Ode to Odin

Ode to Odin

A fearless story about the origins of Zoroaster in Karakalpakstan, capturing something something beyond time

The vastness of the deserts in Karakalpakstan (Central Asia), the dangers hidden therein, the impossibly large skies and firmament, the subjectivity of language and the meaning of life and Zoroastrianism are powerfully portrayed in Ode to Odin that dares to reach out and grasp the heavens.

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About the Book

A powerful, all-encompassing atmosphere pervaded. The absolute isolation removed us from the current passage of time, and it felt good to be alive

A young British archaeologist makes a deal with the devil, the brilliant but dangerously unpredictable Odin, the very antichrist of the academic world, to search together for the birthplace of monotheism, to confront what is arguably one of the most significant developments in the history of humanity. The chances of success in the bone-dry deserts of Uzbekistan, isolated and remote, with a motley collection of vodka-soaked, bitter and angry Russians, Turkomen, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Tatars and Karakalpaks, and of course the wild of unruly genius of Odin, “brought up from hell”, are slender at best.

I saw a man of grand plan and action, friend and foe, angel and demon, dualistic in nature, representing life in all its facets, both good and bad and at the same time neither

Under such extreme circumstances there is not even a guarantee of coming out alive. One may hold the hand of the mercurial Odin to cross the bridge over the lake of fire, to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal, but friendships with those who move live as reckless and ambivalent gods are subject to the slightest whim and caprice. A hand is released and the flames beckon.

“Ode to Odin” is a new work of great scope, using the tale of a rare and dynamic friendship to touch upon the very subject of God itself. The episodes of life in the deserts of Central Asia vividly brings an often-hidden part of the world to life for the reader. The vastness of the deserts of Karakalpakstan, the dangers hidden therein, Zoroaster, the impossibly large skies and firmament are powerfully portrayed in this tale that dares to reach out and grasp the heavens.

Ode to Odin by Bruce McLaren

Further Reading

Turbulence by Bruce McLaren

The Faravahar on the book cover of Ode to Odin

A brief explanation of the Faravahar.

The symbol used on the cover of Ode to Odin is not just a cool design soon to be used tattooed onto thousands of hipsters all over the world. The symbol is also the somewhat cryptic Faravahar, the defining symbol of Zoroastrianism, the commonly adopted icon used by the Persians who adopted the religion, making Zoroastrianism the most widely practiced religion for the 800 years leading up to the arrival of Islam.

The winged disc was Anshar, the primordial God, father of heaven and earth, but was also linked to the central Zoroastrian concept of the Fravashi, an esoteric and cryptic concept that might be described as ‘the soul’.

The origins of this image are clearly found in old Egyptian iconography, but the concept of a winged disc is an almost universal theme found throughout much of the ancient world. For the Greeks, for example, the sun, Helios, was pulled across the sky each day by a chariot.

In Egypt the most recognized icon of the winged disc is associated with that of Horus, the 3rd Millennium falcon-god, one of the primary figures in the Egyptian pantheon. Later, this symbol was adopted by the solar deity, Ra, and the goddess Isis, although usually without the wings. Interestingly, with Ra and Isis the sun is often ringed by a serpent, like the limits of the world in Norse mythology also being ringed by a serpent. The most famous variation on this theme is to be found in the iconography of the heretic pharaoh, Akhenaton, of the 14th century BC, who briefly flirted with monotheism and the sole worship of the Aton, or life-giving sun.

In Zoroastrianism a human figure is situated within the ring of the sun-disc. The Assyrians who preceded the Persians first adopted the figure of a man, the feather-robed archer, meant to symbolize the Assyrian primary God Assur. The ringed objects held by the individual have been interpreted as representing good and bad or representing eternity. The feathers comprise three rows, representing the Zoroastrian concepts of doing good, thinking well and speaking well. There are three rows of feathers on the back that correspond in negative, in keeping with the Zoroastrian emphasis on balance and an equal counterpoint between all good and bad.

Details
Author: Bruce McLaren
Series: The Wanderer, Book 2
Genre: No longer available
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
Publication Year: 2018
Length: 236
ASIN: B07J6NT3GD
ISBN: 9789493056015
Rating:

