In the first episode of The Write Song, Kat Kourbeti is joined by Kate Heartfield to talk about the music behind her book ‘The Valkyrie’, a Norse mythology retelling drawing on the story of the Valkyrie Brynhild, cast off from Valhalla and thrown into a love triangle in the midst of a bloody conflict—where her path diverges from the stories told before.
About The Valkyrie
Brynhild is a Valkyrie: shieldmaiden of the All-Father, chooser of the slain. But now she too has fallen, flightless in her exile.
Gudrun is a princess of Burgundy, a daughter of the Rhine, a prize for an invading king – a king whose brother Attila has other plans, and a dragon to call upon.
And in the songs to be sung, there is another hero: Sigurd, a warrior with a sword sharper than the new moon.
As the legends tell, these names are destined to be rivals, fated as enemies. But here on Midgard, legends can be lies…
For not all heroes are heroic, nor all monsters monstrous. And a shieldmaiden may yet find that love is the greatest weapon of all.
The Songs:
- ‘Heart of my Own (The Garden Version)’ by Basia Bullat
- ‘Wolves’ by Rufus & Martha Wainwright
- ‘Ruoktu’ by Adjagas
- ‘Comin’ Home’ by Murder by Death
- ‘Piece of my Heart’ by Erma Franklin
- ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alriight’ by Bob Dylan
- ‘Krigsgaldr’ by Heilung
- ‘Magpie to the Morning’ by Neko Case
- ‘Nightjar’ by Cosmo Sheldrake
- ‘The Time of Axe and Sword is Now’ from the Witcher soundtrack
- ‘Draumar Mange / Dreams Many’ by Grex Vocalis
- ‘Swan Lake, Finale No. 29, Op. 20, Act IV – Andante’ by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, performed by the Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra
- ‘Mehcinut’ by Jeremy Dutcher
- ‘Deeper Well’ by Emmylou Harris
- ‘Birds and Ships’ by Billy Bragg, Wilco, Natalie Merchant
Listen along to the playlist:
about Kate Heartfield
Kate Heartfield writes historical fantasy novels, including the Sunday Times bestseller The Embroidered Book, and the Norse mythological retelling The Valkyrie. She also writes novels set in the Assassin’s Creed universe. Kate’s novels, novellas, short stories and games have won or been shortlisted for several major awards, including three Nebula nominations in the novella and game writing categories. She is a former journalist who lives near Ottawa, Canada.
