Saga: A Novel of Medieval Iceland
- Book Review,
by Jeff Janoda
Book Description
When a nameless Norseman sat down to write the "Saga of the People of Eyri" in the 13th century, the brutal story was already centuries old. Today this ancient tale is masterfully retold in Jeff Janoda’s SAGA: A NOVEL OF MEDIEVAL ICELAND, a rich historical novel of the first Icelandic settlements. SAGA tells the story of the savage rituals of feud and sacrifice brought by the settlers from their Norwegian motherland as well as their new, competing beliefs in a democratic legal assembly and a code of restraint. When Thorolf the Viking trades away his valuable family lands to spite his son, Arnkel, the ruthless Norse chieftain vows to regain them at all costs. Robbed of his rightful inheritance, Arnkel begins a venomous feud with his neighbors and with rival chieftain Snorri, a lawless dispute destined to end in betrayal and death. Janoda’s characters are eloquently wrought, their passions and pagan beliefs brought to life in a tale over a thousand years old. His delicate hand renders fantastical elements like spirits and elves as vividly as their human counterparts, illuminating the harshness of life in a society on the brink of modernity, yet isolated in the farthest reaches of the planet.
From the Publisher
"As focused as Jane Austen, as macabre as Stephen King, Jeff Janoda traces out the hidden springs of power in the micro-society of an Icelandic fjord. He tells a tale of complex feud with all the fullness and detail of a modern novel, but leaves its violent and treacherous heroes as enigmatic as before. A brilliant blend of scholarship and insight." --Dr. Tom Shippey, author of THE ROAD TO MIDDLE EARTH
From the Author
The Icelandic sagas make up a large portion of the existing documents from medieval Europe. Their detailed family histories, all beginning with the colonization of Iceland by Norwegian settlers in the late 10th century, provide an intensely detailed picture of an otherwise obscure period. Though none of the sagas were written down before 1000 A.D. and the arrival of Christianity and literacy, the strong oral tradition of early Iceland meant that their narratives had remained intact for centuries. The "Saga of the People of Eyri," on which SAGA is based, was first set down around 1270 A.D. by an unknown author. Like the other sagas, it mixes facts with fantastical elements, such as the ghosts and elves which were a part of the early settlers’ pagan beliefs. Surprisingly, women take a strong role in this and other stories, as do Iceland’s innovative legal system and egalitarian social structure, which existed in stark contrast to the feudal system in place in Norway at the time. In fact, the "Thing," the legal assembly which figures prominently in SAGA, remains in place in Iceland today as the "Althing," the oldest parliament in Europe. The sagas emphasize actions and events over personal relationships and environmental description, making even the available translations difficult for the modern reader. With SAGA, Jeff Janoda has given new life to these ancient characters. His elegant retelling fleshes out their personalities and inner thoughts, their emotions and pagan religious beliefs, and develops through these details the story within the saga.
About the Author
Jeff Janoda has spent nearly a decade researching the medieval period in Northern Europe. His fascination with Norse culture stems from an appreciation of their highly-developed art, poetry and legal system, as well as their strong bond with the land and sea. Janoda, an avid outdoorsman, has worked as a historical interpreter, and currently teaches science and social studies. He lives in Ontario with his wife and two children. He has published several science fiction short stories. This is his first novel.
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