Wodan's Children books in order

Wodan's Children is a three-book historical fantasy series by Diana L. Paxson set in post-Roman Germanic Europe, following the origins of the Nibelung legend and the fall of the Burgundian kingdom. The series ran from 1993 to 1996.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The Wolf and the Raven 1993 Diana L. Paxson Buy
2 The Dragons of the Rhine 1995 Diana L. Paxson Buy
3 The Lord of Horses 1996 Diana L. Paxson Buy

Wodan’s Children draws on the Germanic heroic tradition, specifically the Nibelung cycle that also underlies the Norse Volsunga Saga and Wagner’s Ring operas. Paxson approaches the material as historical fantasy, grounding the legendary events in the realities of post-Roman tribal Europe in the 5th century.

The three books — The Wolf and the Raven, The Dragons of the Rhine, and The Lord of Horses — follow successive generations and the accumulating tragedy of the Nibelung story, told from perspectives that humanize the legendary figures without diminishing the mythological weight of the source material.


Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Wodan's Children series?

There are three books in the Wodan’s Children series, published between 1993 and 1996.

What is the first book in the Wodan's Children series?

The first book in the Wodan’s Children series is The Wolf and the Raven, published in 1993.

What myth does Wodan's Children retell?

The series retells the Nibelung cycle — the same legend dramatised in Wagner’s Ring Cycle — through a historical fantasy lens set in post-Roman Europe. The three books follow the Wolf and Raven lineages through the events that culminate in the fall of the Burgundians and the death of Sigfrid.

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