I want to acknowledge and thank all of my readers and followers. I have been so excited to see so many from Russia, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. I found a cool article that deals with Vikings in Russia that I thought you all might enjoy, especially my readers from that region. Let me know what you think!
You can read it here: THE VIKING INFLUENCE IN RUSSIA
-Brad
"Writing a book is the art of listening to oneself."-Brad Cameron
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
The Viking Influence Around the World - Russia
Labels:
Author,
blog,
Brad Cameron,
Fantasy,
Fiction,
folklore,
Gates of Asgard,
history,
Indie,
Mythology,
Myths,
Norse,
Odin's Light,
Oregon Author,
Science Fiction,
Vikings,
Writing,
Writing Tips,
YA,
Zeke Proper Chronicles
Sunday, November 2, 2014
10 things you need to know about Vikings and Norse Mythology
Though it may appear that the early Norse inhabitants
were defeatists, viewing life with an eye of gloom and doom, a closer
inspection will reveal that the opposite is in fact true. The Vikings did not
believe in a timeless afterlife, and indeed that may seem bleak to our modern,
Christianized culture, nevertheless, their philosophy embodied a bold
perspective toward life, one that must be admired. They expected that men and
women would have their share of tragedy and hardship. But the best of them
attempted to use it and rise above it, carving out a name for themselves through
bravery, loyalty, and generosity. Thus the following list, though it may appear
at first to be a depressing view of life, is simply the Viking’s way of
considering their inevitable hardships and eventual death. Know that they
endured it, or, even better, laughed at it.
1. “The guy just went berserk!” I’m sure you’ve heard this
kind of description before as someone tries to explain some crazy, out of
control, and sometimes violent behavior exhibited by another individual. But
have you ever wondered where the word “berserk” comes from and just what
exactly it means?
The word berserk(s) literally means Bear Shirts. Berserks were human warriors who went into a frenzy before battle and fought wearing animal skins. It was believed that Odin gave them special powers. Writing about the uncontrollable rage of these fighters, Snorri Sturluson proclaimed:
![]() |
| Norscan Berserk (c) warhammerfb.wikia.com |
The word berserk(s) literally means Bear Shirts. Berserks were human warriors who went into a frenzy before battle and fought wearing animal skins. It was believed that Odin gave them special powers. Writing about the uncontrollable rage of these fighters, Snorri Sturluson proclaimed:
His men went to battle without armor and acted like mad dogs or
wolves.
They bit into their shields and were as strong as bears or bulls.
They killed men, but neither fire nor iron harmed them.
This madness is called berserker-fury.
2. According to legend, the elaborate and intricately structured
Norse Cosmology begins with the coming together of fire and ice. The first man,
according to the myths, escapes from a block of ice when the great cow, Audumla,
licks him free.
3. Ymir was the first giant. He was formed by the coming together of fire and ice. Unfortunately, Ymir was killed by Odin and his two brothers, Vili and Ve. They used his body parts to create the nine worlds, fashioning the oceans from his blood, the soil from his skin and muscles, vegetation from his hair, clouds from his brains, and the sky from his skull.
4. Contrary to popular belief, Loki is not the son of Odin. According to legend Loki is actually an attractive, often indecisive, mischief-making god who is in fact the son of two giants. His mother Laufey the Giantess and his father Farbauti, also known as Cruel Striker.
5. The Norsemen visualized the universe as a tricentric structure - like three plates set one above the other with space in between. On the top level was Asgard. This was Odin’s home. The second level was Midgard. This is the home of men. On the third level lay Niflheim, the world of the dead. Said to be nine day’s ride northwards and downwards from Midgard.
6. The ruler of Niflheim was the daughter of Loki, Hel. She was a hideous female monster who ruled over a place that was bitter cold with an unending night. It’s citadel, or fortress, went by the same name as its ruler. The dead would approach to find this odious tower looming with towering walls and forbidding gates.
