What if Rome never fell and science and magic coexisted? Since the ancient Greeks, one of the most provocative and oft-discussed questions in philosophy has been whether we have free-will in determining the course of our actions, or whether our actions are determined by forces beyond our control.
These historical concepts are the backdrop in The Saga of Edda-Earth Series, which explores the battle between determinism and free-will. Author Deborah Davitt collides history, philosophy, romance, and combat in The Goddess Denied, the second book in the long, epic fantasy series. Ten years have passed, and mysteries deepen as a cursed valkyrie searches for the source of her condition, a young woman goes missing, and monsters are reported in the lands of the north.
“There’s a path of prophecy winding through Edda, the prophecy that the world will end, and Ragnarok is at hand,” says Davitt. “The characters of Edda-Earth fight against determinism and the only question is, ‘Can they possibly win and, if so, how?’”
The Goddess Denied offers more complexity than the usual fantasy story offers, and succeeds in creating a wholly re-imagined world while blending human touches throughout, and keeping characters grounded in reality.
In this worth successor to the first book of the series, 2014’s The Valkyrie, Davitt continues to build and expand on a rich tapestry of themes, including:
- The battle between determinism and free-will
- The notion that every choice matters, creating a true alternate history
- The concept of scientific underpinnings to magic
- The question of what happens to the hero, after the origin story? What happens when the hero grows old?
- Every life is a tragedy, written in three acts; everyone is the author of their own fall
“Edda-Earth is a tragedy, but one that offers a shard of hope at the end, as all good tragedies must,” adds Davitt. “These days, everything is a revenge drama. You have to have reams of bodies being carted off the stage to be taken ‘seriously’ as an author, and it’s not just the body-count. Everyone has to die horribly, too. I’m not here to write revenge dramas. A good tragedy shows the flaws of humanity, but offers catharsis, resolution, and a way out.”
The Saga of Edda-Earth Series: The Goddess Denied
