Hello everyone and wow, do we have a treat for you! Today the Uncharted Library is taking part in a special book tour for Creation by Bjørn Larssen, book one of the new Why Odin Drinks series, a fantasy satire combined with Norse creation myths.
This book tour is being hosted by Storytellers on Tour. To find out more and view other awesome blogs on the tour, visit their website.
In the beginning there was confusion.
Ever woken up being a God, but not knowing how to God properly? Your brothers keep creating mosquitoes and celery and other, more threatening weapons. What can your ultimate answer be – the one that will make you THE All-Father and them, at best, the All-Those-Uncles-We-All-Have-But-Don’t-Talk-About?
“FML! The answer’s why I drink!” – Odin
Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, and Mrs Brown’s Boys.
I gotta be honest, I’m not all that familiar with Norse mythology or their creation myths. The closest I’ve got is playing Skyrim, and I’m pretty sure that doesn’t count. But this month is Norsevember, a celebration of all things Norse, and if I can trust anyone to introduce me to the world of Norse lore, then it has to be Bjørn Larssen!
Creation takes these Norse creation myths, as you may deduce from the title, and introduces them in a playful and witty way that had me tearing through the pages thanks to Larssen’s smooth prose. The story is about the birth of three gods: Odin and his brothers. They’ve literally popped into existence and don’t have a clue what it’s all about. As they stumble their way through their first day, they begin to imagine and invent things as they go along, leading to the birth of such amazing things as gravel and trees and less amazing things like celery.
This is where the playful part comes in: these newly born gods are like kids fighting over toys, only they’re playing with the building blocks of reality as they try to understand exactly what being alive means, and what a world would need to make itself sustainable. The gods are also like squabbling siblings, with one god wishing to create art with clouds and butterflies, and the other taking a more destructive path by designing wolves and fire. Their conflict is destined to end badly, and poor Odin is caught in the middle.
Odin, then, makes a fantastic main character who struggles to adapt to his new reality, his sibling rivalry, and all the pain, joy, and fear that comes with being alive. Not only does he need to figure out how cows and people work, but by creating these beings, he also feels responsible for them. There are a few philosophical quandaries in this book, as Odin wrestles with his godhood and what it means.
Despite all the subtle nods to the Norse myth that is likely lost on me, Creation doesn’t need you to have a background in Norse mythology to enjoy it. I delighted in the relationships between the brothers and their escapades and the clever way that Larssen introduces thoughts and concepts. I’ve often wondered what it would be like for a god to create their own world, and this book certainly gives me an imaginative insight into how a god would go about learning and understanding as they create. In the end, it’s all very human and as ridiculous as we are!
Satire can sometimes be a subjective taste, but I certainly had a laugh at this truly exasperated god.
Creation by Bjørn Larssen was published August 18, 2021 at 84 pages.
Buy Creation Now and Add on Goodreads
About the Author
Bjørn Larssen is a Norse heathen made in Poland, but mostly located in a Dutch suburb, except for his heart which he lost in Iceland. Born in 1977, he self-published his first graphic novel at the age of seven in a limited edition of one, following this achievement several decades later with his first book containing multiple sentences and winning awards he didn’t design himself. His writing is described as ‘dark’ and ‘literary’, but he remains incapable of taking anything seriously for more than 60 seconds.
Bjørn has a degree in mathematics and has worked as a graphic designer, a model, a bartender, and a blacksmith (not all at the same time). His hobbies include sitting by open fires, dressing like an extra from Vikings, installing operating systems, and dreaming about living in a log cabin in the north of Iceland. He owns one (1) husband and is owned by one (1) neighbourhood cat.
