The Old Norse Saga - Part one: Birds of Ásgarðr (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9789199073705)

A child of man treads the path of Hel. The sun blackens, stars fall into the sea, and as fire licks the life-giving tree, the heavens themselves shall cleave.

Following an ominous prophecy from the world tree herself, rivalling species come together to form a treaty. In order to stop an outbreak of war, they agree to a mutual hostage exchange, sending their most promising children to grow up amongst potential enemies.

An insecure órr is brought to live amongst the rough giants of Jǫtunheimr, granting Ásgarðr the cunning Loki in his stead, whilst a proud elven empress sends her uncontrollable heir to be hidden away amongst the Vanir gods in exchange for the arguably more valuable twins Freyr and Freyja.

Meanwhile in Miðgarðr, where humanity resides far away from the lives of gods, a young girl's nightly hunting trip is interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious divine child.

In an intricate tale where numerous life-strings collide in an interwoven search for family, identity, and purpose, can the smallest of mortal actions alter the destiny of even the greatest of gods?

After a decade long deep-dive into ancient mythology, Viktor Rydberg wrote one of our world's earliest fantasy epics in 1887. Reimagined today by C. Beskow and E.P.W. Tell, his tales of the Old Norse World come to life once more.

Born in Southern Sweden, not far from where his debut novel Birds of Ásgarðr begins, E.P.W. Tell developed a keen interest in history. His article "The Curmsun Disc: Harald Bluetooth's Golden Bull?" then sparked a fascination for Norse Mythology, leading him into Viktor Rydberg's extensive research on the subject. Thereafter, the Old Norse Saga began taking shape.

Recognising the need for a strong literary partner, Weman Tell initiated a collaboration with C. Beskow, who turned out to be the ideal co-author for the ambitious project. After five years of working together, Birds of Ásgarðr emerged as the first of four books in the Old Norse Saga series.

Weman Tell's professional career is just as notable. He holds a Master's in Economics and a Bachelor of Laws. For ten years, he worked as Chief Financial Officer at Svenska Bio (Swedish Cinema chain) for the legendary manager Peter Fornstam, with whom he continues to maintain a close relation. He's also fond of sports, serving as Strength & Conditioning coach for Swedish fencing and acting as General Secretary of the Swedish Multisport Federation.

His varied experiences, combined with his deep passion for history and Norse Mythology, has shaped the foundation of the Old Norse Saga, granting Birds of Ásgarðr a distinctive new voice in historical fantasy literature.

Growing up in the company of books, C. Beskow spent a large chunk of her childhood roaming the forests in search of adventures, huddling up each night with a bedtime story. As she reached adulthood alongside an ever-growing collection of cluttered notebooks, she decided to turn her extensive imagination into a career worth pursuing.

Fascinated by the visual aspect of storytelling, Beskow was initially drawn to film and television, and hence began her writing journey on the island of Gotland, learning how to write for the screen. In 2016, she started her own company, working on everything from translations and transcriptions to tv-pilots and ghostwrites.

When first approached by E.P.W. Tell, ancient mythology was but a fascinating childhood interest, but as the Old Norse Saga called for a deep dive into the subject, Beskow found herself falling in love with its wild world and intense characters. What more, the extensive research led to some rather intriguing ties to her own family history as C. Beskow does not only have ties to the renowned children's book author Elsa Beskow and the once equally popular author Elisabeth Beskow.