In Norse mythology, Myrkheimr means "dark home," although it has halls of gold. It is the abode of dwarves.
In Poul Anderson's "Lodestar" and Mirkheim, Mirkheim is an uninhabitable, now sunless, planet coated in supermetals more valuable than gold.
"'And Mirkheim is real estate that everybody wants.'" (p. 55)
That sentence might remind some readers of Hell in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: Season Of Mists. When Lucifer Morningstar retires and expels demons and damned from Hell, he locks his now empty realm and gives the key to Morpheus, Lord of Dreams. Hell now becomes desirable supernatural real estate and "everyone," including Odin, Thor and Loki for the Aesir, makes offers to Morpheus... The Aesir might evade the Ragnarok by sheltering in Hell...
Thus, this version of Hell is supernatural like Myrkheimr and coveted like Mirkheim.
Gaiman's fantasy matches Anderson's.
1 comment:
Though people want Mirkheim to mine and make money/power, not to live or hide in.
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