Odin

Asgardians #1

by George O'Connor

Following his smash-hit the Olympians series, New York Times bestseller George O'Connor embarks on a new saga about the Norse gods. This first volume tells the story of the warrior god Odin!

Welcome to the Nine Worlds, home of Gods, Valkyries, Dwarves, Jotnar, and more! Travel the burning rainbow bridge to Asgard where Odin, king of the Aesir, surveys his realm. His thirst for knowledge drives him ever onward, but nothing is learned without sacrifice...


In Asgardians, George O’Connor’s highly kinetic illustrations bring these gritty and astonishing tales of war, betrayal, and the quest for enlightenment at any cost to vivid and startling life and provide the perfect companion to his Olympians series.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Mythology, Comics, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base and there are multiple George O'Conner's that illustrate comics

George O'Connor is the author of several picture books, including the New York Times bestseller Kapow!, Kersplash, and Sally and the Some-thing. JOURNEY INTO MOHAWK COUNTRY was his first graphic novel, a long-held dream that weaves together his passion for history and ongoing research into Native American life. He's also the author/illustrator of a new picture book, If I Had a Raptor.
He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid read but rather dark! I'm not as well versed in Norse mythology so getting a grasp of the world was a little difficult for me in the beginning; however, I was able to work my way through the very interesting, but complex history of the Norse gods and goddesses. Overall, this is a great introduction peace to Norse mythology for a teen audience. I may go back and revisit some of O'Connor's other works about the Greek gods and goddesses.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having wrapped up his wonderful series about the Olympians of Greek mythology, George O'Connor now proceeds to give Norse mythology the same treatment.

This opening chapter gets a little bogged down in setting the stage and introducing a boatload of characters, but O'Connor manages to keep it fairly lively. Odin is revealed to be an Captain Ahab-type whose white whale is knowledge, and heaven help those who get in the way of his quest.

The chatty and informative endnotes are just as fun to read as the main story.

I already know this whole series is going to be a pleasure to read.

[S.E. Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of mythic tales, I was eager to immerse myself in the world of Odin and his pantheon, and O'Connor did not disappoint. The graphic novel brings the gritty and profound tales to life. Each page is a visual feast, depicting Odin's relentless quest for wisdom and the dramatic lives of the Aesir.

I especially appreciated the wealth of resources at the end of the book. The index, glossary, and character profiles are a treasure trove for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of these ancient myths. It's evident that a lot of research and love for Norse mythology went into this work.

However, I did find the narrative a tad more challenging to engage with compared to O'Connor's Olympians series. Perhaps it's due to my own familiarity with Greek myths over Norse ones, or maybe the inherently fragmented nature of Norse mythology. The comic jumps from one story to another, sometimes leaving me craving a stronger thread to tie them together. And while the harsher, more rugged illustration style fits the theme, it took me a moment to adjust from the sleekness of his previous work.

Despite these hiccups, the journey was well worth it. This book has left me with a deeper appreciation for the All-Father and a curiosity piqued for more stories from the Nine Worlds. I'm left with questions, sure (some stories are left for later, but never expanded upon), but also with a newfound respect for the complexities and nuances of Norse lore. This book is a solid pick for anyone looking to brave the burning rainbow bridge into a realm of gods, wisdom, and epic tales. A vivid start to what promises to be another mesmerizing series by George O'Connor!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of Asgardians: Odin by George O'Connor.

I'm reading this arc fresh off watching Vikings and rereading Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology.

Mythology is a great interest to me, and I adore how the author gave us the story of Odin, how he came to be and how he gained his knowledge and the name All-Father.

The artwork is beautiful, and the graphic novel compiled many stories of Odin and the Gods that came together so well.

The index, glossary, character profiles and Norse Code at the back of this novel are fantastic aids to the norse myths, and I found myself entertained and educated.

I am thrilled to learn that there is more to come, as well as a collection of Olympians graphic novels.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all of O'Connor's Olympians graphic novels and when I heard that Asgardians were being written, I was so excited! The artwork is still just as stunning as the first series. I am very familiar with Greek mythology, but not much so with Norse. It was fun learning something new and seeing it written/drawn out rather than watching it on a screen. The back matter (further art/info of a few characters, the Glossary, and the Norse Code) were all helpful if readers wanted to learn further explanations!