List Price: $19,95
eBook Price: $3,99
So you've always wanted to be an archaeologist, have you? Ode to Odin takes us far beyond the glamour of King Tut's tomb or the relative comfort of excavating on a Grecian island to the very frontier of the archaeologist's quest. In the searing deserts of Uzbekistan, the narrator takes us on a journey that sometimes careers to the brink of madness. Here in a vodka swirl of post-Soviet dysfunction, the dig searches for the origins of our monotheistic religions; all the time battling shortages of every necessity in an environment as rugged as people who live there. Above it all looms the aura of Odin, the dig director; a man of unflinching selfishness and of unparalleled intellect. As the narrator picks his way between the ego of Odin, the local workers and his fellow team mates, a frank picture of life on the dig emerges. While sometimes harrowing, it is, nevertheless, a window into the world of archaeology on the fringes; a world that requires a certain madness just to survive. Just as the archaeologists' spades uncover the Zoroastrian Fire Temple, this book, Ode to Odin, provides a reader to with a personal insight into Uzbek archaeology, the cheap vodka, the garrulous governor, and the unstinting mania of Odin.
– Ben Churcher
Mr. McLaren's prose is natural, authentic and beautiful. A nice mix of archaeology, philosophy, travel and history. Struggles between the young protagonist and the older antagonist lend a nice tension. Something new to learn for almost anyone. Highly recommended.
– J. Seigle
Informative, entertaining, told in a unique voice. Dan Brown meets Indiana Jones, longer sentences, and facts. Give it a read.
– Chris Jordan
Let me give a rather comprehensive review of this book and what I found excellent and what I didn't. Without spoiling the plot the short summary is that this literary fiction book is about a British post-grad archaeologist who teams up with a eccentric renaissance man named Odin who take a archaeological excavation trip to Karakalpakstan In Uzbekistan to unearth the mysteries of a ancient Zoroastrian fire temple. With the background now in place let me start listing what I liked and what I found a little lackluster. 1. The idea of the book is new and refreshing. Karakalpakstan as a setting for a book? That's original and sure to be delightful. The hunt for archaic Zoroastrian secrets is a plot goal I can get behind as well. Eccentric archaeologists? Classic. 2. Feels authentic. The author actually has a academic background in archaeology and in Central Asia which make the book feel almost like a first hand account of a real expedition. His experiences makes this story more realistic and accurate. 3. As someone who is well-versed towards Central Asian history and culture, the bits describing natives and customs seem to be based on genuine knowledge. Chapter 11 is informative in my opinion because it gives a concise history of Karakalpakstan. Feels out of place and stops the story at its tracks but I personally enjoyed it for scholarly reasons. 4. The book is a odd but successful mix of archaeological reporting, adventure, travel, and tension at times. 5. Brings to life Central Asia and its peoples with clear and pleasant prose. Gives a compelling story while readers learn a thing or two. Works like this can be enjoyed by anyone no matter their knowledge of the region. This would not be a honest review if I didn't include what I found to be lacking of this book. So here I go. 1. Sometimes the book gets a little too off topic at random times. Chapter 11 is oddly placed like mentioned above because it suddenly covers the history of Karkpalstan and leaves the story high and dry. Random times within chapters this also happens. 2. The protagonists aren't really likeable nor connectable. Odin is a mix and match of played out tropes and stereotypes. He's Mr. Perfect, intellectual genius, Guy with a haunted past, rascal, womanizer and drunk raconteur all at once and in sudden succession. Odin is supposed to come across as a lovable rascal who says the darndest things but instead he comes across as a selfish, insensitive, unhinged and kind of bigoted jerk. The protagonist who we see from his perspective is basically a watered down version of Odin. He feels intense disdain towards his peers, professors, and others which goes overboard. He thinks of women in the story in mainly physical or romantic terms. It's hard to believe this sleazy dude has knowledge in anything. Two negatives do not make a positive in this case. 3. The story is interesting but most of the book is about the protagonist and Odin being drunkard jesters. Everyone is drunk almost always. People stumbling and being drunk gets old fast. Nerim and Yuri are the best characters by far but it's a shame how little attention they get. 4. The female characters are written bad. Most have the same bland and uninspired personalities. Hannah and Avery are two young female archaeologist who also join the excavation but other than appearance the two are indistinguishable. Except that Avery is more temperamental. It doesn't make it better that the dialogue of the women is unrealistic and feels slightly off. So this the the stuff I found good and bad. I love the authentic feel of the setting and the knowledge the book radiates in regards to Central Asian history, culture, archaeology and customs. The obscurity and terminology of Central Asia and it's history are made simplistic and clear through the author's prose which means even a reader with no background knowledge can appreciate it. However, the main flaw at least in my opinion is the badly written characters. No one stands out and comes across as competent or likable except Nerim and Yuri who are amazing. But with that said, I would still recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in archaeology, history, Central Asia, or fiction in general.
– Zai-Nox
The story of Odin and his friendship was thought provoking and funny as well as sad. There are swatches of archeology, history, sociology and basic human nature that break up the sections focusing on Odin’s antics. It was engrossing to learn so much whilst reading a piece of fiction. And Odin was a pretty overwhelming character so a break was welcome. I still would love to have been in this world to meet so many of its people. Even if you don’t care for the “ology” parts this novel is worth the effort. I don’t think there is another book with such clarity of world building and characterisations. A wonderful journey.
– Kay Mack
I hardly venture into books of this genre, so I wasn't expecting it to be part literary fiction, and part social science research report. Truth be told, there were some sections I found "lecture-like" and way too long and could have been written in at least two separate books. Nevertheless, the story is great, and the prose, astounding. This book is also quite an eye-opener for readers who are not familiar with Central Asia and for those who haven't paid much attention to the field of archaeology. I think if I were to go back to college and take a course in the social sciences, I would be happy to have this for a textbook. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
– Pauline Yu Wikoff
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Bruce McLaren

Bruce McLaren is an Australian from rural New South Wales, who left home and just kept on going. He has an academic background in the archaeology and ancient history of the Middle East and Central Asia, regions in which he has both travelled and worked extensively.

McLaren received his doctorate in Middle Eastern Archaeology at the University of Sydney and published the first examination of the military architecture of Bronze Age Jordan in 2003. He has excavated at numerous sites across the Middle East, dating from the Neolithic to the Islamic Periods.

Since he was a boy McLaren always wanted to write. A keen observer of the wide world around him and the experiences to be had therein, he felt an insatiable urge to convey the passions he felt through writing. Turbulence represents his first foray into the mysterious and magical world of contemporary fiction. Compared to the strictures of writing a doctoral dissertation, writing contemporary fiction, unfettered and free to let the imagination run wild, has been a true joy to him.

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