About this title: 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 ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: PENGUIN CLASSICS
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140443837ISBN:0140443835
Description: Published by Penguin Classics in 1981. Paperback. Number of pages: 256. Condition: Very Good. May show some slight signs of wear. #8362174 Shipped from UK. Delivery is usually 2-3 working days from order by Royal Mail, International Delivery is by Airmail. read more
Edition: Illustrated.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books, GREAT BRITAIN
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140443837ISBN:0140443835
Description: Fair. No dust jacket as issued. Highlighting/underlining. TIGHT, SOME COVER WEAR, [ sma] Text in English, Icelandic. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 256 p. Contains: Illustrations. Penguin Classics. Audience: General/trade. [sma] read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: PENGUIN BOOKS LTD Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780140443837ISBN:0140443835
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 256 pages. (256 pages) this is the story of the orkneymen of norwegian extraction who established an earldom of norway in the northern scottish isles a thousand years ago, and whose descendants held sway over the hebrides and northern mainland of scotland for several centuries. maps, index (Paperback) read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140443837ISBN:0140443835
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. Text in English, Icelandic. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 256 p. Contains: Illustrations. Penguin Classics. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date Published: 1981-07-30
ISBN-13:9780140443837ISBN:0140443835
Description: Very Good. New York: Penguin Classics, 1981. Second printing. Paperback. 251 pp. Near fine. Almost no shelf wear. Customary page tanning of Penguin titles. read more
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Minor extremity wear, light rubbing otherwise a near fine copy. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 251 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. Written around A.D. 1200 by an unnamed Icelandic author, the Orkneyinga Saga is the only medieval chronicle to have Orkney as the central place of action, and from it we derive. read more
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Good+, pages are clean, though bumped at the fore edge corner, the illustrated wraps have edge wear and the backstrip is chipped. Text in English, Icelandic. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 251 p. Contains: Illustrations. Penguin Classics. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140443837ISBN:0140443835
Description: New. This is the story of the Orkneymen of Norwegian extraction who established an Earldom of Norway in the Northern Scottish Isles a thousand years ago, and whose descendants held sway over the Hebrides and Northern Mainland of Scotland for several centuries. read more
"Orkneyinga Saga chronicles the history of Orkney during the Viking Age from the ninth to thirteenth century. Located between Scotland and Norway, the islands of Orkney were a base from which vikings looted and pillaged the British Isles. This saga focuses on the Earls of Orkney who sometimes ruled peacefully, but all too often fought amongst each other for control of the islands.
This book's accounts of various claimants to the throne killing each other and fighting over which gets to rule make you realize how repetitious history can be. However there are several interesting bits.
Towards the beginning when not as much historical details are known, the stories have more of a mythic quality to them. A Christian influence is apparent as a crusade to the holy lands is described as well as miracles performed by a couple local saints.
It's interesting to discover how different people's mindsets were back then. Reading this book takes the reader back to a time when vikings would kill each other in bar brawls over small disagreements and people who murdered and robbed were considered national heroes."
"Note: My copy is a different edition, judging from the cover. Reading this, I was impressed by the viciousness with which the Orkney jarls and their warriors fought over what most would consider very uninviting real estate. At the same time, I noted that, as in the Icelandic sagas, those who were willing to make reasonable compromises and avoid bloodshed seemed to be respected by much local opinion, though this did not guarentee their survival. The best parts of this had a grim heroism that matches the best Icelandic sagas, though overall it is episodic and uneven."
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