Fall of Gods – An Epic Tale of Nordic Fantasy

Scandinavian Mythology at its Apogee

Fall of Gods is a trilogy that has been carried by three successive campaigns on Kickstarter since 2015, all of which have been a huge success. I had already been able to see this story during its first participatory financing without delving into it any further. It wasn’t until the third opus in the spring of 2020 that I really got into this dark fantasy story set in an alternative Scandinavia. Today, I’m completely conquered by this universe and I also regret not having immersed myself in it earlier. So come with us to follow the legend of Vali.

A mythological tale

Fall of Gods is an illustrated book inspired by Norse mythology, following the story of Vali, a warrior haunted by his past, but who has found peace in the arms of his wife, Freya. For years he lived apart from society, tending his farm and trying to forget the battles he fought… and the crimes he committed. But one day his wife disappears and he has to go looking for her. He will once again have to face the creatures of Jotunheim and the powerful Aesir. The man he thought he had buried deep inside himself comes to the surface… and he comes for revenge.

It is with this pitch that the story of Fall of Gods begins, showing us in gold and already all the influence of Scandinavian mythology on this absolutely unique story. Fall of Gods is an exciting new book concept from MOOD Visuals, a creative studio based in Denmark. They mainly help their clients, through different media, to design the art direction of a project, from conception to production and even promotional marketing. Rather than designing a world or building a brand for a client, MOOD co-founder Rasmus Berggreen puts forward his own original idea in Fall of Gods, in collaboration with Michael Vogt, author of the famous Hitman video game saga, to present a world of Nordic mythology from an authentic Scandinavian point of view.

A unique story

And this is one of the main qualities of these works. We are faced with a pure Nordic tale, a true interpretation, and transposition of Scandinavian mythology. The authors do not tell the stories that we already know, but rather they set out to create an alternative Scandinavia, where two races coexist, where the gods really lived, but also disappeared several generations ago.

Rasmus Berggreen embraces this tradition of storytelling by presenting us with an anti-hero, whose name we will only learn about in the second volume. Vali is a warrior who must deal with his rage, a second nature that he himself describes as a wild beast. This reminds us of the myth of the Berserker, these famous warriors no longer feeling pain and entering into mad war rages. This character is neither good nor bad, however, it is understandable that he is known in this universe as a legendary warrior.

Berggreen’s view of northern mythology is morally ambiguous in all areas. He approaches the themes of imperialism, racism, war, love, family conflict and personal loss with more nuance than a well-defined and ill-defined worldview. The world of Fall of Gods is dark, grainy and violent, but also complex and beautiful in its own way.

A one of kind graphic book

All this saga, in the mythological sense of the term, is enhanced by the incredible visuals created by the Mood team. These works are a mix between graphic novel, novel, and artbooks. This unique format, reminiscent of Simon Stalenhag‘s stories, is a perfect medium to tell this kind of mythological story. Several paintings scroll through the book, reflecting the different key moments of the plot.

 

There are scenes of contemplation, observing Vali in front of huge expanses of nature, or in already iconic moments. The storyboards present at the end of the works also go in this direction, showing us all the work that has been done to achieve this immense fresco.

Mood’s illustrators deliver a real-world worthy of a big-budget movie. This is one of the studio’s ambitions, to create a cinematic book. And all the works present in the book have a meaning, accompany pieces of the story. This whole is of an unfailing coherence and absolute originality.

We cross breathtaking scenery, imbuing the story with a mythical breath. The creatures come straight out of another age and fit perfectly with the dark fantasy atmosphere developed by the authors. This initiatory quest is dark and its world is going to reveal itself progressively through the volumes, presenting us new colorful characters and new stakes from volume 2.

The Fall of Gods books are a real treat for the eyes, but it’s also a unique story, told from the heart by Ramus and Michael. They brilliantly manage to transpose a brutal and dark mythology into an Alternative History magnified by the studio’s illustrations. This is a rare work that I would recommend to any fan of art, fantasy, or mythology and that you can buy directly from Mood Publishing‘s website. I am more than eager to discover the continuation and end of Vali’s adventures, but especially to discover the next creations of the studio Mood Visuals.