
Keep On Rockin' in the Norse World
By Rowdy Geirsson

A collection of unique and unusual works of fiction inspired by ancient Scandinavian (and Finnish) mythology, folklore, and the sagas of yore. Not the usual suspects such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, Bernard Cornwell, Rick Riordan, etc. or the various other mainstream titles that might feature an elf or the occasional nod to Odin, but instead an exclusive focus on overlooked/hard-to-find classics and more recent offerings that are quirky, outside the mainstream, or both. Note that a number of these titles are not readily available in the U.S. and I have included them in the footer notes instead. These titles are no less worthy; in fact, some of them are the best. It's just a matter of Bookshop's own limitations (but Bookshop isn't Amazon so I still skål to its honor). The list is in no particular order with the exception that my own two books appear at top because I'm that sort of person.

The Scandinavian Aggressors
Rowdy Geirsson
$18.40An offbeat odyssey into the freezing heart of the modern Northlands that uncovers the secret history of the early 21st century's resurgence of authentic viking activity.

Norse Mythology for Bostonians: A Transcription of the Impudent Edda
Rowdy Geirsson
$12.00 $11.16The not-so-stunning conclusion to the 800-year old Edda Trilogy. Based on the long-running McSweeney's column.

Styrbiorn the Strong
E R Eddison
$17.95Epic adventure of an outcast Swedish king. A classic dating back to the 1920s.

The Long Ships
Frans G. Bengtsson
$19.95 $18.55Classic historical Viking adventure novel, translated from the original Swedish. Inspiration for the 60's film of the same name.

The Broken Sword
Poul Anderson
$19.99 $18.59Top-notch heavily Norse-inspired fantasy by a great author who has become largely forgotten. See note at the very bottom of this list for more information about Anderson's other excellent Norse novels.

The Gospel of Loki
Joanne M. Harris
$16.99 $15.80One of the most entertaining retellings of the Norse myths. Told from the perspective of Loki, which conceptually is not entirely original (for one example, Lois Tilton did it earlier with the out-of-print Written in Venom). Nonetheless, this is a highly entertaining novel and first in a series.

Children
Bjørn Larssen
$14.94This is a fantastically clever novel essentially set in the world of the Norse myths (as opposed to the more common trend to solely bring the gods down to either medieval or present day earth). If you know your Eddas, it blends the tales very effectively (foremost Thor’s wedding and the building of the wall) and is narrated by two very different and very engaging children of the gods themselves. A dark story with tidbits of humor throughout, strongly recommended for fans of the whole Norse thing. Also worth checking out is Larssen's Why Odin Drinks, the first part in a new, humorous retelling of the Norse myths.

The Gatewatch
Joshua Gillingham
$19.95A very fun fantasy novel with a strong nod towards The Hobbit. It's set in a world that is heavily Norse-inspired and full of trollish danger and action dealing with such trolls. Fun through and through.

Icelander
Dustin Long
$13.00 $12.09Quirky mystery adventure novel set in the land of fire and ice with Norse trappings.

Odin's Game: Volume 1
Tim Hodkinson
$15.95 $14.83A great historical novel featuring the unique mix of settings of Iceland, Orkney, and Ireland. The first in a series about a young Icelandic man who is outlawed and must make his own way in a harsh world. Excellent story.

A Mighty Dawn
Theodore Brun
$16.95A conceptually fascinating historical fantasy novel set in ancient Denmark and ancient Sweden featuring a heavy dose of ill-fated romance. I would particularly recommend this one for fans of Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead.

Nordic Hero Tales from the Kalevala
James Baldwin and N. C. Wyeth
$9.95 $9.25Classic and well-told novelization of The Kalevala. Original version's illustrations by N.C. Wyeth are reproduced in this version.

Blood Eye: A Novel (Raven: Book 1)
Giles Kristian
$8.99A very engaging tale full of action and adventure in merry Olde England as a group of vikings scour the land on a particular mission.

