730 words
Doom of Odin is the concluding tale in the Saga of Grimnir the skraelingr, the orcnéas, the fomoraig (or--to use the term fantasy fans are most familiar with--Griminir is an orc). This novel is stand-alone; you can read it with no prior knowledge of Grimnir's adventures (though the first two books are excellent).
Some background: Grimnir is the last survivor of the kaunr, a race of monsters who have battled against humanity for centuries. Orcs, goblins, the fomor of Ireland--these are all names given to Grimnir’s people. Grendel, the mighty foe of Beowulf, is Grimnir’s cousin. The kaunr are the children of Loki; they stand opposed to the Norse gods and all humankind. Grimnir is a one-eyed, grey-skinned, black-haired ball of hate.
Perhaps it’s better to let Grimnir introduce himself in his own words:
As for my names, they are beyond number! Corpsemaker and Life-quencher, I am called; the Bringer of Night, the Son of the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. The Hooded One, I am, the Tangled God’s last immortal herald. The last of Bálegyr’s brood to plague Miðgarðr, last to prey on the sons of Adam. To the bastards of Langbarðaland, I am huorco! Aye, I am orco and ogre!” Grimnir flung his arms wide. “To the hymn-singers of England, I am orcnéas! The cursed Irish would name me fomórach, and to the folk of the North, the Danes and Swedes and the doom-haunted Norse, I am skrælingr!
Scott Oden writes blood and thunder fantasy like few authors ever have. Doom of Odin is a rollicking ride through life and afterlife. Grimnir’s quest is to find Níðhöggr, the malice-striker, a monstrous serpent running loose in our world. He must slay the beast to return it to its rightful place at the root of Yggdrasil, the mythic world-tree that binds the nine Norse worlds into one. As the story opens, Grimnir has tracked Níðhöggr, to Rome in the year 1347. He’s on the verge of striking the monster down. But before he can, he eats a crossbow bolt.
He wakes up in Nástrond, the afterlife for kaunr. It’s the anti-Valhalla. When Grimnir’s people die on earth, they wake up in Nástrond. If they die Nástrond, they wake up there again. But if kaunr die in other parts of the underworld, that’s it. They are gone, forever. Game over.
Grimnir quickly learns that he cannot die anywhere; if he dies in Nástrond, he wakes up in Rome. If he dies in Rome, he wakes up in Nástrond. He doesn’t know how or why. Grimnir has two motivations in this tale: to finish Níðhöggr, and to understand why he can’t die.
His chief complications come from his relatives in the underworld. As you might expect, the race of Grendel are not a kind, peace-loving lot--and they are hardly the worst beings living in the underworld. Grimnir must fight, time after time after time, to gain ground. Scott Oden delivers action on every page. It’s visceral, fast-paced, and violent.
Fans of traditional sword-and-sorcery fantasy in the tradition of Robert E. Howard will find plenty to like in Doom of Odin. It’s full of bloody action; Grimnir gets into a sword fight just about every chapter. He battles enemies every step of the way from beginning to end. Hell, he dies in the first chapter. Grimnir faces a host of powerful supernatural foes, yet he’s never afraid to charge straight into trouble.
Grimnir’s favorite problem-solving tool is his seax-knife which he calls “hatr,” or “hate.” He is relentless in his pursuit of his goals, and he’ll stab anyone who gets in the way. The pace never drags and the foes never stop coming. My chief criticism of the book is the sheer number of foes. Sometimes the kaunr are hard to distinguish; I sometimes forgot why Grimnir was stabbing this particular guy. That’s o.k., though; it’s still one hell of a ride, and well worth reading.
In a landscape littered with multi-volume series, rules-heavy magic systems, and cozy little adventures, Grimnir is an iron-tinged breath of fresh air. A self-contained story of courage and danger, Doom of Odin pits a single fierce fighter against foes of all kinds. There is no grand destiny, no tricky use of supernatural powers, no found family. There is only the last orc, blade in hand, pitting grit, and muscle against all comers.
About the Reviewer: Aaron Cummings (biography coming soon)
About Spiral Tower Reviews: The authors who maintain the pulp genres of sword and sorcery and cosmic horror merit support. Financial support is key but there are other ways the cash-strapped can show support: engaged reading and thoughtful analysis. Literary movements emerge through the interactions of editors, authors, publishers, and amateur literary journalists. Learn more about contributing your review here. We are happy to work with first time reviewers.