7. Within the tricentric structure of the Norse universe, besides the realms of Asgard, Midgard, and Niflheim, were six other worlds. Vanaheim housed the lesser gods known as the Vanir. Vahalla, next in greatness to Asgard, is the huge hall that housed all the dead warriors who fight each day and feast each evening, awaiting Ragnarok, the battle at the end of time between gods and men, and giants and monsters. Next is Alfheim, the land of the Light Elves. Far below this place of magic is Nidavellir, home of the dwarfs. Moving east, along the roots and branches of Yggdrasill is Svartalfheim, the Land of the Dark Elves. And still farther east, over a towering crest of high mountains, is Jotunheim, the Land of the Giants.
3. Ymir was the first giant. He was formed by the coming together of fire and ice. Unfortunately, Ymir was killed by Odin and his two brothers, Vili and Ve. They used his body parts to create the nine worlds, fashioning the oceans from his blood, the soil from his skin and muscles, vegetation from his hair, clouds from his brains, and the sky from his skull.
![]() |
| Ymir (c) norsemyths.net |
4. Contrary to popular belief, Loki is not the son of Odin. According to legend Loki is actually an attractive, often indecisive, mischief-making god who is in fact the son of two giants. His mother Laufey the Giantess and his father Farbauti, also known as Cruel Striker.
5. The Norsemen visualized the universe as a tricentric structure - like three plates set one above the other with space in between. On the top level was Asgard. This was Odin’s home. The second level was Midgard. This is the home of men. On the third level lay Niflheim, the world of the dead. Said to be nine day’s ride northwards and downwards from Midgard.
6. The ruler of Niflheim was the daughter of Loki, Hel. She was a hideous female monster who ruled over a place that was bitter cold with an unending night. It’s citadel, or fortress, went by the same name as its ruler. The dead would approach to find this odious tower looming with towering walls and forbidding gates.
7. Within the tricentric structure of the Norse universe, besides the realms of Asgard, Midgard, and Niflheim, were six other worlds. Vanaheim housed the lesser gods known as the Vanir. Vahalla, next in greatness to Asgard, is the huge hall that housed all the dead warriors who fight each day and feast each evening, awaiting Ragnarok, the battle at the end of time between gods and men, and giants and monsters. Next is Alfheim, the land of the Light Elves. Far below this place of magic is Nidavellir, home of the dwarfs. Moving east, along the roots and branches of Yggdrasill is Svartalfheim, the Land of the Dark Elves. And still farther east, over a towering crest of high mountains, is Jotunheim, the Land of the Giants.
8. Thor, the son of Odin and mighty wielder of the hammer
Mjollnir, travels in a chariot drawn by two goats. When Thor is hungry,
after a long day of travel, he can slaughter the goats, roast them neatly over
an open fire, and enjoy a fine feast. Miraculously, when the morning comes and Thor
is ready to move on, the goats are resurrected and stand ready to pull the
chariot once again among the many realms of Yggdrasill.
9. A terrible winter called Fimbulvetr, one that lasts three long years, will proceed Ragnarok.
10. Fenrir the Wolf, son of Loki, will engage in a fearsome battle with Odin during Ragnarok. In the end, though, the wolf will seize Odin between his jaws and swallow him. This will be the death of Odin.
![]() |
| Yggdrasill (c) prasa.deviantart.com |
9. A terrible winter called Fimbulvetr, one that lasts three long years, will proceed Ragnarok.
10. Fenrir the Wolf, son of Loki, will engage in a fearsome battle with Odin during Ragnarok. In the end, though, the wolf will seize Odin between his jaws and swallow him. This will be the death of Odin.
-Brad Cameron
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Odin's Light - REVISED EDITION!
