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Average Customer Rating: 
Hrafnkels Saga and Other Icelandic Stories >
Customer Review #1:
 A classic Old Icelandic character study
Hrafnkels Saga is one of the classics of Icelandic literature, and for good reason. It tells the story of a man with a not-too-pleasant character who must endure--and learn from--the misfortune caused by his own actions. Hrankels Saga is very rich in terms of the insight it gives into Old Icelandic society and its understanding of honor and justice. As is usual for the family saga genre, the writing style is spare and terse. Much is implied rather than stated outright, and a close reading is often necessary to catch the subtleties of characterization. Because of its short length, Hrafnkel is a great place to begin saga reading, even better in my opinion than the similarly short but more "romantic" Gunnlaugs saga which is often the first saga assigned to beginning students. Ive read both several times, both in English and in Old Icelandic, and I find Hranfkels Saga much more complex and satisfying.
Hrafnkels Saga and Other Icelandic Stories >
Customer Review #2:
A Great Short Saga to Cut Your Teeth On
Its not easy to dive cold into the world of the Icelandic saga. One of the advantages of reading HRAFNKELS SAGA and the shorter sagas and tales in this volume is that you get a good idea of the best of the genre in less than 150 pages. According to Magnus Magnusson in his excellent book ICELAND SAGA, "it is nothing short of a masterpiece, a brilliantly wrought short novel that has been published and translated and written about more than any other saga." Given that, what can you expect? In the strange world of the Icelandic saga, there is little mention of the deity other than in passing: To the Icelanders of the classic age, all that mattered is what strength and cunning and stamina YOU had, and whether you could rely upon any stouthearted friends of like mettle in a pinch. At the heart of every saga are one or more conflicts. The better man does not always win; justice does not always triumph. Hrafnkel is heroic, but he is no hero: In our time, he would be a convicted felon for slaughtering his shepherd Einar. In the age of the Vikings, he was a stern man of his word in whom people could rely.
Curiously, even in todays Iceland, adherence to the Judaeo-Christian tradition is seen only as an alternative, one imposed from without. The minister at the pulpit is as likely to discuss Hrafnkel and the other great Saga heroes as he is the Gospels. In a way, the sagas are taken as scripture.
The oddest thing of all is that most of them were probably written by Medieval monks: Christianity there underwent a strange sea change into something rich and strange.
So as you read these instructive tales, consider that they represent a different world view in a tiny island nation whose people know them by heart. The Icelandic language today is virtually identical to the Old Norse spoken by the first settlers of Iceland. Imagine if English were identical to the Anglo-Saxon of BEOWULF!
Hrafnkels Saga and Other Icelandic Stories >
Customer Review #3:
 Saga Assortment Gives a Flavour of the Genre
This short volume provides a good introduction to the area of Icelandic Saga literature. Centring around Hrafnkels Saga, but including six other bite-size tales, the style of writing may be a little dry for some tastes. However, for me, the plain-speaking narrative reflects a harsh way of life on the North Atlantic island. The action revolves around individuals, their families and followers, and reveals a surprisingly political edge to early life in Iceland. It is not a case of epic plots - the issues are at a personal level. These tales were recorded for a later audience , perhaps as salutory tales - instructions, not just stories. The characters are often abrupt in word and deed, but I found this a refreshing, and often amusing, change from less prosaic fantasy adventures - after all, these are (mostly) real people, and real life. This book encouraged me to read more sagas, and I havent been disappointed.
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