Best Selling Author of Historical Fiction and Fantasy
Not just an apocalyptic battle — cultural symbolism across eras Ragnarök is rarely spoken aloud without lowering the voice. Not because it is secret—but because it is heavy. If a skald were telling it properly, he would pause before the word, let the fire crackle once, then speak as though naming an old wound. “This … Continue reading Ragnarök and Its Many Meanings
Exploring the core source texts of Norse myth—and how scholars interpret them The fire is low. The hall is loud. Someone begins to speak—not to explain the world, but to remember it. That is where the Poetic Edda belongs: not on a lectern, not in a church, but in the space between memory and breath. … Continue reading The Poetic Edda: Saga, Song & Truth
By D.W. Roach | marauderbooks.com When modern readers hear Valhalla, they often imagine a warrior’s heaven: endless feasts, eternal glory, and a reward for valor. It’s a comfortable image—clean, triumphant, and reassuring. But that vision owes far more to modern romanticism than to the Norse worldview that gave Valhalla its name. Valhalla is not heaven. … Continue reading Valhalla Is Not Heaven: A Norse Afterlife Reconsidered
By D.W. Roach Few works of modern fantasy have captured the imagination as profoundly as J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Yet behind the hobbits, elves, and dark lords lies a deep well of mythological inspiration—chief among them, the rich tapestry of Norse and Viking culture. Tolkien, a philologist and scholar of ancient languages, … Continue reading The Lord of the Rings and the Echoes of Norse Myth: How Viking Lore Shaped Tolkien’s World
D.W. Roach "Marauder" 