This blog post is dedicated to Viking Mythology and why authors don’t normally use it as inspiration when writing their books. I will also discuss the most popular mythologies found in books today. The goal of this article is to help authors create new books using Viking mythology so that the bookish community can fall in love with something new.
Viking mythology and Norse mythology are always grouped together, but in reality, they are actually two different mythologies. The Vikings believed in the Norse gods but were not considered Norse. The Viking culture has become an obsession for me – I have spent days reading actual books on Vikings and have learned more about why the Vikings were known for raiding, and why they did it. The Vikings were often the first people to discover new places in the world, since they primarily spent their time traveling the seven seas.
It’s a common misconception that Norse and Viking are the same. However, authors tend to use Norse mythology, but they really only focus on the gods, such as Thor, who has become the most popular Norse god. Vikings believed in the Norse gods, but are not Norse themselves. The Viking culture is not widely known to many, but those who do understand that the Vikings had reasons as to why they would raid towns and how they settled disputes between Viking villages.
Mythologies Esed by Authors
- Greek
- Norse
- Chinese
- West African
- Pandora’s Box
Greek Mythology
After diving into research, it’s not surprising that Greek mythology is the number one used by authors. It’s the most well-known, and the most popular. Many authors use Greek culture in their books because of history. Most authors only talk about certain aspects of Greek mythology, mainly the gods.
Gods and Goddesses in Greek Culture
1. Zeus
2. Hera
3. Poseidon
Book Recommendations Inspired by Greek Mythology
Norse Mythology
Norse mythology is also popular however, it is based more on Thor as the most well-known god. Vikings and the Norse often get confused or are said to be the same, this is incorrect. While researching, I learned that many authors focus on certain Norse gods compared to Greek gods. Although Thor is not the father of the gods like Odin, Thor seems to be the god that everyone wants to use as inspiration. There is so much more to the Norse culture than authors give credit to. For instance, did you know that the Tree of life is actually a huge part of the Norse culture? It is said that when Ragnarök happens the tree of life will save whoever is under it, so that life may begin again.
Gods/Goddesses in Norse Culture
1. Odin
2. Thor
3. Freyja
Book Recommendations in Norse Culture
1. The Norse Queen by Johanna Wittenberg
2. The Isle of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
3. Shieldmaiden Under the Howling Moon by Melanie Karsak
Chinese Mythology
Chinese mythology is one I did not expect to be on the list. I haven’t read many books that were inspired by it, but after researching it’s more common than I thought. Most of the time authors only use certain aspects of Chinese history.
Gods/Goddesses in Chinese Culture
1. Guanyin
2. Yudi
3. Nuwa
Book Recommendations Based On Chinese Culture
1. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
2. An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R Pan
African Mythology
African Mythology mainly revolves around the trickster god Anansi, in West African culture he is seen as a spider. Many West African mythologies inspire books more often now than they did before. Many authors find inspiration in West African culture because of its richness.
Gods and Goddesses In African Culture
1. Oshun
2. Anansi
3. Ala
Book Recommendations based on African Mythology
1. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
2. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Pandora’s Box
Pandora’s box has been talked about for many, many years. Sometimes people use the phrase “Don’t open Pandora’s box.” There are different tales about Pandora’s box, most people don’t know the origin of it.
Gods and Goddesses Talked About in Pandora’s Box
1. Zues
2. Prometheus
3. Epimetheus
Book Recommendations based on Pandora’s Box
1. Pandora: A Novel by Susan Stokes- Chapman
2. Demon Queen: Hell’s Belle’s by Eve Newton
3. Pangaea: Where Magic Was Born by Roger Schafer
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CONCLUSION
As stated above, more and more authors are using mythologies as inspiration in their books. Viking mythology is not used as often; however, it is commonly mixed in with Norse mythology. These two are completely different mythologies, the Vikings believed in the Norse gods but are not Norse themselves. It’s important to research the type of mythology or culture you want to use when writing your book. If you plan on using certain gods, then you will need to know why they were seen as gods and what their power was.