Gisli Sursson's Saga and the Saga of the People of Eyri

First edition in Penguin Classics for two powerful prose sagas, and part of a new series of eight Icelandic Sagas

Based on oral tales that originated in historical events in 10th-century Iceland, these two sagas follow the fate of a powerful Viking family across two generations, from its early Norwegian ancestry through fierce battles to defend its honour.These sagas recount fierce feuds in which honour is fought for, sacrifice is demanded, and blood is shed. The fate of the characters at the centre of each saga, however, is very different. Gisli is a traditional Viking-age hero who is determined to exact revenge at any cost and whose death is tragic when it comes. In contrast his nephew, Snorri, represents a new generation and acts to strengthen the new social order. Taken together these sagas reveal the richness and variety of the saga tradition.