As of 8am this morning, the REVISED edition of Book One of THE ZEKE PROPER CHRONICLES, Odin's Light, is available through Kindle for only $.99! In anticipation for the release of Book Three, The Gates of Asgard, I want as many readers and lovers of fantasy, fiction and Norse Mythology to have a chance to buy and read Book One. After you get your copy, please spread the word and WRITE A REVIEW on Amazon! Feedback from my readers is very important to me. I can't wait to hear what you think!
Visit http://www.amazon.com/Odins-Light-Zeke-Proper-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B007NCIRMQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397755743&sr=1-1&keywords=Odin%27s+Light to get your copy or click on the book cover above!
Visit http://www.amazon.com/Odins-Light-Zeke-Proper-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B007NCIRMQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397755743&sr=1-1&keywords=Odin%27s+Light to get your copy or click on the book cover above!
Labels:
Author,
Book release,
Brad Cameron,
Events,
Fantasy,
Fiction,
folklore,
Gates of Asgard,
Gods,
history,
Indie,
Kindle,
Kindle countdown,
Legend,
Mythology,
Norse,
Odin's Light,
Oregon Author,
YA,
Zeke Proper Chronicles
Monday, September 30, 2013
The Real Loki
It seems that we’ve been inundated lately by the
influence of Marvel Comics and Hollywood’s take on the Norse gods. Thor
has risen to the top as a super hero, and Loki, incorrectly identified by the
movie makers as Thor’s brother, has taken part in the flood-lit stage right
beside him. Many movie-goers and comic book readers delight in the entertainment.
I’ve even found myself drifting toward the movie theatre for a first hand
glimpse at the latest edition to the Avengers, happily finding myself
cheering along with the rest of the crowd - it is, with out a doubt, a very
enjoyable experience.
However, avid readers of The Zeke Proper Chronicles,
especially those who have read book two, The Serpent’s ship, tend to
approach me with the same question: The Loki in your books is very different
from the one in the movie. Why is that? The answer is simple. My attempt in
writing The Zeke Proper Chronicles is to try and give the reader a
glimpse into the mind of a child living in a Danish Village in the year 793 AD.
My goal is to allow the reader an opportunity to hear and understand the
stories of Odin, Thor, and Loki as they might have been related around a peat
burning fire, or within sight of a stone-walled corral where cattle and sheep
may have been penned up for the night as protection from wolves and bears.
Though entertainment is still my goal, authenticity is a close second.
"Loki came to a silent pool filled with water that seemed to spring from nowhere and flow nowhere.
![]() |
| (c) http://thenorsegods.com/loki/ |
Abounding
in my retelling of the Norse myths are several sections where I take creative
liberties. Zeke, Devon, and Taylre often take the place of characters in the
myths to give the retelling a focus. Nevertheless, I try to keep it real. In
book three, The Gates of Asgard, Zeke finds himself on a quest to locate
gold to supplicate the dragon, Nidhogg. The real story, however, features Loki
as the raider of treasure as he attempts to find ransom for Otter’s family.
Here’s a brief retelling of the actual story:
"Loki came to a silent pool filled with water that seemed to spring from nowhere and flow nowhere.
Loki
spread out a finely spun meshed net and cast it into the pool. He pulled it in
and there, furiously lashing and writhing, was a large pike snared in the net.
Avoiding
its nasty looking teeth, Loki grabbed hold of the pike, shaking it roughly. ‘First,’
he said, looking into its dark yellow eyes, ‘you’ll change shape.’
The
pike shivered, quivering in its scaly fish form, when suddenly it changed, the
air shimmering around it, and turned into the dwarf Andvari.
'What
do you want?‘ whined Andvari.
"What
I want is all your gold,’ Loki said. ‘Otherwise I’ll wring you out like a piece
of washing.’
Andvari
shuddered with fear. He led Loki through a twisting chamber into his smithy.
The Dwarf spread out his hands and shrugged.
'Gather
it up!’ Loki ordered.
Andvari
turned reluctantly and began scrambling around, gathering gold into two large
sacks. Then, grunting, he dragged them across the smithy and stood with them in
front of Loki.
