The Wolf’s Feast: Viking Stories and Sagas

Norse mythology comes to life in this collection of 22 wonderfully enigmatic stories and poems from Morgan (The Raven’s Table). The poem “Winter Wolf” serves well as an introduction to the collection, creating a strong storyteller voice and conjuring images of the dark north. Both gods and mortals feature here, with a special emphasis on strong women. Though most tales, like “Freya’s Veil” and “Sisters of Hammer and Sword,” are set far in the past, others, including “Dreams of Fire,” bring mythology to the present—and the outlier “Fate of the World” explores an alternate, fantastical future involving Lovecraftian elements and impending apocalypse. “High School Mythical: Asgard,” which takes place in a high school setting, similarly wanders far afield, breaking up the flow of stories. But the highs here make up for the lows. Standouts include “Her Father’s Skin,” in which a woman follows her father into the woods, where he digs up a chest that contains secrets about his past; and “Only Stones,” which sees a rune-witch investigate warriors who have mysteriously disappeared into a fog. Infused with mythology and magic, these dark tales cast a powerful spell. [em](May) [/em]