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books, First Second for the eARC!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid introduction to Norse mythology—specifically Odin—in graphic novel format. I like the art and the older style of writing, though it's still accessible. There's also lots of back matter for readers interested in learning more. I haven't read O'Connor's Greek series, but I'd be keeping up with these.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ummm what???

Over-convoluted, too many names, lots of lore. I initially found this graphic novel interesting because of the fascinating world-building, only to soon lose interest. The opening scene was interesting and I liked how everything came full circle, but I would have loved to find out more about the valkyries #girlboss.

Not sure what the whole book is about honestly and I can't remember nor do I care to.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a little harder to get into and follow than the author's Olympians series, but perhaps that is because I'm less familiar with the Norse myths than I am the Greek ones. But it did leave me with several questions... What did happen to Odin's brothers? I don't think that was ever actually answered, just posed as a question...

This is definitely something I will be purchasing for my library collection, as books on mythology are always popular, and George O'Connor has shown that he does a solid amount of research on the topic. He's a good story teller, and those that love mythology or are maybe struggling with understanding the Norse myths in school will find this beneficial and/or easier to read than the source text.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

O’Connor will have his work cut out for him retelling these grim and weird Norse myths after the more familiar territory of the Greek Pantheon but the origin story of the Allfather and Vahalla is as good a place to start as any, I imagine.

[Florence Migga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggle with George O’Connor’s graphic novels — the text is too small and I think his lines are just too sharp for me. But I lost track of time reading this tonight. Odin is cray, y’all. And I enjoy O’Connor’s humor in his commentary.

[David Schwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odin is a primary personage in Norse Mythology and this book presents his story and the basics of how the Norse Mythological world is organized. Good overview.

[Isabelle✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm definitely less familiar with Norse myths compared to Greek. Reading this was very insightful and brings me back to my Magnus Chase days (still haven't finished that series :D).

[Sylwia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me

[Leila]

A solid retelling of Odin and Norse origins! Can’t wait for the rest of the series

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

George O'Connor can do no wrong. Always creating wonderful and authentic stories of mythology.

[Brooke McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Asgardians: Odin by George O'Connor - A Graphic Novel Review

Rating: 4/5 Stars

As someone with aphantasia who holds a deep passion for folklore and mythology, "Asgardians: Odin" by George O'Connor was an absolute delight to read. This high-level graphic novel effortlessly weaves together thoughtfully crafted imagery with an accessible interpretation of Norse mythology. As an introductory dive, it will certainly be enjoyed by readers of most ages.

I loved the playful approach in telling the surrealistic creation stories of the Norse gods. The illustrations are beautifully rendered and bring the stories from Snorri's Prose Edda to life.

The use of multiple points of view for narration adds an extra layer of depth to the storytelling, reminiscent of the narrative style found in Patrick Rothfuss's "Name of The Wind." One particular silly highlight is the tale of Odin transforming into an eagle, bursting with mead and ultimately resulted in human's terrible rhyming and poetry.

The addition of the historial background discussed author's note enriches the reading experience, offering readers a deeper understanding of the lore behind the myths. The character profiles at the end of the book are beautifully illustrated and serve as a helpful visual index for readers to reference with subsequent glossaries and other educational materials.

Having recently struggled with the imagery of Norse mythology, such as Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology," (I did love it!!) I found "Asgardians: Odin" to be a refreshing and accessible pairing to digest the more in-depth variations.

Overall, "Asgardians: Odin" is a wonderful read. Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast of Norse mythology or simply looking for an entertaining read, this book is sure to enchant. Highly recommended.

Thank you First Second Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of Norse mythology in graphic novel form that tells their myths about the creation of the realms, where Odin came from, and how he lost his eye.

This is absolutely nothing like pretty much any Norse mythology rewrite I've ever come across. O'Connor went way, way, way back to the most ancient source there is for the Norse myths and stayed true to those. So forget what you think you know about Norse mythology and be prepared to be surprised how much the tales have changed to be in the forms you may know from Rick Riordan or Marvel or other sources.

