Myths Retold In Poul Anderson's WAR OF THE GODS, Chapter I

War Of The Gods, I.

This chapter is already a summary so is difficult to summarize.

The Aesir

("As" is "a god." "Aesir" is plural. Asgard is the enclosure of the gods. Midgard is the middle enclosure; Utgard, outer.)

Odin and the other Aesir inhabit Asgard, the highest of the Nine Worlds in the Tree. They are gods of sky, wind, weather, sun, moon, stars, the Winterway and the northern lights. They hunt, breed horses and cattle and marry. Odin wanders between worlds to seek knowledge.

The Vanir

Despite "Aesir" meaning "gods," the Vanir are another race of gods and the meaning of their name is uncertain. (See here.) The Vanir are gods of earth, sea, harvest, fishery, plow, ship, love, birth and much that is dark and lawless. They do not marry and many female Vanir are witches. Vanaheim (not Vangard) is west of Asgard.

Lower Worlds

Men inhabit Midgard which is surrounded by the sea. Jotunheim, which is also Utgard although that name is not used here, is north beyond the sea. Jotuns/thursir are descended from Ymir who pre-existed the gods but was killed by Odin and his brothers. 

Jotuns include:

giants as large as Ymir;

smaller giants;

trolls;

monsters;

attractive, human-like beings;

mothers of gods;

bearers of wisdom from the beginning of time.

There are also elves and dwarves. The Norns, who control the lives of men, sit at a well beneath the root of the Tree that is closest to Asgard. The Aesir meet there every morning to plan for the day.

To be continued.