Before Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman: The Forgotten Books That Inspired Modern Norse Myths episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 13, 2026 · 1H 8M

Before Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman: The Forgotten Books That Inspired Modern Norse Myths

from Valhalla Conversations

When we think of Norse myths in books today, popular 20th century writers like Neil Gaiman and Kevin Crossley-Holland, Joanne Harris and Rick Riordan, Louie Stowell and many more, and even the colourful world of Marvel Comics immediately come to mind. They are the giants of modern retelling—but what if I told you there’s a forgotten foundation of Norse myth storytelling that predates them all? The names of these authors—all of them women—have completely vanished from the record.Discover a group of women writers from the 19th century who were retelling the sagas and reimagining the North. Their books achieved massive popularity in their time—some are even considered classics - so why were they forgotten? Why are they still unrecognised by readers of the 21st century in an era when Norse Mythology is reaching new heights of fame in popular culture?Today, we’re going on a literary journey to uncover these 'lost' storytellers. Joining me to piece together this historical puzzle and put these forgotten voices back on the map is Dr. Kevin Fylan.

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Before Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman: The Forgotten Books That Inspired Modern Norse Myths

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