Notes on content:
Language: I don't remember any swearing
Sexual content: There are some naked people (but strategically positioned so they don't really show anything except a pair of purple butt cheeks at one point). At one point it says Odin lays with a woman, but it doesn't spell out what that means and doesn't show anything.
Violence: There are several battles with some dead figures on page (not very gorily depicted), though Odin losing an eye is the grossest.
Ethnic diversity: The gods/people are White (Scandinavian-looking).
LGBTQ+ content: Some gods seem to spontaneously generate or form asexually from piece of another being.
Other: Odin has an unhealthy obsession with a desire for knowledge.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Etta (Chonky Books Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asgardians: Odin is the first volume in a graphic novel series about Norse gods. The story introduces Odin including how he came to be and how he rose to become the All-Father discussed in many well-known tales. This novel was a great introduction to Norse mythology and even included character profiles and a glossary. The story is shorter, but since it is a graphic novel there is a lot that can be put on a page as there isn’t the need to describe everything with words. The artwork itself did a nice job of portraying everything in the story. The novel is displayed in a way that is accessible to a young adult audience as well as an older audience. The content is also well presented as those with no background of Norse mythology can understand the story and those who do have the background are not bored with the introduction.

I think this series has a ton of potential as there are a lot of great characters to portray. There is a lot of material in the story, so, at times, it is a little hard to engage with it, but it was still interesting. There are a lot of pieces in this story as the creation of the nine realms is explained, the main gods are introduced, and other mythology surrounding Odin are explored. The shortness of the story did mean a lot of material had to be packed into each page. The wealth of resources, while great, felt more educational than pure entertainment. I still enjoyed them, but I expected more actual storylines than what was delivered. Norse mythology is really interesting, and I think this story did a great job at portraying Odin. I look forward to trying the next novel in the series.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, First Second, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

George O'Connor wrapped up his Olympians Series of 12 volumes and has decided to take his pen to Norse Mythology. This is the Asgardians. Vol. 1 is Odin. Like the Olympians, Zeus was Vol. 1 as well. I don't know if this will have 12 volumes or not, but I learning more about Norse mythology.

The people are all about battle. I've read Neil Gaiman's work and Rick Riordan's Norse works as well. I know a few stories. George has his own take on the material as well.

This volume starts with warriors dead on the battlefield and the Valkyrie's take them off to Valhalla. This dead soldier enters the hall of shoulders and the lord of the hall called High tells him the history of Valhalla. We learn about Odin, his father and his brothers. How they formed the Earth. We see Odin's unending quest for knowledge, even giving an eye for it.

There is one point when Odin hangs himself on the world tree Yggdrasil for a look into the future. He sees the norns. While he is hanging from this tree, he looks like the hanging man from tarot cards. That was the first thought in my head. It's here that we meet Muniin and Hugiin which are his Thoughts and Memories. I love that those are represented by crows. Very cool. It's here that runes were found.

The Aesir, Odin's gods, had a fight with the Vanir. We still don't really know who they were. They do make peace and together with their spit, they create a new person full of wisdom. That person is killed and Odin steals the mead made from his blood that bestows wisdom on people.

We get back to Valhalla and we see that all the soldiers are killing each other. Odin has glimpsed the future and he is training an army to fight something coming.

This is amazing. I love George's take on all this. I can't wait for more story. This is going to be good. I am hooked.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three all-knowing orators of Valhalla, Kvasir and how Odin wanted to keep command of this strangely-created humanoid – there is a lot in here that the general Norse myth guide cannot get to feature. That said, the big reveal near the end – the actual purpose of Valhalla – should be common enough knowledge. In between the extremes we see just how well these books can be done, and for my sins I didn't expect it to be this competent – I've seen copious graphic novels retelling myth from different corners of the world and it either being too stilted and encyclopaedic, or just too fast and loose. This is much more on the appealingly authentic side of things. Still, I hadn't seen any of the creator's earlier Greek series, but this chunk of story is finely done, even if it could be said to underplay Odin's hubristic search for knowledge. I'm sure we'll touch on Ragnarok more in future books, and in the light of this I'd be eager to be there.

[CoCoBug · Rating 3 out of 5]

These types of graphics are tough for me to review because it is NOT my wheelhouse at all. I started reading this one as I was processing it for the library, and I found it quite confusing and a lot of names and worlds come up in the first few pages alone. I did like the art - while some things were not as bright and shiny as I thought they should be, it's all clear and distinguishable (which is important for me as a non-graphic reader).

I know next to little about Norse and Greek mythology, so I'm not sure if the creation of the world and humans and Gods explained here is just top-level for teenagers, or if there is a lack of detail and a must-have leaning on faith to just take it as it is to understand where everyone comes from.