'What
about that ring?’ Loki said, pointing at the dwarf’s tightened fist.
‘Let
me keep it,’ Andvari begged. ‘Just this, then I’ll be able to make more gold.’
Loki
stepped forward and forced open Andvari’s fist, seizing the ring and stuffing
it in the sack. ‘What is not freely given must be taken by force,’ Loki said.
Loki
turned and began walking out of the smithy. ‘Take that ring!’ yelled the dwarf,
‘and a curse shall follow it. That and the gold that you forcefully take from
me!’
Loki
turned around and smiled. ‘If,’ said Loki. ‘If I repeat your words to those who
receive this gold, then your curse will come true.’ Then he turned and made his
way out of the world of the dark elves into Midgard.”
Loki, a nasty, selfish fellow indeed. But more impish
and foolish then superhero. So, take a moment to become familiar with The Zeke
Proper Chronicles. Book three will be out soon. When it appears, you’ll have
the rest of the story.
Labels:
Author,
blog,
Brad Cameron,
Fantasy,
Fiction,
folklore,
Gates of Asgard,
Gods,
history,
Indie,
Legends,
Loki,
Mythology,
Norse,
Odin's Light,
Oregon Author,
The Serpent's Ship,
Thor,
YA,
Zeke Proper Chronicles
Friday, August 30, 2013
Origins of the Korrigan
In Book One of The Zeke Proper
Chronicles: Odin’s Light, I introduce readers to a creature that
temporarily occupies the deep dark waters of the Stick River. A meandering
river located near the ocean side town of Alder Cove, the Stick is a place
shrouded in darkness and mystery. Its location is considered haunted. None of the
inhabitants of the town of Alder Cove go there - well, almost none of them. It
is a site to be shunned and has been for centuries. Why? Because it’s where the
Korrigan goes to lie in wait for its payment for years of prosperity - the
sacrifice of Alder Cove.
So what exactly is the Korrigan and
what are its roots?
Much of what I include in the
stories of Zeke Proper are references to Norse mythology. Sort of a retelling
of the stories with slightly different characters and circumstances. The
Korrigan, however, finds its beginnings in Celtic mythology. Originally found
in Irish literature, most of us are probably aware of references to banshees,
which actually means "woman of fairy mound" or just simply as
"fairy woman". Ban or bean meaning "woman".
![]() |
| (c) Wikipedia Commons |
In Irish and Scottish Gaelic
folklore traditions the banshee came to mean a female wraith or spirit,
whose terrifying howls foretell the death of a particular person in a specific
household. This banshee was tied to a person or family, sort of like an attendant
fairy. (Note how this coincides with the Proper Family).
In my telling of Odin’s Light, I
have taken the myth of the Banshee and combined her with the Breton fairy woman
known as the Korrigan, a type of banshee that not only foretells a death, but
also causes it. Then, I took this a step further, relating the banshee to the
Washer or Washer-woman at the Ford, known in Scottish folklore as “bean nighe”.
"Bean nighe” was a Scottish Gaelic
name for the Washer at the Ford. The Washer or Washerwoman can be found
in almost every Celtic culture. In the Scottish Gaelic tradition, the washer is
the harbinger of death.
According to the Scottish Gaelic
tradition, the bean nighe was a woman who died at child birth. She was
described as a woman dressed in green, but can be recognized by her webbed feet
standing next to a stream or lake, washing bloodstained clothes of those who
would die.
Of course there are Celtic myths
that surround these creatures and they carry with them the same kind of
foreboding that the Korrigan in Odin’s Light carries with it. In this
retelling, I take my information from www.timelessmyths.com.
The most common female fairies in
the Breton tradition are the korrigans that resided in the woods, especially at
Broceliande, often near a stream, spring or fountain. She was a fairy that
seeks a mortal lover.
The korrigan was probably a pagan
druidess originally. She was equated with gwragedd annwn – the Welsh
fairies of the lake and streams.
