Back before a single word was written of The Valkyries, I needed to make a critical choice about who Kaelva, Astrid, and Freyna were as warriors. Like I mentioned in another post, I originally planned for them to be superheroines, and naturally, I compared them early on to Wonder Woman—but I wanted The Valkyries to be my own.
So, despite her long standing popularity, I knew I didn’t want my characters to be amazons.
But who did I want them to be?
I brainstormed different paths, but nothing clicked the way I wanted.
Then, of all the things that could have helped guide me, a song—or rather, a soundtrack—revealed the answer: Valkyries.
I never would have thought music would play such a significant part in writing The Valkyries, but now it’s hard imaging writing without it.
Please note: the soundtracks I’ve reference here are the property of their owners and I claim no ownership or rights to them. I listened to them through Spotify and, in the case of the Doom soundtrack playlist, on YouTube.
Astrid and The God of War
The soundtrack? God of War Ragnarok.
The games themselves—namely Kratos’s arrival in Midgard in 2018 and the finale in 2022—laid the foundation for my love for Norse mythology. After finishing God of War in 2018, I read every Norse mythology book I could get my hands on.
Years later, the game’s soundtrack would lead me to who Kaelva, Astrid, and Freyna could become.
Music helped me find them, but it also helped me craft their story.
My playlist started with the God of War and God of War Ragnarok soundtracks. Each brings the mythic feel I sought to weave throughout The Valkyries, and the more I listened, the more a select few tracks stood out from the rest.
The first that caught my ear was Ragnarok. The slow, unyielding tone carries an air of dread, something that fit perfectly while writing the most harrowing trials awaiting Kaelva, Astrid, and Freyna.
Another track rising above the others was Letting Go. The penultimate title of the soundtrack, it sparked feelings of conflicts resolved and bittersweet victories—not unlike what awaited the Valkyries in the end.
Last but not least: the main theme itself. The track is common throughout the game, but when Kratos rallies his warriors before their final battle—just as Astrid bolsters Kaelva and Freyna’s spirits before confronting an enemy from their past—the God of War Ragnarok theme plays in the background.
So, when I found myself deep in a chapter centered on the raven-haired Valkyrie, the God of War Ragnarok theme kept me company. The song reminded me of how Kratos and Astrid led themselves through insurmountable odds—not unlike how I now press forward on my querying and publishing journey.
Astrid had her theme song.
Now to find Kaelva and Freyna’s.
Kaelva and the Doomslayer
Kaelva’s theme was easy. Like I’ve said before, when writing Kaelva’s fight scenes, I thought of Doom’s Doomslayer, so naturally I dove back into the soundtracks from Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal (2020). I can’t think of a single track that isn’t an adrenaline-filled thrill ride, but one track screamed Kaelva.
BFG Division.
Put that on while reading the second half of her fight scene in Chapter 23.
You’ll understand why.
The soundtracks themselves are epic. Search “when the doom music kicks in” on Youtube for plenty of examples why. But what’s even better is a workout playlist I found: a remix of the Doom Eternal soundtrack: Eternal Gains by Nu Industrial Metalcore.
So whether I’m writing Kaelva carving through her enemies, or pushing myself in the gym, the “music” of Doom sparks a warrior spirit of my own—and keeps it burning bright.
We have Astrid’s steady leadership in the God of War Ragnarok soundtrack.
We have Kaelva’s unstoppable fury heralded by Doom Eternal.
But what does Freyna sound like?
Freyna and The Elder Scrolls
Just like me deciding on the trio as Valkyries, I initially struggled to pin down what Freyna’s unofficial theme song would be. What songs best depict the struggle one faces when pulled between two directions—cherishing life and then taking it to protect others?
I considered other tracks in God of War. Some could fit, but the soundtrack as a whole felt like it belonged to Astrid.
And I knew without a doubt Freyna and Doom simply do not mix. She would agree, saying Doom is Kaelva’s music, not hers!
Then I listened to another game’s soundtrack I had in my rotation: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Skyrim’s soundtrack brings a mix of calm and soothing tracks along with invigorating battle themes. As I continued listening, one of my favorites came on—Far Horizons—and I knew: that’s Freyna!
I’ve put the track on likely hundreds of times before I ever even thought of writing The Valkyries. Normally, I listened to Far Horizons when I needed to either reflect or to simply relax.
But now, as I listened to it, I heard Freyna.
Far Horizons begins as a quiet, unhurried song, then ends like an unyielding declaration—like Freyna rising from a quiet healer of her home village, to a confident Valkyrie of Asgard standing tall beside Kaelva and Astrid. My journey felt the same, starting as an unsure writer, but finding my way forward with the love and support of those around me.
Three Valkyries, Three Soundtracks, One Playlist
God of War, Doom, and Skyrim—three completely different types of games and soundtracks, but the foundation of the playlist I listened to while writing The Valkyries, each reflecting the characters and struggles of Kaelva, Astrid, and Freyna.
Other soundtracks joined over time—The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt by Marcin Przybylowicz and Battlecry by Two Steps from Hell, among other soundtracks from World of Warcraft and Diablo, both from Blizzard Entertainment.
Soundtracks may not be the most overly popular music choice for listeners, but the instrumental style worked perfectly as background music while I either wrote or read.
But, all the same, I’d love to see how you perceive the Valkyries—both in word and song.
Please leave a comment on what songs you think could also fit Kaelva, Astrid, and Freyna!
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