Not a great intro to the genre for new readers, but those already submersed into it will love this offering.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have about the same knowledge of the Norse gods as your average MCU viewer, so this was quite a different read from O'Connor's Greek gods series. I went in more or less a blank slate, so I couldn't compare it to anything else, but just on its own - Oh. My. It is intense in the harshness of the world it presents, suggesting very much the type of people who wrote it and the harsh environment of dark and cold they lived in. ("The night is dark, and full of terrors.") O'Connor suggests, both in the text and in his Author's Notes that xenophobia was at the root of the original storytellers' ideas about what is the Other. Also, I was surprised to learn how few sources we have on Norse myths - basically just two epic poems, but, being truly epic in scope, there is quite a lot there and, as he broadly hints, so much more to come!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher

In O'Connor's inimitable style, he turns his pen to Norse mythology after a successful twelve book Olympians series. This larger format graphic novel retells a selection of myths relating to Odin, the one-eyed war god. There's a nice list of characters at the end, as well as "Norse Code" notes that explain details about the illustrations or myths that don't necessarily fit in with the panels. This has a classic comic book feel to it, and will be popular with readers who enjoyed Napoli and Balit's Treasury of Norse Mythology, VanEekhout's Fenris and Mott, Richard's Secrets of Valhalla, Subity's The Last Shadow Warrior, or my favorite, Armstrong's 2013 Loki's Wolves series.

[Machaia · Rating 5 out of 5]

George O'Connor is an automatic buy for me. I adored his Olympians series, and I've been eagerly anticipating his interpretation of Norse mythology. He does such an amazing job of taking wild and disparate mythological stories and interpreting them into a fantastic narrative supported by gorgeous artwork. It was cool to see the transition from perfectly beautiful Olympians to the more rough and tumble Asgardians. He also does a great job of picking storytellers for each of the tales. I loved the narrative device of High, Just-As-High, and Third. And of course having his notes at the end is the perfect cherry on top (Norse Code for this series rather than Greek Notes). Odin was an excellent start to the series, and the only thing I'm sad about is waiting for book 2.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing really flows, edging on lyrical which is so very fitting for the Norse. The author's note, glossary, and "Norse Code" portions are amazing; they easily contributed a star to my rating! Norse myth is tough; there's very few sources and it was great to see that recognized. I am always a fan of pronunciation guides. The notes provided in "Norse Code" are hilarious AND satisfied my need for more information. Now that need for more information is two fold: I know a lot about Norse myth so I want to see it be well represented AND I don't know everything/like hearing other folks takes on it. As a kid, I would have read and reread this book so many times!

Illustrations and colors are good.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for a review.

This was such a great introduction to Odin, and to Norse mythology as a whole. Focused on Odin, this story covers the creation story of Norse mythology, the discovery of runes, the mead of poetry, the Aesir and Vanir, and the beginning of Odin and Loki's brotherhood. (I also appreciate that this book didn't just immediately demonize Loki, I hope future novels are the same.)

The art is lovely, and a great way to read the myths. I really enjoyed it, as someone familiar with Norse myths, and would be a great read for those both new and familiar to the pantheon. I look forward to the rest of the books.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Jump into Norse mythology in the first volume of a new graphic series by O'Connor, the author of the popular Olympians series that features the Greek gods. Cross the rainbow bridge where you will meet Odin in the land of Asgard. He is the one in charge and he is constantly seeking new knowledge heedless of the cost.

There's a lot of info and some of it is hard to follow, especially as some of the gods are known by multiple names. Also complicated by the fact that this is the introductory volume. Students who love Norse mythology and the Olympians series will not be dissuaded by this though and will dive right in.
CW: violence, gore

[spookwrite · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the biggest joys in life is watching your favorite creator improve in their craft and start new endeavors. I will always be a fan of George O'Connor, and to see him embark on a new journey with the Asgardians was so fun. The shift from Greek mythology (extremely well-established canon and good historical documentation) to Norse mythology (few literary sources from the time) was a little jarring. Yet O'Connor's spreads and stills are fantastic. I love this volume's narrative style.

O'Connor's commitment to researching mythology shines in his "Norse Code" section at the back of the book.

As always, looking forward to the next.

[Jay Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

A fun, new graphic novel series regarding Norse mythology from George O'Connor himself. Having read his Greek mythology series years back, it was nice to immerse myself back into his artwork and storyline. This book was a little hard to follow, given my lacking knowledge in Norse mythology, but O'Connor flowed multiple stories relating to Odin well. For only a 100 pages, he was able to jam pack much.

Overall, a great read and a series I'll look forward to following for the years to come.