Review: A Gathering of Ravens, The Twilight of the Gods, and The Doom of Odin by Scott Oden

by Phil Sawyer

Here is a brief overlook at the three Scott Oden books that comprise the Grimnir Saga. First up…

This 320-page novel, A Gathering of Ravens, came out in 2017. Here we are introduced to Grimnir, the last Orc. Grimnir reappears from the shadows and journeys across Denmark and England and Ireland. Grimnir is on the path of revenge and retribution.  The Viking Chief Bjarki Half Dane has slain Griminir’s brother, and Grimnir swears he will kill Bjarki Half Dane. Grimnir knows that the old ways are dying. A new faith has arisen, dedicated to the “Nailed God.” Grimnir’s kind are retreating into the shadows.  When Grimnir finds Bjarki Half Dane he sees that Bjarki is locked in battle with the Christian King of Ireland. So Grimnir has a dilemma: stand with the Christian King of Ireland and see his vengeance done, or stand against him and see his vengeance slip away? Grimnir longs to use his long seax “Hatr” on Bjarki. The deadly seax is a reforged charmed Dwarf sword but what is Grimnir to do?

The 340-page Twilight of the Gods was published in 2020. It is the year 1218.  The land of the Raven-Geats pays a tax to the King in the name of the White Christ, but their hearts are still with the gods of Asgard. Famed Crusader Konradr the White leads a host against the Raven-Geats, using the sword and torch to bring forth the blinding light of the new religion.  But he runs up against their protector Grimnir, the last in a long line of monsters left to plague Middle Earth. He will stand with the Raven-Geats to prevent their destruction. Leading an army of berserkers, Griminr engages in an epic struggle. But not against just the Crusaders. Grimnir has run up against Odin himself. Odin wants an ancient dragon buried beneath the land of the Raven-Geats that should be left undisturbed. As much as he hates the “White-skins,” Grimnir knows that he must prevent the dragon from being released. Grimnir tries his ferocious best, but Odin outsmarts him, and the dragon is loosed on the world.  The Dragon is used by Odin to spread the deadly Plague.

The Doom of Odin, the 325-page conclusion of this series came out last December. Grimnir pursues the plague spreading dragon Nidhoggr – The Malice Striker – to Rome. It is now the year 1347. A terrified guard looses a crossbow bolt, which pierces Grimnir’s heart. But the gods are not through with Grimnir. He is sent back from the Land of the Dead to Earth. Grimnir has drawn the attention of witches, giants, and trolls, and Grimnir must unravel a terrible secret that was woven long before he was born.  Odin himself now steps into the fray, and he is a very deadly and tricky enemy.  Grimnir hates being a pawn of the gods, and he strives to become the most powerful being in the nine worlds. But he is also the most hunted!

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This is just the bare outline of this amazing and dark series. I thought I should bring this to our Fellowship’s attention after reading Gary’s report of Oden’s Conan story. Of all the authors I have read, Scott Oden comes the closest to the spirit of Robert E. Howard. I dearly wish he had been around when Sprague was looking for someone to help him continue the Conan series!

The world that Grimnir inhabits is brutal and dark. Mercy, kindness, and compassion are for weaklings and fools. Everybody lives for revenge and hate. “Two eyes for an eye” seems to be the governing philosophy. Sudden violent and horrible death are the coin of the realm.

I am reminded not just of REH but also of Poul Anderson’s introduction to Hrolf Kraki’s Saga. Anderson said, “that the Saga was no Lord of the Rings, written by a civilized Christian author.” Hrolf Kraki’s Saga was written in “the depths of the Dark Ages.” I should point out that Tolkien loved the Northern myths. He was very aware of the brutality of the Viking World. His nod to this aspect of the Northern Thing is the character Beorn, the skin changing Man/bear.  Beorn had captured a goblin and a warg and interrogated them. Bilbo asks Beorn what became of them. Beorn shows them a goblin head on a fence post and a warg skin that has been nailed to a tree. Beorn and Grimnir would have understood each other.

Grimnir is so ferocious, fierce, aggressive, and ornery he makes Conan look like Wally Cox or Don Knotts. As he tells some poor saps who are about to tangle with him: “Hear me, O Ymir! Bear witness, Father of Giants and Lord of Frosts! Corpse-maker 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 Kin-slayer and the Slaughterer of Witches, The Butcher of the Mordvaettir! I am Grimnir Belegyr’s son!” Grimnir actually slashes Odin himself with Hatr’! (Hater.)

Near the end of the tale Loki himself tells Grimnir that the Elder World must pass away, And they will pass with it. “Our blood will fertilize a New World—a world where we will be nothing but legends, myths told to children, nursery rhymes and dark memories.  Loki sighs and then tells Grimnir, “But that is fine. A few will remember us, Grimniir Kin-slayer. They will remember the songs written by blade and axe and they will tell of our deeds around their fires. And in the telling, in those death-songs, we will live forever….”  Who could ask for more?

I HIGHLY recommend this trilogy to our Fellowship. Scott Oden has captured the dark heart of the REH universe and the Norse World. These are marvelous stories that everybody should read! And read them in order. The stories should be read chronologically as you watch Grimnir’s world unfold. Scott Oden is an author to watch! He truly possesses the magic touch!

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(Scott Oden dedicated A Gathering of Ravens to two prominent voices in REH fandom who had passed away.)