We still worship the old gods here. And where there are Norse gods, there are always giants, trolls, and monsters.

That is why we live in the Troll Capital of the World. That is why in the little village of Mount Horeb, our brewery, and even our computer repair shop, proudly feature trolls in their names and on their signs. That is why statues of trolls stand guard, as ever-present reminders that life is often weird and ridiculous, outside our dentists, our banks and our Mexican restaurant. That is why the Sons of Norway ride through our summer parade on top of a dragon-studded float that looks like a Viking warship. That is why, when your child makes a new friend on the playground, that child’s name is often Freya or Bjorn.

And that is why, when people ask us about our ancestry, we might say the names of our grandmothers or grandfathers, but what we are all really thinking is, “I’m descended from wise Odin and mighty Thor.”

Editor's note: I live in the Troll Capital of the World. In large part because of this, W.W. Norton was kind enough to send me a review copy of Neil Gaiman's new book, "Norse Mythology."

The preceding was a sneak peek at a review of "Norse Mythology" that will soon appear the local newspaper and on geigerbooks.com.