Synopses & Reviews
The Penguin Classics list of medieval sagas grows ever more impressive with these two thrilling Norse sagas
One of the best -loved works of Icelandic literature, this stirring tale of war and romance follows three generations of strong women, wise leaders, and hotheaded warriors. The only saga rumored to have been written by a woman, it tells of the centuries predating 1245, when magic rites and sorcery clashed with the spread of Christianity throughout a rapidly changing Viking world.
Synopsis
The action of the saga takes place at the end of the tenth century, at about the time Scandinavia was converting from worship of Norse gods to Christianity. A masterpiece of medieval literature, the story focuses on two families -- that of Hoskuld, a prominent farmer with several sons, and that of Gudrun, the most beautiful woman ever born in Iceland.
About the Author
Keneva Kunz is a lecturer in English and applied linguistics at the University of Iceland.