Watchers and the Angels gives me enough to work with without adding Yahweh and Jesus to the story. Sure, the Christian god is part of people’s faith, which is why I keep the story focused on the angels and demons. I figure the Christian god has enough to do without worrying about what our hero, Ironspell, is doing. Plus, he’s got angels to handle the tasks at hand.
What About Other Pantheons?
I’ll probably be adding more pantheons as the series progresses. The Roman/Greek gods are always interesting, and probably the best known. But there are Celtic gods, Slavic gods, Hindu gods, Native American gods, and Egyptian gods. I suspect I’ll be bringing those in as the stories progress. After all, there are plenty of rich tales in that folklore.
I’m hoping to give a little background in some of the legends I use right here as the books come out. Anyway, be free to ask questions in the comments.