She tried to seduce mortal men who
would drink from her water. Finding them unawares she would attempt to lure a
weary traveler to sleep with her. If the man refused her advance or seduction,
she would angrily curse him to a doom. This is what happened to the Seigneur of
Nann.
The Seigneur was married to a woman
whom he loved. One day, his wife asked for some May-blossoms from the forest.
The Seigneur rode out, but during his ride, he became thirsty and drank the
water from a nearby fountain. Here, the Seigneur encountered the Korrigan who
demanded that he sleep with her. But the Seigneur angrily refused because he
was faithful to his wife and rode away after hearing that he would die in three
days. He turned and rode from the woodland as a man possessed. As he drew
homeward he was overshadowed by a sense of coming ill. At the gate of his
château stood his mother, anxious to greet him with good news of his bride and
the child she would soon bear him. But with averted eyes he addressed her in
the refrain so familiar to the folk-poetry of all lands:
"My good mother, if you
love me, make my bed. I am sick unto death. Say not a word to my bride. For
within three days I shall be laid in the grave. A Korrigan has done me
evil."
The priest, his mother and other
people kept the secret of his fate from his wife. Three days later, the
Seigneur's mother finally told her daughter-in-law the truth. The wife died of
broken heart and was buried beside the Seigneur.
The tragedy that surrounds the evil
summons of the Breton Korrigan is also the kind of tragedy that encompasses the
lives of Zeke and the rest of his family in Odin’s Light. As you read on
in the books that follow in the Zeke Proper Chronicles, you will
discover that the appearance of the Korrigan is only the beginning of a very
long and arduous journey for the story’s hero.
-Brad
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The Viking Influence
It has been a
wonderful summer. The weather has been warm and pleasant and my days away from
the classroom have been dotted with scattered book signings in bookstores and
at renaissance fairs and festivals. My summer has also been marked with a
remarkable tour of the British Isles. During my two-week sojourn, I had the
opportunity to visit many historic and pastoral locations in England, Ireland,
and Scotland as well as a brief stopover in Paris. I was particularly amazed by
the beauty of Ireland and Scotland, but most importantly, I was impressed by
the deeply ingrained history of these locations. I marveled at the fact that I
could enter a building that was over a thousand years old, one that was still
being used. I often consider the idea that here, in the Pacific Northwest, we
have nothing that even comes close to that. Occasionally, while I’m out riding
my bicycle in the rural areas near my home I’ll come across a farm that has a
sign marking it as a century old establishment, but that’s about as close as we
come. I was also impressed by the varied influences that still exist in these
countries from past conquerors, from the Romans all the way back to the
Vikings, whose first recorded raid on the Celtic inhabitants occurred somewhere
around 793 AD. Many of the tour guides that I met during my travels seemed to
perk up when they began retelling the tales that included the ferocious manner
of these attackers from the far north. The way they swept into peaceful
communities completely unannounced and left nothing behind them in their wake,
appeared to set the stage for a land that would witness carnage and supremacy
for control for the next one thousand years. The Vikings, it seems, were among
the first to set the stage for the nation’s bloody history.
So many of us are familiar with the
tales of the Greek and Roman gods, but amazingly, we are mostly unfamiliar with
Norse myth. What I have discovered on my journey to the British Isles is that
the Viking is in fact a part of my own tradition and anyone else whose
ancestors hail from the old country. The myths are part of our folklore, too,
and we should be no less familiar with them than with the classical myths. The
Norse myths speak for a dynamic culture and they speak of human longings and
mysteries. So, allow yourself some time to explore The Zeke Proper
Chronicles and let them speak for themselves.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Guest Blog- Jennifer Willis
I am excited to host another friend and author, Jennifer Willis. Jennifer Willis is an author and journalist in Portland, Oregon. Her articles and essays have appeared in The Oregonian, Salon.com, The Christian Science Monitor, The Writer, and other electronic and print publications at home and across the globe.
