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Child of Ash Heir of Fire
A Viking princess is supposed to give her father a grandson—not become the warrior his men would follow into battle.
Her husband resents the life marrying her cost him. Her best friend is becoming her political enemy. Her kingdom's ancestral enemies are invading. And when she finally goes to war, her husband starts dreaming of her as a Valkyrie queen.
Everyone wanted Indunna to give them the next king. They should have been more worried she might become one.
Viking Dark Fantasy Novel
Meet H.F. Day
H.F. Day is an author and illustrator of myth-rich fantasy grounded in the Viking Age. Her debut novel, A Tale of Scorched Ash and Elm, braids the intimacy of family drama with the sweep of legend, drawing closely from the Eddas and Sagas. A lifelong student of Norse history and material culture, H.F. Day cares about getting the small things right; ships and seasonal light, law and longhouses, so the big things feel true. She has traveled widely and credits her inspiration to favorite locations such as Ireland, Spain, Romania, and the Rockies for shaping her eye.
Leifthasir
Learn more about the world of Leifthasir and the research involved in its creation.
What is Viking Dark Fantasy?
Viking dark fantasy blends the gritty reality of historically based fantasy with the rich tapestry of Norse Mythology and the Sagas. The World of Leifthasir is built on research and language deep dives into the world that Viking raiders inhabited in the 10th century and before. There are even little easter eggs for those who love historical sagas in most of the books.
My thoughts on Viking Dark Fantasy & Norse Mythology (plus updates)
Child of Ash Heir of Fire Pre-Order Bundle
The Pre-Order Bundle for Child of Ash, Heir of Fire Is Here Child of Ash, Heir of Fire hits shelves on September 15, and pre-orders for the full bundle are open right now. I wanted to put together something worth committing to before the book even exists in your hands …
Why I Put Horse Sacrifice in Almost Every Book
If you’ve read A Tale of Scorched Ash and Elm, or been a part of the ARC team for Child of Ash Heir of Fire, you’ve noticed a pattern. Midwinter arrives, the fire gets built, and at some point a horse bites the dust. When someone asks about this, they …
Days of the Week: Were They Named After Norse Gods?
Were the Days of the Week Really Named After Norse Gods? (It’s More Complicated Than That) Here’s a piece of Norse mythology trivia that circulates constantly online, in classrooms, and in the kind of books you find in the mythology section of a large chain bookstore: Tuesday is named after …
Norse God Freyr: Who He Really Was
And Why Pop Culture Gets Him Wrong The Norse God Freyr is one of the most important gods in the Norse pantheon. He is also one of the most consistently ignored, misrepresented, and flattened by modern pop culture, and that bothers me more than I can reasonably explain in a …
What You Think Is Norse Mythology Probably Isn’t
A Viking Dark Fantasy Author Explains Here’s a question I get asked a lot: how do you research Norse Mythology for a Viking dark fantasy series? The short answer is: very carefully, and with a deep suspicion of whatever you thought you already knew. Because here’s the thing nobody tells …
Norway vs. England: The Real Rivalry Behind My Viking Fantasy World
Will you be watching Norway take on England this Saturday? I will be, and not just for the football. (It’ll be the dark viking fantasy vibes for sure!) The moment I saw this matchup on the schedule, I couldn’t help but grin. Because as many fans and historians have already …
Introducing Sigurn & Folke
Excerpt from Child of Ash Heir of Fire, available on September 14 Sigurn wasn’t sure why she had even come. Leif played his game. Folke played his. And she? She was decoration. A distraction to keep the captain entertained until his judgment blurred enough to fall into the Chancellor’s hands. …
What Is a Völva? Norse Mythology’s Seeress, And How She’s Reimagined in the World of Leifthasir
If you’ve picked up a Norse-inspired fantasy novel recently, you’ve probably encountered her: the woman who stands at the edge of firelight, staff in hand, eyes somewhere else entirely. She speaks in riddles. She knows too much. She makes the warriors uncomfortable in a way that no sword can. She …
Elves in Norse Myth vs. Elves in Leifthasir
Elves in Norse Myth vs. Leifthasir: Álfar, Dark Elves, Seidr, and Viking Fantasy Worldbuilding Norse elves were not tiny fairies or Tolkien-style forest immortals. They were shining, powerful, ambiguous beings tied to gods, ancestors, fertility, death, and the land. In Leifthasir, those mythic roots become a living people shaped by …
Were There Shield Maidens? The Truth About Women Warriors in the Viking Age.
The Viking Age gives us a complicated picture of women warriors: legendary shield-maidens, rare archaeological evidence, and legal systems that discouraged women from taking up masculine roles. In Leifthasir, that tension becomes the foundation for a fantasy world where women can fight—but never without consequence. Were There Women Warriors in …