A dead computer analyst and his guardian angel try to win themselves a secondlife in a broken, Viking world system left devastated and nearly emptied by the Ragnarök.

Conceived in the 1970's and left mouldering in the would-be author's mind for 40 years, John Beach's Life Longing explores the afterlife of a very reserved, highly-introverted man thrust against some of the more obscure aspects of Eddic poetry and Northern literature. The man, a computer analyst, is aided in his quest for a secondlife by his fylgja—his soul mate—who has stood by him throughout his life observing his deeds and always advising him to be a better man.