Norse Code by Greg van Eekhout

Title:  Norse Code
Author:  Greg van Eekhout
Series: Stand alone
Publish Date:  May 09, 2009
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased

Publisher’s Description: The NorseCODE genome project was designed to identify descendants of Odin. What it found was Kathy Castillo, a murdered MBA student brought back from the dead to serve as a valkyrie in the Norse god’s army. Given a sword and a new name, Mist’s job is to recruit soldiers for the war between the gods at the end of the world—and to kill those who refuse to fight.

But as the twilight of the gods descends, Mist makes other plans.

Journeying across a chaotic American landscape already degenerating into violence and madness, Mist hopes to find her way to Helheim, the land of the dead, to rescue her murdered sister from death’s clutches. To do so, she’ll need the help of Hermod, a Norse god bumming around Los Angeles with troubles of his own. Together they find themselves drafted into a higher cause, trying to do what fate long ago deemed could not be done: save the world of man. For even if myths aren’t made to be broken, it can’t hurt to go down fighting…can it?

Possible spoilers beyond this point.

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Kat Mandu says…

Bloody and full of great story-telling! For someone who only knows the basic of Norse mythology from other books and superhero movies, it seemed pretty legit to me. I loved how it sticks with the premise of the myths but at the same time has its own flair. It kinda lagged in a few places but I got through it.

It’s probably because I have a thing for male perspectives but I did enjoy Hermod’s a lot better. He has a sarcastic, pessimistic tone and yet a need to do the right thing. He’s the trouble maker and black sheep of the family but not so far as to say the hopeless one. I do love that Mist is brave and not distracted by Hermod after she begins to care for him.

I would have liked to have heard more from Lilly and Hod and their adventures aboard the ship during the mutiny. But I did like the multiple points of view from the ravens and other characters.