How often do you read a book and it makes you think more about one of the book subjects or storylines and it has your brain cells all fired up with questions and curiosity?
This EXTRA thinking will be the subject of my COFFEE BREAK posts.
Today I’m starting with NORSE MYTHOLOGY, to me it’s a lesser known system of Gods and Tales than say the Greeks or the Egyptians.
I get frustrated with cross-word clues asking for answers about Norse Mythology and I don’t know the answers, I know a few names, but am intrigued to know more. So at the moment I’m enjoying reading a YA series by EDNAH WALTERS which revolves around Norse Mythology.
Runes was book #1 and a FREE book I found via the #FridayFiveChallenge. It was full of a Land Of Mist, Loki and his daughter Hel, Odin and the Wisdom tree, Asgard , Valkyrie and Norns.
Immortals was book 2# it continued telling us about the Valkyrie, immortals and a very rare Völur.
Book #2.5 in the Runes series is a cross-over with #1Grimnirs. The book is titled Grimnirs . Echo is a Grim reaper or a collector of Souls, taking the evil, weak and sick to Hel. Absolutely fell in love with Echo’s character.
The forth book in the series which I’ve read is 3# The Seeress, this book introduces the reader to witches and Seidr magic.
So what is Norse mythology?
It comes from the people of Scandinavia and northern Germanic regions. The people used runes and the runic alphabet. The Norse had nine worlds around the cosmic tree they called Yggdrasil. The tales said that the world would be rebuilt after a giant battle known as Ragnarök. We’ve all heard of Odin and Thor (Thor’s famous hammer), there were many more gods and Goddesses. My line of thinking continued, I remember the links that Richard Wagner’s Opera The Ring Of The Nibelung also has, The Rhinegold being the first of four operas in this group.
My research has fallen in line with the storylines from Ednah’s books which make them all the more enjoyable. I shall continue to read the series.
What book have you recently read which intrigued you to find out more?
Rosie Amber 
I’ve been reading Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St. Mary’s (addictive!) series about a group of time-traveling academics, and I’m constantly googling additional historical context. But the first thing that sent me searching was the fabulously enigmatic depiction of Mrs. Partridge, executive secretary extraordinaire and part-time Muse of History–Clio, daughter of Zeus.
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Synchronicity Barb! Only last Friday I discovered Jodi Taylor’s books and I shall be featuring one in this Friday’s #FridayFiveChallenge they look SO exciting.
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I LOVE it when a book teaches you more about a subject or period of history (though indeed most do!) ~ particularly if it sparks your interest to this extent. I know you commented on a review of mine ~ Past Encounters by Davina Blake, to which I gave my rare 5 gold stars. At the beginning it seems like just a family drama set in the 1950s, but goes back to the husband’s experiences as a WW2 POW. So fascinating, I was almost trying to read behind the words! I then looked up some true life accounts of the subject.
I hope you don’t mind if I put the link to my review here, it’s just such a terrific book that I’d love some other people to read it.
http://terrytylerbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/past-encounters-by-davina-blake.html
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Morning Terry! Just been over to remind myself of this book, I agree I do like a book that grabs your brain cells and gives them a good wake up call.
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I recently read No More Mulberries by Mary Smith, which sent me scurrying to the internet to read up more about Afghanistan. Yes, I love it when a book prompts me to educate myself/fill in one of the many blanks in my knowledge.
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Hello Wendy, I’ve read many good reports about Mary’s book, thanks for the reminder.
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Great idea for a post, Rosie….and so many new – to me – books to check out!
@CathyRy
BetweenTheLines – Book reviewer, Amateur Photographer and Dog Lover
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Glad you like it, love the new signature.
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🙂 Thanks
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Crikey just about everything I read! But I remember reading my first Philippa Gregory book and I kept wanting to go and check the facts to see which parts were real and which had been fictionalised.
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I know exactly what you mean Georgia, when I read Terry Tyler’s “Kings and Queens” I almost had a history book open next to my kindle, and it had me going “Oh Yes! I remember person” and then reading more facts about them.
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Hi Rosie – what a great list of books you’ve all put up – ages ago I bought a big book on Mythology of the World in a 2nd hand shop – which is here for me to look at at some stage.
Thanks – these may well come into their own .. cheers Hilary
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Hi Hilary, I think I have a copy of that book or one very similar, I love dipping in and out of it. It would be great to be able to say I’ve read it and remembered all that I’ve read from cover to cover, but it’s a HUGE book!
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Quite a few…I guess ‘The Martian’ got me thinking and reading about space exploration (and yes, I’ve watched the movie too), and recently ‘Nirvana’ got me thinking about bees and virtual reality (the final version is just out and hope to get to it soon).
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ooh bees, my Dad’s a beekeeper.
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I confess to knowing little about Norse Mythology, but it looks like these books could enlighten me. I always enjoy stories where I learn something new. The best books educate and entertain at the same time. Thanks for sharing these titles!
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They certainly do! Thanks Linda.
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