Three Icelandic Outlaw Sagas: The Saga of Gisli, The Saga of Grettir, The Saga of Hord

by Anthony Faulkes (Editor), George Johnston (Translator)

Here are three epic stories of exile and adventure: the heroes condemned to wander their lands in expiation of crimes committed in honour's name. Gisli with his biting sword Greyflank; Grettir the impetuous hot-head, and Hord the orphan, accursed at birth by his own mother: each must do battle with the forces of an unforgiving fate - and with the destructive drives of his own character. Monsters, magic and all manner of romance are to be found in these three great Icelandic sagas. Yet, with all their heroic extravagance, these tales are human before they are anything else, marked out by their down-to-earth conviction and their, sometimes shocking, emotional power.

Genres: History, Medieval

416 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2001

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, the "fantasy" tag is not strictly accurate, but these stories aren't, strictly speaking, histories. What they are is really gripping stories -- all the sagas are pretty good reads, but these are about men who get outlawed (essentially, put outside the reach of the law and, therefor, fair game) and have to live by their wits. There are some fantastic (and genuinely creepy) moments, but the stories are mostly about men (some better than others) trying to survive in a hard world.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Saga of Gisli is a classic and has fabulous skaldic poetry in it, especially toward the end, but I was really impressed by the Saga of Grettir. It seems to be a pastiche of several genres and has all types of poetry: contests, humor, insults, prophesies ... Something for everyone!

[Quianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite possibly the worst translations ever, conveniently lumped together in one book. Avoid.

[Scott Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading many of the Icelandic sagas, Gisli and Grettir are two of my favorites.