Children: Grimdark Norse Mythology Retelling
About this ebook
Maya, fostered by the Gods and sent away to fend for herself, is fed up with a life of servitude and deception. To find and assemble the pieces of her real identity, she must embark on a perilous quest. Her only weapon is magic she doesn't understand; her shield – defiance.
Magni, son of Thor, wants the quiet life of a blacksmith. But destiny has other plans. When his world is shattered, he's thrust into a realm of chaos and conflict. With a heart that yearns for peace, Magni is forced to wield his hammer as a weapon to battle those who use him as a tool.
Bound by circumstance, Maya and Magni form an unlikely alliance. Forced to confront their pasts, they must forge a future where they hold the reins of their own destinies. Love and loyalty will be tested as they fight to change the Universe, challenge the Gods… and survive their wrath.
2020 Stabby Nominee – Best Self-Published/Independent Novel
2022 Queer Indie Lit Award
2022 Picky Bookworm Award – Best Worldbuilding
"A haunting, brutal, and emotional coming of age story, steeped in Norse mythology and written in spare but lyrical prose, Children is a book that demands to be felt rather than read. Its hard-hitting story and dark humor combine to make this a grim book with lots of heart, a book that will stick with me for a long time." – Angela Boord, author of Fortune's Fool
"The main thing which struck me was how different it was. Completely unlike the mainstream trad published fantasy. Then I went off and had a little cry." – Tim Hardie, author of Hall of Bones and A Quiet Vengeance
"This dark retelling of Asgard's pantheon is no rosy Marvel Universe depiction, the violence and savagery of the deities and their contemporaries being on full display. [...] Children is as actually less of a coming-of-age tale as it is a study of trauma, a commentary on classism and privilege, an observation on the expectations placed on each other by child and parent, and a questioning of what it says about us when one group of people can dehumanize another." – Grimdark Magazine
Discover more
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.
Readers' Favorite Gold Medal winner ('Storytellers')
2020 Stabby Award Nominee ('Children')
Find out more about Bjørn at https://www.bjornlarssen.com
