Podcast
And the Heavens Burn, A Norse Mythology-based fantasy series
Hosted by Matt Bishop · EN
Welcome to And the Heavens Burn (AtHB), a narrated fantasy series based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop. Kinsmen Die is the first book in my series. It retells and adapts some of the major events in Norse mythology through the lens of six main characters:
- Odin, the Alfather and his wife, Frigg, the Almother. Together, they rule over the Aesir city of Gladhseim.
- Vidar Odinsson, jarl of the district of Vithi.
- Hodr Odinsson, the blind son of Odin and Frigg.
- Loki, son of Farbauti and Laufey.
- Vafthrudnir, high shaman of the Jotunn, the ancient enemies of the Aesir.
In Kinsmen Die, Frigg, Almother of Gladsheim, fears that her son Baldr, afflicted by a strange malady, is dying – which should be impossible since Frigg used ancient magics to make her son immune to all harm. As Baldr’s condition worsens, Frigg summons her husband Odin, Alfather and master of magics, back from his wanderings. On the eve of Odin’s return, however, the Jotunn attack an Aesir town thus breaking the forty-year peace between Aesir and Jotunn.
These events initiate a search for answers. Odin sends his son Vidar to learn how and why the Jotunn attacked. Through mystical and mundane means, Odin strives to figure out what affliction ails Baldr. Frigg learns of a witch’s plot against herself.
Meanwhile, Loki agrees to help the Jotunn in their renewed war against the Aesir. Their plans help further his own plan of revenge against Odin and everything he holds dear. But, Loki must tread carefully. If he is exposed then he loses all hope of freeing his three children and avenging his dead wife.
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Everything you’ll hear is based on my interpretation of the two main source materials of Norse mythology – the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, along with a stack of books that discuss the myths … and another stack of academic articles that do the same.
Kinsmen Die has 93 chapters; that story is now complete. Dark Grows the Sun, the second book in this series, is about half that. I will begin publishing the chapter by chapter narration of DGtS in October 2024.
You can find me online here.
10episodes
Episodes
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Norse Mythology -- (AtHB) Kinsmen Die Ch 93 (the final chapter!): Frigg stays strong
Jul 9, 202400:13:38Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 93 — the final chapter — of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Frigg. The last time we were with her was Chapter 88, when her son Hodr killed his brother, Baldr, right before her eyes.Let’s rejoin her, now.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- (AtHB) Kinsmen Die Ch 92: Loki sees serpents
Jul 2, 202400:12:46Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 92 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Loki. The last time we were with him was Chapter 47, when he’d been with the Skrymir in the tunnels and caves deep below Utgard. Let’s rejoin him, now.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- (AtHB) Kinsmen Die Ch 91: Odin...cause I'm a wanderer
Jun 25, 202400:09:52Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 91 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Odin. The last time we were with him, he’d been cursed by the dead witch Angrboda such that he became, to an extent, the disguise he’d taken — that of the Wanderer — to deceive her.Let’s rejoin him, now.
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Norse Mythology -- (AtHB) Kinsmen Die Ch 90: Vaft cradles a new hope
Jun 18, 202400:08:10Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 90 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Vafthrudnir. The last time we were with him, he’d been badly wounded in a fight with Freyja.Let’s rejoin him, now.I used Google Gemini for this week's show art.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- (AtHB) Kinsmen Die Ch 89: Vidar digs deep
Jun 11, 202400:06:16Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 89 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Vidar. The last time we were with him, he’d reached an agreement with his fylgja and was kicking butt in an attempt to break thru the Jotunn warband, reinforced by snow bears, to reach the doorway back to Asgard.Let’s rejoin him, now.I used Google Gemini for this weeks' show art.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- (AtHB) Kinsmen Die Ch 88: Frigg is stumped
Jun 4, 202400:15:27Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 88 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Frigg.The last time we were with Frigg, she’d just welcomed her son Hodr back to Gladsheim. Then, she re-took her place on the platform where the jarls sit in the great hall. Let’s rejoin her, now.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- Kinsmen Die Ch 87: Hodr is stumped
May 28, 202400:19:47Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 87 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week, we’re back with Hodr. The last time we were with Hodr, he’d ended up in the family reunion he’d intended but had tried to postpone. Turns out that his father, Odin, isn’t home after all, so Hodr goes into the Midwinter feast alongside his sister Hermod. Let’s rejoin him, now.I created this week's episode art with Google Gemini.You can find me online at: https://mattwritesmyths.com/ The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- Kinsmen Die Ch 86: Vidar opens a can of...
May 21, 202400:08:20Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 86 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week we’re back with Vidar Odinsson. We were last with Vidar in Ch 84 where he embraced the strength provided to him by his fylgja. Let’s rejoin him now.You can find me online at: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matt-Bishop/author/B073NK4HDC The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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Norse Mythology -- Kinsmen Die Ch 85: Hodr gets burned
May 14, 202400:16:01Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 85 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week we’re back with Hodr Odinsson. We were last with Vidar in Ch 83 in Hodr and his friend, the smith Lopt, stood in line outside the Great Hall of Gladsheim waiting to get in. Hodr had second thoughts about meeting his father and family on this night, Midwinter, so he decided to leave and come back another day. Lopt agreed.Let’s rejoin them now.
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Norse Mythology -- Kinsmen Die Ch 84: Vidar takes matters into his own hands
May 7, 202400:10:57Tap to summarizeWelcome to CHAPTER 84 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.This week we’re back with Vidar Odinsson. We were last with Vidar in Ch 81 in which he’d struck a bargain with the spirit within him. He loosed her bonds in return for her direct help in killing the matron snow bear who’d torn through Vidar’s warband and nearly killed Vidar himself.With his fylgja’s assistance, the matron snow bear was easily dispatched — though Vidar suffered some wounds in the process. And, many of his warriors were hurt or killed.So, let’s rejoin Vidar now.I used Google Gemini to generate this week's show art. It is an approximation of Vidar's fylgja.You can find me online at: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matt-Bishop/author/B073NK4HDC The show's public site is here: https://rss.com/podcasts/fensalirpodcast-kinsmendie/ The source for my short reading from Snorri’s Prose Edda is here: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm The source for my reading from the Havamol is here:https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe04.htm Larrington’s translation of the Havamol can be found where books are sold online.
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