Thorstein of the Mere: A saga of the Northmen in Lakeland

by William Gershom Collingwood

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Genres: Fantasy

203 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

William Gershom Collingwood was an English author, artist, antiquary and professor of Fine Arts at University College, Reading.

Reviews

[Martin Whittaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorstein of the Mere was written by the not well known W.G. Collingwood. It is a shame that he is not well known because he was a pioneer of Viking studies in the UK writing books about Northumbrian stone crosses and Hogbacks, being president of the Viking Society and translating some of the Icelandic Sagas, but sadly all these achievements are overshadowed by his friendship with the famous art critic John Ruskin, and most people only know him because of his biography of his old friend.
Thorstein of the mere is a personal exercise to combine Collingwoods knowledge of the viking's and his love of the Lake District and was written as a teaching tool for a young boy, a fantastic precursor to our current way of teaching in museums.
The story follows a young "Hiberno-Norse" viking Thorstein who's father settles in Greenodd near Ulverston, Cumbria and follows his adventures as his own personal struggles intermingle with the bigger politics of the founding of Angle-Land (England) his travels lead him to the monastic community of Cartmel (where Igrew up) and the great viking city of York and culminates with the battle at Dumnail Raise which saw Cumbraland's independance quashed.
What is so impressive about Thorstein is how ahead of its time it is in its views of vikings, you can see Collingwood wanting to paint a lighter more respectful image of viking peoples but he doesn't flinch from his characters being historically accurate or humanly flawed, for example Thorstein even though he is the hero has no qualms about having "Thralls" (slaves) and doesn't condemn their ill-usage, he is also brutal when he feels wronged, killing his own brother for wronging him in cold-blood, yet he is also shown as caring to those he loves and open to change when he converts to Christianity. Collingwood demonstrates his expertise in Icelandic literature as it oozes with information about rituals, customs and ways of life and combines them with his own knowledge of the archaeology of Cumbria and place-name evidence. One scene I enjoyed was when the priests show Thorstein's Father Swein a stone cross, depicting Christ being pierced by a spear, they attempt to compare him to Odin suggesting similarities to win him over, a lovely snapshot into interpretations that stone crosses were carved with conversion in mind often depicting similar pagan stories with Christian ones.
As a book the descriptions of the Lake District are lovingly written by someone who was no doubt a product of the romantic movement, the characterisation is interesting and although written for children is mature and complex, one criticism is the action scenes come across as a bit confusing so don't expect anything modern historical authors can do, it is very much in the style of Walter Scott where the scenery and action melds together in a confusing kaleidoscope but still fun to read!

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

meh on the first read
better on the 2nd
good on the 3rd read

2nd book assigned in oxford fantasy lit study abroad course
did a comparative research essay on grief revenge and isolation characterstudy of thorstein and thorin (from the hobbit)