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A review by solaireastora
Egil's Saga by Unknown
4.0
This book follows the life of Egil Skallagrimsson - a man who defies simple descriptions. He isn't very likeable - a greedy, determined man who is sometimes chaotic and sometimes capable of great cunning and craft. However he can also be kind, and he is a highly skilled poet (and possibly a sorcerer?) The poems were a great part of the story and I felt they allowed me to understand Egil better.
His family is caught up in the power struggles of Norwegian royalty, often antagonizing various Kings, and so he resettles in Iceland. These conflicts take up a large portion of the book, involving much intrigue and bloodshed. Egil goes on many adventures after establishing his Icelandic farm - from Sweden to England - and they are interesting to read about.
This book provides an interesting description of tenth century Viking life, and Egil is certainly a memorable person, although I didn't enjoy it as much as Njal's Saga.
His family is caught up in the power struggles of Norwegian royalty, often antagonizing various Kings, and so he resettles in Iceland. These conflicts take up a large portion of the book, involving much intrigue and bloodshed. Egil goes on many adventures after establishing his Icelandic farm - from Sweden to England - and they are interesting to read about.
This book provides an interesting description of tenth century Viking life, and Egil is certainly a memorable person, although I didn't enjoy it as much as Njal's Saga.