And the Heavens Burn, A Norse Mythology-based fantasy series

Welcome to CHAPTER 43 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.

In chapter 39, we were with the Jotunn warband Helveg as it descended into a huge cave beneath...or within...a glacier. Using a device that looks like a divining rod, they found a doorway to another place. Vaft went through it -- and stayed on the other side.

In chapter 40, we were with Frigg who tended to her wounded husband, Odin, after he sought counsel with the taciturn Norns and then fought a mysterious water spirit. This was the preamble to the council of Aesir at Ithavoll. There were a lot of white moths fluttering around.

In Chapter 41, we were with Odin at the council. Everyone at the magical fruits, the more you eat the more you...uh...get younger. But, Odin and Frigg only ate half of their fruits while Odin dropped one into a bag and sent Geri away with it. Ignoring all the white moths, the council discussed Baldr's dreams -- the reason Odin was summoned back in the first place. Odin said he would figure it out with giving specifics. They also discussed the attack on Hals -- the how's and why's. Nobody could figure it out. But we did learn a bit more about the world and how much Odin hates the Jotunn. Next the discussed the broken, scorched "device" that Vidar had been working on. They thought that maybe it was that stick that prompted the attack.

In Chapter 42, we were with Loki. Turns out, he's been around since Odin descended along Yggdrasil to Ithavoll. Loki left the council in moth form, then he transformed into an owl…and then he passed through a doorway, which was a pool of water, on one of Yggdrasil’s branches, and reached Utgard. He then paused to think a bit and then went to meet the Skrymir of the Jotunn. As a reminder, Loki's two sons Vali and Narfi are with Helveg. Loki watched "the work" occurring -- sleeping Jotunn being dragged out of the frozen lake and brought into the nearby cave. He then saw many Jotunn in a huge cave far below Utgard just kinda chillin and waiting for orders. We learned, also, Loki's nefarious plan: Murder Baldr. Why? We're still not entirely sure, but it sounds like revenge. Loki expected the Skrymir to say that the Jotunn would NOT attack when they'd promised...which kinda ruined Loki's plan...but he did not expect the Skrymir to ask him to proceed with Baldr's murder...which would also ruin Loki's plan because, as Odin says in the Havamal, only the live man catches the cow.

This week, we're back with Odin.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter.

Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 42 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.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 41 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.

Today, we’re back with Odin, husband of Frigg, father of Baldr, Hodr, Hermod, Thor and Vidar. We’ve been bouncing between the points of view of Odin and Frigg, first as Odin spoke the Norns and then fought with the spirit from the well.

We were in Frigg’s POV for some of that fight and then again with Frigg for the aftermath as she met with some of the jarls and, with Idunn’s apples, tended to Odin’s wounds.

In this chapter we’re with Odin for the council of the Aesir jarls.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/

The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 40 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.

Today, we’re back with Frigg, Odin’s wife and mother of Baldr and Hodr. Last time we were with her, she’d been brutally attacked by Odin. He was not himself at the time; he’d been fighting a spirit that came up from Urdrbrunnar — Urdr’s Well. That same spirit, while it beat the crap out of Odin and drove him into a battle fury — took a few moments to speak directly with Frigg.

In this chapter, Frigg deals with the aftermath of that encounter and we meet some new Aesir.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter.

Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 39 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.

Today, we’re back with Vafthrudnir, the High Shaman of the Jotunn. Last time we were with him, Vaft was with the Jotunn warband Helveg which is led by Beli. Vaft and two other shaman — Steinfastr and Kali — had “dominated” a troop of snow bears. Vaft and the war band were also there to investigate a phenomenon that one of Helveg’s scouts had discovered. We’re about to learn what that was.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 38 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.

Today, we’re back with Hodr Odinsson. Last time we were with him, he’d been trampled by a horse. Remember that Hodr is blind. He lost his sight when a snow bear spat venom into his face during the Last War with the Jotunn. He’s been living in Ifington, a city in the northern part of Asgard, with his girlfriend Alara. She runs a way house — an inn that caters to merchants transporting goods.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com. You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 37 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.

Today, we’re back with Frigg. It’s been quite a few chapters since we’ve been inside Frigg’s head. We’d last seen her having an argument slash discussion with her husband, Odin, over various things: the sickness that comes over Baldr at night, the Jotunn attack on Hals, Odin leaving her alone to rule Gladsheim for so long.

The events in this chapter are basically the morning after Odin returned home to Gladsheim from helping Vidar. So although there’s been quite a few chapters, the actual time in-the-book isn’t all that much.

So, let’s join Frigg on her way down to Ithavoll.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

Welcome to CHAPTER 36 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.

Today, we’re back with Odin. We’d last left him speaking with the Norns at the base of Yggdrasil. It had been a frustrating conversation for him. The Norns had refused to answer his questions so, when he finally lost his cool and got uppity, they used magic to knock him ass over teakettle. And that’s where we find him now…boiling over.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

Welcome to CHAPTER 35 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.

Today, we’re back with Vidar Odinsson. We’d last left him about to attack some Jotunn who’d occupied the mining camp in the mountains above Hals. In one of the earliest chapters, one of the miners had recounted the attack on his workers on the road up to that camp. After that attack, the Jotunn had rolled on down the mountain and sacked Hals but not before they’d sent a messenger for help — which is what brought Vidar and his warband to Hals, followed by Odin, Baldr and some Einherjar.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/

The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/

Welcome to CHAPTER 34 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, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

Today, we’re back with Odin. We’d last left him in his longhouse talking to his wife Frigg as they argued about various things — his long absence from Gladsheim and how that left Frigg ruling alone, something that she’s heartily sick of. They also discussed the Jotunn and their unprovoked attack on Hals which Vidar is now investigating.

Please visit the podcast's public site for the episode transcript, which includes the entire chapter. Please review and/or share the show -- it is a huge help! And, please feel free to contact me: mattbishopwrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

Sources used in this episode:HovamolVoluspaLarrington Translation: Poetic EddaDictionary of Northern MythologyNorse Mythology for Smart PeopleWhere to Find Matt BishopYou can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/