GET OUT!
Many writers are solitary creatures. It's an occupational hazard. We hole up in home offices or even at tiny desks in closets. Unless we’re living with a partner or roommates, we might go days without so much as making eye contact with another human being. Granted, other writers are more social and thrive on noise and chaos. I am not one of those people, and most of the novice and experienced writers I know find writing to be a somewhat lonely practice.
It's important to get out—not just to step away from the desk, but to actually leave the office (and the house) . . . and to leave my own comfort zone. Unless my immediate material focuses solely on secluded navel-gazing, one of the worst things I can do as a writer is to permanently hole up inside my own cocoon.
But getting out doesn't mean that I'm not still working. I have two paths to "off-campus" productivity:
• Adventures in co-working and write-ins.
Embracing the non-ordinary
To keep work—and life — from getting stale, I remind myself to keep a look-out for new experiences. It could be as simple as trying a new route to the library, or as extreme as going skydiving for the first time.
If an opportunity presents itself—an invitation to play paintball, a friend who needs a companion for a tour of Kenya, a class on underwater basket-weaving—I figure, why not? If my first, knee-jerk reaction is to reject it, I'll take a moment to consider: Is this opportunity really too time-consuming, out of my way, or otherwise inconvenient? Or does it simply require me to step outside my comfort zone?
Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.
-- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
I do try to be smart about this; with my chronic dysautonomia, not every physical activity is appropriate or even possible. But when I take chances—solo travel to a country where I don’t speak the language, or trying street hockey when I can barely skate—I've found that wonderful things can happen. I meet new people, get plenty of new story ideas, and have a lot more fun than I’d have sitting in the home office day after day.
Adventures in co-working and write-ins
This part is not as sexy, but it's a necessary part of my productivity puzzle.
About a year ago, a wonderful little coffee shop opened up in my neighborhood. The staff is friendly, the tea and baked goods are delicious, the WiFi is strong, and the location can't be beat—I can walk there through the park! It's the perfect environment for productive research, writing, and editing away from my desk.
Still, it was a solitary exercise. So, when National Novel Writing Month rolled around last November, I hosted my first-ever write-ins. I planned a schedule—two mornings a week—and invited other NaNoWriMo participants to join me. I met a dozen other local writers this way—people I otherwise might never have connected with. One of these writers has been a regular co-working buddy ever since.
Hosting a Write-In
What to look for in a write-in location:
• Coffee/tea menu—do I have to explain this? Food also helps.
• Adequate seating. Not everyone has to sit together, but you should all be able to assemble within easy earshot of each other.
• Power outlets. Call ahead to ask about available outlets if you're not sure. I tend to carry an extension cord and a power strip with me, just in case.
• Noise level. You don't want to have to whisper to each other so as not to disturb the other patrons, but you don't want to have to be shouting over the coffee machines and the house music, either.
• Groovy staff. Giving the staff a heads-up about your gathering—even if it's just three people—can go a long way to a great writerly experience.
• YOU! Show up and write already.
Traveling is also a great time to investigate co-working opportunities, wherever you happen to land.
When I was working in Dublin in the fall of 2011, I looked around my neighborhood for cafés with WiFi access. That was pretty much useless. I then realized that, of course, Dublin would have co-working facilities! After a quick Google search, I settled on AMWorks and it was just about perfect—good layout, clean, quiet, and convenient to public transportation. Plus, the people were friendly and respectful. The week I spent in those offices was pure gold.
When you need to "get out," don't be afraid of trying something new—whether it's a clown college seminar, hosting a write-in at your local hang-out, or even finding an office-away-from-home in a foreign city. I find the novelty and camaraderie to be priceless when it comes to real productivity.
-Jennifer Willis
She can be found online:
Website: jennifer-willis.com
Twitter: @jenwillis
Her novels—Rhythm (2001), Valhalla (2011), and Iduna's Apples (2012) —are currently available both as ebooks and in print.