The Witch's Heart
Genevieve Gornichec
$17.00 $15.81A unique and imaginative retelling of the key events of the Norse myths that unifies some of the divergent and unresolved threads found in the ancient tales in the book's central character of Angrboda. Touching and heartfelt (pun not intended).

Troll: A Love Story
Johanna Sinisalo
$18.00 $16.74The story of a man who adopts and attempts to domesticate a wild troll in his hometown of Tampere, Finland. Very adult-oriented.

Barbarian Lord
Matt Smith
$17.99Matt Smith is a good friend of mine, but his graphic novel is excellent in its own right. Great fun for anyone who enjoys the Icelandic Sagas and their dry wit and tendency towards understatement.

God's Hammer
Eric Schumacher
$18.49 $17.20A solid and well-researched adventure and first in a trilogy about the historic conflict between the first Christian King of Norway, Håkon the Good, and his notorious brother, Eric Bloodaxe. Makes a great companion to Poul Anderson's Mother of Kings, which covers similar historical territory but from the point of view of the pagan Queen Gunnhild.

Northern Wrath
Thilde Kold Holdt
$11.99 $11.15A well-balanced blend of Norse mythology-infused fantasy and action-packed historical adventure fiction. Excellent sense of foreboding fills the entire volume.

Saga: A Novel of Medieval Iceland
Jeff Janoda
$17.95A very engaging novelization of the segment from Eyrbyggja Saga that involved Snorr's and Arnkel's land dispute and Thorolf's troublesome ghost.

The Ice-Shirt: Volume One of Seven Dreams: A Book of North American Landscapes
William T. Vollmann
$24.00An epic novelization of the Greenlandic experiment in Vinland that draws on both Norse and Native American myth and legend. The writing style ranges from hypnotic to neurotic.

Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark
Chronicle Books and Ulla Thynell
$24.95 $23.20A great collection of Nordic folktales with great illustrations of each.
The following excellent books are, alas, not presently available through Bookshop (in some cases, because they are only available via UK retailers), but are so, so very worthy of attention:
The Last Berserker by Angus Donald
An excellent adventure novel and the first in a series set during the formative days of the Carolingian Empire and its attempts to encroach on the Old North. This one provides an exhilarating journey through old Europe from Denmark to France and connects to ancient Germanic folklore in a unique way. Full of action, a total page-turner. A shame no U.S. publisher has picked it up.
Swell by Corwin Ericson
A hilarious and bizarre adventure set on an island off the coast of New England that features an antagonistic warrior-maiden, a sour-milk guzzling skald, North Atlantic whale-herding, and additional influences from Finnish mythology. This one was actually a U.S. release but the publisher unfortunately went out of business so it's harder to find now.
Nutcase by Tony Williams
An amazing retelling of The Saga of Grettir the Strong set in a crime-ridden and destitute part of modern-day England.
The Hurricane Party by Klas Östergren
A post-apocalyptic take on the events that set Ragnarök in motion. Set in a grim, futuristic Stockholm and its archipelago. The most imaginative reinvention of the Norse myths I have encountered and, sadly, almost entirely disregarded by the English-language publishing industry. But the English-language publishing industry is comprised solely of total bastards, so it's fitting.
War of the Gods by Poul Anderson
Poul Anderson is better known for his science fiction, but his Norse-inspired fantasy is something special if you can find it. I listed The Broken Sword above, but War of the Gods is probably my favourite of his (not available through Bookshop, however). Also worth seeking out are: The Last Viking Trilogy, Mother of Kings, and Hrolf Kraki's Saga.
Rhinegold by Stephan Grundy
Rhinegold is an out-of-print retelling of The Saga of the Volsungs originally released in 1994 and written by Stephan Grundy, also known as Kveldulf Gundarsson (author of Our Troth and other Germanic religion books). Rhinegold is a fantastic tale; it stays true to the original while conveying it in the format of a modern novel. His writing is effective and descriptive and the book's a joy to read. Very worth picking up if you're the sort of person who is actually reading this list and you manage to find a copy somewhere. But note: at over 800 pages, Rhinegold is not a short read.