Welcome to CHAPTER 83 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Hodr, the son of Odin and Frigg.

We were last with Hodr in Ch 80, which showed him arriving in Gladsheim with the smith Lopt. You’ll recall that Hodr has gone to Gladsheim to speak with Odin about two relationships: Hodr’s dalliance with Alara and the fruit of Yggdrasil, which prolongs his life.

Let’s rejoin Hodr now.

I used Google Gemini to create this week's episode art. It is an approximation of Gladsheim's Great Hall.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 82 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Frigg, the wife of Odin and Almother of Gladsheim.

As readers we’ve learned quite a bit more than Frigg has since we last saw her in Chapter 77.

And yet Frigg has learned a few things, too. First, through her visions she believes that her son Baldr’s life is threatened. Frigg and Odin learned that the mistletoe in which they’d hidden Baldr’s spirit—this is what makes him invulnerable—was vandalized and taken.

Frigg believes that the witch Yelena was responsible for doing that. But she doesn’t know why or if Yelena was acting under her own initiative…for some reason…or another’s. Frigg, and Odin, also believe that Loki and perhaps Angrboda are involved in the plot on Baldr’s life. Odin left to summon Angrboda’s spirit and get answers. We know how that went — Odin was cursed by Angrboda and we last saw him wandering off into the wild forest near the Gjoll.

We also know, from much earlier chapters, that Loki does intend to murder Baldr during Midwinter and that the Jotunn plan to attack Gladsheim about a month after Midwinter. However, Angrboda told Odin that Hodr would be the one to kill Baldr. So there’s some confusion here as to what will actually happen.

With that short summary out of the way, let’s rejoin Frigg.

I used Google Gemini to create this episode's art. It is an approximation of Gladsheim.

You can find me online at: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matt-Bishop/author/B073NK4HDC

The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 81 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Vidar Odinsson. We last saw Vidar in Ch 79 where he, and his warband, got their asses kicked first by a pack of snow bears and then the snow bear matron.

If you recall, Vidar’s second-in-command, Garilon, suspected that the snow bears were dominated by Jotunn shaman. As readers, we know this is what happened because way back in Ch 33 we were with Vafthrudnir when he, the shaman Kali, were with the warband Helveg when those snow bears were dominated.

Let’s rejoin Vidar now.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 80 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with blind Hodr Odinsson for a very short chapter. We last saw Hodr in Ch 70 as he traveled back to Gladsheim in the company of the smith, Lopt. The smith had given Hodr a magic spear which unexpectedly restored Hodr’s sight…at least to an extent. Lopt is the one whose horse trampled Hodr — and would’ve killed him had Hodr not eaten Yggdrasil’s fruit.

Hodr has returned to Gladsheim to patch things up with his father. Hodr also wants to marry a woman named Alara. Alara does not want to eat Yggdrasil’s fruit…and Hodr’s not sure if he wants to give that fruit up for Alara. So, he has a decision to make.

Let’s rejoin him now.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 79 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Vidar Odinsson. We last saw Vidar in Ch 74 when he and his small warband, having emerged from the magical doorway the Jotunn used to attack Hals, explored the surrounding area and surveilled unknown Jotunn activities at a frozen lake in a remote part of Utgard.

Readers know what the Jotunn are doing — they are taking Jotunn, who’d been magically preserved in a way we weren’t told — out of that frozen lake and then bringing them into a stone-home inside the cliff near the lake where they are awakened. Those Jotunn warriors will form the backbone of the army that will attack Gladsheim after Midwinter…and after Loki kills Baldr. Readers have learned all of this through the viewpoints of Loki and Vafthrudnir.

In Ch 74, Vidar couldn’t get close enough to see what the Jotunn were doing at the lake. He also believes that his presence was discovered by Jotunn shamans.

So with that short summary, let’s rejoin Vidar.

I used Google Gemini to create the art for this episode. I didn't go crazy with the prompting.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 78 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Odin who, the last time we saw him, had taken the shape of a dead man named Wayfarer. Odin took this disguise so that the dead witch Angrboda, whom he summoned, would not recognize him — because she hates Odin for what he did to her and her children. Odin wants to speak with Angrboda because he believes she might know and perhaps be directly involved in what is happening to Baldr. Remember that Baldr cannot be hurt because his spirit was placed in mistletoe and hidden. But, someone had found that mistletoe and cut out its heart which is why Baldr is having those deathly dreams. Frigg is also having visions of a dead Baldr speaking to her from a burning ship.

In the last chapter, the Wayfarer and Yelena struck a deal — he would tell her the story of his death. In return, she would truthfully answer his questions regarding Baldr. Let’s rejoin them now.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 77 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Frigg who we’d last seen surviving the attack of the witch Yelena. The witch killed the baresark Gulfinn and then, having shapeshifted, escaped from Gladsheim’s main hall. 

Let’s rejoin her now.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 76 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Odin who we’d last seen disguising himself as a dead warrior he’d plucked from the Ship of the Dead. Odin had ridden to where Loki’s dead wife, the witch Angrboda was buried. 

Why Angrboda? Because Odin found his uncle, Mimir, trapped inside Angrboda’s house. And in that house he discovered the remnants of an old ritual that appeared to involve her children — Fenrir the wolf, Jorm the serpent, and Hel. Then, Odin unearthed a memory of Loki threatening him, his family and everything he’d built.

So, Odin thinks that Loki and Angrboda are somehow involved in what’s happening to Baldr. That’s why Odin is here.

But remember what we’ve learned in Frigg’s chapters — that a witch named Yelena may have been involved in damaging Baldr’s mistletoe.

With that recap out of the way, let’s rejoin Odin.

I used Canva's AI (based on Stable Diffusion) to generate this week's episode art.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 75 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Vafthrudnir for a very short chapter. We last saw Vaft in Ch 73 when he brought his apprentice, Kali, into the Gap to lay claim to one of the disir — the one that had been released when the witch Yelena killed the baresark Gulfinn. Vaft had kept Freyja busy while his apprentice fought Freyja’s priest — and when he was distracted by Kali’s success, Freyja stabbed Vaft in the belly.

I used Google Gemini, for lack of a better option, to create this week’s episode art.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.

Welcome to CHAPTER 74 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week we’re back with Vidar Odinsson. We last saw Vidar in Ch 65 when he and his small warband emerged from the mines beneath Hálsberg into the snowy wastes of Utgard. They had tracked the surviving few Jotunn warriors who’d been part of the war band that had destroyed the town of Háls. This led Vidar to discover the doorway that joined Asgard with Utgard. That doorway allowed the Jotunn to traverse a great distance with a single step. As readers, we know that many other such doorways are scattered throughout the realms.

So, let’s now rejoin Vidar as he treads lightly through Utgard.

I used Google Gemini, for lack of a better option, to create this week’s episode art.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.