Labels:
Author,
blog,
Fantasy,
Fiction,
Guest Blog,
Guest Speaker,
history,
Indie,
Mythology,
Myths,
Norse,
Science Fiction,
Write In's,
Writing Tips,
YA
Friday, May 17, 2013
Water Dragons
I recently came across a quote that
was rescued from an 8th century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Its
implications provide a terrifying undertone that borders the fine line of
fairytale and reality, invoking an image of horror that might cause a
pragmatist to reconsider the truth surrounding the myths.
The writer of the chronicle,
probably a Christian monk, must have watched the actions of the assailants that
day with a detached sense of reality, suddenly feeling forsaken by his God.
Nevertheless, one cannot be too hard on the witness. His peaceful understanding
of the world and the sanctity of his religion had just been shattered right in
front of him by a foe whose likes had never been seen before.
The Norsemen were superb ship
builders. Crossley-Holland reminds us that the ships were “one of the great
practical and artistic achievements of pre-Conquest Europe…they were both
beautiful in line and very pliable in rough waters.” Again, imagine you are a
peasant who has woken early to fish from the nearby river. You walk the short
distance from your village and see a large wooden ship skimming smoothly over
the shallow water, its overlapping planks sweeping up at either end. It is
propelled by oarsmen, perhaps fifteen or sixteen on either side and a square
sail. It has an enclosed deck with the warrior’s colored shields hanging in a
row over the railings. But the thing that really terrifies you is the
elaborately carved prow. A figurehead in the shape of a dragon. It’s no wonder
our chronicler warned of “fiery dragons…flying in the air”. No doubt his first
impression of this new breed of attacker was that the gates of hell had been
unbolted and that the dragons had been released, both to sail through the air
and to float on the water.
In this year dire portents appeared over Northumbria and
sorely frightened the people. They consisted of immense whirlwinds and flashes
of lightning, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. A great famine
immediately followed those signs, and a little after that in the same year, on
8 June, the ravages of heathen men miserably destroyed God’s church on
Lindisfarne, with plunder and slaughter.
The year was 793. The place was
Northumbria in the great monastery at Lindisfarne. The attackers were the
Vikings.
The writer of the chronicle,
probably a Christian monk, must have watched the actions of the assailants that
day with a detached sense of reality, suddenly feeling forsaken by his God.
Nevertheless, one cannot be too hard on the witness. His peaceful understanding
of the world and the sanctity of his religion had just been shattered right in
front of him by a foe whose likes had never been seen before.
We’re told by Ken Crossley-Holland,
in his book The Norse Myths, that the literal meaning of the word Viking
is ‘fighting men’. The word berserk, in fact, was coined by the fighting
methods of these warriors. Imagine a horde of men storming over a hill toward
your stronghold, perfect in physique, tall, with a reddish hue to their long
braided hair, their faces covered in thick beard. They are partially clothed in
furs that are draped over one side of their body, leaving one hand free to
wield a weapon. Their battle cry is like that of a ferocious animal that sends
a shuddering chill up the spines of their enemies. If you are a peasant farmer
or a peaceful monk sitting in his cell copying lines of the Bible, a scene like
this would be nothing short of horrifying. But then add to that the Viking’s
unique mode of transportation.
The Norsemen were superb ship
builders. Crossley-Holland reminds us that the ships were “one of the great
practical and artistic achievements of pre-Conquest Europe…they were both
beautiful in line and very pliable in rough waters.” Again, imagine you are a
peasant who has woken early to fish from the nearby river. You walk the short
distance from your village and see a large wooden ship skimming smoothly over
the shallow water, its overlapping planks sweeping up at either end. It is
propelled by oarsmen, perhaps fifteen or sixteen on either side and a square
sail. It has an enclosed deck with the warrior’s colored shields hanging in a
row over the railings. But the thing that really terrifies you is the
elaborately carved prow. A figurehead in the shape of a dragon. It’s no wonder
our chronicler warned of “fiery dragons…flying in the air”. No doubt his first
impression of this new breed of attacker was that the gates of hell had been
unbolted and that the dragons had been released, both to sail through the air
and to float on the water.
