Cover of Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney

Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney

Written around AD 1200 by an unnamed Icelandic author, the Orkneyinga Saga is an intriguing fusion of myth, legend and history. The only medieval chronicle to have Orkney as the central place of action, it tells of an era when the islands were still part of the Viking world, beginning with their conquest by the kings of Norway in the ninth century. The saga describes the subsequent history of the Earldom of Orkney and the adventures of great Norsemen such as Sigurd the Powerful, St Magnus the Martyr and Hrolf, the conqueror of Normandy. Savagely powerful and poetic, this is a fascinating depiction of an age of brutal battles, murder, sorcery and bitter family feuds.

Audience
adult
Length
medium · 256 pages

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Liked Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney? Here’s where I’d start.

These suit anyone who liked Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.

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“People who read Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney tend to reach for these next.”

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“If it was the norse that hooked you, try one of these.”

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