-Brad
Friday, March 29, 2013
Guest Author-Tonya Macalino
Tonya Macalino is my guest blogger today. She is the author of The Shades of Venice series. These novels are urban fantasy thrillers featuring folklore and folk history from the collapsing canals and alleyways of Venice.
Leda and the Swan: From
the End of The Age of Heroes Rises a New Legend
Once upon a time…
Once upon time, a single moment, a typical moment of amorous
indiscretion brought about the end of The Age of Heroes. For in that moment,
the leader of the Greek gods, the almighty Zeus, took the form of a swan to
mask from his ever-jealous wife Hera another of his endless pursuits. With
Leda, Queen of Sparta ,
he begat that ending in the shining form of Helen.
Helen of Sparta, who was to become Helen of Troy, received
the gift of beauty, but was denied the gifts of honest love and deepest
friendship. Twice kidnapped—once by Theseus and once by Paris —because
of her beauty and divine heritage, she lived ultimately to become the downfall
of Troy . The
face that launched a thousand ships.
A generation of heroes died on the plains of Troy not to see
her liberated or even truly to see her husband’s pride avenged, but simply
because, as her former suitors, these kings and heroes had been made to swear
an oath to defend the marriage lest the losers in the bid for her hand
slaughter one another.
An oath to prevent a slaughter.
An oath culminating in ten years of bloody war. Ten years
that would leave Helen friendless on either side of the ramparts and throughout
the civilized world long after the war was over. Passed along from the burning
ruins of a once great city, she would continue to be a pawn in the plots of gods
and kings until her life was ultimately ended by them.
But something else passed along from those burning ruins,
something arose, slowly from the end of The Age of Heroes. Antenor, advisor to
the royal Trojan family, escaped the flames with his Veneti. They fled the
Aegean and emerged into the Adriatic , settling
Pavatium in 1183 B.C.
Near noble Pavatium, or Padua as it was to become known, were a chain
of islands in the lagoon, a place to flee to during the relentless sieges and
raids of the Huns and Romans. Rife with mosquitoes and diseases, the islands
became a refuge for the descendants of these Veneti.
A lagoon, a scattering of islands.
The legendary empire of The Most Serene Republic…of Venice .
Helen and her tragedy would live on in thousands of years of
myth built up into the romantic, decaying city of Venice we know today. Myths of mermaids, sea
creatures, doomed monks, vengeful Doges…and of fairy-witches known as fate.
Yes, fate. Whether because the Veneti brought Leda, Helen, and their capricious
gods with them, or because of a Roman influence, the three sister Fates found
their reincarnation in the stories of the lagoon.
Stories that continue to lurk in our psyches on into the
modern day.
But now I invite you to come a little further forward, one
hundred years—a mere moment in the time of myth—and watch a new woman, Alyse
Kate Bryant, struggle to become disentangled from those fated, flooded ruins…as
the legends of Venice rise again.
Here are some links to keep up on the words and works of Tonya:
Website: www.tonyamacalino.com
The Story of Place Blog: http://www.tonyamacalino.com/Blog.html
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TonyaMacalino
The Myth Makers Newsletter: www.facebook.com/TheMythMakers
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Tonya-Macalino/e/B0058U4TJA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonyamacalino
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TonyaMacalino
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tonyamacalino/
FACES IN THE WATER - Book
Links:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/faces-in-the-water-tonya-macalino/1107970376?ean=2940013883406&itm=1&usri=macalino
SPECTRE OF INTENTION
- Book Links:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spectre-of-intention-tonya-macalino/1100481815?ean=9780983630302&itm=1&usri=macalino
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)





